May 26- 31, 1890 in Coles County, IL

May 1890

26.  Monday.  5 AM.  at Ranch  54.  65.  

Clear . Wind N.  Simon and self make tank for dipping lambs in morning.  Got Warren team and sow patch of hungarian back of barn.  In P.M.   worked on clearing with harrow.  Johnny and Riley cut logs on S. ridge. P.M.  Mill not running,  Mill boys cutting place for rolling logs down hill east of mill.  Clear and fine day cool with northerly wind  gobed 9.30

27.  Tuesday.  5.20 AM.  54  74  57

Clear with N.E. wind went over to clearing where Simon and Steve are putting in hungarian  The harrow seems to do good work and we anticipate a good crop of grass.  Intended to start home before noon but went over where R. and Johnny were cutting logs and didn't get off till about 4 PM had no dinner and was glad to eat what had left Sunday.  Went home by Kings getting there after 7 PM  Clear all day with N.E. wind  gobed 10.30 PM

28.  Wednesday, 6 AM.  ther.  58.  76.  65

Clear SE wind.  Buddie [Marie] went to school with girls.  Tomorrow is the last day of school.  Pay Bebchines Bros (?) 479.64 for bills bought last winter.  Geo Kellogg tightens up door of Beer cooler in (?)  Sunday  school convention in town brings lots of people but no trade.  Plums are mostly on trees yet and curculis has not damaged them much  but they are beginning to rot some.  Strawberries are plenty in stores at 10 cts for qt.  Paint W. end of beer box.  Mr. Al Prevo and family have come back and are living in town.  Tue went to convention at night.  Trade dull   gobed 10.30 PM ~~  Clear till toward night S. wind.

29.  Thursday, 7 AM  Ther  68  83  69

Mostly clear with Southerly wind.  Drove out to Uncle Johns with Tue to get some flowers.  Commencement exercises tonight  Tue and Maggie and Phebe went leaving baby [with] father.  Warm day with southerly wind clear.  11.30 PM.

30.  Friday   7 AM.  Ther  72.  86  73.
Mostly clear Chas Salene came at 8 AM and cleans out stable  hoes garden and berry patch.  worked while at store toward night.  Had Crass an hour or two moving lot of Bbls into Perkins building.  Decoration day said to have been big turn out  Stores all closed in afternoon clear and pleasant  southerly wind. 12 oc.

31.  Saturday 7AM.  Ther 73  87  66
Mostly clear.  Salnes and Kellogg work at store  Kellogg on screen door  Warren Decker brought load of wood which put off for Mrs. Norfolk.  He took down six quinces and my drill box.  Rep. primary convention for Co officers.  Delegates intended for Mitchell and Tremble.  Comer was up and I  got pay for lumber furnished township  Warm day cooler toward night  Gobed 12

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.

October 13- 14, 1889 and 1900 in Charleston. Illinois

October 1889

13.  Sunday  6.45 AM.  Ther  52. 60.  43 =  51 2/3

Cloudy NW wind  Intended on going to ran(?) today whole family, but too cool and  windy.  Maggie not very well, she had the hives at night.  I start at 9 AM for ranch, cold and windy and  thick with smoke and mist.  Cleared off P.M.  Comer has been cutting the timber along road to Handly ford.  White sow had pigs yesterday.  Milt  and family after walnuts P.M. and not there when left.  Clear night, light going for good  gibed 9.30 P.M.

14.  Monday  5.30
AM.  Ther 33.

Clear heavy  white frost.  Took mare to Dr. Montgomerys house but man not at home  Start for timber before noon getting there before 1 P.M.  Rogers and Riley cut logs in P.M. with good deal of hard luck, cut big sycamore in Fritz hollow but not sound.  Milt got in about 8 PM with hay and Frank Mote.  Clear cool day go bed about 10 P.M.    St(?) called at night saying wood take cattle up to Uncle John in Morn.

October 1900

13.  Saturday. 5 AM  Ther  62.  75.  55.  =  64

Mostly clear.  Tue feeling badly.  Simon was up yesterday and took out bitts for lumber  Tue and Ferd decide to go to Mattoon with Mort and Kate on 2.45 train.  Marie also went.  I drove out to Gaines and find them gone away so I went to Mattoon  Couldn't find any of my folks but Gaines and wife found me and she and children rode out with  me getting to farm about  10 P.M.  Jo came soon after on train stay all night  - Go bed 10.30 PM

14.  Sunday 5 AM.  Ther  55? 

Clear.  I left for home before breakfast.  Cow out all night and no chores done last night.  Clyde was  gone all day and all night.  Came 10 AM  looking for cow most of day.  Tue and I drive with Marie out to Berts toward night getting home 9.30.  Borrow 200.00 more of Irene giving her out note for $250.00  at 7 per ct  This covers 50.00 for Phebe and bal. on Minton note  Rene starts for Oklahoma Tuesday to be gone two weeks  We drove through Loxa on way home.  Someone threw at buggy.  Gobed 10 PM

August 31-September 3, 1900 in Coles County Illinois

August 1900

31.  Friday 5.30  AM.  Ther  68.  94.  75.  =  79

Clear.  SE wind.  Sign contact selling Shirley BC to Geo Rosebraugh @82.50    See W E McCravy about Minton note due tomorrow.  Boy and self went over and count Briggs  fencing 43.1x6-14.  He wants 62 more pieces.  Considerable B C unloading at W & C warehouse, for which they get 80.00.  Pretty red clouds up and shower south with thunder.  Sprinkle here  Thought to go to Loxa tonight and started but came back home.  "Roads getting dusty.  Gobed 11 PM.

September 1900  (shorthand at top of page)

1. Saturday.  5.30 AM  Ther.  70.  93.  74  = 79

Partly clear S.E. wind.  Clyde Ashby and self drove out to Gaines after breakfast getting lot of tomatoes &c got home before noon.  Jo about done hauling out B.C. Seed.  Simon was in town but didn't bring any lumber because couldn't get a load of good.    Self feeling badly all day  Pay Owen 2.00 P.M which is about all I owe  him     Marie got home from visit to Terre Haute about noon.  Partly cloudy day with shower 5 P.M. much thunder   Nothing new in BC market today and  heard of no sales  Didn't go uptown after supper.  Gobed 9 P.M.

2.  Sunday.  5.30 AM.  Ther 72.  90.  70 = 77 1/3

Mostly cloudy, southerly wind.  Tue and I start for Berts  8 AM.   Head N. road by Loxa.  Rene not home but came in a few moments, Andy Leitch there.  I stay about an hour go home away south of old road  Buy water melon of Bill Brown.  Get home before dinner  Shower came up about 2 P.M. raining for nearly an hour  Bring home samples of water from Berts new well.   Gaines folks were going to Cumberland but we saw the team in pasture as we passed.  Clyde has lot of boys looking round its farm much of P.M.  Drive south of town alone a while at night.  Campbell not there Develop 2 plates BC hands  Go bed 9.30

(top of Page)  Sept 1900  3rd Saw Rosebrough before starting to country  He wont pay 82.50 for any more BC at present.

4th  Road north and E rough and many muddy places

( a line of short hand)

Milt paid rent to Aug 20 on Monday.  Some talk with Bill Wall about my paying for fix patch.

3.  Monday, 5.30 AM.  Ther  68.  86.  68?  = 73

Cloudy Northerly wind.  Labor Day with parade which I did not see.  Tue got home 12.00  I went to train for her Marguerite Trimble was with her.  Start to Loxa about 3 P.M.  Get sack corn and basket potatoes and home about 7 P.M.  D.P. Rose pays balance of lumber bill 2.13 and Mrs. Knock pays for small bill lumber 90 c.  Jo Gaines grubbing, but pols and shucked corn for me.  Gobed 9 PM

August 12 - 15, 1913 in Charleston, Illinois

1913

12.  Tuesday.  5 AM.  Ther.  74.  88.  80.  =  80 2/3

Cloudy.  N.2.  Tue  up and around but perhaps not feeling very well.  We get letter from Phebe also from Muggs.  Storm from NW comes  up suddenly.   It got very dark and threatening but cleared off after a dash of rain.  Rhoda did not come to wash and I drove over to investigate late P.M.  She will come tomorrow.  Dr. Brooks has Jack Walker making him concrete front steps.  From Rhoda's I drove S. return S. side Normal grounds and up to Abbotts.  Didn't see him his wife says he will come.  Drive round to Seiberts to show defective wheels.  Saw and talked with L.E. Barnes when there  He is talking of buying the Meek shop & opposite Seibert's Shop.  Kate Davis is here visiting from Seattle.  Much cloudy AM and night showers.  Vriable wind  .28 in.  Gobed 9.

13.    Wednesday.  5 AM.  Ther.  74.  86.  76.  =  78 2/3

Part cloudy S.1. lt. rain.  Rhoda washed  Abbott came and worked the day.  Clean off garden sow turnip, hoes out what little stuff we have.  I plant beans and radish.  Abbott has sold out and will move to Clark Co in a few days his present wife here most of P.M.  I phone J.E. Mc AM but gone to Paris get him at noon and order same which I get late P.M.  Part cloudy day with light showers in all amounting to .36 in.  Gobed 10 P.M.

14.  Thursday.  6 AM.  Ther.  74.  90.  80.  =  81 1/3

Cloudy. S.1.  light rains early morn say till 7 AM .32 in.  H.G. called AM.  For some time has been living in Hutton house.  He works for Corner Soft drink.  Simon called yesterday and I give him WO (sic) tree he wanted to  buy.  Rhoda irons P.M.  I drive S. and E. to River E. of JW Kings quite a  good stream running but think most comes from Kickapoo.  It will take heavy rains to reach the streams.  Roads and fields look about as dry as ever.  Got home 7.30.  Tue, Bud and Chas. out till 9 P.M.  Most clear P.M. light variable winds.  Gobed 9

15.  Friday.  5.30 AM.  ther.  74.  96.  86.  = 85 1/3

Clear S.1.  Get shave at Brown's after breakfast. Cr.  White sends man to  repair W.C. and Kitchen faucets.  Pay Bert Gilman water rate to Jany. 1914, 6.00  Drive out by J.B. Hills before dinner.  Dr. Pattons "pumpkin patch" is pretty  well dried up.  Tue  got letter from Phebe.  Tue , Buddy and Chas. to Brook's at night part cloudy with light variable winds.  Thunder shower 2.30 P.M. with .18 in. rain.  very oppressive today.  clear mostly at night.  Gobed 9