Jeremiah White Graves Diaries

1857 May 1st Planting Simblings & Rice Beans to day - cloudy & like for Rain to day — Fountain Wyatt left last night worked 3 days this week & nearly done. Sick

2nd Planting Corn in fresh ground Owens clearing & finished that & began at mountain rain stoped them Just before night laying off that, Jordan & Buck coltering — I went to Mr Millers - rained nearly all night & to day we are striped Tobacco rained all day & as hard as I ever saw in my life, branches very Light, Halled from Owens Barn 1 Load Tobacco to strip to new prize Barn, - etc

3 Clearing off this morning & went to S School

4th Rained all night & Creeks very high This morning striping Tobacco - in barn Back of Garden It has been raining nearly ever since last ^nightfriday Arch Started & could not cross the creek at Mrs Tuckers On a Horse. Worshams Mill ^damgone they say & yates nearly gone & Dam broke Dews Dam broke, yet Raining Millers Dam broke - & land very much washed

5th Cleared cool & fair to day Halled to new prize Barn Owens or mountain spring Barn of Tobacco & striping to day - fixing for Riceville tomorrow - waggon & cart,Second Rate & Lugs

6th Went to Riceville Waggon & Cart 2 Loads of Tobacco 23.32 lbs Balance hilling at new ground

7th Finished striping Tobacco to day Raining morning, Mr. Crews helped me, finished turned out our cattle this morning. -

8th Raking up manure this morning Henry & Jordan coltering at new ground

1857 May 8th Sent Sandy to Doct Whites Mill 8 Bushels Corn for meal after awhile we shall start them to Hilling — & Coltering in new ground fair weather at this time

9th Coltering & expect to get done first way in new ground to day Henry Croping for them to Hill, Sandy Halling Rails for yard today & then plowing for Jerry & Miss Neal & Plowing Pea Patch, fine weather weather 11th May 1812 It snowed 4 Inches Deep fruit trees in full Bloom & did not hurt any thing much In 1836 Spots in the Sun & I am told frost every month of the year in some places in 1812 Easter the Snow full 1 foot Deep. In 1823 17th april snow fell 18 Inches Deep In 1848 snow fell early in June, light In 1856 22nd april It snow, smartly In 1857 It snowed smartly in april & the coldest windy & wettest spring I ever saw, now 9th may & we have not finished planting corn & many persons have not planted much, the rains & freshet has been uncommon, Yates Dews Gilberts Millers Mills out of fix & Dams broke & also Worshams, - Tobacco plants very small & every thing very backward - -

10th Sunday went to Sunday School fine day

11th uncovered Plant Beds this morning & will manure shortly, Hilling at new ground laying off mountain field to Plant Corn, fine weather, Planted Pumpk =ins at mountain field — coltering at new ground croping — Finished Planting mountain field & Planted all over we had planted there Raining this evening Just before night Planted pumpkins & simblings at mountain Halling croping at new ground Halled rails for Mr Crews Plowed up Cotton Patch Potatoe Patch etc etc.

1857 June 11th I traded my Horse Celam to Mr C A Whittemore for a Grey Horse which We call ReneeRobin ^Robin he Gives me to Boot as pr agreement signed by both of us a $20, corn sheller to be delr^d on application, & I agreed to take one of their Thrashing machines to be warranted good ^{12 months} some time this ^forSummer, the corn Sheller I bot of ^{I am to furnish them with one side H Leather & they are}them is Thurs,- we are Cutting off fresh ground^{to furnish the Band oil [Tin rench?] etc} Hills next to Crews Balance Plowing at mountain & stoney pint weeding corn in fresh field

12th. Sheared our sheep 18. old ones & 3 Lambs We have ma^red 5 young Ewes, Sent Buck to shop to put shoe on Fillmore mend Harness & get my wheat to Eat. Sandy Coltering Corn Balance weeding, wormed Tobacco in fresh ground this morning.

13th Henry ground Cobs & corn this morning He is coltering Corn, Balance weeding Corn in fresh field, Sent Jordan to Mr Bybee this morning to get Fannies Buggy shafts Jerry & Pal gone to Fannies after my Harness Cool nights & warm days etc etc —

14th went to Sunday school to day fine day

15 Plowing & weeding corn in fresh field. Rained a light shower in evening —

16th Sent Henry to Yates Mill & to Fannies Carr^d 3 Turns corn 6 Bus. & 2½ Bushels wheat for flour & Henry is going to Fannies after to carry her buggy shalves [shafts] & get the [?] & sheep she promised me,- etc weeding Plowing Corn Mr Whittemore came back here last night & Celam rather Complaining would not Eat Corn & Mr W would be glad to recant But as I am satisfied with Robin Concluded not to swapt back, as he is a good match for Fillmore etc.

1857 June 17th Henry Did not get back till late & yesterday & did not get my sheep from Fannies weeding & Plowing corn at Stoney pint began there last evening - fair clear morning I engaged with Mr Williams the Painter to Paint our House & Porches Out side for $45. & to Paper 2 rooms at 30¢ pr paper, about the 4th June made the bargain & sent to Richm^d for Paints & oil & Paper by Misses B. & Thomp =son etc- etc- got the Oil & Paints the 19th June _{for them}& pd

18th A Fine Rain & season yesterday to day we finished planting our new ground over & nearly done by Crews’s replanted fresh ground by Johns spring & all Nannies - Picking & manuring Plant Beds one more time,

19th Jordan gone to mill this morning carried 4 Bushels for standing Turns, to get 3 Turns meal & 1 Turn flour at mill & car^d 3 D. P Hoes Weeding Corn & mill finished Picking Plant Bed & weeding Corn etc. Henry & myself going after Paints & oil etc at Rice, fine season at this^time

20th Finished weeding corn at stoney pint weeding & Coltering at mountain -Harrowing corn in Owens fresh ground,

21st went to meeting at Strait Stone —

22nd Fine Rain last night this morning Sent to Bro. Blanks & Mr D Scruggs & got plenty of Tobacco plants to finish our lot & fresh ground next to Crews began to Bed & Plant after Dinner & Kept on till night, quite cool, I have got swiming in my head again Mrs Hunt Sent 5 Bus hils of corn to Yates for me

1857 June 26th Began to weed Tobacco in fresh ground on Johns Branch, Laying by Corn at mountain Spring Barn alse & Jerry Smith choping in core & Peas. Halled up Stack Blade Fodder this morning Rose & Mr Faris’s Jack this day Hester Refused very warm day Wrote to Jacob P Graves W^m. A Miller Miller & One to Lovelace & Mott Choped out new ground Tobacco & Plowing corn Laying by etc choping in Owens clearing to day —

27th Finished choping out new ground & choping in Corn owens clearing

28th went to Sunday School Fannie Kate & all here —

29th Fine Rain last night replanting Lot & new ground to day Sent to Mr Millers Plantation to day to_{& did not quite replant} get some ^Plants_{but got none} Wrote to Mr W^m. A Miller to pay Mr Charles L Cocke Hollin Institute $51.36 includingthat being the am^t I owe there including Doct Lemons medical Bill for Kate — Replanted new ground & nearly finished

30th Let Mr Crews have Henry clay to day to Plow cutting wheat. Sent Robin to be shod Fed & clem in Tobacco fresh ground next to^crews Abram Crews cut wheat this day Henry sick & sent for Doct Thompson, clem weeding Tobacco next to Crews