OCTOBER 1884
Wed. Oct. 1st. Bright and warm - wind and clouds from SE. Willie, Rena, and I picked 70 pds cotton in bottom of Gate cut and finished that cut by 11 1/4 in morn. I hauled in 2 loads of corn from upper side of Cherry cut in eve. Nellie and Dixie washed in eve.
Thu. 2nd. Bright and warm in morn, cloudy and sultry, thundered and showered around from SE most of eve, but only sprinkled here late in eve. Willie, Rena and I picked over patch of cotton by front gate next to fence and all of new ground by 10 1/2 in morn and got about 55. I hauled in 2 cartloads of corn from Cherry cut in eve.
Fri. 3rd. Bright and warm most of day. It showered from SE at 11 to 1 - enough to run and do some good(heavy showers passed around with thunder). Willie, Rena and I picked over all of Persimmon cut and got about 25 pds by 9 1/2. I pulled 1 cartload (last of corn) in Cherry cut by 11 1/4 making 9 loads in all. Willie and I picked about 10 pds of Mammoth cotton in watermelon patch at 2 to 3 in eve and then walked squirrel hunting but killed nothing.
Sat. 4th. Bright and warm - wind and some clouds from E . I rode Nell and Willie rode Julia to Cohen's in morn. Nell cut up till we passed Mr. Sims. I got off her at quarter gate and jerked and whipped her and she did better. I got 2 papers of radish seed, 3 of bluing, 1 ax handle, 1 bu bolted meal, and paid for all. We returned at 11. Nellie and Rena rode Julia, Dixie rode Rosa and I rode Julia to church but preacher did not come (Gussie and Willie stayed here) in eve.
Sun. 5th. Bright and warm till late in eve and we had a good shower from E at dusk. Dixie rode Julia and I rode Nell and Willie walked to Sunday School and I held Sunday School in morn. Nellie and Rena stayed home. Beulah W came home with us and stayed all night. Nellie and Dixie went to Mr. D's in eve and I rode Nell to Pa's and she cut up at creek. A snake bit Jack dog at Pa's in eve.
Mon. 6th. Bright and quite warm all day. Willie and I went in cart early to Pa's and we hauled in 10 loads of corn, 5 in morn and 5 in eve from new ground (very good corn). Mr. B Chambers dined at Pa's. Julia got very warm and worried in eve and limped with her shoulder. Beulah W stayed here last night and again tonight.
Tue. 7th. Bright, cooler in morn but warm in eve. Willie and I rode early to Pa's and Pa, Bud, Dick and I hauled in 6 loads of corn in morn and 5 in eve from new ground. Dick took fever late in eve and Bud came home with Willie and me late in eve and got some pills and salts for him. I had a dull headache all night before last and all day yesterday but it left me early last night. Beulah W here yet.
Wed. 8th. Bright and warm. Beulah W and Rena rode Julia and I walked early to Pa's and Pa, Bud and I hauled in 5 loads of corn in morn and 1 just after dinner and finished. We hauled in 27 loads in all- about 162 bbls. Dick is better and up today. Pa gave me a cartload of corn which I brought home and some Irish potatoes and fresh meal and Beulah and Rena on cart at 4 1/2 in eve. Bud came across creek to Clarissa's house with us.
Thu. 9th. Bright and quite cool from N. Willie and I picked over bottom of Gate cut, part of Persimmon cut and cut by front and all of new ground and got 30 pds cotton by 11. I leveled corn in barn and fixed 2 bbls for shelled peas at 11 to 12. Nellie and Dixie washed at 9 to 12. Nellie had trouble with machine all yesterday and this morn. Willie rode Julia and I rode Nell to town in eve. Nell cut up at Sims' yardgate. We met Mr. D there. I got a shuttle for Nellie from Mrs Carroll and 4 pds coffee, and 1/2 doz thread from Mrs L Beaumont and 10 cts candy from Watson and 10 cts smoking tobacco for Mr. D. Beulah W still here. We returned at sunset.
Fri. 10th. Bright and quite cool and dry from N. Willie rode Julia to Pa's early in morn and he, Beulah and I picked about 100 pds of peas in hull on poor end of Gate cut by H ridge by 11. I got some grapes for children at 11 to 12 in pasture. Willie and I picked and threshed out about 3 pecks of peas on H ridge just beyond potatoe patch in eve. Mrs Wigner stopped by for Beulah late in eve. She and Miss Katie F had been to town.
Sat. 11th. Clear and quite cool in morn early and at night. 1 of Mr. Sims' mules got in field last night and I drove them home early in morn. Willie, Rena and I picked about 110 pds of peas in hull in poor end of Gate cut by 11 1/2 in morn. I dug up some ground and planted and manured 2 packages of radish seed in eve. Bud here most of eve. Mr. Alex Newman came out here with Lewis late in eve and rode Bud's horse to Pa's at sunset.
Sun. 12th. Bright and pleasant from N. Dixie, Willie and I went to Sunday School. Nellie and Rena stayed home. Mr. D held school (he came home last Monday). Beau C came home with us (and Gussie) and dined here. Bud came home with Mr. D's folks to dine and here late in eve. All of us but Willie went to Methodist Church in Woodville at night. I rode Nell and Nellie and Rena rode Julia and Dixie rode Rosa. We returned at 10 1/4 at night. Mr. Brown preached.
Mon. 13th. Bright and pleasant in morn, cloudy some and warmer in eve - wind from NE. Dixie, Willie, Rena and I picked peas on H ridge on end this way till 11. I beat out all we picked - about 1 1/2 bus in morn. Willie and I picked and threshed about 3 pecks in eve.
Tue. 14th. Bright, pleasant and a dry N wind. It is getting very dry. Dixie, Willie, Rena and I picked peas on H ridge out far end till 11 in morn and I threshed all - about 1 1/2 bus. Willie, Rena and I picked and threshed about 3 pecks on far end of H ridge in eve. Alice and baby here in eve. Nellie and Dixie quilted.
Wed. 15th. Bright, pleasant and dry wind from E in morn and N in eve. Willie, Rena and I picked and threshed 1 bu of peas in poor end of Gate cut by 12 in morn and about 3 pecks in poor end of Cherry cut in short rows by path in eve. Nellie and Dixie quilted.
Thu. 16th. Bright, pleasant and very dry. Dixie, Willie, Rena and I picked peas in poor end of Gate cut till 11 1/2 in morn and got 60 in hull and about 1/2 by threshed ones. Willie, Rena and I finished poor end of Gate cut in 1 hour after dinner and picked on poor end of Cherry cut in short rows balance of eve and got about 3 pecks.
Fri. 17th. Clear, cool and very dry from N. Willie, Rena and I picked peas in far SE corner of H ridge till 11 1/2 in morn and got 45 in hulls and 1/2 bu threshed ones. Nellie and Dixie washed in morn. Willie, Rena and I picked and threshed about 1/2 bu of peas in short rows on poor NE end of Cherry cut in eve. I grabbled some potatoes late in eve.
Sat. 18th. Clear and cool - very dry. Willie, Rena and I picked peas in hull on hilltop in Cherry cut till 11 1/2 in morn and got about 85 pds. Willie rode Julia and I rode Nell to Cohen's in eve at 2 to 5 and got 1 bu fresh meal, 6 3/4 pds pork, 3 pds sugar, 1 gal coal oil, and a pocketknife a piece for Willie and Rena. Clara here in eve. Dick came with her and went on to Cohen's and stopped here at dusk.
Sun. 19th. Bright and pleasant wind from S. Thundered far off in SW late in eve. Dixie and Rena rode Julia and I rode Nell to Sunday School in morn. Mr. D and I held school together. He is sick (but there). Nellie and Willie stayed home. Dixie and I came home to dinner. Rena stopped at Mr. D's. Nellie rode Julia, Dixie rode Rosa and I rode Nell to chapel at 2 to 5 3/4 in eve. Dr West preached. We stopped at Pa's at 2. Ma is sick in bed with headache. Uncle Gus and Nannie there. They came yesterday eve.
Mon. 20th. Bright till 10 and clouded up from SE then rained a good shower at 3 to 4 in eve. Dixie, Willie, Rena and I picked 120 pds of peas in hull in morn on upper side of Cherry cut to sasafrass stump. Nellie rode Julia to Pa's at 1 1/2 to 4 1/2 in eve. Willie and I picked and threshed about 1 peck of peas in Cherry cut and rain ran us home at 3. We got nearly wet.
Tue. 21st. Bright and warm and damp S wind. Showered some in eve but none here. Dixie, Willie, Rena and I picked 120 pds in hull in Cherry cut in morn. Willie, Rena and I picked and threshed 3 pecks there in eve. I took headache in morn and suffered all eve and night with it and ate nothing at night.
Wed. 22nd. Cloudysome all day and a dark thunder cloud passed around from NE to SE with good deal of thunder at 2 to 4 . It did not rain here but turned cool from N in eve. I suffered all last night untill 1 today with headache and vomiting. It left me late in eve. I took a dose of soda and 2 alt pills at 11 1/2 which acted well at 7 to 10 at night. Dixie, Willie, Rena and I picked about 100 pds of peas in hull from 8 to 11 in morn in Cherry cut and Willie, Rena and I picked and threshed about 3 pecks there in eve. Bud came there late in eve and he drove Mr. Sims' mare and 3 mules out of my field and he borrowed my gun at sunset.
Thu. 23rd. Bright and cold - N wind all day. Willie, Rena, Dick D and I picked peas in Cherry cut all day. We got 160 pds in hull in morn and about 1 bu threshed ones in eve. Dick picked about 70 pds all day. Rena didn't pick in eve. Clara and cousin Nannie came here at 1. Cousin Nannie stayed all night.
Fri. 24th. Bright and cold enough for frost early in morn (I think) but too dry and windy. Willie, Rena and I picked about 80 pds peas in hull on lower side of Cherry cut by 12. Dick D, Willie and I picked and threshed about 3 pecks in eve and finished last of peas. Dick brought us a piece of beef at 1. Cousin Nannie went to Mr. D's in eve and stayed all night. Mr. D left for Centerville at 1. Dick ate supper here at night.
Sat. 25th. Cloudy and chilly in morn - wind from E but warmer in eve. It began to rain late and lasted all night. I rode Nell and Willie rode Julia to town in morn and I bought 5 yds jeans, 2 yds black cambric, and 3 coat buttons for Willie, and I got a pair of shoes and socks for him, and a pair of shoes for myself, $1.00 worth coffee, 4 spools thread, 1 plug of tobacco, and 20 cts coffee for Clarissa from Kaiser and paid for all except for $1.15 on my shoes. Judge Van Eaton spoke at 1 to 2. We returned at 4 in eve. Cousin Nannie went to Pa's in eve.
Sun. 26th. It began to rain early in night last night and lasted all today till 3 in eve from SE. A soaking rain - the first we have had in a long time. All of us stayed in house most of day. Lewis here late in eve.
Mon. 27th. Cloudy some but bright and a little cool from N - very wet in morn. I rode to Mr. Sims early in morn and carried some of his papers home. I cleaned out spring and fixed water gap at 10 to 11. Dick D came by at 10 going to Cohen's and stopped again at 1 to 2 1/2 and dined here. I ran the stove pipe through the top of kitchen roof and daubed around it at 1 to 2. Willie and I picked over all of new ground cotton and patch by front and got about 20 pds in eve. I put a new handle in my axe late in eve.
Tue. 28th. Cloudy and cool, wind from NE - began to drop rain at 2 in eve and lasted all eve and most of night. Willie, Rena and I picked over all of cotton in field and got about 20 pds by 10 in morn. Willie, Rena and I hauled a cart load of hay (for potatoes) at from 1 to 2 in eve and packed up some wood at 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 and I put a rivet in Willie's new knife late in eve.
Wed. 29th. Bright but some dark clouds and cool N wind. I rode to Cohens' at 9 to 11 1/2 in morn and got 1 bu meal, 3 spools black thread, 1 pd soda, and 6 of sugar and paid for all. Willie, Rena and I tried to dig my slip patch in Dewberry cut at 1 to 2 1/2 in eve but they were not worth digging. They were planted late and had bad season and didn't make it. Bud and Dick here late in eve and ate some sugar cane.
Thu. 30th. Bright and quite cool - wind and clouds from N or NE. Dick D came in morn and he and I cut and mat layed all of stubble cane on W side of patch and nearly 1/2 of plant cane on E side by 11 1/2 in morn. Mary and Clara came in eve. Dick and I tried most of eve to get Dick's horse to cover Julia but he wouldn't.
Fri. 31st. Clear and cool - wind from N or NE. Rena and I went on cart to Pa's early in morn and we dug Pa's potatoes and got them all hauled in (2 cartloads) by 1. Bud and Dick came back with us and Lewis, Seymour and Jack helped us and we dug our potatoes and hauled them home(2 cartloads) by sunset. All of boys but Jack ate supper here before dark and left at dusk.