1889 - Diary

 

There are no diaries for the years 1887 and 1888, which is unfortunate since we would like to read his account of the blizzard of ’88.  His handwriting at this time is very easy to read.  He has become a teacher.  During the year 1889 Harvey turned 27 years old.

 

Tuesday, January 1, 1889 – “A Happy New Year”.  We went down to George Barkleys* and took dinner and made a visit and it is bare ground but a little snow some places fair wheeling some rough.  It is a pretty cloudy day some warm & thawed.  This starts the new year.  No school to day Holiday for me.

Jan. 2 – I taught school down at the Lake and it is very good walking and at night I went up to George Barkley’s and stayed all night and the boys had a good time skateing and it is a nice warm day it thawed some and it is rather cloudy to.

Jan. 3 – I taught school down at the lake and it is very good walking and it is a nice pleasant day some warm at night I came home and the boy’s & girls had a good time on the ice and Father took a small grist down to Bedlam and brought it home with him & it cleared of nice & warm like fall.

Jan. 4 – (notation at top of page:  “1 D R”) – I taught school down at the lake and I drove down and took in school at 8 o’clock and and when school was out I went down from there down to see Fan near S.A. & stayed for supper & then we went to the party at the Hall had a good time & it is a nice pleasant day warm & clear roads are quite muddy.

Jan. 5 -  In the morning we drawed 2 loads of hay from the Hay barn down to the barn on the lower place and took the sheep down there and Martin & Kate came over a visiting and Ema came up and Grandmother Black came over and it is a nice pleasant day warm & clear it dos’ent freeze hardly any even nights fine weather.

Jan. 6 – We all went to church and we heard a sermon by Mr. Willard McE. and his text was in Jeremiah and it is a very nasty day it it rained a lot and it is verry muddy not very warm either some windy and very cloudy.

Jan. 7 -  I taught school down to the lake and it is very muddy walking and it rained a lot most all day it rained some and at night I went down to Band meeting at bedlam and it is a very cloudy nasty day warm cooler at night and snowed some to.

Jan. 8 – I taught school down at the lake and it is fair walking and it is a nice pleasant day warm & nice thawed some and Father went down to Bedlam and at night I took a short ride no good though.  frooze some at night.

Jan. 9 – I taught school down at the lake and it rained quite a lot it is pretty muddy walking and it is a cloudy rainy day at night the wind blew very hard blowed a lot of fence down in places and it is warm the snow is all gone but a few banks again.

Jan. 10 – I taught school down to the lake and it is fair walking it is a very windy day and getting colder all day at night I did’nt come home I went down and stayed all night with Mr. McKernons folks had a good time and it is a pretty clear & cool day.

Jan. 11 – I taught school down at the lake and it is rather cool pretty good skating again and at night I came home and it is a nice pleasant day only pretty cool and windy thawed a very little.

 

*his sister Emma is married to George Barkley

 

Jan. 12 – In the forenoon Father & I went out to Fort Edward light and took out some Butter and stoped at Argyle when we came back and paid the taxes and it is very rough going and the girls went down to Ema’s and it is a nice day only some cloudy and cold funny winter weather.

Jan. 13 – We all went to church and we heard a sermon by Mr. Willard McEachron and his text was well I have forgotten and the roads are very rough and it is a nice pleasant day rather cloudy and moderating.

Jan. 14 – I taught school down to the lake and it is very good walking and it is a nice pleasant day rather cool but clear and at night I went down to Bedlam to Bandmeeting and Charley McGeoch rode down from Mahaffys with me and Father chored around.

Jan. 15 – I taught school down at the lake and it is very good walking and our folks went a visiting up to Uncle Daves and it is a nice pleasant day warm & clear like Fall weather some cool in the morning.

Jan. 16 – I taught school down at the lake and it is very good walking and our folks went to the funeral George Edd Qua’s wifes. and it is a nice day warm and some cloudy and at night I drove down to Argyle after our foot ball but I failed to get it and it rained some almost like summer wether.

Jan. 17 – I went down to the lake school a foot and it is very muddy traveling it rained to quite a lot the ice is getting rather thin a lot of air holes and our folks went up to Johnney Williamsons & Father went up to Glenroys vendue at auction and it cleared of at night got a little colder.

Jan. 18 – I taught school down to the lake and it is very good walking it frooze up and it is fine skating and we had some company at school and spoke pieces.  and our folks went down to Bedlam to Uncle Alex a visiting and at night I went down to Argyle to an Exhibition with Charles McGeoch and it is a cool night and rough to.

Jan. 19 – (at top of page: “2 T.R.”) In the forenoon I drove a sow up to Theodore Gilchrist’s to the boar and Charley & Will Donaldson came up and killed the beef or cow and in the afternoon I chored around and went up to John McKernon’s and got the foot ball he got it out to the Fort.  and it is a nice pleasant day only very cold & rough at night the girls went down to Ema’s and Nannie Reynolds came home with them and I went down and made Fan a visit had fun got home rather late.

Jan. 20 – Father the girls and Nannie Reynolds went to church and they heard a sermon by Mr. Willard McEachron and I stayed at home and kept house.  At night Nannie the girls and I went over to the church to prayer meeting and Nannie stoped up to Mr. Reynolds.  and it is a pretty cold day at night it snowed quite hard.

Jan. 21 – I taught school down to the lake and I drove down took a cutter and it snowed nearly all night about 6 or 8 inches should think but very light & at night I went down to Bedlam to Band meeting and it is very good sleighing after band meeting I went in made a damsel a visit and Father chored around and it is a cool & windy day cleared off before noon.

Jan. 22 -  I taught school down to the lake and I drove a horse and it is very good sleighing and Father went out to the Fort took a quarter of beef & the hide and a few apples and it is a nice pleasant day rather cool though.

 

Jan. 23 – I taught school down to the lake drove down and it is good sleighing around here and it is a beautiful day clear and not very cold.  The boys busted the foot ball and father chored around and at George & Ema went to a wedding & left the kids here.*

Jan. 24 – I taught school down to the lake drove down and it is good sleighing and the girls took the kids down home and it is a nice warm day rather cloudy & about 4 o’clock it begun and snowed quite hard for awhile.  At night the girls went over to the young people’s meeting.

Jan. 25 – I taught school down to the lake and I drove down and we had company at school 4 visitors and at night I went into Mr. Lashers and spent the evening and had a very good time and it is a nice pleasant day warm & clear and our folks went down to Bedlam to Uncle John C’s a visiting.

Jan. 26 – In the forenoon we took a sow up to Theodore Gilchrist’s boar. and then we drawed two loads of hay from the Hog barn over back down to the barn on the lower place and afternoon we cut up a load of school wood and took it down to the school house and then I took a small jag of hay down to Mr. Lashers for my horse**. and it is a nice warm day rather cloudy it thawed some and the sleighing is getting thin some places.

Jan. 27 – We all went to church and we heard a sermon by Mr Willard McEachron and his text was Hebrews the 2 chapter and a part of the 3 verse and it is a pretty cloudy and rather stormy day to snowed & rained or rather frozen rain. thawed some.

Jan. 28 – I taught school down at the lake and I drove down and it snowed 4 inches last night should think and I drove down and it is a nice day some cool & windy to.  Father  chored around and he went up and took a load of moving for Glenroy down to Argyle.  at night I went down to Bedlam to Band meeting.

Jan. 29 – I taught school down to the lake and I drove down it snowed some more 2 or 3 inches and Father chored around and it is a pretty cool and windy day quite cold at night and at night the girls & I went over to Prayer meeting at the church rather cool to.

Jan. 30 – I taught school down at the lake and I drove down and it is good sleighing and Uncle Tom H came down & Aunt Mary Eliza a visiting & Ema was up to. and it is a nice pleasant day clear but quite cold and the girls went over to prayer meeting at night.

Jan. 31 – I taught school down to the lake and drove down and it is good sleighing and it is a nice pleasant day some cool & windy and they was no school from noon till recess I went up to Mr. Lindsay’s funeral.  Our folks went over at night Annie and I went over to Prayer meeting and it is rained some thawed quite a lot.

 

*plural – means Emma had another child in 1887 or 1888  (hope it wasn’t during the blizzard!)

** Lasher’s was in Cossayuna, so apparently that’s the lake where the school was (it was a long walk from their house to Cossayuna Lake), and when he took the horse, he must have boarded it at Lasher’s

 

 

Friday, February 1, 1889 – I taught school down to the lake and I drove down and it is rather cool and and we had some company and it is a nice day some cool & Orrie is sick and Father went down to Bedlam and at night Annie & I went over to the church to Prayer meeting.

Feb. 2 – Father went out to Fort Edward and took out some apples & got 2 barrels of flour and in the forenoon I chored around George B & Ema came up & in the afternoon George & I went down to the Lake we the lake boys played the South Argyle Boys a match game of foot Ball & we got beaten 11 to 6 I believe and it is a cloudy day snowed some but did’nt mount to much.

Feb. 3 – Father and I went to church and we heard a sermon by Mr. William Robinson and Orrie and Annie stayed at home and kept house and it is a pretty stormy day and cold to.  quite cold at night Orrie is about the same.

Feb. 4 – I taught school down at the lake and I drove down and it is a pretty cold 5 below zero coldest morning yet and it is rather cloudy and at night I went down to Bedlam to Bandmeeting and Father was away some place and chored around at night it snowed some.  Orrie is getting better.

Feb. 5 – I taught school down at the lake and I went in a sleigh it snowed in the morning but not very cold & got warmer and rained a lot at night it thawed a lot but got colder in the night and Father chored around.

Feb. 6 – I taught school down to the lake and I drove down and it stormed terrible and blowed & was cold to.  and kept getting colder all day guess and wind blew and it drifted to some places and got terrible cold at night.

Feb. 7 – I taught school down to the Lake and I drove down and it is rather cold about zero and it is nice and pleasant and we had company at school 4 young ladies and at night I went over to the church to Prayer meeting and Anna Gibson & Nannie Reynolds came home with us.

Feb. 8 – I taught school down at the Lake and I drove down and it is nice sleighing and our folks came down and made us a call and it is a nice pleasant day some cool and Father chored around and at night we went over to the church to Prayer meeting and it was some cool.

Feb. 9 – In the forenoon we chored around and took a sow pig up to Theodore Gilchrist’s to Boar.  and in the afternoon our folks went to church and I went down to Argyle and played in a match game of Ball and then went down to South Argyle and made Fan a visit and it is a nice day some cloudy.

Feb. 10 – We all went to church and we heard a sermon by Mr. Willard McEachron and his text was John 14 chapter and the 24 verse and it was Sacrament Sabbath and it is fine sleighing and a nice warm day pleasant & thawed some too.  At night the girls & I went to Prayer meeting at the church or rather preaching.

Feb. 11 – I taught school down at the lake and I drove down and it is a nice pleasant day some cloudy and cool to.  and Father drawed up wood from down in the stump lot by the lower place and at night I went to Band meeting and we played out in the street.

Feb. 12 – I taught school down to the lake and I drove down it snowed some in the morning and it is a nice day some cool & cloudy at night the girls went over to Prayer meeting and our folks went down to Ema’s a visiting.

Feb. 13 – I taught school down to the lake and I drove down and it is nice sleighing and Father chored around and he is about sick and it is rather cool and some windy to.  and at night the girls and I went over to the church to meeting.

Feb. 14 – I taught school down to the Lake and I drove down and it is colder than fury but a nice pleasant day and Father chored around & at night I took the girls over to Prayer meeting at the church and it was cool to.

Feb. 15 – I taught school down to the Lake and I drove down and it is a nice pleasant day only cold at morning and night.  and Father went out to Fort Edward light and it is a nice day at night I went down to Bedlam some of the Boys met to practice for our exhibition.

Feb. 16 – In the forenoon I chored around and John Patterson and Eliza came up a visiting and I in the afternoon went down to South Argyle to play a game of foot Ball but could’nt agree on an umpire so did’nt play and it is a nice day cool and cloudy at night it frooze or rained and frooze as it came.

Feb. 17 – Orrie Annie & I went to church and we heard a sermon by Mr. Willard McEachron and his text was in Luke “Remember Lot’s wife” and Father stayed at home and kept house and it is a soft day it thawed quite a lot and is warm rained some & at night we went over to Prayer meeting at the church but it got broken up by the cry of fire a Smoke House of Uncle Daves burned down.

Feb. 18 – I taught school down at the lake and I drove down and it is a stormy day it snowed nearly all forenoon quite hard about 4 inches guess and at night I went down to Bedlam and it rained some rather soft.  I went to Band meeting we practiced some for the Exhibition.

Feb. 19 – I taught school down to the Lake and it is a pretty nice day some cool and Father chored around and at night I went over to Prayer meeting took the girls they wasent many there.

Feb. 20 – I taught school down to the lake and I drove down and it is a nice pleasant day clear but rather cool and our school teacher Miss Huggins* came up and stayed all night.  and Father chored around and he is about sick.

Feb. 21 – I taught school down to the Lake and I drove down and it is a nice pleasant day only pretty cold and at night I went & took the girls over to Prayer meeting to the church and it is cold to.  and Father took a small grist down to Bedlam Cora Williamson came over with us from prayer meeting.

Feb. 22 – I drawed ice from the Mud lake and Billy Mc** cut or sawed it we drawed over 5 loads and packed it away and it is a nice pleasant day warm thawed some at night I went down to South Argyle but the folks was not at home so got left.  The Goose Island school was closed to day.

Feb. 23 – In the morning I went out to Fort Edward and got a check cashed and got some cards & candy for the schollars and it is a very cold day 10 below zero in the morning and below at night and Norm came down after Cora and it is a clear but cold windy day.  The girls went down to Bedlam in the afternoon and brought home a grist small one.

 

 

*she was probably the Goose Island school teacher

**can’t read last name, looks like “McLane”

 

 

Feb. 24 – Annie Orrie and I went to church and we heard a sermon by Mr. Willard McEachron and his text was Revelation the 21 chapter and the 2 verse.  and Father stayed at home and kept house and he is about sick and it is a nice pleasant day but very cold 18 below zero in the morning.

Feb. 25 – I taught school down to the lake and it is a cold day I drove down and Father is about sick and it is about zero in the morning at night I went down to Bedlam to Band meeting.

Feb. 26 – I taught school down to the lake and I drove down and it is a nice pleasant day some cloudy toward night & some warmer at night the girls and I went up to John Williamson’s to our church sociable had a very good time.

Feb. 27 – I taught school and I drove down and it is a nice pleasant day thawed some and the girls at night went to a party up to John Shields and Father is about sick.

Feb. 28 – I taught school down to the Lake and I drove down and it is good sleighing and it is a nice pleasant day warm and thawed quite alot some cloudy at night and Father is not very well.

 

Friday, March 1, 1889 – I taught school down to the Lake drove down and it was the last day of the term 16 weeks we had about 15 visitors had a good time and had a nice school am some what sorry that the school is closed.  It is a beautiful day warm & clear the snow is thawing quite fast sleighing is getting thin some places & Father went out to Glens Falls and sold a load of apples.

Mar. 2 – In the forenoon I sorted a load of apples and chored around and in the afternoon I went down to Argyle to Caucus and the girls went down with me and went in to see Glenroy and it is a nice pleasant day warm thawed quite a lot and Father is about sick and at night I went down to Bedlam to practice for the Exhibition.

Mar. 3 – Annie and I went to church and we went down by Bedlam and got the Doctor to come up and see Father he is in a bad shape & we did’nt have no preaching our minister was sick we had prayer meeting & Sabbath school and it is a nice warm day rather cloudy & soft at night or in the night Father took worse so I went down after the doctor again.

Mar. 4 – In the morning I loaded up a load of apples and took them up to Glens Falls 14 barrels at $1 a barrel and the sleighing is getting pretty thin some places and Father is about the same or a little better and Ema & George came up and stayed all night and at night I went down to Bedlam to practice for our exhibition.

Mar. 5 – In the forenoon I chored around and put up or sorted some apples and in the afternoon I rode down to Argyle with Mr Hiram Reynolds and voted and it is a nice warm day but rained some and it is very sloppy and the sleighing is getting rather thin and Father is pretty bad he has got Conjestion of the lungs.

Mar. 6 -  I chored around and Uncle Mart(?) and Aunt Kate and Mary Jane came down Uncle Edd & Aunt Charlet ann & Cora came over here a visiting and George & Ema came up awhile & Mary Jane stayed all night and it is a very nasty stormy day snowed nearly all day but thawed a lot and Father is about the same or no better.

Mar. 7 – I chored around and H. Barkley came up last night and stayed around all day we intended to go out to the Falls with a load of apples but stormed so we did’nt go.  Father keeps about the same don’t get any better and it is a very cloudy day it snowed all day quite hard part of the day snowed last night it has over a Foot guess but it keeps soft.

Mar. 8 – In the morning H & I loaded up a load of apples and then took them out to Glens Falls 14 barrels at $1 a barrel and we got home in good season and at night we put up a nother load or sorted them and Father keeps about the same don’t seem to get much better and it is a pretty cloudy and a cool raw day thawed some sleighing is about gone out Fort Edward way but good around here.

Mar. 9 – In the morning H & I loaded up a load of Apples and I took the load out to Glens Falls 14 barrels @ $1 a barrel and it is a very rough day the wind blew and it snowed some to and the sleighing is very poor from Argyle out to the Falls and Father is gaining now he sit’s up some and at night I went down to Bedlam to practice for the exhibition.

Mar. 10 – We all stayed at home and kept house and Father is getting better now and it is a nice pleasant day warm and thawed some the sleighing is very good around here.

Mar. 11 – In the forenoon I sorted 9 barrels of apples and in the afternoon I went down to Bedlam took a small grist & it is a nice pleasant day some cool in the morning and Father is getting some better and at night I went down to Bedlam to Band meeting and after that we went to the Indian show.  At night H. came up & stayed all night.

Mar. 12 – (notation at top of page: “3 T.R.”) – In the morning H & I load up the apples 9 barrels and I took them out to Glens Falls and it is hard sleighing got $1 a barrel and H. done part of the chores and I got home early and at night I went down to South Argyle and made Fan a visit and had a good time and it is a nice day some cloudy & thawed quite a lot sleighing is good around home or on the cross roads but otherwise it is very poor Father is about the same.

Mar. 13 – (This is a Wednesday.  At the top of the page it reads Thursday “mistake”) –

In the forenoon Norm W. came down & he & I went down to Ben. Donaldson’s on Business and when we came back he stoped and stayed for awhile & Father is gaining & it is a pretty cool day thawed quite a lot sleighing is about gone and at night I went down to Bedlam to the Indian show.  I took a wagon for first & traded my old wagon for a road cart with H $18 difference this written for Thursday by mistake.

Mar. 14 – (top of page: “Wednesday reverse”) – I chored around and Father is getting better and it is a nice day thawed quite a lot sleighing is getting thin and at night I went down to Bedlam to the Indian Show and had some fun.

Mar. 15 – In the forenoon I went over to Joseph Lindsays & from there down to Mr. McKernons and stoped a while & got my dinner and went up to the steam mill and In the afternoon I chored around and Uncle Tom H came down awhile and it is a nice pleasant day warm & thawed quite a lot  At night I went down to Bedlam we practiced for our exhibition and then went to the Indian show and I took Maggie McKernon home one of my schollars.  Father keeps about so.

Mar. 16 – In the forenoon I chored around and in the Afternoon I went down to Bedlam and stayed awhile & got my horse shawd and it is a nice pleasant day some cool in the morning and at night Annie & I went down to Bedlam to the Indian Show and the hall was full.  One man tried to mesmerize some of us boys.  We done what he wanted us to and by so doing made the audience think we was inunder his influence was’nt just the same.  Father don’t get along very fast.

 

 

Mar. 17 – Orrie Annie & I went to church and we heard a sermon by Mr. Willard McEachron and Ema & her kids stayed with Father.  He is about the same don’t seem to get a long very fast & George came up after Ema and it is a very nasty day rained a lot and it is cool to very muddy now a lot of snow or slush on the road to.

Mar. 18 – I chored around and did’nt do much and it is a pretty cloudy day some warm and thawed Father is not quite so well to day and at night I went down to Bedlam to practice for our exhibition had a good time it is very muddy.

Mar. 19 – In the forenoon I chored around and in the afternoon I went down to Bedlam and Father keeps about so he sets up part of the day and at night I went down to Bedlam to practice for the exhibition and it is a nice warm day very muddy and John Henry Hurd a man up near Belcher hung himself.

Mar. 20 – In the forenoon I chored around and in the afternoon I went down to Bedlam to practice for our show and Father is about the same and at night I went down to our show it was a bad night or muddy and so we had a slim attendance but had a good time and it is a nice pleasant day only some cool.

Mar. 21 – I chored around nearly all day and Father keeps about so he don’t seem to get a long very fast and the girls went over after Granmother & I sorted a few Potatoes and it is a nice pleasant day warm & very muddy.

Mar. 22 – (top of page; “4 S.B.”) – I chored around and sorted some apples and Father keeps about the same and at night I went down to South Argyle to a dance took Fan had a good time & in the forenoon the girls & I went up to Belcher to John Hurd’s funeral the man that hung himself and it is a nice pleasant day rather muddy.

Mar. 23 – I chored around and the girls went up to Mrs. * funeral and I sorted some apples and in the afternoon I went down to Bedlam and it is a nice pleasant day warm & the roads are drying up fast.  & at night Grandmother went over home.

Mar. 24 – Father is not so well in the morning I went to Bedlam after the Doctor & then went up to church and the girls stayed at home.  And George & Ema came up.  Uncle John C. Martin, Kate, Mary Jane Uncle Tom H & Mary Eliza came to see Father he is some better at night and it is a nice day only rather windy & cooler.

Mar. 25 – In the forenoon Tom Oatman came here to chop & I helped him we cut wood down along the road by the swamp and he took sick before noon.  & went home & in the afternoon I drawed up what we cut and it is a cool day thawed some but frooze quite hard last night.  Father is a little better.

Mar. 26 – In the forenoon I chored around and in the afternoon Uncle Dave came along and I went down to Wm. McEachron’s funeral and it is a nice day warm & some cloudy roads are drying up quite fast and at night I went down to Bedlam to the school Exhibition & Father is improving.

Mar. 27 – In the forenoon I went down & helped George to move and he got pretty much moved up & in the afternoon I helped him some & Tom Oatman chopped wood till about 5 o’clock it came on rain then and it is a pretty cloudy day but did’nt rain much.  cleared off after night warm.

 

*name looks like ‘Goulays’

 

 

Mar. 28 – In the forenoon Tom & I sorted Potatoes a while and then Tom went down to the woods & chopped wood & I chored around and in the afternoon we both chopped cord wood and at night I went down to South Argyle and settled with Steward for our apples and it is a nice day some cool muddy to.  Father is about the same.

Mar. 29 – In the morning we loaded up a load of apples and I took them out to Glens Falls and it is a nice day only rather cool air I took out 9 barrels for $8.50 and Tom cut wood all day.  and Father is gaining slowly.

Mar. 30 – In the forenoon I went down to Salem and in the afternoon I drawed up some wood to the House and Tom cut wood most all day and it is a very cool raw windy day quite raw although it thawed some not much in the shade at night it was quite cold.  Father is about the same.

Mar. 31 – Annie & I went to church and we heard a sermon by Mr. Willard McEachron and Orrie stayed at home with Father and he is about the same and it is a very nasty day it snowed most all day but wasted a lot.  not very cold.

 

Monday, April 1, 1889 – In the morning I went down to Bedlam after the doctor Father was not so well and I went in a cutter and it snowed most all last night guess it is about 5 inches deep besides it thawed a lot I chored around and took the old mare down to Bedlam & got her shawd and they is a lot of sleighs agoing Father got a little better it thawed some.

Apr. 2 – In the forenoon Tom& I drawed out manure from the cow stable on the field by the barn and then Tom sawed wood and George came along and he & I went down to Stott’s Auction and he bought a wagon and a cow and in the afternoon tom chopped some & sorted some potatoes and it is a cool day & very cloudy very muddy thawed some.  & they was counsel of doctors here Maynard of Salem & Irwin and Father is no better he is bad shape.

Apr. 3 – In the forenoon I took a grist down to Bedlam and in the afternoon I riged up the old wagon and drawed some manure from under the Horse barn, down in the field above the road and it is a very cloudy day snowed & rained some very nasty weather. And Father is about the same.

Apr. 4 – In the forenoon Tom George & I sowed the grass seed on both places and in the afternoon I drawed manure on the field back of the barn and Tom sawed wood and helped to load and it is a nice day some cool & cloudy to.  At night Annie & I went over to the Christian Endeavor at the church. Father keeps about the same.

Apr. 5 – In the forenoon Tom cut wood & helped to load and I drawed up wood to the house and in the afternoon I went out to the fort for some beer for Father and Tom cut wood down along the road below the swamp and it is a nice day dryed up some but cool air & cloudy.  Father is about the same.

Apr. 6 – Tom sawed wood all day at the house and Annie & I went down to Argyle to the Teachers Examination we stayed all day, and some parts were hard & some easy and it is a nice pleasant day warm & clear the roads are drying up fast and at night Tom & I went down to Bedlam to Bandmeeting and Father is about the same gaining slowly.

Apr. 7 – Orrie & I went to church and we heard a sermon by Mr. Willard McEachron and his text was in Matthew and Annie stayed at home with Father and he is no better and Ema was up and it is a nice pleasant day some cloudy.

Apr. 8 – I drawed up cord-wood nearly all day from down in the woods along the road and Father keeps about the same and at night I went down to Bedlam and it is a nice warm day clear & warm roads are drying up some.

Apr. 9 – Tom & Wm. J Anderson sawed & split wood nearly all day at the door.  In the forenoon I took the saws down to Bedlam & got them filed & in the afternoon I sawed & split wood and it is a nice pleasant day warm & at night I went down to see Mary McEachron & made her a visit.  Father is no better.

Apr. 10 – (top of page: “5 T.R.”) – I sawed wood at the door and chored around and John & Tom sawed & split wood all day and it is a nice pleasant day not so warm as it was yesterday but a nice day & Father is about the same & at night I went down to South argyle & made Fan a visit had fun.

Apr. 11 – In the afternoon I sawed wood & chored around and in the afternoon I went up to South Hartford after a doctor to come down & see Father and Tom & John sawed & split wood all day and at night John & I went over to the church to the C.E.S.* and the girls went over & got Granmother to stay awhile and it is a nice pleasant day warm & clear it is getting dusty.  Father is no better.

Apr. 12 – I drawed manure all day about in the forenoon I drawed in the field back of the barn & in the afternoon I drawed down in the field above the road and Tom helped me to load & then sawed wood & John sawed & split wood and it is a very cloudy day but warm & it rained a little before daylight.  We had in counsel of doctors Dr Baker of Hartford & Dr. Irwin & Father is no better they think it is the consumption.  At night I went down to see Anna Lawrence & made her a visit.

Apr. 13 – In the forenoon I drawed manure down in the field above the road and Tom helped to load & John split wood at the door and in the afternoon John split wood & Tom & I drawed 2 loads of Hay from the barn down to the lower house up here & then I went out to Fort Edward & got some beer & coal etc. & Tom split some wood & done the chores & it is a pretty cool windy day some cloudy & very dusty.  & Father is about the same.

Apr. 14 – Orrie Annie & I went to church and we heard a sermon by Mr. Willard McEachron and Granmother stayed home with Father and he thinks he feels a little better.  & it is a nice pleasant day warm but cool air.

Apr. 15 – In the forenoon John & I drawed Hay from the Hay barn over back & from the Hay-barn on the lower place and in the afternoon We started the plow up in the back field by the woods both teams and Father keeps about the same and it is a nice pleasant day some warm & clear.

Apr. 16 – In the forenoon I plowed some up in the back field by the woods & begun plowing in the big field and In the afternoon I plowed up in the big field and John plowed all day up in the back field by the woods & it is a nice pleasant day warm Father is about the same gaining slowly I think.

Apr. 17 – In the forenoon John plowed up in the back field & he got done and plowed some in the big field & I plowed in the big field and in the afternoon I sowed the back field to oats & John dragged them in and I drawed part of the fence away back of the barn and it is a pretty warm day pleasant.  Father don’t seem to get along at all.  And at night John & I went down to George’s & helped him to move a stove.

 

*Christian Endeavor (Society?)

 

Apr. 18 – John & I Plowed all day both teams up in the big field, and at noon we fixed some fence & it is a nice warm day quite warm & getting quite warm  hard plowing some places and the snowbanks are about all gone Father is no better Irwin the Dr. comes to see him nearly every day.

Apr. 19 – In the forenoon I Plowed & so did John up in the big field & we finished it & in the afternoon John drawed manure in the garden down to the lower house and I went out to Fort Edward & I got ½ barrel of Ale and it is a nice pleasant day warm Father is no better.  I took Granmother home.

Apr. 20 – In the forenoon I sowed the big field to Oats and John dragged at it and in the afternoon John finished it & helped me to load manure and I drawed manure down in the field above the road and it is a nice day warm & some windy and at night John & I went down to Bedlam. I took my good wagon to get painted and Father is no better.

Apr. 21 – I went to church and heard a sermon by Mr. Willard McEachron and the girls stayed at home & kept house and Father is no better but rather worse!  at night George Wm. John & I went over to the church to the C.E.S.

Apr. 22 – In the forenoon I went down after both doctors to bedlam & chored around & Father is worse & has been all day and John plowed all day up on top of the Hill sod and in the afternoon I took a load of Potatoes down to Salem 45 bu. @ 20’ a bu. and it is a very cool raw windy & rough day for the time of year.

Apr. 23 – In the forenoon I picked stone up on top of the hill & chored around and in the afternoon I took a load of Potatoes down to Salem 45 bu @ 20’ a bu. and John Plowed all day up on top of the Hill.

Apr. 24 – John drawed manure up on the side Hill nearly all day I helped some but stayed around the House most of the day Father is worse He has given up himself all hopes of getting well  I went down & got Ema  He told us what his wishes were when he was gone.  he is very bad.  at night I went down after Eliza and it is a nice day warm & some windy and very dry.

Apr. 25 – In the forenoon John marked out up on top of the Hill & I plowed the garden and drawed some manure & took Grandmother* home and in the afternoon John finished marking out one way up on top of the Hill and then  helped me to cut potatoes and we planted the garden spot.  and Father rested a little easier than he did yesterday but is no better.

Apr. 26 – In the forenoon John planted potatoes up on top of the hill and I helped some & marked out some with the marker and cut some potatoes and in the afternoon we planted & cut some potatoes and it is a pretty cloudy day warm & windy to and Father is about the same a little more easyer than some days  Willard the Minister was up to See him at night it rained some.

Apr. 27 – John & I planted potatoes & cut most all day I marked out the rest of it & it is a very cloudy day some rain last night but not much and it keeps warm and Father is about the same little better in the afternoon.  At night John went down to Bedlam he drove my horse.

 

*his Grandfather is not mentioned this year, perhaps he died sometime in 1887 or ’88.  We have no information about him.

 

Apr. 28 – John went to church & heard a sermon by William McEachron & the rest of us stayed at home & kept house except Eliza she went part way and Uncle Edd & Aunt Charlette ann came over to see Father.  It is a pretty cloudy day & rained some.  Father is very poorly failing.

Apr. 29 – In the forenoon I chored around & fixed some fence and sorted some Potatoes & John Plowed all day nearly in the field back of the barn & in the afternoon I took a grist down to Bedlam & chored around and got the team shawd and it is a pretty cloudy & cleared of cold it rained some in the morning and Father is about the same very poorly.

 

(The top of this page is outlined in heavy black ink.)

Apr. 30 – John Plowed all day in the field back of the barn I spread some manure & finished planting Potatoes up on top of the Hill & fixed some fence & after dinner I went down to North Argyle & got my school money of W. D. Stevenson and Father is no better but rather failing I think.  The doctor came twice.

(This section is outlined in black):        Later.  Poor Father

                                                              died about 9 o’clock

(From here on, his handwriting is very shaky).  “he died very suddent* at last  & seem to die very easy I think his heart was his last trouble  Hiram Reynolds & James Mahaffy laid him out & sat up so did George & John, a terrible change in the House.”

 

*suddenly

 

 

(His handwriting continues to be very shaky and often difficult to read.)

 

Wednesday, May 1, 1889 – In the morning Uncle Dave came down & he & I went down to Bedlam & got a casket for Father the best we could get $50 & we got a shroud.  Uncle Tom H Alex & John C were all here and Kate came & stayed & Grandmother came over.  Mr. & Mrs. Boyd came over & sat up at night.  Mrs. Reynolds was down Charley McGeoch came up at night.  John Armstrong came down James Barkley brought up the casket.  And  John chored around & went down to Salem, George went down to Bedlam & Mary Eliza.  It is a cloudy day & cool to cleared off at night.

May 2 – In the forenoon Martin & Mary Jane. Uncle John C. & Lucy Jane came up & Uncle John C & I went down to Argyle & got the grave dug.  And in the afternoon H came up, and H & Charley McGeoch sat up at night and it is a very cloudy day & cool to & Father looks very natural.

May 3 – The funeral was at 11 o’clock & it was a very large funeral and it is a sort of a dissagreeable & nasty day rained 2 or 3 short showers and Uncle Edd’s folks & Uncle Tom H stoped for dinner.  Mrs. Boyd & Mrs. Armstrong stayed & kept house while we were gone to the yard.  at night George & Ema came up & stayed all night.

 

(His handwriting looks steady on this day.)

May 4 -  In the morning H came up & he & I took Orrie & Annie out to the fort & got some things and Eliza & Grandmother stayed at home & kept house and John plowed all day in the field back of the barn and at night John went down to Bedlam & got the mail.  & it is a nice warm day some cloudy and it is very lonesome at home in fact at any place now.

May 5 -  John, Orrie, Annie & I went to church and we heard a sermon by Mr. Willard McEachron & we came home at noon Annie was’nt feeling very well.  & Eliza Grandmother Mary Jane & H stayed at home & kept house and about night John took Grandmother over home and it is a nice day only some cloudy & windy.

May 6 – In the forenoon I sorted & cut some Potatoes & cut some wood down to the School house and spred some manure & John Plowed up on the side-hill back of the barn & in the afternoon George came up & got some seed potatoes and I plowed up on the side Hill back of the barn & got done in that field & John plowed some & cut some potatoes and it is a nice pleasant day warm & quite smokey.

May 7 – In the forenoon I cut some potatoes & marked out some in the field back of the barn and in the afternoon I took a load of potatoes down to Salem and had on 45 bu. @ 20c a bu. and John dragged most all day on the field back of the barn & he got done and it is a nice pleasant day quite warm & it is getting dusty again.  at night Annie stayed all night with Ema.

May 8 – In the forenoon I sorted some Potatoes & chored around & fixed some fence & loaded up a load of Potatoes & in the afternoon I took a load of Potatoes down to Salem 45 bu. @ 20c a bu. & John finished marking out one way in the field back of the barn & it is a nice pleasant day very warm & dusty & smokey too.

May 9 – In the forenoon I drawed manure up in the field back of the orchard & John plowed down in the meadow and in the afternoon the girls & Eliza went down to Argyle & We begun to plant potatoes in the field back of the barn I marked out some & it is a nice day very warm & dry &\n dusty too.

May 10 -   In the forenoon I drawed out the hog-manure up on the corner in the field back of the orchard & John plowed down in the meadow below the road & in the afternoon we planted potatoes in the field back of the barn and at noon we had quite a heavy thunder shower it rained quite hard for awhile and it is a nice day other wise but very warm.

May 11 – In the forenoon H Barkley John & I cut potatoes & John plowed some down in the meadow and in the afternoon H & I planted potatoes back of the barn & John plowed down in the meadow & he got done there and it rained part of the forenoon and it cleared off fair & cooler.  at night John & H went home.

May 12 – We all went to church and we heard a sermon by Mr. Willard McEachron John 12 chapter and the 32 verse was his text and John came home with us and at night H came up & Sherman McNeil came along & stayed awhile.  and it is a nice pleasant day warm & some cloudy.  Apple trees are in full blossom now.

May 13 – H & I planted potatoes most of the day back of the barn & marked out some & spread some manure in the field back of the orchard & John plowed all day in the same field.  In the afternoon the girls went down to Bedlam & brought home my carriage just newly painted.  It is a nice pleasant day warm & some cloudy.

May 14 – (notation at top of page: “A.T. in Blosson” – probably apple trees) – John plowed nearly all day down in the field above the road and H & I planted Potatoes & marked out in the field back of the barn & we got done & we spread some manure for John & cut some potatoes & it rained some & it is a pretty cloudy day warm though.

May 15 – John plowed all day down in the field above the road & I marked out in the meadow one way & cut some potatoes and planted some & H spread some manure & sorted & cut potatoes & begun to plant Potatoes down in the meadow and it is a nice pleasant day warm.  at night H & Orrie went down to Bedlam.

May 16 – John finished plowing in the field down above the road and plowed both pieces down to the lower house & we are all done plowing now and H & I planted & cut & sorted potatoes most all day H marked out some & I spread some manure and it is a nice day quite warm & rained a little not much.

May 17 – In the forenoon John dragged the field down the road or back of the orchard & H & I planted & cut potatoes in the meadow & H marked out the rest & in the afternoon I marked out the corn ground most all of it both ways and H cut & planted potatoes & John marked out both pieces down to the other house and then planted potatoes & it is a nice pleasant day very warm & some windy in the afternoon the girls & Eliza went down to Argyle.

May 18 – John & I planted the corn down in the field back of the orchard & we got done at supper time & then helped H to plant down in the garden spots & H planted & cut potatoes all day in the meadow & the garden spots at the lower house & it is a nice day clear & very hot over 90 in shade & we got all done planting corn & Potatoes at night John went down to Bedlam after the mail & H went home.

May 19 – We all went to church & we heard a sermon by Mr. Willard McEachron and his text was the 8 chapter of Romans & the first clause of the 7 verse and it is a nice pleasant day warm & very dry looks some like rain at night.

May 20 – In the forenoon we chored around & put up the crow twine & in the afternoon we loaded up a load of potatoes & I took the load down to Salem 48 bu. @ 20’ a bu. & John chored around & fixed some fence.  & it rained nearly all day now & then not very cold fine growing time rained a lot.

May 21 – (notation at top of page: “Pig’s”) – In the forenoon John fixed fence & chored around & I took a load of Potatoes down to Salem 47 bu. @ 20’ a bu. and in the afternoon we washed the sheep down at McAuleys and then loaded up a load of Potatoes and it is a pretty cloudy day some clear & rained some at night we had a thunder shower not very heavy.  I bought 3 pigs of Jim Patterson & left them down to Georges @ $2. a piece.

May 22 – In the forenoon I took a load of potatoes down to Salem 44 bu. @ 20’ a bu. & John helped George to fix fence & in the afternoon We fixed fence down back and loaded up a load of potatoes and it is a nice day rather cloudy & cool too.

May 23 – In the forenoon John fixed over fence down back & I took a load of potatoes down to Salem 46 bu. @ 20’ a bu. and in the afternoon we fixed fence and after supper the girls went down to Bedlam and it is a nice pleasant day some warm but rather cloudy & cool.

May 24 – (notation at top of page: “ 6 S.R.”) – In the forenoon we split out some stakes down back in the wood lot and in the afternoon we fixed fence down back & put up a load of oats and at night I went down to S. & I made Fan a visit and it is a pretty cool day some cloudy rained a very little.

May 25 – In the forenoon I took some butter out to Fort Edward @ 20c a lb. & John helped George B. to plant Potatoes nearly all day and when I came back I went down & cut some wood at the school-house & then went down helped Geo. to plant till S. time & then we loaded up the Oats & John took them down to Bedlam 100 bu. @ 37’ a bu. & I took the dress-maker down to Bedlam Anna S. & it is a very cool day cloudy & windy @ night I lost $5 down to Bedlam went back & found it on sidewalk.

May 26 – We all went down to Argyle to church & we heard a sermon by Mr. Turnbull & his text was l Peter the 5 chapter & part of the 5 verse and it is a very cloudy & some cool sort of a day.

May 27 – In the forenoon John & I helped Geo. B. to plant potatoes and in the afternoon I planted some stuff in the garden & chored around & went down to Bedlam to Jos. Patterson’s & got 3 pigs @ $2. ea. for ourselves & John piled wood & chored around.  & it rained a lot from 3 o’clock till night rather cool.

May 28 – In the forenoon we scraped & piled the manure over in the barnyard and in the afternoon we fixed fence over back till supper time & then we fixed some fence up back of the house & it is a pretty cloudy day cleared off cool & rather windy at night John & I took a little ride on Business no good it was to Geo. Randles about shearing sheep.

May 29 – In the forenoon we piled some wood, fixed some fence & trimed sprigs out of the apple trees and in the afternoon John washed wagons & I took a small grist down to Bedlam & got the horses shawd and after supper we fixed fence up in the little meadow & it is a nice pleasant day rather cool.

May 30 - In the forenoon we piled some wood & trimed apple shouts out. and 2 fellows came here to make a new kind of fence and in the afternoon we all went down to Argyle they was a crowd out and the Cossayuna Band was there and at night the girls & I went over to the young peoples meeting and the fence men worked all afternoon & it is a nice pleasant day some cloudy & not very warm.

May 31 – The men built patent rail fence all day & got done at night 41 rd. @ 15’ a rd. and we worked on the road all day and Geo. B. worked to we got in 6 days Ema & the children was up and it is a nice pleasant day warm but quite windy.

Saturday, June 1, 1889 – In the forenoon I worked on the road and John worked on the road all day & Uncle Dave & his folks came down here a visiting & in the afternoon I visited and it is a pretty windy day & cloudy about 5 o’clock it came on rain quite hard.  At night John went home.

June 2 – We all went to church & we heard a sermon by Mr. McEachron and his text was Luke the 15 chapter & the 2 verse and John came home with us and it is a nice pleasant day cleared off warm we had a nice rain last night.

June 3 – John begun cultivating potatoes up on top of the Hill and I layed stone-wall up above the orchard till supper time & then I cultivated the garden spot & hoed part of it & it is a nice pleasant day warm & some cloudy.

June 4 – John cultivated potatoes nearly all day in the field back of the barn and I finished hoeing the garden & layed stone-wall & about night we took the calf down to Argyle it weighed 190 lbs. @ 4 ’ a lb. and it is a nice pleasant day warm & some cloudy In the afternoon the girls went up to Martin Rogers.

June 5 -  In the forenoon we went down to Argyle and leveled or dug up the sods & graveled our lot in the Cemetary we got home about 2 o’clock and then John cultivated potatoes in the field back of the barn & I layed stone-wall up above the orchard and it rained a lot last night cleared off & got some colder at night and in the morning George Randles came up to shear the sheep but we did’nt shut them up last night.

June 6 – In the forenoon 2 fellows came here & made patent fence and John & I drawed some rails one place & another and in the afternoon I went out to Fort Edward & took out some Butter @ 18’ a lb. and John cultivated potatoes in the field back of the barn and it is a cool & rather cloudy day at night we had a shower & the girls & John went over to the young peoples meeting at the church.

June 7 – (notation at top of page: (“7. T. R.”) – In the forenoon we chored around drawed the chip manure & ashes up around the apple trees and cut some brush up the road & the men finished laying patent fence 42 rd. in all 3 different places & in the afternoon John cultivated potatoes & I painted the Kitchen floor & chored around & sold to 2 of the young cattle to Duncan McDougall and got 5 ½ cts. a lb. to be taken in about 2 weeks and at night I went down to see Fan & had a good time & it is a nice pleasant day & at night it rained rather moist time.

June 8 – In the forenoon John shelled corn & I went down to Bedlam to Jennie Madison’s funeral it was a large funeral & held in Mr. Wiley’s church & in the afternoon the girls & I & John went to church & we heard a sermon by Mr. McKenzie & when we came home John shelled corn & I painted part of the Kitchen floor another coat.  & it rained nearly all day not very hard part of the day pretty wet time now.

June 9 – We all went to church & we heard a sermon by Mr. Willard McEachron and his text was Mark 15 chapter & the 34 verse and it was Sacrament Sabbath a large turn out.  & it rained in the morning quite a lot but cleared off in the afternoon warm.

June 10 – In the forenoon John cultivated the potatoes out in the field back of the barn and I went down to Argyle after a load of moving for Glenroy  He is moving up in our lower house & Uncle Tom H. George. Johnnie & Ben McMullen brought up loads & before they all got up it came on a Thunder-shower & they got pretty wet. And in the afternoon we chored around I helped them to settle things in the house & it is a very warm & sultry to.

June 11 – In the forenoon I layed stone-wall up above the orchard and John cultivated potatoes down in the meadow & finished cultivating back of the barn and in the afternoon we chored around I painted the Kitchen floor & John cultivated some & then it came on rain and after supper the girls & I took Eliza down to Lants and it is a pretty cloudy day some warm & Geo. McDougall came and got one of the heifers at $5 ½ ctw.  At night Glenroy Joe & Mary Jane came up & stayed all night.

June 12 – George Randles and Joseph Lindsay shore the sheep 41 in all and they got done about 3 ½ o’clock and I went over to Joe’s & got him & John cultivated nearly all day down in the meadow & I done up the wool & chored around & it is a pretty cloudy day but no rain & it cleared off at night.  At night Glenroy. Joe & Mary Jane came up & stayed all night.

June 13 – In the forenoon I layed stone-wall up above the orchard & I got done & John finished cultivating Potatoes and in the afternoon we hoed some potatoes out in the field back of the barn and at night we all went over to the Young People’s meeting at the church and it is a nice pleasant day warm fine growing time.

June 14 – In the forenoon we cultivated the corn out one way most of it and in the afternoon we put some ashes & Hen manure on the corn & begun Hoeing corn & we put on Scotch Snuff & Sulphur on the lambs and the girls went down to Bedlam & got the mail and it is a nice pleasant day warm too.

June 15 – In the forenoon we hoed corn down in the field back of the orchard and in the afternoon we went down to East Greenwich & played a game of Ball score Goose Island 14 R.E. Greenwich 21 R. and we had a heavy Thunder shower and the girls went down to Argyle & got Eliza and it is a very warm day.  at night Rob. McWhorter came home & stayed all night with us.*

June 16 – John, Orrie. Annie & I went to church & we heard a sermon by Mr. McEachron & his text was Zachariah the 14 chapter & the first clause of the 2 verse and Eliza stayed at home & kept house and it is a nice pleasant day warm & some cloudy and rained a little.

June 17 – In the forenoon John Washed Harness and I took some Harness down to Bedlam to get fixed & got my horse shawd & Uncle Tom. H came here & helped to fix the Hay rack & chored around John greased Harness & I helped uncle Tom H. some and it rained all forenoon & a lot last night & it cleared off cooler, very wet.  At Uncle Tom H. stayed all night.

June 18 – In the forenoon John greased some Harness I helped some & then he cultivated corn & I chored around & helped uncle Tom H.  He made me a writing desk & raised up the shed & corn house different places & then Tom H went away & I & John Hoed corn & it is a nice pleasant day some cool and I went down to Jim Mahaffys & got a screw to raise up the shed.

June 19 – last night in the night Geo. Barkley came running up here after us Ema took sick Eliza & I went down & I went to Bedlam after the Doctor & she got better so I came home about l o’clock & Eliza stayed all night & it is a nice pleasant day rather cloudy & some cool to.  John & I hoed & cultivated corn down in the field back of the orchard all day.

 

*they seem to have more over-night guests since their father died.  Perhaps that was a trend of the times.

 

June 20 – John & I hoed & cultivated corn all day about down in the field back of the orchard & we got done and after supper we fixed some fence above the orchard & then all of us but Eliza went over to the young people’s meeting at the church & it is a nice pleasant day warm.

June 21 - In the forenoon we shoveled out the potatoes one way up on top of the hill & the potatoes in the garden & hilled them & in the afternoon we hilled potatoes up on top of the hill & it is a nice pleasant day warm but some airy.

June 22 – We hilled Potatoes up on top of the hill till supper time & then we took the wood down to Captain Hayes 41 fleeces at 33’ a lb. they was 192 lbs. and we stoped at bedlam & I went to Band meeting and it is a nice day some cloudy & rather windy.

June 23 – We all went to church & we heard a sermon by Mr. McKenzie of Salem & his text was the 31 Pslam & the 19 verse and John came up and the girls & Joe went down to Ema’s and Glenroy came up here awhile & it is a nice pleasant day some cool air wind in North.

June 24 – In the forenoon we hilled Potatoes up on top of the Hill & in the afternoon we shoveled out up & down the hill back of the barn & finished Hilling up on top of the Hill & commenced down back of the barn and it is a queer day smokey or Hazy & rather cool too.

June 25 – John & I hilled Potatoes nearly all day back of the barn & Glenroy came up & shoveled out some for us and at night John & I went down to Bedlam the band had a Festival.  they was a lot there.  & it is a pretty smokey or cloudy or hazy day not very cool.

June 26 – (notation at top of page: “8 D.R.”) – In the forenoon we hilled potatoes back of the barn and in the afternoon I went down to Salem on business & from there down to

S. A.  & made Fan a visit had fun and John chored around & shelled some corn & it rained a lot.

June 27 – In the morning I went out to Sandy Hill & got a load of Pine lumber to side over the shed and I took out some Butter to the Fort @ 16’ a lb. and John greased some Harness & cut some weeds & at night he took the girls over to the Young People’s meeting & it is a nice day pretty wet.  & warm.

June 28 – In the forenoon John & I hilled Potatoes back of the barn and in the afternoon Andy Denison came up to help us & we hilled awhile & a heavy shower came up so we quit & John shelled some corn & chored around & Andy & I went down to Bedlam & it is a warm day pretty wet now.

June 29 – John Andy & I hilled Potatoes up on the side hill back of the barn and we got almost done & it was very wet in the morning but dryed off some and it is a very warm day cleared off Hot at night  Andy went home & I & John went down to Bedlam to Band meeting.  Potatoes are looking very good now.

June 30 – We all went to church & we heard a sermon by Mr. McEachron & his text was Hebrews the 13 chapter & the 8 verse & it is a very hot day 92 in shade at 5 o’clock and it is pleasant to fine growing time.

 

 

 

 

 

Monday, July 1, 1889 – In the forenoon John & I put on Paris Green on the potatoes back of the barn and Andy plowed out one way down in the meadow below the house and in the afternoon John & I finished bugging back of the barn and Andy plowed out some down by Glenroys and then we begun hilling down in the meadow and it is a nice pleasant day warm very.  At night the girls & Eliza went down to Bedlam.*

July 2 – In the forenoon we all hilled Potatoes down in the meadow and in the afternoon John & I put on some poison in the same field & Andy plowed out one way and then we all hilled and it is a nice day some cool and rather cloudy it rained a little at night.

July 3 – In the forenoon John Andy & I hilled Potatoes down in the meadow & in the afternoon John cultivated corn one way & Andy & I finished Hilling Potatoes & then Andy went home and I put on Paris Green and Glenroy hilled the garden spot down by his house so we are all done hilling Potatoes now & at night John & the girls went over to the C. E. S. at  the church & it rained a lot last night it is pretty cloudy & wet too. cleared off warm.

July 4 – In the morning John & I went down to the Lake or Mr. Lashers & stayed awhile & then went down to Salem & from there back to Bedlam & stayed till after night awhile & then came home.  The girls stayed at home & Eliza too or they went down to Ema’s awhile and in the forenoon we had a heavy shower but it cleared of warm.

July 5 – In the morning I begun to mow over in the back meadow & very light grass too & mowed till supper-time & then raked up most of what I mowed and in the morning John put on poison on the rest of the potatoes down in the meadow & down by Glenroys & Uncle Tom H. came over & John helped him to board over the old shed & it is a nice pleasant day rather cool & windy wind in the north.

July 6 – In the forenoon I finished mowing over in the back Meadow & John helped uncle Tom H work at the shed and in the afternoon John & I drawed in 4 loads of Hay in the Hay barn & raked & cocked the rest and Uncle Tom H. finished the shed and at night we went down to Bedlam to Band meeting and it is a grand hay day warm & clear too.

July 7 – We all went to church & we heard a sermon by Mr. McEachron & his text was 2nd Peter the 2nd chapter & the 19 verse and it is a nice day some cloudy and looks like rain but has’nt yet.

July 8 – In the forenoon John cultivated corn down in the field back of the orchard and I mowed in the field cross from the barn & in the afternoon we finished drawing in Hay over in the big meadow in the Hay barn 4 loads and after supper John cultivated corn & I raked what I mowed & chored around.  and it is a nice pleasant day very warm some cloudy about 90 in shade very sultry.

July 9 – In the forenoon we mowed by hand over in the swail in the big field (Pasture) & in the afternoon we mowed by hand the little meadow up by McEachron’s it was down very bad and at night John went away with my horse and I went down to Torrences and took a damsel out a riding and it is a nice pleasant day only very cloudy not good hay weather rained some too.

July 10 – John & I cradled rye down in the follow till supper time and then we drawed in hay in the field cross from the barn 4 loads or 5 jags not in very good shape and it is a very cloudy day not much rain but looks like rain very warm & sultry.

 

*it sounds as if Eliza is back with the family, or perhaps just since their father died.

July 11 – In the forenoon I took a grist down to Bedlam & got the team shawd and had to wait till most night & John shelled some corn & chored around and at night John Annie & I went over to the C.E.S. and it rained nearly all forenoon cleared off at night warm too.

July 12 – In the forenoon John bound rye up on top of the Hill in the follow & I mowed the rest of the field cross from the barn and in the afternoon we drawed what hay we cut over in the big swail and they was 2 small loads & l load in the field by the barn & then we bound rye or I turned the hay up in the little meadow.  & it is a nice pleasant day warm & clear.  the school Marm came up & stayed all night.

July 13 – (notation at top of page:  “9  S.M.”) – In the forenoon John Geo. B. & I bound rye & sat it up on top of the Hill in the follow & then we raked & drawed the hay in the field cross from the barn & then we went up & drawed the hay from the little meadow 2 loads.  5 loads from the other  field & then we put on some Paris Green on the Potatoes down in the meadow and it is a nice pleasant day very warm & at night John McKernon came along & he & I went down to S.A. I made Fan a visit.

July 14 – We all went to church & we heard a sermon by Mr. McEachron & his text was Ephesians and it is a nice pleasant day rather warm & cloudy looks some like rain again.

July 15 – In the forenoon John & I chored around at one thing & another and in the afternoon we went down & helped George to cradle rye & all cut rye and it cleared off in the afternoon but it was a big rain it rained most all forenoon & a good share of the night,  guess.

July 16 – In the forenoon John & I put on Paris Green on the Potatoes back of the field & down in the meadow and in the afternoon we went down & helped george to cut the rest of his rye & then he came up and helped us to cut our rye in the follow & we got done all done cutting rye and it is a nice pleasant day not very warm& some cloudy to.,

July 17 -  In the forenoon we went down to Georges and helped him to put on Paris Green & bind rye & in the afternoon we cut grass in the swamp by hand and George mowed his meadow cross the swamp and broke the tail board and had to go & get it fixed and we sat up some rye and it rained a lot last night but it was clear in the morning & a good hay day.

July 18 – In the forenoon we went down & helped George to bind & set up rye.  & we got done & in the afternoon John helped George to draw in hay & I mowed our little meadow & mowed some by hand.  at night I took the girls over to the C.E.S. at our church and it is a good hay day warm too.

July 19 – In the forenoon we all bound the rest of our rye in the Follow & then George & John went down & drawed in some of his hay & cocked it up & then in the afternoon I mowed up on top of the hill in the meadow and George & John drawed the hay down in the little meadow & I helped them some & it came on rain about 6 o’clock at night I took a short ride it was a good day till it came on rain.

July 20 – In the forenoon I took some Butter out to the Fort 4 jars @ 17’ a lb. and brought home a barrel of Flour & some Groceries and John mowed around the fence up in the meadow & in the afternoon George came up & he & John mowed the swail back of Glenroys & after supper we all went down & sat up the rest of the rye and it was a very heavy rain last night cleared off very warm.  at night John & I went down to Bedlam to Band meeting.

July 21 – We all went to church and we heard a sermon by Mr. Willard McEachron and it is a nice pleasant day warm I went down and shawed Glenroy.  John stayed down home last night & came back this afternoon.

July 22 – In the forenoon I mowed with machine up in the Meadow on top of the hill & got done and George & John mowed the swail down in the corn field & raked some up where I was & mowed around the fence & in the afternoon we all drawed hay from the meadow into the Horse barn 6 loads & the swail down by Glenroys 2 jags & it is a nice hay day clear & warm too.

July 23 – In the morning we had quite a Thunder shower it rained hard we went up & turned the hay on top of the hill & then I mowed the swail up in the long field & part of the swail down in the potato field with the Machine and John & George mowed some by hand & in the afternoon we drawed the rest of the hay from on top of the meadow 6 loads in the horse barn & 1 load from the swail in long-field it turned out to be a nice day windy at night the girls & John & I went over to our church to the Y.P.M.* finished mowing.

July 24 – In the forenoon we all drawed in rye & George turned over some hay & Glenroy did too.  & in the afternoon we drawed in some rye & finished the hay all of it

4 loads and Glenroy helped us some and we are all done haying at home & have most of the rye in all but 1 load at noon we had a little scud of rain and it is a nice day some cloudy & cool too.

July 25 – In the forenoon I mowed Georges orchard with machine and he & john mowed by hand & in the afternoon we drawed 4 loads for George of rye & drawed in 3 loads of hay and Glenroy helped us some and it is a nice hay day warm & clear too.  In the morning we drawed in l load of rye at home all done now.

July 26 – In the forenoon we helped George to draw in rye & in the afternoon we drawed in the rest of the hay in the orchard & after supper Geo & I went down to his other rye field & drawed in 3 loads & John came up home & raked at the rye stubble & it is a nice Hay day very warm & mostly clear too.

July 27 – In the forenoon John & I went down & helped George to draw in rye down at his Fathers & we got done & it rained quite a lot not very hard & in the afternoon we chored around and John raked the rest of the rye stubble.  and at night Will McNeil came over & he & I went down at John Lashers.  In the afternoon Ema came up & we talked over matters and it is a pretty cloudy day.

July 28 – John Orrie Annie & I went to church & we heard a sermon by Mr. McEachron & his text was Hebrews the 12 chapter & the 11 verse and Eliza stayed at home & kept house & it is a very cloudy day warm.  & no rain.

July 29 - In the morning George & John both mowed with machines down to Mahaffys on shares (Halves) and I chored around fixed fence & begun laying stone wall down along the Follow & they mowed till it came on rain 3 o’clock & after supper John chored around & I went down to Bedlam & it rained quite a lot very wet time oats are rusting some.

 

*Young People’s Meeting

 

July 30 – In the forenoon John went down to Jim Mahaffys & finished mowing the grass that we are cutting on shares and I chored around and in the afternoon I went down to Argyle & got the Trustee’s report made out for Dist. No. 3 made & John cut weeds & when I came back we took the calves down to Argyle 2 of them weight: 446 lbs. @ 4 ’ a lb. and it is a rainy day & very cloudy.

July 31 – In the forenoon we threshed rye 16 Doz. & in the afternoon we went down to the Lake at Lashers & played a game of ball and we played with the campers score 26 to 14 in favor of the campers and we had a good time it rained last night and it is a very cloudy day warm.

 

Thursday, August 1, 1889 –(notation at top of page:  “10 D.R.”) – In the forenoon we threshed rye 14 doz. & in the afternoon we threshed some & John cut weeds & George came up with his colt & I went off with him and Uncle Tom H & his Wife came over here & Glenroys & spent the afternoon and at night the girls & John started for the Young P. M. but the rain over took them & they came back.  & I went down to S.A.** & made Fan a visit had a good time & it is a very cloudy & rainy day terrible wet time.

Aug. 2 – In the forenoon I layed stone wall down along the road below or along the Follow & George helped some and John cut weeds & in the afternoon John & I threshed till supper time and then George, John & I went down to Bert’s woods & went to getting out posts @ 2 ½ ’ a piece and it is a pretty cloudy day some clear & warm rained some.

Aug. 3 – In the forenoon John George & I cut posts down in the woods and we have got out about 135 now and in the afternoon John & I went down to Jay Barkleys to help George to thresh his rye & it is a nice pleasant day & it rained some not much & they was some that took in some hay the first in over a week.  and at night John & I went down to Band-meeting at Bedlam & then went down to Lashers & stayed awhile.

Aug. 4 – Eliza & the girls went down to Argyle to church and they heard a sermon by Mr. Turnbull and I went down to the Methodist at Bedlam & heard a sermon by Mr. Munro and it is a nice pleasant day warm no rain to day the first in a long while.  fine growing time only Potatoes are rusting very bad in places.

Aug. 5 – In the forenoon we threshed rye & cleaned up 32 * and in the afternoon I went down to Salem on business and John threshed some & then went down & helped George to thresh with machine and at night we all went down & helped him to clean up the rye 58 bu and it rained all forenoon & then cleared off.  warm terrible wet time lots of Hay & lots down.

(The ink is very faded on the next 2 pages and difficult to read.)

 

Aug. 6 – In the forenoon we went down to the Lake and played a game of Ball with the campers score 14 to 11 in favor of the campers and when we came back we went down & begun raking the hay at Mahaffys  but sold out for $5. & left it and then we all went to cradleing Oats for George they are big and it is a nice pleasant day clear & warm.

Aug. 7 – In the morning I went down & seen Wm. Keys, the trustee in Dist. No. 3 & took the school for the coming Winter @ $6. a week.  In the forenoon we finished cradleing George’s Oats and in the afternoon we all cut Oats up in the back field by the woods had to mow some they was down in places first Oats cut at home and it is a nice pleasant day clear & warm.

 

*can’t read word                            ** South Argyle 

                   

Aug. 8 – We, George to, cradled Oats up the back field & then in the big field till noon & in the afternoon we went down & helped George to draw in his Oats & Glenroy helped us.  At night John & the girls went over to the young people’s meeting at the church & I went down to Bedlam with George & it is a nice pleasant day warm & clear too.

Aug. 9 – In the morning we all cut Oats awhile up in the big field & then we went down & drawed in the rest of Georges Oats & then I took a load of Rye Straw down to Battenville 2470 lbs. @ $8 a ton & George & John cradled Oats up in the big field & it rained a little last night it is some cloudy but did’nt rain much till night.

Aug. 10 – In the forenoon we threshed rye & Charles Hanna came up & put a Horse Fork up in our barn and in the afternoon John finished cradleing Oats up in the big field all done now & I took a load of rye Straw down to Battenville 2650 lbs. @ $8 a ton and George took his team and went out to Fort Edward & got some plank for his stables and I came back home by Bedlam & stoped for Bandmeeting & it is a pretty cloudy day cleared off in the afternoon rained quite a lot last night.

Aug. 11 – John the girls & Eliza went to Argyle to church they was no meeting at our church & John McKernon came down & he & I went down to the Lake @ Lashers & stayed most all day visiting with some lady campers and it is a nice day some cloudy & cool too.

Aug. 12 – In the forenoon we all drawed in Oats and in the afternoon it came up a shower so we could’nt draw in Oats so we all went down in Berts woods & split out posts.  after supper we drawed in l more load & Glenroy raked for us & it is a nice warm day.

Aug. 13 – In the morning we split out what posts that we wanted & then went up to draw in Oats it was to wet so we picked stones in piles for awhile & then drawed in Oats till night we bent the Horse fork and it is a nice pleasant day only cloudy rained a little Oats was not very dry.  At night I went up & took Cora Gillis out a riding & Glenroy raked Oats for us.

Aug. 14 – In the morning I went down to Bedlam to get the Horse fork fixed & when I came back I got ready & went with some fellows from Bedlam up to Glens Falls to a horse trot had a good time  & John threshed rye most all day and it is a pretty cloudy day warm.

Aug. 15 – (notation at top of page: “11 S.R.”) – In the morning I went down & got Fan & went on down to Greenwich to the Soldiers Reunion and we had a good time went to the Ball Game too.  And I got home early & John threshed some & cut weeds most of the day and it s a cool day & cloudy in the morning it rained quite hard.  Glenroy took a very bad spell so George went after the Doctor.

Aug. 16 – In the morning Tom Oatman came up & helped us we threshed some Rye & cleaned it up 19 bu. & then went at the Oats & we got them all in but it was late when we got done and it is a nice pleasant day some warm all done Harvesting but the rye tailings.

Aug. 17 – In the forenoon John & I went up back in the field by the woods & drawed stone and after dinner we drawed in the Rye tailings 2 jags and put them up in the Orchard we thought they was’nt worth threshing.  and then we went down to Lakeville or Cossayuna & played a game of Ball with them score 32 to 16 in favor of us ahead once & then we went to Bedlam from there to Band meeting and it is a nice pleasant day some warm & cloudy too.

 

 

Aug. 18 - They was no meeting over at our church so we all stayed at home and kept house but John went off some place and in the afternoon we all went over to Mrs. Dixon’s funeral and it was a large funeral and they was a man came to see Glenroy & came up here & put out his Horse & got his dinner and it is a nice pleasant day clear & warm too.

Aug. 19 – In the morning I went down to Barkleys & took a load of Rye Straw for George & he took a (load) too. down to Salem @ $9 a ton and we got back about the middle of the afternoon and John cut grass & weeds down in the lower swamp and I helped him when I came back and Tom Oatman was to help him but did’nt work long & it is a nice warm day rather cloudy & looks like rain.

Aug. 20 – In the forenoon I went down to Barkleys & George & I took a load of Rye straw for him & John & I & Tom mowed brush & weeds down in the lower swamp and it is a nice pleasant day warm & clear too.  and in the afternoon John begun plowing up in the back field by the woods and Tom cut brush till we came home & then he helped George to draw in his rye-tailings & they threshed some of them and I mixed in some paint & begun painting the shed.

Aug. 21 – In the forenoon John & George threshed the rest of his Rye tailing & then threshed long straw and Tom & I went up & pulled the wood of from the Dead lambs & buried them & then Tom cut thistles up in the Orchard & I painted at the shed & in the afternoon George took a load of rye straw for me & Annie & I went out to Fort Edward & took some Butter @ 17’ a lb. & John & Tom threshed rye & it is a nice day rained a little in the morning cleared off quite warm.

Aug. 22 – In the forenoon I finished Painting the shed one coat & chored around & John & Tom threshed rye and in the afternoon I took a load of Rye straw down to Salem the last 2820 lbs. @ $9. a ton and John & Tom helped George to mow down in his swamp and at night John & the girls went over to the church to the Young People’s meeting & it is a nice pleasant day warm & clear too.

Aug. 23 – In the forenoon John & Tom helped George to finish mowing his swamp & then they all mowed in our swamp & we all went a visiting up to Uncle Daves stayed till after supper and in the afternoon John Plowed & George did too with his team and Tom cut brush up around the field by the woods and it is a nice pleasant day warm & clear good hay weather.  At night John & I went down to Bedlam to a concert.

Aug. 24 – In the forenoon John Plowed for rye up back and I Painted at the shed and Tom & George mowed down in our swamp weeds & in the afternoon Tom helped George to bunch up his hay and John & I went up to Belcher to play a game of ball score stood 16 to 8 in favor of us.  & I went from there down to Band meeting at Bedlam and it is a very warm day clear too.

Aug. 25 – We all went to church & we heard a sermon by Dr. Owens and he preached a sermon on home missions and it is a nice pleasant day warm & clear too.  I am not feeling very well.

Aug. 26 – In the forenoon Tom & I drawed some stone from the back field by the woods and then finished up the rye 112 bu. in all and in the afternoon Tom & I went down & helped George to draw his hay from of the swamp and John Plowed all day up in the big  field for rye and it is a nice pleasant day warm & clear too.  The girls took my horse down to Bedlam & got him shawd.

 

Aug. 27 – In the forenoon Tom George & I finished cutting brush down in the swamp and in the afternoon Tom & I drawed manure up in the long field & Shaw from Salem came along & bought our Steer @ $28.50 & at night we all took him down as far as bedlam and John Plowed for rye all day up in the big field.  & it is a very warm day & clear too.

Aug. 28 – In the forenoon I cut thistles down in the lower follow & tom helped some & in the afternoon I went out to the Fort took some Butter & got some plank and Tom did’nt work and John Plowed up in the big field for rye all day.  & it is a nice pleasant day very warm & clear & dusty too.

Aug. 29 – In the forenoon We all worked on the road and in the afternoon Tom & I worked on the road & John Plowed for rye up back and Uncle Alex & his Wife came up and made a short visit and at night we all (except Eliza) went over to the Young Peoples meeting and it is a nice pleasant day warm & clear too.

Aug. 30 – In the forenoon Tom & I drawed manure up in the long field and in the afternoon we cut thistles & weeds down in the lower follow & Tom burned part of the swamp and I finished painting the shed & John Plowed all day up back for rye and it is a nice warm day clear & getting quite dusty.

Aug. 31 – In the forenoon I cut weeds & bushes & thistles some Oats & John finished plowing Oat stubble for rye and then threshed Oats. and Tom piled brush & cut brush up around the plowed fields & in the afternoon Tom cut brush along the road down toward Georges and John & I went down to Bedlam & played a game of ball with the bedlam boys score 11 runs apiece tie game & I stayed for band meeting & it is a very warm & smokey day North wind too.

 

Sunday, September 1, 1889 – We all went to church & we heard a sermon by Mr. McEachron and at night we all went down to Bedlam to Mr Wileys church & heard a sermon by a stranger & he was smart it is very hot dry & dusty.

Sept. 2 – In the forenoon John & I picked stone up in the sheep field Tom quit about 10 o’clock & John plowed up there all day for rye just commenced and it is very dry & dusty & hot & clear in the afternoon I painted some & chored around and at night John & I went down to Bedlam.

Sept. 3 – John Plowed all day up back in the sheep field and in forenoon I took a small grist down to bedlam & got the team shawd and Tom cut brush up back & in the afternoon Tom & I split some rails & cut thistles & burned brush down in the lower field and it is a nice pleasant day warm & clear & dusty.

Sept. 4 - John plowed up in the sheep field all day & in the forenoon Tom cut weeds up back & I drawed manure all out of the barn-yard and in the afternoon Tom burned & cut brush down back & I drawed 2 loads of wood up to Glenroy & then I went down to Bedlam to Band meeting & stayed till after night & it is very dry, Hot & dusty.

Sept. 5 – (the next few pages are written in very faded ink, difficult to read) – In the forenoon I took Uncle Daves Buck home chored around & piled up some rails down back & Tom cut brush & helped me some & in the afternoon I went down to Bedlam to Practice for the contest at Lauderdale & stayed down till after night  & Tom burned some brush & then went down & helped George to cut brush & John Plowed all day for rye up in the sheep field & it is a nice pleasant day warm & very dusty.

Sept. 6 – In the morning John & I went down to Lauderdale to the Fair.  John went alone & I went with the band boys in a load Frank Barkley took the load and we did’nt enter the Contest at all and the girls went down after Mrs. Lester & brought her up here to make a visit and it is a nice day rained some & some cloudy. got home a little after dark.

Sept. 7 -  In the forenoon I went out to Fort Edward after the Grain Seeder but did not get it so came back home without it and John Plowed up in the sheep field for rye & got done all done plowing for awhile & in the afternoon we worked in the cow stable putting up stanciats* and it is a very cloudy day rained a little now & then but not hard.

Sept. 8 – We all went to church & we heard a sermon by Mr. White and his text was St. Luke 14 chapter & the first clause of the 18 verse and our minister down to Cambridge where his Wife is sick & it is a nice day some cloudy & warm but cleared off.

Sept. 9 – In the forenoon I sowed the back field up by the woods to rye   Acres & sowed grass seed on it Timothy & John dragged it over once & drawed some stone at noon we threshed a few Oats & then John drawed some stone off from the same field & dragged it over again and I dragged up in the sheep field with George’s drag & it is a nice day warm & clear dry too.

Sept. 10 – In the forenoon I sowed the sheep field to rye & sowed part of the grass-seed & John dragged nearly all day & picked a few stone & in the afternoon I finished sowing the seed & dragged some & picked a few stone & we finished up 8 acres & it is a nice pleasant day some cloudy & quite windy too.

Sept. 11 – In the forenoon I sowed the big field to rye 8 acres & John dragged at it & Wm. McRane** came up up fixed the chimney to our arch kettle & in the afternoon John finished dragging & I picked of some of the largest stones & chored around and we have got through sowing rye for awhile and it is a pretty cloudy & windy day not very warm.

Sept. 12 -  We all went out to the County Fair Eliza Annie Wm. & John & I went out together & Orrie went with H.***  we got home about dark & started about 7 o’clock had a good time and it is a nice cloudy cool day rained a very little and it was very dusty going out.

Sept. 13 – We commenced to dig Potatoes for the first up on top of the Hill We dug all day got about 65 bu.  They are a fair crop and it is a nice pleasant day warm and some cloudh.  At night our folks all but me went over to the church & heard a Foreigin Lady preach.

Sept. 14 – We dug Potatoes all day up on top of the hill & we got about 70 bu. and it is a nice pleasant day very hot and it rained some last night and at night John & I went down to Bedlam to Bandmeeting Potatoes are worth 50’ a bu. in market now.

Sept. 15 – We all went to church & we heard a sermon by Mr. Will Robinson & his text was Matthew the 5 chapter & the 14 & 16 verses in **** and our Minister’s Woman is no better she is sick down at Cambridge.  It is a nice pleasant day warm & some cloudy.

 

 

*probably meant ‘stanchions’

**or McKane

***Orrie married John H. Barkley in 1890.  He is the “H”  that we have been reading about all through these journals.  He may have been related to Emma’s husband, George Barkley.

****can’t read word

 

Sept. 16 – We dug Potatoes all day up on top of the Hill & we got 2 loads on 70 bu. and it rained a little & at night Annie & I went down to S. Argyle. & got Fan & we looked for a school for Annie* but did not get any for certain & it is a pretty cloudy day it rained quite a lot at night.

Sept. 17 – In the morning we went up & dug awhile & had to come to the house on account of the rain it rained nearly all day & quite hard part of the time to we threshed some Oats & in the afternoon John worked in the cow stable and I went down to Bedlam & got a quarter of Beef of D.R. McDougall 95# @ 5½ ’. a lb. and we corned it packed it in crocks.

Sept. 18 – In the forenoon we went up to dig & dug a little while & came down & chored around fixed stables & made an apple bin and about 2 o’clock we went up & dug Potatoes we got one load 35 bu. & we threshed some Oats.  & it rained a good share of the forenoon not hard though I went over to Sam Fosters & bought 4 pigs @ $1.50 & 3 yearlings @ $33 Bull & 2 Heifers.

Sept. 19 – John & I dug Potatoes up on top of the Hill about half of the day we got in l load & we chored around cleaned up the Oats 22 ½ bushels and worked in the stable some & dug out some inunder the sheep stable and it is a pretty cloudy day cool & rained quite a lot at night all but Eliza went over to the young peoples meeting & Minnie Hall came home with us.

Sept. 20 – We dug Potatoes all day about up on top of the Hill they are good we got 2 loads and a drove of cattle came along & I bought 6 calves @ $6. apiece the lot for ($35.50) and it is a pretty cloudy day warm & quite windy too.  Robert Beveridge was buried @ 11 o’clock.

Sept. 21 – We dug Potatoes all day up on top of the Hill & we took in 3 loads or 105 bu. and it is a pretty cloudy day some rain it rained a lot last night cleared off cooler and at night I took Minnie Hall down to Bedlam & went to Bandmeeting & John went down

a foot & rode home with me.

Sept. 22 – We all went to church & we heard a sermon by Mr. Anderson & his text was in Collassians and it is a nice cool day only quite windy & some cloudy at night a man came along & stayed all night he was looking for work.  I may hire him tomorrow.

Sept. 23 – (notation at top of page: “First Frost”) – In the forenoon John, Aaron & I cut corn all day for the first a man came along looking for work & so this morning I sat him to work & in the afternoon I picked apples and John & Aaron dug Potatoes down in the meadow very light they got about 25 bu. guess & in the afternoon the girls went down to Argyle and it is a nice pleasant day cool last night we had a light Frost this morning first

of the season.

Sept. 24 – In the forenoon John & Aaron cut corn & I picked apples and in the afternoon we all dug Potatoes down in the meadow very light we got about 25 bu. and it is a very warm day clear & warm at night I went over to Sam Fosters & from there down to see a gal and the sheep men came around & wanted the lambs brought down to S. Argyle Oct. 15th.

 

 

*at this time, Annie is 21 years old, so probably they were looking for a teacher’s training school (or ‘normal’ school, as they were called)

 

Sept. 25 – In the forenoon Aaron & John cut corn down in the field above the road & I picked apples and drawed a load of old wood & a load of pumpkins and in the afternoon we all dug Potatoes down in the meadow we got about 25 bu. and they are very light and it is a nice pleasant day warm & at night it looks like rain & Orrie & H. went up to Lake George to see Mary Jane etc. 

Sept. 26 – In the forenoon John & Aaron cut corn till it came on rain & I picked apples we got most done and then they dug out in under the barn and in the afternoon they dug out in under the barn In the sheep stable & I chored around & I down to Wm. Reys

the Trustee but did’nt see him and Mary Lant & Ema Bain came up here a visiting & Anne M. Gibson came along & at night her Annie & John went over to meeting at the church.

Sept. 27 – In the forenoon we all dug Potatoes down in the meadow and we got about a load & in the afternoon I took the load out to Ft. Edward 28 bu. @ 60’ a bu and the boys finished cutting corn & then dug potatoes down in the meadow & the girls went down to Bedlam and it is a cloudy & cool day quite windy too.

Sept. 28 -  In the forenoon we all dug Potatoes down in the meadow & we got about a load & in the afternoon I took the load out to Ft. Edward 44 bu. @ 50’ a bu. and the boys dug down in the meadow and it is a nice day only rather cloudy & cool & some windy to. At night Aaron & I went down to Bedlam to Bandmeeting and John went away somplace.

Sept. 29 – We all went to church & we heard a sermon by Mr. Wiley & his text was Ruth the l chapter & the 18 verse and meeting was held at 12 o’clock & it is a nice cool day some cloudy to & some of our lambs got out with the sheep & caused us some trouble.

Sept. 30 – (notation at top of page: “12 D.R.”*)- In the forenoon we all dug Potatoes down in the meadow & we dug till about 4 o’clock & then it came on rain & so we had to quit we got about 50 bu. & at night I went down to S.A. & made Fan a visit and it rained hard & it is a pretty cloudy & warm day.

 

Tuesday, October 1, 1889 – We all dug now & then between showers & we got about ½ day digging & did’nt pick up none and the boys dug out under the sheep stable and I chored around and it is a pretty rainy day In the afternoon we had 2 heavy Thunder Showers pretty wet time.

Oct. 2 – We all dug Potatoes & picked up what we dug yesterday 4 small loads or about 100 bu. and it is a pretty cloudy day not very warm but a good day to work.  It is pretty heavy digging now.

Oct. 3 – (notation at top of page: “White Frost & frooze too”) – In the forenoon we all dug Potatoes down in the meadow & we got done about 40 bu. & in the afternoon we commenced digging down in the field by the barn and we got a load or about 35 bu. and it is a nice day warm & cloudy & the girls went out to Ft. Edward took out some Butter @ 20’ a lb. and they traded part of it.

Oct. 4 – We all dug Potatoes up on the side Hill back of the barn we got 2 loads and after dinner John made a little pen for some pigs & Aaron & I went over to Sam Fosters & got 4 Pigs @ $1.50 a head and it is a nice day only some cloudy & at night I went out a calling awhile South.

 

*these notations have been in numerical order, but the initials are often different

 

Oct. 5 – We all dug Potatoes up on the Side Hill back of the barn & we got two loads and it is a nice day only rather cloudy no rain and at night John & Aaron & I went down to Bedlam to Band meeting and Annie was sick most all day.

Oct. 6 – It rained nearly all day & quite hard part of the day but look’s as though it might fair off at night and we all stayed at home & kept house but John went down home awhile and I went down to Glenroys awhile not very cold but not a very warm rain.

Oct. 7 – It rained nearly all day again  We all worked at one thing & a nother we laid over the Hog Pen floor & put in 2 new sleepers & finished digging out inunder the Sheep stable & Killed a sheep & fixed substancials in the stable up in the barn and at night George & & Ema came up & got a quarter of Mutton and it looks as though it night clear of warm  It is warm at Present writing.

Oct. 8 – We all dug Potatoes all day we finished up on top of the Hill & dug on the Side Hill we got 2 loads or about 80 bu. and it is a pretty cloudy day not very cool but at night it got cold & John went down home & in the afternoon the girls & Eliza went down to Bedlam.

Oct. 9 – We all dug Potatoes in the field back of the barn and it is a nice warm day only very cloudy and we got 2 loads or about 75 bu. and at night the boys went away some place.  In the afternoon the girls went down to Bedlam & got the old mare shawd.

Oct. 10 – In the morning I put up a Small grist & took it down to Bedlam and the boys or Aaron & John threshed Oats awhile & then went to digging Potatoes out back of the barn & I got home about 11 o’clock & I went at diging & Uncle John C. & his woman came up a visiting to our house and he helped us to dig awhile and we got 2 loads or about 70 bu. and it cleared off & is a nice day warm too.  At night the girls & John went over to the Young Peoples meeting at the church.

Oct. 11 – In the morning I dug a few Potatoes & then the girls and I went down to Salem & took the car’s and went down to Cambridge to Mrs. McEachron’s funeral* we took the 12:46 train & came back on the 7 and John & Aaron dug Potatoes all day & it is a nice day some cloudy and it rained a little.

Oct. 12 -  In the forenoon we all dug Potatoes out back of the barn & in the afternoon I took a load down to Salem 48 bu. @ 45’ a bu. and John & Aaron picked up the culls & whipped the Walnut trees and I did’nt get home till after 9 o’clock & it came on rain about dark & was very cold & dark terrible night and it was a fine day some cloudy & got cold before night.

Oct. 13 – Orrie Annie & I went to church & we heard a sermon by Mr. Ramsey & his text was l Samuel the 15 & the last clause of the 15 verse and Eliza & Aaron stayed at home & kept house & John went away last night some place and it is a pretty cloudy day some cool but got warmer about night.

Oct. 14 – Geo. B. Tom Oatman & John Aaron & I dug Potatoes all day in the field back of the barn we got most done we got most 4 loads or about about 125 bu. and it is a very cool & windy day some cloudy but cleared off cold at night.

 

*probably the minister’s wife

 

Oct. 15 – In the forenoon I took a load of Potatoes down to Salem 50 bu @ 40’ a bu. and John finished digging in the field back of the barn and In the afternoon we picked them up about 10 bu. & drawed 2 loads of Pumpkins and chored around & it is a nice day only cool & windy clear too.  The lamb men came along & took the lambs & the girls took Eliza over to her Sisters & left her and at night John & I went over to Norm Mahaffys & got some grapes.

Oct. 16 – In the morning John took me part way out to Fort Edward & I got a ride the rest of the way.  went to the Teachers Institute & stayed Boarded at Shannons Hotel and John dug Potatoes down by Glenroys & it is a nice pleasant day warm had a very little frost.  At night I attended a Minstrel Show.

Oct. 17 – A nother nice warm day clear & pleasant had a little frost and I attended the Institute had a good time John finished digging Potatoes down by Glenroys all done now George helped some and at night I attended the Lecture took Lizzie Pendergrass.

Oct. 18 – I attended the Institute part of the day and the girls came out to the Fort & went up to Glens Falls & I rode home with them and it is a nice pleasant & warm & clear day nice weather now.

Oct. 19 –  We drawed in all of our corn that was out Tom helped us in the forenoon & George helped us some in the afternoon and we loaded up a load of Potatoes and at night we went down to Bedlam and it is quite warm & pleasant we put some corn in the barn down to Glenroys & in the shed.

Oct. 20 – Orrie Annie & I went to church & we heard a sermon by Mr. McKenzie of Salem and Eliza & Susan stayed at home and kept house and it is a nice day warm & very smokey.

Oct. 21 – In the forenoon I took a load of Potatoes down to Salem 50 bu. @ 40’ a bu. and John chored around & fixed at the calf stables and in the afternoon we loaded a load of Potatoes and we drawed dirt from the barn yard over to the Horse barn in front and chored around & it is a nice pleasant day some cooler not bad at all fine weather & nice roads. 

Oct. 22 – (notation at top: “First very heavy freeze not hard either”) – In the forenoon I took a load of Potatoes down to Salem 51 bu. @ 40’ a bu. and John worked in the calf stable & chored around and in the afternoon we drawed the rest of the dirt that was in the yard over in front of the Horse Barn & chored around loaded up a nother load etc.  & it is a nice warm day clear but frooze quite hard first freeze that would spoil a potato on top of the ground this Fall.

Oct. 23 – (notation at top: “First little Snow”) – In the forenoon I took a load of Potatoes down to Salem 53 bu. @ 40c a bu. & John chored around & leveled up in front of the Horse barn & in the afternoon we drawed up some old rails for Glenroy and loaded up a nother load and chored around and it snowed alittle last night ground most all white and it is a nice pleasant day warm & clear but cold air freezing quite hard at night.

Oct. 24 – (notation at top: “13 D. R.”) – In the forenoon I took a load of Potatoes down to Salem & John Husked corn and in the afternoon we drawed posts out of the woods where we cut them & George helped and it is a nice pleasant day cold in the morning & at night I went down & made Fan a visit had a good time.

Oct. 25 – In the morning I took a load of Potatoes down to Salem & John went down to help George to thresh with Machine & I helped when I came home & it is a nice pleasant day warm but cool in the morning.

Oct. 26 – John went down & helped George to thresh with machine got done about 2 o’clock & then he came up & Husked corn and the girls & I went up to Uncle Tom M’s a visiting & it is a nice warm day only very cloudy at night John & I went down to Bedlam to Bandmeeting.

Oct. 27 – We all stayed at home & kept house and it rained most all day not very hard by times and Aaron came down here a while and it is a very cloudy dark day Mr. Morris was to preach for us I believe.

Oct. 28 – In the forenoon John & I husked corn awhile & loaded up a load of Potatoes & then went down & helped George to clean up part of his rye and Aaron came down & in the afternoon we husked corn Aaron helped us & George came up & helped most all afternoon we got quite a lot husked and it rained a good share of the day not a cold rain at all.

Oct. 29 – I took a load of Potatoes out to Fort Edward 52 bu. @ 40’ a bu. and it is a very cloudy day & cool too rained some I broke the tire on the wagon did’nt have very bad luck and John Husked corn & we loaded up a nother load and at night we went over to a lecture in the Brick School House.

Oct. 30 – In the forenoon I took a load of Potatoes out to Fort Edward and John Husked corn & in the afternoon we carried out the Husked corn & chored around and loaded up a load of Potatoes and it is a pretty cloudy day but not very cold.  & at night I went down to see a damsel.

Oct. 31 – In the forenoon John took a load of Potatoes out to the Fort 52 bu. @ 40’ a bu. & I husked corn & cut up some old wood & chored around and in the afternoon we killed the old Hogs H. & George & John McKernon helped us & it is a pretty cloudy day not very cold.  At night we young folks all went over to the Y.P.M. it rained too.

 

Friday, November 1, 1889 – I took the Pork out to the Fort l weighed 400 lbs. & the other 340 lbs. @ $6 a cwt. & I took 6 bbs. of Apples @ $2. a barrel & some Butter @ 20’ a lb. & I got 2 barrels of flour and John Husked corn & chored around and we loaded up a load of Potatoes and it is a pretty cloudy day not very cold.

Nov. 2 – In the forenoon I took a load of Potatoes out to the Fort 52 bu. @ 40’ a bu. and John chored around & Husked some corn and Martin & Kate came over a visiting and in the afternoon John Did the same & at night he got done working here and I visited & chored around and at night I went down to Band meeting and it is very cloudy day but warm & bad roads.  it rained at night.

Nov. 3 – It rained most all day & pretty hard too and so we all stayed at home & kept house and it cleared off before night awhile & was quite warm and it rained very hard most all last night.

Nov. 4 – I begun teaching school down in the Lake dist. where I taught last winter had 26 scholars and I done all the chores in the morning & part of them at night & loaded up a load of Potatoes and it is a nice pleasant day clear but some windy drying up quite fast.

Nov. 5 – They was no school as long as it is Election so I took a load of Potatoes out to the Fort 52 bu. @ 40’ a bu. & I voted when I came back at Argyle Rep. straight and when I came home I chored around & it is a nice day some cool frooze a little last night.  at night I husked some corn.

Nov. 6 – I taught school down to the lake and had one more new scholar 27 in all and I do all the chores about morning & at night & it is a nice cool day some cloudy but cleared off at night warm it spit snow some & at night I husked some corn.

Nov. 7 – I taught school down at the lake and it is a nice pleasant day warm & clear and it is drying up fast and the girls went out to Fort Edward took Grandmother & drove the old team & at night we went over to the young People’s meeting at the church.

Nov. 8 – I taught school down to the Lake and it is a nice day warm & rather cloudy & Dave Tompson begun slating our barn & George is helping him and it is quite a big job and at night I loaded up a load of Potatoes & put on a Kettle of feed the Boys have a good time playing ball at school myself too.

Nov. 9 – In the morning I took a load of Potatoes out to Fort Edward & got some barrels that was out there and when I came home I hired Jim Griffin to work this Winter he begins next Monday and then I went up to Uncle Daves & got a buck & the girls took me up & then went down to Bedlam & got Eliza I led the Buck home & it is a very cloudy day but no rain to speak of.  At night I went down to Bedlam to Bandmeeting.

Nov. 10 – We all went to church & we heard a sermon by Mr. McEachron and it is a nice pleasant day only some cloudy not rainy and it is very warm weather for the time of year pretty good going to some mud holes but not bad at all.

Nov. 11 – In the morning Jimmy Griffin came here to work for us and he took a load of Potatoes out to fort Edward 52 bu. @ 40’ a bu. and when he came back he husked some corn & chored around and I taught school & Glenroy took me down and I came home a foot at night and in the afternoon the girls & Glenroy & Joe went down to Argyle and it is a very cloudy day it begun to rain about 4 o’clock.

Nov. 12 – In the forenoon Jimmy took a load of Potatoes out to Fort Edward 50 bu. @ 40’ a bu. and when he came back he put on a Kettle of feed & chored around and it is a nice warm & pleasant day very warm and I taught school and Glenroy took me part way & came after me at night we went down to Bedlam & got my Horse shawd & at night Jim & I went down to Bedlam to Band meeting we are practicing for a concert to be given on Friday Eve.  & Davd Tompson & George put slate on the barn.

Nov. 13 – I taught school down at the Lake Glenroy came after me and in the forenoon Jimmy took a grist down to Bedlam & got the Horses shawd & when he came back he chored around & husked some corn and Dave Tompson & George slated all day and it is a very cloudy & it begun to rain about 4 o’clock and not very cold & Glenroy went down to North Argyle & got a dressmaker Mattie McMillen.

Nov. 14 – I taught school down at the Lake and in the Morning George B. & Jimmy went up to Pawlet after Slate they got 4 Square apiece and it was night when they got around and it is a very cool raw windy day & cloudy too.  At night I went down to to Practice for our Concert.

Nov. 15 – I taught School down at the Lake and Jimmy Husked corn & chored around and Glenroy came up & helped him some and it is a very cool raw windy day at night it frooze quite hard and at night I went down to our Concert they was not a very large crowd there.

 

Nov. 16 – In the forenoon Jimmy & I husked corn and chored around and I went down to Mahaffys & got his screws & we raised up one side of the barn & Dave Tompson came up & slated awhile and George carried Slate and In the afternoon we chored around Husked some & changed the sheep & calves and it is a nice pleasant day only quite cold frooze hard last night.

Nov. 17 – We all went to church & we heard a sermon by Mr. White and his text was in John & Jimmie went down home awhile & came back at night and it is a nice pleasant day warm quite cold last night frooze hard and cold at night too.

Nov. 18 – I taught school down to the Lake and in the morning Jimmie & I loaded up a load of Potatoes & he took them out to the Fort 52 bu. @ 45’ a bu. and when he came home he chored around cut some old wood and it is a nice pleasant day warm & some cloudy last night was cold.

Nov. 19 – In the morning we loaded up a load of Potatoes & Jimmie took them out to the Fort 52 bu. @ 45’ a bu. and I taught school down at the Lake and when Jimmie came back he chored around & it is a nice pleasant day warm and rather cloudy at night it rained a lot.  but warm I drove down to school & had company 5 young Lady visitors.

Nov. 20 – I taught school down to the Lake & Jimmy took a load of Potatoes out to the Fort @ 45’ a bu. & when he came back he chored around & it is a pretty cloudy day rained some not much very muddy at night I went down to Bedlam & Glenroy took the girls up to Charley Williamsons funeral at Belcher.  At night the girls went over to Grandmother & stayed all night they was Prayer meeting.

Nov. 21 – In the morning we loaded up a load of Potatoes & Jimmie took them out to Fort Edward 47 bu. @ 45’ a bu. and brought back some coal 1575 lbs. and I taught school down at the Lake and it is a pretty cloudy day rained some & at night the girls & I went over to church to the Young Peoples meeting.

Nov. 22 – In the morning we loaded up a load of little potatoes & Jimmie took them down to Argyle to the starch mill at 18’ a bu. 47 bu. and I taught School down to the Lake & I drove down and it is a very cloudy day rained some not much and at night I went out a calling awhile very muddy going & warm too.

Nov. 23 – Jimmie & I husked corn most all day in the barn & we husked a little after dark & we got most done up here and it is a very cloudy day some rain not much & quite warm & very muddy.

Nov. 24 – We all went to church & we heard a sermon by Mr. McEachron & his text was in lst. John and it is a pretty cloudy day but very warm & muddy and Jimmie went down home & stayed awhile he came back at night.

Nov. 25 – I taught school down to the Lake drove down & Jimmie begun cutting cord wood in the woods down along the road & at night George McKernon came up with me & stayed all night and it is a nice pleasant day some cloudy & warm to. but cold at night freezing quite hard.

Nov. 26 – I taught school down to the Lake & drove down and Jimmie cut cord wood up on the side Hill back of the barn all day and in the Afternoon Johnnie Williamson* & his folks all came down a visiting & stayed till late in the Evening and it is a nice day not very cold but cold in the morning George rode down home with me in the morning.

 

*Georgiana’s father’s name was John Williamson, but it is not known if this was him

 

Nov. 27 – (notation at top of page: “First Snow of ac’ct”) – I taught School down to the Lake and I drove down and it snowed about 3 inches last night & snowed about all day very soft & not cold it has snowed a lot but soft.  and Jimmie chored around all day he got the calves down & put them in the Stable and at night it turned to rain or sleet.

Nov. 28 – In the forenoon Jimmie & I finished husking up in the big barn piled back some of the stalks and in the afternoon we fixed the sheep rack in the sheep stable and chored around and at night Annie & I went over to the church to the Young Peoples meeting and it rained a lot we had a Thunder shower the snow is about all gone and it is very wet & muddy now.

Nov. 29 – (notation at top of page: “14 D.R.”) – I taught School down to the Lake and Jimmie choped cord wood all day & done chores and it is a nice cool day quite cool & some cloudy it snowed a little.  At night I went down to S.A. & made Fan a visit and had a good time and it was cold & rough.

Nov. 30 – In the morning Jimmie & I done the chores & loaded up a load of apples or 7 barrels & we took them out to Fort Edward & got $2. a barrel for them and we traded some got an overcoat apiece and we got home about Sun down & Glenroy had some of the chores done and it is a nice pleasant day only cold & rough going.

 

Sunday, December 1, 1889 – We all went to church & we heard a sermon by Mr. Wiley and his text was Acts 10 chapter & the last clause of the 33 verse and Jimmie went down home but came back at night and it is a nice pleasant day warm but cold at morning & night the Small Lake is frooze over I see. Rough going

Dec. 2  - I taught school down to the Lake and I drove down and in the forenoon Jimmie took a grist down to Bedlam and in the afternoon George came up & he & Jimmie fixed the calf stable and chored around and it is a nice warm & rather cloudy day thawing some.

Dec. 3 – I taught school down to the Lake and I drove down and Jimmie begun to thresh some oats and it is a very cold and windy day it snowed a little in the morning and kept getting colder all day very cold at night.  Jimmie done the chores.

Dec. 4 – I taught school down to the Lake and I drove down and Jimmie threshed Oats & chored around and at night I went down to Bedlam and made Kate a visit and it is a very cold day but pleasant the Lake begun to freeze over in the afternoon.

Dec. 5 -   I taught school down to the Lake and I drove down and Jimmie cut some wood & Uncle Dave came down & he & Jimmie killed the Bull and it is a pretty cloudy day some cool & it begun to snow at night quite hard and is windy to.

Dec. 6 – I taught school down to the Lake and I drove down & 2 of the boys took the mare down to Bedlam & got her shawd and Jimmie cut some wood up on the side Hill & went down & helped george to unload a load of corn & load up a load of potatoes.  & at night we cut the beef.  & it is a nice pleasant day some cloudy not very cold but a little at night.  We took a quarter of the Beef down to Glenroys 80 lbs.

Dec. 7 – In the morning Jimmie & I drawed a load of hay over to the big barn from the hay barn for the calves & then we husked corn all the day down to the barn by Glenroys & Glen helped some and after dinner we cleaned up what Oats they was on the floor

20½  bushels.  & at night Jimmie & I went down to Bedlam to Bandmeeting.  & it is a lovely day clear & rather warm we took a quarter of the Beef down to Georges 75 lbs.

Dec. 8 – We all but Jimmie went to church & we heard a sermon by Mr. Willard McEachron & his text was Philippines the l chapter & the last clause of the 20 verse and Jimmie stayed at home and kept house and it is a nice day very cloudy we have had nice going now for awhile but it is thawing & raining at night & heavy South Wind.

Dec. 9 – I taught school down to the Lake & I drove down and it is about all thawed out and very muddy again and in the forenoon Jimmie went down & helped George to kill his pigs 6 of them and when he came back he chored around and when I came home I brought home a Gobbler & 3 turkey hens @ 10’ a lb. and it is very muddy.

Dec. 10 – I taught school down to the Lake and & drove down & it was rather rough and Jimmie chopped wood most all day up on the side hill and in the morning he went down & helped George to load his pigs and he took them out to Fort Edward and it is a pretty cloudy day & it is pretty warm & muddy.

Dec. 11 – I taught school down to the Lake and I drove down and in the forenoon Jimmie took a grist down to Bedlam & brought it back and in the afternoon he cut some cord wood up on the side hill and it is a pretty cloudy day rained a lot in the morning but got colder at night & it is very muddy again.

Dec. 12 – I taught school down to the Lake and I drove down and Jimmie cut wood up on the side hill and it is a pretty cloudy day & not very cold very windy and at night I took the girls over to the Young Peoples meeting at the church.

Dec. 13 – I taught school down to the Lake and I drove down and it is a pretty cloudy day & rather windy the roads are very muddy and Jimmie chopped cord wood all day up on the side hill back of the barn and he done the chores.

Dec. 14 – In the forenoon we went down & husked corn in the barn by Glenroys & it begun snowing so we quit at noon & in the afternoon we chored around & repaired one thing & a nother & I went over & got our sheep brought them in for good & it snowed from about 9 o’clock very hard all day about 6 inches guess & at night Jimmie & I went down to Bedlam.

Dec. 15 – We all went to church & we heard a sermon by Mr. Morris of Greenwich and it snowed some we went in a wagon they was a few sleighs going very rough in under the snow & Jim mie stayed at home & kept house and it is a pretty cloudy day & rather cold too.

Dec. 16 – In the forenoon George Uncle Dave & Jimmie killed our pigs 5 of them & they weighed in 193, 187, 192, 212, & 215 and in the afternoon Jimmie chored around & threshed a few Oats and I taught school down to the Lake & I drove down and it is a nice pleasant day only pretty cold.  In the afternoon the girls went down to Bedlam and got a shoe on.

Dec. 17 – Jimmie took the Pigs out to the Fort 4 of them 786 lbs. @ 5’ a lb. and he brought back 1500 of coal and it is a nice pleasant day some cloudy & very warm snow is thawing quite fast.  I taught school down at the Lake and I drove down.

Dec. 18 – I taught school down at the Lake & I drove down and Jimmie husked corn down to the lower barn and Glenroy helped some and it is a nice warm day rather cloudy & at night I went down to Bedlam & made a visit with a damsel and had a good time.  the snow is most all gone.

Dec. 19 – I taught school down to the Lake and I drove down & Jimmie finished husking corn all done now and then he chored around and it is a nice warm day getting very muddy and at night I took the girls over to the Young Peoples meeting.

Dec. 20 – I taught school down at the Lake & I drove down and Jimmie cut wood up on the side hill back of the barn and at night I stayed down with Geo. McKernon & took supper & then we went back to the Lecture at the Lake by Prof. Thomas and they was quite a lot there & then I came home and it is a nice pleasant day warm & it rained a night very muddy.

Dec. 21 – (notation at top of page: “15 D.R.”) – In the forenoon we cut wood up on the Side Hill & in the afternoon we took a small jag of hay down to Lashers and then we threshed off a few Oats & chored around and at night I went down to South Argyle & made Fan a visit and it is very muddy & getting colder & rough the ice is most all out of the Lake  big Lake.

Dec. 22 – It is a pretty cloudy day & rained most all forenoon & snowed some and it cleared off about night some cooler and it rained so that we did’nt go to church and so we all stayed at home & kept house.

Dec. 23 – I taught school down to the Lake & I drove down and Jimmie cut wood up on the side-hill back of the barn and it is a nice pleasant day some warm but cleared off colder and at night Ema & the kids came up awhile.

Dec. 24 – I taught school down to the Lake and I drove down and Jimmie threshed a few Oats & then he cut wood up on the side hill back of the barn and it is a nice pleasant & warm day cool in the morning but rained at night we skated some on the ice not very safe it was about all frooze over but not safe only in places.

Dec. 25 – “A Merry Christmas”. In the forenoon we threshed a few Oats & cleaned up some & the girls & I went up to Martin Rogers a visiting & came home by Bedlam & got the mail & in the afternoon Jimmie drove down home awhile. and it is a nice pleasant day warm & very muddy & got colder at night.

Dec. 26 – I taught school down at the Lake* and I drove down and it is very muddy & it rained quite a lot and is very windy but got very cold at night cleared off cold but a terrible wind and Jimmie cut some wood threshed some & sorted some Potatoes down in the cellar.

Dec. 27 – I taught school down to the Lake and I drove down and it is very rough frooze quite hard last night and Jimmie threshed Oats most all day and it is a pleasant day only cool & windy the lake is open yet or again.

Dec. 28 – Jimmie threshed Oats most all day and we cleaned them up they was 33 bu & drawed the Straw over to the horse barn and it is a nice pleasant day not very cold & pleasant & at night we went down to Bandmeeting and I took a damsel out a riding.

Dec. 29 – Orrie & I went to church & we heard a sermon by Mr. Willard McEachron & his text was Corinthians the 15 chapter & the first clause of the 24 verse and Jimmie Eliza & Annie stayed at home and kept house & Annie is not very well and it is a nice warm day rather cloudy & looks like a thaw.

Dec. 30 – In the morning Jimmie & I loaded up a load of Potatoes and Jimmie took them down to Salem 42 bu @ 50’ a bu. and & I chored around and then I hitched up & drove down to Salem & left my horse & took the cars & went down to Lansingburgh with 2 friends & we had a good time went to Troy too.  stayed all night up in Lansingburgh.

 

*school was closed only on Christmas Day

 

Dec. 31 – In the morning George & I went down to Troy and had a good visit & went around & at night we went to the Teatre I took Maggie & had a fine time  the show was immense and we stayed all night in Troy and we have come to the close of another year with much trouble in the past.

One of our number is missing gone forever.  A kind & faithful Father.

One who left behind a kind home for us which will never be forgotten as long as life exists.

 

 

 

ENTRIES MADE IN THE BACK OF THE 1889 JOURNAL

 

JANUARY –

l889 - 19 Sat., Charley and Will Donaldson

came up and killed our beef it was a very fat cow.

 

JANUARY - Cash Account:                                        FEBRUARY – Cash Account

 4 – for dance etc. at S.A.                     1.10                 4 – for Bottle R. Cement          .15

12 – for a Foot Ball      *                      .50                   “ – “ Braid for binding  .10

 “  -  “ map of the U.S.              .75                   9 – “ fixing cuff buttons            .20

 “  -  “   “    “  New York                      .65                   11 – “ a Slate                           .05

 “  -  “ 2 Dialogue books                       .20                   12 – “ pack of cards                 .20

13 – to church                                      .05                   23 – “ Apples sold  25.00

14 – Pd. C. A. McG. For                     .50                   “  -  “ Suit of clothes             10.00      

            Shushan  *                                                        “  -  “ Candy for school         1.50

18 – for exhibition @ Argyle                 .20                   “  -  “ Cards        “                  1.00

 “  -   “ treat                                          .10                   “  -  “ Books       “                    .85

21  -  “ fixing Halter                              .10                   “  -  “ fun                                2.00

 “ -  “ lining for my robe                        .65                   “  -  “ Toll & shoeing Horse      .15

 “ _  for a pair of Kid mittens                l.00                   25 – “ Candy for school            .60

24 -  “ fixing robe lining             .75                   26 – to sociable                        .05

31 -  “ pack of cards                            .20

                                                         $6.75                                          $25.00       $16.85

 

 

*can’t read words

 

 

MARCH – 1889                                                          APRIL – 1889 – copy of pages

1 Fri.  I finished teaching School                                                               below

          at the Lake

4  Mon.  I took 14 barrels of

          apples up to Glens Falls

          @ $1.00 a barrel

 

MARCH – Cash Account

 1 – John Lasher Horse

      breaking window out                                1.00

 2 – for fixing shoe                                            .05

 4 -  “ apples                            5.00

 5 -  “ licorice                                                   .10

 8 -  “ Pair of Rubber Boots                            2.75

 “ -  “  U.S. stamps                                           .05

 9 -  “  shaving                                                  .10

 “ -  “  Licorice Ball                                           .05

13 - “  to a beggar                                            .25

12 -  “  Apples                         15.00

13 -  “ bottle cough medicine                            .50

 “ -  “  show                                                      .10

14 -  “  treat                                                     .20

16 -  “  shoeing Horse                                       .80

 “ -  “  show R. S.                                             .15

22 -  “  Dance at S.A. $1. etc.                        1.20

23 -  “  U.S. stamps                                          .10

24 -     to church                                               .50

26 – for Exhibition .10 &  pitch .10                   .20

29 – for Apples                        10.50

 “  -   “  candy                                                   .05

30 – Inst. on a note against

        C.A. McGeoch                                      1.00

 “ – between wagons                                    18.00

                                                $30.50        $27.15

 

 

 

MAY 1889 –                                                   MAY – Cash Account

 3, Fri.  Father was buried.  It was                    4 – for book concern                           .25

             a very large funeral                               “ -  “ Paper Writing                              .35

 4, Sat.  I took the girls out to                            “ -  “ treat                                            .10

            the Fort for to get some                        2 -  “ 2 ties                                          .50

            crape bonnets etc.                                5 -  to church                                       .25

 7, Tues.  I took a load of                                 7 – for work from E.s        15.00

            Potatoes down to Salem                       “ -  “ Potatoes                       9.00                  

            45 bu. @ 20c a bu.                              8 – for work W.J.A.                         10.00

 8, Wed.  we turned out the                              18 – “   “     H.Barkley             7.00

            young cattle for good                            18 -  “   “    Estate                15.00

14, Tues.  Apple trees are in                             20 -  “ painting wagon                           8.25

            full blossom now                                   21 -   “ Potatoes                     9.30

16, Tues.  We finished plowing             22 -  “    “                               8.80

            about 34 A                                           23 -  “    “                               8.00

18, Sat.  We planted our corn 6 A                    “  -  “  a Ball                                        .50

            & we finished planting               25 -   “ fixing shoes                               .25

            potatoes all done now.                          26 – to church                                      .10

                                                                        29 – for Sundries                                  .25

                                                                        30 -  “  treat                                         .10

                                                                                                                 $65.10     27.90

 

 

JUNE – 1889                                                   JUNE – Cash Account

 3,  We commenced cultivating              2 – to church                                       .25

            & hoeing                                              6 – for a Ball club                                .30

 5,  Wed.  We went down to                            8 -  to church                                       .10

            Argyle to the Cemetery             9 -  “    “                                              .10

            & leveled & graveled                            10 – for work                     30.00

            of the lot                                               15 -  “    “                             4.00        

10,  Mon.  Glenroy moved up                           “  -  “  supper .50

            in our lower house                                            T. conf. Horse .50

12, Wed.  We shore our sheep                         & treat  .25                            1.00

            40 in all                                                17 – for fixing Harness              .35

21, Fri.  We commenced Hilling                        22 -  “ a fleece of wool        1.75         

            Potatoes                                               26 -  “ Hair cut & shave                        .30

22, Sat.  We took our wool down                     “  -  “  Ice cream & cake                     .15

            to Captain Hayes                                  28 -  “  treat                                         .20

            192 lbs. @ 33’ a lb.                             29 -  “      “                                           .20

27, Thurs.  I went out to Sandy             “   -  “  Ice cream                                  .20

            Hill & got a load of lumber                    30 – to church                                      .10

            To cover the old shed over.                                                          $35.70      3.25

 

 

 

 

JULY 1889 -                                                   JULY – Cash Account

 3, Wed.  We finished Hilling                             2 – for Interest ACM               17.50              

            Potatoes 16½ A.                                  3 – to Andy Denison for work   4.00 

 5, Fri.  We commenced mowing grass  4 -  for a Pair of Knee pants                  1.50

16, Tues.  We finished cradleing                        “ -  “   “   “     “  Shoes               1.25

            rye  8 acres                                          “ -  “   “  shirt                                         1.00

23, Tues.  we finished mowing              “ -  “   “  treat, etc.                                 1.00

            & the next day we finished                    10 – “ fixing shoe                                      .05

            haying we had 41 loads.                        “ -  “ Paris Green  lbs.                1.15

30, Tues.  We took 2 calves down                    11 -  “ treat, Stamps, etc.                          .25

            to Argyle weight 446 lbs.                      13 -  “  Ice cream                                     .20

            @ 4’ a lb.                                            14 – “  church                                           .05

                                                                        20 -  “  coat and vest                              2.60

                                                                         “  -  “ fixing gold watch, M.S.     1.00

                                                                         “  -  “ belt & stockings                 .45

                                                                         “  -  “ treat & shave                                 .30

                                                                        24 -  “ fixing shoe                                     .05

                                                                        30 -  “ treat                                              .10

                                                                        31 -  “   “ & taking card of horse,etc.        .95

                                                                                                                    $17.50    $15.90

 

AUGUST – 1889,                                            AUGUST – Cash Account

 7, Wed., We commenced cradleing                 4 – to church                                           .15

            oats, 12½                                              5 – for word                        25.00

 7, Wed.  I went down to the Lake Dist.           “ -  “ Fountain Pen                                  1.25

            or Wm. Keys (trustee) & hired “ -  for treat                                              .15

            out to teach the coming winter   “ -  “ fixing shoes                                      .40

            @ $6. a week                                      “ -  “ Sundries                                           .05

 9, Fri.  I took a load of Rye Straw                   11 -  to treat candy                                    .20

down to Battenville 2470 lbs.                12 -  “ Horse shoeing                                 .40

            @ $8. a ton                                          14 -  for expenses @ Glens Falls             2.95

10, Sat.  I took a load of Rye Straw                  15 -  “       “  @ Greenwich reunion          3.15

            down to Battenville 2650                      16 -  “  Base Ball book                  .10

            @ $8 a ton                                           17 -  “ Ice cream & crackers                     .35

10, Sat.  We finished cradleing Oats                  16 – to Oatman for work                         1.00

            12 A                                                    15 – for Work for E             5.00

16, Fri.  We finished Harvesting good   22 -  “ Rye Straw               23.30

crops                                                    “  -  “  fixing wagon                                   .10

20, Tues.  We begun plowing for rye                 “   -  “  Concert .25 & treat .10      .35

            & we found 5 Dead lambs in                 24 -   “ treat                                              .20

            the oat field caused we think                 31 -  “  treat & crackers                            .40

            by eating grain.                         “  -  “  Tom Oatman for work                 1.35

                                                                                                                $53.30         $12.45

 

 

 

SEPTEMBER 1889,                                        SEPTEMBER – Cash Account

9, 10, & 11  We sowed 3 fields to rye              2 – for Hair cut                                    .20

about 20 acres in all                              6 -  to Lauderdale Fair             l.80

13, Fri.  We gegun digging Potatoes                  12 – “ County Fair                                1.00

23, Mon.  We begun cutting our corn                14 – for Books                                     1.40

            It is a Fair crop not big              21 – to Band                                        1.00

23, Mon.  I begun Picking the                           28 – to treat                                           .10

            Apples not many                                   “ -  “  Aaron McQuaine for work         1.00

27,  We finished cutting corn                                                                                      $6.50

            all done                                                30 to Work for Est            $15.00

                                                                                                                 $15.00       $6.50

 

                                                                       

OCTOBER 1889,                                            OCTOBER – Cash Account

15, Tues.  the lamb men came along                    – to treat                                             .35

            & took the lambs                                     -  Postal cards                                     .05

            35 @ $109.37                                        - In’st on $35.) note          1.00

17, Thurs.  We finished digging             12 – Pair of Shoes  *                            3.00

            Potatoes 1470 bu                                 “ -     “   “ Boots P.  “                          2.25

16, 17, & 18  I attended the                             “ -     “  “  Slippers                               1.25

            Institute at Fort Edward                        11 – treat etc.                                         .60

                                                                        14 -  Aaron McQuaine for work       18.00

                                                                        15 – 2 Lambs                       5.00

                                                                        17 – suit of clothes                               12.00   

                                                                         “  - a Hat                                             1.25

                                                                         “ -  Institute Fort Edward etc.              8.70

                                                                        20 -  to church                                         .25

                                                                        24 – Candy licorice                                 .10

                                                                        26 – Memorandum                                  .40

                                                                        29 – treat                                                .15

                                                                        30 – fixing Razor’s                                   .40

                                                                        31 – W.J.Anderson for work              150.00

                                                                                                                  $6.00     $198.75

                                                                         “ -  Potatoes                   129.07

                                                                                                              $135.07     $198.75

 

                                                                       

NOVEMBER 1889,                                        NOVEMBER – Cash Account

 2, Sat.  W.J. Anderson finished                        1 – for Pair of Pants                             4.50

            working here                                        2 – Shirts. gafs                         1.00

 4, Mon.  I begin teaching school                       2 – Fine Shirts                         1.75

            down at the Lake                                  2  - ties                                                  .75

ll, Mon.  Hames Griffin begin                             2 – collars  celluoids                              .50

            working for me or us                                    suspenders & Lasties                       .50    

            at $* a month                                              to treat                                            .40    

                                                                               “ paper tacks                                  .10

*can’t read amount                                                  “ Lunch Box                                    .25

                                                                         2 – to work for Est            70.75

                                                                         4 – “ church collection               .25

                                                                         9 – “ Bat .30 & Mask .75                    1.05

                                                                          “ - “ Paper Books                                l.25    

                                                                          “ - “ Overalls                                      1.25

                                                                          “ – Rubbers                                          .60

                                                                        12 – shoeing Horse                                 .60

                                                                        22 – cull Potatoes               4.25

                                                                        30 – treat                                               .35

                                                                         “ -  overcoat                                      13.50    

                                                                         “ – a cap                                               .75

                                                                         “ – 2 pair socks                                     .75

                                                                         “ – Apples                        22.00

                                                                         “ – Potatoes                     97.31                     

                                                                                                             $194.31       $30.55

 

DECEMBER 1889,                                         DECEMBER, Cash Account, cont’d

 5, Thurs.  Uncle Dave & Jimmie                       7 – treat                                                .30

            Killed the bull weighed about                “ – fixing cart                                         .10

            80 to a qr. Hide about 58 lbs.               11 -   “ Harness                                      .20

14, Sat.  We brought our sheep in                     14 – Witch Hazel                                    .20

            for good                                               “ – treat                                                 .15

16, Monday  Uncle Dave & George                 17 – Corn Salve                                     .15

            helped Jimmie to Kill our                       18 – fixing skate stops                            .30

            (5) pigs  200 lbs. ea.                             “ – U.S.Stamps & Postals                    1.00

17, Tues.  Jimmie took the pigs                          “ -  Candy etc.                           .15

            out to the Fort 4 of them                       21 – treat                                               .15

            786 lbs. @ 5’ a lb.                               26 – monthly paper                                 .30

19, Thurs.  Jimmie finished                                29 – church                                            .25

            husking corn fair crop                           30 – Expenses at Troy

                                                                        31 -   “             “    “     One thing &     

DECEMBER – Cash Account                 another to Lansingburgh                 25.00

 4 – to pair of overshoes                       1.30     30  21 bu. of Potatoes    10.50

 “ – 2 balls of Licorice                             .10     30  21 bu. of Potatoes    10.50        $30.75

 “ – fixing skates                                     .10     

 6 – sending for reports             1.00                                

1889, Dec. 30 – I deposited in Salem Peoples National Bank  $100. on ins.

 

SUMMARY OF CASH ACCOUNT

 

                                    Rec’d               Paid

January                                     6.75

February                      25.00               16.85

March                          30.50               27.15

April                           104.50                 6.25

May                             65.10               27.90

June                             35.70                 3.25

July                              17.50               15.90

August                          53.30               12.45

September                    15.00               6.50

October                     135.07             198.75

November                  194.31               30.55

December                    10.50               30.75

                                 $686.48         $383.05

                 Balance                            303.43

                                 $686.48         $686.48   

 

In the Address section of his book are the following: 

 

POTATOES  1889

 

Date                             bu.       lbs.       @ ’ a bu.         $

Sept.    27        Fri.       48                    60                    28.50

  “         28        Sat.      44                    50                    22.00

Oct.     12          “         48                    45                    21.60

  “         15        Tues.    50                    40                    20.00

  “         21        Mon.    50                    “                       20.00

  “         22        Tues.    51                    “                       20.40

  “         23        Wed.    53                    “                       21.20

  “         24        Thurs.   51                    “                       20.30

  “         25        Fri.       54                    “                       21.60

  “         29        Tues.    52        45        “                       21.10

  “         30        Wed.    51        40        “                       20.65

  “         31        Thurs.   52                    “                       20.80

Nov.     2         Sat.      52        30        “                       21.05

  “         5         Tues.    52                    “                       20.80

  “         9         Sat.      52        15        “                       20.90

  “         11        Mon.    52        15        “                       20.88

  “         12        Tues.    50                    “                       20.00

  “         18        Mon.    52        35        45                    23.65

  “         19        Tues.    52        40        “                       23.65

  “         20        Wed.    50        05        “                       22.53

  “         21        Thurs.   47        10        “                       21.21

  “         22        Fri.   cull           47        starch   18        8.45

Dec.     30        Mon.    42                    50                    21.00

           

 

HAY

Back Meadow             8 L.  (loads?)

Up little  “                     2 “

Field by barn                9 “

Swail in pasture            1 “

Down in little M.           3 “

Meadow top of hill   12 “

Swail by Glenroy          l “

  “  up in long field         l “

  “  in corn field l “

  “  in Potato “               3 “

                      Total   41  “

 

On back page is written:

   R              Paid

451.95        345.80