November 20 - 23, 1889 and 1900

November 1889

20.  Wednesday, 7.15 AM  Ther  43.  55.  47   = 

Cloudy but clears away.  Grand Jury adjourn AM.  They did nothing with self and others returned for working on Sunday.  There are indictments against several liquor men in town for selling to minors.  Went down to depot in morning, Sefton says road is not going to buy any ties this year.   Phebe came home PM   with head ache.  Start 6.30 for ranch about 3.45 P.M.  Got there 6.30  Took lantern which was much help  Gobed at Milts 10 PM  Comer presents bill to date $49~  Henry Meyer here.  buy Bby,

21.  Thursday 6 AM.  Ther at C.  42.  53.  45  = 46 2/3

Cloudy, Sprinkle rain light good part of day.  Milt and self work in barn building partition.  The roof I find finished in pretty good shape.  Sheep feeling better.  Start home about 4 P.M. raining most of way home, and very muddy.  Mrs. Rogers washing today leaving clothes out all night.  Strong NW wind at night  Gobed 10.30~~

22.  Friday 6.30 AM  Ther 35.  48.  35  =  39 1/3

Nearly clear and clearing.  Wind strong NW.  Tue got up early to take in clothes.  Mrs. Rogers ironed.  Get shave at night at May's.  Kelly washes and fills lot of bottles P.M.  Remit Bernbi(?)  B & U. 165.50 and Mullaney & H 7.00  Loan "Neighbor" a V.  Send receipt for 5.00 to Mattergly for 5 (ink spot)  Whisky  The  first really pleasant day for long time  Go bed 11.PM

23.  Saturday 7 AM.  Ther 29.  55.  58 = 45 2/3

Clear.  N. Wind.  Gets into south.  Decide on amt of John VanMeters hay 25 x20 x 20 ft  600 cubic feet to ton.  Uncle John in to dinner,  Has not decided to trade with Burgers for Gage place.  Drake comes in and starts out between 4 and 5 PM.   Frank came with him Abbott will saw some wood for us Mondays, Mostly clear day, trade rather dull.  Fresh south wind.  Stay at store till midnight figuring  Go bed at 1 AM.

November 1900

20.  Tuesday.  5.30 AM.  Ther.  60.  70.  62  = 64

Cloudy misty or fog.  southwind  Charlotte Sprorch  sewing for Tue.  Mrs. Owens washing.  Plumber takes pump to send away for repairs.  Went out to Gaines after fork after dinner.  Jo has only 30 shocks of corn to schuck.  Mrs. G complaining  I brought home two  gallon jar of pickles.  Mostly cloudy day.  Print lot of pictures for Lillie  She is going to stay and do ironing tomorrow.  No rain today.  Roads bad except where graveled.  Tue over at Groves' at night  Dun Wall for rent to date but they didn't buy.  Gobed 9 PM.

21.  Wednesday.  6 AM.  Ther.  42.  45.  45.  =  44

Mostly cloudy.  Storm of wind and rain in night with sudden change.  Stopped yesterday again to see Maggie  Dlisorn and think can get her to help us when Lillie leaves.  Lillie irons.  Tone and mount some pictures for her.  AM.  Ther was down to 37 about 9 AM.  Charlotte Sproule sewing all day.  Took Lillie home about 4 P.M.  Charley Black says is talking of buying out Wall.  Wall has not paid last months rent.  Mostly clear P.M. and growing warmer.  Weather report saus cold wave  Mort fixed shelf for Tue in pantry    Mort and Kate over at night after I go bed 8. P,M.

22.  Thursday.  5.45. AM.  Ther.  49.  74.  55  =  59 1/3

Pretty clear.  Southerly wind.  Charlotte sewing A Barner sends for spooler for Mr. Gaines machine.  Pay Bartors a/c in full 55 cts.  J.W. Evans pays me on lumber bill 85 c. leaving  40 c. due.  Wall pays rent to  20 inst cash. No chk.  Have talk with Tredene Arnold about saw mill.  Shave at Browns Paid.  Paid up last week.  Richard Walker wants to rent Perkins room.  I start for Gaine's after dinner thinking to get Drihre girl to work at house.  Didn't see her start home late and return staying all night.   Playing seven up till bed time  House cold as a barn and damp.  Jo finished shucking corn today making 1513 bu sold for 446.74*  Including fed and in cribs 1820 bu from 35 a.  Much lightning S & SW at night and change of wind to north and cooler in night  Gobed 9 P.M.

* With inflation, that amount would be about $12026 today.  However, today's farmer would get about $7350 for that amount of corn.  According USDA - The 2014 average U.S. corn yield is now estimated at the record level of 174.2 bushels per acre, 

23.  Friday 4.30  AM.  ther 37.  42.  39.  = 39 1/3

Mostly cloudy NE wind.  Jo hauls in fodder.  I put glass in door taking till 9 o'clock  Intended to take tickets to Loxa and make and make a draw but mailed on time there after I got home.  Find I  injured buggy shaft running into wagon on way home Tuesday night.    Lillie called PM she will start for Spokane Tuesday.  Tue writes to Phebe.  Miss Ford gone to Paris institute for day or two.  It began raining and sleeting 4 P.M. wind N.E.  Jo came in after stove and took out some planks for platform at well.  He brought in big jar of pickles, and some pop corn.  He took potatoes down cellar.  Gobed 8 P.M.  .

At the top of the page:  Fir. Noble Cafee & others fined of stick of Dynamite 3 P.M. One of the three sent him by Express Monday

November 2-8, 1889 in Charleston, Illinois

November 1889

2.  Saturday  7 AM.   Ther  45.  47.  40.  =44

Mostly  clear W. wind and prospect for clear weather.  Rain at times in night mostly - Mostly cloudy day however.  Uncle John in town, tell him about old mare.  Geo Kellogg will begin on  my barn Monday if he can get down there.  H.G. will start for Arkansaw(sic) Thursday.  Get bolts at Knocks and Stodderts  Milt Drake did not come up today.  Buy pr. shoes and leggings at Mersick & Grays @15.25.  Gobed 1.30 A.M.  clear night

3.  Sunday.  8 AM.  ther  35.  48.  40  = 41 

Clear, light white frost.  Hunt around for Geo Kellogg till nearly noon.  Went up to Jo Pinkers.  Kellogg promised last night to start my barn tomorrow  going down to today.  roads pretty bad but will soon dry out.  Got lot of nails at Stodderts and more at M. Mitters  I start about noon.

4.  Monday.  6 AM  ther  38.  52.  31.  =  40 1/3  Mostly clear.  Harvey and Frank cut stumps round shed and clean up generally.  Frank and self lay  out foundation.  Milt hauls some lumber AM  starts to town about 2 PM. after K & P taking Pophams boy (?)  I start about  3.30 PM  went up to Parkers after a/c and whole party start out at 9 P.M.  

Note:  it appears as if his pen tip is broken here and this makes the entry hard to read.

5.  Tuesday. 5.30 AM.  Ther  28.  39.  24. = 30

Clear and cool.  I  start early for timber early.   Work getting along pretty well with shed.  Left Bill Kelly with Nick  Went home before night  Clear pleasant day roads getting good again.  Hunting party start for Ark.

6.  Wednesday 6 AM.  Ther 28.  39.  24

Clear and cool.  Heavy frost.  Start early for ranch.  Work getting along pretty well.  they work all day at putting up posts &c.  The worst  trouble is getting lumber we recd fast enough.

7.  Thursday.  5 AM.  Ther  34.  48.  32.

Cloudy.  Went over to Diona in morning after nails getting back at 11 AM.    Began to rain at noon and kept it up until late in night.  boys work little while after dinner and quit.  Very discouraging weather.  Gobed, 10.30 PM

8.  Friday. 6 AM.  Ther  44.  41.  43.  Friday.  6 AM.  Ther 84  41   43. 

Cloudy.  wind S or SW.  Misty morning: rain at times boys putting up nail ties and  piates  Start out for home about noon but went back after reaching saw mill.  Comer will saw the stuff we need for plates.  Milt helps them haul in two logs PM. and most (?)   Get home 7 P.M.  roads very muddy 11 P.M.