Jeremiah White Graves Diaries

1847 Oct 4 Stacking our tops Talton here finishing chimney — weather fine^businessfor

5. Housing lot Tobacco this day. —

6th Raining this day —

7 Thundered & Rained nearly all day & in the evening the most sever Thunder & lightening I most ever saw –

8th Turned cooler & the sun shining this morning ground very wet - etc etc

9 Went down with Talton to see Land cutting Our Buck wheat & housed Tobacco Second cutting - weather still moderate Our new ground Tobacco still standing nearly ½ of it.

11 began to Pull fresh ground corn, this morning cloudy & like for Rain, warm, Halled up 5 loads Corn yesterday, made 11 in fresh ground

15 Frost this morning cut all our Tobacco yesterday Hanging & Housing this day

16 sewed second years Tobacco Land in wheat - 3 bushels. Choping round the stumps & cutting off Bushes Housed 20 Barrels Corn

18 Plowing for wheat Housing Load corn fresh ground. Made 25 Bbls Digging sweet Potatoes this morning

19 weather fine about this time,-

23. 59 Bushels cleaned out, sold, in 2 Hh^ds & used together to this day

26th myself & wife & Jacob Jerry & Henry started for Orange went on by the way of Lynchg & Charlottesville had a good trip & got to my Fathers in Orange on Saturday before night. Jacob & myself went to Capt Boxleys on the 9th Nov 1847. We started back for home by the way of Louisa CH

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.

1856 June 1st My Bro Jonathan left here yesterday will stay in Riceville a day or 2 & then he is going to Orange —

2nd Sent Henry to mill this morning 6 Bus corn & bro^t back 6 Bushels sent Mr Hancock 3½ Gallons vinegar Sent for my Lime & Plaster bro^t from Lynchg by Mr Yates dry weather at this time no Tobacco planted yet of consequence Cutting of Tobacco Hills at stony pint this morning & replanting Corn, & then weeding Corn in Johns field, trying to get done

3rd Car^d all the Tobacco to andersons we have striped,- weeding corn

4th Jordan Sandy Lowry Buck & Johnson all sick clem waiting on them -

4th Rained a little this evening we set out one square collard plants, weeding & Plowing Corn. & Lila Harrowing Cotton this June

5th Fair & clear this morning — working in corn to day I am going to Mr Hunts for Mrs Clements

6th Rained a fine rain last night planting Tobacco Sandy very sick sent for the Doct. etc etc

6th Fine Rain last night we planted Tobacco at Stony pint new ground. & part of fresh ground next to Crews — still cloudy & fine season

7th Finishing fresh ground next to Crews this morning Plenty of Plants to Plant every Hill we shall^have not done weeding corn yet began to Bed Lot this evening, Jordan Sandy Lowry & Buck sick and Johnson, too the Doct has been 3 times to see Sandy & between 15 & 20 times^{in all}

8th Fine day & not much Rain

9th Plowing Beding Lot Hilling & Planting Rained in the evening, shelling corn