Diary of Jeremiah White Graves, Volume 2, Book 9

1854 april 3rd Turning out Lug Hh^d Morning clear cold weather

4th Plowing for corn at mountain field etc Coltering in new ground & Hilling — Expect to Start to Lynchg with Hh^d Lugs tomorrow morning ———————— Hester had her second colt a she by Buldocus Harveys Horse on Monday night 3rd April 1854 which we Call ^Nette Siley^Nette Finished plowing at mountain field for corn Plowing ^{th Sewed flax Patch}in fresh ground finished there to day ^ ^{Jacob P Graves went to mount airy this day to live with Adams & Mr Ward} 11th made trip to Lynchg in 3½ days sold Lugs at 5.50 - weighed nearly 1100 neat finished Hilling little new ground & now Hilling the other new ground Plowing at Stony point for corn & Tobacco Henry Coltering & Harrowing in fresh ground for Corn I halled 1704 lbs from Lynchg for Messrs Adams & Ward @ 4⁵¢ very cold this day - & dry Jacob went to live with Mr Tho^s T Adams At Mount Airy the 6th day of April 1854 engaged for 3 yrs from that time for the 1st Year $50 second $60 - 3rd $80 – Sewed flax about the 1st april 1854

15th Striping Tobacco in fresh ground barn

16 April 1854 It Rained hailed & Snowed & very cold & windy- wind from N E. Kitty Laid up & most all on the plantation have bad Colds & complaining, - have not planted any corn yet, Planted Sweet Potatoe Patch last Friday planted between 2 & 3 Bushels Tobacco plants some Killed & some about as Large as Dollars etc - sewed over mountain Bed last week —

17th Snowed all night & snowing yet, Snow 5 or 6 Inches Deep Cold yet - Winters morning, etc etc

1854 april 17th very disagreeable morning for Court, I cant go dreadfull night on stock of every description, etc etc Kitty rather better this morning tho sick yet

18. Still Cold Sent for Doct Thompson for Kitty he did not come yesterday Sent again this morning^19th Snow on the ground yet. Heavy frost. Tobacco Plants nearly all Kill –

19th Heavy frost this morning — I did go to Court & Come back same day Carried Report of Comm^dr of Division of Jer. McCullock Est. by Patrick Grasty & Dickenson —

20 went to Store to day to Adams & Ward Finished Coltering over new ground about finished breaking up corn ground listing p^s this way in fresh ground for Corn will begin to Plant corn this evening at old House place at Stony point,

21nd Expect to uncover & Pick Plant Bed above House this mooring, then planting Corn again at stony pint etc Harrowing & listing in ^{fresh ground}

22. went to Meeting Mr Mason not there,fine weather etc Kitty better, not quite done planting corn at Stony pint —

23 went to see Capt Gilbert & also to Mrs Hunts to day rained Coming home Fanny here & Mr Fitzgerald - fine weather

24 Finished planting at Stony pint & began in fresh field Jordan complaing to day tho Harrowing for

25 Jordan Sick this morning Planting corn in fresh field between the Ditches Fed gone to Mill 6 Bus. Corn for meal 2 Bushels wheat for me —

26 Lent Mr Crews Henry Clay to go to mill Planted Pepper^{in Plant Bed}& watermellons in Potatoe Patch etc etc fine weather warm —

1854 aprl 26 Planted Snaps from Mrs Hunts in fresh field first this Side first Ditch Same Side next is speckled from Mr Lewis on the other Side first is some from Mrs Hunts towards Bars at at new ground planted Mr Lewis White Sort next to Mr Neals between Ditches, planted Rice Berry this evening & went to mountain field & began to plant & it rained, & we come home before night, Fed halling wood this morning the 28th Henry harrowing Sandy laying balance of planting at mountain field — Several of my Hogs died from spaying I reckon

29 Rained stoped us & we went to Striping Tobacco this evening & keep on Saturday the 29th & Finished Saturday evening at night, Corn coming up very well - -

31 Very cool this morning & yesterday —

May 1st A little frost this morning clear & cool We are picking our plant Bed above House halling wood laying off & Beding Garden Harrowing mountain for corn etc etc etc ——— Finished planting corn this evening

2nd Beding Cotton & Potatoe ground Collering & Hilling in new ground clear & cool

3. Halling Rails to fence in cotton Patch etc

4 Halling Rails etc Hilling in new ground trying to finish collering to day, quite cool altered by calf myself 2 days ago

5 May My Nannie Set 2 Turkey Hens Finished Hilling new ground Halling Rails & Henry & Sandy Coltering 3rd years ground -

6. Planted Peas Cotton & Corn on Branch in fresh making Cotton Patch finer & upset Lot fence Henry Carried his Tar to Mr John Hunts clear fine weather at this time - 7 Lambs this morning is all we have Our Tobacco Plants in 2 Beds very good flies eat up the mountain Bed.

8th Halling Out Manure to day - Collering 2nd years ground, Cutting off new ground Tobacco Hills to day,= quite cool this day Sitting by fire - Doct Crews here Lucy Ann ^etc

11. Planting Tobacco nearly all Our new ground

12 Sent to mill 1½ Ba^rl Corn & 3½ Bus. wheat Picking Plant Bed Took down Our Lugs prizing etc Manured Plant this morning Sent for waggon at shop cloudy & warm

13. Coltering & Hilling 2nd yrs Tobacco Land Halled up Stack fodder this morning Let John D Hunt have 2 or 3000 Collard Plants Finished Hilling fresh ground this evening & worked Out Potaotes Irish, & began to Hill in third years ground, cloudy & warm,Set out 2 Squares Greens in Garden

15. Coltering & Hilling in 3rd yrs ground put malissa to Hilling to day the 16th

16. Nannie went to Mr M Fitzgeralds yesterday Anns child Born on Sunday last Deformed in its Legs. - weather Dry -Kitty sick again this morning Hilling & Coltering in 3rd yrs ground Cate has gone to Store this morning for Fannie White Fitzgerald — took Down all Our Lugs & halling up Second from middle Barn & got it hanging out etc

22 last week weeding Corn & Plowing Corn Harrowing etc Henry Coltered bottoms for Tobacco in fresh ground also last Planted that is Cutt off & Planted Second yrs Land in Tobacco & also all tho Hills in 3rd yrs that we did not Cut off when we hilled it - we Just cut off & Planted our Hills that was not Cutt off Part of our 3rd yrs & part of new ground is yet to Plant besides the Lot & bottoms in fresh ground,

23rd May 1854 weeding Corn Plowing & prizing Second Rate of late planting with lugs- dry season to plant Tobacco – Mr Henry Smith here this morning to get Shingles - A C Sick, & has been for a week

-27 Planted all Our Tobacco except part of our Lot by prize Barn & little Guanoed Lot at Stony pint & bottoms in fresh field Weeding & Plowing Corn in fresh field nearly done Plowing it,- prized seconds of Tobacco made on new ground & got all the Seconds down, in prizing order - finished planting greens & Pumpkins etc etc not much rain this week tho cloudy all week nearly no Swarms of Bees this Spring yet Fanny White here this evening clear & cool

29 - Turned Out Hh^d Seconds & Loaded for Lynchg Plowing at mountain field

20. Plowing at mountain field & weeding Corn cloudy & like for Rain

31 Henry started for Lynchg 2 Hh^d 1 of Lugs & seconds & 1 Hh^d Seconds Sandy gone with him,- gave him $2:00 he to return Balance above 7/6 Weeding corn & cotton & Peas, Raining this morning

June 1st Replanting Tobacco & Beding Lot.

— 2 - Weeding corn & Bushed Oats & in the evening we Planted Our Lot by prize Barn clear & cool put out our good Tobacco new ground out of Prize Barn,Jordan Harrowing Cotton by work shop.

3.4 5. 6 7. 8. Warm & dry till yesterday light shower of Rain & then Turned Cool Tobacco plants dying in the Beds & thats is planted is Dying very much Sheared Sheep yesterday 8th Plowing & weeding Corn at Stony pint Finished at mountain yesterday prizing 1 fine 1 good & 1 second rate Tobacco