July 1-5, 1889 in Charleston, IL

July 1889

1.  Monday.  6 AM.  Ther.  78.  95.  78.  =  83 2/3

Mostly clear AM. some cloudy P.M. with thunder no rain here.  Milt up with load of wood which he sold to Susie Evans.  Says  had heavy rain there last evening.  Sam Ray says he want several  cords more of wood.   Trade fair: buy collar for Bill horse at Skidmore's charged to Uncle John.  Gobed 10.30 P.M.

2.  Tuesday.  6.30 AM.  Ther.  80.  90.  75.  =  81 2/3

Mostly clear AM.  Wind S.W.  Drake in P.M. with wood for Sam Ray, I rode over with him for as F. Johnstons new house.  Heavy  cloudy from S.W. toward night with a little rain here.  It rained slowly an hour or two in night.  Today I paid F. Knock 10.35 Geo Chambers 12.60  G. Hibbert 10.50 for insurance on house all in full.  Remit Du(?) in full 101.50  Gobed.  10.15 PM

3.  Wednesday. 6.30 AM  Ther.  75.  80.  64.  =  73.

Cloudy and raining.  Intended to start early for ranch but for rain.  Light showers all morning started at 9 AM. in rain.  Went via Hadley's ford.  Walker's ford washed out and  impassible.  Milt and self made a gate in P.M.  Got home about 7 P.M.  Forded the river today first time in nearly six weeks it has been up since last of May.  Phebe began taking lessons on piano today of Miss Kennedy.    Trade pretty good but few in from country.  Gobed 10.15 P.M.  N. wind P.M.

4.  Thursday. 6.30  A.M.  Ther.  68.  75.  61.  =  68.

Clear, wind N.  They could not raise money enough to celebrate here today.  Many were going to Terre Haute others to Oakland.  The band went to Tuscola  Uncle John was in P.M.  trade pretty fair considering good many country people in.  Stores nearly all closed all day.  H.G. blows off in P.M.  Ben Spence here for a day or two see Charley Perrill  Gobed 10.15 PM.~

5.  Friday.  6.45  AM.  Ther.  70.  80.  62.  =  70 2/3

Clear S.E. wind.  Get hinges for screen door at store.  E. Drunway here.  Pay Tooke $26.45 dues on ten shares of loan stock just taken out.  Buy new knife at Millers also scythe blade.  Cut my thumb on scythe.  Trade pretty good  gobed 10.30

March 19-23, 1889 in Charleston, IL

March 1889

19.  Tuesday. 6 AM     Ther.  38.  55.  39. = 44
Clear.  N. wind.  Baby had high fever all night but seems some better this morning.


(Note: This next section seems to be written by Tue.  The writing is much larger.  Notice that she calls the baby "Marie" not just baby as Charles does.)
Hat came down about the time Chas started for timber.  went home and got her work and staid (sic) all day  Bernice Anderson took a ten gallon keg.  Marie sick all day Mrs. Davis staid(sic) a while in the evening.  Go to bed.9


Start for timber 10 AM.  Went  to Walker's ford couldn't cross river so went round by bridge getting there at 3.30.  Bob gone to Bills didn't return.  Roads very bad.  Clear day strong N. wind  Johnny and Enoch working clearing toward west side.  Gobed 10PM


(Written at top of next page)
White frost  John, Warren,  Enoch, Riley, & Steve and John Son work at clearing  Steve sows what was cleared and burned with  ? and ?  Bob got home at noon and hauling a load of lumber PM.  N. wind clear day gb 9 PM.


20.  (Tue's handwriting  Wednesday.  6.15  Ther.  30.  52.   39.  =  40.
Clear pleasant day.  Marie better, but very cross.  Don't feel well myself.  Mrs. Dickerson came to wash before we had breakfast.  Go to bed 8 PM.


21.  Thursday.  6 AM.  Ther.  30.  50.  42.  =  40 2/3
5.30 AM,  Pretty hard frost.  Bob finishing sowing around the house  Oscar Decker worked with boys today.  Clearing near the west line and cutting fence row through.  Bob hauls out what lumber I have  for fences, hardly enough for road fences.  Horse got loose and thought she had gone home, found her in pasture.  Start home at 4.15  roads very rough, but mostly dry.  Baby nor Tue, neither very well yet.  Jo Clark called at night and I sold him 100 butternut posts @ 5.50 delivered.  Clear AM and some  cloudy PM.  N,E. wind.    Gobed 9 PM.


22.  Friday.  6 AM.  Ther.  33.  50.  45.  =  42 2/3
6 Am.  Clear or nearly so send Jo Clark out  105 butternut posts.  Got to timber about 3 PM.  Bob gone to take Mats burrow home.  Men fired leaves along Hanley's fence but didn't do a very good job burning.  Bob got horse about 8 PM.  Walked up to where burned with Bent and Ed at night.  Gobed 9 PM. 


23.  Saturday.  5.30 AM.  Ther.  40.  63.  45.  =  48 1/3
Mostly clear.  5 boys working this AM.  Bob went to town early.  I remained here until about 11 AM.  overtake John Kink with load of ties.    Good many people in town.  Jo Clark pays me 5.75 in full for posts.- Cooper pays 2.00 leaving bal of 3.00 till due.  Milt Drake in town wants my house down in woods.  Tue's cough very bad yet but she thinks some better.  Gobed 9 PM~

August 2, 1912 and 1887 in Charleston, Illinois

100 Years Ago . . .

Friday,  August 2, 1912  6 A.M.  Ther.56.  78.  66. = 66 2/3

Part cloudy, N.2.  Spend an hour or two fixing up old buggy and harness.  Frommel repairs traces. Sibert removes front shoes.  Tue went out  to Chautauqua AM staying until night.  I drove south P.M. to Kickapoo and beyond.  Met Mel Stark and others Walker's Ford.  Lindsey Barnes has field of big B.C.  He lives on McKinzie place near Mt. Zion.  Mort and Kate over at night on  porch only.  I did not meet them.  I  take mare to Nickles:  Snorff boy brought me home.  Fair day with moderate northerly wind.  Go bed 9.30

125 Years Ago . . .

Tuesday, August 2, 1887     6 A.M.  Ther.  70. 99.  75.

Clear.  Started down to mill with H.G. before 8 A.M.   Commer says about finished up.    Where he is ,  We came home by Farmington getting in 3 P.M.  the dust in places is immense.  What corn I saw did not amount to much.some dryer down there than here.  Hot close day, no clouds.  Hat spent day with Tue.  Mrs. Perrill, Kate P. and Mrs. Davis call at night.  Baby and Phebe are better.  Go bed 9 P.M.