Diary of Jeremiah White Graves, Volume 2, Book 8

1851 May 21th Finished Hilling at Fresh ground On Mountain & coltering there & at new ground began to Plow in Corn at House last week & this week worked out Irish Potatoes & to this day planted Some Tobacco in Lot by prize Barn & some in Fresh ground perhaps 6.8 or 10.000 Hills very dry & Hot —

22nd Plowing in Corn & Planting Tobacco at Fresh ground most moist places this morning Expect to begin to weed this morning or Sometime to day, very warm & dry

26th Friday & Saturday weeding corn in Lot at House & then went to new or fresh field, weather Turned very cool Friday night,- & has been ever since Sheared Mrs McCullocks sheep on Saturday - weeding Corn in fresh ground -- cloudy & like for rain

27th weather more moderate still a ^{& very dry}little cloudy Planed Peas between corn in fresh ground this day weeding corn in fresh ground & Plowing weeding corn etc at Mrs McCullocks & I got there from once to Twice & three times a week

28th Plowing & weeding mountain field cover this day. Overseer Sick again & his wife has been for a week or Two back —

29th Finished Second yrs ground Planting Tobacco & began to Bed in Lot by new Barn

30. Beding & Planting Lot by new Barn cloudy & like for Rain did not finish Planting the Lot back of Garden

June 1st Sunday not much Rain & quite cool, cleared off & fair & cold, —

2. 3. Planted Lot Tobacco by new Barn tho ground very dry & hard wed Sweet Potatoes & Peas & Hilled up little Patch by prize Barn a little Rain Sheared Sheep the 3rd June 1851

4 Plowing & weeding mountain field Corn & done fresh ground, weather warm

1851 Planted watermellons cucumber seed & snaps in Lots of Tobacco & Corn by house Plowing & Weeding Corn at stony point. Bushed Oats yesterday but did not quite finish Reds Calf 2 days old, lost 2 Hogs lately

4th June Finished Planting Tobacco at Mrs McCullocks this day weeding Potatoes etc & Corn

5th Plowing & weeding corn at stony pint Killed Lambs - weather clear & warm Mr ^{J S}Lewis s Funeral this day ; ; —

6th Plowing & weeding corn at stony pint. have been to Mrs McCullocks 3 times this week, they are Plowing or Harrowing & weeding out this way in Big field

7 Fine Rain last night replanting Tobacco, this morning did not get done — in fresh ground at mountain field - warm fine weather

9th June not quite done weeding corn, a little Shower of Rain last night — all gone ^toMrs Hunts Did not get replanting Saturday Tobacco & overseer went from Home - clear & warm in middle of day

10th Finished to day about 12 Oclock weeding corn Finished Hilling & Plowing Cotton Sweet Potatoes & Greens, etc etc, working at Overseers House Mrs McCullocks Kitchen burnt Down Sunday morning 8th June 1851 newly ^{covered with shingles} Henry gone to shop after new waggon & to Mrs Patricks after White Sulpher Water -

11 Prizing good Tobacco Henry Harrowing here in Corn by Granary washing wool began to weed down Tobacco in new^ground& lott by prize Barn Henry & Jane Harrowing in evening at Mounta field

12th Prizing good Tobacco & expect to finish to day Harrowing in corn & Plowing & weeding Tobacco Lila sick, weather warm, cloudy & like for R

1851 June 13th To Day went to Mrs McCullocks not done weeding there yet a fine Rain this day about 12 Oclock Capt Fitzgerald & myself looking at Mr. Sam^l Fitzgerald’s Land where Crews lives Replanting Tobacco here this evening – Fresh ground On mountain ——

14th Replanting Tobacco this morning fine ^weathergrowing then Plowing in corn at stony pint & weeding Tobacco Plowing up & planting Turnip Patch in Tobacco & Plowing Pea Patch & Turnip Patch Cutting Rye at Mrs McCullocks this day & finished Laying by first planting Irish Po[ta]toes Plowing in corn not quite done weeding corn at Mrs McC — no Rain There friday, quite ^ ^cool this ^{Plowed Celam to day}evening

15th quite Cool & Clear Kate gone to Harmony

16th A little shower this evening went to Court weeding down lotts of Tobacco - Plowing at stony pint - etc Halled up Stack 17th of Fodder this morning — Red, Suck & Rose had calves lately 1 Heifer^only

Memorandum of an agreement made with Geo. Cothran this 17th June 1851 to wit I sell Mrs Sarah W Colemans Old Barauch to Said Cothran for forty Dollars, the said Geo. has already agreed to repair a waggon for said S W Coleman for $14. makes a Large waggon Body, which body is for Mrs E McCullock for the sum of $10 Plank a body for said Graves for 1.50, making 25.50 worth of work & get more work If possible for said Cothran on a/c said Trade, & whatever Balance may be Due of the $40 the Said Geo. Cothran is to pay said sarah w Coleman at Christmas in money — — very cool at this time

18 - went to Mrs McCullocks finished weeding corn set up Hh^d for Mrs R McC cut little Lot wheat prizing Tobacco & working out Truck Patches etc very cool yet

1851 June 18th- finished Plowing over corn second time here & began to Lay by mountain field this evening

19th Laying by mountain field, weeding down Tobacco in new ground & expect to finished that to day & Lots is also done, & then for fresh ground Very Cool & very dry weather, Cool ever since Monday

20th Finished laying by mountain field & next fresh ground, finished weeding Tobacco this 21st day June 1851 laying by with Plows in Lot by Granary Broke new waggon this morning first time we ever hitched the Horses to it & we sent it back to Mr Lewis Yates, to make a new coupling Pole & finish it. etc.

22nd cloudy & Turned warm my wife gone to St Andrews

23rd A little shower Rain here this night -

24th Replanted a little Tobacco smartly missing none at Mrs McCullocks, cutting wheat expect to finish to day here & at Mrs McCullocks

25 too, Sorry crop tho grain good - weather extremely dry & now Hot - Henry complaining with his rash & Plowing here by House in corn —

26th Sent Poplar Log for waggon & Pine Log for bodies & told Henry to bring back waggon frames for Wyatts & Oak Log to be sawed 4½ Inches by 4½ for Harrows etc etc - 2 Bags Corn Sent This morning 2 Bushels in each Beg & 1 Bag at mill to be bro^tHome clear & warm cleaning Out treading Yard & choping in Corn overseer making cart gate etc

28 Sent another Pine Log to Saw mill got no Plank bro^t back 2 Bags meal weather clear Hot & Dry Hilling up Corn & Plowing ^groundfresh

29, in evening a little shower about

30 Halling up wheat to day also at Mrs McC Hester got Fistula ^{& had it 2 or 3 weeks} Logan hip shot & Celam swayed inaged [injured?] some how other clear & Dry Choping over fresh ground corn about this time

1851 Clear & Dry & Hot June 30 1851 — 30th June In evening about night pretty Rain tho the ground not wet yet.

July 1st 1851 Replanting Tobacco this in ^{on mountain}second yrs ground Finished halling up wheat last evening Just before the Rain come - clear & warm went to Mrs McC & Carried Hester to Mr Lewis Gosneys to cure hip of Fistula

2nd July Sent by Henry another Log for weather boarding or squared edge Plank - & 1 Bag Corn 2½ ^Bus & to bring back the overseers Turn Carr^d Last week Plowing Corn & choping out Corn, finished yesterday replanting over Tobacco — clear & a little Cool went to Mrs McCullocks again & made a bargain with E W Atkinson to be her overseer 1852 Finished replanting Tobacco about 12 Oclock & finished in the evening getting up wheat & Rye, Sam Plowing up Pea Patch Lee Plowing Peas,

3rd Our folks Plowing at stony pint & balance cutting Oats this morning clear & Hot Plowing in Corn at Mrs McC, will cut Oats there tomorrow — my wife Kate & Sallie gone to Mrs Hunts & I am going to Mrs Colemans to day -

4th wrote to my Father & Capt P. Boxly this day Jane & Lila Plowing at stony pint Balance cutting Oats Clear & dry - a little Cool -

5. Same work & same weather etc cutting Oats at Mrs McCullocks yesterday ^{gone there to day}& to day

12th Have ^{began to use meat from Lynchg}been to Lynchg the past week cut Oat Layed by corn Hilling up some Tobacco in new ground & Hilled up Sweet Potatoes fine Shower Rain last night, - replanting Tobacco to day in fresh ground etc

15. Stacking Oats getting up Hay & Plowing at stony pint clear & Dry very dry — 7 Stacks Oats put up, toped a little Tobacco ^{new ground}in the

17th Dry & Hot Finished ^{Laying by Corn}plowing corn & Cotton & began in Lots. Hilling up new ground Tobacco