1868 DIARY OF CHARLES LUKE KEITH JR.[1]
Jan 1[2] – Snows some about 3 in 24 Abz.[3] Went over to Burg[4] Bot Ethan[5] suit cloths 23 Dollars. Paid taxes 31.65 stamps 10¢. Party at Jesse Earls.
Jan 2 – Put in wagon ex for Jesse Earl. Pleasant day
Jan 3 – Put in ____ for Jo Lee[6] he paid ____ 50¢. _____________. Wes[7] Boy[8] Born.
Jan 4 – Lamkins called here. Made spoke _____. Wes got ____ foot boards whitewood inch.
Jan 5 – At home all day.
Jan 6 – Made spoke. Went to burg got braces for Dick Lamkins. Bot _____ and _____ 13¢. Went over in Evening Bot shoes for girls 4.50 oil 35. _____ came to board.
Jan 7 – Helped York[9] butcher two pigs. Good day.
Jan 8 – Took Sis and Jim[10] up to Yorks. Lamkins got his _____. Ethan and girls went to Simmons to a party.
Jan 9 – Worked in shop made seat for sleigh. Very cold and blustering 1 Abz.
Jan 10 – 4 Abz blustering. Went up to Yorks after Sis. Worked in shop some on small slead.
Jan 11 – Cut and drawed some wood. Ethan went down to Catharines.[11] Let Ethan have 25¢ Nancy[12] 5¢. Put slead together. Went up to Schrams after some potatoes got none. Mr Schrams sister started for home. _____ my sleigh. Ethan went down to Catharines.
Jan 12 – At home all day. Went over to burg just at night after girls.
Jan 13 – Cold 4 Abz. Good sleighing. Went over to burg got bar soap salearatas[13] 40¢ candy 6¢. Got Ethans Boots tapt 1.00. Filed saw for Ridler.
Jan 14 – Cold. Finished Jims slead. Cold.
Jan 15 – At home. Tinkered run bot balls &c.[14] Andrew Aldrich[15] died.
Jan 16 – Shelled some corn and chored round. Went up to Yorks in morning.
Jan 17 – Went down to Catharines. Lucy[16] sick. Andrew Aldrich buried.
Jan 18 – Cold Abz. Good sleighing. Went over to burg. Got tub at Blackburns.
Jan 19 – At home all day. Ethan and girls went down to Catharines. Wing got the last of his corn.
Jan 20 – Went to Comstock to mill 4 bushels wheat 4 corn. Got sack buckwheat flour. Went to the new mill Browns.
Jan 21 – Worked on tub for Stranger to burg
Jan 22 – Finished tub. Got seven bushels potatoes of Mr Schram. Dicks Taylor came over to see about his job. Went over to burg in Evening. He paid 30__.
Jan 23 – Round home all day.
Jan 24 – Cut and drawed some wood. Shaved out axhelve for Ridler.
Jan 25 – Shot pig. Shelled some corn. Mrs Courtney here. Ethan and girls go a sleighing to Kalamazoo.
Jan 26 – Went down to Catharines.
Jan 27 – 16 Blz.[17] Cut down wood. Went over to burg. Sent 3 Dollars by Mrs Barber.
Jan 28 – Hung ax for O. D. Schram. Mr Courtny came over to see what I asked for my farm. Mended Jim Thorntons mittens.
Jan 29 – Cut one load wood. D. Lamkins got his violin. Very cold and blustrous.
Jan 30 – At home. Cut some wood. Very cold day.
Jan 31 – Carried Lois[18] down to Catharines. Toot[19] considerable better. Went up to Marks[20] got a few turnips.
Feb 1 – 3 below zero. Drawed two loads wood. Went up to schrams went over to Burg.
Feb 2 – 24 Abz. At home all day.
Feb 3 – Cold 26 Below zero. Worked on car coupler.
Feb 4 – 20 Abz. Went up to Wes after pickles. Left Lousea. Went over to burg bot spool thread 10.
Feb 5 – Took Dicks violin apart and glued top. Mark & Lasher came up here with Alvans[21] Colts.
Feb 6 – 20 Abz. Put Dicks violin together. Uncle Tommy came here. Wiseman brot sewing machine here.
Feb 7 – At home all day. Flanders here.
Feb 8 – Cut one tree drawed one load wood. Went over to burg. T Flanders[22] left. Snowey afternoon.
Feb 9 – Lots snow not very cold 24 Abz.
Feb 10 – Cold 21 Below zero. Worked on machine for Blackburns man. Some on bob Tung.
Feb 11 – Finished Browns bob Tung. Dick got his violin George Rogers with him.
Feb 12 – Worked on machine for Blackburns man. Rade down to A Browns.[23] Went over to Burg got albums and shawl of Mrs Barber.
Feb 13 – Hung ax for Ethan. Finished machine for Young. Went over to burg carried machine over bot vest 3.00. Got 4 for making machine.
Feb 14 – Went up to Wesleys to get him to go to burg. Sarah[24] went up to Yorks.
Feb 15 – Went over to burg with Hogs sold six weighed 720 lbs 4 cts 28.80 cts. Carried Sarah over to D. K.s. Harry Streator stayed all night.
Feb 16 – Pleasant 20 Abz. Went over to burg after Sarah.
Feb 17 – Worked on machine for Dicks man. Went over after some brads & tacks[?].
Feb 18 – 4 Abz pleasant. Went to Kalamazoo bot copper plate 1.25. Sarah went down to Marks.
Feb 19 – Finished machine carried it over in Evening. Young paid 2.00. Bot pants cloth 6.00.
Feb 20 – Worked in shop on moddle some. Cleaned up wheat 4 bushels 1½ corn.
Feb 21 – Went to Comstock to mill carried 4 bushels wheat 1½ corn.
Feb 22 – Worked in shop. Hued some whiffletrees[25] and sawed of spokes. Mr Williams here made bargain for farm. Cold.
Feb 23 – Cool 8 Abz snows some wind blows hard blustering day.
Feb 24 – 24 Abz. Went over to burg. Sarah went to Barbers. Mark got his glass. Went over in Evening after Sarah. Mr Schram here.
Feb 25 – Worked in shop on car cuplers made plates hued some spokes.
Feb 26 – Went up to B Hartwels. Snow. Went up to Wesleys. Mr Schram and Issac down here to file saw. Toot Lee SKrewd to night I guess so.[26]
Feb 27 – Killed captain pig Mr Courtny helped. Stormy day.
Feb 28 – Snowey day. Went over to Burg. Oscar[27] came up. Frank Clark buried to day.
Feb 29 – Went over to burg got irons forged. Caty[28] came. Alfleda[29] went to the creek with Oscar. Mr Griffin buried to day.
Mar 1 – Went down to Catharines with Caty Chaffee. Very Blustering the hardest storm we have had.
Mar 2 – ___ Abz very Blustrous hard storm lots snow. Went over to burg after Oscar he no come.
Mar 3 – M O. Streator came to see if I had sold. Went over to burg. Oscar came back. Had a rade in Evening. Cold night.
Mar 4 – Cold 11 below zero. Went over to burg made some irons. Caty went over to Manda Clarks. George Rogers brot machine.
Mar 5 – Went over to burg got my irons finished[?]. Alfleda came on mail train. Oscar went home. Rainy Evening.
Mar 6 – Rainy day snow went of. Mr Schram made whiffletree. Worked on my cupler.
Mar 7 – Rainy morning. Worked on cupler some. Lois went down with Mart Millham.[30]
Mar 8 – Pleasant day. Very high water upper bridge went off.
Mar 9 – Worked on cupler some. Catharine came up. Alfleda here. Mr Streator called.
Mar 10 – Sent letter to Patty.[31] Worked on cupler.
Mar 11 – At home. Worked on cupler some. Sarah went up to Milfords. Mr Burgess called here to take some land.
Mar 12 – Worked on cupler some. Catharine here. Recd letter from Henry Crawford an from H. Keith.
Mar 13 – Worked on cupler most of the day.
Mar 14 – Sarah went up to Wesleys. Finished one cupler. George Tomlinson[32] came here from Kalamazoo.
Mar 15 – Went down to Catharines with George and York.
Mar 16 – Extracted one tooth for and filled one for George Rogers he paid 50¢. Went up to John Ralphs to see his Colts.
Mar 17 – Mr Schram shelled some corn.
Mar 18 – At home. George here. Wes went over to Barry after McAlister.
Mar 19 – Setled up the matters here. Bot 35 acres of the old farm. April pleasant snowed in fore part of day.
Mar 20 – George started for home. May pleasant fore part of the month stormy latter part first part cool. Got letter from Battlecreek.
Mar 21 – Pleasant and cool June sun came out in the morning snowed some. Mr Thayer called in morning got money.
Mar 22 – Sarah went to burg. Ida Barber here. Pleasant.
Mar 23 – Went up to Yorks got saw. Lucy here. Mart came over and stayed all night.
Mar 24 – Mr Burgess came over let him have East lot to plant. ____ Matthews here in afternoon.
Mar 25 – Rainy morning. Sarah went down to Catharines. I made saw buck. Mr Burgess drawed some manure. Sarah went down to Catharines.
Mar 26 – Worked on cupler. Put ax together. Went over to burg got my belt 1.50 bot violin string 30¢.
Mar 27 – Made long handle to chisel to trim appletrees. Went down to Catharines.
Mar 28 – Came home. Stoped to Jo Lees got dinner. Pleasant day. Shugar party to Mr Randalls over to Jesse Earls.
Mar 29 – Pleasant moring. Found Wills boots. Went up to Wes and Yorks. Pleasant.
Mar 30 – Worked around yard. Carried Cate up to Wesleys. Tried to make soap. Warm day.
Mar 31 – Pleasant and warm. Worked up to corners some. Drawed some rails.
Apr 1 – Went down to Marks and Charles Lees to see Alvans colt. Recd letter from C R Cridland.[33] Pleasant day.
Apr 2 – Worked round home. Lois came home.
Apr 3 – Put rockers on Mrs Courtneys chair. Made wheels for carts. Sent 2 bushls wheat to mill one of corn.
Apr 4 – At home. Worked in shop some.
Apr 5 – At home all day.
Apr 6 – Went to burg to town meeting.
Apr 7 – Went to Kalamazoo to look after a team. Him sold. No see um.
Apr 8 – Worked in shop on carts for Courtney. Cool.
Apr 9 – Worked on carts finished them. Bot stencil plate for Sarah 20. Mrs Courtney bot one of Roberts Gale by Herd[?].
Apr 10 – Went up to Milfords helped load two loads goods. Mr Courtney moved. Pleasant day.
Apr 11 – Went down to Marks to see about colts. Rained hard.
Apr 12 – At home all day. Harry Streator here all day.
Apr 13 – Cut down one locust tree trimed some. Went up to Wesleys. Carra and Ella Wiseman here. Milford & Lu Ward left.
Apr 14 – Worked in shop some.
Apr 15 – Started to go down to Marks met Mark & Alvin. Came back and tried the colts on plow. Rainy.
Apr 16 – Stormy afternoon. Went to burg to see harness. Made whiffletrees for Mr Schram.
Apr 17 – Rainy morning. Went down to Charles Lees. Bot span colts of Alvan Lee paid 2.50.
Apr 18 – Run out my land. M O Streator and Wes helped. Babcock had a sale I bot harness of Carmer 45 dollars. Sarah went over to Burg stayed all night.
Apr 19 – All well. Went over to burg just at night after Sarah.
Apr 20 – Ethan got out manure. I made me some whiffletrees for my sef ____ warm day.
Apr 21 – Pleasant morning. Miss Brown came here stayed all night.
Apr 22 – Worked round home. Went up to B. Hartwells. Got neck yoke turned.
Apr 23 – Cut some wood and fence blocks. Got Nancys box.
Apr 24 – Went down west with Nancy to distribute her things.
Apr 25 – Cut and burnt up some old logs on the hill south of barn. Ancil Birge[34] died.
Apr 26 – Cam & Zett came up after Lois. Warm day. Andrew & Sally Turner[35] came here.
Apr 27 – Went over to burg got my neck yoke & whiffletrees. Made part of boat.
Apr 28 – Finished my boat. Drawed brush out of orchard. Rained all night made grass & wheat look well.
Apr 29 – Luke Whitcomb[36] buried. Went down to Catharines with colts. Let Birg have 5 bushls wheat. Shaved out wagon neap.[37] Some rainy.
Apr 30 – Cloudy morning. Worked on fence on side hill East side of farm on the road.
May 1 – Went over to burg in morning. Drawed some brush.
May 2 – Drawed some brush. Went up to Wesleys. Drawed some rails. Jim cut up some.
May 3 – At home. Set some stakes on line in woods. Very warm.
May 4 – At home all day working round home. Got Cate home.
May 5 – Laid up fence on the west line and north.
May 6 – Mark and Ann came up here. Drawed some rails.
May 7 – Thursday plowed garden drawed some rails.
May 8 – Ethan helped Birge plant potatoes. Carried Mark home. Plowed som west of orchard. Got 8 bushels corn.
May 9 – Drawed some rails. Plowed some. Ethan went to Niles.[38] Done Yorks chores.
May 10 – Done Yorks chores. Lois and Sam came up went over to burg with Sam. T Flanders came.
May 11 – Planted corn for Birge in forenoon he plowed for me. Laid up fence in afternoon. T Flanders left.
May 12 – Cloudy morning. Laid up some fence. Ethan came home. Rained all night.
May 13 – Rainy day. Carried 2 bushels wheat to mill one of corn. No work to day. Rainy night.
May 14 – Rainy. Laid up some fence on hill.
May 15 – Drawed some rails and finished my fence on hill south of orchard. Rainy and warm. Took Tea to R. Barbers.
May 16 – Went up to Phill Martins to see about patent agency &c. Had a heavy shower. Lucy here. Nancy went over to Burg.
May 17 – At home all day. Went up in woods. Had a heavy shower. Ira Joy brot Brown over in rain.
May 18 – At home to work. Moved west fence to lane south barn.
May 19 – A. Brown had Jim plowed him all day. Cultivated garden with Bill.[39]
May 20 – Plowed all day west of orchard. Colts went first rate. Warm day.
May 21 – Warm day. Plowed west of orchard finished plowing.
May 22 – Dragged corn ground in forenoon. Rained. Mrs Ash cleaned kitchen. John took my strawcutter to Kalamazoo.
May 23 – Worked some on corn marker.
May 24 – Carried Lois down to Marks. Brot up Julias[40] churn.
May 25 – Finished corn Mark marked corn ground. Got some seed corn of Wes planted some. Old Mrs Brown[41] Died in night.
May 26 – Finished planting. Rained some. Sarah went down to Mr Streators.
May 27 – Moved fence East lane fence. Rainy day. Old Mrs Brown buiried to day.
May 28 – Planted corn for York finished planting the field.
May 29 – Moved stumps and stuf where fence stood.
May 30 – York plowed the old lane south of barn. Sent 2 bushels wheat to mill. Pleasant day.
May 31 – At home all day. Hannah[42] came home from burg sick.
Jun 1 – Went over to burg got Wightman over to see hannah. Dragged lane. Catharine came down.
Jun 2 – Planted potatoes in old lane south of barn.
Jun 3 – Planted beans and chored round.
Jun 4 – Mark came up and helped fix well. Went down to Ed Hoges old place got sulky.
Jun 5 – Rainy day. Put pump in well and fixed for the platform.
Jun 6 – Rainy in morning. Mr Birge came over to look at farm. Plastered corn. Fixed Eve troughs for H. A. Taylor.
Jun 7 – At home most of the day. Went down to A Browns with old cow no find Bull.
Jun 8 – Went over to Burg got boots tapt. Let Bill Chroder have six dollars worth pennies. Sarah stayed with Adeline.[43]
Jun 9 – Mrs Schram died.[44] Schram[45] started for Ohio.[46] Went over to burg got boots 1.00. Got some slats of Blackburn. Put springs into Adelines bed. She died. Commenced cultivating corn.
Jun 10 – Finished cultivating one way. Mrs Ash drove her hogs down this morning. Went over to Burg got gin. Cut figures for W. A. Blake. Lois here in Evening.
Jun 11 – Pleasant morning. At home choring round.
Jun 12 – Hoed garden. Went up to E M Clapps to rasing. Raised old barn a gain.
Jun 13 – Hoed some in garden. Jo Lee and wife[47] here awhile. Birge planted corn in garden.
Jun 14 – Warm 83 in shade morning 104 in sun. Carried Lois down to Marks.
Jun 15 – Went up to H Clintons. Had a shower in morning. 31 years to day I landed in Comstock. Went to burg bot Dress for Sarah and hoops hat 10.
Jun 16 – Had a shower in morning. Went up to Dick Lamkins. Mowed yard and some in orchard.
Jun 17 – Mowed orchard. Very warm day.
Jun 18 – Raked up hay did not get it in got some wet.
Jun 19 – Worked on road. Had a heavy shower in fore noon. Pleasant afternoon some rain middle of July.
Jun 20 – Worked on road in forenoon. Very warm. Went over to burg got Nancys box goods from Boston. Cloudy and cool some rain latter part of Aug.
Jun 21 – At home. Cool and wet fore part of day. Joy brot Brown home.
Jun 22 – Went up to Dick Lamkins in morning. Cut some grass up to Wes in afternoon side road.
Jun 23 – Mowed round my grass in forenoon. Mr Butler called here. Ethan worked for Plank in afternoon.
Jun 24 – Drawed load of hay down from Wesleys.
Jun 25 – Raked up some hay out north on Browns. Ethan cultivated corn.
Jun 26 – Set brush heap on fire. Drawed two loads wood. Ethan cultivated corn. Plank getting up his hay.
Jun 27 – Cut some grass for Bill. Ethan finished cultivating. Mr Thayer called here. Sarah went in to burg stayed all night.
Jun 28 – Went up to Yorks milked his cows. Doc Lambern called here. Very hot.
Jun 29 – Mowed grass in lot north.
Jun 30 – Mowed all day. Warm.
Jul 1 – Cutting grass. Very hot.
Jul 2 – Finished mowing on Browns. Had a heavy shower.
Jul 3 – Raked up hay. T. Flanders came here.
Jul 4 – Went over to burg in Evening. Went down to A Browns got pail of peas. Ethan gone to Kalamazoo. Hot 100 in shade.
Jul 5 – T. Flanders left. Stowel girl called here with Isaac Wings hired man french or dutch dont know which.
Jul 6 – Drawed in my hay from Browns lot one load for York. Had Yorks wagon gefired hot day.
Jul 7 – Hoed potatoes south of barn.
Jul 8 – Went up to Wesleys to see about hay. Went over in Milhams wheat field. Cut some grass in south lot.
Jul 9 – Went over to burg. Caravan & circus there.
Jul 10 – Hoed potatoes and beans south of barn.
Jul 11 – About sick. Drawed hay from south lot. Ethan cultivated corn. Very hot 98 in shade.
Jul 12 – Went in swimming. 100 in shade. Very hot. Catharine went home.
Jul 13 – Cut grass up to Wesleys. Very hot day. Mr Schram cut wheat.
Jul 14 – Worked up to Wes cutting hay. Very hot.
Jul 15 – Mr Thayer and Oscar here to Breakfast. Very hot. Not well. Had a shower. Ethan to work for Jo in wheat.
Jul 16 – Very hot no work to day. A Miss Johnson took dinner from Maumee Ohio going to Paw Paw. Ethan up to Yorks. Repaired violin for Charley ____.
Jul 17 – Very hot. Sarah gone up to Mr Swaddles. Had first cucumbers to day. Nancy and Hannah went down to Marks.
Jul 18 – Very hot 101 in shade. Took Old Cow down to A. Browns this morning. Ethan worked for York.
Jul 19 – Warm and dry 84 in shade in morning. Oscar here all day.
Jul 20 – Went to mill. Mart and Lucy stayed here all night. Jo finished cutting wheat.
Jul 21 – Cate had 14 pigs to day. Rained a little. Ethan to work for Brown drawing wheat in to barn.
Jul 22 – Cleared out old cornhouse. Ethan helped York draw wheat.
Jul 23 – Went up to Wes in morning. York drawing wheat. Bill kicked me.
Jul 24 – Ethan helping Mr Randal draw wheat. I finished mowing up to Wesleys. My cattle got into Mr Planks corn.
Jul 25 – Put up my hay up to Wesleys. John Cruttenden[48] killed by a stroke of lightning.
Jul 26 – Oscar here went up to Yorks went down to Catharines in afternoon.
Jul 27 – Drawed two loads hay from Wesleys. Jim had two cotilions[?].
Jul 28 – Working in corn some. Brown came home this morning.
Jul 29 – Went to Kalamazoo. Got Bounty money. My tax 14.51 Fathers 43.17.
Jul 30 – Went to burg made out papers for my place. Oscar went home. Rained some.
Jul 31 – Went over to burg. Sent of Nancys tickets. Sent Patty 10 Dollars 75 cents. Heavy shower. Mr Evers and girl called here.
Aug 1 – Not much done to day. Jo Lee and Lois called here.
Aug 2 – Went down to Catharines with Yorks folks.
Aug 3 – Hoed out Potatoes Beans &c. Ethan drawed Jim in sulky the first time he was Ever down a lane.
Aug 4 – Cleared out shop. Ethan cut ________ in pasture. Harnessed up Jim put him forward of sulky the first time.
Aug 5 – Went up to Wm Johnsons got two shovel plow on Lois account $7.00. Plowed corn with Jim first time.
Aug 6 – Plowing corn. Mr White got Beans & grindstone for Oscar. Lydia Barber and Mrs Quick here.
Aug 7 – Worked in corn some. Rained some. Lois and Nancy went over to burg.
Aug 8 – Worked in corn some. Made poke[49] for Bill. T Harden came here. Went down to Catharines.
Aug 9 – T Flanders went up to H. Clintons. We came home.
Aug 10 – Worked in corn in fore noon. Finished Bills poke. Rainy afternoon. Got some poles for Tomatoes.
Aug 11 – Rainy morning. Worked on corn some.
Aug 12 – Filed and set saw & put auger handle on for Wm Cook. He pd 50¢. Hoed corn.
Aug 13 – No work. Ethan finished plowing out corn. I made set whiffletrees for Jim & Will. Gaffing here.
Aug 14 – Made whiffletrees. Pleasant day. Dance up to Yorks last Evening. Went over to burg in Evening. Bot sundries 6.00.
Aug 15 – Lois went down to Jeffs.[50] Not much work to day.
Aug 16 – At home all day. Cool.
Aug 17 – Work round home.
Aug 18 – Carried two bushels wheat to mill.
Aug 19 – Went over to mill. Bot grindstone hangings 1.50. Made frame. Sarah went down to Streators. Bot Barrel salt 3.00.
Aug 20 – Hoed some corn. Finished grindstone frame. Horse show at burg.
Aug 21 – Worked in corn. Finished hoing.
Aug 22 – Went to Kalamazoo in afternoon with A. Brown. Bot Buggy pole and irons 2.45 shackles 1.50 hooks and ferrels 20¢.
Aug 23 – At home all day. Sarah went to church. Mr & Mrs Seaman here.
Aug 24 – Round home. A. Brown brot his churn.
Aug 25 – Worked on churn frame. Jim[51] sick all night.
Aug 26 – Warm and dry. Dr Wightman came over to see Jim. Finished Browns churn frame. Went over to burg in Evening. Ethan bot Boots.
Aug 27 – Mrs Betts[52] came to day. Ethan helped Mr Plank thrash. I done noting. Very hot.
Aug 28 – Hot and dry. Mr Comfort[53] came here stayed all night. Rained some. Ethan helped Mr Plank & A Brown.
Aug 29 – Comfort left this morning. Sarah and Mrs Betts went over to burg.
Aug 30 – Comfort came back. Wiseman came over. I cut his hair.
Aug 31 – Carried two bushels corn to mill. Comfort started for home. Rainy day. No work to day sick.
Sep 1 – Cloudy. At home sick no work.
Sep 2 – Sick no work.
Sep 3 – Sick no work. Commenced plowing south lot.
Sep 4 – Sick. Finished plowing.
Sep 5 – Sick.
Sep 6 – Sick.
Sep 7 – Sick.
Sep 8 – Sick.
Sep 9 – Sick.
Sep 10 – Sick.
Sep 11 – Sick.
Sep 12 – Sick.
Sep 13 – Sick.
Sep 14 – Sick.
Sep 15 – Old cow in. Ethan drawed some manure.
Sep 16 – Mr Birge cut up corn. Cool. Ethan drawed manure.
Sep 17 – Ethan drawing manure. Some frost this morning. Hannah came home. E Flanders got 3 pigs $3.00.
Sep 18 – Ethan cut some corn.
Sep 19 – Ethan cutting corn some.
Sep 20 – Mrs Betts went over to Burg with Mrs Ralph. Louesa[54] came home.
Sep 21 – Ethan cutting corn. Charley McCausy had my wagon to get his _____ with.
Sep 22 – Sarah went over to burg after Mrs Betts and some other traps.
Sep 23 – Nailed Ethans boots. T Flanders called here. Ethan finished cutting corn.
Sep 24 – Ethan drawed of corn. Bust__ and Alvan Lee called here.
Sep 25 – Lois came here. Ethan drawed corn.
Sep 26 – Finished drawing corn.
Sep 27 – At home all day. Jesse Earl came down brot his pants.
Sep 28 – Ethan drawed of pumpkin vine.
Sep 29 – Drawing manure. Sarah & Mrs Betts over to Planks. Lois up to Wes.
Sep 30 – Catharine and Hellen[55] here. Catharine went home. Rainy day.
Oct 1 – At home all day.
Oct 2 – Ethan work on wheat ground.
Oct 3 – To work on wheat ground. Pleasant.
Oct 4 – Pleasant day. Mrs Ash came up got her sow and pigs she paid 9 dollars.
Oct 5 – Pleasant day. Bot nine bushels wheat of A. Brown 22 dollars and 32 cents. Brown sowed the wheat.
Oct 6 – Ethan dragged all day. Nice day. Alfred Signor husked corn for Mr Birge.
Oct 7 – Rainy. Ethan finished dragging wheat. Lois came home from Streators.
Oct 8 – Cool day. Louesa and Mrs Betts gone to fair at Galesburg.
Oct 9 – Birge pulled his beans. Ethan went to the fair.
Oct 10 – I drawed one load wood carried sorgum barrels down to Fords. Went into the new schoolhouse. Ethan husked corn. Went down to Catharines.
Oct 11 – Sarah went to church.
Oct 12 – Ethan and the girls went over to Turners Island[?] Wakeshma.
Oct 13 – Ethan and girls came back. Rainy day.
Oct 14 – Worked round some. Went down to Catharines.
Oct 15 – Husked corn all day. Birge drawed one load corn.
Oct 16 – Husked corn all day. Birge drawed one load corn.
Oct 17 – Husked corn all day. Mrs Betts went over to burg with Mr Ralph.
Oct 18 – Cool and cloudy. At home all day.
Oct 19 – Husked corn.
Oct 20 – Husked corn. T. Flanders came over he husked.
Oct 21 – Husked corn. Sarah and Mrs Betts went over to burg. T Flanders left.
Oct 22 – Husked some corn. Got sorgum 39 galons. Ethan to work for Mr Birge digging pots drawing some.
Oct 23 – Husking som. Ethan digging potatoes for Birge.
Oct 24 – Dug scotch gray potatoes.
Oct 25 – Carried Mrs Betts over to Burg. Very fine day.
Oct 26 – Pleasant day. Finished husking corn. Ethan digging potatoes.
Oct 27 – Went over to Burg after Mrs Betts. Carried Bushel corn to mill. Sarah and Betts went up to Yorks.
Oct 28 – Mrs Earl Lib Hat Mrs Plank and Mrs Randal here. Made yard for pigs.
Oct 29 – Went down to Catharines had Birges team. Lois came up.
Oct 30 – Went to Kalamazoo to Mass Meeting with A. Brown. Horses got frightened run and broke buggy pole.
Oct 31 – Picked up some apples. Birge put his corn in barn.
Nov 1 – Sarah and Mrs Betts went to church. Picked up some apples.
Nov 2 – Mrs Betts left for Dowagiac.[56] Worked some on Browns Buggy pole.
Nov 3 – Went to Election.[57] Pleasant day. Worked on pole some.
Nov 4 – Carried 2 bushels wheat to mill. Birge finished digging potatoes.
Nov 5 – Made room for the hens in hog pen.
Nov 6 – All hands went down to Marks hunting an so forth.
Nov 7 – Dug some potatoes. Ethan went down to Catharines.
Nov 8 – Warm and rainy ten oclock morning stands at fifty Eight 58.
Nov 9 – Rainy. Worked on cupler.
Nov 10 – I finished digging potatoes. Birge finished husking corn.
Nov 11 – Snowey. Got cabbage into cellar. Birge came over and got his corn.
Nov 12 – Worked on cupler. Fine day.
Nov 13 – Worked on cupler in fore noon. Went down to Charles Lee[58] in afternoon. Went up to Jo Lees stayed all night.
Nov 14 – Went to Kalamazoo with Jo Lee bot leather for mittens. Pleasant day got
Nov 15 – Came home to day. Warm and pleasant. Got letter from L. L. King.[59]
Nov 16 – Worked on cupler some. Anna Stiles[60] died this morning.
Nov 17 – Anna was buried to day. Worked on cupler some.
Nov 18 – Worked on cupler. Charly Lee[61] here. Ethan and Charley choped wood some.
Nov 19 – Snowey. Worked on cuplers. Ethan and Charley choped wood. Sent 2 bushels wheat one of corn to mill.
Nov 20 – Worked on cuplers. Charley went home.
Nov 21 – Set cupler to Washington. Got Eight sheep of A. Brown let him have charley.
Nov 22 – Made cupler for Charley to take to Chicago.
Nov 23 – Ethan went to Kalamazoo with cupler. I went up to Robert Matthews to see cow.
Nov 24 – Put the cows in browns lot. Drawed two loads dirt from top of the big hill.
Nov 25 – At home to work in shop some on buggy pole.
Nov 26 – Worked on buggy pole some.
Nov 27 – Went down to Marks and Catharines. Pleasant day.
Nov 28 – Went to Kalamazoo with Jo and Mark. Rainy and snowey.
Nov 29 – Came home. Catharine came up with me. York brot up the blinds.
Nov 30 – Worked on well some fixed pump. Ethan drawed some wood. Went over to burg. Bristol gone.
Dec 1 – Went over to burg. Sent letter to Washington.
Dec 2 – Went over to burg. Sent letter to Washing ton.
Dec 3 – Made mittens. Thrashed my Beens. Not very cold.
Dec 4 – Windy morning snowey. Thrashed Birges Beans.
Dec 5 – Warm thaws some. Worked round House and Barn.
Dec 6 – At home all day.
Dec 7 – Worked round house some. School commenced. Went over to Burg.
Dec 8 – Went up to Mr Shermans put up his doors. Cold and Blustering. Carried girls to shool. Got Book.
Dec 9 – Blusterous. Went to mill 3 bushels wheat 1½ corn. Filed saw for Ridler. Carried girls to school.
Dec 10 – Cold went over to wmill got my grist. Carried girls to school.
Dec 11 – Cold 2 Below zero. Made frame for Mr Simmons slate. Sold my lever water to Charles Lee for slead. Sold my Revolver to Alvin Lee $25.
Dec 12 – Cold 2 Degrees below zero. Went down to Charles Lee after slead. Good sleigh.
Dec 13 – Snowes some. Killed two chickens.
Dec 14 – At home work in shop some painting. Emily Kendall died to day.
Dec 15 – Tinkering round home.
Dec 16 – Painting Blinds for Catharine.
Dec 17 – Painting blinds. Lucy came up here.
Dec 18 – Sarah went up to Wesleys. I painted Blinds. Went over to burg in Evening heard Bungay lecture on the coming ______.
Dec 19 – Sarah went over to Wisemans. Got Neckyoke mended. Bot paint Brush 75¢. Drawed load wood.
Dec 20 – Snow gone some in road windy morning.
Dec 21 – Painting blinds. Cold.
Dec 22 – Painting blinds.
Dec 23 – Painting blinds. Cold.
Dec 24 – Finished painting second coat. Lois came home. Very cold. Nancy sick. Mart got turkey.
Dec 25 – Cold 14 Abz in morning. Painting.
Dec 26 – Painted some. Cut down tree south of Barn. Jo and Lois Lee here. Cold. Nancy sick.
Dec 27 – Sarah went down to Catharines. Toot had a gal.[62] Doc Finch Brot Sarah home. Mr & Mrs Barber here in Evening.
Dec 28 – Nancy sick. Went up to Jim Ralphs no one at home. Decatur Susie Brown came over.
Dec 29 – Went up to Ralphs in morning got some cranberries. Went over to burg got Wightman[63] over to see Nancy. Wightman came over.
Dec 30 – At home no work. Cold winter weather. Wightman came over.
Dec 31 – Pleasant. Mark came up here. Doc came over.
Jan 1st 69 – Cold and Brustring. Ethan went down to Charles Lees.
Note in back of diary: Hiram Crawford[64] 430 North Clark St Chicago
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[1] Known better, and referred to, as Luke
[2] The entries for January 1 through 26 were in the back of his 1867 diary
[3] Above zero
[4] Galesburg, Michigan
[5] His son, Ethan Keith
[6] Joseph W. Lee, his paternal first cousin
[7] His brother, John Wesley Keith, who, according to the family Bible, was adopted
[8] Grant Wesley Keith
[9] Joseph York, the husband of his niece, Helen (Bradley) York
[10] His two youngest children, Louesa and James Clinton Keith
[11] His sister, Catherine (Keith) Bradley Lee
[12] His daughter, Nancy Keith
[13] Saleratus; sodium or potassium bicarbonate used as a leavening agent; baking soda
[14] Etc.
[15] A search at FindAGrave.com shows that Andrew C. Aldrich died January 15, 1868 and is buried at Galesburg City Cemetery, Galesburg, Michigan
[16] His niece, and Catherine’s daughter, Lucy Irene Lee
[17] Below zero
[18] His daughter by his first wife, Minerva Payson
[19] Lucy Lee’s nickname
[20] “Mark” is referred to quite often in Luke’s diaries and it is believed that he is referring to his cousin, Marquis de Lafayette Lee, the oldest son of Dr. Ezekiel and Elizabeth (Strong) Lee. The Lees were Mormons and moved to Nauvoo, Illinois, and eventually to the Salt Lake Valley in 1850. Mark stayed behind to run his father’s farm and was living with his aunt, Catherine (Keith) Bradley Lee
[21] His cousin, Alvan Lee
[22] Thomas Flanders, a neighbor
[23] Neighbor, Ambrose Brown, the father of Henry Brown, who would marry Luke’s daughter, Nancy
[24] His wife, Sarah (Crawford) Keith
[25] The pivoted horizontal crossbar to which the harness traces of a draft animal are attached and which is in turn attached to a vehicle or an implement
[26] Apparently his reference to the marriage of Lucy Lee to Martin Milham
[27] His nephew, James Oscar Keith
[28] His niece, Frances Catherine “Kate” (Keith) Chaffee
[29] His brother Harvey’s wife, Alfleda (Starr) Keith
[30] His niece Lucy (Lee) Milham’s husband
[31] His sister, Martha “Patty” (Keith) Sprague
[32] George was married to Luke’s niece, Marion (Sprague) Tomlinson
[33] Charles R. Cridland
[34] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that Ansel H. Birge died April 26, 1868 and is buried in McKain Cemetery, Pavilion, Michigan
[35] His cousins, Andrew J. Turner, and Sarah “Sally” (Davis) Turner (Andrew’s mother)
[36] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that Luke Whitcomb died April 27, 1868 and is buried in Mountain Home Cemetery, Kalamazoo, Michigan
[37] The pole, or tongue, of a cart
[38] Niles, Michigan
[39] Believe Jim and Bill were his horses
[40] Mark’s wife, Julia Ann Lee
[41] Ambrose Brown’s mother (and Henry Brown’s grandmother), Rhoba (Mason) Brown
[42] His daughter, Hannah Keith
[43] Adeline L. (Ferguson) Schram
[44] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that Adeline L. (Ferguson) Schram died June 9, 1868 and is buried in S. O. M. Road Cemetery (previously Willoughby Center Cemetery), Willoughby, Ohio
[45] Adeline’s husband, Isaac Schram
[46] Since Adeline is buried in Ohio, he apparently was taking her remains there
[47] Lois (French) Lee
[48] The brother of Luke’s second wife, Jerusha (Crittenden) Keith. From an unknown newspaper: Mr. John Cruttenden, a prominent and much respected citizen of Concord, was instantly killed on Saturday last by a stroke of lightning. Mr. C. was in the harvest field at the time of the sad occurrence, and was standing about ten feet from his reaper when the bolt descended. One of his horses was killed, and the driver, sitting upon the reaper between Mr. C. and the team, was stricken insensible and did not recover for several hours. Mr. Cruttenden’s skull was broken and his left side, arm and leg badly mutilated. He was sixty-eight years old
[49] A poke consisted of a leather strap which went around the horse’s neck and was attached to a hinged wooden bar which hung down in front of the horse. The hinge allowed the horse to graze, but kept the horse from getting through a fence
[50] Thomas Jefferson Chaffee Jr., the husband of Luke’s niece, Frances Catherine “Kate” (Keith) Chaffee
[51] His son, James Clinton Keith
[52] His mother-in-law, Nancy (Comfort) Crawford Betts
[53] Most likely Nancy Betts’ brother, either Francis or Stephen Comfort
[54] His youngest daughter, Louese Keith
[55] His niece, Helen (Bradley) York
[56] Dowagiac, Michigan
[57] Ulysses S. Grant, who ran against Horatio Seymour, became the 18th President of the United States
[58] Most likely his paternal first cousin, the son of Charles and Rhoda (Keith) Lee, and the brother of Joseph W. Lee
[59] His cousin, Levi Lincoln King
[60] Michigan, Deaths & Burials Index shows Anna Maria Styles, daughter of Nathan Styles, died November 16, 1868 at the age of 24
[61] Most likely Charles Jedediah Lee, the son of Charles Lee (see November 13 footnote). He and Ethan were very close in age
[62] Clara Almyra Milham, the daughter of Martin & Lucy (Lee) Milham
[63] Dr. George Wightman
[64] His wife Sarah’s brother
The Diaries of Charles Luke Keith Jr 