June 1, 1890 and 1901 in Coles County, Illinois

June 1890

1. Sunday  6.30 AM.  Ther.  65

Mostly clear.  Painted screen doors up at store.  Crass helped oil buggy and I started for Ranch at 11 A.M. by way of Handly Ford getting there about 1.30 P.M.  Rile Decker over toward night settle up with him.  Clear day NW wind  9.30

June 1901

(top of page)  Geo Gray has recently had "new" front put in Shoe Store.  Mrs. Monroe building  they are painting it today May 31.

1.  Saturday.  5.30 AM.  Ther.  53.  74.  54.  =  60 1/3

Cloudy Sprinkle rain.  Roan untied himself last night and was grazing back of house when got up.  Jubal Jones came 7  AM and worked till nearly 6 P.M.  clean up grass, cut wood &c. will come again Monday.  John Simons  brought up hayrack.  Settle with him as  possible.  Giving him check for balance 5.50.  Renew note at St. with Earl Decker 10.00 for 90 d. promise not to do it again.  Will Decker says taxes paid on piece to be decided to Bachman June 13.  Pay Mrs. Dorsch a/c K.G. ch. 6.70 ice full to date from last Dec. 22.  Oscar Decker is working for  Walter Briggs.  Miss Ford's friend Miss Wheeler came P.M. to stay a while with her.  Phillip Davis building a new house which shows up strong in S.W.  They are just getting the roof on.  Self bellyache after supper.  Tue got a letter from Mrs. Eastin at Denver yesterday inquiring about her tax &c.  Fair day with northerly wind  Clear at night.  The rain early A.M.  Gobed.  9.30 AM.~ 

March 19-23, 1889 in Charleston, IL

March 1889

19.  Tuesday. 6 AM     Ther.  38.  55.  39. = 44
Clear.  N. wind.  Baby had high fever all night but seems some better this morning.


(Note: This next section seems to be written by Tue.  The writing is much larger.  Notice that she calls the baby "Marie" not just baby as Charles does.)
Hat came down about the time Chas started for timber.  went home and got her work and staid (sic) all day  Bernice Anderson took a ten gallon keg.  Marie sick all day Mrs. Davis staid(sic) a while in the evening.  Go to bed.9


Start for timber 10 AM.  Went  to Walker's ford couldn't cross river so went round by bridge getting there at 3.30.  Bob gone to Bills didn't return.  Roads very bad.  Clear day strong N. wind  Johnny and Enoch working clearing toward west side.  Gobed 10PM


(Written at top of next page)
White frost  John, Warren,  Enoch, Riley, & Steve and John Son work at clearing  Steve sows what was cleared and burned with  ? and ?  Bob got home at noon and hauling a load of lumber PM.  N. wind clear day gb 9 PM.


20.  (Tue's handwriting  Wednesday.  6.15  Ther.  30.  52.   39.  =  40.
Clear pleasant day.  Marie better, but very cross.  Don't feel well myself.  Mrs. Dickerson came to wash before we had breakfast.  Go to bed 8 PM.


21.  Thursday.  6 AM.  Ther.  30.  50.  42.  =  40 2/3
5.30 AM,  Pretty hard frost.  Bob finishing sowing around the house  Oscar Decker worked with boys today.  Clearing near the west line and cutting fence row through.  Bob hauls out what lumber I have  for fences, hardly enough for road fences.  Horse got loose and thought she had gone home, found her in pasture.  Start home at 4.15  roads very rough, but mostly dry.  Baby nor Tue, neither very well yet.  Jo Clark called at night and I sold him 100 butternut posts @ 5.50 delivered.  Clear AM and some  cloudy PM.  N,E. wind.    Gobed 9 PM.


22.  Friday.  6 AM.  Ther.  33.  50.  45.  =  42 2/3
6 Am.  Clear or nearly so send Jo Clark out  105 butternut posts.  Got to timber about 3 PM.  Bob gone to take Mats burrow home.  Men fired leaves along Hanley's fence but didn't do a very good job burning.  Bob got horse about 8 PM.  Walked up to where burned with Bent and Ed at night.  Gobed 9 PM. 


23.  Saturday.  5.30 AM.  Ther.  40.  63.  45.  =  48 1/3
Mostly clear.  5 boys working this AM.  Bob went to town early.  I remained here until about 11 AM.  overtake John Kink with load of ties.    Good many people in town.  Jo Clark pays me 5.75 in full for posts.- Cooper pays 2.00 leaving bal of 3.00 till due.  Milt Drake in town wants my house down in woods.  Tue's cough very bad yet but she thinks some better.  Gobed 9 PM~

August 28 - September 2, 1888 in Charleston, Illinois

August 1888

28.  Tuesday.  5.30  AM.  Ther.  66.  83.  64.

Cloudy.  Start for timber with Tue at 7.30 AM.  Men clearing all day west of house.  We have been married eleven years today.  Walked around a good deal.  Tue seems to like it pretty well.  Very warm down there.  Clear off early and mostly clear day.  left baby with father and girls.  Gobed 10 P.M.

29.  Wednesday, 5.30 AM  58,  81,  60.

Mostly  clear warm day.  Start for timber with M & P at 8 AM.  Six men clear today  Johnson having quit.  Clear N.W. of house cross spring hollow.  Have cleared as far west as think will do at present.  about a greater west of cast lives.  Maggie and Phebe enjoyed themselves and got very tired found some very fine fungi.  Got home at 6.15.  Tried an operation on calf this AM but no good.  Mrs Dickinson ironed.  go bed 10 PM

30.  Thursday.  5.30 AM.  Ther.  51.  81.  66.

Mostly clear start for timber at 7.15 AM.  Six men at work clearing on ridge N. of spring.  fire old hickory stub.  Brown hauling old lumber and boards.  Brought him $2.05 in groceries today.  g of 9 oc.

31.  Friday.  5 AM  Ther.  66.  78.  60.

Start at about 7 AM.  Cloudy mostly turns cooler P.M.  Near clearing on second ridge N. of spring push fence row through to N. road in P.M. I went over on Hall and Darkes eighty.  Oscar Decker  cut his hand pretty badly P.M.  Gobed 9 P.M.

September 1888

1. Saturday. 6.30 AM.  Ther.  53.  74.  56.

Clear morning and day.  Most of hands were up today.  Uncle John was down to dinner.  Sherm Popham pays me for boards, $10.75.  Mrs. Perrill called at night.    Grate some corn for breakfast.  Bud some peach trees today 5 on N. (?) of row early peach from Brandenburgs.  Gobed 9.30

2.  Sunday.  6.30  Ther.  54.  75.  55.

Clear.  worked of forenoon on plan for a sheep barn.  After dinner, Tue, self and baby drove out to Uncle John's staying an hour or two.  He gave me some advice about sheep farm and we got some corn to grate.  Gobed 9.15