July 22-23, 1892 and 1903 in Charleston, IL

July 1892

22.  Friday.  5.30 AM.  Ther.  75 92. 76.

Cloudy southwind, Mary Davis stayed all night last night with Maggie.  Get 25 sacks of McCarty and start for ranch getting there before  noon.  Riley cutting sprouts.  John helping somebody thresh.  I look round in Bennett Hollow for fungi a white and start home at 5.30 used up with  the heat.  Went to bed without going to store too tired to sleep.  9.30

23.  Saturday 6 AM ~ ther.  78. 98. 82.

Clear S. wind, Lay round house all day.  Hottest day for several years.  Clear and blazing hot all day.  Can't stand this kind of weather  Gobed 9 PM  Uncle John were in to dinner.  Settle with E Fritz 1 day too much.

July 1903

22.  Wednesday.  5.40 AM.  Ther.  59, 83 72 = 71 1/3

 Clear northerly wind.   I notify E light people that dont want them to put up pole in front.  They refer me to whom I didn't see.  Talk with Charley  Ricketts about it at Post Office  Start to Loxa 9 AM.  Talbott finished cutting oats at noon  I went down to see Gilbert about hay  He offers me 30.00 for north piece, and I decide to cut and put up whole thing.    Talbott will begin in morning on north piece.  Retha still sick with earache  Jo and May took her to Charleston early this morning.  I took Jo over to his hedge cutting and start home about 2 P.M. didn't eat any dinner.  Gobed 9 P.M.  It didn't rain at Loxa last night.

[Margin of Page:  The cow was out this morn NoBell found her down by Normal.]

23.  Thursday 5.30 A.M.  Ther  56.  84.  70= 70

Clear N. 1.  Talk with Colby at office before starting to  Loxa get to  Gaines noon and eat dinner.  Talbott cutting north hay Harry and Sam Owens helping also Jo.  Downey and Talbott kids there while P.M.  Reatha still crying with her ears.  Talbott and I drove whole meadow and I decide to sell it if I can at 8.00 and pitch it on the wagon.  I went up with him on his way home  to Morris Bungnens and beyond, and  got home at 7 P.M.  I was up town a while at night.  Clear day with light northerly wind   Blackberries are very plentiful and selling at 20 cts per gallon

Gobed 8.30 P.M.

April 25, 1892 and 1903 in Coles County, IL

April   1892 

25.  Monday,  5.30 AM  ther  47.  67.  53.  =55 2/3
Mostly clear, wind, N. E.  Ride aroundtill 10 AM then start home.  Riley plowing  John and Oscar clearing north side.  Warren hauling out rails for John Simmon.  Got a lot  of large brown fungus and a few M. escuelauter also some old a. campestres on old stable site.  Mrs. Fleming rode to town with me from Husheron, get home 12.30.  Roads rough no mud much. Harrison worked AM for Mrs. Eastin.  Mrs. R washed AM ironed P.M.  Harrison and self set out grape vines &c P.M.  1 Niagra in 1st row next to path 3 N end and 3 same 2nd row 2 Dutchess N end third row! Brighten at south end of each second and third rows.  ?net up some old peach trees in hen yard.  Tear down division fence between hen and cow yard.  1 dwarf D de aug??lesen pear south of apple tree on hill.  Mostly clear E wind  gobed 10.30  

April 1903

25.  Saturday, 5.45 AM.,  Ther  41,  42.  37, = 40.

Cloudy,  Northerly wind.  Vandemeter worked  till 10 AM mostly rakes garden.  Pay up  Van 35c.    Look at harness at Frommels but didn't .  It began to mist about 4 AM. and thickened up to rain by 1 PM continuing until night slacking up at times  I went up about 4 to send T & M Draft, and again six for grub &c (get shovel).  There werre not many people in town today.    Have talk with Bill Decker.  Tell him don't want to sell trees at precount.  They work a while on Opera House AM.  Rain stops them  Gobed  9P.M.

August 24-28, 1891 and 1902 in Charleston, Illinois

August 1891

24.  Monday,  5 AM  Ther

Partly cloudy. Riley and J.S. make barn door s. side and nail up  Warren went to town without load.  I start home about 10 AM getting there noon.  Sps rain AM.  cool.  Nick on hand but feeling badly.  I stopped an gathered lot of mushrooms (supposed Agaricus Procerus, and had one small one for dinner.  Phebe and Turie both sick at night vomited till after midnight.  Self not feeling very well nor W.S.G.  attribute to mushroom at first but decide must have been  very rich soup for dinner  Go bed 1 AM.

25.  Tuesday, 6 AM  Ther.

Clear  Ringling Bros Circus in town  Unusually large crowd  all of timber fellows in, settle with most of them.  Uncle John  says can have team wagon and plow which Squires may come after Saturday  W.S.G. and  children went to circus P.M.  W.S.G.  Tue and Hat at night.  Trade hardly as good as it should have been considering the big crowd.  Jo Parker worked forenoon patching roof.  Brownfield helped all day at store  Nick there all day, but not well.  Police give permission to keep open till 11 PM while do not accept.  Bert Bim and Uncle ate dinner also H & Hat.  Gobed  11 PM

26.  Wednesday  6 AM  Ther 50

Clear wind, S.  Jo Parker came early Brownfield helped him an hour or so ? up floor on porch and get ready to put on roof before quitting at night.  Warren finishes Mrs. Coon wood 6 cords @ 3.00  Pleasant day.  Tue not very well  Gobed  10 30 PM

27.  Thursday  Ther

Cloudy wind NW. light rain till 10 AM  Parker works 3/6 day on roof Brownfield 1/2 day.  Put 15 Cull Cercrops on willow tree.  Have 50 spinning up stairs  clear PM and much cooler  Gobed 10 30 PM

28.  Friday 6 AM  Ther 44  70.  52  =  55 1/3

Clear and almost frost.  Parker and Branford work all day on roof  getting it nearly done.  Mrs. R washes and irons  K of P here big meeting in town  Quite a crowd in town  Warren brought load of wood to Mrs. Norfolk  Settle in full to date with Chut Bennett.  R.R. spots ties and pay me for 144.  Clear day N. wind Gobed  10.15 PM~~

August 1902

24.  Sunday,  5 AM.  Ther  45.  82.  58.  61 2/3

Clear.  Helen and Marie started at 620 AM train for Indianapolis to visit Laura Clark for today.  I drove down to Mt. Zion School House      and around by Woodson Place looking.  Didn't find much.  Got home 1 P.M.  Went over river at bridge and into the hills near the road beyond,  Didn't find much.  Got home 1 P.M.  Tue was up most of P.M. but not feeling much better.  Dr. Patton brought me lot of mushrooms mostly Puff Balls and too old.  Drove up to Decker Park and got mess of Pluteus at saw dust.  Then down to Galodays to tell her not to come tomorrow.  Mostly clear day N.E.  wind  Gobed 830 P,M,

25.  Monday  6 AM.  Ther.  48.  82.  60. = 61 2/3
Clear  N.E, wind.  Marie and Helen  came home about midnight last.  Try to write good description of Psalliota  I have been finding in  woods.  Tue was up all day but feeling badly  I drove up to Dr. Pattons pasture after dinner  Intended to from three to Gaine's was taken sick about 3 P.M. came and couldn't eat any supper.  Clouded up P.M. and  lt rains after 4 P.M. and much of night, wind easterly.  I got to sleep on lounge till after 10 P.M.

26.  Tuesday,  6 AM.  Ther 57.  76.  58.  =  63 2/3  
Cloudy and raining lightly easterly, rain continued till 9 AM.  I drove down to Wrights to investigate mushrooms  Did not find any worth while.  Some fellows sawing on Stoddard 40.  Jo with family came in after dinner in buggy for spade and shovel to work on road.  Pay Wilson and McClara in full to date, check 5.51 includes shovel and knife  'Drove up to Dice woods getting fine mess of  supposedly Clyloryte ordores which undertake to have for supper but fail to get them them through.  Saw  but one specimen of large Psatliola today.  Many fungi coming up in woods.  Bridges pays me rent for month ending Aug 20 being in  full to  that date.  Tue up most of day and over at Groves at night.  Gobed 9 P.M.

27. Wednesday 545 AM.  Ther  57  84  62  =  67 2/3
Mrs. Galoday washed.  I intended to go out to Joe's but felt too badly In P.M. drove east of town finding many kinds of mushrooms  Some good ones.  Lepiota  procuruis,  A sylvaticus, ?,  Pluteus cervinus  various forms of elits cups  Got home before night was up town after supper.  Tue over to see Cottons baby which is sick.  Gobed 9.30 P.M.

28.  Thursday, 5.45 AM.  Ther 57.  84.  70  =70 1/3
Partly cloudy, hazy, light easterly wind.  Tue and I start for Loxa before 10 AM.  Took her to Hen's, I went up to Gaines'.  Shirley about half done B.C.  He does not want me to insur his part of B.C.  says will not have more than ten tons.  I insure part of Shirley's at night with WW Scott agt.  All of the Jim Decker B.C. with Frommel for 600.00.  Met C Talbot who will help me build fence if I need him.  I drove up to Dice's woods on way home getting home 5.30 PM.  Tue decided to stay at Hen's all night.  Mostly clear day; light easterly wind  Gobed 9 P.M.

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October 15, 1889 and 1900 in Charleston, IL

October 1889

15.  Tuesday.  6 AM.  Ther.

Clear heavy white frost.  Stove(?) came at 6 AM.  Took all caws and calves except one  Frank went with him to help  Frank and Milt got in about 7 P.M.    Riley & Rogers cut red oaks and cut load of stove wood for me P.M.  Had better luck with logs than yesterday.  Clear day and warmer.  Very dry down in timber pasture short  but plenty of water for stock.  Gobed 9 PM

October 1900

15.  Monday.  5.30 AM Ther

Clear  Drive out to Gaines AM to see Shirley try the BC stubble but was too late  Jo grubbing  Was down at Hazel  (?)  (?)  and Shirley.  Shirley cribbing.  Took Linder sample of our corn says too sappy yet for 70lbs  Get lot of stuff at Jones for Gaines folks  Decide to go to shucking tomorrow.  Shirley says will gather road through field tomorrow.  Get home dark  Gobed 8 PM

Note:  this entry was scratched out in places and very difficult to decipher.

August 24-27, 1888 in Charleston, Illinois

1888

24.  Friday, 5.30  Ther.  53.  85.  60.

Clear  Mostly clear day and warmer.  Work all day clearing live for road and got nearly through.  Went over on south side of big hollow after dryncher(?).  Bob begins hauling lumber out of bottom P.M.  I started home at 5 P.M. coming home by Edmans and M. Anderson.  Phebe better today and think will get along.  9 P.M.

25.  Saturday 4.50 AM  Ther.  56.  85.  70.  

Clear or nearly so.  Start for woods at 6.30 A.M.  Finish clearing road before noon took down beef and flour for Jno Jr. and Riley then worked only till noon.  Clouds over about noon and rain about  2 p.m.  Cut an old tree out wood aged tried to make a few posts with poor success.  Left boys piling up their wood about 5 P.M.  There was a Demo. meeting in town came home by Walkers.  9 P.M.  Tue got Muggs pictures taken.

26.  Sunday.  7 A.M.  Ther.  70.  84.  70.

Partly clear, mostly cloudy day. Light rain about dark for hour or so.  Tue and self went out to Uncle Johns.  Drove up N. of town a couple of miles first.  Brought home lot of apples getting home in the rain.  We left the baby with M & P.  Budded most of my young peach trees today from seedling trees of our own four kinds.  Gobed 9.30

27.  Monday 5.30 AM  Ther.  67.  81.  72.

Cloudy looks like rain.  Got to woods at 9 AM.  7 men at work today.  Two new men E. Johnson and Os Decker clearing round house and near spring.  Brown hauling out lumber.  Have spent on cleaning up to  this morning $37.50 for  50 days work.  Very satisfied with most of the work done.  Got home 6 P.M. Sprinkles rain toward night.  Gobed 9 P.M.

Nov. 16-18, 1887 in Charleston, IL

16.  Wednesday.  6.30 A.M.  45.  65.  45.
Hazy, Smoky strong S. wind.  Mrs. Dickenson comes to iron.  The apple trade not very good.  Some folks complaining about the quality.  Tonight there are 95 Bbls left.  Grand Jury in session Large number of witnesses over from Mattoon on liqour biz.  Geo. Weber called at Store.  The smoke was very thick today wind S. and S.W.  change to N. toward night and  Smoke cleared away.  Engage Mr. Albott B. to work tomorrow.  Tue and self both have toothache.  Gobed 8.30.

17.  Thursday.  6 A.M.  Ther.  27.  45.  32.
Clear, wind N.  Father's birthday.  Buy him hat and hankerchiefs.  John Gucing got killed  on Narrow Guage R.R. last night or the morning.  Abbot comes to work some after 7 A.M.  Chopped up kindling wood, patches roof and piles posts.  Will help tomorrow morning.  Mrs. Young was to help Tue today but will come tomorrow.   Ezekiel Easton finishes  hauling wood, has brought up in all.  Cord  I owe him 11.24.  Riley has brought up 116 oak posts from which I have culled 10.  Pleasant day N. wind dusty gobed 9 P.M.

18.  Friday.  6 AM.  Ther.  2  48.  44.
Clear.  Abbott comes about 7 A.M.  Pulls carrotts and beets and puts sawdust round the house quitting  at 3 P.M.  Pay him in full 1.40.  Pay Carnes old a/c .50.  Jo Liston's Carriage Shop took fire about 4 P.M. but was soon put out.  Went out to coal shaft toward night to see (?) Gannaway.  Father stayed at store  most of day, bis. dull.  Took back Bill Hills sacks.  Clear day but very smokey .  Wind S.W.  Self not feeling very well.  Phebe's right cheek swelled, think mumps.  Gobed. 9 P.M.