McDonough Co., Illinois: 1883
| Jan 1, 1883 | Went to Clay D. to New Years Dinner. Maze commenced hauling corn. I paid Brooks $300.00. |
| Jan 2 | Chopped wood. Went with Maze to weigh corn. Hattie went to Chester. Alice and Lafe went home. Cold 6 below zero. |
| Jan 3 | Cold. Chopped wood. Maze and Geo. Hauling corn. |
| Jan 4 | Chopped wood. Snowing. Nice winter weather. |
| Jan 5 | Took Hattie to her grandmas. Chopped wood. Cold. |
| Jan 6 | Jake & Geo. finished hauling corn. I went home with him and on to Cedar. |
| Jan 7 | Sunday. Kit has distemper very bad. At home. |
| Jan 8 | Stormy night. Will here after kettle. 2 below zero. |
| Jan 9 | Fearful cold day 18 below zero. Helped Will butcher. |
| Jan 10 | Terrible wind from North cold. Bad on stock. |
| Jan 11 | Took grandmother load corn. Hauled 2 loads wood for mother. Harlie here all nite. |
| Jan 12 | Went to Adie Nulls funeral. Then to town. Hebe & Ella came. |
| Jan 13 | Very cold. Went to grandmothers. Not many there. |
| Jan 14 | 4 below zero. Ella went home. Icey. |
| Jan 15 | Snowing. Went to mothers. Chopped her wood. |
| Jan 16 | Snowing. Hattie gone to Chester. All eat dinner here. Fearful snow. |
| Jan 17 | Caught 13 quails 2 rabbits. Lost my watch. |
| Jan 18 | Caught 1 rabbit. Went got load wood on grandmothers timber. |
| Jan 19 | Very cold 16 degrees below zero. |
| Jan 20 | 8 below zero. Got 2 rabbits. Harlie & Jake here. |
| Jan 21 | Sunday 20 below zero all day. The coldest yet. |
| Jan 22 | The coldest time I ever saw. 26 below zero. Pump froze up. Got load wood. |
| Jan 23 | Went to Chester. Got 210 tiling. Good sleighing. |
| Jan 24 | Went and got 226 tile. Nice day. Viola & Mort here. |
| Jan 25 | I and Hattie went to mothers. Mort, Wills and I caught 7 rabbits. |
| Jan 26 | Went to town. Settled with Brooks. Let Mother have $20.00. Misted. |
| Jan 27 | Went to Chester. Got 130 tile. Got Oysters. Wills here at nite. Had fine time. |
| Jan 28 | Went to town. Was no meeting. Then to J. M. Jones. |
| Jan 29 | Snowing in morn. Went got load wood. Chopped stove wood. Turned cold. |
| Jan 30 | Went got load wood. High West wind. Mr. Jones and Wife here. |
| Jan 31 | Got load wood. Set forks for shed. Ground froze 2 ft deep. |
| Feb 1, 1883 | 12 below zero. Went town got nails. Fixed shed and to Hals at nite. |
| Feb 2 | Another terrible stormy day. Sleet and snow from N. E. Went to town on horse. Back by mothers. Cold Cold. Storming tonite fearful hard. |
| Feb 3 | Still snowing. Very bad on stock. |
| Feb 4 | Sunday 10 below zero. Went to Wills visiting. |
| Feb 5 | 14 below zero. Went to poor farm. Got Sidney Skilec. |
| Feb 6 | Went to mothers. Got 5 shoats for $10.00. Chopped wood. |
| Feb 7 | Snowed hard. Put hay in barn. Hires boys put 71 cattle in field. |
| Feb 8 | Chopped wood. Went to grandpas. Then to Clays at nite. |
| Feb 9 | All went to Violas in sled. Nice day. Stopped in Chester and traded. |
| Feb 10 | Took meat to grandpas to smoke. Then to town to Nices Seybold funeral. |
| Feb 11 | Sunday. Went to Hies. Stayed all day. Nice day. |
| Feb 12 | Chopped wood. Went to mother. Got seed corn. To grandpas at nite. |
| Feb 13 | Went to Ann Hays sale. Then to Elm at nite. |
| Feb 14 | Thawing, rainy and misty. Chopped stove wood. |
| Feb 15 | Went to grandmas. Eat dinner snow melting. |
| Feb 16 | Heavy rain last nite. Boy snow melting fast. Water very high. Washed away big bridge on road, fences etc. Turned very cold. |
| Feb 17 | Chopped wood. Jake went to town for mail. Cold. Water going down. |
| Feb 18 | Sunday. Went to Elm to meeting and to night meeting. |
| Feb 19 | Finished shopping up wood. Piled and hauled rails against fence. |
| Feb 20 | Went to town to debate. Eat dinner at J. Penningtons. |
| Feb 21 | Went to debate. Ate at grandpas. |
| Feb 22 | Went and helped Will saw wood. Thawed. |
| Feb 23 | Went to town to debate. Sold hogs. Muddy. |
| Feb 24 | Rained last nite. Tried to drive hogs. |
| Feb 25 | Went to grandmas afternoon. Then to Elm at nite. |
| Feb 26 | Took 6 hogs to town average 230 lbs. Will helped saw. |
| Feb 27 | Hauled Elm wood. Went to Chester feel sick and bad. |
| Feb 28 | Warm, clear. Clay and I went McComb. Wills here at nite. |
| Mar 1, 1883 | I am very sick in bed all day. Warm. |
| Mar 2 | Went to grandpas. Got meat. Made rails chopped wood. |
| Mar 3 | Went to mothers. Fenced straw. Went to town. |
| Mar 4 | Sunday. Went to town to meeting. Then to grandma and mothers. |
| Mar 5 | Hauled 2 loads elm wood. Rested. Snowed Hard. |
| Mar 6 | Went to mothers. Hauled wood. Cut stove wood. Cold muddy. |
| Mar 7 | Froze hard last nite. Painted roof. Jasie Curtes & family here. |
| Mar 8 | Cut brush. Chopped wood. Nice day. |
| Mar 9 | Went to town. Painted sled. Came back by Wm. Jone. Hattie there. |
| Mar 10 | Went town. Got load lumber for mother. Cold day. |
| Mar 11 | Sunday. Spit snow. At home all day. |
| Mar 12 | Went to grandmothers fixed gate. Got willows. |
| Mar 13 | I and Harlie sawed wood. Got load rocks. Roads good. |
| May 14 | Burnt logs. My Birthday, 27 yrs. old. Mother here. Gave me a cake stand. |
| Mar 15 | Set out Willows. Cold and chilly. Hattie washed. |
| Mar 16 | Went to Chester. Nice Day. Cut and burned hedge. |
| Mar 17 | Took Lula (mare) to town. Ella and Mrs. K. came. |
| Mar 18 | Sunday. Nice and warm. Went to mothers. |
| Mar 19 | Went town. Sent for Kansas Newspaper. Got load rock. |
| Mar 20 | Cold. Went town, took clover seed. Worked in slough. |
| Mar 21 | Cool and fine. Work in ditch all day. |
| Mar 22 | Took load corn to Chester. Snowed. Dug in ditch. |
| Mar 23 | Took corn to Chester. Cold. Worked in ditch. |
| Mar 24 | Went to town. Worked in ditch. Wills here in even. |
| Mar 25 | Sunday. Raining. Cold East wind. |
| Mar 26 | Worked in ditch. Went to grandpas. Eat dinner, he is sick. |
| Mar 27 | Cold worked in ditch. Finished garden fence. |
| Mar 28 | Worked in ditch. Fixed flood gate & fence. Cold. |
| Mar 29 | 3 inches snow. Went after Fr. For grandpa. Stayed all nite. |
| Mar 30 | Plowed garden. Set out onions. Planted lettuce. Harlie and Walter here. |
| April 1, 1883 | Sunday. Cloudy and dull. Hattie gone to her grandpas. I and Sedney home. |
| April 2 | Staid with grandpa all nite. He is very bad. |
| April 3 | Grandpa died at 20 min. of 1 oclock. This was grandpa Jones with whom Hattie had lived since she was 16 months old. |
| Apr 4 | Rained forenoon. Went to grandmas & to town. |
| April 5 | Hard rain today. Grandpa buried today. |
| April 6 | Raining. Very muddy. Went to grandmas. |
| [April 7—17 I cannot make out what father has written only that he and Sidney were getting corn & ground ready for planting.] | |
| April 18 | I was sick last nite. Plowed, warm & fine. Grandma and Rollo Foster here. |
| April 19 | Plowed. Cool. Hattie and I hoed strawberries. |
| April 20 | Finished plowing N. piece and slough went town. |
| April 21 | Sunday dull. Misting rain terrible. N.E. Wind. |
| April 22 | Went to Tom Wilsons to look at mare. Fearful day. Rained and snowed. |
| April 23 | Froze hard last nite. Plowed, killed skunk. Cool. |
| April 25 | Cultivated up north. Hattie made soap. Very hard days work. |
| April 26 | Went to McComb. Got 3 apple trees. Eat dinner at S. Filberts. |
| April 27 | Very fine day. Finished crossing off and planted corn. |
| April 28 | Clear and nice. Finished planting corn on west ridge. |
| April 29 | Plowed forenoon. Afternoon went to Chester. |
| May 1, 1883 | Went town. Got screens. Cultivated in evening. |
| [From here till May 13 he has been sick and busy with spring work, and on 12th went to Theatre.] | |
| May 13 | Sunday rained all day. Harlie and George D. here. |
| May 14 | Reset fence west of pasture. Mrs. J. here at nite. |
| May 15 | Took oats to town. Got wheat of mother. |
| May 16 | Went to Chester. Nice and warm. Mother and Wills here for dinner. |
| May 17 | Replanted corn. Organ man eat dinner. Hard rain. |
| May 18 | Took Lula (mare) to Comet. Replanted corn. Took Flora (mare) to Comet. |
| May 19 | Took Ket to King. Plowed Potatoes. Replanted corn. |
| May 20 | Sunday cool and dull. Went to Elm, then to Rock Creek with Clays. |
| May 21 | Very cold. The first heavy snow in Ohio. Very cold. |
| May 22 | Big frost. Corn, Potatoes, beans, etc. wilted. Went town. |
| May 23 | White frost. Sidney run off. Went to Cultivating to plant over. |
| May 24 | Finished Cultivating. Went got seed corn. Harrowed. |
| May 25 | Sunday. Went to town to meeting and to Wills for dinner. Rained. |
| May 29 | Raining this morning and rained all day. Harlie and Jake here. |
| May 29 | Went to see Charlie Hungate. Replanted corn. |
| May 30 | Rained forenoon. Went to decoration [day] and to mothers for supper. |
| May 31 | Replanted corn. Got done. Corn grows slow. |
| June 1, 1883 | Rolled corn and plowed some. Got 300 sweet potato plants set out. |
| June 2 | Rolled corn. Rained. Cut thistles. Hoed potatoes. |
| June 3 | Sunday cloudy and dull. Harlie and Jim here. |
|
| [From the 3rd to 9th cannot make out only getting ready for spring and Rossie Tiff came to work. Rossie Logan was named for him.] |
| June 9 | Very wet. Went to town. Hattie went home. Rossie went home. |
| June 10 | Sunday raining. Cold from N. E. all day. Harlie here. Terrible day. |
| June 11 | Hattie went to Clays. I hoed corn. |
| June 12 | Hard rain last nite. Harlie & Rossie here. Went swimming. |
| June 13 | Hoed corn all day. Ground drying slow. |
| June 14 | Plowed corn on N. W. piece. Plowed potatoes. |
| June 15 | Plowed corn. Rained. Hoed some. |
| June 16 | Rained again. I went to Wills and mothers. Hoed some. Plowed till dark. |
| June 17 | Sunday rained. Went to Cedar. Then to Rock Creek to childrens meeting. |
| June 18 | Nice day. Finished plowing corn 1st time. Plowed on sod 2nd time. |
| June 19 | Clear and fine. Plowed corn. Ross finished 5 acre piece 2nd time. |
| June 20 | I plowed and Ross hoed corn. Went to Cedar. Heavy rain storm at nite. |
| June 21 | Everything flooded. Went to Chester. |
| [This is summer before Estella was born.] | |
| [From June 22 to July 6 writing is blurred and all I can make out is he is plowing and hoeing.] | |
| July 6, 1883 | Rossie Tiff plowed. I hoed sweet potatoes. |
| July 7 | Misted rain from N. E. Plowed and harrowed. |
| July 8 | Sunday. Went to Rock Creek to quarterly meeting. Cool and fine. |
| July 9 | Plowed and cultivated. Finished east place. |
| July 10 | Plowed some. Rained. Mrs. Charter here. |
| July 11 | Commenced on west place. Ross fished. |
| July 12 | Finished ploughing corn. Took load to Chester. Got fish. 60 cts. for corn. |
| July 13 | Mowed weeds. Went to town by Mr. Hardmans. |
| July 14 | Will here in morn. |
| [Cannot make out writing. Father must have gone to K. C. for mother wrote. ‘Oh dear how lonesome without Sellie.”] | |
| July 30 | Effie stayed with us last nite. Churned forenoon. Jose came in afternoon. Helped put in quilt and we quilted. |
| July 31 | Harley and Effie stayed here last nite. Done big washing. Quilted. |
| Aug 1, 1883 | Father writes, “I got home from K. C. Cut hedge. Went to town. |
| Aug 2 | Sold hogs for 45.25 cwt. Got oats. 25 bu. |
| Aug 3 | Helped Will children thrash. Pulled onions. |
| Aug 4 | Helped Ella Hawkins thrash. Got pigs of mother. |
| Aug 5 | Sunday, went town in evening. Got beef. |
| Aug 6 | Thrashed had 340 bu oats. Sold 256 bu. |
| Aug 7 | Mowed weeds. Helped Will thrash. |
| Aug 8 | Went to Chester to Miners picknick. |
| [From here to Aug. 26 cannot make out.] | |
| Aug 26 | Sunday. Went to Ellas. Very warm. |
| Aug 27 | Worked in ditch. Very cool at nights. |
| Aug 28 | Went to mothers. Worked in ditch. |
| Aug 29 | Got grapes, apples and corn. |
| Aug 30 | Laid tile all day. Got done. Peasson helped. |
| Aug 31 | Got bull for red heefer. Worked on road. |
| Sept 1, 1883 | Filled up tile ditch. Made krout. Went town. |
| Sept 2 | Sunday. Ella & Wills here. Dry and dusty. Went to camp meeting in evening. |
| Sept 3 | Hauled manure. Dusty. |
| [From here to Sept 23 I cannot make out writing. Lots of rain.] | |
| Sept 23 | Sunday. Went to John Hainlines. Nice and cool. |
| Sept 24 | Took pump to mother. Got wood. Cut pop corn. Made 8 gal. Krout. |
| Sept 25 | Got load wood. Cut hedge. Gathered corn. |
| Sept 26 | Dug in well for mother. Got 14 ft. deep. Frosted. |
| Sept 27 | Went got load brick and walled finished well for mother. Cool. |
| Sept 28 | Went to Chester. Took tomatoes, cabbage and potatoes. Paid Ferres $70.00 |
| Sept 29 | Finished cutting hedge forenoon. Got 350.3 and 50.4 tile. Lighting at nite. Convention at Willow. |
| Sept 30 | Sun. went to Willow grove to S. S. Convention. To Beds then to graveyard. |
| Oct 1, 1883 | Filled up ditch. Made Krout. |
| Oct 2 | From here till Sept. 23 cannot make out. (repeated entry)] |
| Oct 3 | Hard rain last nite. Got 7 gallon hickory nuts. |
| Oct 4 | Put in tile. Clear and fine. |
| Oct 5 | From here to Oct 18 writing is ill eligible.] |
| Oct 18 | Rained forenoon. Hauled rails. Very warm. |
| Oct 19 | Rained last nite. Nice day. Plowed on sod. |
| Oct 20 | We have in our cellar. |
| 13 bu potatoes | |
| 3 bu apples | |
| 2 bu onions | |
| 10 gallon crout | |
| 20 gallon preserves | |
| 4 gallon ketchup | |
| 1 peck brans, pickles etc. Went to town. Hattie and I ate dinner at Hies. | |
| Oct 21 | Sunday. Cloudy and dull. Froze ground last nite. Went to Elm. Heard the new preacher. |
| Oct 22 | Husked load corn in forenoon. Dull and cloudy. |
| Oct 23 | Plowed forenoon. Husked load white corn. Mother here. |
| Oct 24 | Rained all day with snow. Harlie here. Made corn pens. Put away ploughs etc. |
| Oct 25 | Went to mothers. Took chickens. |
| Oct 26 | Finished ploughing sod. Went to town and chopped wood for grandma. |
| Oct 27 | Went to McComb. Got 11 apple trees set out. Clay and Charlie here. |
| Oct 28 | Sunday. Raining in morning at home. |
| Oct 29 | Washed forenoon. Gathered yellow corn. Hattie went with me. |
| Oct 30 | Very warm and dry. Gathered corn. Hattie went with me. |
| Oct 31 | Clear and cool. Husked corn. Broke husking peg. Went town. |
| Nov 1, 1883 | Clear and cool. Husked 2 loads corn. Made trough for colts. |
| Nov 2 | Gathered corn. Went town. Cool. |
| Nov 3 | Gathered corn. Took Lula (mare) to Comet. |
| Nov 4 | Sunday Violas, mother, Wills lafe here today. Very tired tonight. |
| Nov 5 | Rained this morn. Fearful rain at night. Went to see grandmother. Got her wood. She is very sick. |
| Nov 6 | Clear and fine. Went for Doctor for grandmother. Chopped her wood. |
| Nov 7 | Went to see grandmother. Got load corn. |
| Nov 8 | Foggy. Washed forenoon. Planted peach seed. |
| Nov 9 | Warm & nice. Went town. Got mail. |
| Nov 10 | Gathered 2 loads corn. Horse race in town. Went to Elm at night. |
| Nov 11 | Sunday went to Wills. Stayed all day. Went to Elm. Have 12 loads corn gathered. |
| Nov 12 | 20 degrees above zero. Froze hard. Husked 2 loads corn. |
| Nov 13 | Got 4 loads corn. Cloudy. Very cold. |
| Nov 14 | Very cold N. W. wind. Got 4 loads corn. Cold, Cold, Cold. |
| Nov 15 | 10 degrees above zero. Got 4 loads corn. |
| Nov 16 | Went town. Got mail. F. C. quit work. |
| Nov 17 | Husked 2 loads corn. Went town at night. |
| Nov 18 | Sunday. Cloudy and cool. I went to grandmother. Went to Elm at night. |
| Nov 19 | Warm. Husked 2 loads corn. Covered corn pens. |
| Nov 20 | Rained last nite. Went to grandmothers. Cut wood. Went to town. |
| Nov 21 | Rained last nite. Went to Chester. |
| Nov 22 | Very foggy and dull. Chopped wood. Made floor for pig pen. |
| Nov 23 | Damp and misty. Went town. Then chopped wood for grandmother. |
| Nov 24 | Foggy. Cleared off. Went town. Had pictures took to frame. |
| Nov 25 | Sunday went to mothers. Horseback. |
| Nov 26 | Heavy rain. Cold. Sold White heifer. Went town. Got salt, alum etc. |
| Nov 27 | Very frosty. Gathered 2 loads corn. |
| Nov 28 | Nice and warm. Got 2 loads corn. |
| Nov 29 | Thanksgiving Day. Husked 2 large loads corn. Nice day. |
| Nov 30 | Husked 2 loads corn. Warm and muddy. |
| Dec 1, 1883 | Husked 2 loads corn. Went town. Got pictures. |
| Dec 2 | Froze last nite. Clear and nice. Have 42 loads corn gathered. Went to mothers in even. |
| Dec 3 | Frosty. Husked 2 loads corn. |
| Dec 4 | Got 2 loads corn. Kitty here in eve. Nice. |
| Dec 5 | Husked 2 loads corn. Went to Wills at night. |
| Dec 6 | Willie came to gather corn. Rained. I sewed pillow ticks in eve. |
| Dec 7 | Got 4 big loads corn. Willie helped. Cloudy and dull. |
| Dec 8 | Got 4 loads snapped and one husked. Got done had 1500 bu. Killed hot. |
| Dec 9 | Sunday. Clear. Went to mothers and grandmothers in eve. |
| Dec 10 | Went to Chester took 26 lbs butter. Got 15 lb. Bought red blanket. |
| Dec 11 | Went town. Got calf muzzle. Got load wood. |
| Dec 12 | Went cut wood for grandmother. Brought load home. Nice and warm. |
| Dec 13 | Filled up straw beds. Scrubbed and baked. |
| Dec 14 | Washed. Chopped Wood. Turned cold. |
| Dec 15 | Chopped wood. Went town sent money to Maltoon. |
| Dec 16 | Snowed last nite. John H and wife here in sled. Hattie taken sick at 6 oclock. |
| Dec 17 | Hattie sick all day. Estilla was born at 8 P. M. Coldest nite yet. |
| Dec 18 | Coldest day yet. Took women home. Went to mothers. Stella cross at nite. Mother here. |
| Dec 19 | Went and got Lydie and Nana Filbert. The coldest day yet. Wills and mother here. |
| Dec 20 | Snowed Stiella either cross or sick. I stayed in most of day. |
| Dec 21 | Nice day. Wills went to Ellas. Mother stopped and dressed Estilla. |
| Dec 22 | Terrible snow storm. Went town also to mothers. |
| Dec 23 | Misty last nite. Everything covered with ice and snow. |
| Dec 24 | Went town to see Dr. Good sleighing. |
| Dec 25 | Went town. Took mother. Brought her home with me. Killed 2 rabbits. Narris and Jim here at night. |
| Dec 26 | Took mother home. Sold sleigh. Got sled. |
| Dec 27 | Helped Will move sled. Cold crust on snow. |
| Dec 28 | At home. High fever all nite. Sick all nite. |
| Dec 29 | Some better. Took 25 lbs butter to Duncan. |
| Dec 30 | Sunday. Mother and Wills here. |
| Dec 31 | Very cold. Sore throat. Did not work much. |