July 25- August 14, 1901 in Charleston, IL (highlights)

July 1901 (highlights) 

25.Thursday  100

Last night seems the warmest we have had.  I started to Loxa early getting there before 10.  Didn't eat any dinner lay on the floor in the east room upstairs P.M. till 4 P.M.  Retha got lost in the corn, but came in before I left at 5 P.M.  Rep of cyclone in Chicago this AM.  The heat about floored me today.  Corn suffering.

26.  Friday.  Sign consent for gas pipes on sixth ST South of Jackson.  Drive after supper with Tue past Pigeon Roost Normal and Half Mile House.  Phebe at party at Seftons.   Etta still in town and is staying with Vivian.

27.  Saturday -  Maggie has been working at Jenkins Store, this week.  Charley  South rode to Loxa with me.  His wife will probably recover.  Grass has been green until the last few days.

28.  Sunday-  I drive down to river Old Ashmore Road.  Drive with to Pigeon Roost and beyond.

29.  Monday - 

30.  Tuesday - Marie complaining of her back and chest.

31.  Wednesday - Alexander tells me A.M. that Alex Briggs has bought the old Norfolk house - half the lot for $2,250.00.  Learn that Jubal has gone to Kansas City &c.  Report big rain 1 1/2 to 3 in water.

August 1901 (highlights)

1.  Thursday - 

2.  Friday - 

3. Saturday - Miss Ford left for home in New York P.M.  

4.  Sunday - Tue cleaning up Miss Ford's room.

5.  Monday - Dick worked all day.  Hitch up makes mushroom bed in back yard.  Bert was in town and to dinner.   Drive with him down past Normal.  Has been with family down to White Co.  Marie and Helen went to river with Geo. Snider.  Learn that Geo. Tucker has bought Charley Black Saloon.  Tue feeling badly.

6.  Tuesday - An Uncle Tom Cabin show in town P.M. tent next to be R.R.  Geo. Rosebraugh leaves key to Eastin House says that Mrs. E will be home in a day or two.  Her place not rented boys have been looting it as well as our old house recently.  Jo G, says Hen has gone to Iowa again.

7.  Wednesday - Old mare chowed up bag of bran last night.  Etta Vandmysen here last night and will stay with us for a few days.  Big ad painted on Plainsdealer  Bldg recently  Geo.  Tucker is running the Charley Black Saloon on 6th St.  I sort over papers today finding some quite important that were needed.  Tue and I drive late P.M. down to cow at Johnsons  Saw her - looking well.  Drove down cross river at Oliver bridge Went south returning by Five mile house - a long trip started 4.30 and home 8.30.  Mrs. Eastin got in today  after absence of nearly two years.  Helen stayed with her all night.

8.  Thursday  I stop at winters to look at samples for suit.

9.  Friday - 

10.  Saturday - Took samples back Winters and order suit with extra pair pants @37.00 whole outfit.  

11.  Sunday - 

12.  Monday - Caught boys prowling around barn today.

13.  Tuesday - Learn Hen back from Iowa.  Ice bill to 1st inst 3.50.

14.  Wednesday - C lannaham moves into Mrs. Eastin's house.

August 28 - September 2, 1913 in Charleston, Illinois

August

28.  Thursday.  5.30 AM.  Ther.  74.  98.  80.  =  84.

Part cloudy. S.2.  This develops into one of hottest days.  I hitch up AM and drove up town but didn't stay long.  Walter and Marie took mare to picnic at Olivers about 11 AM. getting home after dark.  Chas with them.  Too hot for anything.  My bowel trouble did not bother me today.  Tue gets letter from Phebe.  She has secured  place at Havanna, ILL and will  go there next  Sunday for a 13 week term at better salary than at Ann Arbor.  Part cloudy day strong westerly wind P.M. becoming N.W.  We have been married 36 years today.  Chas was asleep when they got home last night.  Lightning in night  Go bed9

29.  Friday.  5.30 AM.  ther.  60.  84.  68.  =  70 2/3

Clear N.W.1.  Get shave AM and pay 15c. which claimed I owed.  Drove up town A.M.  Talk with Miller.  Thinks he has taken contract which will occupy him two weeks.  S  Mrs. Gaines Retha and baby near court House.  Walter crates old Bureau and repairs Buddy's Trunk.  Buddy packs up and  they leave for MtC. on 3.14 P.M. train.  Tue and I drove to station to see them off and later drove N. on "plank" road to town line and E. to the Shoots road returning by Ashmore.  Corn some better than round Loxa.  Saw several threshing CS.  Met WM Briggs up town.  He seems in bad health.  Says his C.S. went less than bu. to a.  Drove up and got bu oats at I.B.'s.  They are 50c.  they sell corn .85.  Clear day with strong NW wind.  The roads are very dusty.  Tue feeling poorly as well as myself.  Tue wrote Phebe mailing letter at night.  Gobed 9.

E Meter reads 884-853 = 31 = 2.03 net

30.  Saturday  5.30 AM.  Ther.  56.  88.  70.  = 71 1/3

Clear N.W.2.  I drove up to Crims for potatoes.  The ice wagon team ran away at Mrs. Knocks corner.  Mostly clear day Northwesterly wind S.E. at night.  Later drive out to Songers getting four chickens get home about 6.30 P.M. after which drive Tue to Frank McCravrys.  Go bed 9 P.M.  Get some mutton at Dorsch's.

31.  Sunday.  6 AM.  Ther.  66.  92.  80.  =  79 1/3

Part cloudy. S.E.2. gas smell.  Tue attends church AM.  I drove E. on old Ashmore road crossing at ford.  /there is little water remaining at old ford:  about as much as common faucet.  I return Boathouse road arriving 1.30 P.M.  Jack went.  The  roads are very dusty.  Mostly clear day.  sultry P.M.  Mort and Kate over toward night.  Mrs. Nichols called P.M.  I quit chewing a while tonight.  gobed  9.30

The Weather for August. 1913.  Mean 79.87

Max. on 8th 100.  Min, on 30th 56.  Rain 2.37 inches on twelve days all light showers Heaviest on 20th .62.  Cloudiness 26%.  Winds during month were North 4 Northeast 2: East 3 2/3:  Southeast, 4;  South 7 2/3;  S.W. 3 2/3  West 1 1/3 and Northwest 4 2/3 days.  Everything is dry as ever.  the river is about  dry at old Ashmore ford.  The city has cut ditch from water works up to pools supposed to be fed by spring and we have plenty of water at present.  Oats sell at store @ 50 cts.  corn 80 or more.  Creamy butter 35  Eggs 20.  There is little garden stuff.  Potatoes say 1.00  Tomatoes 2 or 3 cts per pound.  Farmers are cutting their corn to feed cattle.  Pastures dery as dust and bare.

September

1.  Monday.  5.30 AM.  Ther.  68.  98.  80.  =  82.

Clear. S.2.  Phone JEM"same" this morn getting it about noon.  This is "Labor day" and generally observed.  There was mil delivery only AM. and no R.F.D.  Tue got letter from Phebe and she is probably at Havanna today.  Harman called at shed 5. P.M. - has "hay fever"  Tell him we don't want clover meadows pastured.  Wants to sow wheat.  Thinks BC will be 200.  This was one of our hottest days and night.  Clear day with moderate southerly wind.  Grace Sefton calls P.  I made batch of mush for my supper.  Go bed 9

2.   Tuesday 6 AM.   Ther.  72.  98.  82.  = 84

Clear. S.1.  Tue got letter from Buddy.  They got home all night.  Friday night.  I drove up town AM.  and then keep still toward night on account of the heat.  It proves to be among the hottest days.  I started out about 5 P.M. S.W.  Over took John Parker who rode home with me.  I drove out by hog farm, lost cigar and return.  Mostly clear S. to W. moderate winds.  Drive up town with Tue for ice cream after reace home She war at Brooks.  Gobed 9

June 11-13, 1913 in Charleston, IL

11.  Wednesday,  5.40  AM.  Ther.  44.  84.  62.  = 63 1/3
Clear.E.1.  Rhoda came early and worked till 2 P.M.  I felt poorly all day on night have gone to Loxa.  Hitch to new buggy Drove SE of town AM.  Met Steve Hall.  His farm in river bottom is suffering from drouth as bad as the uplands.  Rhoda ironed till 2 P when Tue and the girls took in hand.  I tried to write letter to Phelps regarding axles but could not get good start.  Tue  went  to prayer meet at night.  Phebe out with Ora til 10 P.M.  Clear day light easterly winds.  Gobed 9.30

12.  Thursday 5.40 AM.  Ther.  48.  88.  66.  =  67 1/3
Clear, E.1.  Get shave of Yates:  Bob Wilton there.  Harman called a few minutes at barn while was hitching up, said he called to see buggy.  Think he is fixing up scheme about hay but said nothing about it.  I would have gone to Loxa if had not felt so badly  Emmett Fritz called a while P.M.  Says will help at any time after tomorrow.  Gets iron bar.  I try to write letter to H.G. Phelps but fail.  Took Tue  and Charles out to Helens late P.M. getting home after sunset.  Clear day with light variable  winds.  Just like every day this week but drier.  The grass is like tinder.  Henry and Hat were here when we got home.  Mrs. Balch fell from Cherry tree hurting herself.  Dr. Hite and Florence Wright were married tonight.  Gobed 9.30

13.  Friday. 5.30.  AM.  Ther.  50.  90.  70.  =  70.
Clear. S.W.1.  Wrote a hasty letter to Phelps asking advice.  The program today is for me to go to Loxa and rest  of family to dinner at Helens.  I start 9 AM.  Teach Loxa 10 AM. and drove pretty well over place.  Did not meet Cliff.  He does not seem to be doing anything with the clover meadow.  It is ready to cut.  The crops are looking better than average of this season.  Talk while with Cox and start home via Loxa and S. road.  I  saw Mrs. Gaines, Retha's boy was born last Friday.  Hugh putting up fence between  Jones 5a and  our farm.  Get small sack meal of C.H. Jones and reach Helen's about 12.30.  Tue, Phebe, Marie with Charles there and were eating.  I joined them.  the Normal Grocery and adjoining residence burned  2 P.M.  I start home 4 P.M.  the rest follow on 7 P.M. car.  Tue was ordered over to at once.  Rob Mitchell called after I left.  I got home wanting some poles.  He didn't get them.  Clear day light S.W. winds quite sultry but cool night and  and morn.  Jack dog crippled and couldn't go.  Go bed 9.50

October 29 - 30, 1912 in Charleston, Illinois

29.  Tuesday 6. AM.  Ther.  54.  74.  56.  = 61 1/3
Part cloudy, red. S.3.  Hitch up and start Loxa 9.30.  Drove through Loxa Mrs. Gaines says Retha was married Aug. 4 but has just divulged it.  Saw Alva Armstrong and promise to send over at once sack wood plaster for patching Loxa house.  Expected to see Harman shucking in "pond" but they had finished it.  Drove up to B.C. shed.  The  BC is baled and lies in shed on west.  After driving round the field an hour or so drove up to premises and made a stand on Harmans house.  He soon came over and after talking a while about  selling BC at 100.00 said he had to go and take Lola to  Dr. Preston & Co had gone to field and were shucking on south side NE of W 40'.  Preston says they have been shucking to feed and today J.V.H. consented to take a few loads.  My part of their shucking.  I got nearly  a sack from Preston's wagon.  It began to rain and I start home say 1.30 P.M. getting there about 3 P.M.  The rain just lays dust.   Jack went.  We ate dinner S. of house N end B.C.  The roads good.  Clear till toward noon with light drizzle much of P.M. - Over take Geo. Veach & Co. with big drove cattle at Loxa school house.   Muggs painting radiators also upper walk in W.C.  She was out with friends at night.  Gob 8 P.M.
I offer Perkins lot to Burbeck per Bill Scott for 1000.00 400 down.

30.  Wednesday.  6 A.M.  Ther.  34.  60.  58. = 49 1/3
Clear. W.1.  White frost.  Expected Cottingham to to complete WC conections.  He did not come Rhoda washed and  Alfred came to chores P.M.  Mrs.  Grove over much of P.M.  Harman hands me check  for 16,30 for my half of part of clover seed.  There will be a few dollars more.  He says threshers had 8 3/4 bu.  I pay half machine charge 100 per I hitch up late P.M. driving up town and around leave order Andrews & CO for sack wood fiber to be sent Alva Armstrong, Loxa.  Sebert will  come for my horse tomorrow morn  to shoe.  Maggie has been painting (gold) the radiators.  Read Trilby gobed 10 P.  Part cloudy day signs of rain P.M.

August 8, 1912 in Charleston, Il

100 Years Ago . . .

8.     Thursday.   6 AM.  Ther.  66.  86.  72. = 74 2/3

Cloudy S.2.  Start Loxa after 8 AM.  Left breeching for repair at F's.  Rhoda washes AM.   Shriver finishes roof and gutters.  Met Vints Decker up town.  P&P tearing down old shop  at Loxa.  I drove up to place getting bunch shingles to patch Loxa roof.  Curt cutting weeds near Loax(sic.)  He helps me through gate &c.  Talk with Enloe and J.O. Linder  John says may ride out with him morning in Auto.  Enloe says Retha to be married soon.  Harman threshing at Shrivers didn't see him.  I did not take any dinner.  Start home about 1 P.M.  Geo. Wiley rode to town with me.  Tue and girls uptown at night.  Part Cloudy Light shower 3 PM.  (.10).  Go bed.9.30

This is August 5, 1912 in Charleston, Illinois

100 Years Ago . . . 

Monday, 5.30 AM.  Ther.  46.  74.  64.  =61 1/3

Clear N.E.1.  Shriver comes AM.  looks over roof  and gutters and will fix it today or tomorrow.  Old mare did not come up early.  I "hunt Harvey" again finding him down at  Elevator.  Says has got an engineer now and "thinks" can put up furnace at once.  I eat early dinner and start Loxa 1.30  Jack dog went having fit near Defenbaughs.  Went and return by Loxa.  Saw May and Retha at long range  P & P having finished splicing their posts will rest up a day or two.  Did not see nor hear from Harman or Burge.  Threshing at E. Smith's.  I shall start home say 5 P.M.  spr. rain all the way but does not lay dust.  I take mare to Nickles.  Mostly cloudy E.11.  Gobed 9.30