A FARMER'S DIARY by CHARLES HENRY CUSHMAN Submitted by Max B Cushman DECEMBER 1895 From Book #1 - dated at Annawan, Illinois. 01 Sunday John Templeton was here to rent some land we all went down to Mim's at night and played cards snowed some 02 Helped Modest drive his heifers away in fore noon and tinkered around after noon Jack went to Annawan at night cold day 03 Trimmed Willows all day Jack and T. Johnson had a shoot today Win was up stopped here 04 Tinkered around fore noon. In afternoon hauled load of coal from Greenhagan owe him 1.25, catched Jacks mare and discovered that she had a fistula coming. Rocky hauled some of his rye straw 05 I went to Kewanee borrowed one hundred dollars on ninty days time paid Crains all I owed them also paid them eleven dollars and forty cents for Jack, got 150 from Huntville school took butter to Will's they gave me one Dollar, Catched the chickens to take to town Jack trimmed willows fore noon went to town after noon with Johnson 06 Paid Jack $43.00 owe him just one Hundred Dollars went to Annawan with Chickens paid Fick and Barker and Comp and Ideman Cut willows after noon Myrt was here wrote 3 letters at night 07 Trimmed Willows all day, Jack trimmed in fore noon went to Kewanee after noon Lydia went to Annawan after noon Burwell went to John Templetons Hank Moon hauled Rye straw 08 Sunday went over to Fathers 09 Tinkered fore noon Jack and I husked corn after noon four 10 Jack husked all day I husked small jagg fore non strained hand N. Griffan took 4 Colts out of field Jack went to Dance at night in Annawan 11 Loafed fore noon Jack husked after noon I went to little Petes and down to Modests Irve had sale Norm Johnson bought some sheep took Rocky's rake home 12 Jack husked all day Hank Noon was here to look at Colts Modest finished husking. 13 Jack husked Little Pete Vanhecker and Fred Vanhecker all husked all day Modest came over where we were and Henry Oriart and Frank Stone came in the field where we were husking Jack went to Allens Dance Vanhecker Boys went home at night Little Pete went home too 14 Jack Pete and Fred Vanhecker husked all day Lydia went to town after noon 15 Sunday quarterly meeting 16 Jack husked all day Ben Hards all day Pete and Fred after noon Jack weent to Annawan to join the Woodman Ben Hards went with him Pete and Fred went to Modest to stay all night 17 Jack Ben Fred and Pete husked all day rained toward night 18 Rained all night last night the boys and I went to Annawan Jack & I rode home with Griffin raining at night Myrtle stayed all night last night 19 Rained all day Modest was here and we played dominoes raining yet at night Paid Jack $8.75 for husking corn, all I owe him. 20 Rained fore noon cleared off at night loafed all day Jim Schwab stopped here as he was going by 21 Butchered an old Hog Modest helped, got some coal of Modest, fair day but cloudy 22 Sunday J. Rocky and Wife were here cut Hog up and tried out lard nice day but cloudy 23 Jack and I husked a little corn where we had husked where there was snow on Modest came over and husked around with us once Jack went town at night Cloudy but cleared off at night. 24 Rained some Lydia and Jack went to Annawan with Modest stayed all night wind rained and cleared off 25 Chrismas Clear and sunny J. Rocky Wife and Myrtle were here Jack went to Christmas Tree with Morgan Clear and Freezing at night. 26 Jack husked all day Modest all day Pete and Fred half day nice clear day 27 Wanhecker Boys Modest Ben Hards and Jack Husked Ben one half day Paid Vanheckers $12.40 paid Ben $2.00 and owe him $1.12 Owe Jack $2.50 Finished Husking nice clear day Boys all went home at night 28 Got two loads of coal of Greenhagan paid him 4.85 for coal paid Modest back what I owed him then went to Kewanee with Lydia and Burr Modest rode Home with me Jack went to Annawan at night Commenced raining just at night 29 Went down to Modest and Played Dominoes in after noon and went to Johnies at night Jack and I got a Turkey Gobler he weighed 24 lbs. nice day and nice night with big circle around the moon turned Horses in west field at night 30 Fixed pump in lower well went to Annawan at night nice day snowed a little at night cleared off at night and turned cold 31 Clear cold day I stayed at Home Rocks stopped in as they were going Home from town and asked us to take dinner with them tomorrow Jack went to Wheely Shaws and stayed awhile
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