April 1-3, 1890 and 1901 in Coles County Illinois

April 1890

1.  Tuesday, 7 AM  Ther.

Clear N.E. wind Nick and H.G. go hunting.  I start for ranch at about 9 AM.  Find Johnny and Warren at work  Warren is working in John's place while he went to election.  Got the sulky harrow yesterday.   When John got home we harrowed the grass plot for samples.  Gobed 10 

PM

2.  Wednesday, 5 AM.  Ther
at Ranch
Partly cloudy, wind S.E.  Johnny  and Riley burn brush back of  barn.  Simon and self went AM to look at line surveyed by Green.  It puts the five east sycamores on my land.  I sowed sample grass seed after breakfast.  Simons makes and hangs two gates in P.M.   other boys making fence  Part cloudy day S.E.  wind and signs of rain  Did sprinkle lightly from 4 P.M. till in night  Gobed  10 P.M.

3.  Thursday  5.30 AM.  Ther
Cloudy and raining light rain most of  night and until noon.  Works a little in barn Simons starts for corn after dinner.  I started home Find Tue about sick with neuralgia  Council met tonight and decide not to have vote on the license question  This would seem to settle it  Heavy rain about and after dark  11.30 PM

[Stop of page]  Stopped yesterday to get Carlos but he would not follow me

April 1901

1.  Monday.  5.15 AM.  Ther.  27.  49.  40.  =  38 2/3

Partly Cloudy white frost S.E. Wind Clara washed  Saw John Marshall about Walls and Garrison.  Fear may lose 40.00 owing me by Noble.  Garrison pays me $15.00 for which I give receipt as against Walls.  Cow got out P.M. and over in Maxwell's field.  I telephone Wall at Casey but could not hear much from him  Get Gaines' clock again at Jenkin's P.M.  Mostly cloudy day dark and threatening toward night with E. wind.   Order fourth half ton of coal.  Miss Ford went to Bloomington today for two or three days.  Charlotte Sproule over at night.  light showers after.  gobed 9 P.M.

2.  Tuesday.  5.40  Ther  35.  45.  40.  =  40
Cloudy and raining lightly.  S.E. wind  Tue and Clara cleaning Miss Fords room most of day.  Went up and voted AM.  The main question today seems to be  Co Bond  issue  Ricter delivers fourth jag of coal.  Mist or drizzle most of day southerly wind.  No fire in furnace and house pretty cold.  Florence Moore here sewing with Phebe P.M.  Shortess cow loose in street and barn lot P.M.  Make halter for big calf and look over old harnesses.  Intended to go to Loxa A.M. but weather prevented.  Gobed 9 P.M.~

3.  Wednesday 5.30 AM.  Ther  35.  46.  40  =  40 1/3
Cloudy.  Northwind.  Tue and Clara continue work on Miss Fords room  Jo Crail carries in lot of coal and get house warmed up.  Jo helps clean lot of carpet and I took him part way home.  Tue works all day although feeling badly.  I start for Loxa 1 P.M.  Found Jo plowing having about finished the oats ground.  He will get done by noon tomorrow and go to town for seed oats.  He did not get check mailed last Friday and I drove down to Loxa to find out about it.  Didn't learn anything  Took Gaines' clock out.  Got home 6.30 P.M.  Mostly clear P.M. north wind.  Roads pretty muddy but drying fast.  gobed 8.30 P.M.

March 1-3, 1901 in Coles County Illinois

 From the journal

1.  Cloudy west wind.  Trees covered with snow and about 3 in on ground.  Take picture of Phebe in back yard, and another of cat and Marie N. of house at diner time.  

(I thought this was the photo he was talking about, but she is too young in this photo.  I thought you would like to see it any way.)

G. Wall pays me $25.00 on Months rent still owes $15.00  Take Tue's shoe to J.W. Evans.  He says will take my cow and break her to milk two or three months.  Dark cloudy day SW wind most of snow went off.  Play cards with the girls till 9.30 P.M.  Gobed 9.30 PM.

2.  Saturday at 5,30 AM.  Ther 34.  58.  40.  = 44.

Mostly clear early, foggy later, and later clear  Get shave Browns after waiting an hour.  Supposed had paid Ges. Gray bill, but it seems I have not.  John Simons called for hay Knife  I buy lot of groceries Custers  & Johnson.   Get bu  potatoes own about gone.  Tue feeling badly  all day, and went to bed just after dinner.  Dick Wright calls and would like to work for me.  Phebe sewing P.M.  Saw Charles Happer P.M.  Wall pays me bal. on rent 15.00 to 20 Feby.  Harvey Mitchell calls to see Clara about noon.  I went up after grub &c after supper.  Fair day sprinkles rain about 4 P.M.  Gobed 9 PM.   Cass and Ocalin in town Soma Cases

  

Shorthand at the top of the page.

3.  Sunday 5.45  A.M.  Ther.  45.  53.  40.  =  46

clear, southwind.  Tue got up to breakfast and feels some better.  I went out to Gaines' getting there about noon.  Find them discussing, Jo thinks beat to drive line back cow to town  settle with Jo in full to Mar. 1.  He has worked for me after all deductions 10 monthes @ 20.00 and has drawn 196.00  Pay him check $4.00 which afterward cash.  Leave there 4.30 P.M.  Met John Linder on way home   Mostly  clear day with Southerly changing to N.W. wind, and cooler at night.  gobed 8.30 P.M.  ? roads better than I expected.

Headed to bed I will catch up another day.

January 21, 1914 and 1889 in Charleston, Illinois

January 1914

21.  Wednesday. 6.30 AM.  Ther.  24.  30.  30.  =28.

cloudy. N.W.5. Furnace leaks worse than ever inside.  We have been having BW cakes cakes for breakfast two weeks but skip this morn.  Ora  ate dinner with a friend today.  It is not known how long she will tarry with us.  Tue attends Pictures exhibit at Court House P.M.  Phebe sewing.  They read E. Meter P.M. 1013.  This makes 39 K.W.H. for last month ending today.   This will make our light Dec. cost us about 4.00  Charley Smith did chores.  Alfred has quit - can't afford to do it for a dime.  The girls were up town till bedtime.  Cloudy day with scattering snowflakes.  Strong N.W. wind  Go bed 10 P

January 1889

21. Monday 5.50 AM  Ther.  8.  31.  26.

Clear.  This is the coldest morning since last Mar 8.  Cistern and WW frozen up in Kitchen.  Jim Dawson got half cord of wood.  Mrs. Abe Woodrum  called AM. wanting some coal.  Abe (?) Byres went down yesterday to tie job.  Mrs.  Munroe here P.M.  Clear day with N.W. wind  Gobed 9.30 PM   

January 29-31, 1913 in Charleston, Illinois

29.  Wednesday,  6 AM.  Ther  24.  46.  42. = 37 1/3
Mostly cloudy. S.3.  The house was colder this morn than have noted this winter.  Ther in setting R. 57.   Something wrong with  furnace or the coal.  Rhoda came about 11 AM and washed done before night.  Phebe cutting  out new brown dress.  Harman phoned AM that would be in with some meat P.M. brought 19 3/4 lb lard 8 1/2 sausage, tender loin, spare rib and beef in all 40 lbs. Pay him check 4.80.  He took out old harness he had left in barn.  Fern was here at night.  The snow went off except north hills.  Mostly clear day with strong southerly.

30.  Thursday 6.15 A.M.  Ther.  40.  60. 52. = 50 2/3
Clear. haze, S.3. Phone J.E. M.  Learn that Jessie Dunn's baby died last night after long illness.  Tue got a letter from Marie AM.  Hitch up mare 11 AM., first since Sunday.  The scaves (sic)of funeral procesh (sic) on E side.  Tue went down to Jessies A.M.  I got same P.M. after make two trips.  Look for JEMc 5 PM  didn't see him.  Meet Rogers Bennett with Zoll.  Ora was here at night.  She is thinking of going with Phebe next week to Chicago.  Clear AM but clouds up PM. with dashes of rain 5 P.M. and later strong southwind(sic) becoming N.W. before morning.  Gobed 9 P.M.

31.  Friday.  6.30 AM.  Ther.26  34.  10. = 23 1/3
Clear snowfl. (sic) N.W. 3. some light showers early in night.  Harman phones that thinks will finish NW tile today.  They plowed yesterday.  Tue goes to funeral P.M.  Jessie Moffets baby.  Helen Ferrish went with her.  Phebe has friends for supper.  Frances, Ora and Fern and Tue made quit a function of it.  Had a roast of Harman's beef which was fine.  Lear of death of Ike Cassell an old settler from way back.  Mostly clear day with high N.W. wind.  It began to grow colder about noon and we are worried at night for fear W W will freeze.  New WC frozen twice this winter.  Go bed 9 P.M.  I spend much of time sorting over old papers and mags.

The Weather

The weather &c for Jan. 1913.  Average daily mean. 37.1;  Max 60 on 17 and 30.  Min 10 on 12 and 31. Precip. mostly Rain, 5. 91 in .90 on 5th .65 on 6th .60 on 10th 1.00 inch on 16th; 1.41 on 20th and, 83 on 22d an inch or two light snow fell but went off at once.  The Prevailing winds N.5 1/3; N.E. 2/3; E. 1 1/3; S.E. 2; S. 10; S.W. 4; W. 1 2/3, and N.W. 6 days.  The ground has hardly been frozen and they have been plowing this week Cloudiness for Mo, 60%.   Corn say 40.  oats 30.  Hogs 7.00  Eggs 25 butter 30 to 40.  The roads have been very bad and are so still  I have not used roads much.  There has been lots of rain and streams are high.