Diary of Jeremiah White Graves, Volume 2, Book 12

to get & cut them some wood. Balance picking cotton & in the House Fed & Sandy making Mats Henry mending Baskets etc etc Desperate time yet on every thing —

25th weather a little moderated but cold yet Little Henry is about to start to Mrs Hunts to see If Bob is gone after his Mistress & Nannie in Charlotte clem better this morning Snow melts but little & I think the roads are impassable yet tho I don’t know

Sunday 25th Snow melting & water droping off the house for the 1st time since fell a week to day. this is quite a still day weather moderated Smartly, — — Bob did not go to Charlotte yesterday Saturday

26th Halling wood to day waggon & Cart. Cart halled out straw in evening Mrs Neal come over thro the snow lent her some shoe thread & she wants wheat straw Alse & Kitty cleaning Out stables —

27th Sent 103 lbs Seed Cotton to Cap^t Gilbert to get Picked alse etc Picking Kitty spining Balance chinking new Barn next to Crews. Fed making Kates shoes cloudy & cool Snow melts but little If any Jordan & Henry returned & could not get their cotton Picked till tomorrow or next day, Bob started to Charlott monday morning & they had not heard from him Since he started, it Began to rain to day 11 or 12 oclock but did not rain much, finished chinking Barn still cloudy & like for Rain yet. — Abram & Jerry Smith Jinning cotton for several days. lent Miss Neals 1 Gallon meal Alse Picking cotton all day, weather has moderated very much,–

1857 28th Jany = Raining this morning wind N. E. all hands striping Tobacco this morning We have but little Tobacco down raining a little all day finished Striping all the Tobacco We have down then spining Jinning cotton etc etc cold rain this day —

29th Thursday no nannie yet, I am going to send to Mrs Hunts to day to see If I can hear from them, - sent 2 Bags Corn to Mill for meal & sent them on Cap^t Gilberts after the Cotton If nannie has not come If she has they come back home shelling corn making Broms & spining etc, cleared off this morning, last night & sleet soon & then cleared off very pretty moderate day overhead very sloppy & bad underfoot We taking down Tobacco in new prize Barn & old D^o Halled up stack Oats & Halled Out Straw to day – Bob Started after his mistress & nannie & stayed 3 days got back wednesday so we hear to day at night & could not cross the River did not any thing from them at all going to start back In morning Friday he could not cross on acc^t of the Ice now tho fresh & cant till when they will get home, Very sloppy to day & snow melts smartly, O Lord have mercy upon us all & resign us to thy will, - It looks like rain again

30th Friday ground hard frozen cloudy, halling wood Sent Buck to P.O. & mill Jordan & Henry halled up Stack fodder this morning. Some of them Cutting, moderate weather Lent Mr. A Crews 8 Oz Sole Leather 2 Soles & 2 threads for shoes, this day It commenced snowing a little in evening.

1957 30th Friday night. Snowing & raining at 9 Oclock Dreadful weather on every thing- Halled wood to day & all we have done for an 2 weeks is get wood got to mill & machine & stay in House, etc etc ————

31st Jany Saturday, Snowed Rained & hailed some last night & this morning a little sleety, snow not deep, still cloudy & like for Some falling weather, we are striping Tobacco this morning in new prize Barn don't hear any thing from Nannie & Jerry, got a letter from Overby stating he had qualified as Gdn for his son John, & I am Justifiable in pay him $100. Legacy left him by Mrs M C Mosely Dec^d of Charlotte The trees are Loaded with Ice the with snow & water & Ice about this time 12 Oclock Saturday

Sunday 1st February 1857. A beautiful morning overhead, Snow not Deep only in places not a word from Nannie yet. Still & clear this morning - I am going to sent to Mrs Hunts to see If I can hear from them, - this morning Bob started friday & went across Pannills Bridge & have not heard from him Since, Fannie W F Sent down to day after kate Jerry is Sick again he left to go up there about 2 Oclock Sent Jordan over to hear if Mrs Hunt & Nannie etc is come this evening. Jordan Returned ^{from them}no news another Lonesome night is past & I hear nothing from Nannie Jerre & Mrs Hunt except Bob is gone after them no comfort in^that

2nd Clear & cold wind cold Halling wood, Sent the Last off Cutting at new ground - to day

2nd Ground Hominey & Cobs for cows this evening Sent Mr Wyatt an axe ——————

3rd Tuesday another lonely night in part, I am generally distressed about Nannie, not hearing from her,- Cutting in new ground, Sent Jordan & Henry to Mill & to Mrs Hunts to hear from them If I can, Big Henry fixing fire place this morning etc, Seeding Clover Seed in Lot this morning by Garden -, Jordan has got back & no news of Bob nor any of them Lucy is like to Die at Mrs Hunts I am going over there this evening to see them Haled Out Straw this evening & wood for Mr Neale Jordan will go after he halls ^strawout Thank God when I got to Mrs Hunts this evening we found them all ^{they started from Mr overbys monday 2 stayed at Mr Roachesnight all}come from Charlotte & Nannie ^{Come from Bro Roaches by Mr Pannills home about 2 Oclock}we came On home this night;Lucy is Still alive, Sent her Some F. Brandy & whiskey —

4th Hung up Our meat 130 p^s & 20 Joles & put smoke under it, Jerry went to Mrs Hunts after their things, Lucy is Dead. Cutting in new ground, opening Lugs in new Barn Very pretty day wind from South,Im about done cutting new ground except old Logs & House Logs. —— Thank the Lord things are as well with us as it is. Nannie & Mrs Hunt & Jerry came thru mud snow & water the other side of the River Starting from Mr Overbys Monday 2nd with some diff -culties tho not serious ones they got to Bro E W Roaches Just about night stayed all night

Just before they got there they passed a goodly number of Gypses with Carry alls & Horses all Camped Out in the Snow, they started from Bro Roaches Tuesday 2nd Feby & got to Mrs Hunts in evening & I went over there & we come home that night being from 3 weeks & 3 days & what is worst than all see but little of Richmond on account of the weather But If the Lord spare us & we can make our arrangements we will go together next time providence permitting & I will try & let her See something

5th Jerry is gone to Fannies W. F this morning We have halled up Fresh ground little Barn in new prize Barn & pack it down Cutting & Pilling wood at new ground Henry Cutting wood to fire plank Jordan & Jerry Smith or Buck halling out tobacco Stalks from prize shelter - like for Rain & very moderate weather, at this time snow has gone very much to day —

6th Halled a Load of Tobacco from old prize Barn to new to strip to day cloudy & like for Rain,-

7th Striping Tobacco all day ground very wet moderate weather Kate & Jerry came down yesterday – snow most gone. I went to meeting House to day -

8th Sunday Kate & Sandy went up to Fann ies to day- Rec^d a letter from Mr Jno D Hunt about renting Owen his overseers house & Owen here to day. Sent Jerry up to to see Shanks & his wife to day Sent them 3 lbs coffee & some Rice & Fannies Lila Bread & flour for them –