Luke Keith’s 1875 Diary

1875 DIARY OF CHARLES LUKE KEITH JR.[1] 

The entries from January 1 through June 28 were written in the back of his 1874 diary. There were no entries for June 29 until July 22 when he bought his 1875 diary.

Jan 1 – Jointed box boards. Ethan and Hannah[2] went down to Catharines.[3] Lois[4] came down in afternoon. Del[5] went to burg.[6]

Jan 2 – Worked in shop. Not very cold but blustrous.

Jan 3 – At home. Catharine and Jim Payne came up here.

Jan 4 – Cut some wood. Ethan drawed three loads. Cold, snowed some.

Jan 5 – Cold, mercury 7 below zero. Worked on box.

Jan 6 – Put cleets on box. Cold day.

Jan 7 – Cold. Not very well. Hard cold.

Jan 8 – Worked some in shop on chest.

Jan 9 – Worked on chest some. Mercury 10 Abz below in morning.

Jan 10 – Mercury 13 below zero, very cold. Found Jimme dead in the coop this morning. No sleighing, very little snow.

Jan 11 – Worked on chest. Very cold. Cut some wood.

Jan 12 – Worked in shop. Cut dovetails on chest. Cold day, snowed some. Went up to Flanders. Got plank of Streator,[7] one of Brown.[8]

Jan 13 – Snowy. Put chest together. Went over to burg in Evening, got oil 20¢

Jan 14 – Mercury at zero in morning. Worked on chest. Cold day.

Jan 15 – Made base and upper band for chest.

Jan 16 – Worked on chest some. Henry[9] came down. Filed saw. Went up in woods, sawed wood, drawed two loads.

Jan 17 – Mercury 13 Abz.[10] Very good sleighing.

Jan 18 – Worked in shop. Put base and band on chest. Henry and Ethan sawed wood. I drawed two loads.

Jan 19 – Worked in shop.

Jan 20 – Went over to burg. Got rabbit plane of Robinson. Made panels for chest lid. Staring paid 4 Dollars.

Jan 21 – Put lid together. Put Rave on bob for A. Caywood.

Jan 22 – Mercury 15 Abz. Went over to burg. Paid my Tax $12.46¢. Theodore Earl paid $5.00.

Jan 23 – Filed two Saws for A. Brown and finished his wringer. He paid me 12/-. Young Pomeroy Brown born this morning.[11] Sarah[12] went to Lawton[13] on night Express.

Jan 24 – Mercury 29 Abz. Snowing some in morning. Ethan and Louesa[14] went down to Catharines.

Jan 25 – Worked in shop some on chest. Ethan went to Lawton on Evening Express.

Jan 26 – Carried two bushels corn to mill. Hung chest lid on. Ida Lee[15] came up here. Louesa went driging[?] with her. Went down to Marts.[16] Alfleda[17] went down to A. Browns.

Jan 27 – Snows like fun.[18] Ethan came home in Evening.

Jan 28 – Snows this morning. Went down to A. Browns, carried hams down. Went over to burg, got meal. Went up to J. Flanders,[19] got 5 five bushels wheat. Good sleighing.

Jan 29 – Cold, 3 below zero. Went to Comstock to mill.

Jan 30 – Went over to burg. Got band bent for chest lid. Sarah came home from Lawton.

Jan 31 – Cold, 10 Abz.

Feb 1 – Finished Eds Chest.

Feb 2 – Went down to Katharines,[20] hung door. Rained when we came home.

Feb 3 – Not much done. Very windy day, very blustering night, snow blowed Everywhere.

Feb 4 – Cold, 10 below zero, very blustring. Mr. Seaman Bristol died to day in Marys Ville Kansas.[21]

Feb 5 – Took out butry and put up lathe. Traded my cutter to Henry for his watch and chair.

Feb 6 – Cleaned turning lathe, turned some.

Feb 7 – 13 below zero. At home. Sis[22] and Stella[23] went down to Katharines. Very still and cold. David Simonds Died.[24]

Feb 8 – Shoveled snow to get to woods. Spli____ sleigh neap to Flanders sleigh. Filed saw for Erve Hall.[25]

Feb 9 – 31 below zero in morning. Drawed some wood. Not very well. David Simonds buried to day.

Feb 10 – Henry brot seat down. Snows some, 2 below zero.

Feb 11 – Finished seat. Henry went over to burg with it. Ed got his chest. Very blustring. Mrs Ralph and Em[26] here.

Feb 12 – 14 below zero. Shoveled snow some. Drawed two loads wood.

Feb 13 – Very cold, 10 below zero. Worked in shop some. Ed Childs and wife came down, stayed all night.

Feb 14 – Very cold. At home all day. Went down to Browns in Evening.

Feb 15 – 14 below zero in morning. Drawed some wood.

Feb 16 – Very cold, 13 below. Worked in shop. Finished henrys seat. Took it over to burg.

Feb 17 – 2 Abz. Worked on my wagon wheels.

Feb 18 – 22 below zero in morning. Worked on wheels some. Sarah went down to Fords.

Feb 19 – Worked in shop some. Henry came down.

Feb 20 – M. O. Streator paid me ten Dollars for bobs. Put rave on A. Browns bob sleigh.

Feb 21 – 21 below. At home. Hannah came home from Lawton with Mr Browns folks. Lois and Dell called here in Evening.

Feb 22 – 24 Abz in morning, rained some. Sarah went down to Dells in Eve.

Feb 23 – Rained some. Sawed some wood in Evening afternoon. Dell called here in Evening. Some thunder in Evening.

Feb 24 – Sarah came home. Barbers folks[27] here to day. Finished my old wheels. Lots of water. Mrs A. L. Mason buried to day.[28]

Feb 25 – Not much done in shop. Sawed out thill[29] for wagon.

Feb 26 – Drawed three loads wood. Broke sleigh shoe. Went over to burg, got it mended. Got cutter from paint shop.

Feb 27 – Carried Hannah down to Katharines. Cold day. Will Starr came up here.

Feb 28 – At home all day. Cold day.

Mar 1 – Made crutch for Jo Lee.[30] Will Starr went home.

Mar 2 – Sawed and drawed some wood.

Mar 3 – Very blustring day. Went over to burg after money for Teacher, no get him. Brot violin home to repair.

Mar 4 – Went down to Katharines after Hannah. Carried Jo his crutch. Went over to burg. Received 100 Dollars of Treasurer. Paid Carrie E. Austin[31] 80 Dollars. Paid Dr Finch $15 Dollars.

Mar 5 – Snowes some, lots snow on ground.

Mar 6 – At home all day. Cut some wood in road.

Mar 7 – At home. Katharine and Jim Payne here.

Mar 8 – Cut some wood in road.

Mar 9 – At home. Went down to A. Browns in Evening. Carley and Tamer Ford[32] here in Evening.

Mar 10 – Hannah went to Battlecreek. Made finger board for my violin.

Mar 11 – Not much done. Put strings on violin. Charly stayed all night. Rainy day.

Mar 12 – Pleasant in morning. Browns[33] and Streators folks[34] here in Evening.

Mar 13 – Worked in shop some. Ethan went down to Catharines. Stayed all night.

Mar 14 – Pleasant mornng, snow running of fast. Jim[35] and Sis came up, she went back.

Mar 15 – Chored round some. Water running all round, lots water.

Mar 16 – Very blustring day. Snowd and blowed like fun. Rough time. Mr S Wood Died.[36]

Mar 17 – Very blustring, no teams of any account out to day. Looked over apples.

Mar 18 – Quite comfortable, no wind but lots of ice. Gus Giddings Died to day.[37]

Mar 19 – Drawed some wood. Edwin Flanders,[38] George Ives[?] and Henry came here. Mrs S Wood Died.[39]

Mar 20 – Snows and blows this morning. Gus Giddings buried to day. Edna Crawford[40] came here. Hank[41] came in Evening.

Mar 21 – Pleasant, mercury 4 below zero. Went down to Catharines after Louesa. Mr and Mrs Wood buried to day. Sarah and Edna went with Mrs Ford.[42]

Mar 22 – Worked in shop some. Edna went home.

Mar 23 – Worked in shop some. Carried Sarah over to burg in Evening. Snowed and blowed.

Mar 24 – Went over to burg, got stuf for washing machine.

Mar 25 – At home all day. Worked in shop some. Went up to Flanders. Got 5 bushels wheat, 3 bushels potatoes.

Mar 26 – Worked on machine all day.

Mar 27 – Worked in shop. Went up in wood cut some wood. Stella and Jimmy here.

Mar 28 – Pleasant morning. At home all day.

Mar 29 – Went over to burg, bot dress and odder dings[43] for Hannah. Turned out rollers for Caywoods machine. Skinner traded faring with Franklin.

Mar 30 – Pleasant morning. Worked on machine.

Mar 31 – Cut down two trees one leaning tree in south part of woods. Finished machine. Rainy day.

Apr 1 – Rained some in morning. Washed with Caywoods machine. Windy.

Apr 2 – At home all day.

Apr 3 – Worked round some, not much done. Skinner moving.

Apr 4 – Lois came down. All at home.

Apr 5 – Went to town meeting. Fine day. Charley[44] came.

Apr 6 – Went to Comstock to mill. Pleasant day. Erve Hall plowing.

Apr 7 – Pleasant morning. Not very well.

Apr 8 – Carried machine down to Browns. Went up to Skinners in Evening with Henry.

Apr 9 – Went up to Flanders. Got some warm shugar.

Apr 10 – At home. Worked round some. Got out some whiffletrees[45] for A. Brown.

Apr 11 – At home. Ethan, Hannah and Charley and Sis went down to Katharines.

Apr 12 – Finished Browns whiffletrees. Hannah went to the Creek. Barber[46] came over and took corn ground.

Apr 13 – Cool. At home.

Apr 14 – Worked in shop some. Not very well.

Apr 15 – Cut out some felloes[47] for Mr Taylors wheel.

Apr 16 – Cold and blustrous. Sarah and Nancy[48] went over to Barbers in afternoon. Snowed like fun. Browns folks went over in Evening.

Apr 17 – Snow about 2 inches, mercury 18 Abz in morning.

Apr 18 – At home. Ethan and Nancy went down to Catharines Browns.

Apr 19 – Hank and Nancy went home.

Apr 20 – Worked on wheel some. Ruel Starr died to day.[49]

Apr 21 – Finished Taylors wheel. Ethan and Lois went down to Catharines.

Apr 22 – Cool and pleasant. Put stove out of shop.

Apr 23 – Went over to burg in forenoon. Dan Harris Died this Evening.[50]

Apr 24 – Went up to Skinners in Evening. Mr Smith Died to day.

Apr 25 – Went down to Katharines. Saw Zeak and Kate Davison.

Apr 26 – Went up to Skinners and burg. Set hen. Got Duck Eggs up to Skinners.

Apr 27 – Put hen on Duck Eggs. Pleasant. Moved fence.

Apr 28 – Moved fence on road. Zeak and Kate here and Mrs Brown and Jule.[51]

Apr 29 – Rainy day. No work to day.

Apr 30 – Pleasant. Went up in woods, sawed some logs. Henry came up there. Ethan went home with him.

May 1 – Rainy day. No work. Edwin and Henry have turned some balls for Ed Flanders. Henry stayed all night.

May 2 – Ground covered with snow. Henry and Charley went up to Skinners.

May 3 – Went up in wood, split and drawed wood out of woods. Barber came and got plow to get it repaired.

May 4 – Got tire set on wheels.

May 5 – Went over to burg, got thill iron mended 15¢, setting tire 2.00. Rainy afternoon.

May 6 – Barber brot wheels over. I painted gearing over. Sarah went up to Mr Ralphs.[52] Rained in night.

May 7 – Rainy morning. Made Bracket for Comb. Painted wagon.

May 8 – Painted wagon wheels over in afternoon. Got out manure in forenoon. Heard first whipporwill.

May 9 – At home. Jim went up to Skinners. Rainy day.

May 10 – At home. Work round garden and

May 11 – Barber plowing some. Cold wind. Repaired washer for W^m Ralph.[53]

May 12 – Barber plowing. Mrs Barber[54] came over.

May 13 – Burnt Brush up at the corner. Went down to Kates, stayed all night. Rainy.

May 14 – Came home in morning. Sarah stayed there.

May 15 – At home. Barber plowing.

May 16 – Went down to Katharines. Sarah came home.

May 17 – Mr Barton commenced plowing.

May 18 – Barton and Barber plowing.

May 19 – Finished plowing. Brown Draging, Ethan planted some for him. Sawed some wood. Pleasant.

May 20 – At home. Work in garden some.

May 21 – Work in garden and shop some. Eugene Beckwith Died in night.[55]

May 22 – Barber planted corn. Went over to Barbers. He plowed his garden.

May 23 – Went down to Katharines. Kate some better. Eugene Beckwith buried.

May 24 – Planted hog yard to potatoes.

May 25 – Went down to Browns. Got Ethans wheat, some sweet corn to plant. Barber planting.

May 26 – Finished Taylors Table. Went over to burg twice, bot pail.

May 27 – Pleasant morning, cool. Work round, repaired A. Browns table.

May 28 – Hannah came home. Barber sowed corn. Had a big rain.

May 29 – Put up Door to Barnyard. Barber finished planting.

May 30 – Went down to Katharines. Carried Jo Lees pants and books. Ethan & Hannah went up to Skinners.

May 31 – Worked round garden some. Went over to burg. Mrs Streator[56] here.

Jun 1 – Paid W^m Hodges 3.50. Had a fine shower. Painted wagon. Sarah went over to Hoags.[57]

Jun 2 – Laid up fence on hill. Had a nice shower.

Jun 3 – Worked round garden some. Went up to Flanders, got 5 bushels wheat, 77 feet Bas Board.

Jun 4 – Went to Comstock to mill. Catharine came home with me.

Jun 5 – Sawed out boards for wagon box. Browns folks came up in Evening.

Jun 6 – At home. Jo Lee came up here.

Jun 7 – Went up to Skinners. Got here. Rained some.

Jun 8 – Worked in shop some and garden.

Jun 9 – Carried Catharine home. Jo came up with me.

Jun 10 – Worked on fence East side. Oscar[58] came here.

Jun 11 – Worked on fence and pulled grubs East of house. Jo here. Oscar went home.

Jun 12 – Finished fence and grubs.

Jun 13 – Carried Jo home.

Jun 14 – Worked on road.

Jun 15 – Worked on road.

Jun 16 – Burnt Brush East of house.

Jun 17 – Planted potatoes and drawed some old rails. Joh Chandler buried to day.[59]

Jun 18 – At home. Some work round garden.

Jun 19 – Went up to Skinners.

Jun 20 – At home all day.

Jun 21 – At home. Will Plank and wife[60] here.

Jun 22 – Will Plank left.

Jun 23 – Filed saw for Ernest Whiting.[61] Turned 4 pins for Jesse Earl.[62]

Jun 24 – Went up to Jo Flanders. Got one & ½ bushels potatoes. Had a heavy shower. Got pig of Streator.

Jun 25 – Worked round garden and house.

Jun 26 – Made pig pen. Ethan and Henry went to Kalamazoo, had Bill.[63]

Jun 27 – Went down to Kates. Rained some.

Jun 28 – Cultivated, sowed corn and gardens. Went down to Browns. Got stick for Ex to horse Rake.

[No entries for June 29 through July 21]

Jul 22 – Went over to burg to mill. Got drill for Ethan. Got sand band mended. Bot this Diary, paid 40 cents for it. Sarah went down to A. Browns.

Jul 23 – Not very well. Mrs Barber came over, picked some currants. Nancy came up just at night. Not very hot. Bell Tolled for some one, Old Mrs Wheeler.[64]

Jul 24 – Went to Streators. Got Browns Rake. Raked wheat stubble. Hannah came home. Lois came down stayed all night. Went over after Hannahs trunk in Evening.

Jul 25 – At home. All here. Toot[65] and Charlie came up here. Lois came down. Old Mrs Wheeler buried to day.

Jul 26 – Went over to burg in morning. Went over at noon with Hanks Trunk. Hank and Nancy went home on the twelve oclock run in night.

Jul 27 – Went up to mill. Put in cross head. Put in finger to cradle for A. Caywood. Filed saw for Whiting. Had a good shower. Got in some Rakings.

Jul 28 – Drawed Worked round garden some and in shop some and some no where.

Jul 29 – Made handle for O. D. Schrams[66] grub hoe. Finished drawing in the rakings. Went over to burg in Evening got Almond Oil. Mercury 88 in shade.

Jul 30 – Pleasant morning. Sick all day. No work. Ethan drawed wood. Hannah and I went up to Skinners in Evening. Cool night.

Jul 31 – Cool, East wind in morning. Ethan drawed wood in fore noon. I went up to Schrams got some Onions. Went up to Mill, got some Baswood boards 100 feet. Rained in night.

Aug 1 – Rainy morning. At home. Ethan and Hannah went down to Katharines. Charley came home with them.

Aug 2 – Worked round some in shop and made box for Ernest Whiting.

Aug 3 – Worked in shop on wagon box, put in bottom, made dash. Charly here. Henry called here. Had green corn for dinner.

Aug 4 – Worked in shop some and round barn. Repaired barn floor.

Aug 5 – Repaired Ernests meat Box in morning. Thrashed rakings. Hannah went to H a Taylors[67] in afternoon. Rained some in night. Heard the first fall cricket this Evening.

Aug 6 – Cloudy in morning. Cleaned up wheat. Went to mill. Rainy day, some snow in the air. Charly went up to Dels. Carried 2 bushels.

Aug 7 – Cloudy, some mist in morning, cool. Went up to Skinners after Lois. Ethan, Lois and Charly went to Kalamazoo to Charlys cloths. Charley went to Lawton. Lois stayed all night here.

Aug 8 – Carried Lois home. Fine day.

Aug 9 – Cleaned out Barn. Ethan helped Randal[68] thrash in forenoon. Machine went to Towns.[69] Henry Rogers here in afternoon. Worked in shop some.

Aug 10 – Worked in barn and shop some. Mrs Brown and Jule here. Rained some. Made cradle for Lucy.[70] Rained hard in forenoon. Mr Brown came up in morning to plow. Rained and blowed like the mischief. Mr Brown no get went, not a bit of it. He came in as dry as he could be.[71]

Aug 11 – Worked in shop, made corner blocks to wagon box. Mr Schram got bill, went to Wakeshma.

Aug 12 – Put dash on box. Thrashed wheat, had 87 bushels. Charley came back from Lawton. Pioneer Picknic at Vicksburg.

Aug 13 – Pleasant morning. Cleaned up wheat. Carried Sarah over to burg. Went over after her in Evening.

Aug 14 – Painted wagon box and cradles. All went down to Browns in Evening Cheche and John Defoe. Had a shower in afternoon. Ed Flanders called here in shower.

Aug 15 – Fine pleasant morning. Went down to Catharines. Mart came up in Evening after Louise. Carried cradle home.

Aug 16 – Painted wagon box. Went up to Skinners with Hannah. Carried my boots over to burg in Evening, paid $1.15¢ for mending them.

Aug 17 – Repaired cribb for Lois. Went down to A. Browns and up to Skinners after Hannah. Got my Boots.

Aug 18 – Cloudy. Ethan gone to Kalamazoo with Brown. Erve Hall got load Straw. Went down to Browns, got Hannahs trunk. Put rub irons on wagon box. Henry here. Charly went home with him. They are going to brady.

Aug 19 – Worked around some in shop and garden.

Aug 20 – Erve Hall got one Load Straw. Chored round. Cut some cornfodder some in shop. Fine day.

Aug 21 – Worked round house and shop some. Went over to burg. Ed Childs stayed here all night.

Aug 22 – Went over to burg with Ed. Came back, tok hannah over. Carried Sarah down to Browns. She went to Kalamazoo to Spiritual grove meeting on Winslows Island. Went over after hannah. Went down to Browns after Sarah just at night. Lois and Sate[72] came down.

Aug 23 – Painted Sleigh over and lumber wheels. Went over to burg with Ed Flanders. Got $51.91 of Treasurer. Paid Carrie E. Austin fifty one Dollars.

Aug 24 – Put in reach for Edwin flanders. Carried Hannah and Sarah over to burg. Hannah went to Lawton. Went up to Lois in Evening. Ina[73] sick.

Aug 25 – Went to mill, carried 4 four bushels wheat. Sarah went down to Katharines. Susan Ford rode home with me. Jo Lee went over with me.

Aug 26 – Jo came up. I put seat on his buggy and spring bars, fixed thill. Went over to burg with him. Fine day.

Aug 27 – Cut up the _____ corn. Very hot and dry, mercury 96 in shade.

Aug 28 – Hot day, 92 in shade. Bound up corn. Went down to Katies after Louese just at night, stopt to Browns. Rained in night some.

Aug 29 – At home all day. Hot day. Ethan carried Louese down to Katies.

Aug 30 – Made ridge boards for House. Went over to burg, bot 6 lbs nails 30¢.

Aug 31 – Went over to burg, got Hind spring mended, one Dollar. Hot and dry. Want rain very much some.

Sep 1 – At home. Chored some. Not very well. Ethan went up to Lois. Cleaned sewingmachine.

Sep 2 – Went down to Charles Lees.[74] Hot day. He is building a barn.

Sep 3 – Sawed out rizers for stairs to cornhouse. Rained some.

Sep 4 – Chored round some. Took the Clark seat to pieces. Charly and Warren birge came here in afternoon. They went down to Caywood, stayed all night.

Sep 5 – Windy morning. Chimney burnt out this morning. Went down to Katharines.

Sep 6 – Buckwheat cut to day. Hot day. Made seat to waggon. Henry and Ethan went up to Skinners to try Drill. Went schoolmeting. Edwin Flanders Elected moderator, C. L. Keith[75] Assessor. Voted to raise 100.00.

Sep 7 – Worked round. Lois came down to pack Charleys trunk.

Sep 8 – Worked in shop some. Sarah and Lois went down to Browns. I went down in Evening. Lois Lee came and said Jo would move yet to Salt Lake.[76]

Sep 9 – Rainy day. Charley started for Ohio.[77] Lois went home. Rained in night.

Sep 10 – Worked for Edwin Flanders putting down floor on back stoop over cistern. Fine day. Barber cut some corn south of orchard.

Sep 11 – Worked for Flanders. Ethan went down to Marts stayed all night. Mrs Flanders taken sick. Mrs Johnson came down to see her.

Sep 12 – Fine day. Not very hot. Mr Dunnings Nephew called here, took Breakfast. Jim went up to Skinners.

Sep 13 – Worked for Flanders, made rinck and dressed out stuff for trough &c.[78] Jim went to Jacksons to work.

Sep 14 – Went up to Flanders. Went back home then went down to Katharines. Caroline, Marion and Kate were all there. Had a big time.

Sep 15 – Worked for Flanders, finished up. Fine day. Ed paid me $5.00.

Sep 16 – Rainy morning. Cut corn some.

Sep 17 – Cut corn in East lot. Jo Lee came up here. Cold night, had big frost.

Sep 18 – Cut corn in East lot. Browns folks here in Evening.

Sep 19 – At home. Rainy day. No one here.

Sep 20 – Cut corn, finished it. Went down to Katharines just at night.

Sep 21 – Worked in shop some. Hung two axes for Ernest Whiting 20¢. Jo Lee came up here. Went over to burg in Evening. Went up to Flanders, got some flooring.

Sep 22 – At home. Worked in shop, turned hubs for Inas wagon &c. Put floor down by East door.

Sep 23 – Worked round shop some and turned hubs.

Sep 24 – Went over to burg. Bot hoop Iron hoop pork barrel. Jason Durkee got some hoop poles. Bot springs for wagon seat 2.00. Nell Tomlinson[79] came here in afternoon.

Sep 25 – Rained some in morning. Round home all day.

Sep 26 – At home. No one here, nothing going on.

Sep 27 – Worked in shop and house _____ wagon for Ina.

Sep 28 – Working round house and shop.

Sep 29 – Worked on wagon. Went down to Kates just at night with Patty Sprague.[80] Ethan and Mr Miner drawed in Buckwheat. E. P. Flanders and Mary E. Smith married this day I spec so.

Sep 30 – Ethan, Hannah and Nellie Tomlinson went to Comstock. Had H. A. Taylors buggy. Rained some. Miner and Powers thrashed Buckwheat.

Oct 1 – At home. Finished Buckwheat. Had 46½ bushels.

Oct 2 – Miner and Rogers dug potatoes. They had 43 bushels.

Oct 3 – At home. Patty here. Nell went to Kalamazoo to church with Henry. Mart came up after Patty and Katharine. Lois and Dell came down. Ethan went up to Harve Warrens with Dell.

Oct 4 – Went over to burg after Nancy. Got strap iron for wagon box. Bot 7½ lbs beef of Whiting 75¢.

Oct 5 – Put iron on wagon box. Rainy. Ethan, Hannah and Nell gone to Vicksburg. Rained all night.

Oct 6 – Rainy day. Worked in shop. Made board to put seat on. Husked black corn. _____ _____ _____ here from Mr Flanders. Henry gone to Battlecreek. Ethan and girls got home at night.

Oct 7 – Went over to burg. Bot boots for seat, oil and so on.

Oct 8 – Went down to Katharines. Sarah went and Jim went to Kalamazoo. Got Jim suit cloths. Stayed there all night.

Oct 9 – Helped Mart set horsepower and fix cider mill. Came home in Evening. Rained like fun.

Oct 10 – Rainy morning some. Henry came down. Nan[81] came back. Hiram Loveland married to night.[82]

Oct 11 – Went to mill, carried 4 four bushels wheat. Snowed some. Patty came home with me.

Oct 12 – Dug potatoes in East lot under the hill.

Oct 13 – Finished diging in East lot. Carried Patty down to Kates.

Oct 14 – Put potatoes in cellar. Carried the girls and their mam down to A. Browns. Dug some potatoes. Rained. Went down to Browns after um. It rained.

Oct 15 – Some rainy in morning. Dug some potatoes and chored roung.

Oct 16 – Dug potatoes. Finished the south lot. Sarah went over to burg. Nancy went down to Browns.

Oct 17 – Pleasant morning. At home all day.

Oct 18 – Worked round home. Chored round barn.

Oct 19 – Cleaned out cornhouse and chored round some. Went down to Katharines. Brot Patty and Hellen York[83] up.

Oct 20 – All hands went up to Lois, Patty, Katharine, Sarah, Alfleda[84] and Hellen &c. Fine day. Del and Henry drawing corn. Barber and Barton husking.

Oct 21 – Pleasant morning. James Hoxie called here. Went over to burg after mail. Drawed one load corn 12 baskets.

Oct 22 – At home. Worked round house and yard. Drawed some corn.

Oct 23 – Went down to Catharines. All hands had a family visit. Kate and Harry[85] came out on Eleven oclock run. Pleasant day.

Oct 24 – Fine morning. At home all day.

Oct 25 – Drawed some corn and worked round shop.

Oct 26 – Took out closset in shop. Mr Hobbs came here to see about getting some bobs made. Went down to Katharines to see patty. She gave me ten Dollars. Rainy and cold.

Oct 27 – Patty and Nell started for home. Made neap for M. O. Streators wagon. Put stove up in shop.

Oct 28 – Husked some corn. Put corn in cornhouse. Went over to burg. Got letter from Dr. A. S. Finch. Saw Mr Benjamin about my place. M. O. Streat got his wagon pole. Rained in night.

Oct 29 – Warm morning, 60 Abz, rained in morning. Ethan made cider. Sarah and Kate went up to Skinners. Had a heavy thunder shower. Sent Dr. Finch $10 ten Dollars. Filed saw for Erve Hall.

Oct 30 – At home. Working round shop.

Oct 31 – At home all day. All well.

Nov 1 – Worked in shop some ___.

Nov 2 – Worked in shop on wheel. Mr Hobbs came up here. Sarah and Kate went to Lawton.

Nov 3 – Finished wheel. Went up to Flanders after some lumber for bobbs. Got none.

Nov 4 – Put corn up in corn house. Went over to burg at noon after gals. No come. They came on the 6 oclock freight.

Nov 5 – Worked in shop some. Sawed out bob knees.

Nov 6 – Went to Kalamazoo after bob runners and and lumber for Coburns box.

Nov 7 – Went down to Kates after Hannah.

Nov 8 – Worked in shop some. Del brot lumber and runners down. Jo Lee came up got his saw filed.

Nov 9 – Sorted corn in corn house.

Nov 10 – Worked in shop on bobs.

Nov 11 – Worked on bobs all day.

Nov 12 – Went to mill carried 4 bushels wheat 4 bushels Buckwheat 1 corn. Fine day.

Nov 13 – Snows this morning. Worked. Went to Comstock to mill. Cold, stormy.

Nov 14 – At home all day.

Nov 15 – Worked in shop on bobs

Nov 16 – Worked in shop and round house.

Nov 17 – Worked in shop on bobs &c.

Nov 18 – Worked in shop on bobs and [nothing further]

Nov 19 – Worked on bobs. Not very cold.

Nov 20 – Went over to burg. Got piece plank for bobs. Hiram Crawf[ord][86] came in on Evening Express. Fine day, mercury about 60. Gave me an ulster over coat.

Nov 21 – Cooler this morning. Hite[87] here. Lois came down. Mart brot Hannah home.

Nov 22 – Worked in shop on bobs. Hiram here. He went over to burg. Hiram left on night Express. Fine day.

Nov 23 – Worked in shop. Pleasant day but cold.

Nov 24 – Worked in shop. Kate and Harry left for South bend.[88] Ethan carried them over to Scots Station. Nice day. Jo Lee brot Hannah home. Alfleda went home with Jo.

Nov 25 – Went over to burg to see about getting some timber for frame to bobs. Hannah went to Battle Creek on the Eleven twelve run. A very pleasant day. Jim husked corn for A. Brown.

Nov 26 – Went over to burg. Got timber for bob frame.

Nov 27 – Went up to Mr Flanders to get length of bob frame. Sarah went down to A. Browns.

Nov 28 – At home. Dell and Lois came down. Loues went home with them.

Nov 29 – Finished bobs. Worked round shop some. Gefired cold day.

Nov 30 – Worked on Coburns box. Carried Hannah down to Katharines. Alfleda came back with me.

Dec 1 – Very pleasant morning, mercury 28 Abz in morning.

Dec 2 – Worked on box. Riley and Horace Hobbs came and got Bobs. He paid me Seventeen Dollars and 17.50 fifty cents.

Dec 3 – Worked on box not much cut and sawed wood. Very pleasant day.

Dec 4 – Worked on box. Fine warm day, some misty. Went over to burg. Paid George Brown for timber 20 cts. Mercury about 50, rained all night.

Dec 5 – Cloudy and warm, mercury 43 Abz. At home all day.

Dec 6 – Finished and painted over Coburns box. Rained in night, very foggy.

Dec 7 – Foggy morning, not very cold. Worked in shop some. Carried Sarah over to Janes.[89] Went over in Evening to see R. G. S.

Dec 8 – Dressed out boards for Ernests Whiting. Went over to burg after Sarah. Browns folks came up in Evening.

Dec 9 – Pleasant morning, not very cold. Worked in shop.

Dec 10 – Worked on Whitings box some. Went over to burg with Engine. Ethan drawed load wood. Broke whiffletree.

Dec 11 – Snowey day. Went down to Kates, stayed all day. Stoped to Browns when we came home. Wopeo[?] came the first time.

Dec 12 – At home all day. Edwin Flanders and wife and Henry went up to Skinners. Rather cool day. Herb Clark[90] came here in morning.

Dec 13 – Worked in shop some. Went over to burg in afternoon. Paid my Tax $9.50 nine Dollars and fifty cents.

Dec 14 – Worked in shop on box for Ernest. Not very cold.

Dec 15 – Worked in shop some. Not very well. Hannah went down to Browns.

Dec 16 – Snowey day. Worked on Ernests box. Put one partition in and base and pilaster. Stellie Milham here to night.

Dec 17 – Carried machine down to Browns. Snows and blows. Went over to burg got oil. Brown butchered his hogs. Went down to E. Whitings Slaughter house. Got two lbs Tallow 16¢/4 8 pr pound so said Whitland. Del and Coburn got Box.

Dec 18 – Worked in shop some. Cold day.

Dec 19 – At home. Will brot Hannah up in sleigh. Lois came down.

Dec 20 – Went down to Browns. Got pig weighed 70[91] lbs. Mr Flanders got wagon. Went over to burg in afternoon. Ethan got 14 Dollars at Bank for making Box. Not very cold.

Dec 21 – Not very cold, no snow.

Dec 22 – Made cross head for Theodore. Went over to burg. Bot diary 25¢, one violin string 25. Drawed two loads cornfodder. Very pleasant day.

Dec 23 – Went up to mill. Put in crosshead. Warm day, mercury 54 Abz at noon. Drawed in cornfodder in afternoon.

Dec 24 – Rainy. Carried peter down to Browns. Went up to mill got 58 feet 3×3 scantling of Theodore Earl.

Dec 25 – Very pleasant day. Browns folks here. Charles and Julia came up. Julia stayed all night. Browns folks stayed in Evening.

Dec 26 – Rainy day, not very cold, very little snow. At home all day. Ida came up after Julia.

Dec 27 – Went up in woods cut some wood. Went over to burg in afternoon. Received of Town ship Treasurer seventy five Dollars. Very pleasant day.

Dec 28 – Went to mill in afternoon. Carried 4 bushels wheat 4 of Buckwheat. Pleasant day. Cut some wood. Katharine came home with me.

Dec 29 – Fine pleasant morning. Filed one saw for Whitting. Worked in shop some.

Dec 30 – Drawed two loads wood. Worked on box some. Went over to burg just at night. Kate and Sarah went. Browns folks here in Evening. Warm day.

Dec 31 – Fine morning, 61 Abz in morning at sunrise. Went over to burg after Nancy. Jo Lee and Mr Elwood called here. Filed saw for Jo. Warm day.

——-

[1] Known better, and referred to, as Luke

[2] His son, Ethan Keith, and daughter, Hannah Keith

[3] His sister, Catharine (Keith) Bradley Lee

[4] Lois (Keith) Clark Skinner, his daughter by his first wife, Minerva (Payson) Keith

[5] His son-in-law, Adelbert Skinner, who was married to his daughter Lois

[6] Galesburg, Michigan

[7] Neighbor, Marius O. Streator

[8] Ambrose Brown, his neighbor and father-in-law of his daughter Nancy

[9] Henry Keith, his son by his first wife, Minerva (Payson) Keith

[10] Above zero

[11] His grandson, Claude Keith Brown, the son of Nancy & Hank Brown. There is a birth announcement for “Pomeroy” Brown, however, that is the only time the name of Pomeroy is used

[12] His wife, Sarah (Crawford) Keith

[13] Lawton, Michigan, where Nancy & Henry Brown lived

[14] His youngest daughter, Louese Keith

[15] His cousin, Ida Mae Lee, the daughter of Joseph Warren Lee and Nancy E. Taylor

[16] Martin Milham, husband of Lucy (Lee) Milham. Lucy was the daughter of his sister Catharine (Keith) Bradley Lee

[17] Alfleda (Starr) Keith, the widow of his brother Harvey Keith

[18] Luke uses this phrase quite often. The Oxford Dictionary gives its meaning as “vigorously or quickly”

[19] Neighbor. After Luke’s first wife, Minerva (Payson) Keith died, Joseph and Amanda (Hobbs) Flanders cared for his son, Henry, for a period of time. The Flanders raised Henry even after Luke married his third wife, Sarah (Crawford) Keith. They wanted to adopt Henry but Luke said no; however, it looks like Henry lived with them throughout his youth. This seems to be corroborated by the 1860 census showing “Henry L Flanders,” age 16, (who it is actually believed to be Henry L. Keith), living with Joseph & Amanda

[20] In all his previous diaries, Luke has spelled his sister’s name as Catharine. It now appears that he is sometimes spelling it starting with a K, or it is possible he is referring to somebody else

[21] Seaman S. Bristol Sr. and his wife, Abigail “Nabby” Harris, were the uncle and aunt of Daniel D. Harris who would marry Luke’s daughter, Louese, in 1882

[22] Nickname for his daughter Louese

[23] Believe he is referring to neighbors, Stella Milham who was the daughter of James & Ellen (Adams) Milham

[24] Neighbor. A search at FindAGrave.com confirms that he died February 7, 1875 and is buried in the Maple Grove Cemetery in Comstock, Michigan

[25] His neighbor, Irwin Hall

[26] Presumably neighbors, Hetta (Burgess) Ralph and her daughter-in-law, Emeline (Stone) Ralph

[27] Neighbors, Richard & Mary (Knowles) Barber

[28] A search at FindAGrave.com reveals that Jannette Mason died February 21, 1875 and is buried at Mountain Home Cemetery in Kalamazoo, Michigan

[29] The long shafts between which an animal is fastened when pulling a wagon

[30] His first cousin, Joseph Lee (son of Rhoda (Keith) and Charles Lee)

[31] Neighbor, the daughter of Franklin Benjamin & Gertrude (Quick) Austin. Perhaps she was the teacher that Luke referred to in his March 3^rd entry

[32] Neighbors, Charles and Mary Tamer Ford, the children of Thomas & Adelia (Tompkins) Ford

[33] Ambrose & Matilda (Allen) Brown

[34] Neighbors, Marius O. & Laura (Rawson) Streator

[35] His youngest son, James Clinton Keith

[36] Simeon Wood Jr.; from the Kalamazoo Daily Telegraph, Monday evening, March 22, 1875 – Mr. Simon Wood, a farmer living some four miles east of Galesburg in Charleston, died on Wednesday evening, the 17th inst. bilious pneumonia, and his wife died the next day. They were worthy people and were somewhat advanced in years at the time of their death

[37] The Michigan Deaths and Burials Index confirms that Agustus Giddings, age 34, died on March 18, 1875 in Comstock, Michigan. FindAGrave.com records show that he is buried in Lawler Cemetery, Augusta, Michigan

[38] Neighbor, the son of Joseph & Amanda (Hobbs) Flanders

[39] Reliance E. (Brown) Wood. See footnote for March 16^th entry. Reliance was the sister of Ambrose Brown

[40] It is uncertain as to whether this was Edna Irene Crawford, the daughter of Sarah’s brother Robert & Louesa (McCann) Crawford, of Edna Alice Crawford, the daughter of Sarah’s late brother, Edwin & Mary (Hamilton) Crawford

[41] His son-in-law Henry Brown’s nickname

[42] Neighbor, Adelia (Tompkins) Ford

[43] Other things

[44] Most likely his grandson, Charles Ira Clark, the son of Lois and her first husband, Byron Clark

[45] 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

[46] Richard Barber

[47] Felloe or felly – rim, or segment of the rim, of a spoked wheel

[48] His daughter, Nancy (Keith) Brown

[49] FindAGrave.com indicates that Ruel Starr died April 19, 1875 and is buried in Old City Cemetery, Valparaiso, Indiana. Ruel was Alfleda (Starr) Keith’s brother

[50] The Michigan Deaths and Burials Record indicates that Daniel D. Harris Sr. died April 23, 1875 in Comstock, Michigan at the age of 49 and FindAGrave records show that he is buried in the Riverside Cemetery in Galesburg, Michigan. He was the father of Daniel D. Harris Jr. who would marry Luke’s daughter Louese

[51] Matilda (Allen) Brown’s sister, Julia Allen, who lived with Ambrose & Matilda

[52] Most likely his neighbor, George Ralph

[53] His neighbor, the son of George & Hetta (Burgess) Ralph, and husband of Emeline (Stone) Ralph

[54] Mary (Knowles) Barber

[55] Michigan Death Records reveal that Arthur Beckwith, age 21, died May 20, 1875 in Comstock, Michigan. FindAGrave records show he is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Galesburg, Michigan

[56] Marius Streator’s wife, Laura (Rawson) Streator

[57] Neighbors, Abel & Sarah Jane (Mason) Hoag

[58] His nephew, James “Oscar” Keith, son of Harvey & Alfleda (Starr) Keith

[59] The Michigan Deaths and Burials Index shows that John F. Chandler died June 15, 1875 in Comstock, Michigan at the age of 45

[60] Believe he is referring to William H. and Martha (Marvin) Plank. William H. was the son of William & Harriet (Groat) Plank. The Plank family had been neighbors, but on April 3, 1873, Luke noted in his diary that they had left for Grand Rapids, Michigan

[61] Neighbor, the son of George & Jane Whiting

[62] Neighbor and “shirttail relative”

[63] His horse

[64] The Michigan Deaths and Burials Index reveals that Nancy Wheeler, aged 86, died in Comstock, Michigan on July 22, 1875

[65] Nickname for Lucy (Lee) Milham, daughter of his sister, Catharine (Keith) Bradley Lee

[66] Neighbor, Orrin D. Schram

[67] Neighbor, Hanibal A. Taylor

[68] Believe this to be his neighbor, Nathan L. Randall

[69] Neighbors, Albert & Pamelia (Hosley) Towne; their son Charles would later marry Luke’s daughter Hannah

[70] His niece, Lucy (Lee) Milham

[71] Both the Brown and Keith families were believers in Spiritualism and participated in seances. The story that has been passed down is that Ambrose’s Indian spirit guide, Chee Chee, held a blanket over him so that he could complete his plowing

[72] His daughter Lois’ sister-in-law, Sarah Skinner

[73] His granddaughter, Ina Mary Skinner

[74] His paternal first cousin. Charles Lee (1797-1878) was the son of Charles & Rhoda (Keith) Lee

[75] Himself

[76] Since Joseph Lee’s wife, Lois (French) had died October 17, 1871, it would seem that this is referring to a seance that the Browns and Keiths had where they called on Lois who told them that Jo would follow the rest of the Lee families, who were Mormons, and had moved to Salt Lake City

[77] Charley’s other grandparents were living in Dover, Ohio in the 1870’s so perhaps he was going for a visit

[78] Etc.

[79] The daughter of his niece, Marion (Sprague) & George Tomlinson

[80] His sister, Martha “Patty” (Keith) Sprague

[81] His daughter, Nancy

[82] Michigan County Marriage Records show that Hiram Loveland married Emeline Crowell on October 10, 1875

[83] This could be his niece, Helen (Bradley) York, or Helen’s daughter, Helen Lavinia York

[84] Alfleda (Starr) Keith, the widow of his brother Harvey Keith

[85] Katherine (Atcheson) Crawford, the wife of Luke’s brother-in-law, Hiram Crawford Jr., and their son, Harry Crawford (see November 17, 1875 letter)

[86] His wife Sarah’s brother, Hiram Crawford Jr.

[87] Hiram’s nickname

[88] Sarah’s other brother, Henry Clay Crawford, and his family lived in South Bend, so it is possible Kate and Harry were going to make them a visit

[89] Neighbor, Sarah Jane (Mason) Hoag

[90] Herbert Clark was the nephew of Lois’ first husband, Byron Clark

[91] Hard to tell if this was 70 or 90 pounds

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Luke Keith’s 1872 Diary

1872 DIARY OF CHARLES LUKE KEITH JR[1]

Jan 1 – Ethan[2] and girls went down to Catharines.[3] No snow but lots of ice in road. At home all day. Alfleda[4] here.

Jan 2 – Made sleighshoe pattern for A. Brown.[5] Not very cold. M. O. Streator[6] called here he had been up to cidermill.

Jan 3 – Hard cold, head ache. Nothing done. Ethan and girls went over to Mr Planks in Evening.

Jan 4 – Went over to burg.[7] Fitted shoes on my sleigh. Let Vanburen have one Dollar. Mary and Carry Plank[8] here went to school.

Jan 5 – Went up to Schrams to see old cow. Went over and got my sleigh. Bot Jims[9] Boots 2.50.

Jan 6 – Carried Hannah and Nancy[10] up to Wesleys.[11] Hank Brown[12] working on retouching frame. Got two bushels wheat ground.

Jan 7 – At home. Alfleda here. No snow on ground good wheeling.

Jan 8 – Drawed some wood on sleigh. Scoured new shoes. Went down to Catharines.

Jan 9 – Killed my hogs. Mart[13] and A. Brown and Wes helped me. Mr Schram killed my cow.

Jan 10 – Sold J. C. Blake two hogs weight 6.74 lbs 4.85 cts. pr hundred. Got my beef. Carried my cast iron up to B. Hartwells had 300. lbs 1½ pr lb 4.50.

Jan 11 – Went up to Mr Kirbys. Cool wind almost rains. Lois[14] at home a while.

Jan 12 – Went down to Catharines after Nancy. Swaddle girls here Libby Allen here. Mr Plank got some beef.

Jan 13 – Went up to Wesleys. Got a pig. Went over to burg paid my tax 12.53. Will Plank[15] stayed all night Drawed 100. Dollars of town treasurer for District No 7. Dick Lamkins brot violin to be repaired.

Jan 14 – Pleasant morning.

Jan 15 – Snowed some. Went over to burg bot some glue.

Jan 16 – Snowes snow 2½ inches this morning. Sarah[16] went over to Janes. I drawed one load wood. Went over after Sarah in Evening.

Jan 17 – Cloudy not very cold. Put the hair in one End of Dicks bow. Put bottom on chopping bowl. John Sherman broke down had a big load wood.

Jan 18 – Found new lamb this morning, all right.

Jan 19 – Put hair in one End of Lamkins bow. Went over to burg carried over Buckwheat and corn. Sarah and Nancy went over. Bot sis[17] some shoes 2.00. Snowey day snow fell 5½ inches 5½ in.

Jan 20 – Got Schrams saw cut one load wood. Snows some. Jo Lee[18] called here. Hannah went home with him. Rebeca Plank[19] here.

Jan 21 – Put up hog. New snow 2. Went down to Jo Lees, Alfleda went with us.

Jan 22 – Went over to Burg after sis. Went to A. Hoags to see Decon Mason.

Jan 23 – Jane Hoag an Mary Mason came over here. I went down to Catharines after pig.

Jan 24 – Worked on fenders some cold day snow 1¼.

Jan 25 – Cold morning. Went over to burg.

Jan 26 – Went over to burg. Worked on fenders some.

Jan 27 – Paid W^m Johnson $19.50. Put fenders on cutter. Cold day. Went over to burg in Evening got buckwheat flour, bot 3 darning needles.

Jan 28 – Cold 4 Abz[20] Mart, Lucy[21] and Cate Chaffee[22] came here. Stove fell down broke the bottom. A Brown here in Evening.

Jan 29 – Cold 6 Below zero. Very Cold. No work.

Jan 30 – Went to Kalamazoo to see Mr Briggs. Went and see George.

Jan 31 – Cold 9 Abz. Went ofer to burg. Bot Ethans pants 5.50 5.50 A. Browns folks here in Evening. Arthur Arms[23] here with them.

Feb 1 – Cold 8 Below zero. Alfleda went waverly. Stephen D. Hall and wife here all day.

Feb 2 – Cold 16. Below zero. Carried stove over to Burg. Bot one peace of cotton 5.93. Ethan, Nancy and Hannah went down to M O. Streators in Evening. Mr Geo Torry shot himself in Kalamazoo this morning.

Feb 3 – 25 below zero pleasant but cold. Ethan and the girls went up to Swaddles. Carried my stove bottom over got it mended 5/-.[24] Jo Sherman and wife here.

Feb 4 – Some warmer 18 Above zero at 7 AM. Went down to Marts and Jo Lees. Snowed like fun[25] when we came home.

Feb 5 – Snowed all day. Painted my cutter bottom. Went over to burg got stove bottom put stove together.

Feb 6 – Snow 8 inches deep. Carried Nancy down to Skinners.[26] Went up to John Shermans. Nice sleighing. Net Gafre(?) came down with Jim Milham[27] after Stella.[28]

Feb 7 – Cold 17. Below zero. Ethan put slead together. Jo Lee came up here. Ethan went down to Jim Jacksons in Evening. Hannah stayed to A. Browns.

Feb 8 – Cold and pleasant 10 below zero. Went down to Jo Lees stayed all night. Filled tooth for Will Brown[29] this morning.

Feb 9 – Went to Kalamazoo after sis. Pleasant day went and saw Judge Briggs. Came back to Catharines stayed all night.

Feb 10 – Came home. Stoped to Jo Lees. Went down to Charleses with Jo.

Feb 11 – At home all day. Warm thawed snow went fast. No one here.

Feb 12 – Pleasant 14. Abz. No work to day.

Feb 13 – Snowed and blowed all day snowed 1 inch.

Feb 14 – Cold 3 Abz. Went to mill up to Howlands. Snowed like fun. School teacher stayed here all night. Went down to Jo Lees in Evening. He was gone from home. Very cold snow fel one inch 1 in.

Feb 15 – Cold. Went up to Wesleys after Louesa.[30] Sarah went down to Skinners. I went down to Skinners after Sarah. Stopt to A Browns stayed the Evening. Sawed some wood.

Feb 16 – Mr Roberts called here the Galesburg Herald. Sarah and Nancy went over to Barbers. Filed saw for Ridler, sawed some wood. Will Plank came here stayed all night,

Feb 17 – Puttied up cutter dash. Went down to Fords in Evening with Wesley to see about Blackwalnut lumber.

Feb 18 – At home all day. Jo Lee came up here stayed to supper.

Feb 19 – Went over to burg in the morning to see Mr Reynolds about the Bristol place. Freer girl buried [see footnote to November 9th entry]. Jule Bristol[31] died. Ethan and Nancy went down to Catharines. Ethan and the girls went up to Ridlers to a dance. I vacinated Carry and Mary Plank.

Feb 20 – Carried Sarah and Nancy over to Burg. Snowed like fun.

Feb 21 – At home all day. Mrs Bristol buried to day.

Feb 22 – Carried Hams down to A. Browns this morning.

Feb 23 – Blocked out 3 axhelves.[32] Ethan and girls went up to Wesleys to a dance.

Feb 24 – Dow Haines and cousin called here had their violins with them. They played very well. Mr and Mrs Plank[33] called here to see about geting the house for the summer. Went down to Jo Lees.

Feb 25 – Went down to Catharines, came home. A. Browns family here in Evening.

Feb 26 – Pleasant morning lots ice all over. Painted sleigh over.

Feb 27 – Painted sleigh some. Repairing front room some. Will Plank here all night. Stelly Millham stayed all night.

Feb 28 – Pleasant morning. Worked in shop some on axhelves.

Feb 29 – Painted cutter thills[34] worked on helves some. Pleasant day

Mar 1 – Mr Plank drawed some wood. Ethan and Nancy went over to burg. Mrs Barber sick.

Mar 2 – Went over to burg. Saw Mr Reynolds he no want the place. Will Plank sawed some wood. Started to go down to A. Browns. Bill[35] got a way from me. I got him up to John Shermans barn.

Mar 3 – Cool, no sleighing. Mart and Lucy and Catharine came up.

Mar 4 – Carried some corn over to mill. One inch snow. Mr Plank drawed some wood. Cold wind. I drawed some wood. Catharine here.

Mar 5 – Pleasant 4 below zero. Cut and drawed some woood.

Mar 6 – Went over to burg, got meal. Caroline Earl[36] came here. Mr Plank and Will sawing wood.

Mar 7 – Pleasant morning. Sarah, Caroline and I went up to Wesleys. Carried Caroline over to burg. Went in to barbers, Mrs barber some better. Mr Allen and children[37] here in Evening, Mr Planks young folk, Hank Brown and Hank Childs.

Mar 8 – Snow 2 inches deep this morning. Sawed out some gearing. I Schram[38] called here. I paid him 6 Dollars. Jo Lee Sold his farm.

Mar 9 – Sawed some more of my gearing. Extracted one tooth for Will Brown. Paid A. Brown 30.00 dollars, paid Alice Byington 49.00 & 30. Went Down to Skinners. 49 in afternoon. Saw 79.00 Charley Sutherland.

Mar 10 – Went down to Jo Lees and Catharines. Catharine went home.

Mar 11 – Sawed out wheelbarrow arms. John Sherman paid me 3.50 cts in full of all accounts up to this date.

Mar 12 – Went up to Ell Carys this morning with sleigh. Ethan went to Kalamazoo with Will Plank. Got Mr Barbers sewing machine. Nancy and Sis went up to Mr Allens.

Mar 13 – Went over to Wesleys, down to M O. Steators. Got one bushel potatoes. Went over to burg. Got 35. lbs flour of Mr Plank. Old Mrs Ralph and Em[39] here. Jo Lee came up. Mr Samples girl Buried to day.

Mar 14 – Went up to Wesleys, got one bushel potatoes. Will Plank splitting wood.

Mar 15 – No work to day. At home.

Mar 16 – Ethan and Nancy went down to Catharines, stayed all night.

Mar 17 – At home, no one here. Ethan, Nancy came home. Lucy came home with them.

Mar 18 – Lucy went over to burg to get Georgies[40] picture taken. I choped wood in fore noon. Snowed like fun in afternoon. Jo Lee called here. Will Plank here. Snow fell 1 inch one inch.

Mar 19 – Nice morning, sun came out. Cut some wood and drawed it down.

Mar 20 – Pleasant and cold, mercury at zero. Lucy went to burg got picture of Georgie. I hued sum spokes. Mr Allen had an Auction.

Mar 21 – Hued sum spokes. Paid Hawkins six 6. Dollars for cleaning schoolhouse. Cold wind. Old Mr Hutchinson buried to day.

Mar 22 – I sawed out stuf for cloths bars for Catharine. Ethan went down after Hannah. Lucy went home. Cold wind. Hannah came home. Ethan lost the pail. Col Chester Hannan buried to day.

Mar 23 – Cold and blustring, snow 2 inches deep.

Mar 24 – At home all day. Dell[41] and Lois came home, firs time Del was here to tea. Sick all night.

Mar 25 – Sick no work to day. Hard cold, snowed and rained some. Ethan and Sarah carried Mrs Barbers machine.

Mar 26 – Went over to burg got paint and oil, some varnish for Lois table and stand. No snow.

Mar 27 – Commenced painting front room. W^m Cook called here this morning. He was going to Midland City to see his brother. Fine day.

Mar 28 – Painting some in front room. Not well hard cold.

Mar 29 – Painting some.

Mar 30 – Went to Kalamazoo. The Bristol place sold to day. Had a hard rain, some snow and lots of ice. Trees covered with ice. E. Underwood stayed here all night.

Mar 31 – Stormy Nasty day.

Apr 1 – Went over to burg to town meeting. Mr Planks folks moved to day. School commenced to day. Wes and I and Hobe Williams went up to Schrams in Evening.

Apr 2 – Bot five Bushels wheat of M. O. Streator. Paid him 4. four Dollars.

Apr 3 – Sick no work to day. Mr Planks folks fixing for Auction.

Apr 4 – Auction. Mr Plank sold his Horses, wagon, Harness and various things.

Apr 5 – Mr Plank make pigpen, Henroost and worked around generally. Rubecca[42] leveled of cro ca [croquet?] ground. I put up fence

Apr 6 – Pleasant morning. Went down to Catharines in afternoon. Had a fine shower. Jo York[43] stayed all night.

Apr 7 – Came home at night stoped to Jo Lees. Mr Cook called to Catharines. He gave me some specimines of their mines, copper, silver and lead.

Apr 8 – Pleasant morning.

Apr 9 – At home not much work. Carried some corn to mill. Mr Stafford buried to day. They took James Flanders to the Asylum to day.

Apr 10 – Went over to burg, carried some corn for Mr Plank. Brot home some glasses from Osgood. James Flanders died[44] to night about seven oclock.

Apr 11 – Pleasant morning. Went up to Mr Clarks auction in afternoon. Cut wood in fore noon.

Apr 12 – Went over to burg in morning, got my photograph. Had a shower. Henry[45] came home in afternoon. High wind. Ethan went down to Catharines. Carried glasses back to Osgood. Lois came home.

Apr 13 – Pleasant and dry very high wind. James Flanders buried to day. Very windy. Mr Alonzo Wright died about 4. P.M. to day.

Apr 14 – Went down to Catharines. Carried my photo down to send to Mark[46] by Mr W^m Cook. Jo Lee came home with me. Rained in night.

Apr 15 – Snowey day, snow fell 2. in. Went and took Jo home in afternoon. Rough time.

Apr 16 – Pleasant morning. Put up leach[47] run of Loze(?). Florence Plank[48] Died to day.

Apr 17 – Made soap. Put up some fence. Henry Clinton and wife called here. Put up leach.

Apr 18 – Some rainy this morning. Went up to Wesleys Expecting to go up to Mr Williams but did not. Helped Wes clean up load wheat. Jo and Jesse Lee[49] here.

Apr 19 – Fine day. Made soap to day. Mr Town[50] came over here. First time I spoke to him.

Apr 20 – Went over to burg, carried 8 doz Eggs 1/ pr doz. Went down to Jo Lees. Stayed all night.

Apr 21 – Came home. Mr Randall sick. Rained some in forenoon.

Apr 22 – Put chip manure around currant bushes. Mr Randal some better.

Apr 23 – No work to day. Mr Plank and Caroline[51] left on the Evening Express. Mr Allen went with him.

Apr 24 – Cut some wood, painted windows. Went down to Catharines stayed all night.

Apr 25 – Went to Kalamazoo to see Judge Briggs. Marvin Babcock[52] was buried to day.

Apr 26 – Not very well. Ethan drove team for A Brown to sow plaster.[53] I went down to Cath­arines carried cloths bars. Got Evener[54] of Jo Lee. Rained a little. Cleaned out Barn.

Apr 27 – Cloudy and cool. Burgess Boy called here to get some Early potatoes. Chored around some. Not very well. Bill got into towns lot. Ethan and Will Plank made steps to front door.

Apr 28 – At home. Fine day. Lois and dell came home. I filled 4 teeth for Dell.

Apr 29 – Ethan drawed manure. I cut tree for gateposts. Warm day. Heard the first Whipporwill.

Apr 30 – Put my tool chest in shop, papered kitchen. Mart came up and got corn. Had a wind and rain storm, rained in night.

May 1 – Worked round some. Charles and Alvin[55] called here.

May 2 – Hued out one gate post. Mrs Plank papered kitchen. Sheared one sheep.

May 3 – Ethan went down to Charles Lees and Catharines got some turnips. Hannah came home. Sarah and Nancy went down to A Browns. I went down in Evening. Painted front room. Fanny Town[56] called in to see Mrs Plank. Dea Mason called here.

May 4 – I painted some in kitchen. Ethan plowed garden, had Prince. Brown, Hank and Arthur Arms came over. Will Plank came home in night.

May 5 – Pleasant morning. At home all day.

May 6 – Planted potatoes. Carried my plow down to A. Browns. Sent my photo to Patty.[57] Got potatoes of A. Brown.

May 7 – Cloudy. Went over to burg to see Mr Tousley to let him have some cornground to plant. Went up to Mr Ridlers. Jason Durgy came over and took it. Bot onion seed. Mrs Mason here and Deacon took tea.

May 8 – Put up old log in south lot, set steaks for gate posts. Nancy and Hannah went down to Skinners.

May 9 – Rained some in morning, windy. Sowed onions out by Barn. Ethan and girls went over to burg. Went and got Will Planks trunk.

May 10 – Sowed corn East of currant bushes. Sarah went down to Catharines with Mart, Lucy sick.

May 11 – Ethan and Will Plank went to Kalamazoo. Rainy day. I worked on sulky thill, repaired vice, cut the nut open and put it together.

May 12 – Cloudy and cool. Went down to Catharines in afternoon. Nancy & Hannah went down. Sarah came home.

May 13 – Cloudy and cool. Pulled stumps in south lot. Jason Durkee commenced plowing. Ethan and Will went fishing. Doc Babcock came up here to buy the farm.

May 14 – Got a few stone of the south lot. Ethan and I planted corn for A Brown in after­noon. Edwin Flanders[58] and Arthur Arms helped. Will Plank planted for Erastus Town.[59]

May 15 – Rained some in Morning. Will Clark[60] here. Put sulky thill together.

May 16 – Repaired fence up by the woods. Went up to Chapins to see my place. Chapin had cut all the large timber off.

May 17 – Shelled seed corn. Drawed of some stumps from plowed ground. Ethan plowed some for A Brown.

May 18 – Went to Kalamazoo to see Doc babcock. Rained. Jo Lee went down with me. Jesse Earl[61] went down after some long timber. Wes went down.

May 19 – Went down to Catharines after Nancy. Mary Plank went along. Jack Bristols little girl[62] buried to day.

May 20 – Rainy in forenoon. Dell Skinners Horses run a way. A man and woman came here, they was with Dell. No one hurt. Ethan and I and Jim helped A. Brown plant in afternoon. Durgy commenced marking corn ground.

May 21 – Cloudy morning. Put front on Skinners buggy. Durgy commenced planting corn. Catharine and Lucy came up here. Rained in night. Painted Sulky thill.

May 22 – Rainy morning. Rained all day. No work.

May 23 – Painted sulky wheels. Durgy finished planting corn. Took calf down to Catharines. Rained some in night.

May 24 – Chored around. Went up in woods, got some steakes. Lois and Sate[63] here. Jim and Will went down to Skinners stayed all night.

May 25 – I went to Kalamazoo. Lois went down. Jo Lee went along. Jim and Will went down to Catharines stayed all night. I went to Martin Turners.[64] Went down to see Doc Babcock. Ida Barber[65] came over stayed all night.

May 26 – Pleasant morning. At home all day. Had a shower in night. Saw the prettiest rainbow I Ever saw just at night.

May 27 – Built fence up side hill side of corn. Ethan set some cabbage plants.

May 28 – Fine morning. Will Plank washed my sheep. Ethan and Will went to Kalamazoo. I got bushel potatoes of A. Brown. Cut some stakes to stake fence.

May 29 – Pleasant morning. Cut some stakes, repaired fence in front of house. Ethan carried Will Plank up to Erastus Towns. I painted sulky some.

May 30 – Not very well. Picked up some things in shop. Moved stove back.

May 31 – Planted beans and some potatoes, hoed some potatoes, planted over some corn where the hens scratched it up. Mart and Lucy called here. Ethan, Sarah and Nancy went over to burg in Evening to concert.

Jun 1 – Picked potatoe bugs in forenoon. Rained in afternoon. Went down to Catharines stayed all night.

Jun 2 – Went up and got Jo Lee. Stayed until night, came home.

Jun 3 – Picked potatoe bugs in forenoon. Made Dels whiffletrees[66] in afternoon.

Jun 4 – Picked potatoe bugs in forenoon. Ethan drawed wood. Mr Allen called here. Went down and got Jo Lees old buggy. Jo came home with me stayed all night. Aunt Norma Coe[67] died this morning.

Jun 5 – Fixed Lois table in fore noon. Went down to Skinners in afternoon to raising. Carried Jo Lee home. Warm day.

Jun 6 – Smoothed of my stand. Read a letter from Mark. Rained in night.

Jun 7 – Rebecca had a fit this morning. Some rainy. Worked on road in afternoon. Had a shower. Will Plank came home. Cow calved in night.

Jun 8 – Cloudy and some mist. Worked on road. Warm day. J. Earl, Hat Taylor, O. D. Schram, S. Thomas, C. L. Keith, E. B. Keith.

Jun 9 – Warm day. At home. Ethan and Carry and sis went down to Catharines. Mart and Hannah came up here.

Jun 10 – Rainy. A. Brown brot his buggy up to be repaired. Worked on A Browns buggy. Conklin Smith came here stayed all night.

Jun 11 – Put hind Ex to Browns buggy. Jo Lee, Mr Hall and Alvin Lee[68] called here. Ethan went down to Marts to cultivate corn. Had a shower in Evening. Mrs Allerton visiting Mrs Plank.

Jun 12 – Finished A Browns buggy, put in forward Ex. Mr Allen called here. Del and Lois called here brot some milk.

Jun 13 – Rains like fun some thunder. Took Jo Lees buggy to peaces. Rained hard most of the forenoon. Ethan came home. Mart and Wes Stowell caled here. Hank Brown took the buggy over to burg. Got it finished.

Jun 14 – Fine morning. Picked potatoe bugs most of the day. Mrs Skinner, Lois and Sate here. Ethan got his boots fixed to day 2.50. Mrs. Ripley Cummings[69] Buried to day.

Jun 15 – Worked round shop. Varnish Lois table stand &c.[70] Went down to Jo Lees stayed all night.

Jun 16 – Went down to Catharines and over to Chancy Beckwiths, came home.

Jun 17 – Warm day. Went to Kalamazoo with Ethan. He commenced work for the Grand Rapids and Indiana RR Company. Drew on order on town treasurer $.90.50 cts for District No 7.

Jun 18 – Hoed in garden some. Mrs Brown and Jule[71] here.

Jun 19 – Martin Turner here. Went up to Jesse Earls and down to Catharines. Sarah stayed down there.

Jun 20 – Mr Allen sheared sheep. Very hot day. Got letter from Ethan. Sheared sixteen sheep. Mercury 100 and in sun.

Jun 21 – Made standard for shovel plow for Mart Milham. Extracted one tooth for Mr Youngs. Very hot day, Mercury 83 in shade. Went down to Catharines to carry Ethans pants. Hannah came home. John Sherman paid one dollar for Buckwheat. Coburn commenced plowing East lot.

Jun 22 – Very hot 87 Abz. No work, headache. Hoed some onions.

Jun 23 – Went down to Kalamazoo to carry Ethan some things. Found him feeling very well.

Jun 24 – Plowed out potatoes and corn East of barn and gardens, hoed some. A Brown paid 2.00.

Jun 25 – Went over to burg in morning to see about wool. Went down to A. R. Skinners, Lois sick. Got woolbox went over to burg in Evening. A. R. paid 75 cts. Nancy bot dress.

Jun 26 – Working around garden some. Carried Nancy down to A. R. Skinners.

Jun 27 – Picked potatoe bugs. Jo Lee here all day. Mart came up just at night.

Jun 28 – Went over to burg carried corn and wheat for Mrs Plank. Mr Plank got home in Evening.

Jun 29 – Went over to burg. Got Mr Planks truck and grist. Went down to Catharines, carried some things for Ethan. Eb and Harry here. Coburn plowing.

Jun 30 – At home. Very hot day. Went in swimming. Mr Plank and Jim went in.

Jul 1 – Turned 3 pins for J. Allen, three for A. Brown. I tied up my wool had 78½ lbs by my weight.

Jul 2 – Lois came home. Del sowing Buckwheat. Went over to the burg. Very hot 97 Abz in shade 11 oclock AM. Mr Chancy Beckwith[72] Buried.

Jul 3 – Went over to burg sold my wool 60 pr pound 45.00. John Shermans man got Buckwheat one bushel and half 10/-. Went to Kalamazoo to see Ethan. Let him have $2.00. Had a fine shower. Sol Youngs here.

Jul 4 – Went down to Streators with Wesley got three bushels wheat. Carried Browns wool box home. Sis and Beca went down to Skinners. Paid Mr Streator 2 two Dollars. Ethan came home in Evening.

Jul 5 – Warm morning. Went down to river got two barrels water for Mrs Plank to make soap. Went over to burg after potatoes, bot fish. Carried Ethan to Kalamazoo in afternoon.

Jul 6 – Warm morning. Repaired Reel to Skinners Reaper. Mr Right called here. Mr and Mrs Warren Brown here to Mr Planks. Went over to Burg in Evening. Bot ½ bushel potatoes 3/-.

Jul 7 – Warm morning. At home all day. Very dry. James Stowel buried to day.

Jul 8 – Went down to Skinners to get him to cut my grass. Went up to Wesleys. Mr Allerton commenced cutting wheat. Mr Plank to work for him. Hot day 95 in shade.

Jul 9 – Skinner cut my grass. Went over to burg at noon and in Evening went down to M. O. Streators after rake. Raked some hay.

Jul 10 – Finished raking hay. Took rake down to Streators at noon drawed in three loads hay. Ethan came home from Kalamazoo. Hot day.

Jul 11 – Finished drawing hay. Jo Lee here. Very hot day 101 in shade 116 in sun. Will Plank worked for Mr Imus[?].

Jul 12 – Turned six pins for Mr Allen. Went to river got water to wash with. Mr Plank and Will to work for Allerton. Very hot 95 in shade. Sis and Jim went up to Mr Streators woods after berries.

Jul 13 – Warm and dry. Put one felloe[73] in my wagon. Ethan and Nancy and Jim went to Kalamazoo. Had Mr Schrams buggy. Hannah came home with them. Mercury 99 in shade.

Jul 14 – Warm morning. Ethan went down to Catharines stayed all night.

Jul 15 – E went to Kalamazoo to get his pay. Hot day 99 in Shade. I commenced cutting wheat on hill. Had a shower in afternoon, had a heavy Shower in Evening while I was after the cows. Ethan got home. Turned six pins for A Brown.

Jul 16 – Cut wheat cut 100 Bundles. Ethan worked for A. Brown. Sarah had $.00 ten Dollars.

Jul 17 – Turned Seven pins for Mr Allen this morning paid him two Dollars $2.00 cash.

Jul 18 – Went down to river got water to wash. Went over to burg got shugar & tea. Went down to Skinners to help him draw wheat, no help him. Jim fell and hurt him. Mr & Mrs Henry Clinton came down here. Hat and Libby Taylor here. I went up to David Bronsons got one galon wine. Sold the Calf to Mr Hicock for 5 five Do.

Jul 19 – A. Brown drawed his wheat in to my barn. Finished drawing pit.

Jul 20 – Went over to burg in morning got Nails. Put ridgeboards on South part of house. Had a shower in Evening. Will, Mary and Carry came home.

Jul 21 – At home all day. Catharine and Hannah came up just at night. Cows laid out to night.

Jul 22 – Went over to burg bot gloves 60, bot Catharine shoes 2.00. Ethan work for N. L. Randal. Put boards on house. Went over to burg bot gloves 60. Went down to Catharines, Sarah stayed. Will Clark went with me. Had a rainy night.

Jul 23 – Rainy morning. Lois came home. Made pig yoke. Mr Plank had Bill to go to burg. Uncle Pete Johnson[74] came over here to see stove. Turned ball club for Will Clark and seven pins for Mr Allen.

Jul 24 – Cloudy. Commenced shingling west side of house. Put bell on cow. Went over to burg in Evening bot three bunches shingles $3.18, one pair of shoes for sis 1.75. Saw Dick Blackburn.

Jul 25 – Finished Shingling the west side of house about noon. Rainy afternoon.

Jul 26 – Put arm on Jo Lees buggy seat. Went over to burg in Evening, got Catharines glasses. Ethan went down to Dels got some apples.

Jul 27 – Went down to Catharines after Sarah. Mart finished drawing wheat. Mr. D. A. Mc Cullom[75] buried to day. Chan Rittaker at Kalamazoo.

Jul 28 – Went down to Jo Lees and Skinners, carried Lois some wine.

Jul 29 – Headache, no work to day. Hot day.

Jul 30 – Jo Lee came up here. Old Mr Williams[76] buried to day.

Jul 31 – Went to Kalamazoo to see Hibbard, no see him. Rebecca Plank went down to Catharines. Bot Set teaspoons $2.62 cents.

Aug 1 – Drawed some wood. Went up to Raymonds old place to see Mr Hall.

Aug 2 – Worked on Jo Lees buggy box put on sid and End, made Standards to dash. Ethan worked for A Brown. Paid Obe Williams Sixty 63 three Dollars. Fanny Town very sick.

Aug 3 – Worked on dash some. Went down to Jo Lees stayed all night. Went down to Catharines Mr John Milham there came I. D. L. Schram[77] repaired fence round School yard.

Aug 4 – Went down to Catharines. Mr John Milham[78] there. Came home in Evening.

Aug 5 – Put Dash on Jo Lees buggy. Had a heavy shower in afternoon. W^m Ralph and wife and Father[79] came in and stayed through the shower.

Aug 6 – Went to Kalamazoo to see Hibbard and Bruce, all gone from home. Ethan went down to Marts to work.

Aug 7 – Finished Jo Lees dash, put the box on to the gearing, painted some. Jo here went down to Wolcots after the cows. Received a letter from Mark Lee.

Aug 8 – Hot day 95 Abz. Fanny Town some better. Headache, no work. Sarah went over to Barbers in Evening stayed all night.

Aug 9 – Worked on Joes buggy, puttyed up nail holes &c hoed some turnips. Went down to Dels after corn. Went over after Sarah in Evening. Fanny Town very comfortable this morning.

Aug 10 – Painted Jo Lees buggy. Mr and Mrs Riley Bennet came here. Stayed here all night.

Aug 11 – Bennets folks here. Killed two hens. Rained some in afternoon.

Aug 12 – Went to Kalamazoo, went to George Turners,[80] Sarah went had Schrams buggy. Had a heavey shower in night. Saw Bruce Hibbard, Hicock, Doc Finch.

Aug 13 – Rainy took sulky over to burg. Went down to Skinners helped At home all day. Took sulky over to burg.

Aug 14 – We Went down to Skinners in fore noon.

Aug 15 – Went up to gull Prarie to see Mr Wood to sell him the Bristol place. Ed Childs came here in night. Hicock got four sheep paid ten Dollars. Put Cow in Browns lot. Edna Crawford[81] came here.

Aug 16 – Ed Childs went over to burg, carried corn to mill, brot sulky home. Got strap 50. Went down to Catharines after Ethan and Hannah. Henry came home to day.

Aug 17 – Went up to Chapins. Saw Mr Wood made a trade with him. Not very well. Nancy and Edna went over with me. Rained in night.

Aug 18 – Cloudy morning. Killed Bob.[82] At home all day.

Aug 19 – Harry Streator[83] got sulky this morning. Edna went home. Ethan and Hannah went down to Catharines.

Aug 20 – Sarah went down to A Browns. Made wheel to wheelbarrow. Mr Wood and Pain came over here. No trade. Mercury 97 in shade.

Aug 21 – Very hot. Painted wheel, three chairs and one pail. Went over to burg in Evening. Sis and Becca went. I paid Doc Merrill Six Dollars.

Aug 22 – Hot. Painted chair bottoms, wheelbarrow wheel. Went down to Skinners in Evening. Hank and Frank had a runaway, broke Streators Sulky. Smash him up generaly some.

Aug 23 – Went over to Chapins and B. Vosburgs. Mr Wood and John Pain Came over, made bargain for Bristol place. Repaired saw frame for A. Brown 25.

Aug 24 – At home all day. Jo Lee came up got his buggy. Sate Skinner here. Schram thrashed his wheat had 2.25 bushel.

Aug 25 – At home all day. No one here.

Aug 26 – Not much work to day. Skalawag came here stayed all night. Had a nice shower. Got Schrams buggy.

Aug 27 – Went to Kalamazoo. Sold Bristol place to Benjamin Wood for $1000. Paid Chapin 50, paid Kirby $4.34.36 four hundred and Paid Lucy $100. Tom Meeker Died this morning.

Aug 28 – Cool and cloudy in morning. Put up some fence south of orchard. Tom Meeker buried.

Aug 29 – Rainy morning. Went over to burg bot sis Dress. Jo Lee came up here. Mrs George Blake Died this morning.

Aug 30 – Pleasant and cool. Lois came home. Mr Schram got Bill to go to Wakeshma. I cut some wood sawed five logs. Mr Plank helped T. Ford thrash.

Aug 31 – Pleasant morning. Painted over to Mr Towns in forenoon, painted dining room. Mr Schram brot Bill home about dark. Henry Came home stayed all night.

Sep 1 – Went down to Catharines after Ethan. Ethan and Hannah came up with Marts team. Mr Gould Richardson Died.[84]

Sep 2 – Steamer came here to thrash. Fiered up just at night.

Sep 3 – Finished thrashing about ten oclock forenoon. Fine day.

Sep 4 – Went down to Jo Lees stayed all day. Catharine came with Mrs Youngs. Sick.

Sep 5 – Mr Randal thrashed S. Steamer machine.

Sep 6 – Went over to burg after Nancy then went down to Skinners. Got one bushel peaches. Carried Nancy down to Catharines to go to Vicksburg. Edna Nichols[85] died to night.

Sep 7 – Came back. No work to day at home. Made bow to oiles poke.

Sep 8 – At home not well. Ambros and Tild[86] came up here. Cut big watermelon. Edna Nichols buried to day.

Sep 9 – At home all day. Pulled some beans.

Sep 10 – Worked round house and garden.

Sep 11 – Got in beans and sowed corn. Henry came down. Went up to Schrams got buggy. Had a fine shower.

Sep 12 – Henry and I Started for Deerfield. Some rainy. Stoped in Kalamazoo. Bot hat 2.00, bot blouse 2.00. Went to Carolines stayed all night. Rainy day. Went over to burg in morning. Bot vest 2.50.

Sep 13 – Left Carolines for Oscars.[87] Fine day. Got to Oscars about four in afternoon. Found them well.

Sep 14 – Paid Oscar $300.00 three Hundred Dollars. Paid Alfleda 300.00 one Hundred Dollars $100.00. Henry Meridith went down to the Lake. Oscar and Mary Ann[88] went to Coloma.

Sep 15 – Started for home. Stoped to Glyttenberg with Schuyler Harris. Found them well.

Sep 16 – Left for home, got home about seven in Evening all right.

Sep 17 – Went down to Skinners after sleeve pattern for Hannah. Durgy cutting corn. Had a shower.

Sep 18 – Went down to Kalamazoo after Nancy. Had a hail storm. Stayed to George Turners all night. C Stephen Wilcut[89] stayed here all night.

Sep 19 – Came home to day. Went down to A Browns in Evening to A spiritual Circle.[90]

Sep 20 – Went over to burg to mill. Mr Rickey buried to day.

Sep 21 – No work to day, not very well. Went over to burg just at night, bot broom. Went down to A Browns in Evening, attended a circle. Rained in night. Mr Hudleston Shot this afternoon.

Sep 22 – Not very well. Ethan came up after Hannah. Went down to A. Browns in Evening to attend a circle. Mrs Plank went. Rainy night.

Sep 23 – Commenced my vice. Jo Lee came up here. I went over to burg with him. Mr Planks folks had company, Mr Wordswoorth and wife. He played and sung in Evening.

Sep 24 – Went down to Skinners, got some peaches. Mr Wadsworth left. Ethan came up after Sarah, Toots[91] baby[92] sick. Hank Brown and Farland called here, was here to tea. Rainy afternoon. Farland went to see Jim Hoag. Hank, Nancy, Ida and Farland went to W. Judsons.

Sep 25 – Will Plank left for Grand Rapids. Worked on vice some. Very windy. Sarah Turner and Georgie[93] came here. Cow went to Bull. Lucys baby died fifteen minutes to seven.

Sep 26 – Very windy morning. Ethan brot Sarah home. Finished my vice.

Sep 27 – Went down to Catharines. Lucys baby buried. Carried Sarah Turner down to Mr Davis. Had A. Browns buggy and our horse.

Sep 28 – Carried Sarah down to A Browns. Cut weeds in west garden, cut popcorn, dug a few potatoes. Went down to A Browns after Sarah. Rained some, rainy night, very windy.

Sep 29 – Rainy day, cold wind. Ethan brot Nancy and Hannah home. Very rainy.

Sep 30 – Cool, cloudy and some misty. Pared one bushel apples. Went up in woods. Split five logs for wood. Mrs Allerton visiting Mrs Plank.

Oct 1 – Cloudy and cool, some rain in morning. Went over to burg. Sarah & Mrs Plank went, came back. Jo Lee came up. Nancy and I went over to burg, saw Comodore Foots carriage and poneys. Lois came home. Jim went up to Wesleys stayed all night. Paid I. D. L. Schram 45 cents.

Oct 2 – Drawed 4 loads wood. Jim up to Wesleys cutting corn. Will Clark came down here. Put cow in lot south orchard. Henry called here. Went down to Browns in Evening.

Oct 3 – Cloudy not very cool. Round home all day. Warm and pleasant.

Oct 4 – Went over to burg to see Barber about cutting buckwheat. Loyd Higgins came over with me. Went down to Marts after Ethan.

Oct 5 – Went to Kalamazoo to get some cutter shoes, got none. Nancy and Hank Brown married to night Rev Mr Day married them.

Oct 6 – Rainy morning. Higgins here at home all day. Rainy some.

Oct 7 – Ethan and Loyd gone to Kalamazoo with A. Brown. Jim Millham brot his wheels here to be rimmed.

Oct 8 – Went to Kalamazoo with A Brown. Loyd went to give in his testimony. Bot steel for cutter shoes and linament. Fine day. Barber and Durgy cutting Buckwheat.

Oct 9 – Pleasant morning. Loyd Higgins gave one silver Dollar. He and Ethan went over to burg. I rimed one wheel for Jim Milham. Durgy boys husking corn.

Oct 10 – Cloudy. Barber and Durgy cutting Buckwheat. Ethan and Loyd gone to Streators, Flander and Skinners. Jo Flanders[94] brot some peaches.

Oct 11 – Loyd Higgins Started for home. Ethan went over to burg. I pounded out specled beans. Barber and Durgy cutting Buckwheat. Fine day. Boys husking.

Oct 12 – Went down to Catharines stayed all night.

Oct 13 – Helped Jo Lee move some things and came home. Snowed some

Oct 14 – Pleasant day. Will Plank came home badly hurt. Had his hand took of smashed coupling cars. Nancy moved over to Burg. Bot halter strap 40 cents.

Oct 15 – Carried my cutter over to burg to be Ironed. Mrs Dick Barber here. Barber and Durgy thrashed Buckwheat in afternoon. Paid G. A. Lockhart ten Dollars towards Ironing Cutter.

Oct 16 – Carried Sarah down to A. Browns. Durgy & Barber thrashed Buckwheat cleaned up 17½ bushels. Fine day.

Oct 17 – Carried Sarah over to burg to Nancys. Barber & Durgy thrashing buckwheat. Some smoky. Went over to burg in Evening. Bot some cranberries. Got Sis shoes mended.

Oct 18 – Barber & Durgy thrashing Buckwheat. Fine day. Worked round barn and house. Huron Arms and Ida here to Planks in Evening.

Oct 19 – Made Nancy moulding board. Made lever for Mart. Went down to Marts, Sis and Cary Plank went with me. Warm and dry. They finished on the Buckwheat, had 59 bushels.

Oct 20 – Fine morning, pleasant. Ethan came home. Eb and Nell called here.

Oct 21 – Repaired camry for Hank. Dug some potatoes, drawed some corn. Warm day. John Sherman drawed Plank some wood.

Oct 22 – Dug some potatoes. Mr W^m Johnson drawed Mr Plank load wood. Went over to Nancys in Evening. Warm day, very dry and smoky.

Oct 23 – Fine day. Dug potatoes in west garden. Tild and Jule here in afternoon. Went up to sawmill got some bar posts. D. Bronson there. P. T. Barnums Show at Grand Rapids to day.

Oct 24 – Went to Kalamazoo to see P. T. Barnums show. Fine day. A big croud there.

Oct 25 – Dug potatoes. Fine day. Finished West garden.

Oct 26 – Rainy day. Went over to burg after Nancy. Made some bars to go into Cornfield, put them up just at night. Got wet.

Oct 27 – Pleasant day. Nancy and Hank went down to Browns. Tip, Ras, Yarsky and Totty there or Expected there. Durgy husked corn. Fine day.

Oct 28 – Nice day. Finished digging potatoes, had about 20 bushels. Sis started for Catharines, went as far as Lois.

Oct 29 – Pleasant morning, no frost to hurt any thing. Mrs Plank paid 5.00. Bot shugar, one pr gloves .75 75 cts. Jim husked corn for N. L. Randal.

Oct 30 – Carried Sarah and Mrs Plank down to Skinners. Moved corn in cornhouse. Rainy afternoon. Went down to Jacksons after Sarah and Mrs Plank. Rained like fun. Jim husked for N. L. Randal. Becca husked for Allerton.

Oct 31 – Firing Salutes in town this morning, Colfax Speaks there. Carried Mrs Plank over to take cars for Kalamazoo. Carried some new corn over for sarup. Went down to Catharines. Went over to burg in Evening after Mr Planks folks about ten oclock.

Nov 1 – Went over to burg, got some sarup ground. Bot Jims Boots 3.00. Jim went down to Catharines. Went up to Schrams to Raising, raised his Barn. Went over to Barbers in Evening with A. Browns folks. Some rain.

Nov 2 – Cloudy and cool morning. Went over to Burg. Sis went over to Nancys. Got in one load corn in afternoon. Rained quite hard. Mrs Plank went down to T. Fords. Mr Plank killed a pig. Youngones all away from home.

Nov 3 – Cloudy morning. Unloaded load corn. Went down to Catharines. Henry went with me. Ethan and Catharine came up. Rained a very little, cool.

Nov 4 – Pleasant morning. Drawed one load corn in afternoon. Rainy. Boys finished husking to day.

Nov 5 – Rainy day. Went to Election, Greley and Grant[95] run the heat.

Nov 6 – Got my peach blow potatoes down from south lot. The boys got the last of their cornfodder away. Snowed some in night.

Nov 7 – Snow about ¼ of an inch deep.

Nov 8 – Drawed pumpkins, some fodder. Fine day. Went over to burg just at night.

Nov 9 – Hung ax and filed saw for Del Skinner, filed saw for A Caywood, finished blocks for Theodore Earls Saw. Mrs Freeer[96] Buried to day.

Nov 10 – Fine morning. Went down to Catharines. Got Marts trowel.

Nov 11 – Cut some wood and drawed it. Fine warm day. Went over to burg in Evening.

Nov 12 – Trimed orchard some. Fine day. Dug a few potatoes in south garden. Jo Lee here. Had Smith Carletons buckboard. Harvey stayed here all night with Jim.

Nov 13 – Cool morning, some wind. Round home. Went down to Catharines. They all came up here in Evening, had a time.

Nov 14 – Went over to burg in forenoon. Eugene Crawford[97] came here. Stoped up cellar windows. Cold wind. Filed buck Saw for A. R. Skinner.

Nov 15 – Went down to Catharines with Eugene. Snowed and blowed like fun. Hannah came home with us. Snow fell about 4 inches.

Nov 16 – Pleasant, sun came out, snow fell about 4 inches. Carried Sarah and Hannah and Eugene over to Nancys. No snow to day.

Nov 17 – Mart and Ethan came up home. Eugene here.

Nov 18 – Eugene left for Dowagaic. Cleaned out Hen house. Mr Allerton drawed some wood for Mr Plank. He asked me about the hogs, did Mr Brown say any thing about the hogs before the trial commenced. I think not. He says we stood by the gate talking, heard the hogs and I started to go to home and Mr Brown followed an we saw the hogs in my lot. This is what he says to day.

Nov 19 – Cloudy and cold at [incomplete entry]

Nov 20 – Went over to burg got my cutter. Paid Lockhart 3.00 three Dollars.

Nov 21 – Cut and drawed some wood. Ethan went to Kalamazoo. Went over to burg with Sleigh the first time.

Nov 22 – Went over to burg. Bot oil for machine 20. Carried Sarah down to A. Browns. Snows some.

Nov 23 – Went to Kalamazoo with A. Brown to see Hickox about my sheep. Says he dont want them, says I had better sell them if I can. Went and saw Sherwood, Browns lawyer. Snow about gone.

Nov 24 – Quite warm wind in South in morning. Went down to Catharines. Catharine came home with me. Harry Streator came and got money of Ethan.

Nov 25 – Snow all gone. Put turnips in cellar. Went down to Marts. Cold wind.

Nov 26 – Went up to Wesleys. Pleasant day Sarah and Catharine went over to Nancys. Ethan and I cut some wood. Bill began to cough.

Nov 27 – Cold wind but pleasant. Dell Skinner got sheep. Paid $10.00. Very cold, high wind. Bill sick.

Nov 28 – Snows this morning. Went up to Wesleys. Snow fell 2 inches. Bill sick.

Nov 29 – Cold, Snowes some. Went up to Jo Flanders. Cold and blustring. Edwin got Home from Chicago. Snow fell 2 inches. Bill geting worse. Horace Greely Died[98] to day.

Nov 30 – Drawed two loads wood, some cornfodder. Went over to burg. Osgood paid $.50.00. Bot syrup 1.10 one galon. Harold and Mrs Gaffing here visiting. Cold day, mercury 8 Above zero. Bill no better. Snow fell 1½ inches.

Dec 1 – Snowey day. Bill no better, dont run at the nose yet. Snow fell 1½ inches.

Dec 2 – Some warmer, some rain in morning, snowey day. Wes brot Catharine down in morning. Snow fell 2½ inches.

Dec 3 – Went over to burg. Got some shugar, nutmeg and cinnamon. Nancy came home with me.

Dec 4 – Went down to Catharines after the Heifer. Not very cold. Mr Latta and Ida Clark[99] came down to Mr Planks in Evening.

Dec 5 – Turned two knobs for Lois stand. Henry came down. Mr Allerton asked about the hogs, what he told me in regard to the hogs. Fine day. Mr Flanders called here left letter for Henry. A. Brown killed his hogs.

Dec 6 – Henry went home. Worked round house and shop.

Dec 7 – Put up stove in South room. Drawed two loads wood, one load cornfodder. Went over to burg in Evening. Got Jim pair suspenders 35.

Dec 8 – Not very cold, snows some in morning.

Dec 9 – Worked round shop some. Cut out boxboards for cutter. Went over to burg in Evening. Ethan went to Kalamazoo to take lesson. Will Plank went to Grandrappids. He got a situation. Very cold, 8 Abz.

Dec 10 – Went over to burg. Carried Will over to go to work. Nancy came over. Lois came home. Skinner paid me five Dollars. Cold, snows some. Paid W^m Schroder five Dollars on Sarahs Account.

Dec 11 – Fine morning, not as cold as it has been. Went over to burg. Lois went over, got some shoes. I bot Lois shoes for Louesa 2.00. Mrs Skinner & Sate here in afternoon. Dell, Henry and Will Harmony and Hank Brown here in Evening. They rode down hill in Evening.

Dec 12 – Pleasant day. Worked round house and barn. Shelled some corn.

Dec 13 – Went over to burg. Carried 3 bushels Buckwheat, 1½ corn. Mrs Plank went over with me. Made box to Jims slead. Hannah got her ring of E. Underwood.

Dec 14 – Pleasant. Cut some wood, drawed one load.

Dec 15 – At home all day. Pleasant day.

Dec 16 – Ethan went to Kalamazoo to take lesson. I mended Mrs Planks teapot, ours and some pans. Planed out boards for cutter box.

Dec 17 – Went up in woods, cut one load wood, got pole to hang hogs on. Went down to A. Browns in Evening. Nancy had a quilting.

Dec 18 – Killed one hog, Mr Plank killed one. Snowey day, Snow fell 3 inches.

Dec 19 – At home all day. Cold. Mr Fitzjerrald moved to Kalamazoo, left some things here. Cold, snowey night, snow fell about five and half inches 5½.

Dec 20 – Put up my hog. Ethan got load wood. Mr Caywood got his bobs. I carried girls to school. Some blustring.

Dec 21 – Went up in woods, cut some wood. Mr Latta came up there, paid Latta $5 five Dollars. Mr Fitzjerald got his things. Went over to burg. Paid my tax 12.57. Very blustring. Mrs Van Vliett[100] died to day. Mercury 2 below zero, cold night. Henry called here got his letter from Buffalo.

Dec 22 – Cold 20 below zero about seven AM, cold and some wind. At home all day. No one here.

Dec 23 – Very cold day, blustring. Carried the girls to school. Ethan gone to Kalamazoo to take lesson. Henry came down in Evening. Cold.

Dec 24 – Cold morning, 27 below zero. Del called here, paid 5.00 five Dollars. He wanted two axhelves. Isaac Schram got hurt by a lim from a tree.

Dec 25 – Cold, no wind, 2 above zero. Went down to Skinners in afternoon, went from there to Catharines, stayed all night. Cold night. Let Del have two Axhelves, hung one ax.

Dec 26 – At Catharines all day. Cold. Mart and Darling cleaned up load wheat. We came home in Evening.

Dec 27 – Cold and pleasant. Dell got two bushels buckwheat. Hung ax for Dell. Charley Smith here with him.

Dec 28 – Went over to burg. Received one Hundred Dollars of Township 100 treasurer. Paid Myron Latta $35 thirty five Dollars. Henry came down after Ethan. He went up to Mr Flanders stayed all night.

Dec 29 – At went up to Wesleys after Lou Hannah went over to burg after Louesa. Dell and Lois came here. Ethan and Hannah went down to Catharines. Snow fell one inch. Dow Haines got my melodian.

Dec 30 – Snowey day. Sawed out sills for my cutter box. Snow fell 2 inches. Ethan went to Kalamazoo. There was a dance up to Mr Riddlers.

Dec 31 – Dressed out sills for cutter boddy. Edwin Flanders here to see about cupler. Dell and Lois went to Lima.

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[1] Known better, and referred to, as Luke

[2] His son, Ethan Keith

[3] His sister, Catherine (Keith) Bradley Lee

[4] Alfleda (Starr) Keith, widow of his late brother, Harvey Keith

[5] Ambrose Brown, neighbor and father of Henry Brown, daughter Nancy’s future husband

[6] Neighbor, Marius O. Streator

[7] Galesburg, Michigan

[8] Daughters of neighbors William & Harriet (Groat) Plank

[9] His youngest son, James Clinton Keith

[10] His daughters

[11] John Wesley Keith, his adopted brother

[12] Henry (Hank) Brown. Hank marries Nancy in October

[13] Martin Milham, Lucy Lee’s husband. Lucy is Catharine’s daughter

[14] Daughter by first wife, Minerva (Payson) Keith

[15] The son of his neighbors, William & Harriet (Groat) Plank

[16] His third wife, Sarah Crawford

[17] Daughter, Louese

[18] First cousin, Joseph Lee (son of Rhoda (Keith) and Charles Lee)

[19] The daughter of his neighbors, William & Harriet (Groat) Plank

[20] Above zero

[21] Martin and Lucy (Lee) Milham (daughter of Catharine (Keith) Bradley Lee)

[22] Niece (daughter of brother Harvey and Alfleda (Starr) Keith)

[23] Son of Cynthia (Brown) and William Arms. Cynthia was Ambrose Brown’s sister

[24] /- is the symbol used for shilling. A shilling was a coin of Colonial America and varied between 12¢ and 16¢

[25] Luke uses this phrase quite often. The Oxford Dictionary gives its meaning as “vigorously or quickly”

[26] Most likely his daughter and new son-in-law, Lois (Keith) Clark and Adelbert Skinner

[27] James Milham was Martin Milham’s half brother

[28] Jim Milham’s daughter

[29] Willis Brown, Hank Brown’s younger brother

[30] His daughter, known also as Louese or Sis or Lou

[31] Julia (Wood) Bristol (daughter of Simeon & Reliance (Brown) Wood, first cousin of Hank Brown

[32] Ax handles

[33] Neighbors, William & Harriet (Groat) Plank

[34] Two poles between which a horse is hitched to a wagon

[35] His horse

[36] Believe he is referring to his first cousin, Caroline M. (Wolcott) Earl

[37] Neighbor, John Allen, who is mentioned quite frequently as well as some of his children, Byron, Cora, Ida, Libbie and Emma

[38] Isaac Schram, a neighbor

[39] Neighbors, Hetta (Burgess) Ralph and Emaline (Stone) Ralph, the mother and wife of William Ralph

[40] George Clinton Lee Milham, Lucy & Mart Milham’s son

[41] Adelbert Skinner, Lois’ second husband

[42] Believe he is referring to Rebecca Plank, William & Harriet (Groat) Plank’s oldest daughter

[43] Joseph York, husband of Helen (Bradley) York. Helen was daughter of Catherine (Keith) Bradley Lee by her first husband, Ethan Bradley

[44] Neighbor, James R. Flanders, age 36, buried in Riverside Cemetery, Charleston, Michigan

[45] Son by his first wife, Minerva (Payson) Keith

[46] 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. An entry in Luke’s 1870 diary for March 18 states that “Mark and Henry started for Salt Lake in night”

[47] Wood ashes through which water is passed to carry away soluble portions

[48] Florence (Plank) Hansell, age 20, was the daughter of Lewis & Ann (Groat) Plank. Lewis and William Plank were brothers

[49] Cousin (grandson of Charles Lee and Rhoda Keith, by their son Charles and his wife Juliana Davis)

[50] Albert Towne, the father of Charles Towne who would later marry Hannah Keith in 1891

[51] Caroline Plank, the daughter of William & Harriet (Groat) Plank

[52] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that Marvin Babcock died April 23, 1872 and is buried in Mountain Home Cemetery, Kalamazoo, Michigan

[53] Land-plaster, or gypsum, was used as a fertilizer

[54] Apparatus for giving an equal proportion of work to horses in pulling, drawing a load, etc.

[55] Believe he is referring to his cousin, Charles Lee (son of Charles Lee and Rhoda Keith), and Charles’ son

[56] Sister of Charles Towne

[57] His sister, Martha “Patty” Keith Sprague

[58] A neighbor

[59] Erasmus Towne, son-in-law of Ambrose Brown’s sister, Reliance (Brown) Wood. Also referred to as Ras

[60] Grandson, son of Lois (Keith) and her first husband, Byron Clark

[61] Neighbor and “shirttail relative”

[62] Lula Anna Bristol, who was just shy of four years old, the daughter of Jackson & Julia (Wood) Bristol, died May 17, 1872 and is buried in the Galesburg City Cemetery, Galesburg, Michigan. Julia (Wood) Bristol and Henry “Hank” Brown were first cousins

[63] Del Skinner’s sister

[64] First cousin (son of Asa Turner and Lydia Willcutt)

[65] Neighbor, daughter of Richard & Mary (Knowles) Barber

[66] A horizontal crossbar to the ends of which the traces of a harness are attached. Also known as a swingletree

[67] Don’t know who he is referring to, but often the parents of a husband or wife of a family member, or the parent of a neighbor, were referred to as Aunt and Uncle

[68] His paternal first cousin, Alvan Lee, the son of Charles & Juliana (Davis) Lee

[69] Neighbor, Lucy Jane (Kingsley) Comings, died June 12, 1872 and is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Galesburg, Michigan

[70] Etc.

[71] Julia Allen, Matilda (Allen) Brown’s sister. Julia lived with Ambrose and Matilda for 25 years, until her death in 1881

[72] FindAGrave.com shows that Chauncey Beckwith died July 4, 1872 (so couldn’t have been buried on July 2) and is buried in Maple Grove Cemetery, Comstock, Michigan

[73] Felloe or felly – rim, or segment of the rim, of a spoked wheel

[74] A neighbor. Believe Luke used the term Uncle as a sign of respect for an older person

[75] Michigan Death Records at Ancestry.com reveal that David A. McCollum died July 25, 1872 in Comstock, Michigan

[76] A search at FindAGrave.com shows that John W. Williams died July 29, 1872 and is buried at Oak Grove Cemetery, Galesburg, Michigan

[77] Neighbor, Isaac D. L. Schram

[78] Martin Milham’s father’s name was John; perhaps this is him

[79] Neighbors, William & Emaline (Stone) Ralph, and William’s father, George Ralph

[80] His cousin; the son of Jesse & Sally (Davis) Turner

[81] This could be Robert Crawford’s daughter, who was about 17 at the time, or Edwin Crawford’s daughter, who was about 14. Both Robert and Edwin Crawford were Luke’s brothers-in-law

[82] Assume this is one of his farm animals

[83] Neighbor, Henry “Harry” D. Streator, the son of Marius O. Streator

[84] A search of FindAGrave.com (as well as the Michigan Death Records at Ancestry.com) shows that Gould Richardson died September 3, 1872 (not September 1) in Pavilion, Michigan, and is buried in Schoolcraft Township Cemetery, Vicksburg, Michigan

[85] Michigan Death Records at Ancestry.com show that Edna Nichols, age 18, died September 8, 1872 (not September 6) in Charleston, Michigan. She was the daughter of Nelson & Mary (Earl) Nichols

[86] Ambrose and Matilda Brown

[87] Nephew, James “Oscar” Keith, son of Harvey & Alfleda (Starr)

[88] Oscar’s wife, Mary Ann (Batey) Keith

[89] Stephen Hoxie Wolcott, his maternal first cousin

[90] A seance

[91] Nickname for Lucy (Lee) Milham

[92] Johnny Milham, who was born June 27, 1872

[93] His cousin George Turner’s wife, Sarah (Roberts) Turner and their son, George Turner

[94] Neighbor, Joseph Flanders; father of James (see April 10 entry), Edwin (see May 14 entry) & Henry Flanders. After Luke’s first wife, Minerva (Payson) Keith died, Joseph and Amanda (Hobbs) Flanders cared for his son, Henry, for a period of time. The Flanders raised Henry even after Luke married his third wife, Sarah (Crawford) Keith. They wanted to adopt Henry but Luke said no; however, it looks like Henry lived with them throughout his youth. This seems to be corroborated by the 1860 census showing “Henry L Flanders,” age 16, (who it is actually believed to be Henry L. Keith), living with Joseph & Amanda

[95] Horace Greeley lost to Ulysses Grant by a landslide

[96] A search of FindAGrave.com reveals that Jane (Hoag) Freer died November 7, 1872 and is buried in Cook Cemetery, Pavilion, Kalamazoo County, Michigan. Her daughter, Luthere A. Freer died February 17, 1872 and is also buried in the Cook Cemetery. Luke mentions in his February 19^th entry that the “Freer girl buried”

[97] The son of Luke’s late brother-in-law, Edwin Crawford & Louisa Hall

[98] Horace Greeley, who was devastated by the death of his wife five days before the election (see November 5^th entry), died himself three weeks later, just before the electoral college met

[99] The granddaughter of Ira & Angeline Clark, who were the parents of Luke’s daughter Lois’ first husband, Byron Clark

[100] A search of the Michigan Death Records at Ancestry.com shows that Henrietta Van Vleet died December 21, 1872, and the Oak Grove Cemetery records reveal that her maiden name was Lockwood

1872-04-09