January 5, 1892 and 1903 in Coles County, IL

January 1892 

Charles 50, Tue 36, Margaret 14, Phebe 12, Marie 5.

5.  Tuesday.  7AM.  Ther  18.  27.  23.  =  22 2/3

Cloudy E. wind.  Enloe took another small load of lumber and paid me for all.  Maurice Burgner has got his 500 posts and will pay me soon.  Tue went to Dick Norfolks funeral P.M. He died yesterday at house here.  Brownfield straightened up posts after dinner.  have on hand 165  Many of them culls.  I put up roosts for hens in the hog pen and Tue and self caught them and put them in there after supper. I fell and hurt my foot so could hardly get around.  We have 37 hens and roosters and 4 ducks.  Cloudy day E wind AM moving gradually around toward N. a little NNE at night and very light fine snow after 9 P.M barely covering the ground.  My foot hurt so I had chill about 10PM.  Gobed midnight.

January 1903

Charles 61, Tue 47, Margaret 25, Phebe 23, Marie 16

5. Monday.  6 AM  Ther.  25. 28.  25  =  26

Cloudy, N wind.  Maggie gets ready and starts for Champaign on 11.15 train.  About 3 in. heavy snow on ground.  It fell in night probably after midnight.   Nick Smith says Garrison sold out and purchaser again sold but I have not verified report.  Mostly cloudy day with NW wind.  Phebe sick at night self about sick.  Quitting use of tobacco feels worse than usual.  Snow remains on ground.  This snow was exactly like one a week ago.  Gobed 9 PM

January 2, 1892 and 1903 in Charleston, Illinois

January 1892

2.  Saturday 7 AM.  Ther 15.  18.  8.  = 13 2/3

Part cloudy, strong w wind which blew all night.  Uncle John down to dinner  He went off again without basket of  "grub" which I had to bring him at night.  Vandermeter worked a while P.M.  Took onions up town.  cleaned out stable I built fire under meat first time.  Very dull day  The dullest of  a dull week  Emma went to her sisters to stay all night.  Clear day with brisk NW wind   gobed midnight

January 1903

2. Friday.  6.30 AM.  Ther.  31.  35.  32.  =  32 2/3

Cloudy and light rain, east wind.  Dessa makes fires.  Desa irons.  Rained ceased AM. and began again about dark.  Dark cloudy day, with easterly wind  We get yesterdays Daily paper AM and todays PM  Dick did not come today.  I did not go up town .  Think the tobacco Habit dating this time from  Apl 1, 1902 has hold of me pretty bad.  Hartly friend of Phebe came P.M. remaining till nea

rly midnight - supper &c.  It rained and sleeted after dark.  Light, however.  Dark, damp day.  I did not hitch up  and did not ever go to town.  Dessa very bad cold but went to Salvation meeting at night  Turee was up till 11 P.M.  Very heavy fog P.M. getting heavier followed by rain and sleet in night easterly wind.  Self go to bed 9 P.M.

February 24-28, 1901 in Coles County Illinois

February 1901

24. Sunday, 6.30  AM.  Ther.  20.  36.  25  =  27

Partly cloudy Brisk west wind,  Tue feeling very badly today.  Helen came in  morning remaining to dinner and all day.  Hitch up after dinner - 3 PM - and drive out to Gaines' and Loxa.  Jo reports that has hedge about half trimmed.  John has hired to Sam Berry by month.  Is staying at Janesville, Cumber. Co. ILL.  I drove down to Loxa for Clara.  She  and Daisy riding to town with me.  Roads good.  Slightly rough except gravel.  Get pretty cold going out.  Clear day with W to SW wind.  Helen here to bedtime.  Maggie and Buddie took her way home.  Horses in pasture made raid on my buggy today.  We got home about 7 P.M.  Gobed  9.30 P.M.  ( shorthand)

(shorthand at the top of page)

25.  Monday.  6 AM. Ther.  30.  40.  27.  =  32 1/3

Cloudy SW wind and snowing late.  Clara washes  Her father leaves today for Indiana.  Daisy called to see Clara AM.  I quit tobacco for sure last night.  Went up after grub toward night.  Get Capon 75 and steak 20 at Pinnells, Cr. 95 c.  Tue, Maggie and Marie went to church at night.  Lois Shortess has the measles.  After dinner I got ready to go to Loxa but decide to wait till tomorrow.  Snow falling much of forenoon about an inch falling mostly disappearing P.M. sunshine.  Gobed 10 P.M.

26.  Tuesday.  5.30.  AM.  Ther.  16.  29.  14.  =  19 2/3

Clear NW wind.  Clara ironing P.M.  Tue went to church and to lecture afterward.  Wall pays me 10.00 on last month's rent and will pay bal. 40.00 tomorrow, is talking again about selling out.  Tue and self bought several lots of soap and  starch.  Too cold for me to drive out to Loxa but hitched up mare after dinner.  Clear day with NW wind.  Play Cinch at night  Gobed  10.30 P.M.

27.  Wednesday.  5.30.  AM.  Ther 15.  40.  22.  =  35 2/3

Clear,  N.W. wind.  Phebe making shirt waist.  Hitch up to go to Loxa but decide to wait till P.M.  eating early dinner.  Get Mrs. Gaines' bucket and towel.  Their clock not yet repaired.  Get to Gaines  2 PM  the the two Mrs. Gs drove to Loxa.  John and wife there.  Look over meadow north of orchard but can't tell much about it yet  start home 5.30 P.M.  Clear day N.W. wind.  Roads first rate.  Tue feeling badly but went to church at night.  Marie Clara and self play cinch  Gobed  10 PM.

(shorthand at top of page)

28.  Thursday.  5.30.  A.M.  Ther  18.  34.  35.  33.  =  34.

Mostly clear S.E. wind.  Began snowing  A.M. from E.  Caught big rat in trap in old house A.M.  Got a letter from Mrs. Perrill - first since they got home.  Pay up Pinnell for stuff got there last Mon. night 95 cts.  Occasional light snow till along in P.M. where it began to snow in earnest, stopping before dark.  About 3 in damp heavy snow fell  Calf from Brown cow due Mar 12 likely to appear sooner.  Clara finished ironing.  Tue sewing but feeling badly.  East.  Play cards with the girls at night.  gobed 10 P.M.

January 29- February 1, 1890 and 1901 in Charleston, IL

January  1890

29.  Wednesday.  Ther  36 46 ( an ink smear across this entry.)

Cloudy a light shower between 6 and 7 AM.  H.G. an hands , Nick has not shown up yet.  Learn today that he is better.  Kelly helps most of day washes bottles and cleans furniture.  He is going to work for R.R.  Very dull day muddy and dark  Paid water rate to July 1 for house and store  

gobed 11 PM  Fog at nt.

30.  Thursday 7 AM.  Ther  37.  48.  48. = 44 1/3

Foggy morning.  Another dark muddy day.  Tue spent day at Perrills.  Very few country people in town now days.  The roads are said to be as bad as ever known.  Frank McGurtys baby  and Jeff Watens sister buried today.  Nick still at home.  Cloudy day strong S. wind at night.  Gobed midnight

31.  Friday.  7 AM.  Ther  48.  52.  40.  = 46 2/3

Part cloudy day.  Nick up AM first time.  Trade dull.  Tue complaining Bish killed billy kid.  gobed midnight.

February 1890

1.  Saturday.  7.15 AM.  Ther.  34. 

Cloudy sprinkle snow last night.  Nick at Store all day first time since sick.  Bill Kelly working for R.R. Co.  Engage Brownfield to help clean up.  John Simones in town says he is reading to move at any time.  Snider will help one load.  Snider was married last Wednesday night  to Phillip's daughter  Uncle John was down to dinner self not very well.  Paid winter a/c in full to date  Gobed  1 AM.

January 1901

29.  Tuesday.  6 AM.   Ther  22.  40.

Partly cloudy N.W. wind.  Jack Trobough work 8 to 10 AM.  Takes out  ashes; turns manure and oil buggy and took it up to Davis Shop  Mrs. Wm. Brazleton died this morning  after being sick a long.  Old Mr. Sproule very sick.  Tue went over there after dinner.  Helen here to supper.   Davis did not repair buggy and I went after it  toward night.  Took Tue and Helen to H.Gs after supper.  Kate Perrill  who arrived with her mother from Wellsville, Ohio here with Groves till bedtime.  Marie seems better but remains at home.  Cloudy with variable wind a little rain and sleet during day about an inch snow at night.  10 PM.  

( Shorthand at top of Page)

30.  Wednesday. 5.15 AM.  Ther. 20.  19.  8  =  15 2/3
Cloudy northerly wind.   Clara ironed all day and went out with Daisy at night.  Growing colder all day  Partly clear P.M.  NW wind.   Tue over at Grove's at night.   Mrs. Brazelton was buried today  Pay F.M. Payne druggist a/c $7.70 in full. check.  Gobed 10 PM.

31.  Thursday. 6 AM.  Ther.  24.  29.  26  =  29 2/3
Clear SW wind.  Gaines calls me at Central while at breakfast.    Send him check 18.00 on wages  Think overpaid some.  Tell him to get line back cow dehorned at once.  Defenbaugh calls to get to get me to release Mortgage will have to see Jim Stevens.  Tue over at Groves w(?) Mrs. Perrill and Kate.  I went over to supper  Kate sick.  Marie still complaining good deal but think getting better slowly.  Clear AM and getting warmer but cloudy P.M. and colder NW wind.  Self feeling badly and still chewing tobacco.  The snow which fell Tuesday still covers ground  Go bed 10 P.M.
(shorthand)

February 1901

1.  Friday.  5.45 AM.  Ther.  27.  30.  30.  +  25 2/3

Clear westwind.  Clara washing windows.  Reading Circle met here P.M.  I sat in furnace room most of P.M..  Play seven up in dining at night  Marie went to school first time for week or two  Gobed 9 30 PM.

November 24-30, 1889 in Coles County, Illinois

November 1889

24.  Sunday.  7.30  AM.  Ther 51  49.  37  =  43 2/3

Mostly cloudy, NW wind and growing colder raining at 10 AM.  Clearing in P.M. after dinner start to ranch getting there about dark  Dark and cloudy day sprinkle rains of the time.  Go bed at Milts at 9 P.M.  River road not so bad as expected went round by Jo Handlys

25.  Monday. 6 AM  Ther.  33.  43.  33.  =  36 1/3

Mostly clear day wind N or NW.  Milt and self ring old pigs.  Make gate for barn door and work on stairs.  Broke brace and could not hang gate.  Frank took scraper home but too late start.  Gobed 9 pm by load corn of Jim Decker

26.  Tuesday 5.45 AM.  Ther  33  35  35  = 34 1/3

Cloudy with E. wind.  Pick out 6  old sheep and put in pen  Make trough for them.  Began to sleet about9 AM.  Start for home before 10 AM. snow and rain all way on road.  Raining fast when got home about noon.  H.G. arrived yesterday PM from hunting trip having been gone since Nov 5 with very poor success at hunting.  Rain all PM and in night-  Pay R. J. Stuckey note and int $287.59   Conclude to quit chewing tobacco which have been using since Aug.  Gobed 10.30 PM~

27.  Wednesday 7 AM.  Ther  35  35  34  =  34 2/3

Cloudy and snowing about an inch fell which soon went  off.  Milt Drake was up horseback and started home 10 PM.  The river is said to be up swimming deep.  The Stanberry trial did not come up  Court adjourned at noon till after Thanksgiving  Trade pretty good.  Quit  chewing tobacco and began again.  Dark cloudy day with NW wind and snow flying most of time  Gobed 11.30 PM.

28.  Thursday.  7.15   Ther  14.  25.  20  =  23.

Thanksgiving.  Cloudy and snowing strong.  W. wind about 1 in. of snow on ground.  Start Tom and Jim at store  We have roast chicken for dinner no company.  Maggie ate dinner at Lattas  Most of stores closed in afternoon.  Banks and PO closed nearly all day.  Pay John McKee 1.55 on Lem McKee for sawing and split a cord of wood  Mostly Cloudy day with NW wind and light snow.  Brown and Stack drummers here.  Bought  some venison at Bill Myers at night.  Trade rather quiet  

Gobed 12.15

29.  Friday, 7 AM. Ther  10.  22.  20  =  17 1/3

Clear.  Father got up at 4.20  Maggie went to school house with Miss Vaughn.  Brown still here.  Had Venison for dinner  Clear day and coldest so far.  Trade fair.  Had to get stove delivered        up at store.  Not many country people in town  Self not feeling very well - tobacco.  go bed

30.  Saturday  7 AM.  Ther  10.  35.  28  +  24 1/3

Mostly clear day variable wind.  Milt Drake did not make his appearance.  Think must be about offered.  Paid Jim Decker for 16 1/2 bu. corn Also bought load same size of Warren to be delivered next week.  Julia Wood trial on,  jury retire about 9 P.M. but did not return verdict  self to bed time?  Pay Kelly order on FM Crony for 3.00   Trade not very good  Roads reported very rough and river unforetable (sic) settle in full with M Corner.  S wind at night  Gobed 11 PM~ Hat down to supper. 

 Average Ther for Nov 39  highest 1.65 low 29.10 extreme range 55

August 12 - 15, 1888 in Charleston, Illinois

1888

12.  Sunday  630 AM  Ther  68 , 78  ,  59

Cloudy and several sprinkles of rain AM.  Stay at home till toward night then drive with Tue round town mostly cloudy day.  Thunder AM.  Cooler toward night.  Baby seems good deal better.  Gobed 9 PM~  

13.  Monday,  530  AM.  ther  49,  75  60

Clear felt like a frost this morning.  started to lumber at 7 AM.  Fellows all at work   Riley Easton helps PM he and Com. will both work tomorrow.  Began cutting all poles  into cord wood.  got home about 6.30 P.M.  Gobed  9 PM.  Tue put up plums.

14.  Tuesday  5.45 AM.  ther 59 85  72

Got timber early men at work Com and Riley Easten begin work with rest.  Took girls down to Snider's.  I got too warm and nearly  (?).  got started again on tobacco.      [the rest of this entry is crossed out and difficult to read.]

15.  Wednesday  5.30 AM  ther.  65  92  78

Warm and clear day S wind  very hot day.  Tue and children went to Hats.  We had intended to go to Berts but Tue not very well.  It got too warm in woods (?) pretty nearly sick.  Get started again on tab.  Mrs. M Cer(?) and Gertrude over at night.  Gobed 8.30

April 19-21, 1888 in Charleston, Illinois

19.  Thursday.  5.45 AM  Ther.  49.  60.  43.
Some cloudy grows cooler in the morning.   Intended to go to Timber home back but couldn't  get home.  I wanted to start  about 8 AM with Val Mount got home about 6 PM.  Let  R. Rutherford have the McKee house at 1.10 per mo.  Bob Brown has made 425 rails which he is putting into fence.  Came by Comer Mill.  Kirk hauled up 700 feet lumber to city.  There is about one load city stuff there.  Doch(?) papers and /whitewash Kitchen today.@ 2.25.  Meyers worked  half day for Mrs. Perrill.  Gobed 10 PM  Sprinkle rain down near timber about 9 AM.

20.  Friday, 6 AM  Ther.  34.  54.  36.
Clear.  Pretty heavy white frost.  Found roads better than expected (?) yesterday,  dry but somewhat rough.  Maple, service berry and red bud in bloom blood root up and about to bloom.  Things seem rather backward.  Kirk brought up 7.05 feet of lumber for the city which is all of the city stuff.  Meyers came at noon and worked half a day, says he has papered the front room at Nick house costing 112.   Plant some early beans in bottom also some beets.  Went down to R.R. toward night to look at Kirk's ties, has 96 out they look very well.  Not feeling very well today, have been chewing tobacco.  Cool clear  pleasant day.  Peaches  and plums on hillside blooming.  Go bed 11 P.M.  Mrs. R. work all day cleaning kitchen.

21.  Saturday  6.20 AM.  Ther. 40.  60.  50.
Part cloudy with brisk S. wind.  Myers came in morn and worked about an hour.  Count up and find that  I owe him$1.16. which let go on next months  rent.  Bought some ceiling at Fuller for Kitchen.  Went down to Wings Mill to depot.  Trees have not come yet.  Uncle  John and Snider  both in town both called P.M.  Lindbloom gets in the calaboose(?) again.  Comer up we call the walnut lumber 2000 ft. and I give him my share of a/cs for the lumber and everything (?) the mill was.  The ground is getting very dry strong appearance of rain and sprinkled little in PM.  Jay Johnston has been tearing down old building N.W. corner of square since last Thursday morning, is going  to build a big block there.  Mostly cloudy day gobed 9 P.M.  quit tobacco again.

December 26, 1912 and 1887 in Coles County, Illinois

1912

26.  Thursday.  6.30  A.M.  ther.  30.  44.  36.  = 36 2/3
Clear. S.3. Wh. Fr.  .  Ice 1/4.  Soon clouds up with light rain or mist at times during day.  Mostly cloudy day with moderate S.W. wind.  I get along without tobacco today very well.  The booze, however, is about out.Tue feeling very poorly   but does not send for Dr.  Helen was in bring some pressed chicken.  Alfred did not show up and we have to do choring.  I hitch up and drive out by Crinm's.  Dark day but clears up at night.  Gobed. 8 P.M.

In margin of journal:

•  Got new pair Seltz shoes of Gray N0. 89593.  Size .665, Ordered last week.  weight 24 1/2 0z.  Cost at present unknown.   Seltz Royal Blue Shoes
• Furnace Grate is uncoupled and I work an hour or two at trying to  fix same.  Tue helped.  Cottingham is away so no use,  have to let it go.

1887

26.   Monday.  6.30 AM  Ther.  23.  34.  32.

Cloudy.  Easterly wind settle with C. Mason, Nettie Perrill called about noon..  Will start for California tomorrow with Mrs. Lietch.  Learn that several  loads of lumber @ area up today.  Settle with Chas. Donsch in afternoon from way back owed him 15.40, he  owed some 11.60.    Dark cloudy day  wind varible mostly southerly.  Roads dry and getting dusty Maggie complaining at night.  Took medicine.  Tue has had toothache..  Gobed.  10.30 PM