Jeremiah White Graves Diaries

1856 Jany 21 Have been to Sale at Fannies 15th there nearly all the week very disagreeable weather under foot tolerable over head till Saturday night it began to Snow again & Snowed all day Sunday & till in the night this is 3 weeks in succession it has snowed very deep Snows, this last one nearly as deep as any I went to meeting Saturday, — very disagreeable weather for Pigs Lambs & [e]very thing else,- we are doing but little to day Jacob is at Mr overbys & has been since the 5th Inst = lost some pigs chickens & Lambs

22nd Another very Cold day & we are doing little or nothing but feed & make fires, very Cold & wind high from N W. & cold enough to freeze any thing almost, lost 2 more pigs at House,- - Snow melts but little any where Chip Came this evening to start to Mr Overby & for Jacob to Come home but the weather is so disagreeable I would ^not let him go = 23rd weather moderate a little halled up some wood & halled one waggon Load of wood for Mr Neal 1 little Lamb living yet all my pigs Dead but 7 in the woods We have Fannies Blackey here trying to break her to the waggon & Henry Clay up there Since about 10 or 15 Jany Inst. This day I wrote to Emond D Johns some time before X & this day I wrote to Dan^l R Hunt Rich^d & John Graves Green city V^a Ruckersville P.O 24th clear & cold Halled up a little wood worked Blackey & Pompey She done only tolerable one more Lamb Dead, we have put all our Pigs in a pen here at the house to try & save them, -

26 Halled wood for ourselves & Halled ½ day for Miss Neals, weather Cold & like for snow, Rough sure enough

1856 22nd Oct Sewing wheat cutting down corn Mr Wyatt & Jacob at work on Barn fine weather

23rd I moved Mr. Adams this day & took nearly all Balance sawing shingles Blocks & hanging Succors & Sandy & wyatt at work on Barn

24th Sawing shingle Blocks Sewing wheat Sandy & Mr Wyatt at work on Barn balance cutting down & shucking corn the 21st this months I agreed to give him at the rates of $80 pr year for him to atten[d] closely to the hands —like for rain

25 Sewing fresh ground in wheat next to Johns Spring, cutting down & stacking corn next to orchard halled up Load corn for Hogs & then Halling wood etc

26th I started for the fair at Richmond this morning & arrived at Mr Overbys left my horse & started 27th for Richmond where I arrived Just before night stayed in Richmond that —

28 In Richmond at Fair grounds --

29th In Richmond at D^o said to be near ^Poeple 15,000 at night about started for Orange & Green got to Gordonsville at 12 that night

30 Hired horse at $1 pr day went to see Cousin Charles Graves found him sick went from there to James W Graves & found him Just alive, went from there to Bro Johns stayed ^night that

31 Returned to James - went to see cousin charles & went to Gordonsville that night. —

Novr 1st started from Gordonsville at 12 Oclock & arrived in Richmond at 4 Oclock in morning stayed in Richmond at James Hunts & uncle Crenshaws till Monday morning & then started for home got to Mr Overbys 12 Oclo[ck] got my horse went to Mr McCullocks that night

1856 Novr 25th Mr Wyatt worked till Tuesday 10 Oclock about 1¼ days & then it rained & he went to the wedding balance striping Tobacco at mountain field Barn rained nearly all day

26 Striping Tobacco at mountain Barn Jacob went up to Fannies to see about measuring Corn for Henry & Sandy fixing hog pens killed sheep etc warm pleasant weather etc etc

27 Housing corn & finished & then Halled rails & began cow pen & Did not finish it, Killed Ram,- put Plank in Barn to fire, Mr Wyatt came this morning & in morning fixed gates & then him & Henry went to hewing Sills & Plates for Porch etc tolerable good day, moderate,

28th this morning striping Succors Jordan halled rails a little while in morning & then it began to rain & Rained all day — Mr Wyatt & Henry & Sandy went to hewing till 9 Oclock when it began to rain & stoped Henry & Jordan cleaned out new Barn & put some fire under Plank — still ^{at night}raining very wet & cool rain, desperate weather

29th Mr Wyatt left this morning still raining we are striping Tobacco at Mountain & fixing Hogs pens cow pen etc halling wood with cart Jordan with cart claiborne Cutting wood etc - Jerry Smith gone to Post office this morning — Rec^d a letter from My Bro John Graves Exr of my Fathers Est. etc Striped Tobacco till 12 Oclock finished cow pen Halled wood

30 Fine morning Sunday very windy last evening Fair this morning & moderate.

1857 Oct 20th Began to seed wheat in fresh field next to Overseers House & Cutting down Corn, Halled up 2 or 3 Loads this morning to use, Mr Dan^l Hunt & Lady expected here to day - - weather much cooler - In going to Court Plenty of Poeple have their Top fodder standing in Shocks & Just finished Cutting Tobacco - & some not hung yet.

21st Housing Tobacco tho last cutting in Owens Barn Did not hold It well have to bring some away ^shortly

22. Cutting down corn to sew wheat —

23rd Sewing wheat by fresh ground Barn Smoking Tobacco & Cutting down & stacking corn sewed about 8 Bushels wheat — I went to Fannies etc Rained a little Carried Sallie to go to school,

24th done very little this but fire Tobacco & shoe make, I went to Meeting House Raining nearly all day & few Poeple there & the Election of Preacher put off till 3rd day of novr. next - Halled wood & shelled ^corn

25th still cloudy & like for Rain, (Sunday-

26th Sewing wheat, cutting down & stacking corn firing Owens Barn of Tobacco,- very windy cool day all day working Rose at Plow, Halled 2 Loads of wood & 1 Load of stalks for cows — —

27. went to Riceville after Sugar Coffee Leather etc.- wrote to Bro. John etc – Cutting down corn sewing wheat etc etc

28th Sent by Bro. Dallas 1 pr shoes to Kate ^1.37 to Sallie 1 pr made at home & to Fannie her 4 yds cloth - - sewing wheat Cutting & stacking corn clear fine weather,

29th cleared off Sewing wheat in Owen clearing cutting & stacking corn in fresh field & expect to get done to day, Jerry carried Robin to shop & went to Riceville to [water stain]