November 3-8, 1887 in Charleston, Illinois

3.  Thursday.  6.30 AM  Ther.  42.  75.  60.
Clear - smokey.  Rec. letter  and bill of apples from Dorsay .  Apples can load ship Monday.  Lear form Wright that  Dearborn of Mattoon will  place a car load  on market here next week.  Got letter from Brown telling how to pile ties.  Went with Tom Knock down to river  hunting fish, didn't get any.  Warm day strong SW wind Gobed 9.30

4.  Friday.  6.30 AM  Ther.  43.  56.  34.
About clear.  S.W. wind.  write E.D. Davis regard to lumber inspected Sept. 13.  the City Council last night gave about  five thousand dollars toward sinking a coal shaft.  Try to see  the contraction about timbers.  Went down to A.  Rechter at night but didn't see him.  B& L  Bbl not arrived yet shipped a week ago.  Learn that  car load apples likely to be here tomorrow.  Ed E. sick at night  sent for stuff didn't get it.  I wrote to E.D. Davis about  R.R. lumber inspected Sept. 13.  Jack Logan makes remarks.  Go bed. 10 P.M.

5.  Saturday.  6.15 A.M.  Ther.  24.  54.  43.
Clear. SW.  Mr. Cummings the  Coal shaft man and get promise of  share of lumber bills.  Took yellow cat off.  Uncle John and Bert down to  dinner.  Learn that Stevens was looking for me, didn't see him.  Hatton finished wood pile by noon.  Pay him up.  get lot of  blank order at Courier office.  The  car load of apples came today, also Bbl stiff from B&h, which Gray bought up.  Tue had sewing machind cleaned today.  50c.  Gobed 10 P.M.

6.  Sunday.  6.30  Ther.  38.  62.  48.
Very heavy smoke.  wind.  S.  Girls went to S.S. after a great time getting ready.  Went up to store an hour or two to figure storing apples which will put in there tomorrow.  After dinner drive with Tue down by Comers.  didn't see him got home about 5 P.M. after driving down by new school house which they have  got about half roofed.  Very smokey, S or SW wind.  Go bed 9 P.M.


7.  Monday.   6 AM  ther.  44.  68.  51.
Clear excepting heavy smoke, wind S.  Get Crass to help all day.Brush up room a little.  J. Wentz hauls up car load of apples.  They don't average anything extra.  Sell several barrels.  Mrs. Young washed and Tue sends to Mrs. Dickensen to come tomorrow and iron.  Warm smokey day.  Engage Crass to help me tomorrow forenoon.  Gobed 10 P.M.

8.  Tuesday.  5.30 AM  Ther.  40.  63.  51.
Nearly clear except heavy smoke.  Wind NE.  Apple trade not very lively.  Learn that  Lem Stark very low.  E. Easton brings wood  to (?) who pays him 2.00.  Crass did not come to help me as promised.  Mrs. Dickenson ironed.  M& P spend evening at Davis'.  Gobed.  10 P.M.

Charleston, Illinois on October 15,1887

15, Saturday,  6.45  A.M.  Ther.  40.  63.  50.   White Frost
Clear N.E.  Walk down to  (?) Depot to see about pay for lumber.  Stop at gas well while.  Went up to new school house.  The walls are about completed and they are putting up rafters. Easton & Decker finish up pile of wood on yard.  Uncle John in P.M.  Let him have old watch to trade for pigs.  Comer was in, wants me  to carry cost of switch ties till pay day but can't do it.  Pleasant day with S.W. wind.  Buy veal  and sausage at Mountjoy, 35c  Gobed 9.30 P.M.

August 30 - September 1, 1887 in Charleston, Illinois

30  Tuesday,  6.30  Ther.  62.  83.  70.
Mostly clear.  Start for timber at 7.30.  Look over Decker's wood not very good.  Walk round over Timber on S. side.  Met Milt Drake who says he is going to move to town.  Went down when preparing for mill.  It will be some days before they get ready to  saw any.  Got a  letter from Rev Currans of Mattoon who wants to buy timber land.  Didn't eat any dinner today.  Took dinner but saved it for supper.  Got home before dark.  Comer has not yet found water for his mill.  Has dug two wills.  Warm night- gobed 8.30 PM.

31  Wednesday,  6.30  AM.  Ther.  67.  88.  70.
Mostly clear.  Walk down to new school house staying there most of forenoon.  Ed Eastins sick abed.  Clear day very dry and dusty.  Wind E. big whirlwind passed south of branch.  Talk with D. Stoddert P.M.  H.G. again wants to rent room.  Speak to G H Jeffries about selling timber land.  Comer said the other day he was willing I should sell.  Gobed 8.30 PM.

September

1  Thursday,    7 AM  Ther. 67.  88.  65.

Clear. Write letter to Geo.Currens reguard to timber offer land offer $2800 , timber alone $2000.  Start up town about 10 AM.  Met Ray and Johnston.  Say Comer had his eye  put out this AM.  Find him at Dr. Steelles office.  He went home about noon feeling very badly.  Get clock at Ricketts for 15.00.  Mill Carman brought in -  down but did not get it fixed satisfactorily.  Gave City bill to Tooker  1237 ft = 18.55  Ruth Davis down in P.M.  Pacify Jo Dikob about clock trade.  Tue puts up some  grapes.  Go bed.  9.30 P.M.

August 25 - 27, 1887 in Charleston, IL

25.  Thursday, 5.30  AM  Ther. 58.  74.  64.  W.4
Mostly cloudy.  Drive down to new school house see Geo. tucker whom wants some lumber and wood.  Drive while with Tue before dinner.  Mrs. Deckenam ironed in afternoon.  Warren Decker called P.M.  He has hauled about 32 cord of wood  is now delivering 5 cd to Sam Ray.  Mostly cloudy day  and cool.  Comer was in forenoon.  Tue complaining of colic.  Hat and two friends call at night.  go bed 9.30~

26.  Friday,   7 AM.  Ther. 60.  74.  63.
Mostly cloudy was little rain in night.  H.G. down before breakfast to see about lumber .  Went down to R.R. to pick out some 6x6 for city.  Visit gas well.  Expre JOWilhoit box.  Massey takes some empty bottles paying for them 70 cents,  Mike Miller duns for afc.  Evans wants to rent my room for restaurant .  offers  25 per mo.  Cloudy day sprinkles rain.  Kate Myers here to  supper.  Bert was in town yesterday, has bought a farm down near Lerna where he will move in spring.  Gobed 9 PM.

27.  Saturday,  6.30 AM.  ther.  58.  75.  58.
Nearly clear.  Drove with Tue down to get Mrs. Dickenson to wash Monday.  Jackson  Flesher paid up.  Uncle John drove  to dinner accommodats  Sil Myers and Briggs.  Sniders folks bring in 3 3/16 M butter.  drove down to Hats with Tue forenoon to see about going to Uncle John's tomorrow  Riley Eastin promises to make boards this week and deliver them.  Gurisey pays for cord wood sold him this week.  Kate Davis  was over at night.  Looked at some rocks clocks at Ricketts today intending to buy.  Go bed 9 P.M.

It is July 31, 1887 in Charleston, Illinois

125 Years Ago . . .

Sunday, July 31, 1887   6.30 AM  Ther.  78.  100.  .80 

 Clear or nearly so.  Girls go to S.S.  Baby not very well for two or three days.  Not very well  myself been smoking good deal lately.  Went up town about 4 P.M.  get mare and drive around town with Tue till nearly dark.  They have been excavating for new school house, but have done nothing else so far.  This has been a hot month.  Ther.  has averaged 71 morn  95 noon  76  night  mean 80.8.  It has reached 90 every day this month except  three and has been from 100 to 105 on 9 days, two  or three little showers is all the rain and most of the corn is so badly injured that it would not make half a crop with plenty of rain.  My potatoes are not worth digging.  Pastures are all dried up & water is getting scarce every where.  The Embrass river is about dry.  The leaves on the tree are turning yellow and falling off.  The fruit crop is almost a failure here.  and garden track is ditto.  There were less signs of rain today than usual, nearly perfectly clear all day.  Wind northerly 10 P.M.