JANUARY 1904
Fri. Jan. 1st. It rained in little sprinkles from SW at 5 to 9 1/2 in morn and thundered in W and bright and pleasant fron SW after 10 1/2 in morn. Willie and Wiley helped Sims to put Cohen's pea thresher on wagon early in morn and Willie and Howard worked on wire fence out E and SE of here trying to stop out hogs all day after 10 in morn and finished late in eve. I dressed to go to Cohen's in morn but rain prevented and I sent the money $290.50 (land notes) to Cohen by Wiley in eve and I got wood and water for Hannah to wash just after breakfast and I packed and cut up some wood at 10 to 12 and I packed some poles from hog pen to wire fence NW and W of barn and put them at bottom of fence to keep out hogs most of eve. Wiley and Rena and children dined here and Nellie and Carmell went home with Rena late in eve and stayed all night.
Sat. 2nd. Cloudy and warm and damp from SW till 10 in morn and wind changed then to NW without rain and a cold wind from W of N all eve and cloudy all eve but cleared off in night. Willie and Howard cut down canes and trees in hollow in Sims' corner clearing land in morn and Willie rode Joe to town in eve and returned before dark. I found and piled up about a cart load of pine knots in Sims' corner in morn and got wood too and I packed 4 turns of ashes to hollow in orchard and put around my peach trees in eve and drew water and fed and milked.
Sun. 3rd. Bright, nearly clear, early in morn and a hard freeze and didn't thaw in shade all day and a cold breeze from E of N and cloudy some all eve and at night and very chilly. Nellie and I and Bernice walked to Wiley's early in morn and I carried Marion and I brought him back at 10 1/2 and Nellie staid there till after dinner. Gussie and Viola came at 2 and dined here and they and Wiley and Bernice went to SS in eve. None of us went on account of cold. Edna was sick today and Dr. Magruder was out to see her in eve. I rested pretty well at night but my feet got cold after 1 in night.
Mon. 4th. Clear and a hard freeze in morn and didn't thaw in shade all day and a cold breeze from W of N all day. Willie and Howard cut and hauled wood from Sims' corner most of morn with Ella and Jack and Willie hauled a load to Clarissa at Sims' place in eve and he and Wiley brought home some things which Sims gave them at 3 in eve. Howard hunted his mare at Elmwood in eve. I found and picked up some pine knots in Sims' corner in morn and drew some water and got some wood and drew some water and cut up some wood and fed in eve.
Tue. 5th. Clear and a hard freeze in morn and ice in shade all day but a breeze from SE and warmer in eve. Sims left Greenwood today and Lanehart moved in there. Willie walked there early in morn and Sims gave him some things. Willie and Minnie and Carmell drove Joe to Mr. D. Chambers to old Mrs. Holland burying at 10 3/4 in morn to 3 in eve and Nellie and I kept Marion here. Sam brought Sims' wagon and 2 mules here late in eve for us to keep till tomorrow. Willie hunted our cattle late in eve but saw only a few of them. I rested well at night.
Wed. 6th. It rained in little sprinkles from SW at 5 in morn to 8 and bright till 11 and rained again in showers at 11 1/2 to 1 1/2 and bright most of eve and rained good deal late in night. Dan Hillery came in morn and bought Sims' wagon and came back in eve and got it. Willie hunted our cattle in morn and in eve too (on Joe) and saw all but 2 little heifers. I got wood early in morn and got some pine in Sims' corner at 9 to 11 1/2 and left it there. Sims staid at Clara's last night and here at 11 to 1 1/2. I put Wiley's blue pig and Hannah's white one into our calf pasture and shut them up there in eve. We can not keep them out of yard and I drew water and fed late in eve.
Thu. 7th. We had good deal of rain last night and bright and cool from W of N today. Willie cleared land out E of here in morn and rode Frilby to town in eve to see about getting some lumber to put up a room on E end of our house. I got wood and water and shucked a bbl of ears of corn for bread and shelled some of it in morn and I piled up some pine in Sims' corner and fed and milked in eve.
Fri. 8th. Bright and a white frost in morn but calm and a pleasant day after 10 in morn. Willie cleared land E of here in morn and he helped Wiley and Gussie to cover a new house for Ray near Luckett spring in eve. I hauled 2 1/2 cart loads of pine knotts here and 1 load to Wiley's by 11 in morn with Joe and I cut up some wood by 12. Bernice came home on cart with me and here till late in eve. Hannah washed today. I shelled some bread corn just after dinner and I went squirrel hunting in cow pasture in eve but only saw and killed 1 squirrel. I rested well at night.
Sat. 9th. Cloudy and damp from SW and no sun all day and rained slowly at 2 to 4 1/2 in eve and again through the night. Willie rode Joe to Ogden's mill and carried 1 1/2 bu corn and got it ground and he cleared some E of here. I got wood and water early in morn and walked out through our field and in woods part of Elmwood field squirrel hunting but didn't get any. I saw where someone had fired pine straw just outside of line wire fence late on yesterday eve, apparently to burn our field and I showed it to Willie just after dinner. Willie helped Wiley to finish covering Ray's new house near Luckett spring in eve and they got nearly wet.
Sun. 10th. Bright and pleasant from NW but cloudy some all day. Willie rode Frilby to Clara's in morn and Buddy and Sims came back with him at 11 in morn and here till late in eve. I walked to Wiley's in morn and Rena and baby came back with me at 10 in morn. Wiley went to his Pa's. None of us went to SS in eve. Little Marion had fever last night and again tonight and didn't rest well and none of us slept well at night.
Mon. 11th. Clear and some frost in morn and a breeze from NW most of day and a beautiful and pleasant day after 9 in morn. Wiley got Ella just after breakfast and hauled sand from creek to Ray's new house to build chimney with her and Jack. Willie and Howard cut down cane hollow in Sims' corner all day and I helped them in morn and I got wood and water and dug up some fig sprouts for West and shucked corn and fed in eve. Cousin Mary and Edna and Earl and Ernest Lee here awhile in eve. I slept well at night.
Tue. 12th. Bright, nearly clear, and quite cool from NW but pleasant in sunshine most of day and dry. Willie and Howard cut down cane hollow in Sims' corner all day and I helped them in morn and got wood and water and shucked corn and fed in eve. Jack D came to Wiley's in morn and he and Wiley worked on brick chimney to Ray's new house today. I slept well at night.
Wed. 13th. A slight freeze in morn and bright, nearly clear, and a cold wind from NW and dry but pleasant in sunshine after 9 in morn. Willie and Howard cut down cane hollow in Sims' corner most of day and I helped them in morn and I got wood and water and packed out some pine in Sims' corner and fed and milked in eve. Willie and Howard put all of peahay up in loft late in eve. Dickie Chambers here late in eve to get a brace and bits which Sims left here.
Thu. 14th. Clear and a hard freeze and white frost in morn but a calm and pleasant day after 10 in morn. Willie and Howard cut down cane hollow in Sims' corner all day and I helped them in morn and part of eve. I got wood and water and milked and fed in eve. Nellie and Bernice and Carmell walked to Sims' place to see the Laneharts' in eve.
Fri. 15th. A little frost in morn and bright and sun shined most of day but wind from S and warmer and cloudy some in eve. Willie and Howard cut down cane hollow SE of hayhouse beyond road all day and I helped them all morn. I got wood and water and fed and milked in eve and I gathered 2 sacks of okra pods to feed the chickens in old cowpen corner at 3 to 4 in eve. Bernice here at night.
Sat. 16th. Cloudy and warm early in morn and rained some in little sprinkles at 9 to 10 in morn and wind changed to NW and cool and nearly clear all eve from NW. Willie and Howard and I cut down cane hollow in Sims' corner till 9 3/4 in morn and rain stopped us then and Howard cut up some wood at 10 1/2 to 11 1/2 and Willie got ready to go to town and he drove Joe to buggy to town in eve and returned at dusk. I got wood and water and fed and milked in eve. Bernice here all day and Rena and baby here in eve.
Sun. 17th. Clear and a white frost in morn but calm and a pleasant and beautiful day. Carmell was sick last night and today with vomiting and purging. Nellie and I took Marion to Wiley's in morn and they stayed till after dinner and I came back at 10. Buddy here awhile in morn. All of us but Nellie and Carmell went to SS in eve.
Mon. 18th. Bright, nearly clear, and frost in morn but wind from SE and warmer in eve and wind damp from SE and at night too. Willie rode Joe and Howard drove Ella and Jack to wagon to town early in morn and brought home some lumber at 11 1/2 and Howard drove wagon back to town in eve and got another load and returned just before sunset (to build a room on E end of our house). I made a little wire gate and set it up at SE corner of cowpen at hayhouse to put our cattle into patch there to feed them today. Willie helped me to set up gate late in eve. He rode Joe to Clara's and on to B C's and got some of Dan's tools early in eve. Mrs. Sallie Lanehart and her 2 little children here most of eve.
Tue. 19th. Cloudy and a damp breeze from SE all day but sun shined some. Willie and Howard laid foundation of room on E end of our house and worked on it all day. I helped them some. Willie and Rena took little Wiley to town in morn (drove Joe) and had his picture taken and they returned at 2 1/2 in eve. Wiley helped Willie some late in eve. Bernice stayed here all day. Carmell took Calomel on yesterday and was cross and fretful all morn but better in eve. I rested well at night but had a coughing and wheezing spell at 12 to 1 1/4 at night.
Wed. 20th. Cloudy some but bright in morn and cloudy all eve with a damp breeze from SE and warm. Willie and Wiley and Howard worked all day on E room and got it boxed and 1/2 covered. I walked over our field part of morn and part of eve to get some timber to make a new cart body and shafts and I got 2 locust shafts and some sassafras for body and left it in field. I rested well at night.
Thu. 21st. Cloudy and very little sunshine all day and a damp wind from S all day and high some in eve and rained some in eve in little showers and wind quite high at 8 to 10 at night and rained in hard showers then. Willie and Howard worked on E room today and they finished covering it and laid floor and put up some of stripping over joints by late in eve. I hauled the timber for cart body (got on yesterday) and some pine knots with it in 2 cart loads with Joe and I hauled 2 loads of wood too from field by 11 1/2 in morn and I got wood and water and sewed buttons on a pair of new jeans pants and turned up hem of legs to make them shorter and fed in eve. I didn't sleep till after 10 at night on account of high wind.
Fri. 22nd. Bright and a very cool wind from NW all day but sun shined most of day and pleasant in sunshine after 10 in morn. Howard cut down trees on old road SE of hayhouse all day. Willie and I worked on E room today. We finished stripping it and made a dress door for outside of it. Willie rode Frilby to Ogden's store to get some door hinges late in eve and I got wood and water and fed.
Sat. 23rd. Bright, nearly clear, and a freeze and very white frost in morn and a cold breeze from W of N most of day but pleasant in sunshine after 10 in morn. Rose washed in morn and I got wood and water for her and helped Willie on doors and windows of E room balance of day till 3 in eve and I got wood and water and fed late in eve. Willie rode Frilby in fields to hunt Maud (Old Guernsey's heifer) with a young calf but didn't find her. Howard cut trees on old road SE of hayhouse in morn. Nellie and Carmell walked to Wiley's late in eve to stay all night.
Sun. 24th. Bright, nearly clear, and a freeze and very white frost in morn but pleasant in sunshine after 10 in morn and a little breeze from S. Willie rode Frilby to Clara's to get mail and on in fields to hunt Maud and I walked in Sims' field to hunt her too in morn but we didn't find her but she came up late in eve without her calf and Willie drove up Jersey from field with a spotted bull calf in morn. Wiley went to his Pa's in morn and Rena and her 2 children here all day and Mrs. Willie Kaigler here in eve and Clara too. None of us went to SS but Willie in eve.
Mon. 25th. Cloudy some all day with a damp and cold breeze from SE and rained some in night. Howard and Hannah and Jack cut trees and canes in hollow in Sims' corner SE of hayhouse. Willie worked on E room all morn and til 2 in eve and finished it all but putting on bolts and Willie plowed a little on H ridge (his first) with Joe and mule and some of our cattle came up at 3 in eve burned in a fire and Willie rode Joe and drove up all of them and Maud with a white spotted bull calf and Willie rode on to Ogden's store and got a bottle of quinine for Wiley. He had a chill and fever on last Saturday and again today. I rode Joe to Cohen's at 9 1/2 in morn to 12 and got 2 knob locks and 1 pr of hinges for door of E room. I got wood and water and fed and milked in eve. Rose cow is badly burned and her calf didn't suckle. Nellie and Carmell slept in E room at night and I in a bed in front room. Willie and I walked down in big hollow in Sims' field to see about the fire after supper.
Tue. 26th. Cloudy and cold from N till 11 in morn and sun shined balance of day but cold and freezing in shade all day. Willie and Howard cut up some wood early in morn and cut bay and holly trees E of fig orchard most of day and they roped Rose cow and Willie milked her burned teats and greased them at 2 in eve. Her calf has not sucked yet. I walked to Wiley's in morn early and he and Rena are not well and I cut up some wood for them and got some wood here at 11 to 12 1/4 and some in eve too and I fixed 2 stalls in hayhouse and put Jersey and Maud in them and fed in eve.
Wed. 27th. Cloudy and no sun and a hard freeze in morn and ice in shade all day and a damp breeze from NE and dropped sleet and snow and some rain after 10 in morn and till 5 1/4 in eve and snowed and sleeted heavily from 5 1/4 till late in night. Willie and Howard and Jack cut trees and canes in hollow just SE from hayhouse most of day. I walked to Wiley's early in morn and took Carmell with me and left her there till in eve and I cut up some wood for Wiley and came home at 11 and got wood here till 12 1/4. Wiley and Rena are better today. I walked to Wiley's again in eve and brought Carmell home and I drew water and ditched around E room and fed and Willie milked.
Thu. 28th. The ground covered with sleet and snow and all of the trees loaded down with ice and a great many limbs fell from trees last night and this morn and a cold breeze from N all day but began to thaw at 9 in morn and most of snow and ice in trees melted by late in eve and it cleared off just before sunset. Willie and I walked to Wiley's and cut up some wood there at 9 to 10 3/4 in morn and we did nothing today but get wood and water and feed and milk. Bernice here today and at night.
Fri. 29th. Clear and a very hard freeze in morn and a cold wind from N all day but sun shined warm all day and thawed most of snow and ground but frozen in shade all day. Willie and Howard cut up wood (fire length) out E of fig orchard most of morn and Howard cleaned up around hollow E of hayhouse all eve and Willie rode Frilby to Cohen's in eve to see about selling some peas. I cut up good deal of wood in morn and walked to Wiley's and back and I hauled 5 baby wagon loads of wood to gallery and got good deal of stove wood and took Bernice home and milked and fed in eve.
Sat. 30th. Clear till late in eve and some clouds then and a very hard freeze in morn and a little breeze from SE and S all day and thawed except in shade and rained some late in night. Willie and Howard and I winnowed 33 1/4 bu of peas (by measure) and Howard drove Ella and Jack to wagon and carried them to Cohen's and Willie rode Joe and sold them to Cohen for $1 per bu by measure and Willie got a bbl of flour and 1 of meal and some other things and Howard got home at 3 in eve and Willie went on to town and returned at dark. I took up manure at hayhouse and nubbed and shelled some seed corn and fed and milked before night.
Sun. 31st. It rained a little just before day and bright with a cold wind from W of N all day but pleasant in sunshine. Willie and Minnie and their 2 children drove Joe to buggy to Clara's in morn and returned late in eve. I walked to Wiley's in morn and he and Rena and their 2 children came back with me at 10 and here till late in eve. None of us went to SS in eve. Bernice here all night.