JANUARY 1903
Thu. Jan. 1st. Dark cloudy and rained all day with a breeze from S of E and we had a big fall of water in all. It slacked up late in eve but rained some through the night. We did nothing but get wood and attend to cows and calves. Our horses were in Wiley's field and didn't come home today. Aunt Margaret didn't come today on account of incessant rain.
Fri. 2nd. Cloudy and very wet and air damp and chilly from W but no rain except a very little mist in morn and some late in eve too. Willie got Joe from Wiley's field early in morn and he and I drove him to buggy to Cohen's at 10 to 1 3/4 and Wiley rode Goulden there too and he paid note on Coon land ($93.75) and we got some things at Cohen's for Sims and Willie stopped there to leave them and I got a bucket of lard and broom for Wiley and carried them to Wiley's late in eve. I cut up some wood in eve. Nellie and Aunt Margaret washed on machine in eve. Willie rode Joe to Clara's and on to see old Ed Ward about paying $10 (Henry's indebtedness).
Sat. 3rd. Dark cloudy and no sun and misted rain some in morn and again late in eve and chilly some and wind and clouds from W of N. Wiley got Ella and Jack from his field early in morn and hauled wood most of day to his house and 2 loads to schoolhouse. We didn't work today. Bernice here most of day and Nellie and I walked to Wiley's and back in eve. Henry Ward brought the $10 owing Willie in eve. Willie fixed up contract with Howard Neal today.
Sun. 4th. Foggy and chilly till 9 1/2 in morn and bright till 12 and clear and calm all eve but rained some in night. Wiley and Rena and their 2 children came in morn and they and Tigner D dined here. Sims here awhile in morn and Dorsey Glass and Ed Ogden came here to see him as he was leaving. We had our first Sunday School at schoolhouse in eve with Seymour as Superintendent and all of us except Nellie and little Wiley and Minnie and Carmell and baby went and returned before sunset awhile. I slept very little at night and coughed good deal and choked some.
Mon. 5th. It rained some last night and cold and cloudy and chilly from W of N all day till late in eve and clear all night and calm. Wiley and Willie and I got up our hogs (9) and Wiley's (4) and put them in our calf pasture in morn by 10 and Willie and I cut up some wood till 11 1/4. Gussie came at 11 3/4 and dined here and walked to Lewis' just after dinner and he and Lewis worked on a house for Nolan Veal in eve and Gussie came back at dusk and stayed all night. Willie walked in field to hunt his 1/2 Jersey cow but she came up and I put her in cow pasture (to calve) late in eve. I repaired hog pen by garden most of eve. I slept well at night.
Tue. 6th. Clear and a freeze and very white frost in morn but wind from SW and pleasant in sunshine after 10 in morn. Gussie here last night and left early in morn and Ray and Howard came before breakfast and they and Willie and Wiley and I caught and weighed 3 of our hogs and 3 of Wiley's in pen (I got them in there early in morn) and Ray drove Ella and Jack to wagon and Wiley rode Goulden and carried and sold hogs to John Fosselmann at 5 cts gross and they returned late in eve. Willie rode Joe to Sims' in morn and they went to Mr. Dick Chambers to find out about land lines but didn't. I cut up good deal of wood and drew water at 9 to 11 3/4 in morn. Rena and Bernice and little Wiley here all day.
Wed. 7th. Clear and quite cool and dry from NW with a very cool wind from there most of day and night. Willie and Nellie drove Joe to buggy to town in morn and returned at 3 1/4 in eve. I cut up good deal of wood and drew water in morn and was about house with Minnie and Carmell most of day. Wiley getting out some timber in Sims' field SE of here to ceil his kitchen today. Rena and Bernice and little Wiley here awhile in eve. I slept well at night and my cough seems to be better today.
Thu. 8th. Bright, nearly clear, and a freeze in morn and a cold breeze from NW most of day but pleasant in sunshine after 10 in morn. Willie and I threshed out peas most of day under cow shed on S side of hay house and we got 3 bbls full threshed and winnowed and got wood and water late in eve and I parched some coffee on stove and fed and milked. Nellie and Carmell walked to Wiley's late in eve. Winans Dickson came to Sims' in eve and Sims sent us word and Willie rode Joe to Sims' and on to Clara's late in eve to see about surveying land on tomorrow and returned at dark.
Fri. 9th. Bright, nearly clear, all morn and till late in eve and a hard freeze and very white frost in morn but wind from S and warmer in eve and cloudy late in eve and rained some through night. Willie and Wiley and Gordon and Tigner and Winans Dickson and I surveyed lines on Sims' land on W and NW of here most of day but didn't accomplish much and all dined here but Wiley and Dickson staid here all night.
Sat. 10th. Dark cloudy all day and rained most of day and at night too and changed to W of N at night. Dickson left at 9 in morn and he and Sims went to town to try to find out something about lines of land. We did nothing but get wood and got nearly wet late in eve feeding stock. Willie went to Wiley's in morn and Bernice came back with him and here till late in eve and Wiley came then and took her home through rain. Carmell had fever in eve and at night and they gave her Calomel tablets.
Sun. 11th. Cloudy and quite cool from W of N in morn and bright in eve and a cold breeze from W of N. The fever left Carmell in morn early and she seemed to be better today. Willie walked to Sims' and back in morn and I walked to Wiley's and back by 11 in morn and Nellie at Wiley's all eve. Wiley and Bernice and I walked to the schoolhouse to Sunday School in eve.
Mon. 12th. Bright, nearly clear, and a hard freeze in morn and a breeze from E of N all day and didn't thaw in shade today. Wiley got out some timber in Sims' field SE of here today to ceil his kitchen. Willie and I cut some green China wood near where old poplar stood (SE of here) most of morn and Willie rode Henry's dun mare to Tom Veal's to sell her in eve but didn't see Tom. I got some pine knotts in Sims' field SE of here in eve and piled them there and left them. Winans Dickson came again to survey land late in eve and left his horse and jumper here and walked to Sims' to stay all night.
Tue. 13th. Bright in morn and a hard freeze and very white frost and cloudy all eve and chilly all day and rained slowly most of night. Dickson came early in morn and ate breakfast here and Wiley and Gordon and Tigner and Willie and I helped Dickson to survey land and we finished all at 3 1/2 in eve and all dined here and Rena and baby here too and Bernice and Viola went to school and here late in eve and Gussie too. Willie got about 90 acres of land in both pieces - 1 NW of here and the other on NE and E and SE of here. Dickson wrote a description and plot of land late in eve and Willie paid him ($12.50) and he left for Woodville.
Wed. 14th. It sleeted and rained last night and cloudy and calm and chilly today with a little breeze from E of N and clear at night. Wiley took Ella and Jack to Sims' early in morn and Willie went with him and brought our wagon home and Wiley got about 20 bbls of corn which Willie loaned him and I went home with Wiley and helped him to unload corn and got back home at 11 1/4 and Willie and I cut some wood in Sims' field SE of here till 12 1/4 and again in eve and hauled 3 wagon loads from there and 1 of split pine from back of our field late in eve. Wiley hauled his timber from Sims' field (for ceiling his kitchen) by 2 1/2 in eve. Mrs. James and Willie came late in eve and Willie went to Lewis' at night and Mrs. James staid here.
Thu. 15th. A frost and slight freeze in morn and bright and quite cool all day but warmer in eve and rained some at night. Willie rode Joe to Cohen's to attend to ginning Sims' cotton in morn and returned late in eve. Willie James went hunting in morn with Willie's gun and he and Mrs. James left in eve. I cut up good deal of wood and drew water early in morn and I found and packed out some pine knotts in Sims' field SE of here at 10 1/2 to 12 1/2 in morn. I have a slight cold in my head and throat but I rested and slept well at night. Rena and Bernice and baby and Viola here late in eve.
Fri. 16th. Dark cloudy and no sun and rained slowly most of morn and again at 2 to 4 1/2 in eve and some in night from SE. Lewis here awhile in morn. Willie walked to Sims' at 11 to 12 in morn and got an ax handle and I burned an old one out of his ax then and put in the new one. I cut up wood in morn and some in eve. Willie cut down trees in corner of Sims' field SE of here at 1 1/2 to 2 3/4 in eve and got nearly wet.
Sat. 17th. Cloudy all day and no sun and quite cool from N and misted rain in morn early and some late in eve and at night. Willie cut trees in Sims' field part of morn and he and Tigner and West went hunting in eve. I cut up good deal of wood and drew water in morn till 10. Jesse Dawson walked here from Lewis' in morn at 10 1/2 and here till late in eve. I walked to Wiley's and back at 1 1/2 to 2 and got 1/2 bar of soap for Nellie to wash some in eve. My head is stopped up some with cold and old complaint but I rested well at night and my cough is better.
Sun. 18th. Dark cloudy and no sunshine and chilly some from E of N all day and clear all night. Gussie and Helen came to Wiley's on yesterday eve and Gussie here awhile in morn but went back to Wiley's at 11 1/2. Ed Ogden and wife came at 10 1/2 and here till late in eve. I cut up good deal of wood early in morn and drew water. Ed Ogden and Willie and I went to Sunday School at schoolhouse in eve and Rena and her 2 children and Helen and Viola went too. Wiley went to his Pa's in morn and Gussie had toothache and stayed at Wiley's in eve.
Mon. 19th. Cloudy and chilly and no sunshine and wind from E all day and rained a little in night. Willie cut down trees in Sims' field SE of here today till 3 in eve and rode Dan to Clara's late in eve. I drove Joe to buggy at 10 1/4 in morn to 3 in eve and carried 3 bus yams to Alec Cohen at 50 cts. per bushel and I got some things at Metzger's and Cohen's and some fruit for children. Rena and her children and Viola here in eve and I carried baby home for her late in eve. I had a dull headache all day and night too but rested well.
Tue. 20th. Bright, nearly clear, and very cool early in morn but sun shined all day and pleasant in sun after 10 in morn and wind from NE. Willie cut trees in first corner in Sims' field most of day and I helped him after 10 in morn. I cut up good deal of wood and drew water till 10 in morn. My headache left me at noon and I rested and slept well at night.
Wed. 21st. Dark cloudy all day and thundered SW of here at 7 to 9 1/2 in morn and rained slowly here at 9 3/4 to 12 and quit and wind from N all eve and quite cold and clear at night. Willie cut trees in Sims' field till 10 in morn and rain stopped him. I cut up wood and drew water till 9 1/2 in morn. Willie drove up his 1/2 Jersey cow from Wiley's field with a heifer calf (from our Guernsey bull) by 2 in eve and he and Tigner went hunting late in eve. I put some dirt on a rick of seed cane at 1 to 2 in eve (our hogs went into it last night) and I put the hogs in calf pasture late in eve untill we can pen the cane. Bernice and Viola and Lewis here awhile in eve. I made a door to calf stable at hay house and put our Guernsey cow in there late in eve. We put the Jersey cow in old Guernsey stall. I rested well at night.
Thu. 22nd. Foggy early in morn but a white frost and bright and nearly clear and pleasant after 10 in morn and a breeze from SW. Willie walked to Sims' early in morn and got 3 lbs of wire staples and I cut up wood and drew water till 9 1/2 and Willie and I cut some short stakes NW of orchard and took down some of spare wire around orchard at 10 to 12 and I drove down stakes around rick of seed cane and braced them and put up 2 1/2 strands of wire in eve around rick. I think it will take 4 or 5 strands to be enough to keep out hogs. Willie cut trees in Sims' field SE of here in eve. Sims sent wagon and Ella mule home late in eve. He has had them since last Monday morn. Nellie and Minnie scoured and cleaned up today. Rena and her 2 children here in eve awhile.
Fri. 23rd. Bright and quite cool in morn but wind from SW and cloudy all eve and rained some all eve and at night. Willie and I walked to Sims' early in morn and ground our axes and Willie cut trees in Sims' field some in morn and some in eve too. Aunt Margaret and Nellie washed (on machine) in morn. I worked on wire pen around seed cane in orchard at 10 1/4 to 12 and finished it at 3 in eve. I got some spare wire around orchard and put 4 strands of wire to short stakes around the rick.
Sat. 24th. Bright and cool from W of N all day but pleasant in sun all eve. Wiley rode Goulden and Ray drove Ella and Jack to wagon to town in morn and carried 3 bus yams for us to McKeithen and got 2 1/2 bu meal and some other things for us and Wiley got some things for himself and he brought wagon home late in eve. Willie rode Dan to Cohen's and on to town in morn and returned at dusk. I hauled a big cart load of pine from Sims' field to Wiley's in morn at 10 and I hauled nearly 1/2 load of pine and balance of load in oak wood here and I hauled 2 loads of elm wood by 12 1/4 from NW of orchard and I hauled 2 of beech from there in eve with Joe and I got wood and water and fed in eve late. Bernice here all day and night too.
Sun. 25th. Clear and a white frost in morn and wind from S and a beautiful and pleasant day after 10 in morn. I walked to Wiley's early in morn and carried Bernice and Wiley walked to Clara's in morn and he and Gordon and Effie came to Sunday school in eve. Mr. Leggett came at 10 1/4 in morn and B C and Dixie and their 3 children came at 11 and I walked back to Wiley's and Rena and her 2 children and Minnie and baby came back with me at 11 1/2. Bernice and I and Willie and B C and Leggett went to Sunday school in eve.
Mon. 26th. Bright in morn and cool but cloudy some and a damp breeze form S and rained in little showers with distant thunder from SW at 2 to 3 in eve and again in night out of a thunder cloud from W at 11 to 12. Willie and I cut trees in first corner in Sims' field at 11 to 12 in morn and Willie cut most of eve and got nearly wet. I cut up good deal of wood and drew water at 1 to 2 1/2 in eve.
Tue. 27th. It rained a big fall of water last night and slowly till 8 in morn and cloudy and warm balance of day from SW but bright all eve. Wiley and Willie and I walked with Sims early in morn and Buddy and Gordon and Tigner came there too and we put Cohen's pea thresher in barn loft and worked there till 12 trying to thresh peas but it did poor work and we got some pear and apple trees from Sims and I set out 20 peach and 2 Russett apple trees in hollow in orchard and 2 big red fig trees on W side of barn and 2 more of the figs in garden in eve. Willie cut trees in Sims' field all eve. Rena and Viola and Bernice and baby here most of eve and I carried baby home at dusk.
Wed. 28th. Foggy or misty till 9 1/2 in morn and bright and warm from SW balance of day. Willie cut trees in first corner in Sims' field all day and I helped him all morn and I cut up wood and drew water and dug up some of the large red fig sprouts to carry to Metzger and Cohen and I set out 4 fig trees just NW of our barn in eve and fed cattle and horses late in eve.
Thu. 29th. Warm and cloudy from SW but bright and sun shined all eve. Nellie and I drove Joe to town in morn and were there till in eve and we mortgaged all of our land to Dan Cohen through Charlie Cohen and got $580 from them and paid for 90 acres of Sims' place on E side of our land and we returned late in eve. Willie cut down trees SE of here near road today. Nellie was sick in night and was up awhile at midnight and my cough and wheezing bothered me some through the night.
Fri. 30th. Bright, nearly clear, and very dry and cool from N. Willie got up our hogs early in morn and I got 3 of barrows in pen and we killed and dressed and cut up and salted 2 of them by 12 1/4 and 1 of them bit my thumb through the nail near root of it and it pained me all day and night too. Willie carried some of meat to Wiley's just after dinner and he walked and carried some to Clara's in eve. I cut up good deal of wood and milked the Jersey cow and worked road some near H ridge in eve. We put Strawberry's and old Guernsey's calves in field with them in morn. They are nearly dry.
Sat. 31st. Bright and I think cold enough for frost in morn but dry and some wind through last night and wind from SE today and warmer in eve and cloudy some. Nellie and Rose washed on machine in morn. Howard drove Ella and Jack to wagon to town in morn and carried about 1300 of cotton seed to Oilmill and Willie rode Dan
and went too and exchanged seed for a load of hulls and 2 sacks of meal and some money too. Howard stalled both going and coming near Chester Henderson's and they returned late in eve. I hauled 3 cart loads of dry oak wood from Sims' field at 9 1/2 to 12 in morn and 2 of beech from NW of orchard in eve and got wood and water and fed late in eve. Willie had a bad headache late in eve and at night. Seymour dined here. He and family moved to Wyoming on last Monday.