February 2016 – The Diaries of Charles Luke Keith Jr

SUMMARY OF CHARLES LUKE KEITH JR.S’ 1848 DIARY

Luke and his wife, Jerusha, left the old farm in Pavilion, New York for Comstock, Michigan on January 25, 1848 (although the ledger was printed for the year 1847) and he kept a ledger of expenses during the trip. They arrived at his father’s farm on February 26. Their goods arrived on April 20 and they moved to their own farm on May 24. On September 14 they moved into their new house. Jerusha died at 7:10 a.m. on September 23.

Also gives dimensions for building a sleigh body.

According to entries in later diaries, he “landed” in Comstock in 1837. It is believed that at some point after his first wife, Minerva Payson, died he returned to New York and married Jerusha Crittenden. Then in 1848 they made this move to Michigan.

The following receipt is dated January 25, 1848, the same date that Luke and Jerusha left New York for Michigan, and lists the items that they received from the estate of Jerusha’s father, Jairus Crittenden. Jairus died June 22, 1843; however, it probably wasn’t until after the death of his wife, Eunice (Sprague) Crittenden on July 1, 1847, that their possessions were divided among their descendants.

The receipt reads as follows:

Recd Covington Jany 25th 1848 of the personal property of Jairus Crittenden subject to a final dividend of the Said Estate the following articles at the prices annexed

One span mares 70.00
” Two horse harness 15.00
” ” ” waggon 20.00
3 wooden Bowls 1.12
2 ” Boxes .88
1 Tea Canister .25
1 Doz Cake Molds .31
1 Grater & Cake Cutter .18
4 Bushels Wheat 9/- 4.50
5 ” Corn 4/- 2.50
amounting to $114.74

C. L. Keith
Jerusha C Keith

Share of personal property from Fathers Estate to each heir $77.91

Henry Cruttenden Executor
Jairus Cruttendens Estate

This map shows the route they took, and some of the stops they made, during the trip.

A – Pavilion, New York
B – Lockport, New York
C – Lewiston, New York
D – Beamsville, Ontario, Canada
E – Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
F – Beachville, Ontario, Canada
G – Louisville, Ontario, Canada
H – Windsor, Ontario, Canada
I – Battle Creek, Michigan
J – Comstock, Michigan

Click on a page number below to continue

1839 DIARY OF CHARLES LUKE KEITH JR.

This seems to be more of a notebook with directions for something he was building, a ledger of expenses and dates when he played his violin at various functions.

The cover page entry reads June 8th 1840 Webster And Rowe here.

The reverse side of that page has instructions which are very hard to read but appear to be: Between main bolts 2 ____ Ex 2.2/4 wide; 3 feet 4 in between _____; 4 [or 7 or 9] feet between struts[?]; then he added the numbers which appear to be 200, 252 and 43 which totaled 492.

Next page – Comstock Oct 26 1839

James Reynolds Dr. To Repairing Wagon $3.50
Ralph Tuttle Dr. To one Buggy wood $40.00
James Billings one Buggy 35.00
Jesse Earl one wagon 24.00
E Stetson one cutter 12.00
Squire White one cutter 12.00
Harvey Keith one Sleigh 21.00
__ Luddenton one Sleight Box 12.00
Eldred one wagon Wood 25.00
Durgy one Sleigh 7.00
Tuttle one Sleigh 12.00
Wiseman one cutter 30.00
Alvan Hood one wagon 25.00
Ransom repairing wagon 9.50
Flanders one cutting box 4.00
[Total] $272.00

The next page has the names L. Payson and Luke Keith and amounts but it is hard to tell which amounts belong to Payson and which to Keith, but total up to $10.32.

The next page shows C. L. Keith and a column of numbers with a total of $17.16.

Next page – C. L. Keith and Minerva Payson was married April 23d 1839
C. L. Keith and Jerusha Cruttenden was married July 25th 1847
C. L. Keith and Sarah Crawford wer married Nov 14th 1849

Next page – H. Crawford Dr to coat trimmings 0.42
To one pair boots 2.25

There are four blank pages and then:
July 3d 1840 Attended a party at G. Davises and played for the Company $10.00
January 14th 1841 Attended a party at Comstock and played for the company 5.00
Feb 23 1844 Attended a party at Charles Whitcombs 2.50
Attended a party at James Earls 1.50
Attended a party at Grisels 7.00
Attended A party at Wm Earls 3.00

Next page – Attended A party At H. W. Hatches $2.50
Attended A party At H. W. Hatches $2.00
Attended A party At Smiths $4.00
Attended A party at Johnsons 00.62
Attended A party At Balys $3.00
At willcuts $1.00
Attended A party at Ludingtons January 28th 1844 2.42
Attended A party at Wm Earls Jan 9th 1844 2.00

Next page – Attended A party At H. N. Tubbs November 21st 1844 paid me two Dollars $2.00
Attended A party At Augusta Sept 26th 1845 $2.00
Attended A party at Mr Vorses October 30th 1845 $2.50
Attended A party At Warren Wilcuts Nov 13th 1845 $2.00
Attended a party at Warren Spauldings January 1st 1846 $2.00

There are seven blank pages and then:
November the first 1839 Attended A quilting at C. Galligans and Played for the Company $1.75
November the 12 1839 Attended A party at Mr. Davises and played for the Company $00.00
November the 20 1839 Attended A party at Cumstock or A wedding rather*
December the 12 1839 Attended A party at Mr Davises and played for the Company $5.00
[Total] $6.75

Next page – December the 28 1839 Attended A party at G. Wheelers and played for the Company $2.50
January the first 1840 Attended a party at Allegan played for the company $15.00
January the 9th 1840 Attended a party at H. Keiths and played for the company $2.00
January the 14th 1840 Attended a party at __ Wisemans and played for the company $4.00
February the 19th 1840 Attended a party at Comstock and played for the company $5.00

Two blank pages and then:
C. L. Keith Covington
June 1st 1839

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* From Luke’s 11-20-1879 diary entry: Forty years ago to night I played for a Wedding party at Comstock. D. M. Hall and Matila Newman wer married. Also, a search of Ancestry.com shows a family tree (Lisa Grace Warren Family Tree) wherein Daniel Mason Hall (1816-1891) married Matilda D. Newman (1820-1908) about 1840