William Cross' Diaries
1886
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The first few months of this year were written at the end of the 1885 diary, all scrunched up on the last few pages.

January 1, 1886 Friday/ Pleasant day, Ralph, Anna, Flora, and Milo gone to Lon Nutters to party to play

January 2, 1886 Saturday/ 24 above zero, quite cold north wind, Ralph and Billy went to town, snowing little

January 3, 1886 Sunday/ 16 above, snowed and drifted all day, bed time and still snowing, not cold, the first snow of the winter that amounts to anything

January 4, 1886 Monday/ 8 above zero, snowed and drifted all day, cleared up just before night, Fred Jones here in evening, snowed almost steady since Saturday night

January 5, 1886 Tuesday/ Zero, beautiful day, sunshine all day, shoveled snow some, no teams today

January 6, 1886 Wednesday/ 4 above, sunshine and pleasant, Ralph and Billy gone to town, Dan Wilkins here breaking roads all finished up

January 7, 1886 Thursday/ 2 below, frost blizzard all day, coldest day of the season, roads all drifted full

January 8, 1886 Friday/ 18 below, frost and drifting, blizzard all day, still and stormy at bedtime, Chancy here and played 66, very cold

January 9, 1886 Saturday/ 24 below, drifting badly, very cold north west wind, Ralph and Billy went to town, came home and Ralph stayed, Flora Groff here tonight, got 50 lbs of flour

January 10, 1886 Sunday/ 25 below, cold and blustery all day, Ralph and Ferd (is this supposed to be Fred?) came home this evening

January 11, 1886 Monday/ 18 below, drifting and cold, boys got bal watter (I have no clue what that is) Louisa came home from Huntley

January 12, 1886 Tuesday/ Zero, beautiful day, Ralph and George went to town and took 12 bushels of wheat, got 67 cents, fired well curb, Lesty Teeter here

January 13, 1886 Wednesday/ 2 below, pleasant day, killed herffer, Ralph and Billy gone to town, 18 above zero at bed time, wind south

January 14, 1886 Thursday/ 18 above zero, south wind, warm and thawing, boys sawed wood, Chancy and Bill here in evening, played 66

January 15, 1886 Friday/ 18 above, snowed all last night and a little all day, about 4 inches, not cold, young folks gone to Teeters to a party, got some wood today

January 16, 1886 Saturday/ 2 above in morning, blustering and drifting, Ralph went to town, cut up beef, zero at bedtime, clear moonlight

January 17, 1886 Sunday/ 10 below, snowed little all day long, dull day, quite warm tonight, Rudolph staying with George, Billy gone to town and not back at bedtime

January 18, 1886 Monday/ Cold blustery day, cut wood, snowed some

January 19, 1886 Tuesday/ 14 below, cold blustery day, boys cut wood, went to Groffs in evening, played 66

January 20, 1886 Wednesday/ 10 below, drifted some, boys went to town, took 5 sacks of wheat got 150 lbs of flour

January 21, 1886 Thursday/ 9 below, cloudy but pleasant, hard south wind, drifting bad this afternoon, after dark wind changed north west, quite a blizzard, got load of ice, Ralph over to Styles

January 22, 1886 Friday/ 20 below, stormed all last night and today until almost sundown, cleared off but cold, 20 below zero at dark

January 23, 1886 Saturday/ 14 below, cold south wind, boys went to town, Mrs. Groff here visiting, spit snow all day

January 24, 1886 Sunday/ zero, drifted all forenoon, cleared up and quite pleasant, wrote to Ada tonight

January 25, 1886 Monday/ 18 above, pleasant and warm, Groff got load of wood from Billy, boys cleaned Billys house for party, Anna gone to Chancys to stay tonight

January 26, 1886 Tuesday/ zero, snowed little but warm, boys went to town, Groff here in evening, played 66

January 27, 1886 Wednesday/ 2 above, clear and pleasant, cloudy in afternoon, cleaned Billys house, Truman Hall here

January 28, 1886 Thursday/ 20 above, sunshine and pleasant in forenoon, cloudy and drifting all afternoon, Ralph went to town with load of corn, Milo and Frank Johnson came home with him

January 29, 1886 Friday/ 2 below, sunshine and pleasant in forenoon, cloudy but warming in afternoon, had oyster supper and party at Billys, Billy went to town

January 30, 1886 Saturday/ 20 above, cloudy and pleasant, Ralph and Anna and Cora Nichols (this is the first mention of my grandmother Cora!!) went to town, pleasant evening. (I now wonder if Ralph met her at Billys party)

January 31, 1886 Sunday/ zero, snowed very little in morning, cleared up and pleasant all day, Ralph, Fred and Anna went to Burnt Out Lake to tune harp for Nut

February 1, 1886 Monday/ 4 above zero, pleasant in morning, cold and blustering in afternoon, Ralph, Billy and Louisa went to town and took two loads of corn, 14 below zero at bedtime

February 2, 1886 Tuesday/ 24 below zero, cold all day, done nothing, Chauncy, Groff and Albert here, played 66

February 3, 1886 Wednesday/ 16 below zero, cloudy and cold, warmer in afternoon

February 4, 1886 Thursday/ 26 below zero, wind changed to south and cold, Ralph, Anna and Billy went to town with two loads of oats for Billy, Mrs. Lawson here visiting

February 5, 1886 Friday/ 2 above zero, finest day we have had in a month, Tine and the old lady here visiting, 18 above zero at bedtime, Anna gone to Halls to stay all night

February 6, 1886 Saturday/ 32 above zero, splendid day, 46 above zero at noon, snow settled fast, Ralph went to town and got a load of ice

February 7, 1886 Sunday/ 32 above zero, pleasant day, snow going fast, Ralph went tonight to fix Harp, Truman here tonight, 36 above zero at bedtime

February 8, 1886 Monday/ 26 above zero, sunshine and pleasant, paid Ben Adams $5.00

February 9, 1886 Tuesday/ 24 above zero, boys got some wood, warm and foggy

February 10, 1886 Wednesday/ 6 above zero, went to town to district court, stayed all night with Milo, got new axe, Ralph came home

February 11, 1886 Thursday/ 10 above zero, sunshine and pleasant, court adjourned until next Tuesday, came home with Fred, Style heard Hattie was married

 February 12, 1886 Friday/ Pleasant day, boys got some wood up, sawed in afternoon, 34 above zero all day, played 66 in evening, Ralph went to party at Keelers

February 13, 1886 Saturday/ 32 above zero, wind south, cloudy and thawing, 40 above zero at noon, Ralph, Anna and Flora gone to town, Billy and I cut some wood

February 14, 1886 Sunday/ 12 above zero, cold but pleasant, Ralph gone all day, got buller from Mitchells

February 15, 1886 Monday/ Clear and cold, John Huston sawed wood for Groff, air full of frost

February 16, 1886 Tuesday/ 14 below zero, sunshine but cold, Louisa gone to Halls visiting, boys sawed wood, getting warmer tonight, hardly freezing

February 17, 1886 Wednesday/ Warm and pleasant, went to town to court

February 18, 1886 Thursday/ 36 above zero, warm and pleasant, Louisa went to Imogene fishing, she didnt get any, Ralph went to town, snowed little this afternoon, blowing hard from the west

February 19, 1886 Friday/ 4 above zero, cold north west , party at Joness

February 20, 1886 Saturday/ 4 above zero, cold south wind, Ralph gone to town, rained little this evening, wind west

February 21, 1886 Sunday/ 18 above zero, north west wind, quite cold all day, George Hall and John here, Ralph and Anna went to Fletcher Hills this evening

February 22, 1886 Monday/ Ralph and Anna gone to town to play for Trumans ball, sold 25 bushels of wheat to Mitchell

February 23, 1886 Tuesday/ 14 above zero, quite cold, 40 above zero at noon, Ralph got home at 7 oclock, Anna got home just before night, south wind blowing hard, got letter from Ada

February 24, 1886 Wednesday/ 36 above zero, thawed all day, 50 above zero at noon, Ralph brought Nora here, Louisa went to Ackleys visiting, wind north west and cold at night, blowing hard

February 25, 1886 Thursday/ 14 above zero, north west wind blowing fearfully, Ralph gone to town to get horses shod, Henry Style, Rupert and all the other boys here tonight

February 26, 1886 Friday/ 4 above, cold south wind, young folks gone to Hills to party, let Groff have ½ bushels of potatoes

February 27, 1886 Saturday/ 26 above zero, cloudy and windy, snowed almost all day, Billy went to town with a load of oats, very stormy day, Ralph got $1.15 worth of butter at Mitchells

February 28, 1886 Sunday/ 14 above zero, cloudy and drifting, disagreeable day, snowed little, Fred, Rupert and Truman here in evening

March 1, 1886 Monday/ 16 above zero, cloudy and spitting snow, Ralph went to town, got 100 lbs of flour, Rupert here tonight, Schultz got sack of corn and one of oats

March 2, 1886 Tuesday/ 4 above zero, sunshine and pleasant, Ralph and Chauncy went to Leets to funeral, Fletcher Hill here

March 3, 1886 Wednesday/ 14 above zero, sunshine and pleasant, Billy gone to town with oats, Truman here playing tonight, Carlos Hall here today, getting warmer tonight

March 4, 1886 Thursday/ 26 above zero, warm and cloudy, Mrs. Ackley here, let Carlos Hall have 61/2 bushels of wheat, snowed little

March 5, 1886 Friday/ Cloudy and warm, last day of school

March 6, 1886 Saturday/ 10 above zero, sunshine and warm, Ralph and Anna gone to town, George gone to East Chain, Louisa got pair of shoes and rubbers

March 7, 1886 Sunday/ Warm and pleasant, frost blizzard in afternoon, Mr. Schultz and wife here in evening, west wind

March 8, 1886 Monday/ clear and pleasant, cold west wind, boys sawed some wood, Ralph and Anna gone to Hines to play to party, Chauncy here in evening, played 66

March 9, 1886 Tuesday/ Clear and cold, wind north west, Billy and I went to town meeting, Ralph and Anna went to Clays to play to party

March 10, 1886 Wednesday/ 4 above zero, clear and cold with south wind

March 11, 1886 Thursday/ Warm and thawing, Ralph and Billy went to town, Jim Burton came and stayed all day

March 12, 1886 Friday/ Got hog from Teeter and killed it, Jim and Billy gone to wells, snow storm, party ay Joness

March 13, 1886 Saturday/ 16 above zero, spit snow all day, Cora Nichols here, her and Louisa went to Charless with team, Lola Hall here, Jones boys here in evening

March 14, 1886 Sunday/ 24 above zero, clear and pleasant in forenoon, spit snow in afternoon

March 15, 1886 Monday/ 24 above zero, sunshine and pleasant, Billy and Jim home from Wells then went to town, Ralph cut elm tree, 50 above zero at noon

March 16, 1886 Tuesday/ 26 above zero, sunshine and pleasant, 50 above zero at noon, Ralph and Rudolph cut wood in forenoon, Ben Adams here to dinner, Ralph brought Mike Miller home with him

March 17, 1886 Wednesday/ 38 above zero, warm and thawing, Mike and Herm here, George Hall and Albert here, Jim Burton came and took Milo home with him

March 18, 1886 Thursday/ Ralph took Mike to town, warm and thawing, snow most gone, looks like rain

March 19, 1886 Friday/ Cloudy all day and thawing, young folks all gone to town to party, Jim here went back to town, Rudolph and George drawed straw for Schultz commenced doctoring Billys leg

March 20, 1886 Saturday/ Sleet and rain last night, young folks got home at daylight, snowed all day, not cold

March 21, 1886 Sunday/ Sunshine and pleasant, snow most gone, Truman and John here

March 22, 1886 Monday/ Snow pretty much gone, worked on Jims house, Herm and Ralph hunted all day, Herm gone to Hills

March 23, 1886 Tuesday/ Cold south wind, worked on Jims house, young folks went to party at Nichols

March 24, 1886 Wednesday/ North west wind, warm and thawing, Groff and I made window and door frames for Jims house, Jim took his cattle home, Billy went to town and got 100 lbs of flour and salt

March 25, 1886 Thursday/ Cold north west wind, Groff and I finished Jims house, Mitchell got 25 bushels of seed wheat, boys sawed wood, Mrs. Day is dead

March 26, 1886 Friday/ Cold and cloudy, went to town with Chauncy, paid personal tax $4.02, party at Groffs in evening, 3 inches of snow before midnight

March 27, 1886 Saturday/ Cold east wind, didnt thaw much, Ralph and Billy went to town, family moved on Lawsons place yesterday

March 28, 1886 Sunday/ Snowed and drifted all day, all blocked up with drifts, bad storm, not cold, 24 above zero

March 29, 1886 Monday/ Sunshine and pleasant, Billy and George went to town and got drag

March 30, 1886 Tuesday/ George went to town to go to Dakota, Teeters folks here in evening

March 31, 1886 Wednesday/ Warm and pleasant, sawed wood all day, Milo here with livery team

April 1, 1886 Thursday/ Cold and blustering, boys cut wood, John brought butter worker here, Flora and Amy here in evening

April 2, 1886 Friday/ Cold north wind, sawed wood all day, Charlie, John and George Hall here, Chauncy got his cattle home, bought map from Charlie

April 3, 1886 Saturday/ Sawed wood in forenoon, Billy went to town to stay all night

April 4, 1886 Sunday/Warm and pleasant, Fred Blanchard and wife and Mrs. Martin here, Fred and Whirland here to dinner

April 5, 1886 Monday/ Warm and pleasant, Ralph caught lot of fish, fixed drag, got letter from Ada and George, Billy not home yet

April 6, 1886 Tuesday/ Warmest day yet, Ralph and Anna gone to Halls to party, Billy got home tonight, William Viesellman here today, Billys colt sick

April 7, 1886 Wednesday/ Louisa went to town, Lena Schultz got home from Wisconsin, very warm

April 8, 1886 Thursday/ Snow all gone, looks like rain, boys sowing wheat on Schultzs place, Louisa went to see sick child at Obermyers (In the first writing he wrote the sick child of the Germans)

April 9, 1886 Friday/ Dragged my wheat land, Lola and Flora here, very warm, looks like rain

April 10, 1886 Saturday/ Looks like rain, sowed 4 acres of oats for Billy, boys went to town, Cora came here horseback and stayed all night, quite, Chauncy commenced on Billy

April 11, 1886 Sunday/ Warm and cloudy, Milo and Hattie here, Billy gone to town, Flora Groff started for Dakota, Anna went to town with her

April 12, 1886 Monday/ Foggy and damp in morning, sowed my wheat, boys went to Lawsons to work

April 13, 1886 Tuesday/ Cloudy, threatens rain, boys plowed on Lawsons in forenoon, rained all afternoon, blowing hard from south east, lake is almost open, hard thunderstorm, first one of the season, Spotty had calf last night, thunder lightning and rain at bedtime

April 14, 1886 Wednesday/ Warm and cloudy, showers, boys plowed all day, fearful wind rain and hail with thunder and lightning in afternoon, lake all clear of ice

April 15, 1886 Thursday/Warm and pleasant, boys finished plowing on Lawsons and went fishing tonight

April 16, 1886 Friday/ Boys dragged part of day on Lawsons, cleaned seed wheat

April 17, 1886 Saturday/ Dragged at Lawsons, Ralph went to town in afternoon, got 50 lobs of flour, Anna and Hattie went with them, Louisa got lots of fish at Imogene, drawed manure

April 18, 1886 Sunday/ Warm and pleasant, Milo and Jed (may be Zed) here, went fishing

April 19, 1886 Monday/ Very warm, boys sowed wheat on Lawsons, dragged my cornstalks down, Ralph gone fishing, looks like rain

April 20, 1886 Tuesday/ Very warm and muggy, raked and burnt my cornstalks, dragged Billys oat ground, Louisa and Hattie cleaned school house

April 21, 1886 Wednesday/ Billy cultivated my oat ground, Ralph sowed Billys oats, very warm

April 22, 1886 Thursday/ Sowed my oats, hard south wind, showery in afternoon, Anna and Hattie went to Halls visiting, George Nichols and herd boy here to supper

April 23, 1886 Friday/ Boys finished seeding, cool and windy, plowed garden, fixed Groffs fence

April 24, 1886 Saturday/ Billy went to town and got plows sharpened, Milo came and stayed all night, cloudy and cool, finished seeding

April 25, 1886 Sunday/ Cloudy and cold, house full all day

April 26, 1886 Monday/ plowed road up, drawed some wood

April 27, 1886 Tuesday/ finished drawing wood and cut two oak trees for Billy

April 28, 1886 Wednesday/ sowed oats on road, Louisa gone to town, rained all day, Louisa not home yet, 9 oclock

April 29, 1886 Thursday/ Ralph went to town with some wheat, Louisa came home

April 30, 1886 Friday/ fixed buggy, Ralph plowed Groffs corn land

May 1, 1886 Saturday/ Got all the potatoes fixed and taken care of, Ralph went to town

May 2, 1886 Sunday/ Pleasant day, lots of folks here, took cattle to herd

May 3, 1886 Monday/ drawed manure all day, very warm, Rudolph road pony to town

May 4, 1886 Tuesday/ drawed manure part of  day, commenced plowing for corn

May 5, 1886 Wednesday/ let Charlie have 10 sacks of corn, boys plowed  all day, looks like rain, planted Groffs corn

May 6, 1886 Thursday/ finished plowing corn ground and dragged it, Rudolph plowed for Billy in afternoon, cut wood and cleared door yard

May 7, 1886 Friday/ fixed smoke house and finished cutting wood, boys plowed all day, thunder shower at 4 oclock, young folks gone to Pixleys to party, Louisa and Hattie went to East Chain

May 8, 1886 Saturday/ thunder and rain all day, regular delunge, Billy went to town in afternoon and got flour

May 9, 1886 Sunday/ raining and gloomy all day, cleared off at night

May 10, 1886 Monday/ sawed and split posts for Billy, Ralph went to East Chain, got feed ground

May 11, 1886 Tuesday/ finished Billys corn ground plowing, Anna went to town, boys dragged corn ground

May 12, 1886 Wednesday/ Billy marked corn ground, Ralph and Rudolph cultivated and dragged flax ground, Rupert Ganoe here

May 13, 1886 Thursday/ Billy sowed his flax, Ralph went to town, got ceiling for kitchen

May 14, 1886 Friday/ finished ceiling kitchen, planted my corn and part of Billys, Bert commenced breaking for Schultz, papered kitchen, assessor here

May 15, 1886 Saturday/ cool and pleasant, finished planting Billys corn, went to town, cold as blazes, Groff came home with me

May 16, 1886 Sunday/ light frost, beautiful day, Herman Foss here, Mrs. Obermin and Mr. Schultz here, house full all day

May 17, 1886 Monday/ Cool and pleasant, made screen door, boys plowed the orchard, thunder all afternoon, looks like rain

May 18, 1886 Tuesday/ boys planted some potatoes, made screen door, Harry Tinker here

May 19, 1886 Wednesday/ finished planting potatoes, Louisa went to town and got hangings for screen doors, Billy went to Winnebago to mill and took 21 ½  bushels of wheat, very warm, got home 3 oclock

May 20, 1886 Thursday/ hung screen doors, Billy planted his potatoes, very warm, paid Teeter $10 for hog

May 21, 1886 Friday/ very warm, dragged my cornfield up

May 22, 1886 Saturday/ very warm, went to town with Ralph, Whitney here while I was gone, fixed Tomy

May 23, 1886 Sunday/ warm and pleasant, lots of folks here, played croquet, looks like rain

May 24, 1886 Monday/ windy and cool, Ralph commenced breaking for Billy, commenced fixing Billys pasture fence, got letter from Ada, coming home next week

May 25, 1886 Tuesday/ built part of fence, lent my cultivator to Chauncy, looks like rain, Katie Hammond here

May 26, 1886 Wednesday/ finished fence, boys gone to town, Kate gone to Mitchells, rained little last night

May 27, 1886 Thursday/ Billy cultivated Groffs corn and commenced on mine, made gate for Billy, Kate here tonight

May 28, 1886 Friday/ finished Billys breaking, finished cultivating my corn and commenced Billys, Kate gone to Chauncys

May 29, 1886 Saturday/ plowed road and sowed turnips, Ralph went to mill with feed, turned colts to pasture, Billy went to town

May 30, 1886 Sunday/ Ralph and Billy gone to Jims this morning, lots of folks here today

May 31, 1886 Monday/ went to town with wheat, paid taxes, Ralph commenced breaking for Jim

June 1, 1886 Tuesday/ cloudy all day, looks like rain, fixed fence in lake

June 2, 1886 Wednesday/ worked on road in forenoon, Billy worked all day with team, fixed light wagon

June 3, 1886 Thursday/ Billy worked on road all day, got bad finger, got letter from George

June 4, 1886 Friday/ Billy sowed flax, all the folks went to party at Charley Boudryes

June 5, 1886 Saturday/ Louisa went to town, herm Foss and friend here all day, Greame came and stayed all night

June 6, 1886 Sunday/ Herm Foss and friend, Greame and Petre and wife and lots of folks here all day

June 7, 1886 Monday/ Wagner brought his colt to Billys, jim here, Billy cultivated Groffs corn and commenced on mine, Hattie came here, Eye Dr. here

June 8, 1886 Tuesday/ Ralph finished breaking for Jim, Billy went to town with pony, nice little shower of rain

June 9, 1886 Wednesday/ Ralph went to town for Ada, she came home, marked out land for breaking, went to town with load of Hay for Greame, Billy finished cultivating my corn

June 10, 1886 Thursday/ commenced breaking for me, billy commenced on his corn, went to East Chain got plow sharpened

June 11, 1886 Friday/ Ralph broke all day, very warm

June 12, 1886 Saturday/ Ralph went to East Chain, Mr. Manter and son came and stayed all night

June 13, 1886 Sunday/ Manter went home, Milo and wife here little while, very warm

June 14, 1886 Monday/ Ralph broke in forenoon, 100 degrees above zero at noon, Billy went to town, rained little tonight, made beehive, heavy gale of wind

June 15, 1886 Tuesday/ Boys took white cow to Styles and went to East Chain, Nellie choked with oats

June 16, 1886 Wednesday/ drew manure for Billy in forenoon, Ralph broke all day, dirt storm at night

June 17, 1886 Thursday/ Cool and windy, Ralph breaking, fixed pasture fence

June 18, 1886 Friday/ Boys took feed to mill, finished my breaking, took spotted cow off, bees swarmed, Ann Follet and her mother here, party at Chauncys

June 19, 1886 Saturday/ raining little this morning, wind south and cool

June 20, 1886 Sunday/ Jo Jones and Mrs. Whitney here

June 21, 1886 Monday/ cultivated mine and Groffs corn, made beehive, looks like rain

June 22, 1886 Tuesday/ boys mowed weeds on Lawsons, girls went to town, Milo and Frank Freeman here, boys went to East Chain

June 23, 1886 Wednesday/ planted beans, Ralph and Anna gone to Elm Creek to play to party, Lola and Lill here and stayed all night

June 24, 1886 Thursday/ Billy cultivated my corn, set my wagon tire, Ralph and Anna got home afternoon

June 25, 1886 Friday/ Billy finished my corn and went to town, mowed down bushes, looks like rain, John Rich came and got my sod cutter

June 26, 1886 Saturday/ Louisa and Anna went tot town, boys went to East Chain, Whitney came and stayed all night

June 27, 1886 Sunday/ Milo and folks here, Whitney went home this morning, looks like rain

June 28, 1886 Monday/ cloudy, looks like rain, broke some for Billy, mowed orchard and road, Billy commenced cultivating his corn

June 29, 1886 Tuesday/ Ralph broke fire break for Billy, Billy finished cultivating his corn

June 30, 1886 Wednesday/ Ralph gone to town with load of wheat, Billy commenced my corn, Millard and Hanks came and stayed all night

July 1, 1886 Thursday/ very warm, Millard and Hanks went home this afternoon, finished my breaking, fixed Billys potatoes, very hot

July 2, 1886 Friday/ Ralph went to East Chain with feed, Old Mage got stuck in lake

July 3, 1886 Saturday/ Ralph and Anna gone to town, looks like rain

July 4, 1886 Sunday/ Young Hanks came and stayed all night, Ralph went to town for Buggy

July 5, 1886 Monday/ All hands went to town, hot and dusty, came home early, young folks gone to Pixleys to dance

July 6, 1886 Tuesday/ Billy and Louisa went to Luke Nutters after cranes, very hot

July 7, 1886 Wednesday/ Billy and I went to town in afternoon, got dairy, looks like rain

July 8, 1886 Thursday/ looks like rain, Ralph commenced mowing this morning, Ruble folks all here little while, looks like rain, thunder and looks black

July 9, 1886 Friday/ Raked and cocked hay, drew 4 loads in, looks like rain all day, thunder and lightning and wind last night but no rain

July 10, 1886 Saturday/ still and very warm, drew 4 loads of hay, Ralph went to East Chain, Billy went to town for the doctor for Lena Schultz, found Tomy with stub in his foot

July 11, 1886 Sunday/ Cloudy and hot, Jed Stewart and almost everyone else here today, Lena Schultz better, all cleared up but no signs of rain yet tonight

July 12, 1886 Monday/ went to town and got 50 lbs of twine, very hot, commenced cutting my wheat in afternoon, brought Tomy colt home to doctor his foot, he has a very bad foot

July 13, 1886 Tuesday/ hot in forenoon, pleasant and cool in afternoon, finished my wheat cutting, colts ran away and got caught on wire fence

July 14, 1886 Wednesday/ put tongue in buggy, mowed raked and cocked lot of hay, cool and pleasant looks like rain tonight, Tomys foot is very bad yet, cocked hay until 9 oclock at night, mosquitoes awful

July 15, 1886 Thursday/ drew 6 loads of hay and cocked some, Billy cut Schultzs wheat, very hot, looked like rain in morning

July 16, 1886 Friday/ Billy cut 4 acres of oats, Ralph, Anna and Ada gone to Iowa Lake to party, got one load of hay, Chauncy commenced cutting Groffs wheat

July 17, 1886 Saturday/ cloudy and cool, stacked my wheat, John helped, young folks got home early in the morning, Billy gone to town and broke buggy tongue, women folks all gone to Schultzs to supper, Ralph in bed

July 18, 1886 Sunday/ cloudy and cool, Nichols folks here visiting, sprinkled rain tonight, looks as though we might have rain, Tomys foot little better

July 19, 1886 Monday/ cloudy and cool, commenced my oats with binder, quit and took the mower, Billy cut on his oats and I set up, Lesty Teeter, Maud Ganoe and Fred here in evening

July 20, 1886 Tuesday/ very hot, finished cutting Billys oats and went 4 times around Schultzs oats, Ralph mowed oats all day, Lola and Aunt Mary here little while

July 21, 1886 Wednesday/ Finished Schultzs oats and commenced on Lawsons wheat, Ralph finished cutting my oats, Ralph and Billy went to town for new buter(?), brought my buggy tongue home, very hot, no signs of rain

July 22, 1886 Thursday/cut on Lawsons wheat all day, very hot, helped set up, Louisa and Mrs. Groff went to town

July 23, 1886 Friday/ finished Lawsons wheat, cutting and commenced stacking Schultzs wheat, Billy cut his Timothy, John helped stack, very hot looks like rain

July 24, 1886 Saturday/ sprinkled rain this morning, all cleared up, wind blowing quite hard, stacking Schultzs oats, very hot, put up one stack of oats for Billy, looks like rain, wind thunder and lightning, no rain

July 25, 1886 Sunday/ thunder but no rain, cloudy and hot, Jed Stewart here this morning, Ralph gone with colts, very warm

July 26, 1886 Monday/ sick this morning, got Schultz to work in my place, finished stacking all the bound oats and Timothy, very hot

July 27, 1886 Tuesday/ boys gone to stack Lawsons wheat, windy, Potters colt badly cut on Chauncys wire fence, commenced raking loose oats this morning, very warm

July 28, 1886 Wednesday/ raked and stacked part of my oats, wind blew so hard had to quit, Ralph Anna and Hattie gone to town, tried hard to rain but failed, very warm

July 29, 1886 Thursday/ boys finished stacking my oats, I went to Jims and put up frame for granary, Billy gone to town to stay so he says, very warm

July 30, 1886 Friday/ Ralph went to town to see Billy, very still and warm, looks like rain, lot of the Wolostans people in the woods today having a picnic

July 31, 1886 Saturday/ Billy came and stayed, Ralph and Anna went to East Chain, very warm, looks very much like rain, think we will get some, rained a few minutes but not enough to do much good

August 1, 1886 Sunday/ Cool and pleasant, went up to the creek to see the place for the dam, Billy got Sulky plow from Jim, Fred Style here, Greame at Groffs

August 2, 1886 Monday/ Set reaper up for Billy to cut his flax, very warm, Ralph went to town, tried Sulky plow, looks like rain

August 3, 1886 Tuesday/ cloudy and hot, threatens rain, Kate Hammond came here and Carrie Blanchard, had party at Billys house, had good time

August 4, 1886 Wednesday/ cool and pleasant, Ralph and Billy gone to town, Kate Hammond gone to Doyles, Groff gone to La Cross

August 5, 1886 Thursday/ cut little hay and racked it, young folks went to Rubles in evening, Stacy girls came home with them, Ada and Kate stayed all night at Chauncys, pleasant day and warm

August 6, 1886 Friday/ cool and windy, boys drawing some hay for Groff, Kate and Louisa gone to Mr. Murrys with old team, Stacy girls here, all the young folks gone to town to party, Brooks house burnt

August 7, 1886 Saturday/ very warm, Ralph went to East Chain, Louisa took Kate to Mitchells, Mitchell had 20 tons of hay burnt, boys finished Groffs stack, looks like rain

August 8, 1886 Sunday/ very warm with a strong south wind, house full all day, Ralph took Stacy girls home to East Chain, Ada and Anna went with them. Fire still running east of here, looks like rain

August 9, 1886 Monday/ cloudy and looks like rain, Ralph commenced plowing on Schultzs land, Billy mowing, Stacy girls passed here on their way home, wind fresh from the south, Ralph gone to town to get plow sharpened, sprinkled rain little all cleared tonight

August 10, 1886 Tuesday/ very warm, went to town with Billy, got all of the plows sharpened, Ralph and Anna gone to Huntly to play to party, cocked some hay

August 11, 1886 Wednesday/ very hot, plowed little, to hot and dry, done nothing in afternoon, looks like rain

August 12, 1886 Thursday/ still and hot, mowed in forenoon, cocked in afternoon, made door in stable, drew manure away from stable, Ruble brought Hattie home

August 13, 1886 Friday/ nice little rain this morning, Ralph gone to Blue Earth, looks like more rain, Paul Seeler here this morning, ( this next part I am writing exactly as it isit is very confusing to me) Had Alied war Bosh I have got sick of it, it has got to stop (this part was written with a very hard hand)

August 14, 1886 Saturday/ stacked 5 loads of hay, girls gone to town with old team, Billy gone horseback, looks like rain, Ralph got home from Blue Earth, brought Billys buggy, girls stayed to town to the rink

August 15, 1886 Sunday/ very warm, Ralph Billy and Fred Jones gone hunting, women folks all gone to Halls visiting, here all alone all day but little while Jim Burton was here, thunder and lightning looks like rain at bedtime, storm commenced at 10 oclock and lasted until 11, rain thunder and lightning and terrific wind, almost a cyclone, tore the grain stacks to pieces and blew down any amount of timber

August 16, 1886 Monday/ cloudy and threatens rain, fixed some of the stacks and fence, boys gone hunting this evening, looks as though it might clear up, girls visiting at Groffs, got Jims stack cover

August 17, 1886 Tuesday/ cool and pleasant, Ralph went to town in forenoon, finished fixing stacks, Kate Hall and Flacy(?) here visiting, Tine and Mary and Flora here too

August 18, 1886 Wednesday/ beautiful day, cut and put up hay all day, Mr. Schultz started for Milwaukee this evening

August 19, 1886 Thursday/ pleasant but windy, stacked hay part of day, Ralph went to town in evening with prairie chickens, got home at midnight

August 20, 1886 Friday/ cut and put up hay, very hot, 100 above zero part of day, Ben Adams here to see about threshing, looks little like rain, 82 above zero at bedtime

August 21, 1886 Saturday/ windy and hot, drew 5 loads of hay, boys went to town, thunder and lightning but no rain yet, at bedtime nice and cool

August 22, 1886 Sunday/ pleasant day, rather warm, Jed Stewart here, Truman and Lola and John here all day

August 23, 1886 Monday/ very hot, 100 above zero, made evener, Ralph threshed for Mitchell, Billy went to town for lumber and shingles, bedtime and awful hot

August 24, 1886 Tuesday/ still and hot, 100 above zero at noon, commenced plowing a little, very dry, nice breeze from the south tonight

August 25, 1886 Wednesday/ sharp wind from the south and very warm, threshing for Teeter today, Louisa and Hattie gone to town, Hattie going to Dakota, Louisa stays all night to see her off, Rudolph took them up

August 26, 1886 Thursday/ hot and dry yet, Milo and his folks here, brought Louisa home, Jed Stewart here to supper, threshing for Chauncy today, boys gone to town, plowed little

August 27, 1886 Friday/ still in very hot, threshing on Groff's place this forenoon, clouding up some, threshed my wheat, one hundred thirteen bushels, commenced on Billy oats, caught in the rain, rained hard for about an hour, two stacks open, Foss and his friend from Winnebago, all hands gone to town to party

August 28, 1886 Saturday/cool, misty and rainy all day, Mr. Peters from Minneapolis came home with Ralph, Herm and boy here tonight, gloomy day

August 29, 1886 Sunday/ Ralph and Mr. Peters went to Tenhassen, Herm and boy stayed til four o'clock then went home

August 30, 1886 Monday/cool and windy, finished mine, Billy and Lawson's threshing, I had one hundred ninety-three bushels of oats, Ralph gone to town with Mr. Peters

August 31, 1886 Tuesday/finished threshing for Schultz and went to Hills, cold day and still, hung stable door, Frank Freeman and Nora  Logue stopped here for a little while, cold enough to freeze tonight, burnt my straw and fixed my hay stacks

September 1, 1886 Wednesday/cloudy and cold, girls went to town, Ralph and Billy went to town with a load of wheat, Ralph gone to Blue Earth, bed time and raining

September 2, 1886 Thursday/cloudy and showery all day, plowed part of the day, Billy moved to his place today, Ralph and Billy gone to town, raining tonight and warmer

September 3, 1886 Friday/cool and windy, plowed all day with two teams, Ralph and Anna gone to Keeler's to play to party, Billy gone to town, looks like rain, thunder and lightning in the distance

September 4, 1886 Saturday/windy and very warm, cloudy in forenoon, Ralph went to East Chain, Mrs. William Mitchell here visiting this afternoon, warm and still tonight, Billy took load of wheat to town for Schultz

September 5, 1886 Sunday/cool and pleasant, Milo here a few minutes, Louisa and Ada went to East Chain, brought Topsy's colt home

September 6, 1886 Monday/windy and very warm, plowed all day with two teams, got letter from Hattie, Anna went to town with Lena, commenced raining at dark, nine o'clock and raining yet

September 7, 1886 Tuesday/rained all last night, plowed in forenoon, showery all afternoon, folks all gone hunting, Chauncy here in afternoon

September 8, 1886 Wednesday/cloudy and cool, plowed this forenoon, finished my fall plowing, feel little sick, young folks all gone to Nichols' to Cora's birthday party, rained little in the night

September 9, 1886 Thursday/cloudy and cool, feeling bad, done nothing all day, Truman Hall here after strawberry plants, smart shower tonight, looked as though it might be a hard storm but skipped us

September  10, 1886 Friday/cool and pleasant, took reaper to pieces, threshers came to Style's this afternoon, Louisa of visiting at Hills, Anna gone to stay with Florida tonight, quit smoking is this afternoon

September 11, 1886 Saturday/cold and windy, Ralph and Anna went to town, finished threshing at Style's, looks like rain all day, nasty disagreeable cold day, wind West

September 12, 1886 Sunday/cool and pleasant, Ralph and Anna gone to Nichol's visiting, John here a little while, very dull day, Ada in Louisa went to Chauncy's tonight

September 13, 1886 Monday/cloudy and cool, sick this afternoon, Milo and Hemphill here and played long while this afternoon

September 14, 1886 Tuesday/cloudy with strong South wind, Ralph hunted all day, got letter from George and Mel

September 15, 1886 Wednesday/ rained like blazes this morning, think it will spoil the race, young folks gone to town for the rink ball, thunder, lightning and rain this evening, little hail, bad looking night

September 16, 1886 Thursday/cool and pleasant, done nothing today, Mary and Tine here this afternoon, Deacon Dog quite sick, got him chained up

September 17, 1886 Friday/rainy and misty all day, Ada came home with Chauncy, Mary and Louisa visiting at Schultz's, Flenner threshed today, cleaned door yard up, Chauncy got some nails for me

September 18, 1886 Saturday/rained most of all night and all day steady without a break, Ralph and Billy went to town

September 19, 1886 Sunday/cloudy but pleasant, George Nichols and his girl here, John and George Hall here, John got my saddle

September 20, 1886 Monday/warm unpleasant, worked on Bert's house for Groff, Anna and Ralph gone to town to play to party, Milo here haying little

September 21, 1886 Tuesday/cool and pleasant, worked on Bert's house, George came home last night with Anna and Ralph

September 22, 1886 Wednesday/cloudy and misty all forenoon, very hot in afternoon, worked on Bert's house, put on cornishe and shingled it, Ada went to Jackson with Herm Miller

September 23, 1886 Thursday/clearer and sunshine, worked on Bert's house, very warm

September 24, 1886 Friday/very windy and hot, worked on Bert's house until four o'clock, they came after Groff about ten o'clock, little Vera very sick, not expected to live, Ralph Anna and Milo gone to play to party at Miller's, Louisa stayed at Groff's tonight, George and I all alone, wind still blowing hard

September 25, 1886 Saturday/cloudy and spitting rain, little Vera Groff died this morning at two o'clock, Luke Nutter and wife here this afternoon, Mrs. Schultz and Lena here this evening

September 26, 1886 Sunday/ cloudy and warm, went to funeral of Vera Groff, Greame and Henry Style here, Henry staid all night, heavy thunderstorm after dark

September 27, 1886 Monday/ cold and windy, worked on Berts house, finished all except one hours worth, Milo came down

September 28, 1886 Tuesday/ light frost in places this morning, quite cool, Mrs. Lowe here visiting today, Schultzs folks started for Milwaukee this afternoon, John Huston here tonight, threatens frost tonight

September 29, 1886 Wednesday/ strong S.W. wind and pleasant, helped Groff kill his hogs, got 104 lbs of pork from Groff, Teeter and Chauncy took Bills wheat to town, Groff paid me $10, Cora Nichols here today, Milo gone to town with load for Groff

September 30, 1886 Thursday/ cold and windy, helped mow Groffs, folks gone to town and Milo down, Lant Bankson came here today, Seth Older brought him, froze, ice very cold

October 1, 1886 Friday/ cloudy and cold, froze hard last night, ice this morning, boys drew hay for Milo

October 2, 1886 Saturday/ cool but sunshine and pleasant this morning, had nice little party tonight

October 3, 1886 Sunday/ sunshine and warm and very smoky, Fred here to supper, he is going to leave tomorrow for Milwaukee, Lant lost his pocket book, got cattle from herd

October 4, 1886 Monday/ warm and pleasant, lent $20 to Lant to take him home, Fred Style left for Milwaukee tonight

October 5, 1886 Tuesday/ warm and pleasant, Milo went to town to get plow sharpened and medicine for Billys colt, gave him dose, better already

October 6, 1886 Wednesday/ very warm, finished digging my potatoes, fixed fence in lake, Louisa went to Obermyers and Lawsons visiting, Mrs. Jones here

October 7, 1886 Thursday/ warm and pleasant, commenced husking corn, mighty poor stuff, Louisa visiting at Mitchells, got letter from Ada and Lants wife

October 8, 1886 Friday/ warm and muggy, husked two loads of corn, tried to rain and failed, went over to the lake this morning, got some of my bags

October 9, 1886 Saturday/ went to town with Milo, Flora Groff came home with us, Cora Nichols stayed here tonight

October 10, 1886 Sunday/ warm and pleasant, Groff got load of hay and his cow to town today, Louisa took Anna and Flora to town, ran Leets boy here tonight, put knobs on drawers

October 11, 1886 Monday/ very warm, shower of rain last night, looks like rain, went to town with Milo, got wagon tire set, Dr. came to see Milos baby, Louisa set up last night with it

October 12, 1886 Tuesday/ warm and pleasant, husked corn all day, George Teeter helped, Milo went to town, Anna came home with him, fruit man here tonight

October 13, 1886 Wednesday/ very warm and pleasant, husked corn all day, Louisa papered Ralphs house, Seelers sale today

October 14, 1886 Thursday/ husked corn all day, fearful wind and cold

October 15, 1886 Friday/ cold but pleasant, husked and finished my corn at noon, Louisa went to Mitchells in afternoon, went to Chauncys in evening, turned cattle into stalks

October 16, 1886 Saturday/ cold south wind, went to town with Milo

October 17, 1886 Sunday/ cold but pleasant, boys went hunting, Frank Jones and his mother here today

October 18, 1886 Monday/ cold and windy, worked on road, built bridge on Obermyers, heavy south wind

October 19, 1886 Tuesday/ wind blew fearful, done nothing all day

October 20, 1886 Wednesday/ went to town with Milo and got apple trees, cold as blazes, George husking corn for Chauncy, Fenner moved across the lake

October 21, 1886 Thursday/ cold and windy, fixed buggy wheel and set tire, boys finished husking corn, went to Ackleys this morning, Jed Stewart here tonight

October 22, 1886 Friday/ Louisa went to see Mrs. Huston, folks gone to town to play for party, windy and cold

October 23, 1886 Saturday/ pleasant day, went to town with Chauncy, got home after dark

October 24, 1886 Sunday/ very dull day, Anna gone with Flora to where she is to keep school, cold wind

October 25, 1886 Saturday/ cold and windy, struck out some lands to plough, got seed corn from Chauncy, one of Chauncys cows got in the well in the marsh

October 26, 1886 Tuesday/ beautiful day, got Teeters Sulky plow, party at Billys tonight, heard Fred Style was married, Jim Burton here, Milo went to East Chain today after coal

October 27, 1886 Wednesday/ very nice day, Louisa went to town, got Sulky plow sharpened, Ralph paid me $3 on hog

October 28, 1886 Thursday/ plowed all day, pleasant weather, Ralph and Anna gone to town to play to party, Frank Blanchard came here to stay a few days

October 29, 1886 Friday/ pleasant day, plowed little, young folks gone to play to party at Hiness, got late start, Old Mrs. Teeter sick

October 30, 1886 Saturday/ pleasant day, got horse from James, plowed all day, Anna and Louisa went to Joness this evening to see Mrs. Teeter, she is no better

October 31, 1886 Sunday/ pleasant but windy, Mr. Wing and wife here visiting today, took Frank home with them, family reunion at Milos today

 

please contact me with any questions or comments. I would love to hear from people who are related to the friends that William writes about in his books

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