1885
[the front pages did not copy very well-I can make out some words and then it says To Wm Cross January 1st
1885 the next page has more unknown writing. Then there are addresses Name-McGeo-Wilken
Address Cedar Falls, Black Hawk County, Iowa then this D. Napers and Son address-17
Brists Place Edinburgh, Scotland-one dollar per bottle This diary had much more room for writing and as you will see, William
Cross wrote a bit more about his days.]
January
1, 1885 Thursday/ 28 degrees below zero in morning,
cold all day, young folks all went to Pairs to party, Louisa visiting Schultzs in evening, Groff and Style here with me
January
2, 1885 Friday/ 30 below, young folks got home 9 oclock
almost frozen, wind changed to south, getting warmer, ? and Henry here, Lenna and her mother here in evening, Ralph gone to
town and stayed, zero at bedtime
January
3, 1885 Saturday/ 16 above, warm and pleasant, 30 above
at noon, beautiful day, Louisa on the lake fishing, Herm and I sawed wood, George took Chauncys sleigh home and got mine,
6 above zero at bedtime
January
4, 1885 Sunday/ 4 above, Sunshine and pleasant, Louisa,
Herman, Lenny, and her father all gone fishing to Lake Imogene, Rupert and George Jones here, Truman Hall and Claude here
to supper, 30 above zero at bedtime, Billy came and went back to town
January
5, 1885 Monday/ 31 above, Warm and cloudy, south wind
with light rain, drawed 2 loads of wood, boys put oats in barn for Billy, 40 above zero at noon, Ralph, Anna, and Herman went
to town, got home at 6 oclock, Henry Style and Groff here in evening, Seelers people made us a call today, 30 degrees above
zero and snowing from N.E. at bedtime
January
6, 1885 Tuesday/ 21 above, Clear and pleasant, Groff
and I played 66?, Herman went to Jackson, drifted little, Flora stayed with Anna, she commenced learning to play on the harp,
22 above zero at bedtime, N.W. wind
January
7, 1885 Wednesday/ 28 above, clear and warm, folks
gone to Imogene fishing, caught a few, Mrs. Anderson here, Groff, Chauncy and I played 66, 38 above zero at noon, Halls young
folks here in evening, Lenna and her mother here, 26 above zero at bedtime, let Schultz have bushel of potatoes, south wind
January
8, 1885 Thursday/ 26 above, warm south wind, sunshine
and pleasant, Halls folks and my folks all gone to East Chain fishing, Fred Style gone to town with old Jack and Cutter, 42
above at noon, folks got some fish, Fred and Henry here in evening, blowing quite hard from the west, warm and thawing at
bedtime, Ralph and Anna at Groffs visiting in evening
January
9, 1885 Friday/ 14 above, Sunshine and pleasant, Ralph
and Louisa gone to town, took 6 bushels of wheat, Groff took his tool chest and bench down to Billys house, 26 above zero
at noon, home with Ralph, all hands gone to Rouses to party, Ralph and Anna to play, 16 above zero at bedtime
January
10, 1885 Saturday/ 24 above, young folk got home at
6 oclock morning, chilly south wind, Ralph and Enoch gone to town on foot, 30 above zero at noon, Fred and Henry here in evening,
26 above at bedtime, still and warm
January
11, 1885 Sunday/ 26 above, Cold north wind, Luke Nutter
and wife came here and stayed all night, Anna went to Lawsons visiting, light blizzard in afternoon, Lena and the two Seelers
girls stayed here all night, 6 below zero at bedtime
January
12, 1885 Monday/ 14 below, Sunshine and pleasant, North
wind, Seelers boys came for their sisters this morning, Luke went home and left his wife here, John Huston here, 8 below zero
at noon, Chauncy and Groff here and played 66, sawed some wood with George, 14 below zero at bedtime, no wind
January
13, 1885 Tuesday/ 22 below, sunshine and pleasant,
Groff to work in Billys house, Billys pump gave out, threatens snow, 2 degrees above zero at noon, Fred and Henry gone fishing
to East Chain, got speers, Ralph got home, Groff and Henry here, 2 above zero at bedtime, no wind
January
14, 1885 Wednesday/ 4 below, cloudy, looks like snow,
dug road to lake, watered colts, cold wind, 2 above zero at noon, snowing hard, sawed some wood, Truman Hallhere and stayed
all night, zero at bedtime, Chauncy took his hogs to town today, gruff here and played 66
January
15, 1885 Thursday/ 10 below, sunshine and pleasant,
Louisa and Mary Nutter went to Groffs visiting, George Jones and Fred here in the evening, zero at noon, Mr. Lausen started
for the east today, 4 below zero at bedtime, wind N.W. drifted a little
January
16, 1885 Friday/ 8 below, cloudy with little snow,
cold wind, Groff, Chauncy and Fred here in forenoon, Mary and Louisa visiting at Joness as all the folks gone to Pixleys to
party, left me alone, Groff came and played 66 all the evening, clear and cold, 7 below at bedtime
January
17, 1885 Saturday/ 16 below, clear and sunshine, folks
got home from Pixleys after 8 oclock, Fred stayed to breakfast, 4 below at noon, cold N.W. wind, Groffs cow got into the stable
and hooked Spotty pretty bad, Enoch came from town to stay all night, all the folks very sleepy, 12 below at bedtime
January
18, 1885 Sunday/ 18 below, clear and cold, John Huston
and Albert Hill here, Fred and Henry here in evening, Luke Nutter came and got his wife and went to Chauncys to stay all night,
22 below at bedtime, Pat Murphy here and stopped little while, walked from here to Huntley and led colt
January
19, 1885 Monday/ 28 below, clear and cold, Anna and
George gone to school, Fred and Henry gone to town, sent by them for some things, they stopped to supper and stayed until
10 oclock, Hills young folks, Listy(?), Tyler(?) and Flora all here and danced some, 2 below zero at noon, cold wind from
S.W., 4 below at bedtime
January
20, 1885 Tuesday/ 7 below, clear and pleasant, boys
got 2 loads of ice, 7 above at noon, Ralph and Fred gone to town, Ralph stayed, Bert Rouse and George Jones here in evening,
took Nellies shoes off and ? Billys foot, 7 below at bedtime
January
21, 1885 Wednesday/ 22 below, clear and pleasant, let
Schultz have bag of corn and one bushel of potatoes, took the team for their ?, Groff and I got ax helve stick, 6 below at
noon, tried Schultz washing machine, Lena helped wash, George Jones and Anna gone to Pains to party, Louisa to Shultzs this
evening, 19 below at bedtime
January
22, 1885 Thursday/ 10 below, S.E wind drifting badly,
Anna got home at 9 oclock, high wind from S.E., zero at noon, snowing little and drifting badly, Groff here in evening, bright
moonlight, wind south, 9 degrees above zero at bedtime
January
23, 1885 Friday/ 2 above, sunshine and pleasant, wind
south getting warmer, Groff made 2 ax helves for me, 22 above at noon, looks like snow, cut little oak tree back of stable,
Fred and henry here in evening, Ralph got home, 20 above at bedtime, fine sleet falling, Groff got sheep from Style, roads
drifted, no mail for 5 days
January
24, 1885 Saturday/cloudy and air full of frost, threatens to snow,
always gone to cut big oak tree, got 2 loads of wood, Billy's colt got on wire fence, Addison gone home, Fred Style got paper tobacco for me, George Jones and Groff here in evening, 14 above zero
at noon, 6 below at bed time, sewed sweat pads in collars, saw Holly this morning just across the road
January
25, 1885 Sunday/ 3 degrees below zero, air full of frost, sunshine
in pleasant at 10 to o'clock, commenced storming, had light blizzard until four o'clock, 10 degrees below zero at noon, Anna
and Ralph went to show losses Shultz's in the evening, Lena to and her mother came back with them, Groff, Henry, Albert, and
John Huston all here in the evening, clear and cold, 8 degrees below zero at that time
January
26, 1885 Monday/4 degrees below zero, cloudy and warm, Ralph took
children to school, who left shoulder as let Shultz head of a bushel of potatoes, got to loads of wood with Charlie and Nellie,
Claude here, Addison came back, four degrees above zero at noon, east wind and snowing a blizzard that bed time
January
27, 1885 Tuesday / 9 degrees below zero, sunshine and pleasant, boys
cut and drawed wood most of the day, 2 below zero at noon, clear and cold all day , Chaney and Bill and I played 66, let Bill
have tool chest, boys took it down to Billy is House for him, 14 below zero at bedtime, Anna and Flora went down to Shultz's,
Ralph and Addison went over to Styles
in the evening , Lena stayed with Anna
January
28, 1885 Wednesday/ 11 degrees below zero, cloudy and snowing little
, cleared off, boys got one load
of wood, Louisa and Lena went to
town with old team, George, Burt and Bob here all afternoon, played pea knuckle, four above zero at noon, Lena and her mother
here in evening, 11 below zero at bed time, Ralph got a letter from Wilkins, 2 letters for Ada
January
29, 1885 Thursday/2 degrees below zero, sunshine and pleasant, 22
above zero at noon, boys went to town to stay all night, took three sacks of wheat, a lovely evening, Henry here Flora stayed
all night with Anna, Lena and the 2 German girls here this afternoon, Fred and James went to town, 12 above zero at the bedtime
January
30, 1885 Friday/Zero degrees, lovely morning, still and clear, sunshine,
Boys got home, Mrs. Bailey came with them, 31 above zero at noon, had party here, quite a crowd, stayed till four o'clock,
20 above zero at midnight, George Hall got home today
January
31, 1885 Saturday/20 above 0, warm and pleasant, boys went to town,
took colts, Mr. Doyle here all afternoon, 34 above zero at noon, rained little in morning, 22 above zero at bedtime, going
to bed, boys not home yet, got home at 11 o'clock
February
1, 1885 Sunday/4 degrees below zero, clear sunshine and pleasant,
11 above zero at noon, Albert, Harvey and Groff to here, Fred, John, George, Lena and her mother all here in the evening John
too, 14 above zero at bedtime
February
2, 1885 Monday/28 above zero, Sunshine and pleasant, Boys got 2 loads
of ice, Lovely day, Billy was here today, Ralph went back with him for his cutter. Killed hog today, 42 above zero at noon,
Frank Freeman, George Jones and Henry here in evening, Ralph got home at 8 oclock, Anna went home with Flora, 35 above zero
at bed time. Bill Groff went to La Cross for lumber
February
3, 1885 Tuesday/ 25 above zero, clear and sunshine, Boys filled Billys
barn with hay, 43 above zero at noon, looks like rain, Ralph gone to town with Style Freeman and Lola here in evening, sleeting
a little, 34 above zero at bedtime
February
4, 1885 Wednesday/ 28 above zero, still cloudy and warm, 10 oclock
snowed half an hour hard, cleared off, Louisa going to Teeter to see Mrs. Teeter and stay with her today, corner(?) and snowing
again, soft and wet, 47 above zero at noon, cloudy and looks like rain, Ralph got home, 28 above zero at bedtime, Anna and
Flora gone to Teeters.
February
5, 1885 Thursday/ 14 above zero, cloudy all day, spitting snow all
day, Boys sawed wood all day, fixed harness, 16 above zero at noon, Herman came from Jackson, Fred and Henry here in evening,
Groff got home from La Cross, Erma Groff stayed with Anna, snowing and 19 above zero at bedtime.
February
6, 1885 Friday/ 22 above zero, still and cloudy, Adison is going home,
Louisa gone to Imogene fishing, Ralph gone after Girtz, fixed collars, 30 above zero at noon, Boys sawed wood in forenoon,
Groff and I played 66 little, young folks all gone to party to Sweets(?), Groff here played 66, 16 above zero at bedtime,
very still
February
7, 1885 Saturday/ 6 above zero, cloudy and spitting snow, Boys gone
to town and took Mills trunk, George gone to Ackleys, old Mrs. Teeter died last night, Lena gone to Teeters to work. Louisa
gone to Teeters to stay all night, Flora came to stay with Anna, Herman came home and Ralph stayed, 0 at bedtime, Mrs. Ackley
paid me $1.80 cts
February
8, 1885 Sunday/ 4 below zero, cloudy and cold, Louisa got home from
Teeters at 10 o clock, Groff here, 8 above zero at noon, let Shultz have ½ bushel
February
9, 1885 Monday/ 12 below zero, blowing hard from N.W. and drifting
badly, Herman went after Louisa, Truman Hall came home with George Groff here, 14 below zero at bedtime, Chancy unloaded his
car of lumber.
February
10, 1885 Tuesday/ 22 below zero, clear and cold, sunshine, 10 below
zero at noon, Herman and Louisa gone to Teeters to funeral service, getting little warmer, Herman stayed at Teeters to set
up, 8 below zero at bedtime and very still.
February
11, 1885 Wednesday/7 below zero, clear and sunshine, but cold, Groff
here in morning, Herman, Anna and Louisa went to town with Teeters when they went to Wisconsin, Ralph came home, Fred and
Henry here in evening, 8 below zero at bedtime, Northern Lights, Herman got 4 papers(?) of tobacco at Charlies.
February
12, 1885 Thursday/16 below zero, sunshine and pleasant, Lena came
home, Rupert here this morning, Groff here, 2 above at noon, Boys got some wood, Frank Freeman here in afternoon, Groff and
Chancy here in evening, played 66, 10 below zero at bedtime, Louisa got sick headache.
February
13, 1885 Friday/7 below zero, frosty and cloudy, Chancy got my bobs
to get a load of lumber with Shultz, got ½ potatoes, 18 above zero at noon, Milo came and took dinner with us, all hands gone
to Pixleys to party, light snow following, Lena and her sister here in evening, 12 above zero at bedtime and snowing lightly.
February
14, 1885 Saturday/zero, clear and sunshine, young folks got home at
7 o clock, George Jones came for sleigh, Ralph, Anna and Herman gone to town, 12 above zero at noon, George and Rudolph gone
to town, young folks got home at dark, Groff here in evening, 6 below zero at bedtime, cold west wind.
February
15, 1885 Sunday/8 below, cloudy and frosty, N.W. wind and cold, Groff
got 2 loads of lumber, 4 above zero at noon, Ralph and Anna gone to Halls, Drifting some, Ralph stayed all night, 2 below
zero at bedtime.
February
16, 1885 Monday/18 below, clear and cold wind, N.W., young folks went
to halls to party, Lena and her mother came here and Louisa went home with them for evening visit, 2 above zero at noon, Groff,
Chancy and Hustin here in evening, played 66, Ackley here for some blocks of wood, 10 below zero at bedtime, Groff got 2 loads
of lumber today.
February
17, 1885 Tuesday/2 above, still and snowing, cold N.W. wind, 16 above
zero at noon, drifted in the afternoon, some drove cattle, went past here this afternoon, all the folks and Flora went down
to Shultzs this evening, 2 below zero at bedtime.
February
18, 1885 Wednesday/2 below, sunshine and pleasant, cold N.W. wind,
Ralph and Anna gone to Blue Earth with colts, 9 above zero at noon, Herman got load of ice for Lena, I have been down to Billys
most all day with gruff, 0 at bedtime.
February
19, 1885 Thursday/14 below, clear and cold but pleasant, drifted some,
2 above zero at noon, Mary Groff bought book this afternoon, Groff got brushes to (?), 6 below zero at bedtime.
February
20, 1885 Friday/10 below, sunshine and pleasant, getting warmer, Herman
got load of ice and went to johns for sorghum, Ralph and Anna got home from Blue Earth at 3 o clock, 18 above zero at noon,
gruff here in evening, played 66, stranger took dinner here, had pats(?) horses, 2 below zero at bedtime.
February
21, 1885 Saturday/9 below, still and cloudy, 16 above zero at noon,
Herman, Louisa, and Lena gone to town, 3 above zero at bedtime, light East wind and bright moonlight.
February
22, 1885 Sunday/8 below, clear and pleasant, 18 above zero at noon,
John, Albert, and Clancy were all here all afternoon and evening, Claude stayed all night, Ralph got home, 4 above zero at
bedtime, Billys colt got lock jaw.
February
23, 1885 Monday/11 above, cloudy with south wind, Boys cutting down
big oak tree, 30 above zero at noon, snowing lightly, 20 above zero at bedtime, George Jones here in evening, let Fred have
lock of bran for cow.
February
24, 1885 Tuesday/20 above, cloudy and warm, Boys cut wood, Milo and
wife here, George Hall here, 36 above zero at noon, Ralph and Anna gone to Teeters this evening, John Huston here, 26 above
zero at bedtime.
February
25, 1885 Wednesday/20 above, cloudy and pleasant, Anna went to school
for her books, sawed wood all afternoon, 36 above zero at noon, 20 above zero at bedtime, beautiful moonlit night.
February
26, 1885 Thursday/11 above, cut wood in forenoon, I went to town in
afternoon with 6 bushels of wheat, 36 above zero at noon, Boys went to East Chain with colts, Groff and Chancy here, 26 above
zero at bedtime, got Billy and Neli shod forward.
February 27, 1885 Friday/20 above, clear and pleasant, south wind, tried to blast big oak and failed, filed two saws, Chancy here, played
66, warmest day we have had, snow going fast, 42 above zero at noon, young folks gone to Rouses to party, 32 above zero at
bedtime.
February 28, 1885 Saturday/32 above, sunshine and pleasant, young folks got home from party at 4 o clock, Boys gone to town, 46 above zero at
noon, George Hall came home with Ralph, Leily Matson came here with George Jones, 36 above zero at bedtime, Herman stayed
with George Jones.
March 1, 1885 Sunday/20 above zero, cloudy with cold N.W. wind, house full all day, 40 above zero at noon, all of Seelers folks and Shultzs
here, had some music, Claude and Albert here a few minutes in evening, Flora here, 11 above zero at bedtime.
March 2, 1885 Monday/24 above, clear and pleasant, sawed wood all day, Anna took Leily Matson to Mitchels, 45 above zero at noon, Louisa
went to Charlies for oil, Fred and henry here in evening, strong west wind, 38 above zero at bedtime, Dickman brought lumber
too, John Huston here.
March 3, 1885 Tuesday/37 above, cloudy with heavy west wind, split wood all forenoon, Louisa washing, Hirm and Ralph gone to town with
buggy, Louisa and Mary gruff down to L???sons visiting, George Jones got ? to go to Pixleys, all the slews full of water,
9 o clock and boys not home yet, 36 above zero at bedtime.
March 4, 1885 Wednesday/30 above, still and cloudy, sawed wood part of day, boys got home this morning, 48 above zero at noon, 27 above at
bedtime.
March 5, 1885 Thursday/38 above, still and cloudy, went to town and stayed all night, snowed all day, soft damp snow, tended lawsuit in
town, stayed with Milo.
March 6, 1885 Friday/ 26 above, cloudy and cold, went to lawsuit all day, came home with Chancy, got pair of shoes and overalls, young
folks went to Mitchells to party, snowed little in evening, 26 above at bedtime.
March 7, 1885 Saturday/11 above, clear and pleasant, young folks gone to town, snow going fast, Louisa and George gone to Styles, Ralph
stayed all night, 24 above at bedtime.
March 8, 1885 Sunday/20 above, still and cloudy, chilly south wind, Groff and I went up and looked Jims house over, 28 above zero at bedtime.
March 9, 1885 Monday/32 above, clear and pleasant, Herm and I sawed wood all forenoon, John and Charlie commenced cutting big oak log,
tore down Jims house this afternoon, Charlie and John helped take off the roof, 48 above zero at noon, Shultz had team to
draw wood with, Ralph got home, 34 above zero at bedtime.
March 10, 1885 Tuesday/31 above, cold N.E. wind, drawed lumber from Jims house, boys sawed wood, 26 above zero at noon, 24 above zero at
bedtime, Kate Hall came and stayed all night, Groff here in evening and George Jones.
March 11, 1885 Wednesday/32 above, clear and pleasant, boys cut wood part of day, 40 above zero at noon, fixed north window, Jed Stewart came
here, horse back, all the folks gone to Ackleys to a party, 30 above zero at bedtime, folks not home at 11 o, clock.
March 12, 1885 Thursday/34 above, clear and pleasant, cut some wood, John and Charlie blasted big oak, Lena and her sister went to town,
rained little about night, 48 above zero at noon, 35 at bedtime.
March 13, 1885 Friday/32 above, still and cloudy, Herm and Ralph went to town on foot, 38 above zero at noon, fixed south window, Mrs.
P. Lousen (poss Lansen) here visiting Lester Teeter and Flora stayed all night with Anna, Groff here, played 66, George went
to East Chain with 2 sacks of wheat to mill, 36 above zero at bedtime.
March 14, 1885 Saturday/44 above, blowing a gale from N.W. and cold, Herm and Ralph gone to town, fixed stable floor, Ada came home with
the boys, 24 above zero at bedtime and still blowing hard.
March 15, 1885 Sunday/20 above, clear and cold all day, 34 at noon, John, Claude and Truman here and all the women folks went to Seelers
this afternoon, Herm and Ralph went to Styles got some tobacco, 12 above zero at bedtime.
March 16, 1885 Monday/0, clear and sunshine but cold, boys cut and drawed willows from lake bank, George and I sawed and split wood at
house, cold N.E. wind all day, Louisa sick all day, got ½ pound of tobacco from Charlies, 7 above zero at bedtime, eclipse
March 17, 1885 Tuesday/1 below, clear and sunshine, cut wood in forenoon, Boys went to town in afternoon, 30 above zero at noon, Herm, Ralph
and Anna went to Halls this evening, Lena here this evening, Give Swead 5 bushels of oats, 32 above zero at bedtime.
March 18, 1885 Wednesday/28 above, clear and pleasant, Herm and Ralph helped Groff cut down hedge and drawed it home, George and I sawed and
split some wood, 36 above zero at noon, Mrs. Teeter and Tine here, 29 above at bedtime.
March 19, 1885 Thursday/14 above, clear and pleasant but cold, boys cut wood, (?) Groff laid floor in back room, 14 above zero at bedtime.
March 20, 1885 Friday/11 above, cold S.E. wind and cloudy, threatens snow, boys gone to town, George gone to Charlies for oil, fixed door
stool, 20 above zero at noon, Mrs. Lanson started for Milwaukee, had party here, danced until 4 o clock, 9 above zero at bedtime.
March 21, 1885 Saturday/10 above, beautiful morning, sunshine and still, done nothing all day, Herm, Ralph and Anna and G(?)isty went to
town, 32 above zero at noon, herm went, Loly came home with Anna, 22 above zero at bedtime.
March 22, 1885 Sunday/18 above, clear and sunshine, pleasant but cold, 28 above zero at noon, John Huston, Lena and her mother, and Flora
all here in evening, George Hall and Claude here, Lola went home with them, Ada went with them, 22 above zero at bedtime.
March 23, 1885 Monday/14 above, sunshine and clear, cold N.W. wind, went to Chancys and got my bags and wagon rod, boys drawing willow
poles, cut them up, Ralph went to town, cleaned 7 bags of wheat, 45 above zero at noon, blew great guns all day, Charlie and
John finished getting their wood, 32 above zero at bedtime, Fred Jones got home.
March 24, 1885 Tuesday/16 above, cold N.W. wind all day, boys cut wood all day for Groff, fixed my wagon box, Groff killed hog, lot of Germans
came to Murphys place, 32 above zero at noon, Fred and George Jones and Lena here this evening and Groff, 20 above zero at
bedtime.
March 25, 1885 Wednesday/18 above, cloudy with strong west wind and cold, 40 above zero at noontime, old Mrs. Teeter and Mrs. Wilkins here
visiting, Ralph and Herm went to town, took seven sacks of wheat, sold Dan my old cradle for one dollar, fixed window in kitchen,
thawing fast, 37 above zero at bedtime, George Hall gone to Minneapolis.
March 26, 1885 Thursday/36 above, warm and thawing, boys cut wood for gruff in forenoon, went to town in after noon, fixed window in kitchen,
mulched apple trees, got tow loads of wood, 58 above zero at noon, Tempest is a little lame, 32 above at bedtime.
March 27, 1885 Friday/26 above, clear and pleasant, cut tops off cottonwood trees and cut into wood, let Carlos Hall have 14 bushels of
wheat at 80 cents per bushel, Herm drove Billy and Charlie, 45 above at noon, the Lufkins came here from Eu Clair to see about
Manchesters land, young folks gone to Ackleys to party, 32 above zero at bedtime.
March 28, 1885 Saturday/18 above, sunshine and pleasant, cut little wood, went to town, cold N. wind, 36 above zero at noon, Ralph went to
town with Doyle and didnt come home, 23 above zero at bedtime, paid my personal tax $4.77.
March 29, 1885 Sunday/20 above, clear with south wind, cloudy and threatens rain, saw Land Hill Crane, Ralph shot duck, 42 above zero at
noon, snowed little this afternoon, John and Albert here, Truman Hall came home with George, Herm went riding, 36 above zero
at bedtime.
March 30, 1885 Monday/26 above, clear and sunshine, Billy and Jim here after seed wheat, boys went to town, took Charlie up and left him
with Joe Hide, Jule Martin came home with them, Louisa went to mill, 56 above zero at noon, 58 above zero at bedtime, looks
like rain.
March 31, 1885 Tuesday/ 26 above, Sunshine and pleasant, Ralph took Herm to town to go home, 55 at noon, George, Fred, Lena and her mother
here in evening. Shultz had team to dig garden, 38 above zero at bedtime
April 1, 1885 Wednesday/ 36 above, Cloudy and warm, German got my fanning mill, fixed Billys cultivator, 58 above zero at noon, made garden
rake, cloudy, looks like rain, lightning in south, got bad cold, 44 above zero at bedtime
April 2, 1885 Thursday/ 26 above, cloudy and cold north wind, Chancy brought fanning mill and cleaned his seed wheat, girls went home with
him visiting, Ralph got 2 loads of wood and gone to town, George commenced cultivating for wheat, Mitchell here to see Billys
barn, Mr. Teeter and wifes sister got here from Wisconsin, girls went to Shultzs in evening, 30 above zero at bedtime
April 3, 1885 Friday/ 24 above, clear and pleasant, cultivated in afternoon, cut wood in afternoon, 44 above zero at noon, Ackley here,
got chain, 40 above zero at bedtime
April 4, 1885 Saturday/ 36 above, clear and pleasant, big prairie fire, 70 above zero at noon, George cultivating in forenoon, fought fire
all afternoon, Ralph and Jule went to town, Mike Miller came home with him, 50 above zero at bedtime
April 5, 1885 Sunday/ 56 above, clear and pleasant, prairie all burnt over today, house full of folks all day, young folks went to Imogene
fishing, Louisa went to East Chain got grist, 42 above zero at bedtime, Mike and I took dinner with Groff
April 6, 1885 Monday/ 36 above, clear with strong south wind, got Styles seed and sowed six bushels of wheat, 68 above zero at noon, drizzling
rain all afternoon, boys went fishing, Billy came home to do his seeding, 40 above zero at bedtime, Ralph took Mike to town
April 7, 1885 Tuesday/ 36 above, cloudy with strong west wind, rained little, sowed some wheat, fearful wind, Katie Murry came here, all
young folks gone to Pixleys to party, Louisa went to Charlies to see sick baby, Mrs. Shultz here visiting, Chancy cleaned
his seed wheat here, freezing hard at bedtime
April 8, 1885 Wednesday/ 22 above, cold north wind, ground froze hard, broke down corn stalks and raked and burnt part of them, 46 above
zero at noon, Louisa went to Charlie Bowdrys and stayed all night, Claude Turner here tonight, Ralph took Kate Murry to Mitchells
and Lola home, 36 above zero at bedtime
April 9, 1885 Thursday/ 29 above, cloudy and spitting snow, done nothing in forenoon, finished sowing wheat, 23 bushels, cloudy all day,
46 above zero at noon, Louisa came home and brought little girl of Charlies, 36 above zero at bedtime
April 10, 1885 Friday/ 36 above, cloudy, dragged until 10 oclock, rained a little, cleared up, went to dragging again, finished dragging
wheat, sowed some oats, showery all day, 50 above zero at noon, Louisa and Kate went to Doyles, young folks all gone to town
to party, 40 above zero at bedtime
April 11, 1885 Saturday/ 36 above, clear and pleasant, wind north, dragged little oats, went to town, got George cloth for coats and pants,
Ada gone to town to show, 36 above at bedtime, Louisa got lame ankle very bad, Billy went to town and stayed
April 12, 1885 Sunday/ 32 above, clear and cold, John Huston got load of hay, Mr. Hall here, Miss Karney and all the rest of the young folks
were here this evening, danced little, Billy got home late, 30 above zero at bedtime, Spotty had calf
April 13, 1885 Monday/ 22 above, sunshine and pleasant, went to town, took Claude and Ralph to town to go to Minneapolis, cold south wind,
George dragged for Billy in afternoon, looks like raine, 44 above zero at bedtime, took 4 sacks of wheat to town got 64 cents
per bushel, Anna gone to Charlie Bowdrys to work a few days
April 14, 1885 Tuesday/ 42 above, Rained all the morning until 11 oclock, cleared up, very warm, 64 above zero at noon, Billy gone to town
to get plow sharpened, took his wagon wheels up to town, set whiffletrees, ice most all out of lake, little in corner, 40
above zero at bedtime
April 15, 1885 Wednesday/ 44 above, cloudy with light rain, misty all day, made road (could be roach) for Billys wagon, lake all cleared of
ice, 56 above zero at noon, 51 above zero at bedtime, still looks like rain
April 16, 1885 Thursday/ 42 above, cloudy and drizzling rain all day, Billy went to town and got lumber for wagon box, fixed yard fence,
50 above zero at noon, 40 above zero at bedtime and still raining, Frank Freeman here this morning, heard Ann Murphy was dead
April 17, 1885 Friday/ 40 above, Cold and windy, looks like rain, George plowed for Billy, Charlie came after load of brush and took Isola
home with him, fixed fence around garden, Flora got pail of potatoes, fixed fence on gruff time(?), raked up corn stalks,
38 above zero at bedtime and clear
April 18, 1885 Saturday/ 36 above, cool south east wind and cloudy, sowed my oats, Billy went to town with colts, Mrs. Peletor (?) came here,
50 above zero at bedtime, got letter from Ralph
April 19, 1885 Sunday/ 44 above, drizzling all day, Petrie and Groff here to dinner, 58 above zero at noon, tried fence at Billys, south
east wind, Anna took Petries folks and Groff to town in the evening, John Huston here, 54 above zero at bedtime, looks like
rain
April 20, 1885 Monday/ 56 above, rained most all day, thunder and lightning, made wagon box for Billy, Mrs. Finner here, turned Tom into
pasture with Billys colts, 62 above zero at bedtime
April 21, 1885 Tuesday/ 50 above, cloudy and rain all day, worked little down at Billys, 76 above zero at noon, killed hog, cut my thumb,
blowed great guns all day
April 22, 1885 Wednesday/ 56 above, cloudy and cold west wind, went to Dickens to work, Groff didnt come so I came home, George plowed for
Billy, I fixed stall in stable, Billy gone to town with colts, 54 above zero at noon, Groff here this evening, made Bill of
Barn (this is what it says very clearly, not sure what it means), Tempest quite lame
April 23, 1885 Thursday/ 38 above, cold north wind and cloudy, worked on Dickinsons house, George plowed for Billy, Herman Miller here on
his way to Minneapolis
April 24, 1885 Friday/ 32 above, beautiful day, light frost, worked on Dickinsons house, George seeded for Billy in forenoon, took banking
from house
April 25, 1885 Saturday/ cloudy with warm showers, worked on Dickinsons house, Billy finished sowing oats
April 26, 1885 Sunday/ 48 above, clear and cool, Billy gone to Winnebago to mill for me, he took 8 sacks of wheat, warm and pleasant this
afternoon, 48 above zero and raining a little, Flora staying with Anna and Truman with George tonight
April 27, 1885 Monday/ 40 above, cloudy with cool north wind, little shower in forenoon, 70 above zero at noon, finished Dickinsons house,
rained in evening, George ploughed the garden, Groff paid me 7 dollars
April 28, 1885 Tuesday/ 34 above, clear and sunshine, beautiful day, George commenced plowing for corn, Billys Peter very stiff, fixed wire
on Billys fence, took down fence around stacks, Lucy Hill here visiting Blue Earth, folks here fishing, sowed pot hole to
wheat
April 29, 1885 Wednesday/ 36 above, cloudy and rainy all day, George plowed, Billy went to millers
April 30, 1885 Thursday/ 50 above, cloudy and cold east wind, nice day, fixed fence in lake, let Hasenbach have windows for Groff, pitched
boats, made oar, George plowed, George Jones here in evening, put Billys boat in lake
May 1, 1885 Friday/ 48 above, North East wind and cold, George plowed, fixed Billys pasture fence, Ada and Louisa went to Teeters visiting,
girls gone to Pains to party
May 2, 1885 Saturday/ Finished Billys fence, George plowed
May 3, 1885 Sunday/ Clear and pleasant, lots of young folks here
May 4, 1885 Monday/ 24 above, clear and sunshine, took down fence between Groff and my pasture, not feeling well all day, Dora and Lesta
here in evening, wind blowing hard, school commenced, looks like rain, 80 above zero at noon
May 5, 1885 Tuesday/ 38 above, cloudy and cold north west wind, went to town, Ada went with me and Mrs. Schultz, got paper for house
May 6, 1885 Wednesday/ 36 above, cloudy, looks like rain, cold shower and little hail, finished plowing for corn, plowed little for Groff,
cold as blazesalmost freezing tonight, commenced papering house, got Teeters drag
May 7, 1885 Thursday/ 32 above, very cold north west wind, froze hard last night, dragged corn land in afternoon, blowed hard all day
and cold with light showers of sleet, 38 above zero at bedtime, papered house
May 8, 1885 Friday/ 34 above, cloudy and cold, finished dragging for corn, shelled my seed corn, Germans after trees, showers of sleet
all day, hard wind all day
May 9, 1885 Saturday/ 34 above, cloudy and cold, froze quite hard, tried to drag for Groff but had to stop, dredged and marked Groffs
corn land, wind gone down and warmer, Ada got letter from Ralph, Flora staying with Anna tonight
May 10, 1885 Sunday/ Clear and pleasant, Petrie and Billy Peck here to dinner, Dave and Petrie gone to work on Pecks house
May 11, 1885 Monday/ Clear and pleasant, marked my corn ground, George planted for Groff, turned Pony and Tempest to Groffs, worked Billys
colt and Nellie
May 12, 1885 Tuesday/ Beautiful day, finished marking for corn, Fred and James are planting for me with horse planter, Burt and Tom commenced
breaking for Schultz, 76 above zero at noon
May 13, 1885 Wednesday/ went to work on Freds house
May 14, 1885 Thursday/ Worked on Freds house, fearful wind
May 15, 1885 Friday/ Worked on Freds house until 4 oclock, rained like blazes, Ada and Anna gone to town to party
May 16, 1885 Saturday/ Cloudy and looks like rain, planted my potatoes, rained in afternoon, rained most all night, Petrie and Dave came
home
May 17, 1885 Sunday/ cloudy and rainy
May 18, 1885 Monday/ nothing written
May 19, 1885 Tuesday/ nothing written
May 20, 1885 Wednesday/ nothing written
May 21, 1885 Thursday/ nothing written
May 22, 1885 Friday/ nothing written
May 23, 1885 Saturday/ came home from Bill pecks, there all the week working on his house
May 24, 1885 Sunday/ Rainy all forenoon, Petrie took dinner here, went to Iowa, cleared up in afternoon, let Groff have sack of corn,
Groff paid me 11 dollars for work
May 25, 1885 Monday/ Clear and warm, worked on Chancys house
May 26, 1885 Tuesday/ very warm, worked on Chancys house, Billy gone to millers to paint, colts all got out of pasture, Schultz brother-in-law
came from Minneapolis
May 27, 1885 Wednesday/ worked all day on house
May 28, 1885 Thursday/ worked little in morning, rained all rest of the day
May 29, 1885 Friday/ commenced at 3 oclock, worked rest of day on Chancys house, George finished hauling manure from horse barn, set
cultivator up
May 30, 1885 Saturday/ worked ¾ day on house, very hot, George cultivated Groffs corn, broke cultivator wheel
May 31, 1885 Sunday/ Pleasant day, Germans had picnic in woods, ploughed garden for Groff, rained little, boys took stock to hard
June 1, 1885 Monday/ Warm and pleasant, worked on Chauncys house, George commenced cultivating corn, looks like rain
June 2, 1885 Tuesday/ Worked on Chauncys house, nice day, rather warm, took hog to Chauncys
June 3, 1885 Wednesday/ Worked on house, pleasant day, George finished cultivating corn, Mr. Stow there today about his barn
June 4, 1885 Thursday/ Worked on house, very warm, turned Charlie to Groffs
June 5, 1885 Friday/ Finished working on Chancys house, got my pay $16.62. Mr. Buck road Billys colt to town, big party tonight at new
house
June 6, 1885 Saturday/ Went to town, got cultivator wheel fixed, paid Cunningham 5 dollars and Heaoly (could be Heady) 5 dollars, got block
plane
June 7, 1885 Sunday/ Folks all gone fishing, helped Billy stake out some land, very cold north
wind at night
June 8, 1885 Monday/ Cold as blazes, wind north, went to work on Michells barn, drove colts, George commenced cultivating corn second
time
June 9, 1885 Tuesday/ Worked on Mitchells barn, slight frost last night
June 10, 1885 Wednesday/ Worked on barn, Mrs. Jones gone to Dakota, Mr. Buck left tonight, weather quite cool
June 11, 1885 Thursday/ Worked until noon on barn, went to town and got spokes and hub and new lines, Groff went with me, Mitchell paid
me $6.12
June 12, 1885 Friday/ Rained in morning, made wheel in afternoon, Wesley came for cultivator
June 13, 1885 Saturday/ Went to town, Ada and Anna went with me, drove Charley and Billy, went to races, Topsy got beat (not sure if that
is right looks like bat), very warm
June 14, 1885 Sunday/ Pleasant day, had strawberry shortcake for dinner
June 15, 1885 Monday/ Commenced building hog pen, very warm
June 16, 1885 Tuesday/ George cultivated for Groff, finished hog pen
June 17, 1885 Wednesday/ George cultivated for Shultz all day, laid up with Jobe(?) comforter
June 18, 1885 Thursday/ George finished cultivating for Schultz, Louisa and Anna went to town with strawberries, drove colts
June 19, 1885 Friday/ George commenced on my corn fieldthird time
June 20, 1885 Saturday/ George and Billy gone to town with 2 loads of oats, Ada and Anna gone to town with strawberries, 4 oclock big storm
coming from the west, folks not home yet, heavy thunder, Mr. Van Dyke here to dinner, made manger outside stable, very hot,
96 above
June 21, 1885 Sunday/ windy and cold, lots of folks here, Hoffman people here, played croquet
June 22, 1885 Monday/ Went to town with Billy, got wagon fixed, nice cool day
June 23, 1885 Tuesday/ Cool and pleasant, painted wagon wheels, George finished cultivating my corn the third time, folks picked 107 quarts
of strawberries
June 24, 1885 Wednesday/ Cloudy and cool, painted my wagon, Ada and her mother gone to town with berries, drove soral colts, Mrs. Hoffman
here picking strawberries, looks like rain
June 25, 1885 Thursday/ George gone to Jackson with Billys horse, Blaisdell and land lookers here to dinner, rained little in afternoon,
hard thunderstorm in evening
June 26, 1885 Friday/ Cloudy and rainy in morning, Anna and her mother went to town, very hot, Nellie had colt
June 27, 1885 Saturday/ Billy and I went to town with Billy and Nancy, George came home this morning from Jackson, very hot in afternoon
June 28, 1885 Sunday/ Pleasant day, lots of folks here to supper
June 29, 1885 Monday/ Very warm, Billy cultivating for me with Nancy and Tempest, George and Rudolph hoeing Sorghum, Sarah Murphy came
here visiting
June 30, 1885 Tuesday/ Broke road up, made screen door, Louisa went to town with berries, cool and pleasant, finished my corn the 4th
time
July 1, 1885 Wednesday/ Very warm, finished breaking road and dragged it, Billy making fire break, looks like rain, Sarah Murphy gone to
Mitchells
July 2, 1885 Thursday/ Cultivated Groffs corn, very warm, cleaned up my wheat
July 3, 1885 Friday/ Went to town, took 30 bushels of wheat, got 63 cents per bushel, got saddle fixed and harness, George got (?) of
clothes, I got pair of pants, rained at night
July 4, 1885 Saturday/ Very warm, went to East Chain to celebration, not much of a time, rained a little at night
July 5, 1885 Sunday/ Cloudy and cooler, Dan took Milos folks home, rained, rained quite hard, Billy gone to town to work with Groff
July 6, 1885 Monday/ Cultivated my potatoes and Groffs, cool and pleasant
July 7, 1885 Tuesday/ Went to town to trade Billy, brought him home, very warm, lost paper of tobacco, got lumber for beehive
July 8, 1885 Wednesday/ Cultivated corn in the forenoon, Louisa and Ada went to town in afternoon, Chancy and Tim went with them, very warm,
96 above zero, made beehive
July 9, 1885 Thursday/ Nice and cool day, finished cultivating corn, commenced Hoffmans boat
July 10, 1885 Friday/ Cloudy and cool, finished Hoffmans boat, Sherman Whitney here and stayed all night, Kate Murry and book agent here
July 11, 1885 Saturday/ Louisa and Flora went to school section berrying, Anna went after them and let the colts run away and broke my buggy,
Billy came home, went to see Jipey(?)
July 12, 1885 Sunday/ Pleasant day, John and James here to supper, Henry here in evening
July 13, 1885 Monday/ Billy and I went to town, Groff went to Spirit Lake, got wagon springs, I came home alone
July 14, 1885 Tuesday/ Worked on my wagon, Hoffman here, Clous Lawson started for Wisconsin, bought washing machine and bedsted from Lawson
July 15, 1885 Wednesday/ Fixed bedsted and finished my wagon, looks like rain, blowed and rained with heavy thunder and lightning, hard storm
about 10 oclock in the morning
July 16, 1885 Thursday/ Cool and pleasant, strong west wind, took white cow to Mitchells, made beehive, Billy came home
July 17, 1885 Friday/ Cool and pleasant, painted Hoffmans boat, made beehive, Louisa and George went berrying
July 18, 1885 Saturday/ Little sick, went to town, Anna and Flora and Billy went with me, Groff came home with us, very hot
July 19, 1885 Sunday/ Very warm, lots of folks here, Greame and wife here on horseback, looks like rain
July 20, 1885 Monday/ Louisa gone berrying to school section, 96 above zero at 10 oclock, rained little at noon, Billy gone to cut Teeters
barley, Hoffman came for his boat
July 21, 1885 Tuesday/ Billy stacked hay for Teeter, I went to town and Groff went with me, got 40 lbs of twine, Milo came home with me
and fixed harp strings
July 22, 1885 Wednesday/ Billy rode Tempest to Hasenbachs to see about getting his horses and then went to town, Ada and George went to East
Chain, rained little in afternoon
July 23, 1885 Thursday/ Very warm, Billy gone to Winnebago to the mill, hung grind stove, fixed sewing machine, General Grant died this
morning, looks like rain, turned calves to pasture
July 24, 1885 Friday/ Cool and cloudy, Holcomb came for oats from Billy, Ada and Henry Style gone to town with colts
July 25, 1885 Saturday/ Cloudy and warm, commenced and finished my oats and cut four times around wheat, George helped Lanson stack hay,
Rudolph helped me set up
July 26, 1885 Sunday/ Cool and pleasant, let Style have 30 bushels of oats, John Huston here
July 27, 1885 Monday/ Very warm, cut my wheat, Lansons old mare died, 101 above zero
July 28, 1885 Tuesday/ Finished cutting my wheat in morning, all hands went to town to circus, fearful hot, tent blowed down, 103 above
zero
July 29, 1885 Wednesday/ Cut oats for Billy, 100 above zero at noon
July 30, 1885 Thursday/ Cut oats for Billy, 102 above zero, quit from 11 oclock until 5 oclock
July 31, 1885 Friday/ Billy went to Chancys to cut, I went to town, very warm, Louisa and Mrs. Groff went with me, got Lansons harness
August 1, 1885 Saturday/ Cloudy and Cold, set my oats up and caped my wheat, commenced to rain
August 2, 1885 Sunday/ Warm and pleasant, young folks down from town, took Vick to M????
August 3, 1885 Monday/ commenced stacking wheat, Chancy helped in afternoon, Ada went to town with Ethel and cream man (this last part
was written in another handpossibly written by Ada)
August 4, 1885 Tuesday/ Finished my stacking, Chancy helped me, George Hall came home
August 5, 1885 Wednesday/ Stacked for Chancy on Bills all day
August 6, 1885 Thursday/ Very warm, set up Billys oats in morning and stacked them rest of the day for Chancy
August 7, 1885 Friday/ Stacked all day for Chancy, rained in night very hard
August 8, 1885 Saturday/ Did nothing all day, Billy gone to Jackson after his horse, Ada came home from town
August 9, 1885 Sunday/ Cool and pleasant, Bill Mitchell stopped here, George Jones bought colt from Wagner
August 10, 1885 Monday/ Billy got home at noon, laid up with boil, John here all day
August 11, 1885 Tuesday/ Cloudy and cool, Billy stacked oats all day, rained like blazes at night, Milo came to work for Bill, I feel rather
bad
August 12, 1885 Wednesday/ George and his mother went to East Chain and got plow sharpened, I went to town with Billy in afternoon
August 13, 1885 Thursday/ Cool and pleasant, Billy stacked oats all day, Brown fixed pump
August 14, 1885 Friday/ Billy finished stacking in forenoon and went to town in afternoon, Ada and her mother visiting at Schultzs
August 15, 1885 Saturday/ Billy and Henry went hunting in forenoon, went to town in afternoon with Fred
August 16, 1885 Sunday/ Billy and Fred went hunting, Milo and Fred worked all day
August 17, 1885 Monday/ Looks like rain, done nothing
August 19, 1885 Tuesday/ Worked on Billys hay rack
August 19, 1885 Wednesday/ Billy mowed all day, George raked and I cocked, finished Billys rack
August 20, 1885 Thursday/ Windy and cloudy, looks like rain, stacked hay for Billy
August 21, 1885 Friday/ Finished stacking for Billy and filled his barn, commenced mowing for me, broke pitman and went to town
August 22, 1885 Saturday/ Set reaper up, Billy commenced cutting for Schultz, drizzley and rainy all day
August 23, 1885 Sunday/ Cool and pleasant, looks like rain, Chancy, Tim (may be Jim), Bill and Mary here, Carey Blanchard came here and
stayed all night
August 24, 1885 Monday/ Cloudy and looks like rain, Billy cut Schultz flax in forenoon and mowed a little in afternoon, rained a little,
George commenced plowing, heard from Ralph
August 25, 1885 Tuesday/ Sunshine and pleasant, Billy mowing for me, George plowing, racked in afternoon
August 26, 1885 Wednesday/ Billy mowed in the forenoon, racked and cocked all day, cloudy and looks like rain in afternoon, rained a little
in night
August 27, 1885 Thursday/ Raked and finished cocking hay in afternoon, rained a little in evening, Schultz finished stacking flax
August 28, 1885 Friday/ Wind north west, Billy and women folks gone to town, Burt Colton came for Ada to work for his mother, got one load
of hay in forenoon, got 12 loads of hay in afternoon, rained a little in night
August 29, 1885 Saturday/ Wet and cloudy, sold Charlie colt to Fred Style, got four loads of hay in forenoon and 10 in afternoon
August 30, 1885 Sunday/ Clear and pleasant, took dinner at Groffs, lots of young folks here, got one load of hay
August 31, 1885 Monday/ Cloudy, looks like rain, Billy mowed in forenoon, raked and cocked in afternoon, finished my big stack, Mr. Dorethy
here
September 1, 1885 Tuesday/ Helped Billy finish stacking hay, George helped Groff in forenoon, Anna and George gone to party at Pages, Groff
here in evening, ate watermelons
September 2, 1885 Wednesday/ Billy commenced mowing, rained hard with thunder and lightning, Kate Murry came here this morning with Anna and
George
September 3, 1885 Thursday/ Cloudy and looks like rain, Billy mowed in forenoon, I plowed with Billy and Tempest, cocked a little hay to grim,
looks like rain, bad hay weather, Kate Murry went to Doyles
September 4, 1885 Friday/ Helped Groff in forenoon, cocked hay all afternoon, Billy went to town, Carlos Hall here in evening, Mrs. Hall here
visiting Anna, went to Mitchells with Kate Murry
September 5, 1885 Saturday/ Stacked 8 loads of hay, pleasant day, Billy and Rudolph helped
September 6, 1885 Sunday/ Cloudy and cool, Ada and a fat lot of young folks from Fairmont here,
lent Carlos Hall drive belt
September 7, 1885 Monday/ Billy got Styles mower and cut all day, rained in afternoon, George plowed all day, fixed yard fence, rained all
night, Hall brought belt back
September 8, 1885 Tuesday/ Wind north with cold rain, Billy went to town to get Pitman went on horseback, rained all day, pulled wire ??? out
of lake(this makes me laugh as I have spoken to the current owners of the property and she said they are always finding
old stuff that comes up out of the lake!!!), blowed so couldnt fix fence, John here to dinner, district court commenced
today
September 9, 1885 Wednesday/ Cleared up, looks like fair weather, fixed fence in back at outlet, covered horse stable, Billy took Jumbo home,
George Hall and John here, looks like fair weather
September 10, 1885 Thursday/ Raked some hay, wind blew so hard couldnt cock it, Billy went to town and got Pitman fixed, looks like rain, Luna
and Leeler girls here after strawberry plants
September 11, 1885 Friday/ Cloudy and rainy, wind blowing a gale, got to loads of hay in forenoon and 3 loads in afternoon, Anna and George
went to town to a party, rained hard in night
September 12, 1885 Saturday/ Cleared up, wind west, blowing hard, Billy mowing this forenoon, raked and cocked all afternoon, wind gone down,
pleasant evening, Anna and George got home at noon
September 13, 1885 Sunday/ Stacked Groffs hay, pleasant day, rather windy, Ada and her Fairmont friends all here
September 14, 1885 Monday/ Plowed little, got 2 loads of hay, put up 50 cocks of hay, Billy commenced plowing, nice day, Billy finished mowing
this morning for me
September 15, 1885 Tuesday/ Beautiful day, finished stacking my hay
September 16, 1885 Wednesday/ Went to town, paid 2 years interest on scholl land $28.66, paid Headly $5.90, Ed Bird $3.50, Sinclaire $1.00, got
5 bushels of lath and one dollars worth of pork, got 2 dollars worth of sugar, Lausons brother came
September 17, 1885 Thursday/ Fixed hog pen, threshed for Mitchell in afternoon, George plowed all day, Billy cut buckwheat for Schultz, Lola
Hall here making dress
September 18, 1885 Friday/ George finished one piece of plowing, I threshed for Mitchell in forenoon, Lola went home, Mitchell had 750 lbs.
Of oats and 171 of wheat, Billy went to town, Lena Schultz went to Milwaukee with Mr. Lauson.
September 19, 1885 Saturday/ Thrashed for Teeter in afternoon, very warm, George plowed east of cornfield in forenoon and went grafing in afternoon,
Kate Murry came here and stayed
September 20, 1885 Sunday/ Rained a little in morning with thunder, cleared up, nice day, young folks went to Pixleys got keg
September 21, 1885 Monday/ Threshed for Teeter ¼ of day and finished threshers, gone home for one week
September 22, 1885 Tuesday/ went to town and got plow sharpened and fork fixed, Kate went with me, Julie Martin came home with us, quite cool,
paid Livermore $10
September 23, 1885 Wednesday/ Schultz raked hay with the pony in forenoon, George plowed in the afternoon, wind blowing very hard
September 24, 1885 Thursday/ Stayed at home all day alone, folks all went to the fair, beautiful day, fixed my lines up, Anna played at fair
dance
September 25, 1885 Friday/ Anna came home with Frank Blines and then went to Blue Earth Fair Ball, John Wilson of Tilot Grove and pattern man
here to dinner, picture man here, Kate and Julie gone to Doyles, George stacked buckwheat for Schultz, Billy mowed fire break
September 26, 1885 Saturday/ Katie and Julie came from Doyles, Billy gone to town and got cattle home from herd, nice day, Ada came home with
Billy
September 27, 1885 Sunday/ Nice day, Ann Whitney and girls here, went to Styles with Whitney, Ida and Ella here, Ada went to town with them,
lots of folks here
September 28, 1885 Monday/ Very warm, fixed Styles grain mill, George hauled manure, Rudolph helped him, got some ceiling (from later entries
figured this to be sealing) from Style, Billy and girls went to town
September 29, 1885 Tuesday/ sealed some in back kitchen, Billy went to town and got Johns tent, had party at night
September 30, 1885 Wednesday/ George plowed, helped Style thresh in afternoon, commenced 3 or 4 oclock
October 1, 1885 Thursday/ threshed all day for Style, had 1250 bushels of oats, very warm, Louisa went to town
October 2, 1885 Friday/ High wind, threshed for Style until noon and finished 470 bushels of wheat, George went to Seelers to help thresh,
turned calves into my pasture, cold wind, looks like rain
October 3, 1885 Saturday/ Billy went to town with load of cane, helped Seeler thresh until 10 oclock, wind blowed so we had to stop, came
home and sealed part of kitchen, Ada came home with Chancy, John took away his tent, very cold, finished plowing
October 4, 1885 Sunday/ Hard frost this morning, the first of any account, cold gloomy day
October 5, 1885 Monday/ Cold north wind, Louisa and Billy went to town with cane, I helped Seeler thresh until 3 oclock, machine broke down,
Ada got letter from Ohio (as far as I know the only relative in Ohio would be Adas grandmother-Louisas mother Sarah Burnham
Gilmore)
October 6, 1885 Tuesday/ Warm and pleasant, made and hung door in kitchen, George drawed manure, Louisa helped Margaret make preserves, froze
quite hard last night, south wind and warmer tonight, looks like rain
October 7, 1885 Wednesday/ Drawed manure all day, Ada went to town, Kate Murry came here with Frank Freeman, cold wind in afternoon, Mr. Cadwell
here to see his machine
October 8, 1885 Thursday/ Drawed manure all day, Mell Carlton came here today, pleasant day, Kate Murry commenced work for Chancy
October 9, 1885 Friday/ George helped Fenner thresh, Billy let fire get away and burnt the prairie, Billy and I went to town, George Bullard
killed by the cars, horses broke out of pasture
October 10, 1885 Saturday/ Fixed Billys buggy box, took my reaper to pieces and put it in Billys shed, Fenner finished threshing at noon, Mell
gone to Winnebago with colts
October 11, 1885 Sunday/ Thunder and lightning 2 oclock this morning, rained all day and raining hard at 10 oclock at night
October 12, 1885 Monday/ Cold dismal morning, rained all last night and raining still at noon, Mell got home from Winnebago after dark, partly
cleared up and cold north wind
October 13, 1885 Tuesday/ Worked on Lounsberrys corn crib, took team up, Billy went after Sorghum, Ralph got home
October 14, 1885 Wednesday/ Worked on Lounsberrys corn crib, got through, house full of folks at
night, boys dug my potatoes, about 70 bushels
October 15, 1885 Thursday/ Ralph took Mell to town on his way to Dakota, made cellar door, Wilkens breaking Timothys load for Billy, dragged
potato ground and picked them up, very warm day
October 16, 1885 Friday/ Ralph went to town for Groff for load of furniture and went again with girls to party, I put cultivator in granary
and made some mallets for harp (I wonder what kind of harp Anna plays that would need mallets) cleaned out granary
and fixed bins
October 17, 1885 Saturday/ Went to town with Style, Billy and Ralph went to town, I got 18 lbs of pork, Mr. Ackley brought ½ of a hog for me
weighed 70 lbs, cold north west wind
October 18, 1885 Sunday/ Pleasant day, Lola and Lill here, fixed my apple trees with tar paper, some Germans here and they wanted to buy
the farm
October 19, 1885 Monday/ Cloudy and cold, covered potato pit, Billy went to town and got 100 lbs of flour and a load of sand, Ralph got Lawsons
harness, cleaned corn crib out
October 20, 1885 Tuesday/ Ralph plowed potato and sorghum ground, lathed gables of house, had big time with tonry(?) colt, light flurry of
snow this morning and cold
October 21, 1885 Wednesday/ Hard frost, lake frozen over, Ralph gone to Halls to thresh, George gone to Dickner for plastering tools, my face
badly swelled, didnt sleet(?) any last night
October 22, 1885 Thursday/ Ralph gone to Hills to thresh, George and Rudolph got out manure, arrest of the Shurburn burglars, Adams, and Baum
October 23, 1885 Friday/ Commenced threshing for Chancy, Louisa and Ada gone to town and took nine sacks of corn, cleaned out cow stable,
nailed my pasture fence, fine day
October 24, 1885 Saturday/ Finished threshing on Groffs place, threshed my wheat, 250 bushels, then all hands went to town
October 25, 1885 Sunday/ Beautiful day, Ralph and Ada went horseback riding, Lola and George Hall here, Fird (could he mean Fred)
Blanchard and his wife and Mils McKeny (Poss McKay)here visiting, looks like rain
October 26, 1885 Monday/ Threshed my oats, 328 bushels, moved to Billys and threshed all but one stack for him, looks like rain, cloudy and
cold, heard that Harmy Colton was dead.
October 27, 1885 Tuesday/ Finished Billys 1002 and gone to Schultzs before noon, finished Schultzs, rained most of the afternoon
October 28, 1885 Wednesday/ George and Ralph went hunting, Billy went to town with the oats, had party here in evening 16 Noo(?), nice day,
Milo, Ralph and Anna played
October 29, 1885 Thursday/ Cloudy but pleasant, plowed the road up, threshed my beans, Ada gone to Halls visiting with Kate Hall
October 30, 1885 Friday/ Ground white with snow and snowing like blazes, Chancy Jones taken very sick, Billy went for doctor at midnight
October 31, 1885 Saturday/ Stayed with Chancy all forenoon, stayed with him until midnight, getting better
November 1, 1885 Sunday/ Plastered up stave and built chimney, cold and freezing, Ralph shot 14 ducks
November 2, 1885 Monday/ Commenced husking corn, got 3 loads in, cold day, went and took dimensions of Styles buildings, took colt away from
Nellie
November 3, 1885 Tuesday/ Froze hard this morning, Billy gone to town with ??? husked corn, 3 loads
November 4, 1885 Wednesday/ Husked corn all day, 3 loads, Ralph and Anna went to town in afternoon, took Ada up to start for Ohio, Frank Blanchard
came home with them, Schultz sold his buckwheat
November 5, 1885 Thursday/ Banked house, boys husked corn, 3 loads, cloudy and looks like snow, cleaned house, Chancy and Bill gone to town
November 6, 1885 Friday/ Rained hard all day, done nothing, hailed little
November 7, 1885 Saturday/ Boys went hunting all forenoon, Ralph went to town in afternoon for flour, damp chilly day, wind north west, getting
colder, after 9 oclock, Ralph not home yet, Frank Blanchard went home with Ralph
November 8, 1885 Sunday/ Cloudy and pleasant, Ralph and Anna and Flora went to Leets, Groff drained his corn in, Lawson had old team to go
get his wagon, George and Fred here in evening, Milo here after Planes
November 9, 1885 Monday/ Beautiful day, boys husked 2 loads of corn, killed hog for Groff, I fixed wheel for Doyle and made axel, Chancy
here little while he paid me 3 dollars for stacking, got postal card from Ada
November 10, 1885 Tuesday/ Nice day, boys husked corn, I split some posts and strung my seed corn, Billy and Ralph gone to town tonight, Ed
Barstow and Brimmer here to day
November 11, 1885 Wednesday/ Cloudy and warm, looks like rain, boys husked corn, I split some posts, Ralph and Anna gone to play for party at
Caldwells old place, wind north west
November 12, 1885 Thursday/ Cold and windy, husked corn, Lawsons brother here to see farm, freezing hard tonight
November 13, 1885 Friday/ Cold, windy day, finished husking corn, Mrs. Schultz very sick, Billy went for doctor, looks like snow, Burt Rouse
went home, froze had to stop plowing
November 14, 1885 Saturday/ Boys speared rats, got 40 and some fish, Billy and Ralph went to town, Dan Wilkins got 14 posts, cold north west
wind
November 15, 1885 Sunday/ Beautiful day, Ralph and Anna visiting at Halls, Chancy and Bill here awhile
November 16, 1885 Monday/ Plastered house, boys went to town with 2 loads of corn, beautiful day
November 17, 1885 Tuesday/ Went to town with a load of wheat, Anna and her mother went with me, pleasant day
November 18, 1885 Wednesday/ Cloudy and drizzly day, split some posts and cut some fire wood, nasty day
November 19, 1885 Thursday/ Drove posts around barn yard, Ralph and Anna went to town in afternoon, cloudy but pleasant, Billy hurt his foot
or rather his ankle
November 20, 1885 Friday/ Worked on fence, boys husked Schultzs corn, Ralph went to town, Cornell Chase and wife took dinner here, warm and
pleasant
November 21, 1885 Saturday/ Worked on fence, Ralph and Anna went to town, dragged road down, got load of water, warm and pleasant, broke buggy
tongue, big fire over east tonight
November 22, 1885 Sunday/ Cold wind, Scot Carleton here, Billy gone to town, big prairie fire, helped Lawson fight fire
November 23, 1885 Monday/ Cloudy but not cold, Chase here after oats from Billy, killed hog, fixed windows, Don Wilkins left for eastern part
of state visiting
November 24, 1885 Tuesday/ Salted my pork, Ralph and Billy went to town with 2 loads of oats for Billy, puttied my window, beautiful day
November 25, 1885 Wednesday/ Ralph went to Ackleys to work on barn, Billy and I went to town, pleasant day
November 26, 1885 Thursday/ Billy and Ralph went to Ackleys to work, fixed buggy tongue, let Hoffman have 10 sacks of oats, Ralph, Milo and
Anna gone to Slanegars to play at party
November 27, 1885 Friday/ Sleet and rain in forenoon, commenced calve stable, didnt feel well, Chancy here, cut oak tree back of hay stack
for posts
November 28, 1885 Saturday/ Done nothing all day, Ralph and Anna went to town took load of corn and got 100 lbs of flour, pleasant day
November 29, 1885 Sunday/ Cloudy and warm, young folks skating, Billy gone to Tenhasen, Ralph took Halls folks home with team, Truman stayed
all night
November 30, 1885 Monday/ Cloudy and threatens snow but thawing all day, no frost in the ground, Ralph and Billy at Ackleys to work, I worked
on calve stable
December 1, 1885 Tuesday/ Pleasant day, covered calve stable, Billy went to town, Ralph went to Ackleys to work, got load of wood, not freezing
yet
December 2, 1885 Wednesday/ Cloudy and warm, done nothing but tinker, boys went to town
December 3, 1885 Thursday/ Sawed wood most all day with Billy, Ralph went to town with load of corn got 100 feet lumber, drove to Andros in
after afternoon, Louisa went visiting to Lawsons, pleasant day
December 4, 1885 Friday/ Cloudy, spitting snow in morning, commenced about 10 oclock, a regular little blizzard, snowing and blowing and
some cold, Ralph went for school children, bed time blowing some but stopped snowing, first snow of the season, ground not
frozen yet
December 5, 1885 Saturday/ Clear and pleasant, Ralph and his mother gone to town, blowing and snowing some this evening, Groff drove my team
home and Ralph came with Billy
December 6, 1885 Sunday/ page missing
December 7, 1885 Monday/ page missing
December 8, 1885 Tuesday/ 14 above, snowing this morning, snowed lightly all day, done nothing, Groff here in evening, played 66 and pea knuckle,
14 above zero at bedtime
December 9, 1885 Wednesday/ 14 above, Cold blustering day, went to town with Chancy and got mittens and horse blankets, Lola here all night,
shut herffer up to fat some
December 10, 1885 Thursday/5 above, cloudy looks like snow, boys cut oak tree on lake bank, got load of ice for us and Groff, Ralph and Anna
gone to play to party at Etons
December 11, 1885 Friday/ 10 above, pleasant day, made stable door and hung it, put up bedsed upstairs, George Teeter here, Groff here in
evening, played 66, spitting snow
December 12, 1885 Saturday/ 12 above, warm and pleasant, batined(?) stables, Ralph and Anna went to town, turned herffer out
December 13, 1885 Sunday/ 2 below, Trees covered with hoar frost, still and pleasant all day, Ralph and Anna went to Olders with cutter
December 14, 1885 Monday/ 4 below, frost still on the trees, warm and pleasant, Groff cleaned his well, boys gone to town
December 15, 1885 Tuesday/ 14 above, warm and pleasant, boys filled Billys barn with hay, cleaned my well out and curbed the bottom, Ackley
here and got his roof at Groffs cloudy and warm at bedtime
December 16, 1885 Wednesday/18 above, pleasant and warm, finished my well, made top box for my wagon, Ralph went to town with load of corn, Billy
took load of oats, Fred Jones here in the evening, played 66
December 17, 1885 Thursday/ 30 above, very warm and pleasant, rained little bit in the morning, went over to fix Styles barn, boys sawed wood
December 18, 1885 Friday/ 34 above, warm and thawing, went and finished Styles barn, young folks gone to Center Chain to party, Louisa down
to Schultzs visiting this evening
December 19, 1885 Saturday/ 14 above, warm and pleasant, folks got home from party 9 oclock, Billy took load of corn to town for me, Nora Loag
came home with him, beautiful weather
December 20, 1885 Sunday/ 10 above, pleasant day, Henry Style here in evening and Mr. Turner, young folks gone to Fletchers Hall
December 21, 1885 Monday/ 14 above, cloudy and dark but warm, went to town with 20 bushels of wheat, paid taxes, paid Frank Day $4, got pair
of overalls
December 22, 1885 Tuesday/ 18 above, cloudy and warm, put wire on yard fence, Harry Searl here after load of oats from Billy
December 23, 1885 Wednesday/ 36 above, getting colder, Ralph and his mother went to town, Seth Older here and Lola here, Kate Murry came home
with Ralph, clear and pleasant
December 24, 1885 Thursday/ 34 above, beautiful day, Ralph went to Chitmans to play to party
December 25, 1885 Friday/ 18 above, sunshine and pleasant, getting ready to go to town to a Christmas dinner, stayed in town all night
December 26, 1885 Saturday/ Came home with Fletcher Hill, hard wind from the south, cloudy and warm, looks like rain
December 27, 1885 Sunday/ 36 above, cloudy and warm, rained a little last night, Louisa and Kate went to East Chain visiting
December 28, 1885 Monday/ 38 above, cloudy and warm, Ralph and Anna went to town and got sack of flour, Kate Murry went with them, stayed
at Joness all night, rained a little
December 29, 1885 Tuesday/ 38 above, cloudy and warm, took manure away from horse stable, rained a little all afternoon, Anna and Kate went
to Mitchells visiting, spit a little snow since dark
December 30, 1885 Wednesday/ 32 above, cloudy and pleasant, sunset clear, sawed some wood, Groff and Chancy here, played 66
December 31, 1885 Thursday/ 26 above, cloudy in morning, sunshine and pleasant, Ralph, Anna, Louisa and Kate gone to Huntley, Milo came home
with Ralph, played 66
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