Diary of Jeremiah White Graves, Volume 3, Book 6

1876 Monday 14th Edmond Dews & his gang strip in Tobacco to day Rained a little

15th Tuesday Edmond Dews malling Jimmy went to Yates Mill had some chop ground 1½ or nearly 2 Bus. Peter Sick in house I went to Mr Lewis's to See Mrs Howard was thrown from her horse Sunday at Meeting house she has nearly got about well I went to to See Bro. L. W Yates who got a fall at his mill last Saturday & he is quite bad off yet but mending smartly but can sit up on his Bed quite cold ^{this day}& windy Jimmy hauld Some wood this evening

16th Beautifull morning clear Edmond clean= ing up for corn & Jimmy & Wm Peter ^{just begun} malling I am going up to Mount Airy got 1 pint no 19½ for Double Plow

17th. Edmond & Peter fixing Edmd chimney & fir[e] places this morning Robert Tucker come after cart & steers to Haul Garden Post from E Tuckers new ground Beautifull morning for middle February

18th. Jimmy Plowing E Dews & Peter in their new ^ground clear pretty day for winter

19th Peter gone Jimmie finished Plowing in by corn house & Edmond & him went to Plowing over in fresh ground 12 oclock Edmond Tucker & Robt worked here to day 2/3 of this day making 2 days & 2/3 days On Garden & finished before night. James Wright worked here to day for Grave Yard Gates Barn door hinge & Plow

20 I went to Prayer Meeting at S S. fair pretty day not a great many there Just tolerable ^number

21 Edmond & Jimmy Sewing spring oats next to Orchard, Peter come about 12 oclock

1876 Feby 21st Cloudy & like for Snow began to Rain about 1 oclock to day only Sowed 1½ nearly ^{Bushels oats} Still cloudy

22nd. Feby my wifes birth day cloudy yet Peter going after some corn yesterday Come home yesterday & gone again this morning Edmond cleaning up in his new ground

23rd Peter come home late last night got more corn than he expected & had it ground at Yates Mill Peter Plowing Tobacco Land with 2 Horses Edmond & his gang in his new ground clear pretty morning for business

24th last evening blew hard & it was very cold Jimmy halled wood last evening this morning Peter & Edmd malling in new grounds shrubing & cleaning up in new ground, thermometer down to 22 Degrees Clear pretty morning, real winter

25. Weather moderate & fair we expect to to go to Sewing oats after the Sun gets up Peter burnt off his Broom Straw & Plowed with 2 Horses, my sow Lady ^Wyatt took =Boar this morning started to Sewing =oats this day about 11 oclock 3 plows very pretty even[in]g again Edmond Peter & Jim

26 Very pretty morning Edmd Peter & Jimmie Sewing Oats Spring Oats next to old Orchard down to flats all the Balance flats this Side of Branch or Ditch & the other Side & the other Side John's branch. - not Sewed

27. Cloudy this morning & weather moderate we have been Sewing Oats 2 or 3 days --

28 Still cloudy & like for Rain Edmond Peter & Wm sewing oats in John's field Jimmy gone to Yates ^{he went to Millers} mill 2 Bus corn for meal & 1½ Bus Shattered corn for chop for cows corn for Edmond meal & he sent 3 or 4 ^Bushel wheat all he has - clearing off weather moderate Kate fixed the ground & we planted onions Hauled up 1 stack oats to Sew

1876 Feby 29 Hauled up another Stack of Oats to Sew. Hauled Stack fodder I told Jimmie to go Yates & contrary to my order his Father Sent him to Millers first disobedience this year Cloudy this morning little cooler

March 1st Wednesday Our folks Sewing Oats In John's field left Side of Path thro the field 3 Horses & Plows cloudy & Cool little like Snow I walked to ^Bed Plant Johns Branch no Plant no where come up

2nd Peter Peter Plowing 2 horses Tobacco land Edmd & his gang in new ground Hauling wood etc still cloudy rained good shower last night about night began to Sew oats at 12 oclock Cooler & Cleared off Sewed 20½ ^Bus oats Edmond ^{& Peter to this day}

3rd Clear pretty weather moderate Peter & Edm ond work in their new ground awhile & then they go Sewing this Side John's spring & we are done but Some flat Land Nannie & me are going up to Joseph M Moses & may be to Jeres, to day & nothing happens

4th. Nannie & me went up to Jeres yesterday Stayed till near night come to see Mr Moses & at night Stayed all night with them till 12 oclock Started at home got Nelly shod at Henry Dillards & Come home very pretty day yesterday Nannie was very Cold & suffered very much Edmond & Peter Sewing Oats at Johns Branch or spring except about 2 or 3 picks Hauled up one Stack oats to sew flat Land we did not Sew Jere he was gone to Danville as a Juror

1876 March 5th. Clear pretty morning got home from Kates & Mr Moses about Sun Set T. J. Monroe Died friday morning buried Saturday

6th March 1876 Beautifull morning weather very moderate Peter Plowing with 2 Horses Edmd & Jimmy Working in new ground fixing for rolling our Logs -

7th. Plowing up Garden Hauling out manure Planting Tom Thumb Peas fixing Irish Potatoe Patch ready to plant after awhile Peter finish in Lot above garden to day Peter & Jimmie Plowing up here in fresh ground, Cloudy & like falling Weather Becky Lewis & Nellie Johnson Stayed here last night

8 March 1876. Peter & Jimmie Plowing for corn above granary Edmond & his Nannie & Wm in ^{Edmd Sewed over plant Bed about this time}his new ground clearing wind blew hard last night & it Rained little while but this morning cooler & clear windy a little

9th Plowing for corn & Tobacco clear pretty morning smart frost. Edmond Wm & Nannie cleaning up & fixing to roll Logs in a few days - weather moderate

10 Edmond Hauled 1 Stack fodder this morning Friday him & Jimmy went to Plowing Peter went from Home this morning clear moderate weather

- 11 Edmond Dews Hauling rails out of new ground Jimmie & Peter Plowing for corn to over in fresh field to day

12 Cloudy morning Sunday & misting Rain & looks very much like at 12 oclock none of us went to S. S. Meeting to day weather not cold done more work this winter than We ever done Since the Surrender No Snow hardly & moderate weather ^{looks well for March} Wheat

1876 13 Rolling Logs to day by new Barn I find half meal meal etc - cloudy last night lightened thundered & Rained & cleared of in night, clear this morning & cooler wind blows smartly - Monday Morning Rolled Logs

14th Thrashing Oats Hauling out Manure for Orchard grass Seed & clover, Peter^{by Bee House} gone to Mr Woodings to Roll Logs

15th. Sew Oats Orchard Grass Seed & clover by Bee House & finished putting them in last night, cleared off this morning Edmond Sewing clover Seed along the fence towards old field On wheat this morning trying to finish Sewing oats & orchard Grass Seed on Branch^{Orchard Gress we will sow on which} where we are Evening to day or tomorrow trying to finish finish before it rains. Miss Frankey planting gourd Seed in Several places The most pleasant March & winter I ever did see in all my life Hired Nannie Dews to Hill my Irish Potatoe Patch today

16th Rained last night nearly all night

did^{Hauled up Load fodder} not quite finish sewing Oats to day Edmond striping Tobacco in old prize Barn Peter at work on Gate Raining to day -

17 Raining this morning & rain nearly all night striping Tobacco till nearly night Peter making & finished his Gate got Post from Spring very one Edmond finished his new ground fence after helping Peter till 12 oclock about his Gate. Edmond found my corn House ^Key yesterday up near the New prize Barn Peter cutting & hauled wood

18 Peter gone Edmond Hauled wood out of Jorden new ground for Summer Cleared off windy & very cold