December 5-8, 1889 and 1900 in Coles County Illinois

December 1889

5.  Thursday, 6 AM.  Ther. at C.  40.  50.  43  =  44 1/3

Cloudy and damp  Did not rain much last night Johnny came at 7.45  Made two  portable racks for the sheep and think have about room enough.  Start home at 2 P.M.  going by Jo Handlys.  Told Jim Cassady to send me over a  thousand pounds of corn and oats ground.  Got home 6 P.M. roads bad wind N. Misty - gobed 1200.

6.  Friday.  7 AM.  Ther  35.  50.  43  =  42 2/3
Nearly clear.  Turie 33 years old today.  Mostly clear fine day with easterly wind   Got letter from Whilt saying would pay 38 cts. for ties.  Bought lot of hinges and bolts at Stodderts for barn and gates   Hat here most of day and to supper.  Tue had Marie's picture taken for first time.  The P.O. has new outfit of boxes put in this week, took box 26 lock box.  Tue not very well.  My foot hurt last Tuesday hurts worse today.  Gobed Midnight

7.  Saturday, 7 AM.  Ther  44.  53.  32  = 49 2/3
Cloudy, misty.  Have caught cold- sore throat.  Uncle John in town and down to dinner.  Pete Snider paid old a/c. Pay Goodwin for family ice last summer  $3.90.    Trade fair.  Dark cloudy with SE wind.  foggy and heavy mist at night.  Tue still complaining.  Mrs. Fanigan here in evening  Warren took down lot of hinges and bolts  Self not up till 1.30 AM.    Grows warmer in night  Tue had Marie sit for photos at (?).

8.  Sunday.  7.30 AM.  ther.  60.  65.  47.  =  57 1/3
Part cloudy wind SW.  Tue still feeling badly  Girls went to S.S.  Tue went down to Dowlings, about  noon, and  stayed till night mostly clear day  Gobed  11 PM ~

December 1900

5.  Wednesday.  5.45 AM.  Ther  33.  40.  33  =  35 1/3

Mostly cloudy Build fire for washer in cellar  See washwomen says they can't come  till tomorrow morning.  Start to Loxa 10 AM Jo cutting blackberry patches in orchard.  John Gaines staying there is (?).  Jo will come to town tomorrow and haul over Mrs. Knocks wood also other work.  Left 3 P.M. stop at Dishons but can't get one of the girls  Drive down south of Loxa  See Crass girls but they couldn't come.  I get home 6 P.M.  Tue not feeling well.  Mostly clear day NW wind gobed 8.30 PM

6. Thursday.  5.20 AM.  Ther 27.  40.  42.  =  39 2/3

Clear southwind.  Heavy white frost.  Went uptown for sack corn meal.  Tue expecting company today,  Mrs.Knock and Mrs. John Hamalton of Mattoon.  Gaines came about 8 AM and hauled over Mrs. Knocks wood  He left about noon taking load of manure, also some shingles for patching roofs.  Warren Decker was up   I followed  him out nearly to Normal.  Says Brown sawed a day or two on custom work, this week.  Tue went up to Court House with her visitors after dinner.  Mrs. Lloyd and daughter wash AM. and will iron  Saturday.  Mostly cloudy day southerly wind occasional light sprinkles with drizzly rain at  night  Gobed 9 P.M.

7.  Friday.  6 AM.  Ther.  42,  37.  34.  =  37 2/3

Cloudy and raining lightly.  Somewhat foggy early Wind Northerly, Drizzly rain all day.  I  stay at home most of day.  Didn't hitch up till about noon.  Did not eat any dinner.  Took Tue to Reading Circle  at Dr. Ritters on Van Buren St. and went after her.  It quit raining before dark  Gobed after getting asleep on lounge 10 P.M.

8.  Saturday.  6 AM.  Ther 32  42.  34.  =  36

Cloudy N.W. wind.  Mrs. Lloyd and daughter come to iron finishing before noon.  Tue and Mrs. Grove attend Orchestral Concert at Normal P.M.  I went out to Gaines P.M. getting home 6 P.M.  Loins back cow had red heifer calf this morning and Jo had her in barn trying ti milk her Big calf.  Mostly clear day with S.W. wind very chilly.  Roads muddy except gravel and pavement.  Wrote Mort Neal this morning answering letter from him yesterday referring to Walnut logs.  Gobed 8.30 P.M.

December 3,1912 & 1887 in Charleston, Illinois

1912

3.  Tuesday. 6.30 AM Ther.  28.  50.  46. = 41 1/3
Clear.  S. 2.  Heavy hoar frost.  Ice 3/8 in.  Walter Smith  & Company came early so that it is about as good as it was before they worked on it.  Think  it about worn out in places.  the house was very uncomfortable this morning with no fire, got a good one by  10 A.M.  Tue got letter from Buddy A.M.  was well.  Tue   getting for some church doings which occur soon.  Hitch up about noon deposit B.C. check 321.32 at 2nd.  The check was defective being  10.00 too much on the lower line.  Drive out far as Watsons toward night.  Met Eastin with Fitz.  Is now chopping ~~  The roads are some muddy - not deep.  They are still hauling crushed onto south road.  Have a light application for about half mile E. of Shannon's.  Return S. road.  Jack went.  He has swelled jaw.  Part cloudy.  Light southerly winds.  Read Borcacico at night.  Go bed 10.30~

1887

3.  Saturday.  6 A.M.  Ther.  44.  54. 55.

Cloudy and raining frost.  Pete Snider came about 5 AM for family for Fan.  Patton stopped about 8 A.M. saying Fan couldn't live wanted to see her father  Start out to Uncle John's in heavy rain, about 8.30  He came in with us but Fan was dead when we got back Uncle John and Tue went down there afternoon getting back before night.  The funeral will be tomorrow 2 P.M.  Christian Church.  Phebe had but slight croup tonight and hope she is over  with it.  Guiney paid me in full for wood $3.00.  Rain occasionally during day very heavy in forenoon, heavy at night.  Baby cried till midnight.  Kate Myer had been taking care of her today.  11 P.M. 

*Personal note- this must have been a very difficult day for my family.  Fan lived all the way out by, what is now, Lake Charleston.  That would have been a difficult ride in a buggy and heavy rain.  Tue and Charles had two sick kids at home.  My mother has always told me that babies often died in their first two years of life, so the baby being sick must have worried them a great deal.  Fan had three small children that would need cared for.   Though this happened many years ago, my heart aches for all of them.  CMS

It is August 15, 1887

125 Years Ago . . .

15.   Monday 5 AM.  Ther.  70 ?  87.  70.

Cloudy Misty Morning N.W. wind.  Left Fan's for town with Maggie about about 7 AM.  there was but little rain up town.  Maggie took her drawing lesson in forenoon.  Maggie and I got dinner after which got Hat and went down to Fan's.  Tue and the girls are going to stay till Wednesday.  Went over to Pete Snider's melon patch bought three w melons and got home at 5 P.M.  Cooler day.  Misty morning.  There was no rain last night in town but roads pretty muddy down by Blakemans.  Cooked some after supper.  Gobed.  10 P.M.