Luke Keith’s 1871 Diary

1871 DIARY OF CHARLES LUKE KEITH JR.^[1]

 Jan 1 – 29 Abz.[2] Went down to Catharines[3] with Wesleys[4] folks.

Jan 2 – Cold, snowed and blowed in forenoon. Worked in shop on sleigh.

Jan 3 – Blustring forenoon. Worked on sleigh.

Jan 4 – 10 Abz. Worked on sleigh. Mart and Lucy[5] went to burg.[6] Got Claras[7] picture taken. Drawed some wood.

Jan 5 – Went over to burg. Some warmer, south west wind. Bot this Book 40 cents. Rode over with Jo Boardman. Snow 1 inch. Went over to burg in Evening. Got galen oil. Sent letter to Suky Brown.[8] Received paper of David.[9]

Jan 6 – About one inch snow, 20 Abz. Sis[10] and Will had a fight on snow bank East side house. Went over to burg. Got thills[11] mended 50. Sold boiler. Got Elbow and cornpopper. Snowed ½ inch.

Jan 7 – Worked on Marts whiffletree[12] and put bottom on sleigh. Mr and Mrs Chapin here to get the Bristol House. 12 Abz in morning. Snowed all night.

Jan 8 – Snows like fun[13] this morning. Snowed 5 inches.

Jan 9 – Put sleigh box together. Went over to burg. School in the new schoolhouse at the burg to day for the first. Snow fell about ½ inch.

Jan 10 – Carried Lois[14] up to John Ralphs. Good sleighing. 40 Abz. Mrs Hawkins here.

Jan 11 – Went over to mill and to see Mr Chapins about selling the Bristol place.[15] Snow going of fast. Chapin moved to day. Went down to A. Browns[16] in Evening to see Zeak & W^m Davison, Streator, Ford & Jackson ___.

Jan 12 – Snow about gone, 53 Abz. Sent letter to S Bristol and a $2.00 Greenback and two stamps. Noon mercury 60 Abz, sun shine, warm. Sarah[17] went down to Cates with Mart.

Jan 13 – Pleasant morning 50 Abz. Went down to Catharines. Made 60 galens cider. Rainy day, bad time to get home. Sarah down to Catharines. Snowed and rained all night. Got Cates & Zeaks pictures.

Jan 14 – Some colder 26 Abz, sleet and snow &c[18] in morning. Hank Brown[19] here. Snow and rain all day. Made shead for sheep. Snow fell 3 inches.

Jan 15 – Snow and sleat, 28 Abz in morning. Snowed all day. Snow fell 4 inches.

Jan 16 – Not very cold 18 Abz, quite pleasant, sun shown most of the day.

Jan 17 – 20 Abz. Cut some wood. Went down to Jo Lees[20] after Sarah. Had a big run after bill.[21]

Jan 18 – 16 Abz. Worked round house. Carried some cider over to Planks.[22]

Jan 19 – Mart came up and killed a pig. Good sleighing.

Jan 20 – Cut and drawed wood. 28 Abz morning, thawed some.

Jan 21 – Went over to burg. Saw those men about Bristols accounts. Sent letter to S. S. Bristol. Battlecreek Band came down to day. Ida and Libby Allen[23] here to day.

Jan 22 – Ethan,[24] Lois and Hannah[25] went down to Catharines. Snowed some. Made feed box for Bill. Snowed all day.

Jan 23 – 10 Abz, snow 4 inches. Went Kalamazoo to get mortgage recorded 75 cts. Sarah stayed with Lois Lee[26] all night.

Jan 24 – Went down to Joes after Sarah. Went and got Catharine to stay with Lois while Jo went after Finch. Ethan went down to see the Doctor. He no come. Sarah Skinner[27] stayed all night.

Jan 25 – Ethan went down to Jo Lees to see Finch, he saw him. Lois and Sate[28] went home with him. Cold and good sleighing. Bot broom 25 cts of pedler.

Jan 26 – 10 Abz in morning. Went over to burg. Carried corn 3 bushels. Snow fell 1½, 20 Abz at 2 oclock.

Jan 27 – Work round house and shop. Went down to Jo Lees in Evening. Some cold. Lois some better.

Jan 28 – Cold. Good sleighing. Put shelves in butry.

Jan 29 – Went down to Catharines. Osgood and wife there. Good sleighing.

Jan 30 – Finished up butry. Moved into the middle room. Thawed some, rainy night.

Jan 31 – Rainy morning. Worked in shop some. Carried Sarah over to burg. Some blustering.

Feb 1 – Worked in shop on cutter. Snow ½ inch. Went over to burg after Sarah in morning. Tamer Ford here.

Feb 2 – Worked in shop some on cutter bottom. Snow fell ½ inch.

Feb 3 – Drawed some wood. Worked in shop some.

Feb 4 – Made stool for Jule Lees girl. Went over to burg. Mrs Skinner and Sate here. _____ _____ up here to tea. Mr Burrels Boy hurt on cars. Went down to Catharines in Evening. Burrels Boy Died in the night. Went down to Jo Lees in Evening.

Feb 5 – At home all day. Cold and windy, mercury at 12 Abz. Depo at Galesburg Burnt this Evening.

Feb 6 – Pleasant day. Filed cross cut saw for A. Brown and Repaired violin for W^m Wheeler of Climax.

Feb 7 – Wheeler sent for his violin paid 50¢. Carried Sarah over to Oyster supper. Galesburg Band Boys gave _____ supper.

Feb 8 – Not very cold. Worked in shop some. Cleaned out stable. Mrs Hawkins here. Sarah _____ _____ dress. Nancy[29] went down to A. Browns. Neck tye party at Mr Hu___ this Evening.

Feb 9 – New snow this morning, three inches 3 in. Went over to Mr Planks in Evening. Browns and Skinners there.

Feb 10 – Went over to Burg after Sarah and George,[30] they no come. Got rods for old stove. New schoolhouse dedication at Galesburg. Cold and blustring.

Feb 11 – 13 Abz, good sleighing. Moved old stove to the middle room. Ethan went to Kalamazoo to get some medicin of Dr Finch. Snowed some in night.

Feb 12 – Snowing. Snow fell 3 inches 19 Abz. Mrs Plank came over here this morning full of trouble.

Feb 13 – Went down to Catharines. Catharine and Lucy sick. Sarah stayed there. Good sleighing.

Feb 14 – Went up to Kirbys and Chapins. Cut some wood.

Feb 15 – Went down to Kalamazoo after Sarah an Georgie.[31] Thawed some. Brown and Skinners folks here in Evening. George came over. Catharine and Lucy sick.

Feb 16 – Not very cold 28 Abz. Went over to burg in morning. Cut some wood. X Mr and Mrs Schram X here in Evening. George came over and stayed all night. Edith came down and stayed all night.

Feb 17 – Stormy, snow and rain, not very cold, 36 Abz. Worked in shop some. Mr Plank and wife here in Evening.

Feb 18 – Worked in shop some on cutter bottom. Snow fell 2½ inches. Turner came over stayed all night.

Feb 19 – Pleasant morning, sun came out. Went down to Catharines, some better. Had oysters for supper. George Turner brot them over.

Feb 20 – Went up in woods, cut down _____.

Feb 21 – 18 Abz. Went to Kalamazoo with Sarah and George. Pleasant day. Snow fell 1¼.

Feb 22 – 12 Abz, pleasant morning. Went over to burg. Got table to P. Schrams. Willie Hoges[32] Died to night. Went up to Schrams in Evening.

Feb 23 – Cut some wood. Went down to school house to put on lock. Went up to McCains Corners with Mart. Hoges Boy buried to day. Lyda Barber came over here.

Feb 24 – Worked on cutter some. Bent the raves[33] back. Party at Skinners in Evening. Snow about gone.

Feb 25 – Pleasant morning. _____ put lock on school house. Prepared table for P. Johnson. Snow all gone in road.

Feb 26 – Snows like fun. Snow fell 6½ inches. Blackburns child buried.

Feb 27 – Cut maple tree out drawed down. Jesse Lee[34] called here after Hannah. Snowed very little. Lois came home.

Feb 28 – Went down to Catharines and Jo Lees. Lois and Will[35] went. Snow all went of. June Hoag here. Barber finished drawing Planks corn. Heavy wind all night.

Mar 1 – Windy and pleasant, 33 Abz. Went up in woods. Got pole to hang Cate[36] on. James Crom called here.

Mar 2 – Thunder shower this morning. Calculated to Kill Cate. Killed Cate. Had a big rain and heavy thunder.

Mar 3 – Cut and salted Cate. She weighed 475 lbs. Pleasant day. Party to A. Browns in Evening.

Mar 4 – Pleasant morning. Went down to Catherines. Drawed sap buckets into bush set kettle on. Pleasant. Saw bright sun day.

Mar 5 – Pleasant morning. No snow on ground.

Mar 6 – Moved bench out into old shop.

Mar 7 – Went down to Catharines. Worked on spouts burned out 240.

Mar 8 – Trimed spouts cut of End of stone trough. Mart went to town. I came home. Rained.

Mar 9 – Rainy morning. Went over to mill. Cold.

Mar 10 – Went down and tapt bush. Sap run some. Rained and snowed in the night. Party at Keiths.

Mar 11 – Ella Taylor[37] Died to day. Gathered sap. Commenced boiling. Came home. Mrs Chapin Died. Snow fell one inch.

Mar 12 – Pleasant morning. Went down to Catharines. Gathered sap, had 7 barrels. Sarah went down to Jo Lees. Snowed when we came home.

Mar 13 – Snow 2½ inches. Went down to Marts. Worked in bush. Ella Adams[38] buried. Mrs Chapin Buried.

Mar 14 – Shugered of for the first time. Rainy night. Boiled sap in Evening. Syruped down.

Mar 15 – Shugared of to day. Went over to Comstock. Saw Mr Burlingham. Got $100 Dollars and check on first National Bank for $50.00.

Mar 16 – Rainy morning. Went down to shuger bush. Gathered Eleven barrels sap. Boiled in Evening. Some rain. Paid N. L. Randal $30.00. Ike and Libby busted to night.

Mar 17 – Cool, some fine snow this morning. Syrupt down. I came home. Axach Howard at Catharines.

Mar 18 – Not very well. At home all day. Sarah went up to Mr Taylors in afternoon. Pleasant day. Repaired violin for Mr Grover. Let Mary Plank[39] lot popcorn.

Mar 19 – At home all day. Cold. Not very well.

Mar 20 – Went down to Catharines. Gathered sap and boiled in Evening. Syruped down.

Mar 21 – Shugered of this morning. Ed Yorks boys[40] there. Had two pans full. Came home. Dell, Sate, Nell and Eberle here in Evening. Hank Brown also.

Mar 22 – Cold wind. Choped some. Went over to Mr Chapins in afternoon. Winter term of school closed. Paid A. R. Lovel $55.00.

Mar 23 – Went down to Marts. Gathered and boiled sap. Boiled in Evening.

Mar 24 – Boiled sap all day. Gathered the bush twice. X Band boys came down in Evening. Shugered off for them.

Mar 25 – Boiled sap, shugered off this morning.

Mar 26 – Repaired arch. Boiled sap, syruped down and shugered off. I came home. No snow on ground.

Mar 27 – Went down to woods. Boiled sap, syruped down, shugered off just at night. Pleasant day, cold.

Mar 28 – Fine day. No sap on hand. Cut down elm stub in morning. Gound axes. Mart went to town. I came home. Mr Hawkins moved. Galesburg Band[41] had a shugar party in Evening.

Mar 29 – Went down to bush. Sarah went down to Catharines. Boiled sap.

Mar 30 – Father Labell[42] died this morning. Shugered off. Jo and Lois Lee was there. I came home. Gathered some sap.

Mar 31 – Pleasant morning. Went down to bush. Had some moleses. Came home. Brot 2 cakes shugar and some lases.

Apr 1 – Pleasant day. Sowed clover seed. Mr Hawkins got four bushels corn. Extracted two teeth for Old Mr Hawkins.

Apr 2 – Not very well. At home most of the day. Went down to Catharines. Got 6 lbs cloverseed. Saw Ambrose and Lydia Milham.[43] Young Spires[44] died this morning.

Apr 3 – Rainy. Finished sowing clover seed this morning. Went to town meeting. Mr Stevenson Died this morning. Paid James Jackson one dollar of my money.

Apr 4 – Went to Kalamazoo. Went to Martin Turners.[45] Took Dinner. Went back to bush, gathered sap, boiled in sap. Mr Phelps[46] Died to day.

Apr 5 – Gathered buckets and made molasses. Mart went to Mr Kings Auction. Scalded out buckets. Had a shower in Evening. Old Mrs McLary[47] died to day.

Apr 6 – Came home. Mart came after Hannah. Brot home shugar. Warm day. Raked of garden. Made 550 lbs shugar.

Apr 7 – Warm morning. Worked round house and garden. Trimed some appletrees.

Apr 8 – Trimed some trees. Cows got on Allens wheat. Dry weather. Amos Rogers wife[48] died to night.

Apr 9 – Pleasant and dry. Went down to Catharines after sis.

Apr 10 – Rainy morning, cool, rained all day. No work. School commenced.

Apr 11 – Cold and windy. Put poke on fan. Snowed some, cold night.

Apr 12 – Pleasant morning. Snow ¼ inch. Trimed some trees. Eberly and Nellie left for Iowa.

Apr 13 – Cloudy and cool. Drawed brush out of orchard. Trimed currant bushes. Mrs A. Brown[49] here. Mart here to dinner and supper.

Apr 14 – Sick, not much done. Tool old wagon to pieces. Extracted tooth for Harvey. Sarah, Ethan and Nancy went over to Wisemans.[50] Stranger bot bushel corn of Will Plank.[51] Pleasant and cool. Drawed chip manure.

Apr 15 – Drawed chip manure. Ethan went to Kalamazoo. Carried Nancy and Ida up to Allens. Lois and Hannah came home. Young sleeper[?] called here to see Mr Plank.

Apr 16 – Turned out set mallets and balls for Ethan and Will Plank. At home all day. W^m and Alvin Lee[52] here.

Apr 17 – Turned Balls and mallets. Gerome Chadwick[53] Died in night.

Apr 18 – Chored round. Hat Taylor and Maud Adams here. Mart and Lucy called here.

Apr 19 – Went to Kalamazoo with Lois. She went to Ohio.[54] Had a heavy shower. Wind blowed John Mills Barn roof of. Mr Chadwick Buried to day.

Apr 20 – Not much work to day round home. Cows bothered some.

Apr 21 – Finished turning balls. The boys painted them. Rainy.

Apr 22 – Went over to burg after tacks and screws for shades. Put up 3 shades in schoolhouse. Cold wind. Sate Skinner stayed here all night. R. Blackburn packed up to day.

Apr 23 – Pleasant morning, some frost. Went down to Charles Lees[55] to pay W^m paid $31.84. Sate went home with us. Went to Jo Lees.

Apr 24 – Fine day. Sowed plaster on clover south and west of house. Drawed out some manure. Went over to Blackburns in Evening.

Apr 25 – Got out manure. Ethan drawed some wood and chips. Cloudy and warm. Heard the first Whipporwill this Evening.

Apr 26 – Cloudy morning, looks like rain. Gotout some manure.

Apr 27 – Rainy. Took manger and sleepers out of stable. Ethan painted Balls and Mallets.

Apr 28 – Ethan went over to mill. _____ called here. Mary Plank went down to Jo Lees to see Hannah.

Apr 29 – Worked in stable. Made manger for Bill. Ethan went to Kalamazoo. Hannah came home with him. Mary Plank came with them. Mrs Henry Clinton came home.

Apr 30 – Pleasant morning. Ethan went down to Charles Lees. R. Blackburn came over.

May 1 – Went up to Ed Corys and Mr Rights. Saw S Bristol. He paid 2.00. Went over to burg. Got shoes for Hannah. Went down to Jo Lees in Evening.

May 2 – Got out manure. Cory Allen[56] and Ida Barber[57] here. Perkins had a Horse stolen.

May 3 – Rainy day. Sick, no work. Traded cows with A. Brown.

May 4 – Some rain. W^m Plank plowed garden and commenced plowing corn ground. I got out some manure. Burnt brush in East lot and old Hubs. Stella Millham[58] here this week.

May 5 – Cloudy and some rain in morning. Not very well. Will Plank plowing.

May 6 – Not well, lame, cant work. Pleasant day. Mr Taylor planting his corner lot.

May 7 – Fine day. At home all day. Ethan, Nancy and Ida Barber went down to Jo Lees to see Hannah.

May 8 – Went over to Burg after Oil Hemlock for Hannah. Went to Doc Wightmans.[59] Got my Early potatoes. Pleasant day, cold East wind. Frost this morning.

May 9 – Cold East wind, some frost. Went down to Cataharines. Carried Bedstead and corn to Mart. Mart carried Bedstead down to Kalamazoo. Hard frost.

May 10 – Planted corn for Plank. Warm day. Jim droped for me. Tin pedler from Wakeshma called here Layton by name. Pedler from Leonidas[60] stayed all night.

May 11 – Planted corn for Plank. Warm day. Finished west lot. No frost.

May 12 – No frost this morning. Repaired sulky spring. Mrs Wiseman, Carry and Ella[61] here. Hot day.

May 13 – Planted corn for Plank. Will[62] plowed in afternoon. Warm and dry. Mrs P. T. Lane died to day.

May 14 – Cloudy and cool this morning. At home all day. Ethan went down to Jo Lees.

May 15 – Sick, no work. Miss Lovel came here to board. Mrs P. T. Lane buried.

May 16 – Planted corn and sorgum for Plank. Dry and warm.

May 17 – Cool morning, North East wind. Sowed corn in East garden. Went down to A. Browns. Got some eggs to set hen. _{1 day} Will finished plowing to day and draged some.

May 18 – Set the Ginny Eggs. _½ Will draged corn ground in forenoon. I marked it one way in afternoon.

May 19 – Paid Miss Lovel twenty 25.00 five Dollars. Warm day, very dry. Planted some potatoes.

May 20 – Planted sorgum and some corn in East Lot. Hot day, 102 in sun. Hank Childs and Will Plank went up to Yorkville. Hannah and Cory Allen went. Jo & Lois Lee came up here.

May 21 – Pleasant morning. Carried Hannah down to Jo Lees. Rained some.

May 22 – Pleasant morning. Planted corn. Fine day. Jo Lee came up and helped me in afternoon. Finished before night.

May 23 – Some frost this morning. Planted potatoes &c, some squash seeds.

May 24 – Warm day. Went up in woods. Cut log for garden roller.

May 25 – Warm forenoon. Sarah went down to A. Browns. Jo Lee brot Hannah home. I dressed out pillows for Cutter Boddy. Had a thunder shower in afternoon, rained hard. Went down to Catharines. Rained hard in night.

May 26 – Pleasant day. Came home at night. Called to Jo Lees. Mart went to town to mill.

May 27 – Went down to A browns. Got bedstead. Put up curtains in schoolhouse in forenoon. Altered over bedstead in afternoon. Youngones had a picnic up in Fords woods in afternoon. Planted some cucumbers.

May 28 – At home all day. Wes folks went down to Catharines. Very hot.

May 29 – Went up to Wesleys. Got some bittersweet. Got my bed springs of Schram. Had a nice shower just at night. Rained in night.

May 30 – Not much work done. Not very well. Hot day.

May 31 – Sarah went over to burg. Made form, bent pillows for Cutter Box. Hot day. W^m Ralphs little girl[63] died to day.

Jun 1 – Hot day, 108 in sun. Put knees in runners. Mart and Lucy came up to day. Carry Ralph Buried to day.

Jun 2 – Went over to burg. Bot 200 lbs plaster 70¢. Plastered some corn. Warm day.

Jun 3 – Hot day. Finished plastering corn. Horse fair at burg. Stella and Mary Milham[64] here. Rained some. Frank Goodrich called here in rain.

Jun 4 – Warm morning. Carried Sarah and hannah down to Jo Lees. Went down to Catharines, got Nancy. Mr and Mrs Gates was Drownded in Gull Lake to day.[65]

Jun 5 – Chored round some. Went down to Joes after Sarah. John Darling came along here. Sent some seed corn down to Mart. Planted Beans.

Jun 6 – Ethan cultivated corn. I hoed some in garden. Planted some corn over.

Jun 7 – Went up and saw John Sherman to get him to wash my sheep. Went down to river and repaired sheep yard.

Jun 8 – Fine day. Washed my sheep. Lois came home. Mr Plank bargained his place to Mr Town. Went down to Catharines. Got some beans. Old Mrs Haws buried died to day.

Jun 9 – Cold morning, no frost. Cultivated some corn and chored round. Planted specled beans.

Jun 10 – Put raves on Cutter, made sky brace for Cutter. Had a shower. Stranger called here from Yorkville. Mrs Haws buried to day. Wesley paid for buckwheat 3.50.

Jun 11 – Cold morning. At home all day.

Jun 12 – Worked on Cutter. Made sky brace. Mrs Lamkin called and got violin bow. Turned stick for Jim Milham.[66] He paid 75 cents.

Jun 13 – Worked on road up by Earls bridge. Very windy. Freight House and Methodist Church burned down in Galesburg to day.

Jun 14 – Worked on road. Took Tea with Jesse Earl.[67] Windy and dry. Mr Schram got runaway with while gone to Kalamazoo.

Jun 15 – Worked on road in forenoon. Finished road and hoed sorgum. Sarah went down to Skinners.

Jun 16 – Worked on cutter some. Willard mills cut some grass. Ethan went up to Fields for Mr Plank.

Jun 17 – Finished cutting grass. Rainy. Put up some hay for A Brown. Catharine and Lucy came up here. Turned some pins for Hank Brown.

Jun 18 – Went down to Jo Lees and Catharines. All well.

Jun 19 – Put up hay in west part of lot. Warm day.

Jun 20 – Had a shower in morning. Ethan went to mill. Worked on cutter some. Rebecca Plank stayed here all night, had a fit.

Jun 21 – Pleasant morning. Got in hay of west part of lot. Got very tired.

Jun 22 – Finished drawing hay. Warm day. Had a nice lot of hay.

Jun 23 – Rainy morning. Got sheep down to shear. Brown heifer had a white calf. Miner sheared my sheep. Had 62 lbs. Fine day.

Jun 24 – Sold my wool to W^m Blass for 52½ cents pr pound. Had 62½ lbs $32.81 cts. Mrs Flanders here. Lois came home. Del Skinner here to tea.

Jun 25 – Cloudy morning. At home all day.

Jun 26 – Put cutter together and chored round. Took up floor in old shop and put my staple down to hold wheels. George Clinton Lee Milham[68] Born this morning 3½ minitz to seven zacly.[69]

Jun 27 – Mr Plank finished plowing Buckwheat ground. A. Brown and Mr Plank helped me kill two hogs. Went over to burg in Evening.

Jun 28 – Cut up my Hogs this morning. Went over to burg. Bot one bbl salt 2.50 one Hat 25¢. Went down to Catharines.

Jun 29 – Cool morning. Worked round shop and garden.

Jun 30 – Worked on sulky wheels for Jim Milham. Went down to A. Browns. Got 3 pecks buckwheat. Mr Plank sowed Buckwheat. Cool and windy.

Jul 1 – Finished Milhams Wheels. Went up to Jo Flanders[70] in afternoon. Got some berries. They finished haying.

Jul 2 – Went down to Catharines and Jo Lees after hannah. Went in swimming. Warm day.

Jul 3 – Warm day. Went over to burg. Bot Calf Boots 4.50, one piece cotton and six cans &c 6.61. Worked on cutter dash. Went over to see Miner in Evening. Had a shower, rained hard in night.

Jul 4 – Worked on cutter dash frame some. Not much done. Hannah went over and got pictures taken.

Jul 5 – Went over to burg to see show come in, nice show. Ethan helped Skinner get in wheat in afternoon.

Jul 6 – Had a nice shower in morning. Worked on cutter some.

Jul 7 – Commenced cutting wheat. Hot day. Nancy & Hannah went down to Fords & Skinners. Thysa Pond here to tea.

Jul 8 – Cut wheat on hill. Hot day.

Jul 9 – Sick. Hot day. Ethan and Sarah went down to Catharines.

Jul 10 – Cut wheat on hill. Warm day.

Jul 11 – Finished cutting wheat and drawed it in in afternoon. Will and Ida Barber[71] here.

Jul 12 – Very hot day. Glued front dash to cutter. Mart Milham called here. One Hundred and twenty five in sun mercury 125 in sun.

Jul 13 – Hot day. Went down to A Browns. Got his rake. Made whiffletree. Mercury 100 in shade about noon. Mr Eastman Died. He was found dead in his bed.

Jul 14 – Ethan raked wheat stubble. Drawed in rakins. Mrs Dick Barber here. Mr Eastman buried.

Jul 15 – Repaired cradle for Jesse Earl. Turned some pins for Mr Allen.

Jul 16 – Carried Hannah down to Jo Lees. Went down to Catharines.

Jul 17 – Ethan plowed corn. I hoed in garden some. Went up to John Shermans to have my account allowed.

Jul 18 – Warm morning. Mr Plank and I went up to the Bristol place in afternoon. Saw Chapin.

Jul 19 – Put in boulster for John Sherman in forenoon. Had a fine rain. Thrashed some rakings in afternoon. Ethan cultivated corn.

Jul 20 – Thrashed some in morning. Went to mill. Hoed some.

Jul 21 – Worked round, hoed some. Fine day. Mr and Mrs Plank here to tea.

Jul 22 – Hoed some beans in forenoon. Jo and Hellen came here. Warm day. Went down to Jo Lees. Stayed all night.

Jul 23 – Went down to Catharines. Jim Milhams folks came down. Charley Bronson called there. Came home in Evening.

Jul 24 – Hoed Beans in forenoon. Quite warm. Cows got into Mr Schrams corn. Hoed some potatoes.

Jul 25 – Hoed Potatoes all day. Eugene and Edna[72] came here to day. Warm day.

Jul 26 – Fine morning, some thunder in the distance. Finished hoing potatoes. Had a shower. Went over to burg in Evening.

Jul 27 – Fine morning. Hoed round cornfield. Catharine, Lucy and Mart came up. Nice day. Had green corn for dinner.

Jul 28 – Fine day. Ethan, Eugene, Nancy, Hannah and Edna went to Kalamazoo. I wheeled wood down to road in woods. Sarah washed.

Jul 29 – Dr John King of Chicago here to dinner. Mrs Wiseman, Carry and Ella here.

Jul 30 – At home all day. Warm day.

Jul 31 – Went down to Charles Lees. A Brown drawed some oats.

Aug 1 – Rainy forenoon. Brown drawed one load oats. Ethan, Eugene and the girls went down to A Browns in afternoon.

Aug 2 – Warm morning. Not much work to day. Brown got in all his oats. Had Ethan, Eugene and girls. Went down to Mr Randals. Very hot, mercury 112 in sun.

Aug 3 – Worked round ____ very hot. Ethan, Eugene, Hannah and Nancy, Edna went over to Mr Planks. S. A. Brown[73] came here in Evening. Had a nice shower.

Aug 4 – No work to day. All well as usual. Mary and Carry Plank,[74] Ella Randal here. Had a heavy shower.

Aug 5 – Warm day. Edna went home. Ethan and Eugene went to Kalamazoo.

Aug 6 – At home all day. Ed Childs called here. S. A. Brown here.

Aug 7 – Eugene and I went up to Chapins.

Aug 8 – At home all day. Mist[?] Went down to Mr Streators, took dinner. Went Skinners. Carried a letter to Lois.

Aug 9 – Warm morning. Went up to Hartwells. Ethan [and Eugene?] went to Kalamazoo. Sarah, Mrs Plank and Suky went down to Mr Randals. Put neck on Mr Wheelers violin.

Aug 10 – Eugene started for Grand Rapids. Worked on cutter some puting on dash. Sarah, Mrs Plank and Suky went down to Mr Randals. Wheeler got his violin.

Aug 11 – Put top of dash on cutter. Henry[75] came home. Mr Flanders Brot his cultivator to be repaired.

Aug 12 – Mrs Betts[76] came on the noon train. I went down to Catharines just at night. Suky Brown here. Mr Yates[77] found to day, had been dround some ten weeks.

Aug 13 – Fine morning, warm. Mrs Yates[78] found to day, had been drund some ten weeks.

Aug 14 – Worked on cutter some. Very warm day. Repaired Mr Flanders cultivator.

Aug 15 – Worked on cutter front some. Oscar[79] came here. We went up to Chapins in afternoon. Henry came here, stayed all night.

Aug 16 – Went up to Mr Taylors. Got some timber to make balls and mallet. Oscar and I went up to Chapins. Oscar went down to Streators.

Aug 17 – Turned some balls and mallets for Mrs Randal. Oscar and I went up to see Mr Kirby. Oscar went up to Mr Balys.

Aug 18 – Mr Streator brot some elm boards. I turned some mallets. Ethan and Nancy went down to Catharines. Hannah and Lois came home with them. Oscar started for home.[80]

Aug 19 – Turned some mallets. Lois, Henry and all at home. Bent some fenders. Mrs Betts went over to Mr L. Burdicks.

Aug 20 – Went up to Mr Flanders and down to Catharines and Jo Lees. Jo very lame.

Aug 21 – Went to Kalamazoo. Saw ____ge. Henry started for home.[81]

Aug 22 – Went over to Jo Yorks and over to Finleys. Saw Oscar York. Champlin Harris[82] Died in night.

Aug 23 – Went over to Ed Yorks. Heard Oscar and Ed play the violin. Left Joes about Eleven. Got home about four. Ed Childs came down after Suky Brown.

Aug 24 – Finished up dash on cutter. Tamer ford came here. Turned two balls for Mrs Randals Croka set. Warm day. Mr Harris Buried to day.

Aug 25 – Thrashed some wheat.

Aug 26 – Put fender on Cutter. Bent one. Mrs plank here. Brown came back from Ed Childs. Warm and dry.

Aug 27 – Warm morning. I went up to Schrams. Old Mr Sherwood[83] Died to day. Mrs Betts went to church with Mr Planks folks.

Aug 28 – Eugene and Charley Hall came here. Old Mr Sherwood buried to day. Went over to Mr R_____. Had a nice shower.

Aug 29 – Went over to burg. Got my grist. Rainy day. Charley Hall went over to Hoags, stayed all night. Heifer went to Bull.

Aug 30 – Round home most of the day. Tinkered in shop some. Nancy sick. Cut a little wood.

Aug 31 – Choped some wood. Not very well.

Sep 1 – Went down to Catharines. Carried ciderbarrel. Got some peaches and tomatoes to Jo Lees. Eugene went to Dowagiac.[84] Mrs A. Brown, Miss S. A. Brown and Mrs Plank here.

Sep 2 – Got some peaches of Del Skinner. Went over to burg. Bot 2 galen jug. Got some water at Warrens well. Taken sick to night.

(No entries for September 3 through October 11)

Oct 11 – Mr Schram got old cow. Mr Wiseman and wife left.

Oct 12 – (no entry)

Oct 13 – Sold stove to Fidelya Brown. He paid four Dollars, he pays 10 for stove.

Oct 14 – Rainy morning. Frank[85] came up to get money of carmen[?]. A very windy night, some rain.

Oct 15 – Ethan and Frank went down to Catharines.

Oct 16 – I went down to Catharines. Mrs Betts went with us.

Oct 17 – Rained some in forenoon. Came home at night. Called to Jo Lees.

Oct 18 – Ethan and Frank Husking Corn.

Oct 19 – Frank Tomlinson left. Went down to Catharines. Lois Lee[86] died about ten AM. Patty[87] sent $5.00 ___ five Dollars.

Oct 20 – Went over to burg. Bot pants six Dollars. Sarah and Mrs Betts went up to Mr Ralphs. Jim Perry[88] Died this morning.

Oct 21 – Went to Lois Lees funeral. Went down to Catharines. Mrs Betts left for home. Buildings on the corner set on fire in night. _____ had two chickens 4½ lbs.

Oct 22 – Pleasant day, some wind. Jim Perry buried. Eat Breakfast alone this morning. Patty and Catharine started for home. Aunt Electa[89] died about seven P.M.

Oct 23 – No one here. Not as well to day. Thieves around in the night, stole cider.

Oct 24 – Cool morning. Oscar and Alfleda[90] came to day.

Oct 25 – Oscar and Sarah went up to Chapins.

Oct 26 – Oscar and Sarah went up to Gull to see Mr Right.

Oct 27 – Sarah and Alfleda went down to Jo Lees. Cold wind.

Oct 28 – Ethan husking corn

Oct 29 – Ethan went down to Marts. Sarah went, came home. Mrs Sherman died.

Oct 30 – Ethan cut some wood.

Oct 31 – Rainy day. Mrs Sherman buried to day.

Nov 1 – Pleasant day. Rebecca Plank came over here. Darias Austin stayed here all night. He was moving some things, had a cow.

Nov 2 – Austin left. Pleasant morning. Nancy & Hannah went down to Jo Lees. Ethan got Sorgum, had 14 Galens.

Nov 3 – Ethan husking corn. Fine day.

Nov 4 – Pleasant day, warm. I went over to burg to Mr Planks. Merideth came up here.

Nov 5 – Pleasant day. Old Mr & Mrs Ralph called here. Alvin Lee brot Alfleda here.

Nov 6 – Cool wind. Went down to Catharines with Meridith. Called to Jo Lees took dinner. Snowed in night ¼ inch.

Nov 7 – Fine day, plasant, had a little snow. Ethan and Meridith husking corn. Ida Lewis[91] buried to day.

Nov 8 – Finished husking corn about ten AM. Cloudy, not very cold.

Nov 9 – Went down to Jo Lees. Rainy afternoon. Mr Howlet Died about Eight AM. Jo Lee went to Kalamazoo after Coffin.

Nov 10 – Came home. Got some walnuts.

Nov 11 – Mr Howlet buried to day. Very pleasant day.

Nov 12 – Fine day. George Turner[92] came up here got his boring machine. Ethan went down to Jo Lees.

Nov 13 – Cloudy morning, rainy afternoon and night. Ethan working on moddle cupler. Mrs Keith here. Mr Boin[93] Died. Lived near Mr Swaddles.

Nov 14 – Rainy.

Nov 15 – Pleasant, cool. Ethan making cupler.

Nov 16 – Pleasant day. Went over to burg. Got some wine. Hard frost.

Nov 17 – Pleasant, hard frost this morning. Nancy and Hannah came home.

Nov 18 – Ethan cut some wood and went over to burg. Eb, Harry and Nell here in Evening. Rained in night. Skinner & Clark[94] maried to day.

Nov 19 – Nancy went down to Jo Lees. Louesa[95] came home. Alfleda here.

Nov 20 – Ethan working on cupler. Cold day.

Nov 21 – Ethan boiling cider. Snows some. Ethan finished cupler.

Nov 22 – Snowy day, snow fell 2 inches, cold and windy.

Nov 23 – Ethan, Sarah and Alfleda went down to Catharines. Pleasant day. Mr Plank thrashing Buckwheat. Dick Lamkins here in Evening. Snowed like fun, snow fell 3 inches. Sarah Borrowed six Dollars of Alvin Lee.

Nov 24 – Mr Plank finished the Buckwheat, had 22 bushels.

Nov 25 – Ethan cut some wood. Mr Schram called, paid for cider $3.20¢.

Nov 26 – Some misty and foggy. Ethan went down after Hannah.

Nov 27 – Cold and windy. Ethan made reach[96] for Theodore Earl.[97] Hannah commenced going to school. Ethan put Buckwheat straw in barn.

Nov 28 – Snowed some about ½ in. Ethan and girls went down to Streators in Evening. Cold.

Nov 29 – Cold morning 3 Abz. Mince called here to sell some grave stones. Sarah and Nancy went over to Mr Planks. Hawkins got stove. Doctor Burner lectured at burg.

Nov 30 – Mince got Birges bobs. Snows some. Quin brot his cutter. Eb, Harry and Nell here in Evening.

Dec 1 – Paid Mr Sherwood $10.00 ten Dollars. Went down to Jesse Lees. Went down to Catharines, stayed all night.

Dec 2 – Went to Jo Lees, stayed all night.

Dec 3 – Came home. Snowed like fun. Saw Mrs Skinner.

Dec 4 – Snows and blows like fury, snowed 3½ inches. Harry Streator[98] came here.

Dec 5 – Cold and blustering, good sleighing.

Dec 6 – Cold and blutering, 3 Abz. Quin got his cutter. Not so well, rather lame. Orrin Scranton[99] Died this Evening.

Dec 7 – Thawing some this morning. Lame, cant hardly get around.

Dec 8 – Cold and blustring. Mrs Plank here. Alfleda came up from Jacksons. A. A. Dodge called here.

Dec 9 – Went over to burg. Drawed one Hundred Dollars $100. of Town Treasurer. Eb and Nell and Harry came here. Eb and Nell stayed all night. Mart, Cate and Meridith came up here. Lois, Sate & Mrs Skinner. Extracted tooth for Mrs Skinner. Orrin Scranton buried to day.

Dec 10 – Mart, Cate and Meridith came up here. Lois, Sate & Mrs Skinner called. Extracted tooth for Mrs Skinner.

Dec 11 – Criss chopping some wood. Ethan commenced going to school. Sis sick.

Dec 12 – Paid Isaac Schram six Dollars and twenty five cents. Sis sick. Cate and Meridith here. Catharine got home.

Dec 13 – Meridith went down to Catharines. Snow fell ½ inch.

Dec 14 – Catharine, Lucy and Mart came up to day. Mrs Jackson called here. Alfleda went down to Jacksons with Marts folks when they went home. Hank Brown working in shop this Evening.

Dec 15 – Pleasant day. Mr Brown and Hank drawed one load straw. Mr Brown got hurt. Hank and Nancy went over to burg. Nancy went down to Browns stayed all night.

Dec 16 – Ethan, Hank, Nancy and Hannah went over to Vicksburg to Yorks. I done the chores for the first time since last summer.

Dec 17 – Cloudy, not much snow on ground. Ethan and girls came home from Yorks. All well.

Dec 18 – Snows some. Brown drawed one load straw.

Dec 19 – Swept out corn house. Cold, snow 1½ one inch and half. Ethan Eye sore.

Dec 20 – Cold and windy, 2 below zero, in Evening Eigh oclock 15 below zero. Paid school teacher fifty Dollars 50.00

Dec 21 – Cold morning, 6 below zero this morning.

Dec 22 – Carried sleigh over to burg. Cold and snowey, snow fell one inch 1 inch, rained all night.

Dec 23 – Rainy. Let A. Brown have $30 thirty dollars. Heavy wind. Wesley got home this morning.

Dec 24 – Pleasant day. A. Brown called here. Carried Wills pants home.

Dec 25 – No one here to day. Ethan went down to M O Streators.[100] George Sutherland[101] Died to night.

Dec 26 – Went over to burg. Carried 50 lbs Buckwheat flour to Dr Merril. Nice wheeling, no snow on ground or not much. Bot bottle of medicine of Mr VanBuren $1.00. Ethan & girls went down to Skinners.

Dec 27 – Cold and snowey, blustring. Worked on sleigh shoe pattern. About one inch of snow. Will Plank stayed all night.

Dec 28 – Went over to burg. Carried over pattern for sleigh shoes. Mart and Meridith came up. Ethan repaired Ely Wightmans melodion.

Dec 29 – Went over to burg with Jo Lee. Bot Diary 45 cts. Pleasant day. Went down to Jo Lees, stayed all night.

Dec 30 – Went down to Catharines, stayed all night. Mart thrashed his clover. Had Elevn bushels.

Dec 31 – Came home. Alfleda came up from M. O. Streators. Hank Brown and Alice Byington came up here in Evening.

——-

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

[2] Above zero

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

[4] His brother, John Wesley Keith, who, according to the family Bible, was adopted

[5] His niece and her husband, Martin & Lucy Irene (Lee) Milham

[6] Galesburg, Michigan

[7] Mart & Lucy’s daughter, Clara Almyra Milham, who was two years old

[8] Susie A. Brown, sometimes referred to as Suky Brown and/or Decatur Susie Brown

[9] Believe he is referring to his brother-in-law, David “D.C.” Crawford, who lived in Golden, Colorado

[10] His youngest daughter, Louese Keith

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

[12] 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

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

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

[15] See January 8, 1871 letter from Seaman Bristol Jr. to Luke

[16] His neighbor, Ambrose Brown

[17] His wife, Sarah (Crawford) Keith

[18] Et cetera

[19] Ambrose Brown’s son, Henry Brown; Hank would marry Luke’s daughter, Nancy, in 1872

[20] Joseph W. Lee, his paternal first cousin

[21] His horse

[22] Believed to be his neighbors, William & Harriet (Groat) Plank

[23] Neighbor children, the daughters of John Allen

[24] His son

[25] His daughters

[26] Lois (French) Lee, the wife of his cousin, Joseph Lee

[27] A neighbor, Sarah (Knight) Skinner

[28] Sarah Skinner, the daughter of Sylvester & Sarah (Knight) Skinner

[29] His daughter, Nancy Catherine Keith

[30] His cousin, George & Sarah (Roberts) Turner

[31] Believe this is George & Sarah Turner’s baby son

[32] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that Willie Hodges, the son of Edward & Adeline Hodges, died February 22, 1871, at the age of 4, and is buried in the Galesburg City Cemetery, Galesburg, Michigan

[33] The vertical side pieces to a wagon body

[34] His cousin, Jesse Earl Lee

[35] His grandson, and Lois’ son, William Byron Clark

[36] One of his pigs

[37] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that Ella (Taylor) Adams, age 22, wife of Milo Adams, died March 11, 1871 and is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Galesburg, Michigan

[38] See March 11^th entry

[39] The daughter of William & Harriet (Groat) Plank

[40] Edwin & Ruth Ann (Fletcher) York had four boys: Frank (b: about 1856), Arthur (b: 1858), Fred (b: 1862), and George (b: about 1871; Edwin was Joseph York’s brother

[41] According to the History of Kalamazoo County, Michigan (1880), the Galesburg Cornet Band was organized August 4, 1870. Charles Harris was the leader and he played the E-flat cornet. Ethan Keith played the 2^d E-flat cornet

[42] The Michigan Death Records at Ancestry.com show that Anthony Labell, a priest, died in Kalamazoo at the age of 55

[43] Ambrose & Lydia (Taylor) Milham; it is believed that Ambrose was a half-brother of Martin Milham

[44] Oak Grove Cemetery records show that Frank C. Spier was born February 21, 1848 and died April 2, 1871

[45] His maternal first cousin

[46] Avery Martin Phelps, age 49, died in Charleston, Michigan, and is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Galesburg, Michigan

[47] A search of the Michigan Death Records at Ancestry.com shows that Gertrude McLary, age 82, died April 4, 1871 in Charleston, Michigan

[48] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that Julia Ann (McFarland) Rogers, age 27, died April 18, 1871 and is buried in the Galesburg City Cemetery, Galesburg, Michigan

[49] Ambrose Brown’s wife, Matilda (Allen) Brown

[50] Neighbors, Joseph & Caroline (Williams) Wiseman

[51] Believe he is referring to William H. Plank, the son of his neighbors, William & Harriet (Groat) Plank

[52] His paternal first cousins, William and Alvan Lee, the sons of Charles Lee (see April 23^rd entry)

[53] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that Jerome C. Chadwick died April 17, 1871 and is buried in Indian Fields Cemetery, Portage, Michigan

[54] Lois had lived in Spring Hill (now Tedrow), Ohio, with her first husband, Byron Clark; however, after he died, she returned to Michigan. Apparently her in-laws convinced her to leave her son Charley with them (see the May 13, 1866 letter), so she was probably going back to visit

[55] His paternal first cousin. Charles Lee (1797-1878) was the son of Charles & Rhoda (Keith) Lee, the brother of Joseph W. Lee and the father of Charles Jedediah Lee

[56] Daughter of John Allen and sister of Ida and Libby Allen (see January 21^st entry)

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

[58] Daughter of James Milham, Martin Milham’s half brother

[59] George Ransom Wightman

[60] Leonidas, St. Joseph County, Michigan

[61] Carrie and Sarah Ella Wiseman, daughters of Joseph & Caroline (Williams) Wiseman (see April 14^th entry)

[62] Believe he is referring to his grandson, Will Clark

[63] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that Caroline B. Ralph, age 3, the daughter of William and & Emaline (Stone) Ralph, died May 31, 1871, and is buried in the Riverside Cemetery, Galesburg, Michigan

[64] Daughter of James Milham, Martin Milham’s half brother

[65] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that Robert D. & Jane Eliza (Caldwell) Gates died in Gull Lake, Michigan, and are buried in Cressey Cemetery, Barry County, Michigan

[66] Martin Milham’s half brother

[67] Neighbor and “shirttail relative”

[68] Son of Martin & Lucy Irene (Lee) Milham

[69] Exactly

[70] Neighbor, Joseph Flanders

[71] Neighbors, children of Richard & Mary (Knowles) Barber

[72] Eugene and Edna Crawford, the children of his wife Sarah’s late brother, Edwin Crawford

[73] Susie A. Brown, sometimes referred to as Suky Brown, Decatur Susie Brown and S. A. Brown

[74] The daughters of William & Harriet (Groat) Plank

[75] His son by his first wife, Minerva Payson.

[76] His mother-in-law, Nancy (Comfort) Crawford Betts

[77] Robert D. Gates drowned in Gull Lake, Michigan; see June 4^th entry

[78] Jane Eliza (Caldwell) Gates drowned in Gull Lake, Michigan; see June 4^th entry

[79] Believe he is referring to his nephew, James “Oscar” Keith

[80] Oscar lived in Deerfield, Michigan

[81] After Luke’s first wife, Minerva (Payson) Keith, died, Joseph & Amanda (Hobbs) Flanders took in their children, Henry and Lois Keith. From letters from that time, it would appear that Lois was then sent to Minerva’s parents while Henry lived with the Flanders family. 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 he lived with them throughout his youth. This seems to be corroborated by the 1860 census showing “Henry L Flanders” (believed to actually be Henry L. Keith), age 16, living with Joseph & Amanda

[82] A search at FindAGrave.com shows that Champlin Harris died August 23, 1871 and is buried in the Riverside Cemetery, Galesburg, Michigan

[83] A search of Ancestry.com shows that Stephen B. Sherwood died August 28, 1871 in Comstock, Michigan, and Oak Grove Cemetery records show he is buried there

[84] Dowagiac, Michigan

[85] His grandnephew, Frank John Tomlinson, the son of George and Marion (Sprague) Tomlinson

[86] Jo Lee’s wife, Lois (French) Lee; she is buried in Indian Fields Cemetery, Portage, Michigan

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

[88] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that James Perry died October 20, 1871 and is buried in the Galesburg City Cemetery, Galesburg, Michigan

[89] His aunt, Electa (Damon) Wolcott, the widow of his Uncle Warren Wolcott

[90] His sister-in-law, Alfleda (Starr) Keith, the widow of his brother, Harvey Keith, and the mother of James “Oscar” Keith

[91] Ida May Lewis, the daughter of Maxon & Mary Lewis, died of croup at the age of 4, on November 4, 1871

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

[93] A search of the 1870 census shows L. & Lucinda Bowen listed immediately after S[amuel] Swaddle; FindAGrave.com shows Lucius Bowen, the husband of Lucinda Congdon, died in 1871 and is buried in the Galesburg City Cemetery, Galesburg, Michigan

[94] His daughter, Lois (Keith) Clark, married Adelbert Skinner

[95] His youngest daughter, Louese Keith, usually referred to as Sis

[96] A pole that connected the front axle and the rear axle of a wagon

[97] The son of Jesse & Mary (Clapp) Earl; see June 14^th entry

[98] A neighbor

[99] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that Orrin Scranton, died December 6, 1871 in Perry, New York, and is buried in Pearl Creek Cemetery, Pearl Creek, New York. The 1850 census shows Orrin living in Covington, New York, which is where Luke lived before coming to Michigan

[100] Neighbor, Marius O. Streator; the father of Harry Streator (see December 4^th entry)

[101] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that George Sutherland died December 25 and is buried in Newbre Cemetery, Battle Creek, Michigan

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Luke Keith’s 1869 Diary

1869 DIARY OF CHARLES LUKE KEITH JR.^[1]

Jan 1 – Cold and blustrous. Ethan[2] went down to Charles Lees.[3] No work Sarah[4] sick. Nancy[5] sick.

Jan 2 – At home. Sick no work.

Jan 3 – Ethan & Lois[6] went down to Catharines.[7]

Jan 4 – Went up to Hiram Cooks got some cranberries. Mary Ann[8] came here.

Jan 5 – Bot this Diary 45¢. Went over to mill carried 8 bushels wheat to mill. Mrs Wiseman came home with me. Mary Ann left.

Jan 6 – Pleasant morning. Sarah and Nancy sick yet. Mark[9] came up and killed sheep. Mr Flanders called here to look at steers.

Jan 7 – Mark came up and killed sheep. Mr I went over to burg to see Bristol.

Jan 8 – Rainy day. A Brown and I went up to Wesleys.[10] Lost my mittens.

Jan 9 – Made Nance[11] stable. Took shed down.

Jan 10 – At home all day. Lois went down to Catharines.

Jan 11 – Worked on partition in kitchen.

Jan 12 – Worked on partition. Mrs Hawver called here and Mary Lewis.

Jan 13 – Painted twelve blinds. Let Doc Wightman have two bushels potatoes. Pleasant day.

Jan 14 – Very fine day. Finished painting Blinds.

Jan 15 – Carried my hubs over to burg.[12] Carried fifty files over to Burrels to be cut over.

Jan 16 – Carried Blinds down to Catharines. Fine day. Mr McNaughton called to see steers. Pleasant day. Ethan went down to see Charley.[13]

Jan 17 – Fine day cloudy. Moved Bedstead into shop.

Jan 18 – Went down to J Lees[14] to see Mark carried their dinner down in the woods _________ of Charles took dinner with them.

Jan 19 – Mark came up and butchered my hogs. Mr Birge[15] picking over potatoes. Windy day.

Jan 20 – Birge picking over potatoes. I cut up my pork. Made cart wheels for Birges boy. Pleasant day.

Jan 21 – Fine morning. T Flanders[16] came over. Not much work to day. Ed Childs called he took dinner.

Jan 22 – Made cart for Birges Boy.[17] Pleasant day.

Jan 23 – No work to day. Ed and wife & Susie Brown[?] came down here. Fine day. Ida Barber & Carry & Ella Wiseman came over.

Jan 24 – Pleasant as April. Went down to Marks. Mark & Ann came up here.

Jan 25 – Sold my steers to S. C. Blake for 45 Dollars. Very pleasant day. Got Bu___ from A. Browns[18] in evening. Helped York load [illegible].

Jan 26 – Pleasant 18 Abz.[19] in morning. Cut down two trees south of barn. [illegible]. Doc Wightman got two bushels potatoes.

Jan 27 – Helped Jo York[20] load one load of stalks. Went over to burg carried 3 bushels corn. Snowey day. Alfred Signor got his corn. Sick in night.

Jan 28 – Rather damp day. Sick no work to day. Jo York drawed two loads cornfodder. Finished the lot. Sold my calf to Jo for five Dollars.

Jan 29 – Rainy day. Lois came home. Paid My Tax 28.46. Turned the cows and horses in the south lot. Finished my buggy pole.

Jan 30 – Went down to Charles Lees and Jo and Marks. Cool and some wind.

Jan 31 – Came home. No snow but cold.

Feb 1 – Cut down one hickory tree and maple tree south of Barn. Charles Lee came up here.

Feb 2 – Traded violin with Charles J Lee for watch. Mrs Barber and George came over here. Snowey night. Ethan & Charles went to burg.

Feb 3 – Snow some 3 inches deep snows yet in morning. Charles went home. Sarah and Lois went to burg.

Feb 4 – Sarah and Lois went over to burg. Hellen[21] and Catharine came up. Charley Lee stayed here.

Feb 5 – Hellen and Catharine came up. I went over and brot them home. Pleasant some snow cold & _____ in morning. Charley went down to burg.

Feb 6 – Went over to burg bot boots for me 5.00, one pair for Jim 2.00. Drawed some wood. Hellen went up to Wesleys. Charley Lee stayed all night.

Feb 7 – At home all day. Ethan went down to Charles Lees.

Feb 8 – Went to burg carried 3 bushels wheat to Mill. Left cuplers with Oatman. Mr and Mrs Schram here in Evening. (Shermans[?] in night.) Pulled tooth for John.

Feb 9 – Rainy morning. Went to Mill got grist. Worked some in shop.

Feb 10 – Tacked my Boots. Cut out some stuff for Lees nut box.

Feb 11 – Pleasant. Made Lees Nut Box. Painted my buggy pole. Ethan carried my watch to school.

Feb 12 – Mr & Mrs Swaddle here all day. Painted Lees Box. Ida Barber came over.

Feb 13 – Lee carried his Box over this morning. Went down to Catharines. Rainy afternoon.

Feb 14 – Came home. Rained like fun.

Feb 15 – Went over to burg. Got some irons made for well rope _____.

Feb 16 – Put Buckets on to rope. Put in one new bottom. Sawed out some strip for Lees bed.

Feb 17 – Made Lees bed sted. Went over to Mr Planks in evening took Tea. Mr & Mrs Brown there Mr Ford.

Feb 18 – Snows some this morning. Finished Lees bed carried it over to burg. Nancy went over. Got some lime. Edith came down stayed all night.

Feb 19 – Pleasant. Put up leach. Made door to kitchen and put up leach.

Feb 20 – Put on door handle. Went over to burg got my cuplers of Oatman.

Feb 21 – Snowey in morning. Snow some 4 inches deep.

Feb 22 – Went down to Mr Yorks stayed all night. Went with sleigh. Snowed some.

Feb 23 – Came home. Jo went out to Vicksburg with load goods.

Feb 24 – Cold and Blustering. Mark Lee came up got my _____. Wes called. Peddler called, bot soap 20¢.

Feb 25 – Cold 8 Abz cold. Filed saw. Worked in barn.

Feb 26 – Cold 18 Abz blustrous. Worked round house and barn.

Feb 27 – Carried 3 bushels corn to _____. Sarah went over to burg. Mr Hawkins choped some wood. Let him have 1 & ½ bushels potatoes. Pleasant day. Got link made to cupler 5¢. Harry Myers Died.[22] Ethan & girls went down to Catharines.

Feb 28 – Cold. Sarah over to burg. York came after Lois she went over to Vicksburg. Good sleighing.

Mar 1 – Carried Hannah[23] and Nancy up to Mr Swadles. Received letter from Stepen Wilcut.[24] Put rave[25] on Planks sleigh.

Mar 2 – Cold morning snows some. Went over to burg. Lasher[26] came home with me.

Mar 3 – Went down to Streators Lasher went along. Drawed some wood. Went over to burg after Nancy & Hannah. Extracted two teeth for _____ Schram. Two Mrs Ralphs here. Got load straw from Streators.

Mar 4 – Cut some logs[?] south of barn drawed them down. Mr Streator left some wagon poles here to day. Very cold 8 Abz.

Mar 5 – Cold day. At home no work. Lasher came up.

Mar 6 – Went over to burg. Very blustering. Sold my California ___ ring to Efrim[?] Streator. Got silver chain one pair gloves and five Dollars. Mrs Havens died.[27]

Mar 7 – 2 Abz. At home cold day.

Mar 8 – Pleasant. Went over to burg with Jo Lee. Mark and Jesse Lee[28] called here. Doc Wightman got one bushel potatoes.

Mar 9 – Foggy morning. Drawed some wood.

Mar 10 – Started for Marshall[29] left home about half past four AM. Train run the station. Snowed and blowed like fun. Went to Concord.[30] Fare 1.35. Went to Johns stayed all night.

Mar 11 – Went over to Kirkwoods.[31] Fare 75¢. Stayed all night. Cold day 2 below zero in morning.

Mar 12 – Pleasant morning. Irene[32] and I went over to uncle Jasons[33] found uncle quite smart.

Mar 13 – Went over to Jonesville[34] with Steven.[35] Good sleighing.

Mar 14 – Cold and blustering. Jesse sick.[36] Went up to Stevens and over to Bissils[37] in Evening. Snowed some.

Mar 15 – Pleasant in morning. Went down to Jess went over to Mr Underhills. Filed saw for Steven. Took tea at under Hills. Went over to Bissels stayed all night.

Mar 16 – Cold morning. Kirkwoods woods folks came over to Bissels. I went over to Stevens and Jess. Stayed with Jess all night.

Mar 17 – Cold morning. Made a fire for Uncle Jason. Left Uncle Jasons about noon. Went over to Concord got to Concord about four PM.

Mar 18 – Left Concord 9 AM for Concord station. Left for home about one got home about three P.M.

Mar 19 – Went down to Catharines. Snowed like fun. Found them all well.

Mar 20 – Came home. Jess Lee married[38] this morning. Mr Greenleaf[39] died to day about noon.

Mar 21 – At home all day. Cold. Mr Greenleaf buried.

Mar 22 – Went up to Wesleys. Very snowey day. Made Axhelve for Chub.

Mar 23 – Mended Birges chairs. Pleasant day. Mrs Brown[40] and Julia,[41] Mrs Plank here visiting. Brown and Plank here in Evening.

Mar 24 – Went over to burg. Sarah went over. Hank Wells called here to get rope, he broke down got very muddy.

Mar 25 – Went over to burg. Saw Bristol & L. T. Earl.[42] Talked some of making a trade.

Mar 26 – At home not much done to day.

Mar 27 – Went over to burg in morning. Bot Broom 40 bot Jim some cloth for pants. Filed Wes saw. All the Planks over in Evening. Nancy & Hannah went up to Allens.

Mar 28 – Pleasant Mercury stands at 60. At home all day.

Mar 29 – Trimed apple trees some. Cleaned out back house. Went down to A Browns got hams. Went over to burg. Got Hannahs shoes tapt 65¢. Rainy night Pixly & Grannis at burg.

Mar 30 – Rainy morning. Went up to L. T. Earls. Cold and muddy.

Mar 31 – Finished trimming orchard. Ethan and girls went down to Catharines. Jo Lee came up. I filed his saw.

Apr 1 – Snows and blows like fun. Went up in woods got 3 pails sap.

Apr 2 – At home all forenoon. Went to burg in afternoon.

Apr 3 – Drawed rails in forenoon. Went to burg in afternoon. Saw L. T. Earl and Hellen Blake. Made trade for Bristols place.

Apr 4 – Went down to Catharines with Bill[43] and sleigh. Sap run some.

Apr 5 – Pleasant morning. Round home all day Except when I was to town meeting.

Apr 6 – Went down to Catharines. Helped Mark shugar of. Lasher came back.

Apr 7 – At Catharines shugared of. Mrs Carleton & Jenny came over to eat shugar.

Apr 8 – Went to Kalamazoo got some clover and timothy seed ___ 75¢. Pleasant day. Got money for Mr Bristol 600. Dollars. He paid me 4.78.82.

Apr 9 – Drawed brush out of orchard.

Apr 10 – Pleasant. Picked up old fence bottom and stuff on side hill and moved some stone. Brot apples out cellar.

Apr 11 – Pleasant morning. Found one of my sheep dead. Pulled the wool of her.

Apr 12 – Pleasant morning. School commenced to day. Cleaned out cellar.

Apr 13 – Drawed some stone. Sarah and Sucy Brown went over to Planks. Birge burnt potatoetops in East lot.

Apr 14 – Finished moving stone. Laid up some fence. Sarah and Brown went up to Jesse Earls.[44] Carried my pole and whiffletrees[45] over to burg.

Apr 15 – Pleasant morning. Brown and Sarah went over to burg. Mrs Gaffing came here stayed all night.

Apr 16 – Went down to Catharines with Gaffing. Mary Brown Died this morning. Rained some.

Apr 17 – Sarah went over to burg. I drawed some manure.

Apr 18 – Rainy day. Charley Lee here to Breakfast. Harry Streator here. Mary Brown Buried to day. Rainy night some thunder.

Apr 19 – Paid Lucy[46] 2.60. Dollars. Got some scions[47] out of Catharines orchard.

Apr 20 – Worked round home. Rainy. Ole Bull at Kalamazoo this Evening.

Apr 21 – Moved some fence round barn yard. Mr Woodden Died this morning.

Apr 22 – Split out some fence posts. Went over to burg got ten lbs fence nails one lb ___. Mr Woodden buried to day.

Apr 23 – Got out manure. Paid M. O. Streator[48] $133.00. one Hundred & thirty three Dollars for J. O. Keith.[49] Had a shugar party.

Apr 24 – Fixed some fence. Split out some fence posts.

Apr 25 – Carried Sarah over to church. Mr Bristol called here in morning.

Apr 26 – Sowed my clover seed. Rained some afternoon.

Apr 27 – Worked round yard got out some manure &c.[50]

Apr 28 – Went over and got Jane Hoag brot her here. Moved some fence round barn yard. Got out some manure.

Apr 29 – Got out some manure. Birge plowing the hill. Had Jim and Bill.[51]

Apr 30 – Lois came home. Went over to Burg got my pump. Carried five bushels potatoes 35¢ pr bushels.

May 1 – Put up my laths and mended Browns cloths wringer and commenced some hubbs for velosiped.[52] Rainy day.

May 2 – Carried Sarah over to church. Pleasant day cold south west wind.

May 3 – Plowed gardens. Jo & Lois Lee[53] called here. Finished plowing the hill south of Barn.

May 4 – Moved old fence posts and boards round barn yard. Got out some manure. Will Clark helped some.

May 5 – Took down fence East of house. Carried 3 bushels wheat to mill. Birge plowing with Jim and Bill. Took Nance down to Catharines.

May 6 – Went to mill this morning. Worked round house and garden.

May 7 – Put out some onions and potatoes.

May 8 – Finished putting out onions. Planted some corn and potatoes cucumbers &c. Ethan draged in East lot.

May 9 – At home all day. Made me a ring. Had fan and Jim. Turned them out let them run all day. Jim and Bill over to Birges.

May 10 – Piled up and burnt stumps on hill. Ethan draging. Jo Lee called here. H. A. Taylor planting corn. Fine day.

May 11 – Got out manure put on gardens south of Barn.

May 12 – Got out manure put it around the Apple trees. Had a shower in afternoon. A. L. Keith[54] called here. Rained when he left.

May 13 – Cloudy rain. Not much done.

May 14 – Went down to Catharines. Had H. A. Taylors wagon.

May 15 – Mr Wheeler brot C. J. Lees trunk over. Went to Kalamazoo had Birges wagon. Ethan, Henry Childs and Loyd Higgins went down to get some velosipeds felloes.[55] No get um.

May 16 – At home all day. Lois and Jesse Lee came up.

May 17 – Birge and Ethan marked out ____ ground.

May 18 – Planted corn on hill finished planting. Mrs Hawver and Mary Lewis here.

May 19 – Planted potatoes East of barn.

May 20 – Got out manure and plowed some. Rained in night.

May 21 – Went down to Catharines with potatoes. Rainy.

May 22 – Finished plowing East of barn. Ethan sick. Put down carpet. Turned block for mawl. Cool wind. Circus in Kalamazoo to day.

May 23 – At home all day fine day. Jesse Lee and Alvin Lee[56] came up brot Lois home. Paid Alvin Lee and took up my Note 28.72.

May 24 – Dragged my garden south of barn.

May 25 – Planted corn and potatoes south of barn. Very hot.

May 26 – Planted Beans and Birge planted potatoes and beans and corn. Sarah and Lois went down to A. Browns Mrs Plank. I went down and took Tea.

May 27 – Had a heavy shower this morning.

May 28 – Jesse Earl called. I signed a petition for the company to discharge Cogswell from the Central Depo. Lois went down to Marks. I went over to burg. Hannah went to Marks.

May 29 – I put frame on Harrys slate. Mended Catharines chair. Let hogs out. Cut some yokes for hogs.

May 30 – At home not very well.

May 31 – Sick. Ethan & Birge picked up load potatoes. Some rainy.

Jun 1 – Pleasant day. Sick. Ethan gone to school. Carry Wiseman came over. Killed the old cat.

Jun 2 – Had Birges Market wagon. Went down to Catharines left Hannah. Schram and Birge went to Kalamazoo with potatoes. Sold for 25 cts pr bushel.

Jun 3 – At home. Went up to Mr Schrams in morning to how they made it selling potatoes. Very hot day.

Jun 4 – Sick no work. Jesse Turner and wife[57] came here stayed all night. Rained some. Birge came over and shelled some corn. I got 104 cabbage plants of H. A. Taylor. Set them out.

Jun 5 – Pleasant but cool. Jess went home this morning. I went down to Catharines took dinner with Charles Lee. Cool wind.

Jun 6 – At home all day not very well.

Jun 7 – Washed sheep. Picked up some potatoes. Cool. John Sherman broke his wagon wheel down oposite my house.

Jun 8 – Cool and cloudy. At home. Sarah went down to Mr Streator planted corn.

Jun 9 – Planted corn. Birge planted in forenoon.

Jun 10 – Planted corn. Horse fair commenced at burg.

Jun 11 – Finished planting corn. Warm day. Lucy came up. Mart went over to burg.

Jun 12 – Cultivated potatoes in East garden. Had a shower. Mr Harger called here. Catharine came up with Mart.

Jun 13 – Went down to Catharines after Hannah.

Jun 14 – Went to mill carried 4½ wheat one corn.

Jun 15 – Made fence East side of barn yard. Pleasant day.

Jun 16 – Sheared my sheep a Mr Hall done it. Went over to burg. Charley McCausey paid 25¢ paid 50¢ for shearing sheep. Turned out hub for Birge barrow.

Jun 17 – Mowed orchard. Killed a big black snake. Rained some.

Jun 18 – At home most of the day. Went over to burg got buckle put on harness 25¢. Went down and got A. Browns buggy.

Jun 19 – Went down to Uncle Warrens.[58] Found him very sick. Some rainy had a heavy shower in Evening.

Jun 20 – Cloudy not much rain. At Carolines[59] all day. Saw Alvin Holmes and wife.

Jun 21 – Came home. Left Uncle Warrens about noon. Left uncle sitting on the stoop. Got home about five P.M.

Jun 22 – Ethan cultivated corn. Had a shower. Sold my sheep pelt to Cadys pedler for one Dollar.

Jun 23 – Ethan cultivating corn. I raked up some hay in orchard.

Jun 24 – Plowed out potatoes in East garden. Went over to burg in afternoon. The Masons had a time.

Jun 25 – Worked in shop on wheel barrow wheel.

Jun 26 – Worked in shop some.

Jun 27 – At home all day. Rainy.

Jun 28 – Shaved and drove spoke in two wheel barrow hubs.

Jun 29 – Worked on road. Water very high.

Jun 30 – Helped Birge shingle his shanty. Warm day.

Jul 1 – Went over to burg. Took dinner at Wisemans. Carried school marm home. School closed.

Jul 2 – Some rainy. Stranger called here young man and woman. Had a shower. Commenced A. Browns Hay rack.

Jul 3 – Went to Kalamazoo to see Balloon go up. He no go up.

Jul 4 – Went down to Catharines to see Dr Finch.

Jul 5 – Mowed some. Birge took some home.

Jul 6 – Birge and I mowed all day up in south lot.

Jul 7 – I mowed some and _____ what Birge and I mowed.

Jul 8 – Worked for Brown on Hay rack. Went down to Cates. Marks Boy Born.[60] Hogs killed lamb.

Jul 9 – Worked on Browns rack. Finished Hay Rack. Extracted tooth for Will Brown.[61] Uncle Warren Died to day.

Jul 10 – Drawed in hay. Verry windy day. Ida Barber came over stayed all night.

Jul 11 – Pleasant morning. One sheep gone this morning. Uncle Warren buried[62] to day.

Jul 12 – Mowed in south lot to day.

Jul 13 – Sorted potatoes. Alfleda[63] came here.

Jul 14 – Went to Kalamazoo with potatoes 24½ bushels 30 cts pr bushel.

Jul 15 – Sorted potatoes. Alfled helped. David Tomkins helped. T. Flanders came over.

Jul 16 – Went to Kalamazoo with potatoes 21.¾ 35¢ pr bushel. Mr. Rosa[64] buried to day. Very warm. Flanders left.

Jul 17 – Repaired Browns reel to reaper. Made churn dash and cover for Mrs Wiseman. Drawed in one load hay. Went over to burg in Evening. Bot dresses and other traps some 5.00.

Jul 18 – Pleasant and warm 77 Abz. Carried Hannah down to Catharines.

Jul 19 – Mowed grass. Killed a skunk. Ethan worked for Mr Randell binding wheat. Went over to burg in Evening.

Jul 20 – Made a hay trough. Went down to A. Browns got some peas. Rainy. Ethan to work for A Brown. A. B Sumner called here to renew inshurance.

Jul 21 – Sowed some Buckwheat. Raked up some hay.

Jul 22 – Went to Kalamazoo with load potatoes for Mr Birge. Sold Ed Wilcut[65] two bushels 30¢ pr bushel. Sold 17 Bushels for 25¢ pr bushel.

Jul 23 – Worked round hoed some. Ethan to work for brown.

Jul 24 – Cradled wheat round my lot. Mark came up to cut wheat. Drove team for Brown some. Brot Reel shaft.

Jul 25 – Put in Reel shaft to A. Browns Reaper. Hot day. Suky Brown[66] here. Went to church with Planks folks. We went down to Catharines. Rained. Stayed all night.

Jul 26 – Came home. Went up to Wes with Suky Brown. A. Brown finished cutting his wheat.

Jul 27 – A. Brown cut my wheat. Warm day rained in night. Suky went down to Allertons.

Jul 28 – Had a heavy thunder shower this morning. My wheat out.

Jul 29 – Went up to Mr Hugys[?] after Birge wagon. No get him. Got Schrams. Drawed in my wheat.

Jul 30 – Went over to Hugys got Birges wagon. Ethan gone to draw wheat for A. Brown.

Jul 31 – Ethan drawed wheat for A. Brown & Plank. I put hogs in wheat lot.

Aug 1 – Went up to Charleston with Bristol and Beckwith then went down to Catharines. Brown came home with us.

Aug 2 – Ethan carried Brown down to Streators. I wen over to Burg with Jo Lee.[67] Bot soap & other traps. Uncle Peat Johnson starts to day for the East. Had a shower. Birge got Fan & Jim.

Aug 3 – Birges trial to day. Went over to burg took bill got my wagon. Ethan worked for A. Brown.

Aug 4 – Worked in shop some. Cut out stuf for Mr Planks wagon box. Carried Hannah down to Browns.

Aug 5 – Plowed out my potatoes and hoed some corn and vines.

Aug 6 – Worked in shop on Streators wheels. Ethan worked for Brown.

Aug 7 – Went over to Mr Guays got my two shovel plow. Mrs Simonds died. Carried Rocking chairs over to Mary E Claps of some.

Aug 8 – Pleasant day. At home all day. Mrs Simonds Buried to day. M. O. Streator called here.

Aug 9 – Thrashed some wheat. David Tomkins called here. Went up to Howlands burg with M. O. Streator to get felloes.

Aug 10 – Carried Sarah and Alfleda down to Streators. Got 4 bushels wheat of Streator carried it to mill. Ed Gillis[68] Died.

Aug 11 – Cloudy. Put up two bushels new wheat this morning. Carried it to mill. Seaman S. Bristol paid me sixty Dollars. Very hot. Hoed corn some where the old mercury was on the corner.

Aug 12 – Hoing corn. Very hot 90 in shade at noon.

Aug 13 – Got Mr Schrams wagon went down to Catharines drawed her a load wood. W^m Wheeler sent violin here to be repaired.

Aug 14 – Went over to burg got grist new wheat. Birge came over here. Had a shower. Nancy went over to Barbers with Birge.

Aug 15 – At home all day. Not very hot.

Aug 16 – Went over to burg with Jo Lee. Helped Mr Plank thrash after supper.

Aug 17 – Mr. Plank finished thrashing in forenoon. Thrashed my wheat in afternoon. Had 45 bushels paid $.5. Dollars.

Aug 18 – Ethan plowed corn. I hoed some in garden. Put handle on knife in afternoon. Very hot.

Aug 19 – Helped Brown thrash in afternoon. Very hot.

Aug 20 – Worked down to Browns. Finished thrashing. Had 354 bushels wheat, 75. oats, 11. peas. Had a heavy shower.

Aug 21 – Rainy. Went over to burg. Mart[69] came up. Bot traps for Jim &c. 2.33.

Aug 22 – Went down to Catharines got some vinegar.

Aug 23 – Worked on Streators wheels some. Ethan went down to Catharines got some Blackberies. Very hot.

Aug 24 – Worked in shop some. A. Brown got Bill to plow. Hot Hot 120 in at noon in sun 95 in shade.

Aug 25 – Catharine came up. Chored round not much done. Ethan helped Mr Brown clean up wheat. Mr Plank brot his wagon over.

Aug 26 – Work on Planks box.

Aug 27 – Work on planks Box some.

Aug 28 – Worked on Box. Took down old shed by hog pen.

Aug 29 – Went up to Mr Seamans took dinner. Mart and Lucy came up got Birds.

Aug 30 – Work on Box put on one coat paint. Mr Schram thrashed his wheat. Cool day.

Aug 31 – Painted Planks Box. Worked on wheels some.

Sep 1 – Finished Streators wheels. Picknick up on Jesse Earl place. Ethan cutting corn.

Sep 2 – Put rim on one of Wightmans[70] wheels. Ethan cutting up corn.

Sep 3 – Worked on wheels. Streator got his wheels. Ethan went after Lois. Painted violin, Trunk and wash stand.

Sep 4 – Pleasant morning. Worked in shop some. Went over to burg after Hannah. Went over in Evening after Henry & Hiram.[71]

Sep 5 – At home all day. Mart and Lucy came up. Extracted 2 two teeth for Mrs Plank.

Sep 6 – Went up to Yorkville. Had a livery team. Had a good time. School commenced. Suky Brown teaches.

Sep 7 – The boys left for home on the one 35 train. Fine day. Lois went up to Mrs Birges.

Sep 8 – Not much done to day. Not very well.

Sep 9 – Drawed in his my corn fodder. Begun to plow for wheat. Warm day.

Sep 10 – Cut grass East of currant bushes. Ethan Plowing. Mrs Schram called here. Mary and Emmet[72] came up on the noon train.

Sep 11 – Went over to burg. Sent things to Henrys folks. Fine day. Mr Ford and Allerton have a law suit to day.

Sep 12 – At home most of the day. Carried T. Flanders up to D. Bronsons just at night.

Sep 13 – Warm day. Mary and Emmet went home on the 1.35 train. Pleasant day.

Sep 14 – Ethan helped A Brown clean up wheat. Plowed ground East of currant bushes. Had a shower in the night.

Sep 15 – Finished one of Wightmans wheels and cut some corn in garden.

Sep 16 – Sowed wheat in corn on the corner. Horse races commenced to day at Galesburg. Fine weather.

Sep 17 – Sowed wheat south of buckwheat 3 acres. Second day horse races at the burg. Fine weather.

Sep 18 – Sowed wheat East of currant bushes. Went over to burg in Evening. Carried Dick some melons.

Sep 19 – Extracted tooth for Polly Earl. Warm day. Went down to Catharines. Very hot day. Pros[73] came in the night on the 11 oclock train.

Sep 20 – Paired some apples. Ethan went to school. Went over to burg.

Sep 21 – Went over to burg to mill. Pros and Streator had a set to.

Sep 22 – Went over to burg in morning. Ethan, Pros went down to Catharines. I made rack to dry apples on. Mr Schram made 84 galons cider.

Sep 23 – Pros and I went up to Durgys old farm to see about a cider mill screw and buggy. Carried cider over to Blackburn 40 galons.

Sep 24 – Pros left for Niles[74] on the one 35 train. Ethan sick. Started to cary Alfleda down to Jo Lees broke down down by Skinners.

Sep 25 – Rainy morning not much work. Ethan sick. Got letter from James Higgins.

Sep 26 – At home all day.

Sep 27 – Went over to burg in morning. Got Schrams buggy. Ethan and I went to Kalamazoo.

Sep 28 – Went up to Mr Seamans got cradle. Cut some Buckwheat. Ethan cut some corn. Mrs Barber & Mrs Johnson came over here.

Sep 29 – Finished cutting Buckwheat and cut corn.

Sep 30 – Went over to Burg. Got Birges wagon. Went down to Catharines.

Oct 1 – Went down to Jeff Chaffees.[75] Rain in the night.

Oct 2 – Rainy morning. Went to Schuyler Harrisses.

Oct 3 – Left Harrises went to Oscars found them well.

Oct 4 – At Oscars all day.

Oct 5 – Went down to Paul ville[76] through the woods.

Oct 6 – Left Oscars for home. Went up to Harmon Smiths stayed all night. He lives in Almena township.

Oct 7 – Left Smiths for home got home about dark. Fine day.

Oct 8 – Went over to burg in morning. Birge and Ethan dug potatoes.

Oct 9 – Rainy day no work. Birge came over and shelled corn.

Oct 10 – At home all day sick headache. Wesley went down to Catharines got one of my cider barrels. Ethan and the girls went down.

Oct 11 – Pleasant but cool. Ethan and Birge digging potatoes.

Oct 12 – Went to mill. Birge digging potatoes.

Oct 13 – Made thill[77] for wagon. Birge carried load potatoes home. Mrs Courtney called here took dinner.

Oct 14 – Rain. Put up stove in shop. No work to day.

Oct 15 – Finished digging potatoes. Went over to burg. Paid Blackburn for Lois trunk. Got my cider barrel.

Oct 16 – Worked in shop some. Marion Lynch died.[78] A. Browns folks here in Evening.

Oct 17 – Sarah went to church. Mart & Lucy came up here.

Oct 18 – Ethan dug some potatoes. Drawed in Buckwheat thrashed Beans. Marion Lynch Buried to day. Lois & Will[79] started for Ohio on the night express.

Oct 19 – Cloudy not very cold. Ethan dug potatoes south of barn. I finished Wightmans wheels.

Oct 20 – Ethan dug potatoes East of House had 23½ bushels. I cleaned out old shop.

Oct 21 – Went up to Wesleys and Mr Seamans. Mr Seaman helped me kill Hog. Went over to burg got new _____ for Mr Seaman.

Oct 22 – Cool and cloudy. Went over to Jo Yorks. Rainy afternoon. Got to Joes about 3 oclock. Snowed some.

Oct 23 – Snowey day. Went to an auction sale. Went over to Vicksburg saw Nash Robinson.

Oct 24 – Cold raw day. Went over to As___ Finley. Saw some nice country.

Oct 25 – Went over to ______ ______. Sold wool 28 lbs 40 cts pr pound. Got yarn and cloth. Went back to Joes started for home about 3. Oclock got home about half past six.

Oct 26 – Snowey day. Boiled some potatoes for hogs. Banked up house.

Oct 27 – Went over to burg sent money and (too faint to read)

Oct 28 – Some warmer. Thrashing Buckwheat some.

Oct 29 – Picked apples some cider apples and put some in cellar.

Oct 30 – Thrashed Buckwheat. Drawed one load wood. Suky Brown here sick. Took Birges wagon home washed it.

Oct 31 – Went up in Pavilion[?] looking for Nance no find her. Pleasant day.

Nov 1 – Finished thrashing Buckwheat. Warm day mercury 59 in shade at noon. Carried Stew Daken apples 75¢.

Nov 2 – Cleaned up B.wheat 12½ bushels. Worked round house and shop. At home all day. Carried some apples over to Thad Daken 2 bushels 38¢ 75¢ and Mrs. Stuart one 35¢.

Nov 3 – Cleaned up buckwheat had 12½ bushels. Went to mill. Carried Thad Daken 2 bushels apples 38 75¢ Mrs Stuart one bushel 38¢. Drawed some wood. Went down to Jo Lees got kettle.

Nov 4 – Went over to burg in morning. Got some tallow. Carried over 2 bushels Buck Wheat. Rainy day. Mr Schram thrashed his beans.

Nov 5 – Picked Apples. Cleaned of the trees. Went over to burg after Buckwheat. Nancy went over to Mr Barbers.

Nov 6 – Ground my ax. Put in new helve. Picked up some apples. Jo Lee called here. Had a snow storm rather a rough day. Ethan went down to Charles Lees with Jo Lee.

Nov 7 – Around home all day. Suky Brown here to Tea. Nancy came home from Mr Barbers. Cold raw day mercury ___ Abz in morning.

Nov 8 – Ira Smith came here. No work to day.

Nov 9 – Smith here. No work. He left about 3. PM for Battlecreek. Mrs Bostwick called here from Canada. Not very cold out cloudy. An old Lady Died at Ha___ _____ing today. Extracted tooth for Sutherland[?].

Nov 10 – Sarah went over to burg to Mr Jacobs to see Mrs Bostwick. I went over after her in Evening. Filed saw for Schroder Bill 30¢. Birge finished drawing corn.

Nov 11 – Cool and cloudy. Worked in shop on Wightmans Ex. Ira Smith came back. Snowey afternoon.

Nov 12 – Went down to Catharines with Smith. Saw Henry Lee[80] of Salt Lake City. Nancy went down to Catys. Hannah came back with me.

Nov 13 – No work to day only chores. Went over to mill got Buckwheat flour. Voted for Justice of the peace. Snow on the ground.

Nov 14 – Went down to Jo Lees. Not very cold. Lois some better.

Nov 15 – Spliced buggy thill for Jesse Earl. Extracted tooth for George Sutherland, works for Del Skinner.[81]

Nov 16 – Went Kalamazoo with Mr Schram. Snowed and Blowed like fun, very bad day. Ed Childs came here stayed all night. Got my straw cutter of John Ash.

Nov 17 – Ed and I went over and saw Suky Brown in the morning. Ed stayed until two oclock PM then started for home. Very much bad day. No work to day.

Nov 18 – Carried Catharine some apples. Nancy came home. Charley Lee stayed here all night. He went up to Dick Lamkins to take old Sal home. Snowed like fun. Hank Brown[82] here in Evening.[83]

Nov 19 – Drawed some corn. Snow some 10 inches deep. Charley Lee went to Kalamazoo. Mr Schram got his beens.

Nov 20 – Cut wood and boiled potatoes. Went over to burg.

Nov 21 – Went down to Catharines with Adelpha York.[84] Pleasant day not very good sleighing.

Nov 22 – Drawed some wood. Snowey bad day to be out. Killed turky.

Nov 23 – Boiling potatoes. Birge got my slead. Mr Flanders brot my match planes home and Mr Clarks seat down. Went down to Jo Lees in Evening. Very cold. Had turky for dinner[?].

Nov 24 – Cold morning. Mercury 2 Abz. Snow about 18 inches deep.

Nov 25 – Worked round house. ______ plastered front room.

Nov 26 – Carried 2½ bushels buckwheat to mill. Drawed some corn one load wood. Fall term school closed.

Nov 27 – ½ past Eight mercury 30 Abz, some wind, growing cold. Henry Scramlin and wife and Jane Hoag here to day.

Nov 28 – At home all day. Ethan down to Catharines to Mormon meeting. Not very cold. We went over and took Tea with S. A. Brown had chicken pie.

Nov 29 – Work round house and barn &c.

Nov 30 – Mr Schram picked up load apples. Henry Lee came up here. I gathered some cabbage. Mr Thomas Durgy Died in night about Twelve O clock. S. A. Brown here in Evening.

Dec 1 – Drawed some corn. Went up to Wesleys he had gone to burg after coffin.

Dec 2 – Cold and snowey. Went to Comstock to Mr Durgys funeral. Elder Sherman Pie____ the sermon. Pall bearers M B Bostwick, John Allen, Ed Lane, Jesse Earl, H A Taylor, C L Keith.[85]

Dec 3 – Schram made 80 galons cider. Not much work to day. I made fire board. Dr Wightman got his wheels.

Dec. 4 – Stormy morning. Went over to Burg. Carried Hannahs shoes got them tapt 80¢. Bot machine oil 15¢. Ida Barber came home with me.

Dec 5 – Cool and pleasant. At home all day.

Dec 6 – Went over to burg. Sarah & Suky went. Ed Childs came down after Brown. Louesa went home with them. Sent butter[86] to Hiram 31 & ¼ lb. Doc Wightman got his old buggy.

Dec 7 – Snows some. Went down to Charles Lees with birge to sell his buggy. Put new cross head on saw. Up to Earls mill. Went down to A Browns in Evening.

Dec 8 – Cut down locus tree front of house. Ethan helped Mr Streator thrash.

Dec 9 – Ethan helping Mr Ford thrash. Cold and pleasant. Went down to Jo Lees. Sarah and Nancy went down to Catharines.

Dec 10 – Went down to schoolhouse with Wesley. Schram made 83 galons cider. I went down to Catharines stayed all night. Rainy night.

Dec 11 – Rainy day. Mark and Mart went to Kalamazoo Mr Grant went with them. Henry stayed at home. We came home at night. Rained some.

Dec 12 – Not much rain but cloudy. At home all day.

Dec 13 – Went over to burg got set bed springs. Went up to Mr Ralphs put it in for them.

Dec 14 – Boiling cider to day. Milford Matthews called here to day. Cold and bad going, no snow.

Dec 15 – Worked some on Eds violin, some chores.

Dec 16 – Worked on Yorks violin. Went to mill. Carried 4 bushels Buck wheat.

Dec 17 – Went to Kalamazoo. Carried H. M Smiths cider. Harrison Sprague came here stayed all night.

Dec 18 – Sprague left for grand rappids. Mr Wiseman called here. Wesley, Mr Randal and myself moved seats in schoolhouse. Cold day.

Dec 19 – Cold and some snow. Went down to Jo Lees and Catharines. Lois no better.

Dec 20 – Went down to A Browns up to Wesleys over to mill. Got Buck wheat flour. Carried 2 bushels wheat to mill.

Dec 21 – Cold 12 Abz very little snow. At home most of the day. Went over to mill Brown went to.

Dec 22 – A Brown brot his bugy up here. Finished Earls whiffletrees.

Dec 23 – Chored round house. Raised finger board on my old violin. Hung ax for Jo Lee. Very good sleighing. Cold and blustering mercury from 10 to 16 Abz.

Dec 24 – Got up very Early. Mark, Ann & Lucy came up here. No work to day. Recd $200 from town treas. Paid Joseph Wiseman $10.00[?].

Dec 25 – Went down to Catharines. Mark & Mart gone to Kalamazoo. Lois some better. Pleasant day. S. A. Brown stayed here.

Dec 26 – Fine morning. Ida Barber here. Hank Brown called here.

Dec 27 – Went over to burg. Nancy went over to Wisemans. Carried one bushel potatoes to Mr Barbers. Paid C. L. Keith $20.00 paid my Tax 18.77.

Dec 28 – Choped and drawed four loads wood. Ethan went over to burg in Evening. Paid S. A. Brown $90.00 got one cow and Eleven sheep of A. Brown.

Dec 29 – Made 82 galons cider. Mark made some.

Dec 30 – Got ready to butcher. Put up pole to hang hogs on. Finished Mr Ridlers ax helve.

Dec 31 – Killed 3 hogs. Mart Milham helped butcher. Catharine came up with him.

——-

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

[2] His son, Ethan Keith

[3] Most likely his paternal first cousin, the son of Charles and Rhoda (Keith) Lee, and the brother of Joseph W. Lee

[4] His wife, Sarah (Crawford) Keith

[5] His daughter, Nancy Keith

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

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

[8] Mary Ann (Batey) Keith, the wife of his nephew James “Oscar” Keith

[9] “Mark” is referred to quite often in Luke’s diaries and it is believed that he is referring to his cousin, Marquis de Lafayette Lee, the oldest son of Dr. Ezekiel and Elizabeth (Strong) Lee. The Lees were Mormons and moved to Nauvoo, Illinois, and eventually to the Salt Lake Valley in 1850. Mark stayed behind to run his father’s farm and was living with his aunt, Catherine (Keith) Bradley Lee

[10] His brother, John Wesley Keith, who, according to the family Bible, was adopted

[11] Believe this was one of his cows or horses

[12] Galesburg, Michigan

[13] Believe this is Charles Jedediah Lee, the son of Charles Lee (see footnote #3)

[14] Believe this to be Joseph W. Lee, his paternal first cousin, the son of Charles and Rhoda (Keith) Lee, and the brother of Charles Lee

[15] Neighbor, Cornelius W. Birge

[16] A neighbor, Thomas Flanders

[17] Cornelius’ son, Alvin C. Birge, who was about three years old

[18] Neighbor, Ambrose Brown, whose son, Henry Brown, would become the husband of Luke’s daughter, Nancy

[19] Above zero

[20] Joseph York, the husband of his niece, Helen (Bradley) York

[21] His niece, Helen (Bradley) York

[22] A search of the Michigan Death Records at Ancestry.com show that Harry Myers, age 29, died of consumption on February 27, 1869

[23] His daughter, Hannah Keith

[24] Perhaps he is referring to Stephen Hoxie Wolcott, his maternal first cousin. The Willcutt name has been spelled in various forms including Wolcott as evidenced by the fact that Stephen (and Luke also) was the grandson of Jesse & Katherine (Beal) Willcutt

[25] The vertical side pieces to a wagon body

[26] While “Lasher” is referenced repeatedly in Luke’s diaries and also in letters to Luke from Charles Cridland, the only evidence found regarding his first name, Joseph, was a receipt in the back of Luke’s 1858 diary dated December 6, 1858 for the payment of Comstock real estate taxes

[27] A search of the Michigan Death Records at Ancestry.com show that Mary (Kennedy) Havens, age 59, died of “congestive chills” on March 5, 1869

[28] Jesse Earl Lee, the son of Charles & Juliana (Davis) Lee, and brother of Charles Jedediah Lee (see January 16 footnote)

[29] Marshall, Michigan

[30] Concord, Michigan

[31] John & Irena (Wolcott) Kirkwood lived in Scipio, Michigan, about 10 miles south of Concord, Michigan

[32] Irena and Luke were first cousins, the grandchildren of Jesse Jr. & Katherine (Beal) Willcutt

[33] Irena’s father, Jason Beal Wolcott

[34] Jonesville, Michigan

[35] Most likely Irena’s brother, Stephen Hoxie Wolcott

[36] Most likely Irena’s brother, Jesse Wolcott

[37] Irena’s older sister, Waity Catherine Wolcott and her husband, John Bissell

[38] Jesse Earl Lee married Julia Toupence in Galesburg, Michigan

[39] A search of FindAGrave.com reveals that Elder William J. Greenleaf died March 20, 1869 and was buried in the Galesburg City Cemetery

[40] Matilda (Allen) Brown, the wife of Ambrose Brown (see January 25^th footnote)

[41] Matilda’s sister, Julia Allen

[42] Lyman T. Earl, neighbor and “shirttail relative;” brother of Jesse Earl

[43] Believe this is his horse

[44] Neighbor and “shirttail relative;” brother of Lyman T. Earl

[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] His niece, Lucy Irene Lee, the daughter of his sister Catharine

[47] A young shoot or twig of a plant, especially one cut for grafting or rooting

[48] A neighbor, Marius O. Streator

[49] His nephew, James “Oscar” Keith

[50] Et cetera

[51] Believe these are his horses

[52] A human powered land vehicle with two or more wheels; now commonly called a bicycle

[53] Joseph W. Lee and his wife, Lois (French) Lee

[54] Believe this to be Aylmer Lot Keith, his paternal first cousin

[55] A felloe, or felly, is the rim of a wheel supported by spokes

[56] Alvan Lee, Jesse’s and Charley’s brother

[57] His maternal first cousin, Jesse W. Turner, and his wife, Sarah “Sally” (Davis) Turner

[58] His uncle, Warren Wolcott, who lived in Almena, Michigan

[59] Caroline (Wolcott) Earl, Warren’s daughter

[60] George Clinton Lee

[61] Willis Brown, Ambrose Brown’s son

[62] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that Warren Wolcott is buried in Maple Grove Cemetery in Mattawan, Michigan

[63] Alfleda (Starr) Keith was the widow of Luke’s brother, Harvey Keith

[64] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that Garret Rosa died July 15, 1869, and is buried in Cook Cemetery, Pavilion, Michigan

[65] Believe this is Edward G. Wolcott, his maternal first cousin, the son of Warren and Electa (Damon) Wolcott

[66] Believed to be Susie A. Brown, sometimes referred to as Suky Brown and/or Decatur Susie Brown. The September 6 entry shows that she was the school teacher

[67] Joseph W. Lee, his paternal first cousin

[68] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that Edwin Gillis died August 10, 1869, in Battle Creek, Michigan and is buried in Oakridge Cemetery, Marshall, Michigan

[69] Martin Milham, the husband of his niece, Lucy Irene (Lee) Milham

[70] Dr. George Wightman

[71] His brothers-in-law, Henry Crawford and Hiram Crawford Jr.

[72] Mary (Hamilton) Crawford and Emmett Patrick Crawford, the widow and son of Edwin Crawford, his brother-in-law

[73] His brother-in-law, Lucius Prosper Crawford

[74] Niles, Michigan

[75] Thomas Jefferson Chaffee Jr., the husband of Luke’s niece, Frances Catherine “Kate” (Keith) Chaffee

[76] First called Paulville, located in Van Buren County, Michigan, was renamed to Palisades Park around 1906 by Arthur C. Quick, a naturalist, who made it a wild flower sanctuary, and later a summer resort and then a private club

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

[78] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that Marion Lynch, age 20, died October 16, 1869, in Richland County, Wisconsin, and is buried in Prairie Home Cemetery, Richland, Michigan

[79] His daughter and grandson, Lois (Keith) Clark and William Byron Clark

[80] Believe he is referring to his cousin, William Henry Lee

[81] His future son-in-law, Adelbert Skinner, who married his daughter Lois in 1871

[82] Ambrose Brown’s son, Henry Brown.

[83] Hank married Luke’s daughter, Nancy Keith, October 5, 1872, so perhaps they were courting at this time

[84] Marion Adelpha York, the granddaughter of his sister, Catherine (Keith) Bradley Lee

[85] He is referring to himself

[86] A letter written in September 1869 to his wife, Sarah, by Hiram’s wife, Kate, asked if she would send them a crock of butter for winter use and said “It is so hard to get good butter. It would be a real treat.”

Luke Keith’s 1868 Diary

1868 DIARY OF CHARLES LUKE KEITH JR.^[1]

Jan 1[2] – Snows some about 3 in 24 Abz.[3] Went over to Burg[4] Bot Ethan[5] suit cloths 23 Dollars. Paid taxes 31.65 stamps 10¢. Party at Jesse Earls.

Jan 2 – Put in wagon ex for Jesse Earl. Pleasant day

Jan 3 –  Put in ____ for Jo Lee[6] he paid ____ 50¢. _____________. Wes[7] Boy[8] Born.

Jan 4 – Lamkins called here. Made spoke _____. Wes got ____ foot boards whitewood inch.

Jan 5 – At home all day.

Jan 6 – Made spoke. Went to burg got braces for Dick Lamkins. Bot _____ and _____ 13¢. Went over in Evening Bot shoes for girls 4.50 oil 35. _____ came to board.

Jan 7 – Helped York[9] butcher two pigs. Good day.

Jan 8 – Took Sis and Jim[10] up to Yorks. Lamkins got his _____. Ethan and girls went to Simmons to a party.

Jan 9 – Worked in shop made seat for sleigh. Very cold and blustering 1 Abz.

Jan 10 – 4 Abz blustering. Went up to Yorks after Sis. Worked in shop some on small slead.

Jan 11 – Cut and drawed some wood. Ethan went down to Catharines.[11] Let Ethan have 25¢ Nancy[12] 5¢. Put slead together. Went up to Schrams after some potatoes got none. Mr Schrams sister started for home. _____ my sleigh. Ethan went down to Catharines.

Jan 12 – At home all day. Went over to burg just at night after girls.

Jan 13 – Cold 4 Abz. Good sleighing. Went over to burg got bar soap salearatas[13] 40¢ candy 6¢. Got Ethans Boots tapt 1.00. Filed saw for Ridler.

Jan 14 – Cold. Finished Jims slead. Cold.

Jan 15 – At home. Tinkered run bot balls &c.[14] Andrew Aldrich[15] died.

Jan 16 – Shelled some corn and chored round. Went up to Yorks in morning.

Jan 17 – Went down to Catharines. Lucy[16] sick. Andrew Aldrich buried.

Jan 18 – Cold Abz. Good sleighing. Went over to burg. Got tub at Blackburns.

Jan 19 – At home all day. Ethan and girls went down to Catharines. Wing got the last of his corn.

Jan 20 – Went to Comstock to mill 4 bushels wheat 4 corn. Got sack buckwheat flour. Went to the new mill Browns.

Jan 21 – Worked on tub for Stranger to burg

Jan 22 – Finished tub. Got seven bushels potatoes of Mr Schram. Dicks Taylor came over to see about his job. Went over to burg in Evening. He paid 30__.

Jan 23 – Round home all day.

Jan 24 – Cut and drawed some wood. Shaved out axhelve for Ridler.

Jan 25 – Shot pig. Shelled some corn. Mrs Courtney here. Ethan and girls go a sleighing to Kalamazoo.

Jan 26 – Went down to Catharines.

Jan 27 – 16 Blz.[17] Cut down wood. Went over to burg. Sent 3 Dollars by Mrs Barber.

Jan 28 – Hung ax for O. D. Schram. Mr Courtny came over to see what I asked for my farm. Mended Jim Thorntons mittens.

Jan 29 – Cut one load wood. D. Lamkins got his violin. Very cold and blustrous.

Jan 30 – At home. Cut some wood. Very cold day.

Jan 31 – Carried Lois[18] down to Catharines. Toot[19] considerable better. Went up to Marks[20] got a few turnips.

Feb 1 – 3 below zero. Drawed two loads wood. Went up to schrams went over to Burg.

Feb 2 – 24 Abz. At home all day.

Feb 3 – Cold 26 Below zero. Worked on car coupler.

Feb 4 – 20 Abz. Went up to Wes after pickles. Left Lousea. Went over to burg bot spool thread 10.

Feb 5 – Took Dicks violin apart and glued top. Mark & Lasher came up here with Alvans[21] Colts.

Feb 6 – 20 Abz. Put Dicks violin together. Uncle Tommy came here. Wiseman brot sewing machine here.

Feb 7 – At home all day. Flanders here.

Feb 8 – Cut one tree drawed one load wood. Went over to burg. T Flanders[22] left. Snowey afternoon.

Feb 9 – Lots snow not very cold 24 Abz.

Feb 10 – Cold 21 Below zero. Worked on machine for Blackburns man. Some on bob Tung.

Feb 11 – Finished Browns bob Tung. Dick got his violin George Rogers with him.

Feb 12 – Worked on machine for Blackburns man. Rade down to A Browns.[23] Went over to Burg got albums and shawl of Mrs Barber.

Feb 13 – Hung ax for Ethan. Finished machine for Young. Went over to burg carried machine over bot vest 3.00. Got 4 for making machine.

Feb 14 – Went up to Wesleys to get him to go to burg. Sarah[24] went up to Yorks.

Feb 15 – Went over to burg with Hogs sold six weighed 720 lbs 4 cts 28.80 cts. Carried Sarah over to D. K.s. Harry Streator stayed all night.

Feb 16 – Pleasant 20 Abz. Went over to burg after Sarah.

Feb 17 – Worked on machine for Dicks man. Went over after some brads & tacks[?].

Feb 18 – 4 Abz pleasant. Went to Kalamazoo bot copper plate 1.25. Sarah went down to Marks.

Feb 19 – Finished machine carried it over in Evening. Young paid 2.00. Bot pants cloth 6.00.

Feb 20 – Worked in shop on moddle some. Cleaned up wheat 4 bushels 1½ corn.

Feb 21 – Went to Comstock to mill carried 4 bushels wheat 1½ corn.

Feb 22 – Worked in shop. Hued some whiffletrees[25] and sawed of spokes. Mr Williams here made bargain for farm. Cold.

Feb 23 – Cool 8 Abz snows some wind blows hard blustering day.

Feb 24 – 24 Abz. Went over to burg. Sarah went to Barbers. Mark got his glass. Went over in Evening after Sarah. Mr Schram here.

Feb 25 – Worked in shop on car cuplers made plates hued some spokes.

Feb 26 – Went up to B Hartwels. Snow. Went up to Wesleys. Mr Schram and Issac down here to file saw. Toot Lee SKrewd to night I guess so.[26]

Feb 27 – Killed captain pig Mr Courtny helped. Stormy day.

Feb 28 – Snowey day. Went over to Burg. Oscar[27] came up. Frank Clark buried to day.

Feb 29 – Went over to burg got irons forged. Caty[28] came. Alfleda[29] went to the creek with Oscar. Mr Griffin buried to day.

Mar 1 – Went down to Catharines with Caty Chaffee. Very Blustering the hardest storm we have had.

Mar 2 – ___ Abz very Blustrous hard storm lots snow. Went over to burg after Oscar he no come.

Mar 3 – M O. Streator came to see if I had sold. Went over to burg. Oscar came back. Had a rade in Evening. Cold night.

Mar 4 – Cold 11 below zero. Went over to burg made some irons. Caty went over to Manda Clarks. George Rogers brot machine.

Mar 5 – Went over to burg got my irons finished[?]. Alfleda came on mail train. Oscar went home. Rainy Evening.

Mar 6 – Rainy day snow went of. Mr Schram made whiffletree. Worked on my cupler.

Mar 7 – Rainy morning. Worked on cupler some. Lois went down with Mart Millham.[30]

Mar 8 – Pleasant day. Very high water upper bridge went off.

Mar 9 – Worked on cupler some. Catharine came up. Alfleda here. Mr Streator called.

Mar 10 – Sent letter to Patty.[31] Worked on cupler.

Mar 11 – At home. Worked on cupler some. Sarah went up to Milfords. Mr Burgess called here to take some land.

Mar 12 – Worked on cupler some. Catharine here. Recd letter from Henry Crawford an from H. Keith.

Mar 13 – Worked on cupler most of the day.

Mar 14 – Sarah went up to Wesleys. Finished one cupler. George Tomlinson[32] came here from Kalamazoo.

Mar 15 – Went down to Catharines with George and York.

Mar 16 – Extracted one tooth for and filled one for George Rogers he paid 50¢. Went up to John Ralphs to see his Colts.

Mar 17 – Mr Schram shelled some corn.

Mar 18 – At home. George here. Wes went over to Barry after McAlister.

Mar 19 – Setled up the matters here. Bot 35 acres of the old farm. April pleasant snowed in fore part of day.

Mar 20 – George started for home. May pleasant fore part of the month stormy latter part first part cool. Got letter from Battlecreek.

Mar 21 – Pleasant and cool June sun came out in the morning snowed some. Mr Thayer called in morning got money.

Mar 22 – Sarah went to burg. Ida Barber here. Pleasant.

Mar 23 – Went up to Yorks got saw. Lucy here. Mart came over and stayed all night.

Mar 24 – Mr Burgess came over let him have East lot to plant. ____ Matthews here in afternoon.

Mar 25 – Rainy morning. Sarah went down to Catharines. I made saw buck. Mr Burgess drawed some manure. Sarah went down to Catharines.

Mar 26 – Worked on cupler. Put ax together. Went over to burg got my belt 1.50 bot violin string 30¢.

Mar 27 – Made long handle to chisel to trim appletrees. Went down to Catharines.

Mar 28 – Came home. Stoped to Jo Lees got dinner. Pleasant day. Shugar party to Mr Randalls over to Jesse Earls.

Mar 29 – Pleasant moring. Found Wills boots. Went up to Wes and Yorks. Pleasant.

Mar 30 – Worked around yard. Carried Cate up to Wesleys. Tried to make soap. Warm day.

Mar 31 – Pleasant and warm. Worked up to corners some. Drawed some rails.

Apr 1 – Went down to Marks and Charles Lees to see Alvans colt. Recd letter from C R Cridland.[33] Pleasant day.

Apr 2 – Worked round home. Lois came home.

Apr 3 – Put rockers on Mrs Courtneys chair. Made wheels for carts. Sent 2 bushls wheat to mill one of corn.

Apr 4 – At home. Worked in shop some.

Apr 5 – At home all day.

Apr 6 – Went to burg to town meeting.

Apr 7 – Went to Kalamazoo to look after a team. Him sold. No see um.

Apr 8 – Worked in shop on carts for Courtney. Cool.

Apr 9 – Worked on carts finished them. Bot stencil plate for Sarah 20. Mrs Courtney bot one of Roberts Gale by Herd[?].

Apr 10 – Went up to Milfords helped load two loads goods. Mr Courtney moved. Pleasant day.

Apr 11 – Went down to Marks to see about colts. Rained hard.

Apr 12 – At home all day. Harry Streator here all day.

Apr 13 – Cut down one locust tree trimed some. Went up to Wesleys. Carra and Ella Wiseman here. Milford & Lu Ward left.

Apr 14 – Worked in shop some.

Apr 15 – Started to go down to Marks met Mark & Alvin. Came back and tried the colts on plow. Rainy.

Apr 16 – Stormy afternoon. Went to burg to see harness. Made whiffletrees for Mr Schram.

Apr 17 – Rainy morning. Went down to Charles Lees. Bot span colts of Alvan Lee paid 2.50.

Apr 18 – Run out my land. M O Streator and Wes helped. Babcock had a sale I bot harness of Carmer 45 dollars. Sarah went over to Burg stayed all night.

Apr 19 – All well. Went over to burg just at night after Sarah.

Apr 20 – Ethan got out manure. I made me some whiffletrees for my sef ____ warm day.

Apr 21 – Pleasant morning. Miss Brown came here stayed all night.

Apr 22 – Worked round home. Went up to B. Hartwells. Got neck yoke turned.

Apr 23 – Cut some wood and fence blocks. Got Nancys box.

Apr 24 – Went down west with Nancy to distribute her things.

Apr 25 – Cut and burnt up some old logs on the hill south of barn. Ancil Birge[34] died.

Apr 26 – Cam & Zett came up after Lois. Warm day. Andrew & Sally Turner[35] came here.

Apr 27 – Went over to burg got my neck yoke & whiffletrees. Made part of boat.

Apr 28 – Finished my boat. Drawed brush out of orchard. Rained all night made grass & wheat look well.

Apr 29 – Luke Whitcomb[36] buried. Went down to Catharines with colts. Let Birg have 5 bushls wheat. Shaved out wagon neap.[37] Some rainy.

Apr 30 – Cloudy morning. Worked on fence on side hill East side of farm on the road.

May 1 – Went over to burg in morning. Drawed some brush.

May 2 – Drawed some brush. Went up to Wesleys. Drawed some rails. Jim cut up some.

May 3 – At home. Set some stakes on line in woods. Very warm.

May 4 – At home all day working round home. Got Cate home.

May 5 – Laid up fence on the west line and north.

May 6 – Mark and Ann came up here. Drawed some rails.

May 7 – Thursday plowed garden drawed some rails.

May 8 – Ethan helped Birge plant potatoes. Carried Mark home. Plowed som west of orchard. Got 8 bushels corn.

May 9 – Drawed some rails. Plowed some. Ethan went to Niles.[38] Done Yorks chores.

May 10 – Done Yorks chores. Lois and Sam came up went over to burg with Sam. T Flanders came.

May 11 – Planted corn for Birge in forenoon he plowed for me. Laid up fence in afternoon. T Flanders left.

May 12 – Cloudy morning. Laid up some fence. Ethan came home. Rained all night.

May 13 – Rainy day. Carried 2 bushels wheat to mill one of corn. No work to day. Rainy night.

May 14 – Rainy. Laid up some fence on hill.

May 15 – Drawed some rails and finished my fence on hill south of orchard. Rainy and warm. Took Tea to R. Barbers.

May 16 – Went up to Phill Martins to see about patent agency &c. Had a heavy shower. Lucy here. Nancy went over to Burg.

May 17 – At home all day. Went up in woods. Had a heavy shower. Ira Joy brot Brown over in rain.

May 18 – At home to work. Moved west fence to lane south barn.

May 19 – A. Brown had Jim plowed him all day. Cultivated garden with Bill.[39]

May 20 – Plowed all day west of orchard. Colts went first rate. Warm day.

May 21 – Warm day. Plowed west of orchard finished plowing.

May 22 – Dragged corn ground in forenoon. Rained. Mrs Ash cleaned kitchen. John took my strawcutter to Kalamazoo.

May 23 – Worked some on corn marker.

May 24 – Carried Lois down to Marks. Brot up Julias[40] churn.

May 25 – Finished corn Mark marked corn ground. Got some seed corn of Wes planted some. Old Mrs Brown[41] Died in night.

May 26 – Finished planting. Rained some. Sarah went down to Mr Streators.

May 27 – Moved fence East lane fence. Rainy day. Old Mrs Brown buiried to day.

May 28 – Planted corn for York finished planting the field.

May 29 – Moved stumps and stuf where fence stood.

May 30 – York plowed the old lane south of barn. Sent 2 bushels wheat to mill. Pleasant day.

May 31 – At home all day. Hannah[42] came home from burg sick.

Jun 1 – Went over to burg got Wightman over to see hannah. Dragged lane. Catharine came down.

Jun 2 – Planted potatoes in old lane south of barn.

Jun 3 – Planted beans and chored round.

Jun 4 – Mark came up and helped fix well. Went down to Ed Hoges old place got sulky.

Jun 5 – Rainy day. Put pump in well and fixed for the platform.

Jun 6 – Rainy in morning. Mr Birge came over to look at farm. Plastered corn. Fixed Eve troughs for H. A. Taylor.

Jun 7 – At home most of the day. Went down to A Browns with old cow no find Bull.

Jun 8 – Went over to Burg got boots tapt. Let Bill Chroder have six dollars worth pennies. Sarah stayed with Adeline.[43]

Jun 9 – Mrs Schram died.[44] Schram[45] started for Ohio.[46] Went over to burg got boots 1.00. Got some slats of Blackburn. Put springs into Adelines bed. She died. Commenced cultivating corn.

Jun 10 – Finished cultivating one way. Mrs Ash drove her hogs down this morning. Went over to Burg got gin. Cut figures for W. A. Blake. Lois here in Evening.

Jun 11 – Pleasant morning. At home choring round.

Jun 12 – Hoed garden. Went up to E M Clapps to rasing. Raised old barn a gain.

Jun 13 – Hoed some in garden. Jo Lee and wife[47] here awhile. Birge planted corn in garden.

Jun 14 – Warm 83 in shade morning 104 in sun. Carried Lois down to Marks.

Jun 15 – Went up to H Clintons. Had a shower in morning. 31 years to day I landed in Comstock. Went to burg bot Dress for Sarah and hoops hat 10.

Jun 16 – Had a shower in morning. Went up to Dick Lamkins. Mowed yard and some in orchard.

Jun 17 – Mowed orchard. Very warm day.

Jun 18 – Raked up hay did not get it in got some wet.

Jun 19 – Worked on road. Had a heavy shower in fore noon. Pleasant afternoon some rain middle of July.

Jun 20 – Worked on road in forenoon. Very warm. Went over to burg got Nancys box goods from Boston. Cloudy and cool some rain latter part of Aug.

Jun 21 – At home. Cool and wet fore part of day. Joy brot Brown home.

Jun 22 – Went up to Dick Lamkins in morning. Cut some grass up to Wes in afternoon side road.

Jun 23 – Mowed round my grass in forenoon. Mr Butler called here. Ethan worked for Plank in afternoon.

Jun 24 – Drawed load of hay down from Wesleys.

Jun 25 – Raked up some hay out north on Browns. Ethan cultivated corn.

Jun 26 – Set brush heap on fire. Drawed two loads wood. Ethan cultivated corn. Plank getting up his hay.

Jun 27 – Cut some grass for Bill. Ethan finished cultivating. Mr Thayer called here. Sarah went in to burg stayed all night.

Jun 28 – Went up to Yorks milked his cows. Doc Lambern called here. Very hot.

Jun 29 – Mowed grass in lot north.

Jun 30 – Mowed all day. Warm.

Jul 1 – Cutting grass. Very hot.

Jul 2 – Finished mowing on Browns. Had a heavy shower.

Jul 3 – Raked up hay. T. Flanders came here.

Jul 4 – Went over to burg in Evening. Went down to A Browns got pail of peas. Ethan gone to Kalamazoo. Hot 100 in shade.

Jul 5 – T. Flanders left. Stowel girl called here with Isaac Wings hired man french or dutch dont know which.

Jul 6 – Drawed in my hay from Browns lot one load for York. Had Yorks wagon gefired hot day.

Jul 7 – Hoed potatoes south of barn.

Jul 8 – Went up to Wesleys to see about hay. Went over in Milhams wheat field. Cut some grass in south lot.

Jul 9 – Went over to burg. Caravan & circus there.

Jul 10 – Hoed potatoes and beans south of barn.

Jul 11 – About sick. Drawed hay from south lot. Ethan cultivated corn. Very hot 98 in shade.

Jul 12 – Went in swimming. 100 in shade. Very hot. Catharine went home.

Jul 13 – Cut grass up to Wesleys. Very hot day. Mr Schram cut wheat.

Jul 14 – Worked up to Wes cutting hay. Very hot.

Jul 15 – Mr Thayer and Oscar here to Breakfast. Very hot. Not well. Had a shower. Ethan to work for Jo in wheat.

Jul 16 – Very hot no work to day. A Miss Johnson took dinner from Maumee Ohio going to Paw Paw. Ethan up to Yorks. Repaired violin for Charley ____.

Jul 17 – Very hot. Sarah gone up to Mr Swaddles. Had first cucumbers to day. Nancy and Hannah went down to Marks.

Jul 18 – Very hot 101 in shade. Took Old Cow down to A. Browns this morning. Ethan worked for York.

Jul 19 – Warm and dry 84 in shade in morning. Oscar here all day.

Jul 20 – Went to mill. Mart and Lucy stayed here all night. Jo finished cutting wheat.

Jul 21 – Cate had 14 pigs to day. Rained a little. Ethan to work for Brown drawing wheat in to barn.

Jul 22 – Cleared out old cornhouse. Ethan helped York draw wheat.

Jul 23 – Went up to Wes in morning. York drawing wheat. Bill kicked me.

Jul 24 – Ethan helping Mr Randal draw wheat. I finished mowing up to Wesleys. My cattle got into Mr Planks corn.

Jul 25 – Put up my hay up to Wesleys. John Cruttenden[48] killed by a stroke of lightning.

Jul 26 – Oscar here went up to Yorks went down to Catharines in afternoon.

Jul 27 – Drawed two loads hay from Wesleys. Jim had two cotilions[?].

Jul 28 – Working in corn some. Brown came home this morning.

Jul 29 – Went to Kalamazoo. Got Bounty money. My tax 14.51 Fathers 43.17.

Jul 30 – Went to burg made out papers for my place. Oscar went home. Rained some.

Jul 31 – Went over to burg. Sent of Nancys tickets. Sent Patty 10 Dollars 75 cents. Heavy shower. Mr Evers and girl called here.

Aug 1 – Not much done to day. Jo Lee and Lois called here.

Aug 2 – Went down to Catharines with Yorks folks.

Aug 3 – Hoed out Potatoes Beans &c. Ethan drawed Jim in sulky the first time he was Ever down a lane.

Aug 4 – Cleared out shop. Ethan cut ________ in pasture. Harnessed up Jim put him forward of sulky the first time.

Aug 5 – Went up to W^m Johnsons got two shovel plow on Lois account $7.00. Plowed corn with Jim first time.

Aug 6 – Plowing corn. Mr White got Beans & grindstone for Oscar. Lydia Barber and Mrs Quick here.

Aug 7 – Worked in corn some. Rained some. Lois and Nancy went over to burg.

Aug 8 – Worked in corn some. Made poke[49] for Bill. T Harden came here. Went down to Catharines.

Aug 9 – T Flanders went up to H. Clintons. We came home.

Aug 10 – Worked in corn in fore noon. Finished Bills poke. Rainy afternoon. Got some poles for Tomatoes.

Aug 11 – Rainy morning. Worked on corn some.

Aug 12 – Filed and set saw & put auger handle on for W^m Cook. He pd 50¢. Hoed corn.

Aug 13 – No work. Ethan finished plowing out corn. I made set whiffletrees for Jim & Will. Gaffing here.

Aug 14 – Made whiffletrees. Pleasant day. Dance up to Yorks last Evening. Went over to burg in Evening. Bot sundries 6.00.

Aug 15 – Lois went down to Jeffs.[50] Not much work to day.

Aug 16 – At home all day. Cool.

Aug 17 – Work round home.

Aug 18 – Carried two bushels wheat to mill.

Aug 19 – Went over to mill. Bot grindstone hangings 1.50. Made frame. Sarah went down to Streators. Bot Barrel salt 3.00.

Aug 20 – Hoed some corn. Finished grindstone frame. Horse show at burg.

Aug 21 – Worked in corn. Finished hoing.

Aug 22 – Went to Kalamazoo in afternoon with A. Brown. Bot Buggy pole and irons 2.45 shackles 1.50 hooks and ferrels 20¢.

Aug 23 – At home all day. Sarah went to church. Mr & Mrs Seaman here.

Aug 24 – Round home. A. Brown brot his churn.

Aug 25 – Worked on churn frame. Jim[51] sick all night.

Aug 26 – Warm and dry. Dr Wightman came over to see Jim. Finished Browns churn frame. Went over to burg in Evening. Ethan bot Boots.

Aug 27 – Mrs Betts[52] came to day. Ethan helped Mr Plank thrash. I done noting. Very hot.

Aug 28 – Hot and dry. Mr Comfort[53] came here stayed all night. Rained some. Ethan helped Mr Plank & A Brown.

Aug 29 – Comfort left this morning. Sarah and Mrs Betts went over to burg.

Aug 30 – Comfort came back. Wiseman came over. I cut his hair.

Aug 31 – Carried two bushels corn to mill. Comfort started for home. Rainy day. No work to day sick.

Sep 1 – Cloudy. At home sick no work.

Sep 2 – Sick no work.

Sep 3 – Sick no work. Commenced plowing south lot.

Sep 4 – Sick. Finished plowing.

Sep 5 – Sick.

Sep 6 – Sick.

Sep 7 – Sick.

Sep 8 – Sick.

Sep 9 – Sick.

Sep 10 – Sick.

Sep 11 – Sick.

Sep 12 – Sick.

Sep 13 – Sick.

Sep 14 – Sick.

Sep 15 – Old cow in. Ethan drawed some manure.

Sep 16 – Mr Birge cut up corn. Cool. Ethan drawed manure.

Sep 17 – Ethan drawing manure. Some frost this morning. Hannah came home. E Flanders got 3 pigs $3.00.

Sep 18 – Ethan cut some corn.

Sep 19 – Ethan cutting corn some.

Sep 20 – Mrs Betts went over to Burg with Mrs Ralph. Louesa[54] came home.

Sep 21 – Ethan cutting corn. Charley McCausy had my wagon to get his _____ with.

Sep 22 – Sarah went over to burg after Mrs Betts and some other traps.

Sep 23 – Nailed Ethans boots. T Flanders called here. Ethan finished cutting corn.

Sep 24 – Ethan drawed of corn. Bust__ and Alvan Lee called here.

Sep 25 – Lois came here. Ethan drawed corn.

Sep 26 – Finished drawing corn.

Sep 27 – At home all day. Jesse Earl came down brot his pants.

Sep 28 – Ethan drawed of pumpkin vine.

Sep 29 – Drawing manure. Sarah & Mrs Betts over to Planks. Lois up to Wes.

Sep 30 – Catharine and Hellen[55] here. Catharine went home. Rainy day.

Oct 1 – At home all day.

Oct 2 – Ethan work on wheat ground.

Oct 3 – To work on wheat ground. Pleasant.

Oct 4 – Pleasant day. Mrs Ash came up got her sow and pigs she paid 9 dollars.

Oct 5 – Pleasant day. Bot nine bushels wheat of A. Brown 22 dollars and 32 cents. Brown sowed the wheat.

Oct 6 – Ethan dragged all day. Nice day. Alfred Signor husked corn for Mr Birge.

Oct 7 – Rainy. Ethan finished dragging wheat. Lois came home from Streators.

Oct 8 – Cool day. Louesa and Mrs Betts gone to fair at Galesburg.

Oct 9 – Birge pulled his beans. Ethan went to the fair.

Oct 10 – I drawed one load wood carried sorgum barrels down to Fords. Went into the new schoolhouse. Ethan husked corn. Went down to Catharines.

Oct 11 – Sarah went to church.

Oct 12 – Ethan and the girls went over to Turners Island[?] Wakeshma.

Oct 13 – Ethan and girls came back. Rainy day.

Oct 14 – Worked round some. Went down to Catharines.

Oct 15 – Husked corn all day. Birge drawed one load corn.

Oct 16 – Husked corn all day. Birge drawed one load corn.

Oct 17 – Husked corn all day. Mrs Betts went over to burg with Mr Ralph.

Oct 18 – Cool and cloudy. At home all day.

Oct 19 – Husked corn.

Oct 20 – Husked corn. T. Flanders came over he husked.

Oct 21 – Husked corn. Sarah and Mrs Betts went over to burg. T Flanders left.

Oct 22 – Husked some corn. Got sorgum 39 galons. Ethan to work for Mr Birge digging pots drawing some.

Oct 23 – Husking som. Ethan digging potatoes for Birge.

Oct 24 – Dug scotch gray potatoes.

Oct 25 – Carried Mrs Betts over to Burg. Very fine day.

Oct 26 – Pleasant day. Finished husking corn. Ethan digging potatoes.

Oct 27 – Went over to Burg after Mrs Betts. Carried Bushel corn to mill. Sarah and Betts went up to Yorks.

Oct 28 – Mrs Earl Lib Hat Mrs Plank and Mrs Randal here. Made yard for pigs.

Oct 29 – Went down to Catharines had Birges team. Lois came up.

Oct 30 – Went to Kalamazoo to Mass Meeting with A. Brown. Horses got frightened run and broke buggy pole.

Oct 31 – Picked up some apples. Birge put his corn in barn.

Nov 1 – Sarah and Mrs Betts went to church. Picked up some apples.

Nov 2 – Mrs Betts left for Dowagiac.[56] Worked some on Browns Buggy pole.

Nov 3 – Went to Election.[57] Pleasant day. Worked on pole some.

Nov 4 – Carried 2 bushels wheat to mill. Birge finished digging potatoes.

Nov 5 – Made room for the hens in hog pen.

Nov 6 – All hands went down to Marks hunting an so forth.

Nov 7 – Dug some potatoes. Ethan went down to Catharines.

Nov 8 – Warm and rainy ten oclock morning stands at fifty Eight 58.

Nov 9 – Rainy. Worked on cupler.

Nov 10 – I finished digging potatoes. Birge finished husking corn.

Nov 11 – Snowey. Got cabbage into cellar. Birge came over and got his corn.

Nov 12 – Worked on cupler. Fine day.

Nov 13 – Worked on cupler in fore noon. Went down to Charles Lee[58] in afternoon. Went up to Jo Lees stayed all night.

Nov 14 – Went to Kalamazoo with Jo Lee bot leather for mittens. Pleasant day got

Nov 15 – Came home to day. Warm and pleasant. Got letter from L. L. King.[59]

Nov 16 – Worked on cupler some. Anna Stiles[60] died this morning.

Nov 17 – Anna was buried to day. Worked on cupler some.

Nov 18 – Worked on cupler. Charly Lee[61] here. Ethan and Charley choped wood some.

Nov 19 – Snowey. Worked on cuplers. Ethan and Charley choped wood. Sent 2 bushels wheat one of corn to mill.

Nov 20 – Worked on cuplers. Charley went home.

Nov 21 – Set cupler to Washington. Got Eight sheep of A. Brown let him have charley.

Nov 22 – Made cupler for Charley to take to Chicago.

Nov 23 – Ethan went to Kalamazoo with cupler. I went up to Robert Matthews to see cow.

Nov 24 – Put the cows in browns lot. Drawed two loads dirt from top of the big hill.

Nov 25 – At home to work in shop some on buggy pole.

Nov 26 – Worked on buggy pole some.

Nov 27 – Went down to Marks and Catharines. Pleasant day.

Nov 28 – Went to Kalamazoo with Jo and Mark. Rainy and snowey.

Nov 29 – Came home. Catharine came up with me. York brot up the blinds.

Nov 30 – Worked on well some fixed pump. Ethan drawed some wood. Went over to burg. Bristol gone.

Dec 1 – Went over to burg. Sent letter to Washington.

Dec 2 – Went over to burg. Sent letter to Washing ton.

Dec 3 – Made mittens. Thrashed my Beens. Not very cold.

Dec 4 – Windy morning snowey. Thrashed Birges Beans.

Dec 5 – Warm thaws some. Worked round House and Barn.

Dec 6 – At home all day.

Dec 7 – Worked round house some. School commenced. Went over to Burg.

Dec 8 – Went up to Mr Shermans put up his doors. Cold and Blustering. Carried girls to shool. Got Book.

Dec 9 – Blusterous. Went to mill 3 bushels wheat 1½ corn. Filed saw for Ridler. Carried girls to school.

Dec 10 – Cold went over to wmill got my grist. Carried girls to school.

Dec 11 – Cold 2 Below zero. Made frame for Mr Simmons slate. Sold my lever water to Charles Lee for slead. Sold my Revolver to Alvin Lee $25.

Dec 12 – Cold 2 Degrees below zero. Went down to Charles Lee after slead. Good sleigh.

Dec 13 – Snowes some. Killed two chickens.

Dec 14 – At home work in shop some painting. Emily Kendall died to day.

Dec 15 – Tinkering round home.

Dec 16 – Painting Blinds for Catharine.

Dec 17 – Painting blinds. Lucy came up here.

Dec 18 – Sarah went up to Wesleys. I painted Blinds. Went over to burg in Evening heard Bungay lecture on the coming ______.

Dec 19 – Sarah went over to Wisemans. Got Neckyoke mended. Bot paint Brush 75¢. Drawed load wood.

Dec 20 – Snow gone some in road windy morning.

Dec 21 – Painting blinds. Cold.

Dec 22 – Painting blinds.

Dec 23 – Painting blinds. Cold.

Dec 24 – Finished painting second coat. Lois came home. Very cold. Nancy sick. Mart got turkey.

Dec 25 – Cold 14 Abz in morning. Painting.

Dec 26 – Painted some. Cut down tree south of Barn. Jo and Lois Lee here. Cold. Nancy sick.

Dec 27 – Sarah went down to Catharines. Toot had a gal.[62] Doc Finch Brot Sarah home. Mr & Mrs Barber here in Evening.

Dec 28 – Nancy sick. Went up to Jim Ralphs no one at home. Decatur Susie Brown came over.

Dec 29 – Went up to Ralphs in morning got some cranberries. Went over to burg got Wightman[63] over to see Nancy. Wightman came over.

Dec 30 – At home no work. Cold winter weather. Wightman came over.

Dec 31 – Pleasant. Mark came up here. Doc came over.

Jan 1^st 69 – Cold and Brustring. Ethan went down to Charles Lees.

Note in back of diary: Hiram Crawford[64] 430 North Clark St Chicago

——-

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

[2] The entries for January 1 through 26 were in the back of his 1867 diary

[3] Above zero

[4] Galesburg, Michigan

[5] His son, Ethan Keith

[6] Joseph W. Lee, his paternal first cousin

[7] His brother, John Wesley Keith, who, according to the family Bible, was adopted

[8] Grant Wesley Keith

[9] Joseph York, the husband of his niece, Helen (Bradley) York

[10] His two youngest children, Louesa and James Clinton Keith

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

[12] His daughter, Nancy Keith

[13] Saleratus; sodium or potassium bicarbonate used as a leavening agent; baking soda

[14] Etc.

[15] A search at FindAGrave.com shows that Andrew C. Aldrich died January 15, 1868 and is buried at Galesburg City Cemetery, Galesburg, Michigan

[16] His niece, and Catherine’s daughter, Lucy Irene Lee

[17] Below zero

[18] His daughter by his first wife, Minerva Payson

[19] Lucy Lee’s nickname

[20] “Mark” is referred to quite often in Luke’s diaries and it is believed that he is referring to his cousin, Marquis de Lafayette Lee, the oldest son of Dr. Ezekiel and Elizabeth (Strong) Lee. The Lees were Mormons and moved to Nauvoo, Illinois, and eventually to the Salt Lake Valley in 1850. Mark stayed behind to run his father’s farm and was living with his aunt, Catherine (Keith) Bradley Lee

[21] His cousin, Alvan Lee

[22] Thomas Flanders, a neighbor

[23] Neighbor, Ambrose Brown, the father of Henry Brown, who would marry Luke’s daughter, Nancy

[24] His wife, Sarah (Crawford) Keith

[25] The pivoted horizontal crossbar to which the harness traces of a draft animal are attached and which is in turn attached to a vehicle or an implement

[26] Apparently his reference to the marriage of Lucy Lee to Martin Milham

[27] His nephew, James Oscar Keith

[28] His niece, Frances Catherine “Kate” (Keith) Chaffee

[29] His brother Harvey’s wife, Alfleda (Starr) Keith

[30] His niece Lucy (Lee) Milham’s husband

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

[32] George was married to Luke’s niece, Marion (Sprague) Tomlinson

[33] Charles R. Cridland

[34] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that Ansel H. Birge died April 26, 1868 and is buried in McKain Cemetery, Pavilion, Michigan

[35] His cousins, Andrew J. Turner, and Sarah “Sally” (Davis) Turner (Andrew’s mother)

[36] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that Luke Whitcomb died April 27, 1868 and is buried in Mountain Home Cemetery, Kalamazoo, Michigan

[37] The pole, or tongue, of a cart

[38] Niles, Michigan

[39] Believe Jim and Bill were his horses

[40] Mark’s wife, Julia Ann Lee

[41] Ambrose Brown’s mother (and Henry Brown’s grandmother), Rhoba (Mason) Brown

[42] His daughter, Hannah Keith

[43] Adeline L. (Ferguson) Schram

[44] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that Adeline L. (Ferguson) Schram died June 9, 1868 and is buried in S. O. M. Road Cemetery (previously Willoughby Center Cemetery), Willoughby, Ohio

[45] Adeline’s husband, Isaac Schram

[46] Since Adeline is buried in Ohio, he apparently was taking her remains there

[47] Lois (French) Lee

[48] The brother of Luke’s second wife, Jerusha (Crittenden) Keith. From an unknown newspaper: Mr. John Cruttenden, a prominent and much respected citizen of Concord, was instantly killed on Saturday last by a stroke of lightning. Mr. C. was in the harvest field at the time of the sad occurrence, and was standing about ten feet from his reaper when the bolt descended. One of his horses was killed, and the driver, sitting upon the reaper between Mr. C. and the team, was stricken insensible and did not recover for several hours. Mr. Cruttenden’s skull was broken and his left side, arm and leg badly mutilated. He was sixty-eight years old

[49] A poke consisted of a leather strap which went around the horse’s neck and was attached to a hinged wooden bar which hung down in front of the horse. The hinge allowed the horse to graze, but kept the horse from getting through a fence

[50] Thomas Jefferson Chaffee Jr., the husband of Luke’s niece, Frances Catherine “Kate” (Keith) Chaffee

[51] His son, James Clinton Keith

[52] His mother-in-law, Nancy (Comfort) Crawford Betts

[53] Most likely Nancy Betts’ brother, either Francis or Stephen Comfort

[54] His youngest daughter, Louese Keith

[55] His niece, Helen (Bradley) York

[56] Dowagiac, Michigan

[57] Ulysses S. Grant, who ran against Horatio Seymour, became the 18^th President of the United States

[58] Most likely his paternal first cousin, the son of Charles and Rhoda (Keith) Lee, and the brother of Joseph W. Lee

[59] His cousin, Levi Lincoln King

[60] Michigan, Deaths & Burials Index shows Anna Maria Styles, daughter of Nathan Styles, died November 16, 1868 at the age of 24

[61] Most likely Charles Jedediah Lee, the son of Charles Lee (see November 13 footnote). He and Ethan were very close in age

[62] Clara Almyra Milham, the daughter of Martin & Lucy (Lee) Milham

[63] Dr. George Wightman

[64] His wife Sarah’s brother

Luke Keith’s 1867 Diary

1867 DIARY OF CHARLES LUKE KEITH JR.^[1]

Jan 1 – Went over to burg got some lumber for cutter beams. Got two bushels wheat ground. Drawed some wood down for school.

Jan 2 – Went up to Yorks[2] and Wesleys[3] carried Lois[4] to Wesleys. Went up to J C Blakes. Sarah[5] went to burg. Mr Ames Wilson[6] Died this morning.

Jan 3 – Split school wood. Went to Mr Wilsons funeral in afternoon. Went up to Yorks in Evening. Sarah went up to Mr Scrams.[7]

Jan 4 – Sarah up to [S]crams this morning they had a girl born.[8] I went up to Wesleys with Scram after Lois. Ida Barber and Angela Mason here. Nancy[9] went home with them.

Jan 5 – Drawed wood most of the day. Catharine[10] came down found calf this morning in the stable. Mr Taylor carried 5 bushels wheat for Oscar.[11]

Jan 6 – At home all day all well. Lois at Scrams to work.

Jan 7 – Went over to burg. Bot cloth for Jims[12] pants 1.50¢. Bot calf skin 50¢. Wesley came down to see old cow. Sent for Tribune 1.50¢.

Jan 8 – Went down to M F. Lees. Brot Mark[13] up to see old cow. Went up to Mr Scrams. Got 5 bushels Buckwheat 5.00.

Jan 9 – Went over to mill. Bot calfskin of George Jenkins 50. Went over in Evening bot medicine for old cow 75¢. Old George the old station Horse died to day Age 44/yrs.

Jan 10 – Worked in shop some. Went up to Mr Scrams and Yorks.

Jan 11 – Worked in shop put cutter to gether. Went up to Scrams and Yorks in Evening after the girls.

Jan 12 – Cut out mittens for Mr Johnson and my self. Went over to mill. Ethan[14] Nancy and Hannah[15] went to show 50. 11 Degrees below zero at six this morning.

Jan 13 – At home all day.

Jan 14 – Went over to burg. Bot Barrel Salt 3.50. Worked in shop some.

Jan 15 – Went over to burg. Carried Ethans boot paid 25¢. Mrs Barber came over. Worked in shop some on cutter. Bot pork 1.00.

Jan 16 – Jane Hoag here. Went and carried her home in Evening. Very cold. Got Ethans boot. Bot candy 5¢.

Jan 17 – Worked in shop finished cutter for J. C. Blake.

Jan 18 – Went over to burg. Bot oil 38. Bot plasterparis -5. Finished my mittens. Spencer Thomas came here bot Oxen.

Jan 19 – Drove Tom and Jerry over to burg. They weighed 2740 lbs at 6¢ per pound. J. C. Blake paid for cutter bottoms 12.00.

Jan 20 – Went up to Yorks and Wesleys.

Jan 21 – Butchered my hogs. Mark and Wes helped me.

Jan 22 – Went over to burg. Blake paid 176.40. I paid Mrs McLellen 10. Dollars. P. T. Lane paid five Dollars $5.00. Bot thread 25¢.

Jan 23 – Went up to past Mr Ralphs and Mr Pincheons. Saw Mr Brenson told him not to go to Kalamazoo.

Jan 24 – Got out wheelbarrow arms. Mrs Beech and Selia Newsman here. I went over to burg with them.

Jan 25 – Went to Kalamazoo to court for Hartwell. Bot salearatas[16] 15. Went down with D. Bronson. Very stormy day cold lots snow.

Jan 26 – Repaired cornsheller for Mr Allerton. Cold day not many trains out to day.

Jan 27 – Winter in earnest now a days.

Jan 28 – Went up to Yorks drawed two loads wood. Went over to burg in Evening. Bot hoops 1.25 candy 5¢ other traps 5.00.

Jan 29 – Went to Kalamazoo Dinner 40¢ horses to hay 25¢.

Jan 30 – Went to Kalamazoo Dinner 15.

Jan 31 – Went to Kalamazoo Dinner 5. Stranger Stayed here all night. Ethan went of with Dodge.

Feb 1 – Went to Kalamazoo dinner 10¢. Gave in my Evidence on the Hartwell case. Stranger left Ethan came back.

Feb 2 – At home drawed one load wood. The McLary and Hartwell case decided to day in favor of Hartwell. Dodges team here.

Feb 3 – At home. Charles Lees folks here. Dodges team here. Catharine and Hellen[17] and Mrs Darling here. Ethan went down to Mark.

Feb 4 – Allerton paid 1.25 (violin) Cary got. Went over to burg with Dodges team. Ethan went of with Dodge. Bot oil 38¢. Paid Dr Wightman Fathers[18] Doctor bill 4.0 four Dollars. Let him have 15 (6) dollars.

Feb 5 – Paid Lois 20 Dollars. Sarah and Lois went up to Yorks. I drawed two loads wood. Jef Chaffee[19] called here. I let him have five Dollars.

Feb 6 – Went up to the Pavilion mill carried 3 bushels wheat 4 bushels corn.

Feb 7 – At home. Catharine here all day. Shelled Catharines corn. York got home.

Feb 8 – Went over to burg got Nancys shoes 30¢. Paid Bullock and Shefflers Note 102 one Hundred and two Dollars. Bot candy 5¢.

Feb 9 – Made clothesbars. Not very well.

Feb 10 – At home all day. Oscar came over here after some fur to make a hat for Glen Keith their new boy.[20]

Feb 11 – Let Mr Scram have my sleigh to go to Kalamazoo. Went over and got Mary Ann.[21] Albert Brown died.

Feb 12 – Carried 5 bushels corn to mill to day. Wesley got cornsheller. Bot file 25¢. Albert Brown buried. Rainy day. Mary Ann went up to Yorks.

Feb 13 – Worked in shop. Made cart tung sawed out thills[22] for wagon.

Feb 14 – Wes brot sheller home. Worked on thills. Went over to burg. Nancy and Hannah went over to Mr Barbers. Got iron mended. York got wheat. Made soap.

Feb 15 – Cold freezing morning no sleighing. Went up and got my syrup to Fords 4.75. Dance up to Yorks this Evening. Rainy day.

Feb 16 – Very windy this morning some ice in the roads. Finished thills made cart tung.

Feb 17 – Went down to Catharines place. Isaac Wing there. Pleasant day. Uncle Jim King[23] died to day 20 minutes to Four P.M.

Feb 18 – Pleasant day. Cut tree for fence posts. Went up to Yorks drawed 3 loads wood.

Feb 19 – Went over to mill got one bag meal. Bot salearatas 15¢ Buttons for dress 15. Cold wind no snow.

Feb 20 – Worked in shop some on wheelbarrow.

Feb 21 – Made violin neck. Went over to burg after cate. Bot cloves and cinnamon 35¢. Cate and Zeak Davison here in Evening.

Feb 22 – Oscar here this morning. Cate Chaffee[24] here. Worked on violin neck some.

Feb 23 – Went over to burg. Sarah went over to stay all night. Got harness mended 25¢.

Feb 24 – Went over after Sarah. Went to Oscars. Got letter from J. S. King.[25]

Feb 25 – Carried Lois over to burg. Bot one but for Catharines chest 5¢ Bot thread 20¢. Went up on hill and split some wood.

Feb 26 – Split some wood in forenoon. Carried Lois and Sarah down to the A. Browns.[26] Man called here to by Jason. Very pleasant. Oscar left.

Feb 27 – Worked round house. Went over to mill got two bags meal. Caty went up to Yorks.

Feb 28 – Made clothes bars for Caty Chaffee.

Mar 1 – Millford moved to day. Choped some in forenoon up in woods. Went up to Yorks. Sarah and Lois went up to Mr Scrams. Ethan came home. Put neck on violin.

Mar 2 – Went up to Yorks in morning. Set sound post in Charley Bronsons violin. Sarah and Lois went up to Yorks.

Mar 3 – At home all day. Put finger board on violin.

Mar 4 – Drawed wood. Ethan went to Kalamazoo. Caty Chaffee here. Wesley brot saw down to get filed.

Mar 5 – Cut tree for fence posts. Ethan bot oil 30.

Mar 6 – Went down to Jo Lees.[27] Jeff came out after Cate.

Mar 7 – At home all day. Catharine down here. Edith here stayed all night. Louesa[28] went up to Yorks.

Mar 8 – Jo York went and carried Jefs folks home. Cut down three trees for wood. T Flanders[29] came here. Bot Tea 75. Blind peddler stayed here all night.

Mar 9 – T. Flanders left. Not much done headache. Went up to Yorks after Louesa.

Mar 10 – At home all day rainy. Wes came down drawed tooth for him. Headache all day.

Mar 11 – Went over to mill carried 32 bushels wheat 3 of my corn.

Mar 12 – Went over to Burg got grist sold eggs 8 doz & 9 1.09. Bot callicoe 80 one lb shugar 15 salratas 15 needles 10¢ shoe strings 5¢ camphor 20¢ pens 15¢ Hannahs shoes 1.00.

Mar 13 – Not much work to day.

Mar 14 – Worked in shop some made axhelves for Chub got out spokes for wheel barrow &c.[30] Put rivet in T Flanders Knife. Very cold 9 Above zero.

Mar 15 – Worked in shop got out stuf for wheelbarrow put bottom in well bucket the job of the Kind I ever done.

Mar 16 – 10 Abzero.[31] Worked in shop some. Drawed some wood. Went up to Yorks after saw. Harry Streator stayed the night.

Mar 17 – At home all day. Wes here in Evening. Got Chubs axhelve. Cold day blustering 10 Abz.[32]

Mar 18 – Went up to Yorks got saw. 10 Abzero in morning. Sawed three logs for fence posts. Mrs Eaton shot herself.

Mar 19 – Very pleasant all day no signs of a storm. Went up to Earls mill. School out to day. Carried vinegar keg down to Fords.

Mar 20 – Mark here windy day. Went and carried stove up to Marts place for Mr Seaman. Sarah went to burg. Mrs Eaton buried. Catharine stayed all night.

Mar 21 – Moved Sam Seaman. Snows some this morning some wind cloudy windy all day some stormy. June will be a wet month. A good deal cloudy weather in June not a good hay month.

Mar 22 – Loid Higgins stayed all night. Taped some trees carried Kettle in to the woods. Mr Samuel Swaddle and wife here. Dick Lamkins and girl here. Dick brot rake.

Mar 23 – Tapt some trees to day. Wesley brot cornsheller home. T. Flanders called here went home with James got his knife. Caucas at the burg.

Mar 24 – Snowed and rained. Gathered sap in morning.

Mar 25 – Boiled sap in forenoon. Tapt 4 trees in afternoon. Mended some pans.

Mar 26 – Boiled sap in the forenoon. Snowed all afternoon. Went up to Seaman House and got two loads wood in cart.

Mar 27 – Choped wood in the forenoon by the boiling place made molasses in afternoon. Went up to Wesleys in Evening.

Mar 28 – Went up to Yorks. Ground ax in forenoon. Choped in afternoon. Set up buckels and pans sap run some. David Tomkins here. Lucy[33] came down.

Mar 29 – Pleasant. Sarah went up to Yorks. I cut some small trees for spokes. Ella Randall Elva Earl here. Dick Lamkins brot his slead down to get a runner put in.

Mar 30 – Pleasant morning. Boiled sap all day. Mart Millhams wife[34] buried to day. Fine day. Wesley got load straw.

Mar 31 – Nice morning. Boiled sap all day. Mr Bristol here. Pleasant day.

Apr 1 – Sent letter to Pavilion bot stamps 9¢. Bot shoes for Louesa 1.25. Went to townmeeting. Extracted tooth for Milford Matthews 25¢. Fine day.

Apr 2 – Boiled sap most all day. Mr Scram came down to the boiling place. Snow the peddler stayed here all night. Pleasant day.

Apr 3 – Pleasant day. Boiled sap in forenoon. Shugared of in afternoon. Sarah went up to H. A Taylors. Fathers cow calved to day. Made some shugar. Ida Barber here.

Apr 4 – Carried 3 bushels corn 2 of wheat to mill. Bot callico 20¢ ½ lb ginger 20¢. Sold C. P. Galligan 4 doz eggs 51.

Apr 5 – Made box for Mr Shermans washing machine 1.00. Went over to burg got grist. Bot oil and tape needle 31¢ got Ethans Boots 1.00.

Apr 6 – Pleasant day. Cut some logs and put around Kettle to Boil sap. Made mop handle.

Apr 7 – Boiled sap all day. Dick Blackburn here.

Apr 8 – Went over to the burg in morning. Bot 18 yds cloth for girls dresses 18 cts for yard 3.97¢.

Apr 9 – Gathered in my sap buckets and spouts. Put up some fence. Repaired seat in back house. Cut some bushes up to Crid house. Scram got 60 feet board.

Apr 10 – Rainy day. Dick came down went up to mill. Got plank for rave[35] stick for rake head. Sawed out runner for Dicks slead. Lucy stayed all night.

Apr 11 – Put in runner and rave to Dicks slead. Catharine came down. Addy and Ella Swaddle came over. Mrs Allerton here. Filled up Crids well.

Apr 12 – Went up to Wesleys. Worked on slead some. T. Flanders came here. Oscar came.

Apr 13 – Went up to Scrams. Sarah went to burg. Oscar went home. Mr Scram shelled corn. I went over to mill got corn ground. Mr Flanders and Ethan husked corn.

Apr 14 – Mark came up we went over to the burg got door. Sarah came home with me. It rained some. Gave Mark door and window. Recd letter from Geo Tomlinson.[36]

Apr 15 – Husked corn all day. Rained all day. Ethan gone down to Marks.

Apr 16 – Husked corn in forenoon. Went down to Marks in afternoon. Stayed all night.

Apr 17 – Helped Mark in forenoon got home about 2 P.M. Finished husking corn. Sarah went up to Mr Ralphs Yorks.

Apr 18 – Went up to Wesleys got his team commenced plowing west of orchard. Sarah came home. Sarah went to Mr Ralphs. Trimmed some trees.

Apr 19 – Got out some manuer. Ethan plowing.

Apr 20 – Plowed in afternoon. Ethan went to Kalam[37] with Henry Brown.[38] Finished plowing the west lot.

Apr 21 – At home all day.

Apr 22 – Went over to burg. Carried Mr Scramlin some potatoes. Left Nancys shoes. P. T Lane paid 5.00.

Apr 23 – Went over after shoes 65¢ salearatas 15 shoestrings 5¢.

Apr 24 – Left for Oscars went on cars to Lawton foot & walkers line to Paw Paw from there to Coloma by stage. Got to Oscars about 4 P.M.

Apr 25 – At Oscars in Deerfield Township Mich. Set out cherry tree on Oscars place. Went and saw some land north of schoolhouse. Rained some. Milford got 5 bushels corn.

Apr 26 – Went down to the Lake went up on groaning Knob. Rained some. Went to Mr Judsons Winchels Teachouts &c. Oscar bot molasses. We had some shugar.

Apr 27 – Left Oscars about seven morning walked up to waters ___t stage to Paw Paw 2.00. Walked from “ “ [Paw Paw] to Lawton. Came up on cars got home about half past ten Evening.

Apr 28 – Pleasant day at home. Ed York brot Catharine up. Ethan got sheat music & Dasy Deane S Bristol here let him take spy glass home.

Apr 29 – Carried corn from Barn to cornhouse 88 bushels. T. Flanders came over he picked up some corn.

Apr 30 – Went up to Wesleys in morning. T Flanders went up to Yorks. Mrs Dick & Mrs Luis Barber here. Filled up cellar on corner.

May 1 – Worked up to corner in forenoon. Shoveled dirt in cellar. Quite cool wind.

May 2 – Took A A. Dodge team home. Went over to burg. Nancy & Hannah went up to Mr Swaddles. Saw Mr Dodge. Bot Broom. Sold eggs 7 doz 10¢ pr Doz. Bot Nails 8¢.

May 3 – Went over to burg with Dodges team. Henry[39] & Hiram[40] came. Went over after girls. Bot Tea & coffee 1.10¢.

May 4 – At home. Henry & Hiram here. Rainy day. Went up to Yorks.

May 5 – At home. Dick called here. Jo Lee and Lois came up here. Henry and Hiram left for home. A A Dodge called here.

May 6 – Ethan goes of with Dodge to day. Went over to burg. Sold Butter to Mrs Morton 8¾ 1.75. Measured lot with Bristol. Julia Lee[41] here to get work done.

May 7 – Cold 32 Abz in morning. Went over to burg. P. T. Lane paid 5.00¢ Dr Wightman paid note $16.00. Went down to Marks with Catharine in afternoon.

May 8 – Burnt bush in orchard. Mr Bristol came over and made out papers for house and lot at Galesburg he paid 52.00.

May 9 – Bot Hat 2.50¢. Went over to burg in morning. Carried hubbs to get banded. Went over in Evening. Bot oil sold Egs.

May 10 – Mark came up an cut 3 Boars 3 bulls. Got two chairs. Harriet and Edith[42] here in afternoon. A A Dodge and Ethan came. Dodge paid .75¢ for Lamkins.

May 11 – Drawed some wood. Went up to Wesleys. Went over to burg in Evening. Saw A A Dodge.

May 12 – At home all day. Cut Wisemans hair. Dick Lamkins called here got his organ board that holds his book.

May 13 – Some rainy. School commenced to day. Ethan went down to Catharines place with Jo to drive a cow. I let Jo York have 3 bushels corn. No work to day.

May 14 – Went over to burg. Got some traps from shop. Bot orrange for Jim 5¢. Catharine here.

May 15 – Went up to Houlands burg saw Mr A. Pond. He is going to cut me out one set felloes[43] for a two horse wagon. Rained some pleasant afternoon.

May 16 – John Ash plowed garden in forenoon. Went down to Marks in afternoon. Got some seed corn.

May 17 – Went over to burg. B[ot] 6 photographs 1.00 Bot Bottle Kenedays Medicine 1__0¢. Moved stove in to Kitchen.

May 18 – Went over to burg in morning. Bot one pr shoes paid for one. Bot one tick 5.00. Got Jims boots tapt 40. Went over in Evening bot book for Louesa 20. Heard from Crid.

May 19 – Some rainy. Catharine here &c. C. Lee here.

May 20 – Ethan went up to Battlecreek. Went over to burg bot fish and dogwood 85¢. Went and got Wesleys team. Rainy night. Got old wagon.

May 21 – Rainy and cool. Got old wagon up to H. A. Taylors. Ethan came home.

May 22 – Rained some. Went to mill. Got photographs 1.50 paid school bill 3.47¢. Took Wesleys team home. David Henyons wife Died this Evening.

May 23 – Over to burg got load stuff from shop. Bot salearatas and thread 25¢. Mr Rowe Buried to day. Got morter of Isaac Scram. Pleasant day.

May 24 – Drgged and cultivated corn ground. Rained some. Went over to burg. Sold 4 doz Eggs 8.13 oz butter 20¢ pr ___.

May 25 – Went over to burg. Sold 4 doz Eggs 8 lbs and 13 oz butter 20¢ per lb.

May 26 – Lamkins Brot violin. Went up to Wesleys took level of his ground from old well to lane North from his house found 2 feet & 6 inches fall.

May 27 – At home not much done.

May 28 – Charley Lee came up to see violin. Rained.

May 29 – Put Affecks violin together. Sarah went up to Yorks.

May 30 – Snow stayed all night. Went over to burg in morning. Went up to Yorks and got chairs. Carried them over to burg. Saw Jewit Holden. Libby Taylor came over.

May 31 – Got team to drag finished draging marked out one way almost.

Jun 1 – Marked some. Ethan planted a few rows corn. Sarah sick. Went after the Doctor. He came over twice. Went up to Yorks after vinegar. Rained in the night.

Jun 2 – Pleasant and warm in forenoon. Mrs Barber came over.

Jun 3 – Went over to mill carried 3 bushels wheat 2 corn. Carried Afflecks violin. Bot 10 lbs shugar 1.50. Planted some corn. Harriet stayed all night.

Jun 4 – Went to Kalamazoo in afternoon with Wesley. Left my watch. Let Wes have $2.00.

Jun 5 – Planted corn. Lois came home. Very hot. Marked out some ground. 88 in shade.

Jun 6 – Finished planting corn. Planted potatoes. Mrs Ash here to Tea.

Jun 7 – Planted some in garden corn peas onions.

Jun 8 – Went over to burg. Sold 5 Doz Eggs 62¢ 7 lbs butter 18¢ pr pound. Callicoe 36¢ silk 85¢.

Jun 9 – Very hot day. Went down to Catharines place saw Wings folks. Marks folks came up.

Jun 10 – Went over to burg. Bot Dresses for girls 5.55. Planted some corn in East garden some cucumbers.

Jun 11 – Planted potatoes in West garden. Charles Lee and Mr Smith here. Mrs Sumner called here.

Jun 12 – Mark got Bureau and bedstead. Cultivated some corn in west lot. Went to burg in Evening got Hats for girls bot shoes for Hannah & Nancy 4.00.

Jun 13 – Cultivating corn. Hannah gone to picknick to burg. Lucy here. Mowed some grass for Nance.

Jun 14 – Cultivated and hoed corn.

Jun 15 – Rainy. Mr John Clark and wife came here this morning. No work to day. Ethan went to burg.

Jun 16 – Went down to Mr Browns. Got wool box.

Jun 17 – Went over to the burg. Bot sythe and swath 3.00. Worked on wool box some. T. Flanders came.

Jun 18 – Finished wool box. Jesse Earl came down. T. Flanders went up to Yorks. Mowed yard and some in Orchard.

Jun 19 – Worked on road. Cut bushes up south by Durkees.

Jun 20 – Ethan cultivated corn some. I took Lamkins rake to peaces.

Jun 21 – Worked on road on town line up near Mr Ridlers.

Jun 22 – Mr Scram shelled some corn. I commenced wagon box. Drawed in hay from orchard. Jo Lee and Ann[44] came up here. Very hot.

Jun 23 – Hot morning. Mr Byington here.

Jun 24 – Hoed in garden. Drawed load wood. Worked on violin some.

Jun 25 – Put violin together the Boston fiddle. Went over to burg got chairs 1.50 & photographs for Catharine 1.00. Sold Mrs Morton 7. Lbs Butter 1.10 lb.

Jun 26 – Mowed on the hill south of orchard lot. Ethan cultivated corn.

Jun 27 – Went over to mill 2 bus wheat. Went up to Hartwells got wheelbarrow hub turned. Z. Butterfield turned it. Bot salearatas 15¢. S. Bristol gave me a hattan and crusible. Got some traps from shop.

Jun 28 – Made wagon for Henry Rogers called here. I sgned for book. Plowed out corn and potatoes in garden. Wallace Earl got home.

Jun 29 – Sick to day. Mr and Mrs Streator called here. Jo Flanders called here he paid me 10.50¢. Went over to burg just at night. Drawed in some hay from hill south orchard.

Jun 30 – At home all day not well.

Jul 1 – Sick to day. Went down to Marks in afternoon. Charles Lees folks here. Sarah Sumner came here to board. Byington cut some hay.

Jul 2 – Paid Morton for fish 30 bot fish 30¢ paid 25¢. Went over to burg. Bot coat for Ethan 2.00 cap 1.75¢ cloth for pants 1.50¢ one violin string 40¢.

Jul 3 – Went over to mill in morning. Went over in Evening. Bot coat 3.00 vest 1.00 cloth for Jim 60¢. Mr Byington took home load hay. Got some straw to fill Beds. Jo Lee brot Catharine home.

Jul 4 – Went over to burg in Evening. Bot two set h___ 1.00. Let Ethan have 1.00 Nancy 10¢ Hannah 10¢. Rainy day.

Jul 5 – Went up to Hartwells bored Horse rake head. Came round by burg got trowell of Mr Stevenson. Rained some.

Jul 6 – Finished Lamkins Horse rake he got it made him a dividing board for mower. Sarah made my linnen pants. Lois went up to Yorks. Hannah went.

Jul 7 – Pleasant morning. At home all day.

Jul 8 – Catharine moved down to her old home. Mowed in forenoon. Drawed in some hay in afternoon.

Jul 9 – Went over to mill carried 2 bushels wheat for Catharine one corn. Sarah & Lois went over to Mr Scramlins. Bot stamps 6¢.

Jul 10 – Drawed hay mowed some. Nance sick. Good weather.

Jul 11 – Went down to Catharines. Carried some flour meal clock etc.

Jul 12 – Went over to burg. Bot one package Sloans condition pouders 25¢.

Jul 13 – Went over to mill. Carried 2 bushels wheat. Bot shugar 1.00. Commenced cutting wheat. Cradled around the lot. Saw Wallace Earl.

Jul 14 – Warm day at home all day. Wes came down. Mark came up brot some potatoes. Lois went home with him.

Jul 15 – Went up to Dick Lamkins fixed his organ. Recd letter from A A Dodge. Sent letter to G. T.[45] Mrs Courtney picked currants. Bot rake 35¢.

Jul 16 – Drawed two loads hay. Mrs Wiseman and girls here. Catharine and Lucy came up. Got some things. Put in cradlefinger for Doc Babcock 38¢.

Jul 17 – Went up to Dick Lamkins saw his reaper go. Went up horsback.

Jul 18 – Lamkins came down and cut my wheat. Mr Byington bound Rufus Taylor Bou__t a while. Lonzo Ash set up wheat all day. Recd letter from A. L. Keith.[46]

Jul 19 – Got Wesleys team drawed in my wheat had 8 loads.

Jul 20 – No work to day about used up. Went over to burg in Evening. Sarah went over stayed all night. Lois came home. Aunt Sinda Percival[47] died. Recd letter from C. R. Cridland.[48] Ethan went down to Catharines.

Jul 21 – Went up to Mr Scrams saw Mr __urgis. Went in swimming.

Jul 22 – Mr Scram put his wheat in Barn. Isaac patched barn roof put on morter in front room. Went to the burg. Bot shoes 4.00 bot Bot door Knob and lock 75¢ nails 16¢.

Jul 23 – Helped Wesley draw wheat. Very hot day.

Jul 24 – Hung front door. Mrs Aash cleaned house. Ethan helped Wesley draw wheat. Ella Randall stayed here all night. Louesa went to Allertons. Sam Seaman died to day.

Jul 25 – Rainy morning. Went up to Mrs Ash to see calf. Rainy day. Mr Bristol came over.

Jul 26 – Went over to burg. Got clock. Bot oil and salearatas 45¢. Saw A. J. Bradford. Went down to Catharines.

Jul 27 – Went to Kalamazoo got my watch 2.00. Bot two tumblers 30¢ rusks and cheese 10¢ muzzle 25¢. Wes paid 2.00. Bot needles. Emeretta Cory and Dr Wightmans girls here.

Jul 28 – Had a fine shower this morning.

Jul 29 – Ethan cultivated corn. Had Mrs Ashes horse. I hoed some.

Jul 30 – Had Ashes horse. I went over to burg. Took dinner to Wisemans. Ethan cultivated corn. Got ring mended. Carried 3 bushels wheat to mill.

Jul 31 – Rained this morning. Went up to Yorks. Harriet came down after some wheat let them have 1½ bushels. No work sick or lazy. John got his horses a way.

Aug 1 – Ethan and Nancy gone after berries with Mrs Courtney. I cultivated corn some.

Aug 2 – No work to day. Jo Lee and Lois came up in afternoon. Ethan cultivated corn.

Aug 3 – Ethan cultivated corn. I done nothing sick. Milow Bostwick[49] died. Mr Ransom got 2 loads hay.

Aug 4 – At home all day. No one here. Not very well.

Aug 5 – Not very well. Ethan to work in corn. Paid Byington 3.00¢ for days work binding wheat. Very hot.

Aug 6 – Went down to Catharines and Marks. Ethan worked for Mr Courtney thrashing his wheat. Very hot.

Aug 7 – Went over to burg saw A. J. Bradford. Carried some butter to Mrs Morton 4.3/6 lbs. Bot shirt bosom 30¢ thread 10¢. Marks girl[50] Born to day.

Aug 8 – Went over to burg after Brad he no come. Bot 6 lbs shugar of P. T. Law 16¢ 9 lb. Mrs Ralph here. Mark came up after Nancy. Went up to the Seamans got our Bead.

Aug 9 – Went over to burg after Brad he no come. Bot ½ lb tea 70¢. Went up to Mr Shurmans to get him to draw log up to stump pile.

Aug 10 – Round home no work to day.

Aug 11 – At home all day. Mrs Ash took old horse down.

Aug 12 – Got calf of Mrs Ash. Helped Wesley thrash in afternoon. Mr Sheffield and Warren left.

Aug 13 – Helped Wesley thrash in fore noon. Thrashed Jo Yorks in afternoon.

Aug 14 – Wesley brot wheat down. Jo Lee came up with Nancy. Mr Scram thrashed some wheat. Went over to burg in Evening. Carried 12 doz eggs 13¢ doz.

Aug 15 – Went over to mill. Bot Sarahs dress. Mr Bristol came over with Mr Streator.

Aug 16 – Thrashed my wheat had 94 bushels. Paid Judson 5.00¢. Helped Courtney some in the afternoon.

Aug 17 – Went down to Marks. Net Gafnee came here. Ethan helped Mr Randal thrash. Net Gaf.

Aug 18 – Ethan and Nancy went to campmeeting over in Wakeshma went with Hank Brown.[51] Jo Lee came up with Lois.

Aug 19 – Went over to burg. Let Brad have my moddle. Bot nails 15¢. Rained some in the afternoon.

Aug 20 – Round home no work sick. Nothing going on of any account.

Aug 21 – Sarah Harriet and Volina went down to Catharines. Went over to burg.

Aug 22 – At home no work to day. Mr Scram thrashing. Mrs Gafing here. T Flanders came over here.

Aug 23 – No work to day. Jim went up to ____. T Flanders left.

Aug 24 – Made seat to day for Dick Lamkins. I sold Mr Scram sow and pigs $.6.00¢.

Aug 25 – Mr Scram got sow and six pigs. Mark brot Lois home. Very warm and dry. Dick Barber and wife called here.

Aug 26 – Altered Dicks seat and painted it. Mr Scram took his straw away. Jo Lee brot pig up got one of mine. Very hot day.

Aug 27 – Went over to burg with Lois and Sarah. Went to Barbers to Dinner. Bot bot co____ 5 Bot elm bark 15¢. Went up to Yorks. Sold 7 doz eggs 7/- 4 lbs butter 25¢ pr pound.

Aug 28 – Pigsley and Grassins at burg. Went over to burg in Evening saw man perform on tight rope. Got some things out of shop. H. A. Taylors cows in corn all night.

Aug 29 – Went and cut some steaks and fixed fence west of garden. Catharine and Hellen here in afternoon.

Aug 30 – Painted Dicks sulky in forenoon. No work in afternoon.

Aug 31 – Rainy day. Chased pigs most of the day. Made squair and rule for Dick Blackburn.

Sep 1 – At home all day. R. Blackburn came over. Mr & Mrs Seaman here.

Sep 2 – Went over to burg bot shoestrings thread pins needles robbie ____ &c 78¢. Paid Mart Millham 1.50. Nancy went to pick hops.

Sep 3 – Rainy day. Carried sow and pigs up to Seamans $6.00. Extract tooth for Wiseman.

Sep 4 – Went over to mill carried 2 bushels wheat one of corn. Pedler show here to dinner. Hannah went down to pick hops.

Sep 5 – Went over to burg.

Sep 6 – Helped Wesley draw manre. Got out 20 loads.

Sep 7 – Wesley drawed rails in fore noon. I laid up fence across the pasture south.

Sep 8 – Went down to Catharines after Lousea. Mr Scram finished plowing corn lot.

Sep 9 – Cleaned up and burnt stuff where fence stood. Finished laying up fence. T. Flanders came over.

Sep 10 – T. Flanders left. Went up to Wesleys. The two Mrs Scrams here in afternoon.

Sep 11 – Made corncutter and cut corn in garden. Went over to burg got Bed Bottoms.

Sep 12 – Went over to Mr Tuttles auction bot fork and iron bar 1.85 one Dollar Eighty five cts.

Sep 13 – At home all day. Jo Lee and Lois here. Went up to brady with Lois Clark. Ben Ha___ called here. Rained some. Shaved out whiffletrees[52] for Milford. Wes bot box matches 10¢.

Sep 14 – Pleasant morning. Went up to Benjamin Hartwells to raising.

Sep 15 – Went down to Catharines with Jo York. Hannah and May starling came home with us. Rained some.

Sep 16 – Went up to Hartwells in afternoon to help raise his shop put up one ______ ______ ______. Went to school meeting in Evening. Hop pickers had a dance in Evening at Bennet house Galesburg.

Sep 17 – Went down to Jo Lees gone all day. Went to Catharines.

Sep 18 – Cut up corn. Sarah went up to Wes. Jo Lee called here. Mrs Barber and Ida came over. Ethan went fishing in Evening.

Sep 19 – Went over to B. Hartwells finished raising his building. Cont with corn.

Sep 20 – Cut corn in forenoon ____ made a horse to set up corn by. Went over to burg Bot Boots 5.00. Sold 7 doz eggs.

Sep 21 – A. Brown picking up apples to make cider. Went over to burg after Patty[53] and Henry. No come. John Wilcut and wife[54] came.

Sep 22 – At home Jesse Turner[55] and family called here. Went over to burg in morning after Patty. No come.

Sep 23 – John and ______ went up to D. Bristols place got corn peaches and grapes. Ethan & Hank Brown made cider. To Comstock made

Sep 24 – John and Clem went up to Yorks. Patty came.

Sep 25 – Went down to Catharines with John and Clem. Henry came. Mr Scram commenced sowing wheat in south lot. Carried up 5 bushels.

Sep 26 – Carried 4½ bushels wheat up in lot this morning. Cut corn. Larry Griffin came over. Henry stayed all night. Sarah went down to Catharines with Jo and Hellen.

Sep 27 – Cutting corn. Henry whent up to Mr Flanders. Ethan went down to Charles Lees after a mast for their boat.

Sep 28 – Finished cutting my corn. Went over to mill carried 2 bushels wheat. Let R. Blackburn have 44. galens cider.

Sep 29 – At home all day. Pleasant cool wind.

Sep 30 – Drawed in some corn. Went over to burg got one load lumber out of shop. Went up to Wesleys. John and Clem came back.

Oct 1 – Pleasant morning cool wind. Had Wesley team dawed 4 loads from shop. John and Clem went home.

Oct 2 – Finished drawing my lumber from burg. Charly came on the noon train from Jackson.

Oct 3 – Went down to Catharines after Patty. She no come home with me. Sarah went down to Mr Browns and Allertons _____ children here. Went up to Riddlers after a _____.

Oct 4 – Went over to burg after some things in barn. Lois brick machine. Bot box pills 25¢. Mrs Courtney got quilt frames.

Oct 5 – Went up to S. Bristols got 2 bushels peaches 1.30¢. Laid floor in hog pen.

Oct 6 – At home all day.

Oct 7 – At home worked in hogpen. Shut up old sow.

Oct 8 – Husked corn south of orchard. Went to burg Bot Boots for Ethan 5.00.

Oct 9 – Rainy morning. Killed pig over to Courtney. Went up to Wesleys got some pumpkin. Patty came up from Catharines.

Oct 10 – Drawed in some corn fodder. Rainy afternoon.

Oct 11 – Went up to Wesleys. Carried two pigs. Cloudy and cold. Catharine and Hellen came down.

Oct 12 – Carried Sarah and Patty up to Wesleys. Catharine and Lois went. Bot violin string 40¢ Bot Potatoe hook of A. O. D. Schram 1.50. Mrs Tim Mills buried. Ada Bennet[56] died this morning.

Oct 13 – Catharine went home took sorgum barrel. Wes came down. Fine day Patty here Henry here.

Oct 14 – Went over to burg got Cider Barrel to Blackburn. Cleaned up some wheat for Wesley husked some.

Oct 15 – Husked some cleaned up wheat. Wes took one load to burg 2.50 pr bush. Sarah Patty and Lois went up to Yorks.

Oct 16 – Went down to David Simonds in morning. Finished claning up Wes wheat. Wes sold load wheat 2.50 pr bushel.

Oct 17 – Went down to david Simonds. Husked corn. _______ Cook called here. Hannah Nancy and Louesa went down to Allertons. I signed a petition.

Oct 18 – Drawed some corn fodder. Went over to mill. Bot shugar 1.00 coffee 30 shirt bosoms 30 thread 20¢. Killed 2 hens.

Oct 19 – All hands went down to Catharines Wes & Harriet Jo & Hellen Sarah Patty and Lois. Very warm and dry.

Oct 20 – Mercury 80 in shade hot and dry.

Oct 21 – At home no work to speak of.

Oct 22 – Went over to burg. Carried over cider to Beckswith seven galons 7/-.[57]

Oct 23 – Made 72. galons cider. Let Whitford have two galons 25¢. Let Mrs Rogers have 28. galons 3.50¢.

Oct 24 – Dug some potatoes. Ethan went down to Catharines after Patty. Wesley went to Kalamazoo. Lois went.

Oct 25 – Carried Sarah Patty and Catharine over to Celia Newmans. Bot Brown 35¢ tea _______ & 82¢. Got Books from Chicago 4.50.

Oct 26 – Boiled cider all day. Got kettle to Allertons. Carried sail down to Randalls. Rainy day.

Oct 27 – At home all day. Catharine went home.

Oct 28 – Went over to burg got thing to make Evetrogh one of Ed Gillis to fix. Went up to S. Bristols with Patty. Bristol came over and made out Deed for Patty. Mrs Hart died.

Oct 29 – Carried Gillis machine home. A Chipman called here. Carried Mrs Allertons kettle home. Pleasant day. Recd letter from Breece of Kalamazoo.

Oct 30 – At home. Made pully to draw up corn fodder. Snowey day. ____ gone to Kalamazoo.

Oct 31 – At home not much done. Patty here. Made Brace to Wes wagon.

Nov 1 – Went over to mill got 2 bushels wheat g____ing. Got brace mended on wagon 20¢. W. B. Spalding paid 45.77¢. Went down to Catharines with Patty.

Nov 2 – Went up to Bristols. He paid up interest on mortgage up to Aug 11^th 1868.

Nov 3 – At home. Issac Wing called here. Nancy went down to Catharines with Yorks folks. Rainy.

Nov 4 – Sarah and I Patty and Catharine went up to Jesse Turners in Wakeshma.

Nov 5 – We came home. Had Earls Buggy Wesleys horses.

Nov 6 – Went to Deerfield with Jo York. Got to Oscars about 8 PM.

Nov 7 – At Deerfield went round the squaire with Mr York[58] and Jo. Oscar came home.

Nov 8 – At the Lake about noon high wind no sail in sight. Very smokey high wind rained towards night.

Nov 9 – Left Oscars about 8 AM got to Paw Paw about noon. Dinner 50¢. Pleasant day. Got home about 8 Evening. All well.

Nov 10 – At home. Went up to Yorks in morning. Jesse Earls Charly horse died to day. Mr M. O. Streator called here. Extracted tooth for H. _____.

Nov 11 – Drawed some cornfodder. Wes came down. Killed a pig. Went to a School Meeting in Evening.

Nov 12 – Some cloudy in morning. Went over to burg. Bot (illegible).

Nov 13 – Went over to burg in morning. Went over to burg in Evening. Husked corn afternoon. Dud Imus paid up his note.

Nov 14 – Husked corn all day. Wallace Earl died about 12 oclock in Evening.

Nov 15 – Finished husking corn in lot. Pleasant day.

Nov 16 – Went to Kalamazoo with Jo and Mark Lee. Wallace Earl buried to day.

Nov 17 – Went up to Wesleys and Yorks. Patty and Catharine came up with Jo. Pleasant day.

Nov 18 – Killed a pig. Patty Catharine Harriet and Hellen Lucy & Henry all here.

Nov 19 – Patty & Henry started for hom on the 11.20 Train.

Nov 20 – Went over to burg carried 2 bushels wheat ½ corn for ______. Brot Jane Hoag over with me. Pleasant day. Bot books 3.00.

Nov 21 – Took the old cow down to Fords in morning. Drawed cornfodder in afternoon. Very fine weather.

Nov 22 – Got Wes team took apples up to Cider ___. Made 104 114 galons cider 1.75¢. Let Mr Schram have 48 gals cider 1/- per galon.

Nov 23 – Put up cornfodder in forenoon. Carried Sarah over to burg in Evening. Rained in the night some thunder.

Nov 24 – At home. Mark & Ann came up. Mark cut frank calf. Warm day.

Nov 25 – Made platform for Catharine. Painted thills to wagon.

Nov 26 – Put top on my machine. Sarah went up to Jesse Earls. I went up in Evening. Saw R. S. Clapp.

Nov 27 – Took Fathers cow down to Fords bull. Cloudy not very cold. Charles Lee and wife[59] here to Dinner.

Nov 28 – At home all day not much work done to day.

Nov 29 – Moved stove into front room. Went up to Wesleys and Yorks.

Nov 30 – Snowey cold first winter day. Drawed some wood. Went over to burg in Evening. Carried pants over to A. Hoags. Bot vitrol and gum 5¢.

Dec 1 – Cold morning 13. Abz at home.

Dec 2 – At home all day. Jo Lasher came here stayed all night. Went up to Milfords in Evening. B. F. Orcut shot this Evening.

Dec 3 – Lasher went up to J. Smiths. Andrew Turner and mother[60] here to dinner. Some snow on the ground.

Dec 4 – Went down to Catharines. Carried her platform down.

Dec 5 – Went to Kalamazoo to see Mr Giddings. Bot cotton 6.20¢ gloves for Ethan 1.25 candy 10. Lasher came back.

Dec 6 – Chopped some wood chored round.

Dec 7 – Went over to burg. Cut and split some wood. Lasher came up from Catharines.

Dec 8 – Made axhelve for Lasher. He went down to Catharines.

Dec 9 – Went to mill carried one bushel corn two of wheat.

Dec 10 – Went over to burg. Carried over old iron. Bot file. Issac Wing here. Shelled some corn. Jo Lee called here.

Dec 11 – At home. Sarah and Lois went down to Mr Randalls. I went down and took Tea. Jim Courtney here in Evening. Mark called here.

Dec 12 – Cold morning 14 Abz. Went over to burg with Lois. She went out to Jackson. Brot Wanda Clark and children over to Mr Taylors. B. F. Orcut died.[61]

Dec 13 – Cold morning 5 below zero. Cut some wood.

Dec 14 – Went down to Catharines with sleigh. Made mittens for Lasher in Evening. R. S. Clapp left for home.

Dec. 15 – At home all day. 7 below zero in morning. Edith came Down. Lasher stayed all night.

Dec 16 – Lasher commenced chopping for Allerton. Went over to Burg with Mr Howlet. Bot brush 10¢ Thread 10¢. B. F. Orcut buried to day.

Dec 17 – Chopped and drawed wood. Not very cold.

Dec 18 – Drawed one load wood. Filed cross cut saw for Riddler and Wes. Wesley got lumber out by barn.

Dec 19 – Made boulster for Allerton he paid 50¢.

Dec 20 – Cut some wood. Put my lumber in old shop.

Dec 21 – Extracted tooth for C ____. At home all day. Shelled some corn got some spokes out of hogpen. Charles Lee and wife called here. Tried to drive hogs over to burg. Rainy afternoon and Evening.

Dec 22 – Cold at home all day. Lasher came up here in Evening.

Dec 23 – Cleaned out shop. Choped some in afternoon. Chub came down to get me to go and help butcher.

Dec 24 – Went over to burg. Carried 2. bushels wheat 2 of corn. Bot pop gun for Jim.

Dec 25 – Helped Wesley kill hogs. Rainy afternoon. Dick Lamkins here in Evening.

Dec 26 – Went down to Charles Lees. Got one bushel potatoes and sausage cutter.

Dec 27 – Went up to Blakes to see about hogs.

Dec 28 – Cut tree in south lot for wood to butcher with.

Dec 29 – Went up to Wesleys to see about butchering.

Dec 30 – Wes and Jo helped butcher. Killed 3 hogs. Cut up and salted pork. Jesse Earl brot his wagon down.

Dec 31 – Worked in shop some. Dick Lamkins here. Worked on dash some. Snowed in night.

——-

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

[2] Joseph & Helen (Bradley) York; Helen was his niece

[3] His brother, John Wesley Keith, who, according to the family Bible, was adopted

[4] His daughter by his first wife, Minerva Payson

[5] His wife, Sarah (Crawford) Keith

[6] A search at FindAGrave.com shows that Amos Willson died January 2, 1867 and is buried in the Galesburg City Cemetery, Galesburg, Michigan

[7] Neighbor, Isaac Schram

[8] The 1880 census lists Olive Schram as being born in 1867

[9] His daughter, Nancy Keith

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

[11] His nephew, James Oscar Keith

[12] His son, James Clinton Keith

[13] “Mark” is referred to quite often in Luke’s diaries and it is believed that he is referring to his cousin, Marquis de Lafayette Lee, the oldest son of Dr. Ezekiel and Elizabeth (Strong) Lee. The Lees were Mormons and moved to Nauvoo, Illinois, and eventually to the Salt Lake Valley in 1850. Mark stayed behind to run his father’s farm and was living with his aunt, Catherine (Keith) Bradley Lee

[14] His son, Ethan Keith

[15] His daughter, Hannah Keith

[16] Saleratus; sodium or potassium bicarbonate used as a leavening agent; baking soda

[17] His niece, Helen (Bradley) York

[18] Charles Luke Keith Sr.

[19] Thomas Jefferson Chaffee Jr., the husband of Luke’s niece, Frances Catherine “Kate” (Keith) Chaffee

[20] Glenn Noah Keith, the son of James “Oscar” & Mary Ann (Batey) Keith, who was born on December 2, 1866

[21] Mary Ann (Batey) Keith

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

[23] James Hunt King

[24] His niece, Frances Catherine “Kate” (Keith) Chaffee

[25] James S. King, his maternal first cousin, and son of James Hunt King

[26] Neighbor, Ambrose Brown, the father of Henry Brown, who would marry Luke’s daughter, Nancy

[27] Joseph W. Lee, his paternal first cousin

[28] His daughter, Louesa Keith

[29] Neighbor, Thomas Flanders

[30] Etc.

[31] Above zero

[32] Above zero

[33] His niece, Lucy Irene Lee

[34] Clarinda (Goodrich) Milham

[35] The vertical side pieces to a wagon body

[36] George Tomlinson, who was married to Luke’s niece, Marion (Sprague) Tomlinson

[37] Kalamazoo, Michigan

[38] His future son-in-law

[39] Assume this was his wife Sarah’s brother, Henry Crawford; however, it could have been his son, Henry Keith

[40] His wife Sarah’s brother, Hiram Crawford

[41] Mark’s (footnote #13) wife, Julia Ann Lee

[42] Believe this was his brother Wesley’s wife and daughter, Harriet (Blakslee) Keith and Edith (Keith) Kellum

[43] A felloe, or felly, is the rim of a wheel supported by spokes

[44] I believe he is referring to Ansell Lee, the son of Joseph W. Lee, his paternal first cousin

[45] George Tomlinson

[46] Aylmer Lot Keith, his paternal first cousin

[47] A search at FindAGrave.com shows that Lucinda Percival died July 20, 1867 and is buried at Galesburg City Cemetery, Galesburg, Michigan

[48] Charles R. Cridland

[49] A search at FindAGrave.com shows that Milo Bostwick died May 6, 1880; however, his son, Elizur Bostwick, died August 9, 1867. Both men are buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Galesburg, Michigan. Either way, this entry appears to be inaccurate

[50] Mary Jane Lee

[51] Henry Brown

[52] 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

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

[54] His cousin, John & Juliet Clementine (Clover) Willcutt

[55] His maternal first cousin

[56] Oak Grove Cemetery (Galesburg, Michigan) records show that Ada Bennett, the daughter of H. L. & Levina Bennett, born in 1862, died October 11, 1867

[57] /- is the symbol used for shilling which varied between 12¢ and 16¢

[58] Believe he is referring to Joseph York’s father, Samuel York

[59] Believe he is referring to his cousin, Charles & Juliana (Davis) Lee

[60] His cousins, Andrew J. Turner and Sarah “Sally” (Davis) Turner

[61] The December 2^nd entry mentions that B. F. Orcut was shot

Luke Keith’s 1864 Diary with some 1865 entries

1864 DIARY OF CHARLES LUKE KEITH JR.^[1]

Jan 1 – Verry cold 14 degrees below zero verry freesing. No work to day stayed in the house most of the day. Verry windy.

Jan 2 – Verry cold and blustering 15 below zero high wind. Went over to Fathers.[2] Mrs Peterson & Celia there. Bot cap 5.00¢. L. T Earl brot timber for bob.[3]

Jan 3 – At home all day. Very cold. Lois[4] Byron[5] and Hannah[6] came home.

Jan 4 – Went over to Fathers. Worked in shop some. Hung ax in Evening for D Lamkins in Wesley[7] here in Evening.

Jan 5 – Extracted tooth for John Scramlins boy 25¢. Let Lois Tyler have timber for raves & thills[8] 50¢. Piled Mrs Betts[9] wood. Bot thread 20¢ Bot alcohol 5¢ salt 25. T. Flanders here to night. Put bearing on Wesleys bob. Hat Burdick paid 10¢.

Jan 6 – Work on Lymans bob. T. Flanders left. Finished Harmon Smiths violin. Mrs Peterson Mrs Davis & Celia Newman here.

Jan 7 – Filed saw for Hunting 15¢. Worked on L. T. Earls bob. Ground T. Corys ax ground P. Johnsons ax. L. T. Earl brot 108½ Beef 4.34¢.

Jan 8 – Hunting paid 30¢. Finished L. T. Earls bob.

Jan 9 – Made handle to Huntings saw 25¢ filed saw for Hunting 15¢. Went over to Fathers with Ethen.[10]

Jan 10 – At home all day. Mrs Joy[11] died this morning.

Jan 11 – Cut two pairs mittens for paddy 20. Hunting paid 15¢. Made boulster for D. Hamilton 1.00. Flanders brot load straw. Catharine[12] here. Mrs Joy buried. Bot crackers 25¢.

Jan 12 – P. Johnson paid 25¢. Sold Mrs Betts 10 & ¾ beef 43 she paid 3¢ Beckwith 6. Bot file 15¢. Filed saw for A. Odel 25¢.

Jan 13 – Filed saw for Isaac Smith 25¢ filed saw for Starling 20¢. John R. Scramlin paid 25¢. Bot 50 bbs flour 1.75¢.

Jan 14 – Uncle Chi commenced making whiffletrees.[13] Went over to Fathers. Fixed pump. Filed cross cut saw for Ed Hoges 50¢.

Jan 15 – Isaac Smith paid 30¢. Sold Isaac Johnson one finger board 105¢. Filed saw for A. Austin 25¢. Bot schoes for Jim 55¢.

Jan 16 – Filed saws for Hunting 35. Repaired crutches for Eugene Cory 5¢. Mrs Betts paid 1.00. Mr Dickinson Brot Mrs Betts one cord wood 3.00¢. Worked some on Dicks Box. Mr Brown got his mittens 37¢.

Jan 17 – Went up to Wesleys Yorks[14] Fathers &c.[15] Got some maple bark for ink. Eugene Cory paid 5¢.

Jan 18 – Worked on seats. Bine Durgy paid 25¢. Bot copras 3¢. Filed two saws for J. Flanders 40. Got one bushel apples 40¢. Paid tax 6.30¢. Filed saw for H Scramlin 20. Got boots tapt 65¢.

Jan 19 – Henry Scramlin paid 20¢ Dick Whiting Bot hickory 10¢. Hung ax for Frank Clemens 10¢. Sold rave to stranger 10¢. Made saw buck for A. Austin 20¢.

Jan 20 – Buskirk got bench screw & miter boxes. D Lamkins called here. Filed saw for Hunting __¢. Worked on Lamkins box. A. J. Bradford sick. Went over and washed him and fixed him quite comfortable.

Jan 21 – With Bradford part of the fore noon. Worked on Lamkins buggy box. Myron Rawson paid 37¢.

Jan 22 – Worked on Lamkins box some cut out rizers. Starling paid 20¢. Eugene Bronsons Boddy came on the noon train to day.

Jan 23 – Made rizers for D. Lamkins. Eugene Bronson Buried to day. Father sold Deacon & Bonus weight 3110. Bot one lb nails 7¢.

Jan 24 – At home all day. Sarah[16] & Mrs Betts went to church.

Jan 25 – Put Lamkins seats together. Put in wagon neap[17] for Mr Hopkins 1.00¢. Hung ax for __ Lamkins 10 hung ax for Marshal __ 5¢. Bot oil 35.

Jan 26 – Stranger paid 10¢ for rave. Took felloes[18] of Flanders wheels. Worked on Lamkins box.

Jan 27 – Put Lamkins box together. Bot sandpaper 10¢. Mrs Potts[19] buried to day. James Shafter got his violin.

Jan 28 – Put bottom on Lamkins box and dash posts. Put in wagon neap for Mr Right 1.00¢. Bot two pairs shoes for Hannah & Nancy[20] 2.00.

Jan 29 – Put dash on Box. Race[21] broke over. Mrs Betts went to County house. Bot matches 12¢. Lois Hannah Byron & Mr Hubbard stayed all night. Race broke over fooded my yard.

Jan 30 – Went to mill. Helped clear the race of ice. Sawed some wood.

Jan 31 – At home all day. Lois went home. Byron went East on stock train.

Feb 1 – Bot thread 5¢. Tenanted spokes on Flanders old wheels.

Feb 2 – Filed saw for James Holden 25. Bot file 15. Filed saw for Henry Scramlin 25¢. Sawed out some felloes. Dick Lamkins Brot 140¢ lbs flour.

Feb 3 – Bot thread 10¢. Finished sawing out felloes. Bored and put on one wheel. Huntings boy paid 10¢ for repairs on violin.

Feb 4 – Bored rims on three wheels. Flanders called here. Sawed out reach and jacks for Lamkins buggy. Went to lecture in Evening Mr Hull on spiritualism 25.

Feb 5 – Made reach head block & jacks to Dick Lamkins buggy. Filed saw for Hunting 15¢ filed saw for Isaac Smith 15. Bot box ointment 25¢.

Feb 6 – Sawed up one wheel. Painted Lamkins box. Bot one cake soap 5.

Feb 7 – Went up to Wesleys Yorks & Fathers.

Feb 8 – Rounded two wheels. Extracted two teeth for Bachelder 25¢. Extracted tooth for Miss Powers 25¢. Ground ax for James Holden 15. James Flanders called here.

Feb 9 – Marshall Austin paid 15. Finished Flanders wheels. Riley Bennet & wife called here. Extracted tooth for Frank Bachelder 25¢. Bot Dipthera medicine 50¢.

Feb 10 – Flanders got his wheels. Carried Lamkins box to shop. Made ax helve for Jo Boardman. Et Smith buried to day.

Feb 11 – Put in Bed bottom.[22] Went over to Fathers. Old Mr Henyon buried to day. Extracted tooth for W^m Baxter 25. Bristol brot his buggy wheel broke down.

Feb 12 – Worked on Chipmans wagon. Got some rubber springs for Lounge of A. J. Bradford. Chipman brot some boulster stuff.

Feb 13 – Put crotch in Chips wagon. Sawed out some boulsters. Dressed out one ____. Margaret Brother died. Mrs Aldrich buried to day.

Feb 14 – At home all day. Sarah went to church.

Feb 15 – Finished one boulster. Sawed out swaybars put spring bottom in lounge. Uncle Ames called here.

Feb 16 – Worked on Chipmans hounds & sway bars. Cold as blazes. Put spring bottom in crib for galligan.

Feb 17 – 10 below zero. Went over to Fathers. Verry cold. No work to day.

Feb 18 – Cold 10 below zero. Put in bed bottom for Henry Scramlin. Put in one for Mrs Betts.

Feb 19 – Finished Chipmans wagon. Filed two saws for Hunting 30 filed saw for Oatman 10.

Feb 20 – Bot candy 5. Uncle Tim Mills died. Worked some on Bristols wheel. Got Ethens Boots tapt 50. Ed Hoges paid 50. Bot buttons for Nancy 10.

Feb 21 – Went down to Lois. Mr Mills buried to day. David Gaults wife Brot in to day.

Feb 22 – Made lazy back to Lamkins seat. Made sway bar for Doc Wightman 38 worked on. David Gaults wife buried to day. Newell Cuykendalls wife died. A Chipman got his wagon.

Feb 23 – Got out spokes for Bristols wheel. Bot file 15. Filed saw for E. M. Clap 25.

Feb 24 – Bot screws 6¢ postage 3. Filed saw for Henry Scramlin 10¢. Got out some spokes. Mrs Shafter died.

Feb 25 – Finished Bristols wheel. Filed saw for Frank Clemens 25. Bot pens 5.

Feb 26 – Made two steaks for A. Chipman. Sent letter to J. S. King[23] 3. David Hamilton paid 1.00. Extracted two teeth for Stranger 50¢.

Feb 27 – Morticed hub for D. Lamkins wheel. Repaired T. Coreys cart 25¢. Bot oil 35¢. Father called in shop. Sent letter to H. M. Smith 3¢.

Feb 28 – Went over to Fathers. Cut Oatmans hair 10¢. Father let me have 75.00.

Feb 29 – Set Boxes in Dicks hub. Made crutch for Marsh Austin 10. Filed saw for A. Austin 20. Dressed out spokes for Dicks wheel. Got deed of Barry County for A. J. Bradford 30¢.

Mar 1 – Made crutch for Marshal Austin. Filed saw for W^m Eldred 20¢ filed crosscut saw for Joy 50¢. Eldred paid 20¢. Bot beer 10¢.

Mar 2 – Shaved and filed some spokes drove them and put on rim. Mr Joy paid 50. Bot Shugar 75¢. Filed saw for P. Johnson. Bristol got his buggy 2.00¢. Sarah went down to Bylons.

Mar 3 – Finished Lamkins wheel. Bot pants of Blackburn 3.25¢. Dea Clark called here. A Chipman paid 5.00¢. Clark bot Fulton County Ohio for the use of the ulmer[24] spring bed bottom.

Mar 4 – Put in Bottom for Oatman one for Mary Childs one for Mrs Austin one for Mr Warren. One galen syrup of Austin 1.00.

Mar 5 – Put in 3 spokes for Tousley 75¢. Kingsley paid 62¢ Mr Bristol paid 2.00. A. J. Bradford sold Charleston & Climax to Fred Reading. Wood sawyer got his hand sawed of to day.

Mar 6 – At home all day. Sarah came home. Ain Halls baby buried to day.

Mar 7 – Went over to Fathers. Put in bed Bottom for Mariah pond. Mended mop for P. Johnson 25¢.

Mar 8 – Repaired saw for P Johnson 10¢ Johnson paid 30¢. Bot shoes for Jerusha[25] 80¢. Johnson paid A. Lamkins paid 20¢. Filed saw for Marcy Van Eldred and put one auger handle and bored five 38¢. Filed saw for A. Lamkins 20. Eldred paid 40. Repaired Mrs Hoges gate 25.

Mar 9 – Mrs Betts paid 1.50¢. Tousley paid 50. Worked on spokes and moddle. Bot Elastic ribbon 10¢ wire 3¢.

Mar 10 – Worked on spokes and moddle. Filed saw for Hunting 15¢ Hunting paid 30. Bot wire tacks & screws 14.

Mar 11 – Put in Bed bottom for R. Ransom. Put in one for P. T. Carver[?]. Bot shugar 5¢.

Mar 12 – Put in Bed bottom for C. Addams one for Langford Burdick. Went over to Fathers. D. Lamkins brot over hay. Bot salt 25 Beer 10¢. Received of J. C. Blake 50.00. Joseph Flanders Brot ____ tun hay.

Mar 13 – At home all day. Finished my moddle. Sarah went to church.

Mar 14 – Tousley paid 25¢. Bot indigo 10¢. Worked on spokes. Catharine and Ethen here brot Mrs Betts flour. Old Mrs Warren[26] died 88 yrs. Let A. J. Bradford have my moddle bedstead.

Mar 15 – Trimed up spokes for Flanders wheels. Filed saw for W^m Batt he paid 20¢.

Mar 16 – Split wood over to Fathers from the machine. Mr Soules helped me. Got my Boots tapt 10¢.

Mar 17 – Split wood over to Fathers in fore noon. Wesley drawed me a load over.

Mar 18 – Finished dressing Flanders spokes. Filed and set saw for Batt.

Mar 19 – Drove spokes in Flanders wheels &c. Carried two bushels corn to mill.

Mar 20 – Went over to Fathers. Catharine let me have 15 Dollars and draft for 35 Dollars 15 Dollars in money.

Mar 21 – Went to Kalamazoo got money on Draft 35.00. Sent letter to Jesse Wilcut[27] 3¢. Bot vice and tacks 2.07¢. Fare down and back 50¢. Got 20 Dollars of Mason. Saw General Burnside. 20 of Mrs Betts. Aunt Lilly[28] Died to day.

Mar 22 – Got Deed of Wisconsin $200.00. Paid Mrs Betts 15.00. Worked on wheels. Made churn dash for D. K. Rogers 25. T. Cory paid 10¢. Bot stamps 40¢.

Mar 23 – Worked on wheels finished one. Caty Allerton[29] Buried to day. Saw James Noyes he leves on the 12.15 train for St Louis Mo.

Mar 24 – Worked on wheels. Mr Right paid 1.00. D. K. Rogers paid 25. Man called here from Marshall to get slatts for bed bottoms.

Mar 25 – Finished Flanders wheels. Made churn dash for Mrs. Rogers. G. F. Warren called here to get agency to sell bed Bottoms in Wisconsin. Filed saw for Wesley. Benj Moore got 56 spokes. Flanders got his Wheels.

Mar 26 – Haled over stuf in shop to get Ex stock. Filed saw for P. Johnson. Made wagon box for Mr Pilgrim 1.00. Wesley Brot some wood for Milford. Mrs Bevere[30] buried. Stuarts boy got in the race.

Mar 27 – Pleasant. Sarah went to church. I went over to Fathers in Evening.

Mar 28 – Sawed of my bed slats. Jef Chaffee[31] went through on the noon train. Bot beef 45. Sent letter to J. S. King 3¢. Dan Hunting paid 15¢. Lucy came on the train with Jeff. Puled up my slatts.

Mar 29 – Worked on W^m Johnson Ex. Went down to W^m Eldreds. Lucy went home. Finished Johnsons Ex. Filed saw for P. Johnson.

Mar 30 – Bot file 15¢. Filed two saws for A. B. Sumner 40 one for D. K. Rogers. Sumner paid 40¢. Worked on moddle. Oscar Keith[32] called here.

Mar 31 – Worked on moddle some. Filed saw for P. Johnson. Made arrow for Eugene Cory 10¢. Sarah Rogers here to Dinner. Egene paid 10¢. Bot rubber for moddle 10¢. Oscar went home.

Apr 1 – Went up to Wesleys Fathers Milfords and Jesse Earls. Albina sick. Went into canc___. Sent letter to J. S. King (Tomlinson)[33] 3¢.

Apr 2 – Finished Pilgrims buggy box 2. Wesley came down & killed pig.

Apr 3 – At home all day. Very pleasant sun shown all day.

Apr 4 – Rained all day. Went to town meeting. Elias Sherman & Mr Flanders here to dinner.

Apr 5 – Charley Lee here to dinner. Made ramrod for Frank Bachelder 10¢. Let S. M. Grimes have stick for Evener 10¢. Carried old stove down to Hardwa___ it weighed 208 lbs 1.¼¢ pr pound. Bot Box ointment 25¢.

Apr 6 – Bot gate hangings 90¢ wire 3¢. Hung small gate. Heard Bill Rogers Lucy & Mary Johnson stayed all night. Ethen came over. Bot nails 7¢.

Apr 7 – Filed saw for Bigsby 50¢. Went down to Lois & streator. Got my gate ketch fixd.

Apr 8 – Put ketch & spring on gate. Bot salt 10¢ Bot nails 48¢. Put some rails on fence. Pilgrim paid 2.00. Recd letter from J. S. K.[34] sent letter to D. M. Hall 3¢.

Apr 9 – Went over to Fathers. Ethen came home to stay. Finished puting on fence rails. Bot thread 8¢.

Apr 10 – Bot salearatas[35] 13¢. Finished my moddle. Went over to Fathers. Sarah went to Mrs W^m Aldrich funeral.

Apr 11 – Filed saw for Joseph Lee.[36] Filed saw for Mr seaman 20¢. Set saw for old Mr Adams. Made Evener for Mr _______ 50.

Apr 12 – Bot 2 lbs nails 16¢ one try squair 38¢ Bot books for Ethen 1.50¢. Mr _______ paid 150¢. Filed saw for Wesley. Finished my fence. Milford brot wood.

Apr 13 – Took out butry. Byrons folks snowed in to day. Eight bed bottoms came from D. M. Hall.

Apr 14 – Got Eight bed bottoms freight 50¢. Filed saw for W^m Eldred 25¢. Mrs Hoges paid 25¢. Lathed up the kitchen.

Apr 15 – By[37] plastered up the Kitchen. I worked round house some. Went up to Cummings.

Apr 16 – Carried one bottom over to C. P. Galligans. Carried 5 over to Fathers. Put in bottom for Catharine. Sent letter to Brad 3¢. Pros[38] came up. Oatman paid 10¢. Gave 50¢ to Mrs Dewey that was burnt out. Pros came.

Apr 17 – Went over At home all day. Henry[39] came home.

Apr 18 – Went down to Kalamazoo put in bed bottom for Frank Galligan. Bot cotton cloth two bosoms one pair shoes 75¢. Went & saw white negro 10¢. Bot 105 yards webing 45.96¢. Went to panorama 25.

Apr 19 – Trimed currant bushes. Cleaned up round garden. Made Mrs Austin 5 window sticks. Mrs Smith buried. Got lime to whitewash the kitchen.

Apr 20 – Worked in garden put up leach piled up stone burnt brush. Pros came back from Flanders. Bot lime 15¢.

Apr 21 – Worked round garden piled some wood. Martin Turner[40] called here. Catherine & Lucy[41] here. Got cupboard of Mrs Wiseman. Recd letter from Brad.

Apr 22 – Went up to Luke Chace Joseph Flanders & Ambrose Browns[42] put bed bottoms. D. M. Hall called here. E. P. Oatman paid 5.00 Ezra Mansfield[43] died this morning.

Apr 23 – E. P. Oatman paid 5.00 for bed bottom. Cut Peter Johnsons hair 10¢. Bot buts screws & lock 30. Extracted tooth for Mr Struble 25¢. Pros went up to Battle Creek.

Apr 24 – At home all day. Rained all day. Mr Mansfields funeral to day.

Apr 25 – Mr Mansfield buried. Wiseman paid 10¢. Bot spider 50¢. Made machine to turn buckles on turned some cut some rubber. Pros came back. Sold Galligan two & half bushels apples ___ 2.25¢.

Apr 26 – Turned some buckles. W^m Batt got axhelve 1.00. Made Jack plane for Shed Sheeley. Cut rubber in Evening. J. T. Warren called here to see me to get agency for bed bottoms.

Apr 27 – Worked on planes. Finished Sheds planes finished cutting my rubber. Had 855 springs. Pros went down to the county house.

Apr 28 – Picked up stuff in shop & barn. Sold 171 lbs old iron 2.56¢ 8 lbs nutts 80¢. Bot three dozen Eggs of Father 10¢ pr dozen.

Apr 29 – Piled lumber in barn. Turned 182 buckles for Wiseman turned some 200 buckles for B. Clark. Hiram[44] sent 168 Dollars let Mrs Betts have 15.00¢. Paid school bill 1.03 bot paper 5¢.

Apr 30 – Dressed out some slatts. Filed saw for Darling 20¢. Henry came down. Mr Flanders got his potatoes.

May 1 – At home. Went over to Fathers with By. Henry went home.

May 2 – Dressed some slats. Frank Burlingham called here worked on box some. Bot pants for Ethen 65¢. Sent letter to J. S. King 3¢. Pros let me have one cent. Pros went to Battlecreek.

May 3 – Made wagon box for Wesley. Dressed out slatts. Received letter from Pros. A. J. Bradford came back. Barber brot up B. Clarks grist from mill.

May 4 – Finished Edging slats. Bradford came over put in sond board for A. Austin. Father came over this morning. Bot bar soap 12¢.

May 5 – Ethen came over with Nance. Got out manure. Bot oil 45¢. By came home in the Evening.

May 6 – Worked round yard some. Got out some slats. Put slats out to day. Got out some stuf for guitar box. Thunder shower in night. Filed two saws for Hunting 30¢.

May 7 – Made guitar trunk for Bell Galligan 1.50. Repaired parasol 10. Recd of Gates &c 25¢. Repaired trunk for Mrs Betts.

May 8 – Went over to Fathers. Alvan Lee[45] there.

May 9 – Bot two pairs shoes for the girls 2.50¢. Bot broom 30¢. Wesley brot 170 slats from L. T. Earls. Dressed out 100 slats. Sawmill caut fire in Evening.

May 10 – Dressed some slats. Filed saw for Williams 20¢ filed saw for Barber 15¢. Put Wesleys wagon box together. Extracted two teeth for Mary Clark 50¢.

May 11 – Groved all my slats. Put handle on guitar trunk. Sarah Lois & youngones went over to Fathers. Bot paper 5¢.

May 12 – Went up to L. T. Earls. Got about 200 slats. Tightened box in Bristols buggy wheel.

May 13 – Went over to Fathers got plow plowed my garden. Took plow home. Got grist from mill. Got wheat of Jo Flanders 4 bushels.

May 14 – Bot paper 5¢. Planted peas onions lettauce potatoes & corn.

May 15 – Went up to Flanders. Got my colt took her down to Catharines Mr Cook Darling & Bot paper 5¢.

May 16 – Draged part of garden planted some corn potatoes & beans peas. Mr Bristol paid 25¢. Paid for Mrs Betts bed bottom 5.00.

May 17 – Built Austins fence 2.50. Extracted tooth for Dutch girl 25¢. Sarah Lois & children went up to Swaddles. Mrs Betts went to Kalamazoo.

May 18 – Dressed out some slats. Tinkered violins some. Gave old Mr Adams 50¢. By Clark got home in night.

May 19 – Finished dressing slats. Patent right man here. My End strips came one hundred 8.15¢.

May 20 – Patent right man bot my rubber spring & slat 25¢. Finished groveing slats. Tacked in some rubber.

May 21 – Tacking in rubber. Filed saw for J. B. Holden 30¢ filed saw for J. Jackson 25¢. Mr Flanders & Henry[46] called. Bot buttons 12. Let Sarah have 50¢.

May 22 – Went up north in woods in morning. Sarah went to church.

May 23 – Finished puting in rubber. Bot tacks 70¢. Made roling stick for Gates & Sherwood 25¢.

May 24 – Took bed botom out of J. T. Warrens bed oone out of R. Ransoms bed. Put one into Griffins bed. Tacked some rubber.

May 25 – Tacked in some rubber. Filed saw for Mr. [blank] 20¢. Bot cabbage plants 12¢. Lucy & Kit Matthews here to breakfast & Dinner. Charley Bronson left on the noon train. Eleck got his violin 50¢.

May 26 – Finished rounding my slats. Earls sawyer got his violin paid 1.00. Turned some buckles. All went and saw Benj Moores pictures 50¢.

May 27 – Went up to A. Chipmans put in bed bottom put in one for Mr Ralph. Sent to Kalamzoo by Oatman. Bot one Dog paper 4. oz tacks 40¢. Bent some buckles.

May 28 – Finished my buckles. Tacked in all my springs. Put in bed bottom for Lois. Let Hannah have 10¢. Father called here. Bot beef 60¢.

May 29 – At home all day head ache. Pleasant. Mr Flanders & Henry called here with their new buggy.

May 30 – Finished up buckles. Extracted tooth for Mr Quick 25¢. Filed saw for Mr Olin 25¢. Mr Bradfor & A. A. man called here.

May 31 – Put in buckles in end strips. Mrs Betts went to Kalamazoo got her teeth 25.00. Mr Bradford went to Otsego. Went over to Fathers. Bot butter 45¢.

Jun 1 – Finished my bed bottoms. Brad got me some rubber. Cut stencil plate. Marked my Ends. Bot ticket for Chicago (2.50.

Jun 2 – Went over to Fathers repaired pump. Bot hat for Jim[47] 20¢. Made buckles for moddle. Sawed out stuf for moddle. Mr [blank] paid 25¢. Catharine & Hellen here.

Jun 3 – Bot buts screws & lock glass & putty 52¢ bot steel ring 5¢.

Jun 4 – Mad moddle for By Clark. Paid Rich Blackburn 7.30¢ for pants cloth. Filed saw for Mr Seman 15¢.

Jun 5 – Went over to Fathers with B. Clark Ethen Nancy Hannah & Charley went.

Jun 6 – Went over to Fathers. Cleaned up wheat. Mr Seeley paid 3.00. Got hair cut 20¢.

Jun 7 – Went to Kalamazoo fare 50. Bot hat 3.00 deeds 4.00 cap 75¢ pictur frame 1.25¢ fare 60 _____ Harmen Smith paid 2.00. Sarah bot sundries 19.25¢. Received 20.00.

Jun 8 – Struble paid 25¢. Worked in shop some on box. Wiseman stamped some Ends. Bot lining for my trunk 25¢.

Jun 9 – Mad box for my springs. Bot nails 15¢. Oatman & Wiseman worked on bed bottoms.

Jun 10 – Went to Kalamazoo bot iron 29¢ apple 1¢ fare both ways 50¢ carrier for trunk 2.00. Packed one bunch slats.

Jun 11 – Packed my slats. Harriet Perry & Sarah Miller called here.

Jun 12 – Went over to Celia Newmans. Saw old Mrs Petersons likeness. Went down to burying ground.

Jun 13 – Finished packing my slats and took them to the station.

Jun 14 – Shelled corn and worked round barn. Old cow calved this morning.

Jun 15 – Went over to Fathers got some butter and some money he paid 40. Catharine gave me a wallet. Got mony of Catharine 126.00[?].

Jun 16 – Father got calf one Dollar 1.00. Catharine paid 5.00 for bed bottom. A Austin paid 5__ Blackburn paid 15¢. Got boots fixed 20¢. Hunting paid 40¢.

Jun 17 – Went over to Fathers & A. Browns. Bot snuff & candy 5¢. Let Sarah have 5.00 Nancy & Hanna 25¢. Left for Mattawan on the 145 train. Went and saw aunt Electa from there over to Carolines saw uncle Warren. Verry hot.

Jun 18 – Left Carles about noon left Mattawan at three got to Niles about five. Found Henry[48] in shop.

Jun 19 – At Niles. Went over to Mr Vincents. Saw a patent plow a nice thing it was.

Jun 20 – Left Niles fifteen minutes to five got to Chicago about nine left at ten carrying trunk 50 fare to Milwaukee 2.50¢ _____ carried trunk up to hotel 50¢.

Jun 21 – Went over into city saw tim Matthews. Payed freight 6.87 one groce screws 85¢. Put in one bed bottom at Niagara Hotel 6.00

Jun 22 – Went over in city. Put in bed bottom in one of Matthews bedsteads. Bot inkstand and pen holder 30¢ one package Envelopes 10¢ letter 3¢ paper 5¢.

Jun 23 – Went up to the Lacrosse Depoe went to Matthews Store. Sent letter to J. S. King. Sold bed bottom to Matthews 5.00. Bot collars 40.

Jun 24 – Carried my slatts up to Lacrosse Depo 75¢. Went to Omro[49] got there about eight. Fare from Milwaukee to Omro 3.65 apples 5¢.

Jun 25 – Got my trunk carried up to Roberts[50] 25¢. At Roberts all day. Robert came home in Evening. Verry hot and dry.

Jun 26 – At home all day until most night. Went over to Coffees saw Mr & Mrs Coffee.

Jun 27 – Freight on Bed Bottoms from Milwaukee to Omro 2.37. Sent letter to Sarah 9¢. Took my bottoms up to Roberts. Put in one in to Cabinet shop Mr Hunters. Robert went over to Winneconne.[51]

Jun 28 – Put in one to Roberts. Sent letter to J. S. King 3. Louesa[52] gone a visiting. I am not very well. Went down town. Some rainy. The first rain they had had in over two months.

Jun 29 – Runing around Omro. Rained some. Went over to Coffes. Sent letter to Henry 3¢. I went over to Mr Bunkers with Louesa & Syntha.[53]

Jun 30 – Went down town in morning. Went into shingle factory. Put in bed bottom for Bardwell Omro. Hoed corn some after noon.

Jul 1 – Not very well at Roberts. Hoed corn some. Went up to Coffes took dinner.

Jul 2 – Went down town in the morning. Most sick head ache and back ache. No work to day.

Jul 3 – At roberts. We went over to Coffees just at night and down to the Boat Omro.

Jul 4 – Robert went over to Winneconne. Sent letter to Sarah 3¢. Went up to Coffees. Stayed at Roberts most of the day. Not very well. A big house burned here afternoon in lower[?] town.

Jul 5 – Hoing corn this morning in Omro. Went down town. Bot shaving cup of Mr Bardwell 25¢. Darwin and Mariah here to day. Yanky Robinsons show in town to day. Went down to show ground bot candy 5¢.

Jul 6 – Went down town and over to Coffees took dinner then went down town with Coffee.

Jul 7 – Went down to post office sent letter to J. S. K. 3¢. Went round the squair on Bunker Street. Lady broke slat to moddle. Mad another at Hunters shop.

Jul 8 – At all day. Picked black rasberries & currants. Robert came home. Recd a letter from Ethen. Went over to Coffees at night.

Jul 9 – Picked berries and picked over currants. Went over to Winneconne after Robbert had Mr Coffees team.

Jul 10 – At home all day. Robert and I went to hear a woman lecture in Evening on spiritualism.

Jul 11 – Went over to Winneconne. Put in two bed bottoms one for Mr Peterson one for Mr Webster. Mr Peterson paid 3.00¢. Sent letter to Sarah 3¢.

Jul 12 – Went to Delhi Eureka and Waukau. Py and cake at Eureka 25¢. Found Horse shoe gave it to Mr Bishop. Went on foot and walkers line 15 miles.

Jul 13 – At home all day. Not very well. Went up to Coffees and down town twice. Some home sick.

Jul 14 – Went up to Eureka put in two bottoms one for Mr Bromley 6.00 one for Mr Leonard 6.00. Hired wagon of livery .75.

Jul 15 – At Roberts all day. Not very well. Kind of a diavol___ boulous. Robert came home.

Jul 16 – Robert went to Winneconne. Mr Webster paid 6.00 Mr Peterson paid 3.00 Mr Bardwell paid 5.75¢.

Jul 17 – Went up to Eureka with Robert and Coffee. Took dinner at Mr Stones.

Jul 18 – At home all day. Went down town in morning. Robert went to Winneconne. Rained some. Sick with cold.

Jul 19 – Went down town in morning. Sent letter to Sarah 3¢. Not very well. Made chain and ball.

Jul 20 – Went over to Coffees. They drawed in hay. I stayed took dinner. Coffee plowed Roberts garden. I put in bed bottom to Roberts.

Jul 21 – Put in bed bottom for Coffee he paid 5.00. Hoed corn in fore noon. Packed slats for Depere.[54] Bot candy 5¢.

Jul 22 – Went to Oshkosh. Took dinner with Aunt Mary. Put in bed bottom for Lyman Rumry 6.00. Went to Depere. Fare from Oshkosh to Depere 1.55. Got to Kings[55] about one in the night. Found them well.

Jul 23 – Went over to the depo with King got trunk & one bottom. Put in bottom to Burnells.[56] Raked hay some.

Jul 24 – At Burnells all day. Very warm.

Jul 25 – Worked some in hay field spread and raked hay. Very hot.

Jul 26 – Went up to Kings place stoped and took dinner with Edith Leroy.[57] Mowing for Burnell. Received letter from Lois. Went to Depere with Leroy[58] and Burnell. Sent letter to Sarah 3¢.

Jul 27 – Went over to little falls with King and Leroy. Went down to Barneses after goos berries. Very hot.

Jul 28 – Went over to Mr Torreys and to a funeral at Mr McDonalds child. Very hot day. Got home about dark.

Jul 29 – Went over to Mr Woodards in forenoon to Mr Phelps in after noon. King traded Horses. Very hot.

Jul 30 – Hot. At Burnells all day. No work to day. Hotest weather I have seen in a long time. Sweat sweat al the time.

Jul 31 – Very hot morning. At Bernells all day. They went to church.

Aug 1 – Went up on Kings farm round Bernells place. Found some nice blackberries. Jonas & Edith here to tea.

Aug 2 – Went to Depere with King. He sold a heifer. Sent letter to Sarah 3¢. Recd one from home. All well.

Aug 3 – At Kings. Went up to Leroys. Burnell took bridge to build. I went to Depere with King. Made a bargain with King. Sold him Fond Dulac & Brown Countys. Bot violin & cloths wringer.

Aug 4 – Went to Mr Newtons with King Edith & Sarah had a good visit. Quite warm. Doc Adams and lady there.

Aug 5 – Hunting bees and round home. Very hot and dry.

Aug 6 – Hunting Bees again. All went up to Leroys to dinner. Went and picked some Black berries after noon. Stayed there to tea. Very warm.

Aug 7 – At Kings all day. Very hot and dry. Burnell and Sarah went over to Glenmore to meeting.

Aug 8 – Alfired hot day. Made part of moddle for King. Burnell commenced his job on bridge.

Aug 9 – Worked on moddle some. Went Black berrying in after noon. Very hot.

Aug 10 – Went to Depere. Put in bed bottom for Tom Jackson. Took wringer to peaces. Very hot night.

Aug 11 – Hot as ever very dry. At Burnells all day. Recd letter from Sarah. Wrote to Ethen.

Aug 12 – Went down to the Bay. Saw Luke Whitcomb. Went to Mr Bobottoms took dinner. Had a heavy shower got wet.

Aug 13 – Very warm morning. Worked on Kings moddle got it done all but the loops & dressing the slats.

Aug 14 – At home all day. Went up to Leroys in the Evening. Quite cool.

Aug 15 – At home all day. Went out picked some Blackberries &c.

Aug 16 – Went to Depere put in Bed bottom for Mr Baldwin Freight Agent. Put in one for J. S. King. Sent letter to Sarah 3¢. Bot stamps 25¢ candy 5¢ Leroy 5¢.

Aug 17 – Worked on violin box. Sawed out slats for moddle some extra ones for mine &c.

Aug 18 – Went to Green Bay got my pattern. Bot stamps 25 screws 13¢. Had headache[?] _____. Ed Newton came here.

Aug 19 – Went to Depere put in bed bottom for Mr _____ one for Mr March. Jim bot tools of Mr Buck. Bot brads 5.

Aug 20 – Finished my box to put violin in. King went to the Bay got iron to make buckles on. No rain yet.

Aug 21 – At home all day. Went up to Leroys in Evening. Had some melons.

Aug 22 – Worked on Jims trunk to carry moddle in. Went to Depere. Bot stamps ___ Bot envelopes 18¢. Sent letter to Henry 3¢. Received letter from Sarah.

Aug 23 – Finished Kings moddle and finished trunk. Worked some on bench. Mr Torrey and Lady here to dinner. All went up to Leroys and took tea. Rainy day.

Aug 24 – Work on bench to turn buckles on. Sent Sarah five Dollars 5.00¢ letter 3¢.

Aug 25 – Worked on Kings trunk. Mr Hood[?] Mrs Phelps Mrs Kiper and Mrs Scott here to dinner and Tea.

Aug 26 – Went to Depere and Mr Newtons Mr Wisharts and Mr Barths. Saw Ed Newton.

Aug 27 – Varnished Kings moddle. Cleaned up Revolver. ___ King worked on road in fore noon. Rained some.

Aug 28 – At home all day. Rather home sick. Dont know what I shall do next.

Aug 29 – Went with King and Leroy out to Popple______ Krishborns and others. Came home by the big falls the hardest road I ever traveled. Burnell commenced digging his well. Mr Wishart digs it.

Aug 30 – Round home all day. _____ violin ___inger and made case for violin bow.

Aug 31 – Went down Devil river to Rick[?] Monroes. Got some turnips. Took watch of King. Went over to Mr Torrys with Burnell. Got cow.

Sep 1 – Made box for Burnell to draw dirt out of well. King and I drawed out dirt in afternoon.

Sep 2 – Went to Green Bay with Jim. Bot ink paper and pens & cakes 30¢. King got his trunk covered. I received letter from Sarah.

Sep 3 – Went over to Mr Torreys put in bed bottom for Roscoe Torry. Went to Depere. King got his tool box.

Sep 4 – Round home most of the day. Went up to Leroys had some melons.

Sep 5 – At Burnells all day. Streaked of Kings moddle trunk. Had the blues all day. Made out Kings Deed.

Sep 6 – At Burnells not doing much. King paid 200 Dollars.

Sep 7 – Made board for King to grove slats on. Worked on well some in morning. Rained most all day.

Sep 8 – At Burnells. Worked some on well. Packed my trunk and so forth. Went up to Leroys in Evening. Eat mellons. Sent letter to Sarah 3¢.

Sep 9 – Left Kings half past four for Omro fare 1.55 licence 6.67 second hand 25¢ dray carying trunk 25 fare from Oshkosh to Omro 60¢ dinner 50¢. Got to Roberts about five after noon. Quite a thunder shower in Evening.

Sep 10 – At Roberts. Hard head ache all day. Recd a letter from Henry. Robert was of thrashing.

Sep 11 – At Roberts. Wrote letter to Sarah. Went over to Coffees just at night. All well.

Sep 12 – Sent letter to Sarah 3¢. Put hair in violin Bow for Edward Cass. He worked for John Wilcox nurseryman Omro. Split wood.

Sep 13 – Rainy morning at Roberts. Split all the wood. Went over to Coffees. Robert got letter from his mother. Louesa had a girl[59] born about nine in Evening.

Sep 14 – Went to Oshkosh fare down 60¢. Let Robert have five Dollars $5.00. Dinner 25. Went & saw Mrs Mary Whickersham.[60]

Sep 15 – Supper lodging & Breakfast 1.00¢. Went to Appleton fare 75¢. Fare from Neenah 50 to Oshkosh.

Sep 16 – Put in two bed bottoms for Joseph Neglar 10.00 bot one pr gloves 1.00. Got Hair cut 20¢. Supper Lodg^ing Breakfast 1.00 fare from Oshkosh to Omro 50¢ one groce screws 87¢.

Sep 17 – Went over north side river saw the best fountain I ever saw. Went and saw Robert thrash at Mr Soddies. Bot small Bottle camphor 15¢. Rained like fun while at post office in Evening.

Sep 18 – Rather cool morning. At Roberts all day. Robert & Coffee went and saw the fountain. I was sick took a smartweed sweat. Robert paid $5.00. Let him have one Dollar.

Sep 19 – Went down to Hunters. Got bed bottom put it in to Mr Russels bed. Bot stamps and candy 14¢.

Sep 20 – Went up to Waukau fare up and back 50¢ supper 35¢. Went all over Waukau sold nary bottom.

Sep 21 – At Roberts all day. Some rainy. Not very well. Went down town in morning. Mrs Coffee here a visiting.

Sep 22 – Rained in morning. Robert went over river to thrash. I was sick all day hard head ache.

Sep 23 – Some better head ache some. Bot vial for ink 5¢. Stayed at Roberts all day. Sent letter to Sarah 3.

Sep 24 – Went over to Rices stayed all night. Very windy. Rice commenced plowing.

Sep 25 – Rices folks went over to Roberts stayed until most night. Went out to the old place where the Elder[61] used to live.

Sep 26 – At Roberts. Took Bottom out of Russels bed. Went up to Eureka fare 30¢. Stayed all night.

Sep 27 – Rainy. Supper lodging and breakfast and fare to Berlin 1.50¢ fare from Berlin to Junction 35¢ lay at Junction from one until eight in evening fare to Omro 70¢.

Sep 28 – At Roberts. Packed up my slats and end strips. Went over to Coffees and down to station. Sent letter to Sarah 3¢.

Sep 29 – At Roberts all day. Rocked cradle most of the time. Put arm and post in little chair. Sick with cold.

Sep 30 – At Roberts. Pleasant. Doing nothing. About sick with hard cold. Robert came home in evening.

Oct 1 – At Robert Crawfords in Omro. Hard cold home sick doing nothing and no prospect of doing any thing in Omro. Recd letter from Sarah.

Oct 2 – Went over to Coffees stayed to dinner. Robert & Louesa went over.

Oct 3 – Lft Omro about 9 A.M. went to Oshkosh. Mrs Coffee and Henry went with us. Left 15 Bed bottoms eighteen end strips with Joseph Nagler to sell at $5.00 each. Left Oshkosh about six PM fare to Chicago 6.80¢.

Oct 4 – Got to Chicago half past six in morning bus charge 150 crackers candy and apple cakes &c 55¢ fare from Chicago to Galesburg 4.55¢. Got home one oclock AM.

Oct 5 – At home all day. Lois very sick. John R and wife here. Mark Lee[62] here.

Oct 6 – At home sick. Hellen[63] here. Lois some better. Mark came over. Let Mrs Betts have ten Dollars.

Oct 7 – Went over to Fathers stayed all day. Rainy. Lucy came home with me stayed all night.

Oct 8 – At home all day. Very cold snowed some.

Oct 9 – At home all day not very well.

Oct 10 – Went over the river with sheep. Went down to Fathers. Topt some sorgum. Catharine came over with me.

Oct 11 – Made one pair mittens for P. Johnson. Extracted tooth for Larry Lamkins 50¢. Bot ointment 4¢ Corporation tax 21¢.

Oct 12 – At home doing nothing. Sent letter to J. S. King 3¢. Alfleda[64] went home on the two oclock train. She gave me 5¢.

Oct 13 – At home. Filed saw for A. L. Mason 25¢. Bot candy 5¢. Mark Lee called here. Saw Ozro Blakeslee.

Oct 14 – Went over to Fathers. Took pipe out of my well. Gave Hannah and Nancy 20.

Oct 15 – At home dug some potatoes and finished my gloves.

Oct 16 – Went down to Cooks to see my colt. Went down to Charles Lees[65] found Mark there.

Oct 17 – Payed Uncle Chi 1.50 for chairs. Went over to Fathers got load pumpkins. Oscar came here.

Oct 18 – Orvil Wilcox and wife here. Went over to Fathers dug some potatoes picked some apples. Filed saw for Nelson Mills 25¢.

Oct 19 – Went over to Fathers picked up apples. Mills paid 25¢. Saw A. J. Bradford. Put in three small boxes in Wightmans wagon.

Oct 20 – Went over to Fathers dug potatoes. Jo York[66] lost one of his horses.

Oct 21 – Finished diging Fathers potatoes. Got four bushels potatoes some apples. Bot one Bushel turnips 50. Glued Bass viol 50.

Oct 22 – Spalding got Bass viol. Filed saw for Souls 50. Got end strips for King. Cut 2 prs gloves for W^m Ralph 25. Bot file 25. Sherwood paid 1.03¢ one dollar of King.

Oct 23 – At home all day. Sarah went to church.

Oct 24 – Sent letter to Robert 3. Filed saw for Souls 50 filed saw for Whiting 50 Souls paid 50. Filed saw for Jo Lee 25. Cut gloves for Ristor.

Oct 25 – Filed saw for Marshal Austin 25. Paid A. J. Bra $100. One Hundred Dollars. Filed saw for Starling 30 Whiting paid 30¢. Bradford left. John Lees boy[67] was buried to day.

Oct 26 – Sent letter to J. S. King 3. Went over to Fathers came back dug some potatoes.

Oct 27 – Filed saw for Stranger lives over by Williams 25. Went over to Fathers.

Oct 28 – Went down to Comstock with load shuger cane. Wallace McLallen paid 3.00¢.

Oct 29 – Made pen for pig. Mr Billings called here. Rainy. Spalding got Bass viol he paid 50¢.

Oct 30 – At home all day nothing turned uncommon.

Oct 31 – Husked corn for Father. He killed a pig. Mark was there.

Nov 1 – Husked corn finished carried load pumpkin over home. Hiram came.

Nov 2 – Carried of one hundred and six bushels wheat for Father.

Nov 3 – Went up to Hartwells. Made 57 galons cider paid 55¢. Hiram left. Snowed fell some 5 inches.

Nov 4 – Snowey. Filed saw for Holden 20¢ set saw for Hunting 10¢. Clark paid 1.50¢.

Nov 5 – Went over to Fathers got two bushels wheat 3.60. Went down to Comstock after syrup no get him.

Nov 6 – At home all day. Sarah went to church.

Nov 7 – Worked in shop some on P. Johsens cutter. Bot one pair Boots 7.00 2 pairs shoes 4.00 one pound crackers 15. P. Johnson paid 50¢.

Nov 8 – Went to election. Bot one Bottle Dipthera medicine 50 Bot one Box caps 10¢.

Nov 9 – Rainy some thunder rained hard most all day. Worked in shop sawed out stuff for cutter box. David Henyon and Dick Whiting called here.

Nov 10 – Worked in shop some on cutter. Bot soap 8¢.

Nov 11 – Worked on cutter got out knees and beams mortised runners. Bot oil 50¢. Snowey day.

Nov 12 – Worked in shop all day repairs on bo_____ 80. Snowey and cold rather dugl____ weather.

Nov 13 – Cold raw weather. Oscar started for home. I went over to Fathers. Old Mr Wheaton[68] died to day.

Nov 14 – Worked on Johnsons cutter. By went to Kalam[69] bot pair thills 1.00¢. Mr. Wheaton buried to day.

Nov 15 – Went up to Milfords. Went to Comstock got syrup.

Nov 16 – Worked in shop put cutter together. Addis Wilcutt[70] here left for home. Oscars folks came. Milford brot 7/8 cord blocks.

Nov 17 – Worked in shop on cutter. Bot load straw of Swaddle ___ 1.00¢.

Nov 18 – Worked on cutter. Filed saw for Hunting 20. He paid 18.

Nov 19 – Made circle and whiffletrees for Jesse Earls Buggy 1.75. He paid 1.50¢.

Nov 20 – At home all day. Ethen came over.

Nov 21 – Worked in shop on cutter. Bot screws and nails 65¢. Filed saw for Hunting 25¢ Hunting paid 20¢.

Nov 22 – Worked on cutter. Bot screws and nails 23¢. Ed Gillis paid 25.

Nov 23 – Worked on cutter box all day.

Nov 24 – Finished cutter. P. Johnson paid 50. Sarah went over to Fathers. Old Mrs Berge & Columbus Palmer stayed all night.

Nov 25 – Tinkering in shop some made Jimmy a slead. Mark Lee and Geo. Turner[71] called here.

Nov 26 – Worked in shop. Made bell box for Albert Wightman 75¢. Starling paid 30¢.

Nov 27 – Went over to Fathers. Edgar Howlett[72] buried to day.

Nov 28 – Worked in shop casing windows. Paid out 5¢. Mr Austin and wife came here.

Nov 29 – Casing windows. Bot nails 40 beer 10. Saw Blackburn he called here.

Nov 30 – Made new pipe to to pump and put it in well. Let Nancy have 5¢. Mr Austins folks left.

Dec 1 – Worked in shop casing windows. Bot 25 lbs Flour 1.25¢ bot two files 50. Jesse Earl paid 25¢.

Dec 2 – Casing windows some. Filed saw for Odell 50¢ pd filed saw for Hunting 25 pd filed saw for Souls 30¢ filed saw for Scramlin 40.

Dec 3 – Finished casing my windows. Stoped up sellar window. Lois came home.

Dec 4 – At home all day. Sarah went to church. Uncle Sam Percival[73] died this evening.

Dec 5 – Filled leach. Filed saw for Odell 40¢. Souls paid 30¢.

Dec 6 – Filed 2 saws for D. K. Rogers 80¢. Sold B. Moore 300 spokes. He paid 4.00. Halled over lumber in barn. Uncle Sam buried to day.

Dec 7 – Went over to Fathers up to Wesleys and Yorks. D. K. Rogers paid 75¢. Bot thread 15¢.

Dec 8 – Very cold and blustering. Went up to Harreits. Got five bushels corn 5.00¢.

Dec 9 – Fixed door sill. Cut out bob runners &c. Cold 6 below zero. Went down to B. Moores shop in evening. Got volin bow.

Dec 10 – Worked in shop some. Filed saw for Marshal Austin 30¢. Bot 100 bbs bean 1.15¢ Bot Ethen cap 75 Bot paper 5¢.

Dec 11 – At home. All well as usual.

Dec 12 – Put in two knees in bob for W^m Eldred 1.50.

Dec 13 – Repaired Violin Box for Ed Gillis 25¢. Hung ax for Pilgrim he paid 10¢. Mended comb for Lucy. Catharine and Lucy here. Sawed out some runners. Paid W^m Batt $1.00. Bot one paper brads 15¢. Galligan got his cutter.

Dec 14 – Worked in shop some. W^m Eldred pd 1.50 Scramlin pd 50. Bot wood 4.50 Bot box 25¢. Filed saw for Hunting 25¢.

Dec 15 – Snows this morning. Bot thread 15¢ Bot file 25¢. Ed Gillis paid 50¢. Went over to Fathers got syrup 1.25¢. Albert Wightman Brot home on the night train.[74]

Dec 16 – Filed saw for Lankford Burdick 50 filed saw for Williams 50. Bot sulpher 10¢ Bot salearatas 15¢. Made craw to hang lamp on. Cut one pr mittens for Jo Flanders.

Dec 17 – Filed saw for Souls 25. Burdick paid 50. Moved my bench.

Dec 18 – At home all day. Albert Wightman Buried to day.

Dec 19 – Filed saw for Mr Stevenson 40. Hunting paid 25¢. Sent contract to George Tomlinson 3¢.

Dec 20 – Worked in shop some. Bot cinnamen 30.

Dec 21 – Hung ax for Benedict 10. Clark filed saw. No work to day. Ed and Mary[75] came up to day.

Dec 22 – Made well hook for Mrs Hodges 25. Eds folks went home on evening express. Let Hannah have 5¢ Nancy 5¢.

Dec 23 – Worked on Halls Moddle. Fred Reading called in. Bob Aldrich was buried to day.

Dec 24 – Went up to Yorks went down West hunting got one turky. Had a long chase after him.

Dec 25 – At home all day. Sarah went to church. Clarks folks went up to Brady. Nancy went with them.

Dec 26 – Worked in shop some on moddle. Made cross bar to C. P. Galligans cutter thills 75¢. Benj Moore paid __.00. Sent letter to J. S. King 3¢. Ethen brot 1½ bushels corn 1.50¢.

Dec 27 – Made pitman to By Clarks saw mended comb for Mrs Wiseman. Clark brot load hay.

Dec 28 – Worked in shop on bob. Stevenson paid 40. Kit Matthews here. Lois went up to Flanders.

Dec 29 – Carried 1½ bushels corn to mill. Bot thread 10. Paid D. K. Rogers 75¢ for tapping Ethens Boots. D. M. Hall got his moddle he paid 3.00. Paid 75 cts for tapping Sarahs shoes.

Dec 30 – No work to day sick with cold.

Dec 31 – Mended comb for Ella Wiseman mended knife for Lois filed saw for Stevenson filed cross cut saw for Mr Burgess 75. Bot candy 10¢.

——-

The following 1865 entries were written in the back of Luke’s 1864 diary:

Jan 1 – Went over to Fathers all well. Sarah went to church in evening. Cecil Flowers buried to day.

Jan 2 – Worked in shop on bob. Sent letter to John Bissel 3¢.

Jan 3 – Bot crackers 15¢. Crackers 15. Killed my hogs 2.75. Worked on bob.

Jan 4 – Let Nancy have 10. Souls paid 25.

——-

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

[2] Charles Luke Keith Sr., who was also referred to as Luke

[3] A bobsleigh, or bobsled

[4] His daughter, Lois (Keith) Clark

[5] Lois’ husband, Byron Clark

[6] His daughter, Hannah Keith

[7] His brother, John Wesley Keith, who, according to the family Bible, was adopted

[8] Raves are the vertical side pieces to a wagon body and the thills are the long shafts between which an animal is fastened when pulling a wagon

[9] His mother-in-law, Nancy (Comfort) Crawford Betts

[10] His son, Ethan Keith

[11] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that Harmenia Joy died January 10, 1864 and is buried in the Galesburg City Cemetery, Galesburg, Michigan

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

[13] 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

[14] Joseph & Helen (Bradley) York; Helen was his niece

[15] Et cetera

[16] His wife, Sarah (Crawford) Keith

[17] The pole, or tongue, of a cart

[18] A felloe, or felly, is the rim of a wheel supported by spokes

[19] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that Fanny Potts died January 25, 1864 and is buried in the Galesburg City Cemetery, Galesburg, Michigan

[20] His daughter, Nancy Keith

[21] An artificial channel or bed of a stream leading water to or from a point where its energy is utilized, such as a mill or a mining claim

[22] At one point, Luke spent quite a bit of time on the road selling “bed bottoms”, a form of rubberized bedsprings

[23] James S. King, his maternal first cousin

[24] Ulmer’s Spring Bed Bottom

[25] His daughter, Louese Jerusha Keith

[26] A search of FindAGrave.com showed that Sarah, the wife of Joseph Warren, died March 14, 1864 and is buried in the Galesburg City Cemetery, Galesburg, Michigan

[27] Perhaps his maternal first cousin who lived in Cummington, Massachusetts

[28] His mother’s sister, Lilly (Willcutt) King

[29] Kate Allerton, age 12, was the sister of Elizabeth Allerton who would become the wife of Luke’s grandson, William Byron Clark

[30] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that Lucina (Camp) Bevier, wife of Henry Bevier, died March 24, 1864 and is buried in Galesburg City Cemetery, Galesburg, Kalamazoo County, Michigan

[31] Thomas Jefferson Chaffee Jr., the husband of Luke’s niece, Frances Catherine “Kate” (Keith) Chaffee

[32] His nephew, James Oscar Keith

[33] George Tomlinson, who was married to Luke’s niece, Marion (Sprague) Tomlinson

[34] James S. King, his maternal first cousin

[35] Saleratus; sodium or potassium bicarbonate used as a leavening agent; baking soda

[36] Joseph W. Lee, his paternal first cousin

[37] His son-in-law, Byron Clark

[38] His brother-in-law, Lucius Prosper Crawford

[39] His son, Henry Keith

[40] His maternal first cousin

[41] Catharine’s daughter, Lucy Irene Lee

[42] His neighbor; Ambrose’s son, Henry Brown, would marry Luke’s daughter, Nancy, in 1872

[43] A search of FindAGrave.com revealed that Ezra Mansfield died April 22, 1864 and is buried in Lawler Cemetery, Augusta, Michigan

[44] His brother-in-law, Hiram Crawford Jr.

[45] The grandson of Luke’s aunt, Rhoda (Keith) & Charles Lee

[46] Henry and his sister, Lois, were the children of Luke and his first wife, Minerva Payson. Minerva died nine days after Henry’s birth. It appears that Lois lived temporarily with Minerva’s parents and Henry lived with Luke’s good friends and neighbors, Joseph & Amanda (Hobbs) Flanders. 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 he lived with them throughout his youth. This seems to be corroborated by the 1860 census showing “Henry L. Flanders,” who I believe was actually Henry L. Keith, age 16, living with Joseph & Amanda

[47] His son, James Clinton Keith

[48] His brother-in-law, Henry Crawford

[49] Omro, Wisconsin

[50] His brother-in-law, Robert Crawford

[51] Winneconne, Wisconsin

[52] Robert’s wife, Louisa (McCann) Crawford

[53] Believe he is referring to Louisa’s sister, Cynthia McCann

[54] De Pere, Wisconsin

[55] His uncle, James Hunt King, the husband of Lilly (Willcutt) King

[56] Luther & Sarah (King) Burnell; Sarah was Luke’s maternal first cousin, the daughter of James & Lilly (Willcutt) King

[57] Edith (King) LeRoy; Edith was also Luke’s maternal first cousin, the daughter of James & Lilly (Willcutt) King

[58] Edith’s husband, Jonas LeRoy

[59] Nothing further is known of this daughter. Since the 1870 census does not list a child born in 1864, it would appear that she died before 1870

[60] Mary (Comfort) Wickersham, who was his wife Sarah’s aunt

[61] Believe he is referring to Sarah’s stepfather, Elder Platt Betts

[62] “Mark” is referred to quite often in Luke’s diaries and it is believed that he is referring to his cousin, Marquis de Lafayette Lee, the oldest son of Dr. Ezekiel and Elizabeth (Strong) Lee. The Lees were Mormons and moved to Nauvoo, Illinois, and eventually to the Salt Lake Valley in 1850. Mark stayed behind to run his father’s farm and was living with his aunt, Catherine (Keith) Bradley Lee

[63] His niece, Helen (Bradley) York

[64] His brother Harvey’s wife, Alfleda (Starr) Keith

[65] Believe he is referring to Mark Lee’s father-in-law

[66] Joseph York, the husband of his niece, Helen (Bradley) York

[67] William Wallace Lee, the son of Nancy (Taylor) and John Warren Lee

[68] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that William Wheaton died November 13, 1864 and is buried in Wheaton Cemetery, Comstock, Kalamazoo County, Michigan

[69] Kalamazoo, Michigan

[70] Addis E. Wolcott, his maternal first cousin

[71] The grandson of Luke’s aunt and uncle, Lydia (Willcutt) & Asa Turner

[72] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that Edgar Howlett died November 25, 1864 and is buried in Galesburg City Cemetery, Galesburg, Kalamazoo County, Michigan

[73] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that Samuel Percival died October (rather than December) 4, 1864 and is buried in Galesburg City Cemetery, Galesburg, Kalamazoo County, Michigan. Believe that the term Uncle was an honorary one as no relationship has been found at this time

[74] A search of FindAGrave.com shows that Charles Albert Wightman died December 14, 1864 in Chicago, Illinois, and is buried in Oak Grove Cemetery, Galesburg, Kalamazoo County, Michigan

[75] Believe this to be his brother-in-law and wife, Edwin & Mary (Hamilton) Crawford

 

Luke Keith’s 1862 Diary

1862 DIARY OF CHARLES LUKE KEITH JR.^[1]

The entries from January 1 through January 16 were first written in the back of his 1861 diary and are basically identical to what he then wrote in his 1862 diary. Anything from 1861 that clarifies the 1862 entries is noted in brackets.

Jan 1 – Filed saw for Bachelder 10¢. Father[2] called here. Bot 5 lbs shugar 55¢ ½ lb Tea 40¢.

Jan 2 – Henry[3] & family left. One lb candles 14¢. Put on some seeling. Apple 1¢.

Jan 3 – Hung ax for Wightman 10¢. Sawed out stuf for cutter box.

Jan 4 – Filed saw for A. Austin 10. Lois[4] went home.

Jan 5 – At home all day.

Jan 6 – Filed saw for Williams [received 15¢] paid 15¢. Worked on cutter. Filed saw for Mead 10¢.

Jan 7 – Worked on cutter. Put on fenders. Received letter from Robert.[5]

Jan 8 – Snowes like fun. Made thills[6] to [Milfords] cutter.

Jan 9 – Moved lumber in to the barn. Sarah[7] went over to Fathers.

Jan 10 – [Work on boddy.] Worked on frame to cutter box.

Jan 11 – Went to Kalamazoo. Bot Hubbs 1.30 one broom 20¢ shoes for Sarah 1.25.

Jan 12 – At home all day.

Jan 13 – [Running around the burg.] Nothing done to day. Bot clothes pins 5¢. Got Hannah[8] shoe tapt 15. Warner moved his things over here.

Jan 14 – Bot file 16¢ paid Tax 4.84. C. R. [Richardson] Brot 1 & 2/4 cords wood. Filed saw for B. Clark.[9] Filed saw for Warren 10¢. Nancy[10] & Hannah went up to Wesleys.[11]

Jan 15 – Worked on [boddy] cutter box. Wightman paid 10¢. Put handle on fork for Peter Johnson 5. Ethen[12] went down to Catharines.[13]

Jan 16 – Worked on cutter box. Bot screws 10. Bot [Diary] this Book price 38 cts. Sarah went home with Byron.

Jan 17 – Worked on cutter box. Put guards on Richardsons bobs 25¢. Ed Childs making slead.

Jan 18 – Worked on Box some. Ed to work on slead. Filed saw for Mr Smith 10¢. Let Mr Rauson have stick for whiffletree[14] 4¢. Plenty snow.

Jan 19 – Went up to Yorks[15] & Fathers. Called to Milfords.

Jan 20 – Worked on cutter put on dash. Bot nails & screws 9¢. Milford called here in Evening. Let Wesley have $4 & 50 cents.

Jan 21 – Worked on cutter. Finished Milfords cutter. Made pattern for shoes.

Jan 22 – Worked on bobs. Let pond have plank 2.25 cts. Father Brot Beef. Charley got cutter. B. Moore got wheel. Bot two candles 5¢.

Jan 23 – Worked on bobs. Extracted tooth for Elder Austin. Mr Maffit here. Made sausage pessle for D. Lamkin.

Jan 24 – Worked on bobs. Made neap[16] for Charles Richardson 75 cts. Bot one apple 1¢.

Jan 25 – Filed saw for Bachelder 10¢. Worked on bob neap. Bot paper 3¢.

Jan 26 – Went over to Fathers. Mother[17] went down to Catharines.

Jan 27 – Worked on bobs some. James Millham here. Alvan[18] called. Bot one galon oil 60¢.

Jan 28 – Worked on bobs. Sent letter to Hite[19] 3¢.

Jan 29 – Worked on bobs &c. Good sleighing.

Jan 30 – Put one bob together. Lyman brot his shoes for bobs.

Jan 31 – Sis[20] got hand burnt. Bot salve 25¢. Bot iron & screws 9¢. Made slead for Mrs Hodges. Filed saw for Hoag 10¢.

Feb 1 – Worked on bobs. Received 10.

Feb 2 – Went over to Fathers & up to Milfords.

Feb 3 – Worked on bobs. Sent letter to G. T.[21] 3. Bot ½ lb Tea 40¢. Carried one bob to shop. Richardson Brot one & ¾ stove wood.

Feb 4 – Worked on bob some. Mrs Butterfield buried to day. Lois came home in Evening.

Feb 5 – Finished Earls bobs. Sarah & Lois went over to Mr Halls. Bot salrates[22] 10¢.

Feb 6 – Worked on slead for Mrs Gyle. Got Ethens Boots tapt 37¢ Bot iron & screws 10¢. Richardson Brot one & one Eighth wood.

Feb 7 – Finished Mrs Gyles slead. She paid one Dollar. Bot Lozenges 25¢. Filed saw for Kingsley (25¢).

Feb 8 – Worked in shop some. Chored round. Nancy came down with measles. Hatty Signor died.

Feb 9 – At home all day. Sarah went to church. Lois Ethen and Hannah went in Evening.

Feb 10 – Took down lathe &c. Sawed of some spokes. N. Galt paid one Dollar. Hung ax for Vet Mead 10¢.

Feb 11 – Hung ax for Meads Brotherinlaw 10¢. Set saw for Dutch Smith 10. Went up to Andrew Mc.Clarys. Extracted tooth for his wife 25¢. Garvas Muncil called here.

Feb 12 – Went over to Fathers. Matilda Munsil here in Evening. Stuarts Regiment left Kalamazoo.

Feb 13 – Worked on seat rail. Bot crackers 5¢. Left my boots to Johns to be tapt. Paid 75¢. Received a letter from Hiram.[23]

Feb 14 – Worked in shop some. Bored seat rail. Bot screws 4¢. Henry[24] went home. Ethen & Hannah got the measles.

Feb 15 – Ethen & Hannah got measles. Vet Mead paid 10¢. A. Knight paid 6¢. Bot 5 lbs shugar 63¢.

Feb 16 – At home all day. Benj Hartwell called here. Verry pleasant.

Feb 17 – Pleasant morning. Put seat together for Hartwells buggy. Uncle Jason Wilcut[25] came on the four oclock train went over to Fathers.

Feb 18 – Finished seat put it on to boddy smoothed of boddy. Bot paper 5 one pr comes 1¢.

Feb 19 – Went over to Fathers. Uncle Jason came over & stayed all night.

Feb 20 – Bot salt 25 lbs 31¢. Uncle Jason went over River. Candy 1¢. Worked in shop some finished Hartwells boddy. Richardson Brot 2 & 1/8 stove wood.

Feb 21 – Worked in shop. Mark[26] Catharine & Lucy[27] came up to the Dance in Evening. Got magazine for March.

Feb 22 – Hued some spokes altered over mallet. Eugene Cory paid 10¢. Mrs Hodges paid one Dollar.

Feb 23 – At home all day. Out little young one[28] got the measles.

Feb 24 – Hewed spokes. Filed saw for Bachelder 10¢. Uncle Jason & T. Flanders[29] here.

Feb 25 – Set saw for A. Austin 5. Jason & Flanders left. Hued spokes. Marshal Austin paid 6¢. Extracted tooth for Earls sawyer 25¢.

Feb 26 – Filed saw for Ely Wightman (10¢). Filed saw for Mr. Minor 20¢. Sawed out gearing for Flanders wagon.

Feb 27 – Sawed out some felloes.[30] Bot paper 5¢. Uncle Jason came over. Got Mrs Wisemans machine.

Feb 28 – Sawed out some felloes. Mended pitman for B. Clark. Bot hive cyrup 5¢.

Mar 1 – Sawed felloes. Bot Book for Hannah 12¢. Filed saw for A. Hoag 20¢. Bot file 10¢.

Mar 2 – Went over to Fathers & up to Yorks. Saw Milfords cutter.

Mar 3 – Filed saw for F. Mead he paid 20¢. Filed saw for Hoag 10¢. Minor paid 20¢. Nick Galt paid 1.50¢.

Mar 4 – Got out some gearing. Went to corporation Election. Bot rice 10¢ Bot shoes 25¢ Paid postage 26¢. Passenger car broke down.

Mar 5 – Hard cold no work to day. A. McLary paid 25¢. Received letter from Stephen Wilcutt.[31]

Mar 6 – Worked on gearing. Sent letter to uncle Jason postage 3¢. Vacinated Ethen Nancy & Hannah.

Mar 7 – John Kirkwood came this morning. Went after uncle Jason. Came up on the 10.30 train in Evening. Babcock paid $12.25. Filed saw for B. Clark

Mar 8 – No work to day. Got cold. Lois at home.

Mar 9 – At home all day. Byron Emma & Rilly Lee here. Lois went home.

Mar 10 – Rainy. Heard Robbin sing. Mended Fathers wagon put in reach & half crotch. Bot syrup 44¢.

Mar 11 – Bot ½ lb Tea 40¢ Bot oil 25 Bot thread 5¢. Worked on gearing. Filed saw for Mr Smith 10. Henry Crawfords Baby[32] died.

Mar 12 – Worked on gearing. Sarah went to Wisemans. Mr Parker called here. Aunt lib called.

Mar 13 – Worked on gearing & spokes. Father called. J. York brot some spokes. Received letter from Stephen Wolcott.

Mar 14 – Worked on spokes. Cyrus Wheaton brot violin trunk postage 4¢ nitric ascid 5¢.

Mar 15 – Painted B. Hartwells buggy. Bot turpentine 10¢ Bot half galon oil 25¢.

Mar 16 – Ground covered with snow.

Mar 17 – Worked on spokes. Bot gum shelac 14¢ tallow 8¢.

Mar 18 – Made neap to Flanders wagon. Sold P. H. Whitford violin trunk 75¢.

Mar 19 – Made sign for C. P. Galligan 38¢. Bot paint brush 13¢ Bot shugar 13. Got Hannahs shoe tapt 12. Ethen and Hannah went of [sentence incomplete]

Mar 20 – Bot alcohol 3¢ Bot one spool thread 5¢. Flanders brot hay & some straw. Dutch Smith paid 10¢.

Mar 21 – Went over to Fathers. Ground knives for Andrew McLary Recd 19¢. Got some butter.

Mar 22 – Set saw for James Hold__. C. Richardson Brot one & 1/8 stove wood. Bot hoop iron 8¢. James Milham got plank 30¢. Carried two bushels wheat to mill.

Mar 23 – At home. Sarah went to church.

Mar 24 – Worked in shop on gearing. All well. Made block for Wightman spring.

Mar 25 – Filed saw for Joy 20¢. Rounded gearing. John Mooney here. Sarah went to Mrs Stevens.

Mar 26 – Worked on gearing. Filed saw for Jim Eleck 10. Sarah went up to Hoags & Seles. Calvin Streator Left for Ohio.

Mar 27 – Finished gearing. Filed saw for W^m Batt. Got vitrol 1¢.

Mar 28 – Extracted tooth for Albert Johnson. Put in reach for Jesse Earl paid 50¢ Bot paid 10¢. Wesly paid 4.50¢. Went to lecture in Evening.

Mar 29 – Worked in shop on spokes &c. Jim Eleck paid 10¢. Sent letter to Hite 3¢.

Mar 30 – Went down to Catharines. Catharine came up with York.

Mar 31 – Hung ax for D. Lamkin. Hued some spokes. Filed saw for C. Clark. Bot paper _____ 6¢. Paid B. Hartwell 72 cts for J. W. Keith Recd 4¢. Mrs. Tom Kenyon here.

Apr 1 – Went up to J. Yorks. Hannah went over to Fathers rode with James Perry came back with York. Sarah over to Mrs Hodges[Hoages?].

Apr 2 – Rainy morning. Worked in shop some on seeling. Bot chocklate 15¢.

Apr 3 – Mr Noah Starr[33] came this morning went over to Fathers started to go up to A. Chipmans. Flanders brot his hubbs.

Apr 4 – Bot one lb sugar 13¢ Bot licorice 3¢. Worked in shop. Filed saw for Bachelder 10¢. Bachelder paid 10¢ back charge. Mr. Starr Left For Paw Paw.

Apr 5 – Worked in shop some on banjo. Bot Eggs 16¢ Bot one indelable pencil 25¢.

Apr 6 – At home all day. Sarah went to church.

Apr 7 – No work to day. Went to town meeting. Bot ½ lb crackers 5¢. Richardson brot ¾ cord stove wood. Babcock paid 81.13. Lady Norman Born today.

Apr 8 – Worked in shop. Shaved spokes &c.

Apr 9 – Shaved spokes all day. Bot cloth for capes to shakers 25 Bot spool thread 5¢.

Apr 10 – Finished shaving spokes. Bot lamp wick 1¢. Theadore Earl paid 25¢. Alvan here. Put in reach for Doc Wightman 50¢.

Apr 11 – Worked on hubs. Bot ½ lb Tea 40 Bot on ham 1.94¢ Bot sugar 68¢ thread 2¢. Put Box in trumes cart 5¢. Sutton got his Bangolin.

Apr 12 – Finished mortising hubbs. Extracted tooth for Charles Earl.

Apr 13 – Went over to Fathers found them sick.

Apr 14 – Worked on hubbs some. Put rockers on chair for Sol Kingsley. Flanders brot load straw. Richardson Brot two loads wood. Sarah & Nancy went over to Fathers. Bot oil 3. Got shoe tapt 15¢.

Apr 15 – Put Boxes in Flanders hubbs. Worked on Raymonds wheel. Sarah gone over the river. Ed Drury Brot five loads wood.

Apr 16 – Went to Kalamazoo. Bot violin pegs 50¢ strings 80¢ tail piece 50¢ postage 3 Beer 10¢ fare 25¢. Drury Brot two loads wood. Bot Draft for G. T. 94˚93_“29 cts.

Apr 17 – Sent Draft to G. T. 3¢. Drove spokes in raymonds wheel. Joy paid 20¢. Drury Brot two loads wood. Put strings on my new violin. Sarah came home.

Apr 18 – Finished Raymonds wheel. He brot two bushels & 8 lbs wheat 1.70¢ 12½ lbs shugar 125.

Apr 19 – Worked in garden trimed trees cleared out the yard. Filed saw for Wesley. Set out quince trees. Bot oil 25¢.

Apr 20 – Went over to Fathers found them some better. Ethen down to Clarks. Mr. Galligans child[34] buried.

Apr 21 – Rainy morning. Wedged boxes in hubbs. W^m Whitcomb in shop in afternoon.

Apr 22 – Drove spokes in Flanders wheels & commenced rimming. Bot ½ bushel potatoes 12¢. Sent letter to Omro[35] 3.

Apr 23 – Riming wheels. Went down to Lockharts shop. Bored yoke for A. Chipman.

Apr 24 – Worked in shop on wheels putting on rims. A. McLary paid 6¢.

Apr 25 – Worked in shop. Finished Flanders wheels. Flanders paid 25¢ for filing saw.

Apr 26 – Painted Flanders wagon. Extracted tooth for A. Moffit 25.

Apr 27 – Pleasant. Sarah gone to church.

Apr 28 – Worked in garden. Piled up my lumber. Lyman Earl brot five Bushels potatoes.

Apr 29 – Worked in yard. Shelled coffee & Beans. Burnt brush. Bot one dozen Eggs 7¢.

Apr 30 – Worked round garden. Went over & got some early potatoes. L. T. Earl brot 17 fence posts.

May 1 – Went down to Catharines with Mother. Lucy sick.

May 2 – Made bed piece for Ex one boulster for Yorks wagon. Bot saleratas 10. Painted Flanders wagon. Mr Bronson got his gearing.

May 3 – L. T. Earl brot four posts 180 pickets 20 rails. D. Lamkin plowed garden. Plowed garden.

May 4 – Went up to Wesleys. John Wilcut went up to Yorks. Almon Pond[36] married.

May 5 – Worked in garden some. John Wilcut here. Left on the 2 oclock train. Earl brot 250 pickets. Bot dog Eggs 7.

May 6 – Made boulster for hamilton 50 spring bar for Race 39¢. T. Cory paid one Dollar. Lamkins draged garden.

May 7 – Planted onions peas & Radishes potatoes &c.

May 8 – Bot beet seed 5 Lettuce 5. Went over to Fathers. Got some me__ican potatoes. Wesley brot some June potatoes shugar 7.

May 9 – Planted potatoes. Filed saw for Marshal Austin 10.

May 10 – Made yard for pigs & cow &c. D. Hamilton paid 24¢. Paid school bill 1.04.

May 11 – Went up to York ville. Went up the lake.

May 12 – Planted Beans. Not much done to day. Sent letter to Hiram 3¢ one to Henry 3¢ Bot ½ lb Tea 40. Cow out to night.

May 13 – Planted corn and coffee. Filed saw for Mr Hoag 15¢. Rainy.

May 14 – Moved my stringers. Planted cucumbers & mellons. Ethen came home. Hoag paid 15¢. Bot chimney for lamp 10¢. Oatman shot Mrs Stevensons Dog.

May 15 – Worked on A Chipmans wagon. Beach brot his wheelbarrow.

May 16 – Worked on Beaches wheelbarrow. Went down to Circus ground. Bot orrange 5¢ Nancy 2 cents. Hamilton paid 25¢. Circus in Town.

May 17 – Worked on wheelbarrow. Went down to Lockharts. Got four rivets made.

May 18 – Went over to Fathers. Catharine & Mark there. Lois went home. Verry cool day.

May 19 – Snows some cold. Flanders got his wagon. Saw Barny Vosburg. Worked on spokes. Bot one ball wicking 8¢.

May 20 – Heavy frost 3 degrees below freezing point. Worked on spokes. Bot cotton 36 candy 1¢.

May 21 – Shaved spokes for Chipmans wagon. Bot one spool thread 5¢. James Wilber here in Evening.

May 22 – Bot two maple sticks of Pond 15¢. Worked on Exes &c.

May 23 – Worked on Box put box together. Bot screws & nails 18¢. The old man Signor buried to day.

May 24 – Worked on box. Sarah went to Kalamazoo. Bot sundries &c $9.74 Bot Lamp chimney 10¢.

May 25 – At home all day. Sarah & girls went to church.

May 26 – Worked on box &c. Helped T Cory lay his stringers for bridge.

May 27 – Bot fish 18¢. Barny Cory left. Drove spokes in forward wheels put on rim.

May 28 – Finished forward wheels set skeins &c.

May 29 – Worked on hind Ex drove spokes in hind wheels. James S King[37] came on the noon train.

May 30 – Finished Chipmans wheels. Went over to Fathers with King.

May 31 – Let Vanmeter have 154 feet bas boards. Hank paid me 35 cts for scantling. Blanchard paid 25¢. Bot Eggs 6 starch 6.

Jun 1 – Bot 2 & ¼ beef 16 cts. At home all day. King here.

Jun 2 – Painted Chipmans wagon. Baty Brot cultivator. Worked on it some.

Jun 3 – Mended cultivator for Baty 50. Filed saw for Mead 11¢. Bot Eggs 9¢ Bot two combs 15 Drazing 9. Carried wheels down to shop.

Jun 4 – Set skeins & run back and forth to Lockharts. Got wheels & grist brot up 12¢. Beach paid two Dollars.

Jun 5 – Finished Chipmans wagon. James Billings here to dinner.

Jun 6 – Chipman got his wagon paid 8.25. Extracted tooth for Geo Moffit 26¢. Bot cheese 18 Bot Ethens shoes 1.25 one Dollar of his money. Built my Bridge.

Jun 7 – Painted old cradle. Paid Billings for paper 1.00. Went down to Catharines with King. Babcock paid 86.38.

Jun 8 – Came back. Went up by Flanders Wheelers Clapps & Blakes.

Jun 9 – Worked in shop some. Went over to Fathers got some potatoes.

Jun 10 – Shaved spokes. Got boots tapt 37¢ Bot beef 15¢. Father Mother Catharine Lucy & Mark here.

Jun 11 – Went Kalamazoo. Got Draft 88.57/100. Bot _____ shoes 1.25 Tea 38¢. Fare down and back 55¢. King stayed.

Jun 12 – Drove spokes in sulky. Bot paper Envelopes &c 25¢ Bot rice postage 8¢.

Jun 13 – Finished Wightmans wheels. Commenced Austins Ex & thill.

Jun 14 – Put in Ex to austins wagon. Henry came home. Lois & Emma here. Extracted tooth for Austin Chipman 25.

Jun 15 – At home all day. King came back.

Jun 16 – Put in thill & dash in austins wagon.

Jun 17 – Put dash on Als wagon. Bot screws 5¢ Bot saleratas 10 Bot hat 10. Sarah went up to henry Rogers.

Jun 18 – Plowed & hoed my patatoes King went home with Father. Bot Ale 10 Bot Fish 25¢. Sent Catharine some strawberries.

Jun 19 – Dan Rices show in town. Went in in Evening 75¢. Bot cheese & candy 33¢.

Jun 20 – Bot linnen 31 Bot walnut Board for seats 15¢. Worked some on seats.

Jun 21 – Worked on seat. King went over to Fathers. Sold E. Hopkins wheel.

Jun 22 – Went down to Catharines with King. Got Cals violin. Went in swimming.

Jun 23 – Made seat for A. Austin. Bot thread 5¢. Father & King came over. Brot my flour up from the mill.

Jun 24 – Piled lumber in barn. King went over to Kingsleys. Kingsley paid 50¢. Filled tooth for Emmett Cory 25. Went over to Earls took tea.

Jun 25 – Went to Kalamazoo. Got money for Catharine. Bot dinner 15¢ Bot hat for Ethen 32. Went in swimming.

Jun 26 – Cut grass in yard. Bot thread 5 Bot shugar 13¢ Bot Eggs 20¢. Jesse Earl Paid ten dollars.

Jun 27 – Hoed beans &c. Bot stockings & Elastic for girls 50 postage 6¢. Raked up my hay.

Jun 28 – Edwin Childs pd 5.00 A Chipman pd 9.00. Bot beer 5¢. King came back.

Jun 29 – Went over to Fathers. He let me have 25.00.

Jun 30 – Bot coats pants & vest collars & Satchel 15.15¢. Bot beer & candy 14¢. Received 35.10¢.

Jul 1 – Left Galesburg ½ past one AM for Springfield Mass. Fare from G to S 19.70. Bot oysters 25¢ Bot apples 10¢ Cakes 5¢.

Jul 2 – Arrived in Springfield half past 10 AM. Bot cakes 6¢. Went round the Armory ground. Could see the green mountains.

Jul 3 – In Springfield. Went around the City some. Saw their new steam fire Engine work. James & myself got wet some.

Jul 4 – The armory bands formed a procession marched down to City Hall went up to the Armory went on to the tower. Could see Mount tom & green mountains. Fire works in Evening.

Jul 5 – Went down to the car shops up on the fair grounds. Bot oraculum 10¢. Very hot day.

Jul 6 – At George Carletons in East Springfield Mass. Very hot. Went up to the cemetry. Saw some nice yards and monuments &c.

Jul 7 – Very hot. Went on the Arcenal tower 133 steps.

Jul 8 – Went up to Chicopee. Went all through the gun & sword factorys cotton mills &c. Fare up & down 20¢.

Jul 9 – Went up to the water shops. Made out Board bills for G. W. Carleton. Bot mouth glass 25¢.

Jul 10 – Left Springfield. Far to North Hampton 60¢ Hampton to Williams burgh 50¢ Williams burgh to Babylon 30¢. Got to Jesse Wilcutts[38] six P.M. Crackers 5.

Jul 11 – Went up to uncle Joels[39] found them haying. Went down to the Jewel place. Sat down on the rock in front of the old house or where it used to stand. Saw W^m Pinchen.

Jul 12 – Cut my name on tree on town line between Chesterfield & Goshen on uncle Joels farm East of Barn. Went over to the lilly pond on to the old farm where Mother was born. Very smoky.

Jul 13 – Went on to the Corker place & on to the