Diary of Jeremiah White Graves, Volume 2, Book 9

1854 Sept 26. Peggy has been Sick nearly a week Doct Thompson Called Twice or 3 times to See her we are stacking Our Tops & firing tobacco & finished stacking this this evening -

27. Finished Roof of Barn nearly - Jordan halling wood, Balance worming & succoring till 12 Ocl then started to Cutting Lot & Guanoed Lot & new ground ground, nearly cured old prize Barn Tobacco, We are weaning Netty at this time, cloudy & like for Rain - Children Stop going to school this day —

1854 Oct 28 From 27th Sept till this day I went to Orange & Louisa Carr^d Kate Kate while I was gone they finished Our Tobacco & began to Sew wheat & we have nearly finished all except the Tobacco Lot by old prize barn, got up all of mountain field Corn & began & got up 6 Loads from Stony pint, this day it rained nearly all day. we are shelling Corn firing Tobacco etc etc - Turned a little cooler — Mr Crews bro^t me 87 lbs fodder instead of any Oats which was due me last Spring

6 Novr Shucking Corn & shoemaking,- Housing Corn etc - Abram little Henry claiborne & Lowry had their Caps this day. Clementina Kitty Lila Sandy Claiborne & Lowry had Blankets this day quite Cool & Rained Saturday nearly all day David Miller very Sick my Leg sore I did not got to Sunday School yesterday —

11th We have been Halling up corn for Several days this week between Ditches in fresh field, have not near got down yet, began to Rain last night Rained all night & continues this morning very wet & warm, finished making our Shoes to day

1854 Novr 11th Mr David P. Miller Our Neighbour, Died on Wednesday evening the 8th Inst after being Sick nearly 2 weeks & His Sister Mary Died about a week or 10 Ten days before him - I set up with him the night after he Died very desconsolate family - broke off about 11 Oclock to day My Leg is getting better, & has been Sore ever Since the middle or 20 Octo Hurt at the Sell of the Stable Doors = My Father property including negroes Was Sold on the 7 & 8th of Novr 1854 except that Portion for my Mothers Dower & the Land- the Land my Father Willed to my Bro. James at $20 pr acre, Due Nov Mr James M Fitzgerald I authorised & Requested to go to the Sale etc I Sent Mr Fitzgerald & Fanny down to Clover Depot on Monday the 30th on their way to Richmond Louisa & Orange & Henry got back the next day 31st & Pompey has been Lame ever Since — & they & Cate is expected Home tomorrow

14th Bro. George Graves here came last Saturday from Alabama on his way to Orange has not ^been in Orange for 20 yrs Henry Halling wood. balance pulling away our Cabbage etc ground very wet & Cold, wind from N E etc George & Jerry gone up to Mr Fitzgeralds to See If they have returned from orange & Louisa

20th Geo Graves started from here this morning Stayed 1 week & 2 days Fanny Cate & Mr F. got Home Thursday & came down here Friday & Fanny W taken sick that night & this is the

25th & sick yet Doct Thompson has been several times to see her — I went to Court last Tuesday We have nearly finished Our corn, & have been part of 2 days Halling Logs for ourselves & M Crews, Carried 2 Logs to Yates Saw Mill yesterday 1 for Railing & 1 for Sheeting We are Cutting Halling wood etc up to day We have finished fanning out Our wheat made 15 Bus. good & 25 Bushels screan 2¾ Bushels good & 1 Bushel Screan for Mr Jno D Hunt for toll Rained last night & Cloudy yet to day Mr Fitzgerald did not buy me a negro at the sale of my Fathers negroes in orange = 27th Halling Stocks to mill to day fixing up cow pen fence & shelters grubbing & Culling — clear & Cold this morning

Decr 8 Since the 27th novr we have been ^{10th Fanny Fitzgerald went home this day Kate went with her}to Lynchg got our Salt Guano etc Cutting in new Ground to day & ^yesterday we are halling corn stalks & Cutting wood & burning Plant Bed in Slush fair & Cold this day Jacob P Graves quit Adams 6th Dec 1854, & Came home etc & our Contract at end

13th & 14 went up Mr Franklins Mrs Clements for Lucy Ann gone 2 days Halled wood & Cutting in new ground yesterday to day 14 Burning plant Bed above House etc etc Sewed Tobacco seed & lettuce only

18 Began to Plow for Corn, on Branch cleaning ^{Killed balance of Our Hogs except one}out drains etc

23rd Jacob gone to Mr Fitzgeralds cold & Cloudy

24 Sunday Raining nearly all day

25 weather moderated cloudy & moderate.

1854 Decr 26th we went to Mrs Hunts to day Dan^l Hunt is up, Rained my wife did not get Home Lewis Yates & myself examined the Record of Church Book this evening for the year 1854 & find it Correct. weather quite moderate Bot Rose of^at Mr David Millers Sale & she has been on the left ever Since She came home, which I did not know gave $11- for her, she appears a little better now Same age of Netty, Hesters Colt both of which is by Harveys Horse Buldocus

27th 28. 29 Jacob very Sick at Mr Fitzgerald we are Halling wood Cutting etc took down middle barn Tobacco & put it in new Barn took down part of Owens Barn, Plowed some weather has been moderate

30 & 31 weather moderate, Jacob a little better Doct Thompson went to see him Twice

1855 Jany 1st Plowing & Halling wood & Cutting - 2nd Raised steer stable & heaved it ^down - 3 - 4 5-6 Cutting & Halling wood Mr H Arnold & 2 more workmen her[e] a little over 2 days this week., Cloudy & like for Rain, weather moderate

7th my wife & Jerry went to James M Fitz to see Jacob & I am nearly alone ^{Sallie at home}

8. All hands striping tobacco in new Barn Raining this morning, Turned little Cooler. One Young Lamb yesterday My Black Steer bot of Mr JD Hunt Died in the Christmas - -

9th striped Tobacco to day in new barn Hung up first killing Pork this morning

10 Halled up Owens Barn of Tobacco to new Barn, finished what was in there Halled from middle Barn, Halled Straw to day,- Sewed Cabbage Seed lettuce & mustard to day-,

1855 Jany 10th Mr H. Arnold & Bro. Came this day wednesday about 3 Oclock in evening

11th Striped Tobacco again to day & nearly done What we halled from mountain Spring barn cloudy & moderate & Rainey M Arnold worked a while this morning & it began to Rain & ^stopedthey

25th Carried 1 Log for sheeting to Yates & 3 Bags Corn, 2 at mill besides & since the 21st Jany we have been Plowing finished Cutting & Began to Mall One little snow the 10th Inst. we have been Piling wood & burning Brush, at work on Prize shed Mr H. Arnold & Bro quite cold & like for snow. Rose got Mr Miller at Sale has come out very much

26th Snowed last night this morning sent Jordan to Millers Mill with Bag of Cotton to Riceville after Nails & Allum - & after papers – Sewing clover seed in fresh ground,- balance striping late Tobacco — cloudy & like for Rain

27th malling & burning brush & piling wood Henry getting shingles —

Feby 2 Halled up Ice this week Halled wood. malling burning brush Cut wood over on the mountain for Plant Bed Henry Arnold & Bro. Jesse finished here & we have settled & gone this morning to day we are malling & halling wood. etc fine day Snowed last Sunday all all day =

7th Feb Catharine S Graves began to teach School yesterday the 6th Burnt Plant Bed on mountain & sewed it yesterday to day we got two more Loads of Ice this morning 2 or 3 Snows Shallow ones, Mary Hunt Coleman came yesterday the 6th to go to School - cloudy & like for Snow