Decatur Co., Kansas: 1891

Jan 1, 1891 Cold high wind N. W. wind. Clear at home.
Jan 2 Cold. 10 deg of zero. Went to Allison. Done chores.
Jan 3 Willies all here for dinner. I & Willie went to Allison to Alliance.
Jan 4 Sunday at home. Nice day. Geo. & John here till night.
Jan 5 Hattie washed. Cold S. wind. I went to Allison. Took letters.
Jan 6 Charlie Rice got buggy. Warmer, but chilly wind.
Jan 7 Damp & misty. Children at home. Chopped down tree. Commenced to snow at dark.
Jan 8 Snowing all day from N. E. Stanfast brought cattle home.
Jan 9 Not very cold, but still snowing most the day. Done chores.
Jan 10 Clear part day. Went to Allison. Got mail. Done chores.
Jan 11 Sunday cold N. wind. Snow flying some. At home all day.
Jan 12 Killed Jack Rabbit. Thawed. Went to Allison eve.
Jan 13 Done chores. Thawed some. Nice day.
Jan 14 Clear. Washed forenoon. Done chores.
Jan 15 Took 22 lbs butter to Allison & sent it to Mr. Mullin. Cold.
Jan 16 Cold & disagreeable day. Done chores.
Jan 17 Went to Allison. Got mail. Went to Allison to alliance in eve.
Jan 18 Sunday went to meeting. Was none. Went to Willies.
Jan 19 Washed. Commenced to smoke meat. Thawed. Nice.
Jan 20 Thawed some. Calf died. Nice winter weather.
Jan 21 Thawed fast but cold N. wind. Cleaned out cow shed.
Jan 22 Cold N. wind. Done chores. Thawed some.
Jan 23 Spit snow from north. Colder. Went to Allison.
Jan 24 Went to Jennings. Got lumber. Thawed some. Nice day.
Jan 25 Sunday at home. Clear & fine. Thawed some.
Jan 26 Put new floor in kitchen. Nice day. Thawed.
Jan 27 Damp N. E. wind. Willie & I went to Mr. Rices. Chilly.
Jan 28 Damp mist & snow from N. E. Bad on stock.
Jan 29 Clear & nice. Thawed some. Went to Allison.
Jan 30 Cloudy. Went to Allison. Snowed in eve. Fast.
Jan 31 Turned colder. 6 deg below zero. Coldest yet. Went to school house at Allison at night.
Feb 1, 1891 Sunday cold. Went to Mr. Rices burying. Coldest day yet.
Feb 2 Very cold & quite a blizzard. Cleared off. Cold.
Feb 3 Washed forenoon. Went to Allison. Took 24 lbs butter.
Feb 4 Done chores. Fixed cut and dragged out 33 trees. Nice day.
Feb 5 Cut wood. John Standfast helped saw wood. Thawed.
Feb 6 Split wood forenoon. Muddy. Went to Allison. Got mail.
Feb 7 Thawed forenoon. Went to Alliance in evening.
Feb 8 Sunday very cold. High N. W. wind. The coldest day this winter.
Feb 9 Cold. Went to Vandosens & J. Strops. Done chores.
Feb 10 Hattie washed forenoon. Nice & warm. Done chores.
Feb 11 Fine day. Cool. Standfields took 10 head cattle to herd.
Feb 12 Clear & warm. Split wood. Went to Allison. Got money of John.
Feb 13 Nice day. Done chores. Mrs. Chenoweth here.
Feb 14 Chilly S. wind. Willies all here. Brought Roasters.
Feb 15 Sunday warm & fine. Went to School house to meeting with Mr. Chenoweths.
Feb 16 Cold N. E. wind with little snow. Killed hog.
Feb 17 Hattie washed. Nice day. Done chores.
Feb 18 Cold S. wind. Went & helped Willie saw wood.
Feb 19 Went to J. Stroups. Bough ton rye for $6.00. Paid cash $3.00 Snowed.
Feb 20 Done chores. Went to Allison. Got mail. Nice.
Feb 21 Hauled 5 loads hay from J. Stroups. Nice & warm.
Feb 22 Sunday at home. Nice day. Stock doing well.
Feb 23 Hattie washed. I went to Allison. Done chores. Warm.
Feb 24 Did not freeze last nite, but terribly cold & snowed.
Feb 25 Very cold with N. wind. Took butter to Allison to send to Denver.
Feb 26 Went to Jenning. Cold S. Wind. Got Flour & shoes.
Feb 27 Cold N. Wind. Done chores.
Feb 28 Cold & chilly. Done chores. Herded cattle.
Mar 1, 1891 Sunday at home. Looks like snow.
Mar 2 Cold N. wind. Damp. Chopped big tree. Cold on stock.
Mar 3 Quite a snow last night. Drifted. Cut ice.
Mar 4 Hattie washed. I hauled & put up ice afternoon. Cold.
Mar 5 I am sick. Damp E. wind. Done chores.
Mar 6 Snowed last night & today. Worked Dexter. Cold. Went to Allison. Bad day on stock.
Mar 7 Cold day. Took children to school afternoon. All went to Exhibition at night at school.
Mar 8 Sunday clear. At home. Done chores.
Mar 9 Done chores. Cut wood. Worked colt to Allison.
Mar 10 Done chores. At home. Snowed all night.
Mar 11 Sawed wood. Dexter hurt my shoulder bad.
Mar 12 Standfast boys & Chenoweth here. I am not able to work.
Mar 13 Herded cattle forenoon. Went with Wills to store to get mail.
Mar 14 Herded forenoon. Went to Allison P. M.
Mar 15 Sunday at home. Clear & fine. My shoulder still very sore. Old Fatties calf came.
Mar 16 Hattie washed. Warm & fine. Roy very sick. Went to Willies. Went to Willies got Dr. book.
Mar 17 Roy better this morning. Warm. Went to Mr. Steeles for hay burying & to Allison.
Mar 18 Mike helped clean out cattle shed. Cold snowed.
Mar 19 Clear & fine. Husked fodder. Assessor here.
Mar 20 Cold wind. Went to Allison afternoon. Rained.
Mar 21 Went herded cattle. Went to Allison. Warm.
Mar 22 Sun. clear & cool N.W. At home all day.
Mar 23 Planted a few potatoes. Cold E. wind. Commenced to snow at night. Went to Allison.
Mar 24 Terrible blizzard from N. E. Mauds colt came.
Mar 25 Still blowing & the worst thing on stock. Snow drifts 10 ft. deep.
Mar 26 Thawed some. Stock about starved. Shoveled snow.
Mar 27 Clear & warm. Went to Allison, but no mail. Roads blocked. Sold 2 steers to C. Evans.
Mar 28 Done chores. Walked to Allison, but no mail.
Mar 29 Sunday snow storm most all day. Heavy thunder & rain to.
Mar 30 N. W. wind. Went got mail. $50.00 from mother.
Mar 31 Hattie washed forenoon. I fixed fence all around field. Thawed.
Apr 1, 1891 Heavy snowstorm. Bad on stock.
Apr 2 Froze last night. Clear. Got 1 bu corn from Standfasts.
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Apr 29 Plowed in south field & sowed sorgum. Very hot. High dust in eve.
Apr 30 Finished plowing & sowing sorgum. Cooler.
May 1, 1891 Plowed bottom patch for melons. Looks like rain.
May 2 Finished mellon patch forenoon. Cool & dull.
May 3 Sunday at home resting. Nice day. Cooler.
May 4 Cool & fine to work. Listed corn all day.
May 5 Cool damp air. Listed in corn. Very tired.
May 6 Finished listing in bottom south 25 acres. Dragged afternoon. Bred Queen.
May 7 Listed in corn and sorgum all day in south field. Windy.
May 8 Listed in sorgum & corn west of house. N. wind. Dry.
May 9 Finished listing in piece S. of house. High N. wind. Dry.
May 10 Sunday at home. Willies all here. Cool & fine. Rained last night. Made ice cream.
May 11 Listed in corn south field. Cool & fine. Planted in south bottom afternoon.
May 12 Finished putting in corn & sorgum forenoon. Took lister to Wills in eve.
May 13 Dragged corn south of creek. Finished at noon. Done chores.
May 14 Planted corn. Plowed cabbage patch. Sold 10 calves for $106.00
May 15 I and John S. went to Jennings. Cool & fine.
May 16 Hard rain this morn. Misty forenoon. Went to Allison. Cool.
May 17 Sunday at home. J. S. here. Cool damp & muddy.
May 18 Hattie washed. I split wood. Put out poison for gophers.
May 19 Osborne took cattle. Went to Allison. Had shovels sharpened.
May 20 Cool. Split wood. Went to Allison afternoon.
May 23 Went helped Steele fix roof on sow house. Rained.
May 24 Sunday at home. German woman here. Cool. Made ice cream.
May 25 Split wood. Done chores. Went to Allison.
May 26 Washed. Done chores.
May 27 Hoed forenoon. Chenoweth got 1 bu corn. Planted corn in south field.
May 28 Plowed corn and potatoes in south field. Warm.
May 29 Hot. Plowed corn south field. Fine for crops.
May 30 Plowed forenoon. Went to Allison in eve.
May 31 Sunday at home all day. Hot. Made ice cream.
Jun 1, 1891 Plowed corn all day. Looks like rain.
Jun 2 Finished plowing piece south of creek 1st time. Fine.
Jun 3 Plowed corn W. of house. Went to Allison. Got mail.
Jun 4 Finished plowing piece W. of house. Weaned Topsys colt. Rained.
Jun 5 Rained all day. Children staid home. Went to Allison to get mail.
Jun 6 Damp and Misty. Went to Allison. Got sack of corn from Wheelock.
Jun 7 Sunday Damp. Went to Wills in wagon.
Jun 8 Done chores. I and Hattie went to Allison. Took 15 lbs. lard.
Jun 9 Plowed truck patch forenoon, then in south field afternoon.
Jun 10 Rained last night. Hattie washed. Took 15 lbs. lard to Allison.
Jun 11 Plowed in south field. Huey has sore throat all day. Cloudy and dull.
Jun 12 Finished S. field at noon. Got letter from Hicks at noon. Went to Allison.
Jun 13 Harrowed corn forenoon. Went to Allison P. M.
Jun 14 Sunday at home all day. Resting. Nice day.
Jun 15 Went to Willies. Got harrow. Commenced to rain.
Jun 16 Took children to school. Rained most all day.
Jun 17 Cut weeds all day. Ground drying.
Jun 18 Terrible rain. Draw very high. Washed tabers. Children went to school afternoon. Last day in school. Stella got prize for spelling. A lead pencil.
Jun 19 Water high. Very hot.
Jun 20 Fixed fence. Took up carpet. Went to Allison. Clear.
Jun 21 Sunday big rain last night. Went to Allison to meeting. Wills here.
Jun 22 Plowed corn 2nd time west of house. Nice day.
Jun 23 Finished W. of house. Plowed S. creek 2nd time. Hot.
Jun 24 Plowed corn. Fearful hot days & nights.
Jun 25 Plowed corn. Damp. Got letter from Hicks.
Jun 26 Plowed corn all day. Fine time to kill weeds.
Jun 27 Finished plowing S. creek 2nd time. Went to Allison.
Jun 28 Sunday fine rain this morn. At home all day.
Jun 29 Fine rain. Plowed corn. Very tired.
Jun 30 Hoed melons forenoon. Plowed corn in S. 80.
Jul 1, 1891 Finished plowing corn 2nd time. Got mower.
Jul 2 Mowed rye forenoon. Raked afternoon. Hot.
Jul 3 Mowed wheat & weeds. Rained. Hot.
Jul 4 Cut some wheat. Rained. Went to Allison celebration.
Jul 5 Sunday at home all day.
Jul 6 Cut piece rye next to house. Raked and shocked wheat. Very hot.
Jul 7 Misty and damp. Cut wheat afternoon. Cold.
Jul 8 Finished cutting wheat & weeds. Cool.
Jul 9 Cloudy cool & damp. Went to Allison.
Jul 10 Finished shocking rye. Plowed corn and sorgum. Hot.
Jul 11 Plowed corn W. house 3rd time. Warm.
Jul 12 Sunday at home. Very hot. Rested.
Jul 13 Finished raking wheat. Took rake home. Went to Allison.
Jul 14 Hauled & stacked wheat & rye. Cloudy fine.
Jul 15 Hauled & stacked wheat all day. Cool.
Jul 16 Very heavy rain last night. Maud cut her leg. Went to Allison.
Jul 17 Turned over wheat. Huey sick. Hauled 3 loads eve.
Jul 18 Jake helped stack wheat all day. Got 10 loads. Warm.
Jul 19 Sunday rained this morn. Crops fine. Huey sick.
Jul 20 Hattie washed. Went to Allison to get mail.
Jul 21 Cultivated corn S. field forenoon. Hauled rye in eve.
Jul 22 J. Stroup helped haul rye. Fine day to work.
Jul 23 Finished stacking wheat & rye. Dug potatoes. Plowed corn.
Jul 24 Went to Jennings. Took 41 lbs lard. 10 cts lb. Potatoes 40 cts. bu.
Jul 25 Rained last night. Painted buggy. Fine. Plowed.
Jul 26 Sunday went to Willies. Nice day. Heavy rain eve.
Jul 27 Damp & misty. Went to Allison. Sold 4 sows & one pig.
Jul 28 Big rain last night. Mr. Kinser took hogs.
Jul 29 Cut weeds. Done chores. Ground wet. Crops fine.
Jul 30 Plowed by sorgum W. of house. Went to school meeting. Damp.
Jul 31 Plowed around piece N. of house. Big rain at noon. Went to get mail.
Aug 1, 1891 Clear Cool & fine. Fixed crossing. Dried sweet corn. Went to P. O.
Aug 2 Sunday at home all day. Still & clear. Warm.
Aug 3 Rained. Clear & fine. Washed. Dried corn. Got letter from Engle Hort.
Aug 4 Done chores. Went to Allison. Got letter from Hicks. Warm.
Aug 5 Cut weeds. Hoed cabbage. Got chips. Fine for stacking grain.
Aug 6 Dried corn. Fixed crossing. Done chores. Hot.
Aug 7 Put out corn to dry. Hot, Hot. Went to Allison.
Aug 8 Helped Jake Straups stack millet all day.
Aug 9 Sun. Wills here. I and Roy started to Mo. From Jennings at 5 oclock in evening.
Aug 10 Got to St. Joe. morn. to Kirksville in eve. Staid at Brs Engleharts.
Aug 11 Went to see 120 acre farm. Rained.
Aug 12 Went with Hicks to see 80 acre farm. Went to Glenwood to Jimmy Smiths, then to aunt Catharines at night.
Aug 13 Took train at Lancaster. Went to Ill. To Mothers at night.
Aug 14 Went to grandmothers, then to Ellas. Stayed all night.
Aug 15 I & Hebe went to see Pendarves. Staid all night at mothers. Heavy rain.
Aug 16 Ellas & Josie Curtis at mothers. Went to Hies.
Aug 17 Went to Hals. Eat dinner. Took cars at 6 oclock at Blandinsville for home. Very tired.
Aug 18 Got to Jennings at 10 oclock. Rode to Allison with Ben Osburn then walked home. Tired.
Aug 19 Rested most all day. Done chores.
Aug 20 Went to Allison. Done chores.
Aug 21 Took potatoes to Jennings. Got salt. Very cool.
Aug 22 Went to Allison. Got mail. Got plums.
Aug 23 Sunday went to Wills. Cool & fine.
Aug 24 Hattie put up Plums. I done chores.
Aug 25 Big wind last night. Blew over stacks.
Aug 26 Done chores. Topped out rye stacks.
Aug 27 Hattie washed. Took Mo. Man to Willies.
Aug 28 Went to Allison afternoon. Cool & fine.
Aug 29 Picked grapes. Went to Allison P. M. Warm.
Aug 30 Sunday clear & warm at home all day.
Aug 31 Went to see Mr. Tompkins about sorgum. Striped cane.
Sep 1, 1891 Stripped cane. Done chores. Warm & dry.
Sep 2 Rained last night. Made 18 gal. kraut. Cool.
Sep 3 Very cool last night. Some frost. Washed. Stripped cane.
Sep 4 Hauled 1 load cane. Went to Allison P. M. Sold nice heifer for $10.50.
Sep 5 Hauled load cane. Clear & fine, but warm.
Sep 6 Sunday at home. Fine. Warm.
Sep 7 Cut and hauled 2 loads sorgum. Warm.
Sep 8 Raining this morn. Wrote to Gatewood & Ella.
Sep 9 Went to Jennings. Put $1032.00 in bank.
Sep 11 Finished hauling sorgum to Tompkins. Went to Alliance.
Sep 12 Cut down sweet corn. Took potatoes to Wheelock.
Sep 13 Sunday cloudy and dull. To meeting at night.
Sep 14 Jake mowed sorgum. I cut sorgum. Hot.
Sep 15 I worked road all day. Very warm.
Sep 16 Hauled sorgum. Hot and dry. Went to Allison for mail.
Sep 17 Traded table to Stroup for cow & calves. Sent $525.00 to Cawker City to pay mortgage.
Sep 18 Hauled sorgum seed. Hot & dry. Went to Allison.
Sep 19 Got corn & sorgum. Went to Tompkins, then to Allison. Hot & dry.
Sep 20 Sunday hot at home. Willies and Mr. Chenoweths here.
Sep 21 Went for Mr. Kincers. Got rake. Went to Allison.
Sep 22 Raked sorgum forenoon. Rented land to Ben Osborn. Hot & dry. Bought 15 cows for $15.00 each.
Sep 23 Finished raking sorgum. Took rake home. Very windy.
Sep 24 Cooler. Stacked sorgum. Rained. Went to Allison.
Sep 25 Misted rain last night. Mr. Chenoweth here.
Sep 26 I and Ben Osborn went S. W. and bought 4 cows.
Sep 27 Sunday Mr. Small here. Clear & fine. Drying.
Sep 28 Took 25 head cattle to Jennings to shep. Staid all night.
Sep 29 Loaded car cattle this morn at 3 oclock. Came home. Let Mr. Small have 7 heifer calves. Went to Soretzs. Got nice cow & calf.
Sep 30 Dug potatoes 7 bu. Went to Allison. Got mail.
Oct 1, 1891 Dug 7 bu. potatoes. Went to Allison. Got mail. News.
Oct 2 Finished digging potatoes. Went to Allison.
Oct 3 Went to Jennings. Got coat. Heard from cattle shipped bad.
Oct 4 Sunday clear & first frost. Black calf came. Willies here all day.
Oct 5 Raining this morning. Sold 2 cows for $33.00. Fixed fence.
Oct 6 Hattie washed. Gathered pop corn. Frosty mornings.
Oct 7 Done chores. Fixed shed. Froze last night.
Oct 8 Willies came. Let him have $100.00. Put up sorgum.
Oct 9 Fine. Put up sorgum. Osborn brought buggy home. Went to Allison.
Oct 10 Warm & fine. Went to Bradburys. Finished gathering corn. Went to Allison.
Oct 11 Sunday clear warm. Made pop corn balls. At home all day. Mrs. Steele here.
Oct 12 Went to Tompkins. Got 22 gal molassess. Took to Jennings. Rained. Cold.
Oct 13 Washed forenoon. J Standfast helped stack sorgum.
Oct 14 Nice day. Stacked sorgum all day. Cool.
Oct 15 Stacked 25 loads sorgum. Cool & fine.
Oct 16 Went to Jennings. Took rye for Chinweth. Big prairie fire.
Oct 17 Went plowed fire gard around sorgum. Got corn. Went to Allison. Willies here.
Oct 18 Sunday Clear & cool at home. Went to Willies.
Oct 19 Shelled 5 bu pop corn. Husked horn. Nice day.
Oct 20 I and Willie went to Mr. Wheelocks. Warm.
Oct 21 Husked corn. 2 part loads. Warm & fine.
Oct 22 Cut 22 poles forenoon for corn crib. Husked corn.
Oct 23 Went to Jennings. Got 354 ft. of lumber for corn crib. Hot.
Oct 24 Built corn crib forenoon. Went to Allison. Warm & hot.
Oct 25 Sunday at home. Warm & fine. Getting dry.
Oct 26 Mike Standsfield & I got 4 loads corn. Warm.
Oct 27 Frank got 2 loads, John 2 loads, I and Mike got 4 part loads.
Oct 28 Geo & John got 4 loads. I and Mike got 80 bu.
Oct 29 I and Mike got 3 loads. John & Geo. 3 loads.
Oct 30 I and Mike got 3 loads. Geo & John 3 loads. Hot.
Oct 31 I and Mike gathered 3 loads forenoon. I went to Allison.
Nov 1, 1891 Sunday went to Willies. Chilly S. E. wind. Cattle got in corn.
Nov 2 I gathered corn. Mike helped. Warm.
Nov 3 Went to Jennings. Took potatoes. Got 20 cts. bu. Came back by Allison.
Nov 4 Stellas red heifer died. Got 4 loads corn.
Nov 5 I and Mike got 4 loads. Frank got 2 pt loads.
Nov 6 I and Mike & Geo. Got 3 loads forenoon.
Nov 7 Hauled corn out of sod house. Got sorgum. Went to Allison.
Nov 8 Sunday at home all day. Bradbury and Nephew here.
Nov 8 Hauled 2 loads sorgum, then went to Allison.
Nov 10 Looked for corn sheller. Started but broke it.
Nov 11 Shelled corn. I hauled load to Jennings. Terrible cold N. Wind.
Nov 12 Corn shellers went away. I hauled load corn. Commenced to snow at dusk.
Nov 13 Finished hauling 688.47 bu corn to Jennings to ship to K. C. Chilly.
Nov 14 Hauled to Mr. Chenoweth load for cobs. Got five bu. Potatoes. Went to Allison.
Nov 15 Sunday at home all day. Total eclipse of moon at night. I and Hattie see it.
Nov 16 Snowing & blowing. Very cold all day.
Nov 17 Clear, but cold. Will here. Paid Standfasts for gathering corn.
Nov 18 Done chores. Threshing rye at noon. 95 bushels. Sold Dexter to Standfast.
Nov 19 Mr. Mrs. Tompkins here let him have cobs.
Nov 20 Damp & snow from N. E. Went to Onies. Got dish. Threshers here.
Nov 21 Finished threshing rye by noon. Got 95 bu.
Nov 22 Sunday cold & damp N. wind. Cleared off late.
Nov 23 Took 45 bu rye to Jennings. Got boards for trough.
Nov 24 Took 40.45 lbs rye to Jennings. 68 cts. bu.
Nov 25 Shelled 14 bu corn. Made trough. Tore up rack. Done chores.
[Skips to Dec 24] Apparently moved back to McDonough County, Illinois during this time]