August 20-23, 1891 and 1902 in Coles County, IL

August 1891

20.  Thursday  6 AM  70  87  74 = 77

Cloudy W or SW wind  Mostly cloudy day occasional thunder shower heavy about noon damp and sultry.  

21.  Friday, 6 AM.  66  80  65 =  70'

Mostly clear N.W. wind some cooler.  Nick still remains at home  sent up word that he thought he would be able for duty next Monday.  I remain at store all day in fact have not been able to write up this record this week.  gobed 1030

22.  Saturday,  6 AM,  62.   .  60  = 

Mostly cloudy went down to RR to see Sefton about Bbl of whiskey which came last Monday with only 12 gals in it.  Walked down to tie pile count 149.  18 of them are John Whites.  Have heard from Woods once or twice this week.  Warren brought up load of 11 ties.  Chut load  70 posts  Report John Simon pull onions  Monday dig potatoes Wednesday cut sprouts other days and probably work at ties rest of the time.  Uncle John brought basket of Poocerus mushrooms which prove to be good eating.  Say at store all day.  Trade good  Hat was down to supper.  31 silk worms have began to to spin.  Had on hand in all this AM 124.  Change 23 on hillside to another limb  Part cloudy day  N wind and growing cooler.  Gobed  10 30 PM

23.  Sunday.  7 AM.  Ther 54,

Mostly cloudy.  Was sick in the night but don't lay it to mushrooms rather to watermelon eaten yesterday P.M.  Starts to ranch at 2.30 P.M. getting there before night and went over to east field boys have not made much headway sp...ding this week.  Clover looks fine.  Warren decided he can't break my wheat ground.  Had 22 BushVictor potatos [sic.] and about 25 bush onions all in barn.  Sp Rain about dark  Gobed 8 P.M.

August 1902

20.  Wednesday  830 AM.  Ther  65.  90.  67 =  74

Mostly clear.  I had sore throat keeping me awake most of night and lay in bed till long after breakfast.  Drove east of town A.M.   Get lot of young Leoiota procerus which gave to Mrs. Dr. Patton also several other kinds clitoeybi  and Trichicholoma. Very close and warm  Sold Sam Weyth 10 1x6 - Paid $1.25  I drove out to Fairground toward night getting back just in time to escape thunder shower with light rain from 5 P.M. till after dark.  Feeling very badly self today  Tue and girls sewing.  Florence Moore went away tonight.  Gobed 8.30 P.M.

21.  Thursday.  5.30  m.  Ther  62  88.  67  =  72 1/3

Mostly cloudy.  Phebe up early to go on excursion to Marion, IN.  Tue wants to allow Marie to go to Indianapolis Sunday on excursion.  Start to Gaines 9 AM.  Jo mowing weeds along branch.  I did not stay to dinner but went to Loxa calling on Mrs. Bridges for rent which didn't get.  Return Gaines through place.  Mash of corn looking well.  I didn't eat any dinner today.  Very sultry somewhat cloudy day.  Stay at Gaines till about 4 P.M.  Stop at Talbotts.  He gave me about 1/2 bush fine potatoes.  Got home before 6.  Oran Pierey rode part way too  town with me,   Took home a lot of corn beans cabbage tomatoes &c from Joe's.  Pay Jo check  18.00 on month wages.  Self feeling badly all day.  Roads good.  The rain on Monday morning was heavy at Loxa.  Met Shirley hauling BC[broom corn] for Downey  Gobed 8 PM.

22.  Friday  6 AM.  Ther  58.  84.  56.  =  66

Clear N.E. wind.  Tue had toothache all night.  Helen and Maggie got breakfast.  Phebe did not  come home last night, staid [sic] at Montgomery's.  Get Reasor to put in new  hydrant at barn which they finish 2 P.M. but pump in cellar does not work.  Tue feeling badly went back to bed in P.M.  I drove down south of town P.M. getting big lot of ?Psalliota two kinds, also a lot of puff balls.  I   left mess of PBs at Dr. Pattons.  Mrs. Patton sick.  Warm  AM but cooler and cloudy P.M.  There was a fall of 10 degrees in temperature between 1 P.M. and 2 P.M.  I went up after dark talk while with Garrison but didn't get   rent.  Gobed  9.30 PM

23. Saturday.  6.15 A.M.  Ther.  52.  80.  56  =  62 2/3

Partly cloudy.  Tue felt badly all night with tooth ache &c.  Thinks she ate too much for supper.  Fix her up some bitters after breakfast.  Drive up by  Dice's woods but didn't find any  mushrooms worth saving.  Jim Decker up and  I go on his note for 100.00 for 90 days to harvest B.C. [broom corn]  Marie and Helen went to party at Straley's at night.  I drove uptown for some grub so many buggies I couldn't tie up, so didn't stay long.  The Salvation Army are still preaching at 3rd and Monroe.  Couple fellows rode down there with me.  Partly cloudy day with easterly wind.  Jim thinks will begin cutting B.C. Monday.  Tue kept her bed all day today.  Gobed 9.30 PM

December 13,1912 and1887 in Coles County, IL.

1912

13.  Friday.    Ther.  20.  50.  34.  = 34 1/3

Clear.  S.W.3.  David works AM at cutting up scraps.  Helps hitch up about.(sic)  Too cold to dig our barn hydrant.  Tue went to RC at Harryman's  P.M.  I drove out by fairgrounds toward night.  The roads are fine and quite dusty.  Mort and Kate were over at night but I retired early and didn't see them~~  Clear day with fresh southwest winds.  The authorities have declared the river water unwholesome and suggests that it must be boiled before using.  Gobed 8 PM

1887

13.  Tuesday.  6.15 AM.    ther.  28.  45.  35.

Clear, fine, wind, SW.  Mrs. Rogers washed.  Maggie and Phebe too dinner.  Walked down to Nicholson place.  All Tony's folks moved out last week.  Place looks pretty  hard.    Comer was in P.M. says will come up Thursday to pile up  switch ties.  Crass has promised to help, he owes me 75c.  Sell Beugner Bbl. Wagner apples which deliver , must have been  very rotten.  Tue has been giving baby little air every day lately and she sleeps much better for it.  Gobed 9 PM    

It is July 25, 1912 and 1887 in Charleston, IL

100 Years Ago . . .

Thursday, July 25, 1912,  5.30 AM   Ther.  70.  90.  76. = 78 2/3

Part cloudy, haze. N. 2.  Rhoda washed AM.  McNeel's took furnace sections down cellar and let it go at that : they did little else.  I got halter at Nickles.  Rhoda's little boys trying to mow yard P.M.  Get shave Br's P.M.  Pd.  I drove to Dicewood late P.M.  The Chautauqua began today at Fairground.  Phebe attends function.  Tue over at Grove's.  Clear day with fresh Northerly winds go bed 9.30.

125 Years Ago . ..

Monday, July 25, 1887      6 AM.  Clear ther. 60.  91.  68.

Clear.  Start down to Fair with Tue and baby about 9 AM. staying there an hour or two.  Brought home some green corn getting home before noon.  Bim was in after dinner says Uncle John is sick, sent him some whiskey.  Tue and I intend to go out there tomorrow morning.  MSandy in town first time since the Westfield suit.  Another alarm of fire this time in afternoon, this time it was the Ficklin Stable.    Buy peaches and starch at E. Eastins.  Write letter to E.D.Davis about not having  timber ready but forget to mail it.  Gobed 9 PM.

Fourth of July in Charleston, IL 1912 and 1887

100 Years Ago

Thursday, July 4, 1912  5.30 A.M.  Ther.  70.  90.  78. = 79 1/3

Cloudy.  S. 2.  Thunder, say 2 A.M. shower early morn (.20)  I oil buggy and hitch up early intending to go to country perhaps  to ranch.  It clears off before noon but I did not go off the place on account  so much firing.  It continues till 9 P.M. or later.  the crowd would have been larger with pleasant day.   Helen and children were in P.M. remaining to supper aug the fire works which touched off at the bridge on 4th St.  Tue went over to fireworks.  I work an hour or so in dark rounding up mare.  Mostly clear day with little air.  Go bed 10 P.M.

*http://www1.american.edu/heintze/postcards.htm

125 Years Ago

Monday, July 4, 1887  6AM.  Ther.  76.  90.  75.  

Cloudy.  Fix stove pipe in woodhouse.  Mrs. Laind washed forenoon.  Hat down a while A.M.  It rained quite a while in the night very slowly.  Kate Myers stays to dinner and most of P.M.  Rails called after dinner wants me to go down to farm with him tomorrow.  Celebration out at Fairgrounds, didn't  go out.  Father, Tue and girls went  up to see fireworks at night leaving me with baby.  Old Mr. Eastin got home this morning from Dakota.  Kate Davis was over while in P.M.  Gobed 10 P.M.  Light shower about noon.  Mostly clear day wind SW.

July 1, 1912 and 1887 in Charleston, IL

100 Years Ago

Monday, 5.30 AM  Ther 68.  86.  72.  = 75 1/3

Mostly clear. S.1.  Figure up weather before breakfast.  Buddy and Charles getting ready to leave this P.M.  Heavy shower with thunder 11 A.M. (32)  More P.M.  Heavy shower and at night. (42).  Tue went to 3.14 train with Buddy.  Several light showers P.M.  About 6 PM  I drove out to fairground where they are building trolly(sic) line.  Get some rivets at Frommells.  Gobed,  9 P.M. 

125 Years Ago

Friday, July1, 1887  6.15 AM  Ther  76.  86.  74.

Mostly cloudy, Learning to use the gasoline stove.  Tue cooks exclusively on it today ~ bakes  batch of bread.  Mrs. Davis helping her sew in afternoon.  Maggie and Phebe went this morning to take first  lessons in drawing.  Got my harness at Skidmore.  Buy black and red raspberries one gal. each.  at Mitchells.  Strong south wind all day sprinkle rain several times.  Light showers in different quarters not enough to lay dust here.  Go bed 10 P.M.  Steam cocoons  not soon enough.