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 4 - 14, 1888 in Coles County Illinois

December 1888

4.  Tuesday.   Tue felt badly all night  Has caught (?) cold.  Girls and I get most of breakfast.  Tue sick all day.  Sent  for Dr. at noon didn't come.  Sent again at night  came and left medicine.  Tue begins sending pt. of milk per day to Mrs. Jim Robertson.

5.  Wednesday.  Tue better today.

6.  Thursday.  Tue is thirty two years old today. I sprained my left knee very bad today and could hardly get around.  Tue much better today and is round at work again.  

7.  Friday.  Hat was down toward night.

8.  Saturday.  Chowning working at stalls and dirt inside.

9.  Sunday.  Tue and Phebe went over to Perrills after dinner.  Maggie to Davis  Phebe not very well.

10.  Monday.  Pay Blankenboken ice bill for last summer 2.70.

11.  Tuesday.  

12.  Wednesday.  

13.  Thursday.  Uncle John was down to dinner.  Came in after  cow he got of Dowling.  

14.  Friday.  There was a man killed by cars here today.

December 4- 14, 1913 in Coles County IL hightlights

December 1913

4.  Thursday.  Tue received two 12 in Records from Muggs suppose for birthday.  Rhoda came after dinner and worked most of P.M. helping get ready for the reading circle which meets here tomorrow P.M. the first time since last winter.  I hitch up PM. and drive up and round town a while.  

5.  Friday.  Tue gets nice towel from Phebe by P.P.  Tue . . . gets ready for the R.C.  They began to appear about 2 P.M. and having hitched up before noon I  take a long drive going as far as the river E. of J.W.Kings.  I went by Kickapoo road returning by Wrightsville.  Bill having rode from Wrielle to Half Mile House.  He was hunting a stray horse..  

6.  Saturday.  Tue got letter from Buddy.  Tue got 4 Masda lamps today.  We learn that Ill BC has about doubled in rates.  Tue has birthday friends at night Mrs. Grove Mrs. Brooks, Mrs. Curd and Mrs. Campbell who used to live back  of us - now of Wyoming.  I did not feel well enough to meet them.

7.  Sunday.  Shaved self AM quite successful did not draw much blood.  Felt quite proud of job.

8.  Monday.  Doctor up old watch with peppermint.  I have not carried a watch for over a year.  Help tue recover her kitchen table.  H. and H. called a while at night.  He presents me with a small glass for Christmas I presume.  After they went home.  We look for  Phebe some today  She didn't come.  Gobed 9.30

9.  Tuesday.  Alfred has missed for several days.  Tue and self are doing chores.  She irons AM also kills one of her roosters.  Tue finished ironing.  We looked for Phebe all day.  She came before midnight.

10.   Wednesday.  Alfred  came but did not half do his work.  Tue and Phebe went to town toward night.

11.  Thursday.  Mail check which had forgotten to C.I.P.S. Co. $2.92 net for Nov. light.  They have recently raised their old rates.  By old rates it would be $1.86.  Pay phone for Nov. 1.50.  Tue and Phebe getting ready for R.C. entertainment tomorrow.  Several of the R.C. members called in evening staying till 9 P.M. or after.  I slept on lounge in den evenings.  

12.  Friday.  Learn that W.A. Campbell has moved his store to (?).  Drive with Phebe up town and then down to Normal and up town for bells for the "circus."  Se had a lunch in kitchen about 1 P.M. and the ladies began to arrive soon after. The function was reported a success.  Most of the R.C. members were present.  The RC borrowed several records of J.D. and we played these at times later.  

13.  Saturday.  Order rig and with Phebe return borrowed Things, bells &c.  Tue gets lamp with shade for sitting room.  Do not think much of it.

14.  Sunday.  Tue did not get down till after 8 Decide not able for trip to ranch One Hackett calls to look at lumber and brick and curry combs.  ha - ha.  He did not buy any thing, offer 5.00 for the pave brick.  The roads are generally good.  Autos made good use of them today.