Diary of Jeremiah White Graves, Volume 2, Book 12

1856 Decemr 1st this morning fair & fine weather my wife gone to Mrs Hunts stayed all night Jacob came home Sunday but Did not finish Fannies Corn gone back this morning Mr Wyatt Came to work this evening Henry & Sandy helping him get Sills & Plates for Porch to day Fed alse & Kitty grubbing Lowry claiborne & Henry little cutting abram & Jerry Smith piling Brush. Jordan Halling wood etc = 2nd Decr. This morning raining, striping Tobacco at mountain taking down Tobacco in new prize Barn this morning. Mr Wyatt came to Breakfast & left. Abram Crewss Corn comes to 70¢ he having 3 Pecks & a half Bus. in nubbins on the husk. —

3rd Sent Jerry & Jordan to Capt Gilberts machine 2 Bags Cotton 1 42½ 1 D^o 50 lb Gross Fed alse & Kitty etc Halling leaves Mr Wyatt Henry & Sandy hewing etc

Decr 4th Jacob came home but prizing his own Tobacco & then he wants to go to Lynchg. Mr Wyatt Henry & Sandy hewed yesterday & at it this morning Fed alse & Kitty Grubing balance cutting Sent Jordan & Jerry to Faris cotton machine Cool fine weather wind does not ^{this morning}blow

5 Halled 2 Large Logs to Mr Yates for him for sawing Posts for Porch Henry Car^d 2 Bags Corn & 2½ Bushels Screan wheat for Chop Stuff - Jacob abram etc prizing Tobacco Fed & Lowry halling stacks Kitty & alse grubing claiborne & Sandy Cutting Jordan gone to Fannies to Raise Corn House

6 Decr 1856 Halled Mr Yates 1 Log & Did not get any meal to day yesterday Sent 2 Bags wheat for flour 5 Bushels Fed alse & Kitty Grubbing Sandy & claiborne cutting stacks & wood - Owe Mr Yates 2 logs now Small = Jordan has not come back yet, ^{about 10 Oclock}Come back Jacob Turning out his Hh^d Tobacco to day etc Bro^t Scantling 1 Turn Chop stuff & 3 Turns meal this morning & evening 1 D^o & left 2 of Corn & 5 of wheat carried another log for Yates in evening & 2 Turns Corn for meal standing Turns etc Sent 2 Logs this evening making 3 trips to day last time 1 for Yates the other for ¾ Square Edged to be divided —

7th clear cool day being Sunday

8th Killed 8 Hogs this morning Cut them out Salted them Grubing & Cutting at new ground Halled up stack fodder this morning Jacob fixed cart shelter etc etc etc

9th Grubing cutting & Halling wood - etc waggon starts to Lynchg to day

15 The last week we have been to Lynchg Carried Jacobs Tobacco & some for me & Turkeys sold the sorry Lugs for $6¾. Turkeys 60¢ round Cut & Grubed while we were gone, & striped some Tobacco in new prize Barn, bot a Carriage & Brought Home from school She came to Lynchg last week say about the 15th decemr 1856 - Did not bring any of her accounts with her

16th Put Plank in Barn Cutting stacking wood Fixing Corn & Cob Crusher to day Malissa, Catharine Fannie Johnson & Nelson I sent up to Fannie W Fitzgerald to stay one year.

17th Decr 1856 Halled wood Cut in new ground Went to Riceville after & bot 3 hogs weighing 491 lbs pounds Jordan returned from Fannies etc

18th Killed 12 hogs this morning with the 3 purchased of Mr Stone at Riceville @ $8½ pr 100 lbs cutting to day p^d $41 73½

19 Cutting out at new ground, Fixing Ice pound Halling wood, Henry going to Mr. Yates ^mill with 1 Bag wheat for negroes at X & 1 Bag Corn for meal to get meal & Plank etc carried 1 Log for Square Edged Plank ¾- thick. Jacob gone to Riceville to pay Mr Stone for 491 lbs Pork @ 8½$ pr Hundred amounting to $41.77 ^½ Mr T.W. Andersons to pay & take a Rec^t for the same, - clear Cold day

20th Raining this morning Sleet fanning Out wheat shelling corn Henry gone to carry his Coal to Mr Dews & bring home my plank-

22nd Finished cutting little growth in new ground this morning Jordan halling wood Henry halling straw & leaves & then halling fire wood yesterday was a cold day myself & Mr Mason went Sunday no church meeting in this month - On acc^t weather — Considerable talk in Halifax about insurrection looks very much like Snow very cold

23rd fixing Ice ponds Halling wood Cutting in new ground Just began this morning to cut Big growth tremendous Cold & Windy this morning clear & cold indeed this morning —

24 went to Strait Stone to appoint Patrol etc went to Mrs Hunts etc getting Ice etc to day very cold

25th Filled Ice house to day got my calf from Mrs Lanes Jacob gone to Fannies etc

1856 Decr 26th A Beautiful day fixed Ice house this morning - Jordan Sandy & abraham gone to Fannies to day clear fine morning

27th Going to Republican Grove to day etc

28 My wife went to Mrs Hunts a good day

29. I went to Mr Hunts to Divide Mrs Colemans negroes etc went to see Shanks Worsham very sick etc etc.

30th Began to work at 12 Oclock Henry at work on shelter etc Jordan & Lowry halling Out Straw & leaves Sandy gone to meeting House with Tar. Fed & balance cutting fixing at new ground to burn Plant Bed etc — etc

31st Burning Plant Bed at new ground this morning Henry fixing shelter for plows got cathed in Snow Just about night Finished burning Dug up prepared ½ of the Patch 14 by 20 yds long

Thursday 1st Jany 1857 Began to snow last evening this morning snow about 4 or 5 Inches Deep we are striping Tobacco Jacob went to Fannies yesterday, cloudy this morning

Jany 2. 3. 4 We have been striping tobacco all this week Yesterday we halled wood till 12 oclock worked Clemam & Fillmore to carriage, worked very well indeed yesterday very windy & cold This morning clear & cold not quite done striping new Barn Prise,- One Lamb come this week, Snow not gone yet. Calm to day

4th Lowry gone to Fannies with Arch this evening to be clothed Hat & Blanket for $45.00till x next Christmas

5th Sent to Mill 2 Bags Corn [water stain] got 2 Turns meal there sent Log for

Hh^ds Staves & 2 there for Square edge Plank Jacob making another pr shoes Jerry S gone to P.O. Striping Tobacco - cloudy & like for snow etc.

6 Jany 1857. Faned out all wheat to day made 1856 - 152 Bushels 4 Bushels in every 100. 6 Bus & a little over due Ja^s Kelley 6 & upwards sent home Halled wood, put Plank in Barn & firing Cutting Big growth in new ground – very cold weather at this time,-

7th Cutting in new ground all — I went to Riceville Car^d my wife —

8th Mr Jno Hunt here, cutting in new ground going to Fannies etc – – – – –

9 went & stayed all night, & come back evening Cutting in new ground fair cold weather

10 Halled up straw & chaff & Oats This morning. Jerry gone to shop & Mrs Hunts etc Cutting big growth in new ground Cloudy & like for Rain Jordan & Fed gone to Fannies etc to get Jacobs Trunk & Fed is to help get Ice up there monday If they get up there lent Fannie 2 ^Iron wedges for 2 weeks -

11th Nannie has gone to Mrs Hunts on her way to Richmond tomorrow morning I let her have $20. & she has 3 or four Dollars in Silver Jacob is starting with them on his way to Cap^t Boxleys to live with his grand Papa Jerry has $6.65 - Jacob & Jerry will meet them tomorrow morning the Lord permitting, very cold weather.

12th All gone on this morning for Richmond Jacob gone to his Grand Papa^s to live the weather has moderated a little