A FARMER'S DIARY

by CHARLES HENRY CUSHMAN

Submitted by Max B Cushman

JANUARY 1897

01 I trimmed hedge nice day Howard went to Annawan fore noon Trimmed Hedge after noon They had company Rockys here at night

02 Rained all day Jack came at night

03 Sunday Rained all night and raining yet

04 Went to Annawan Howard Trimmed Hedge Fitzkee Paid me 12 for Coal made up square Cold day

05 Howard quit work and went to find job paid him 10.00 terrible Cold Howard has worked Just 3 months $66.00 went to Hepners sale

06 Went to Annawan paid taxes got some Buckwheat of Nick Mrs Goachner died last night nice day got Dun from Eiley and courier

07 Went to Kewanee took Butter I paid for Courier and had it stopped Snyders came and got his steers nice warm day G. Boister here Peddling

08 Took Hog to P. Rose weighed 460 got 2.80 per hundred he paid me all but $5.00 got card from W. Bowen

09 Went to Kewanee Snyder Paid me 24.70 for keeping cattle Jack was here after his clothes nice day

10 Sunday Stayed at home Burr went to J.T's nice day

11 Hauled wood for Father nice day Lydia spent the day at Rockys

12 Went to Ackerman Sale Lydia and Burr went to Carters nice day Mr. Heath buried at Fairview got knife at Fitzkee paid for it 35 cts

13 Bowen was here we got 9 rabbits was down to F.T's and J. Rockys Howards came Home cloudy day threaten storm

14 Bowens were here Mrs Rocky and Addie were here Settled with Howard paid him all I owed him snowed some

15 Got load of Coal paid for it went to Annawan Guss Quart Buried nice warm day (website note: this is probably Ouart rather than Quart)

16 Went to Spears got Turkey weight 25-1/4 lb 8-1/2 cts per lb rained all day

17 Snowed rained and cleared off at night Modest was here Jack was here

18 Butchered two Hogs gave one to Howard Modest helped us nice day George and Ina was here

19 Took some meat to Mrs Eyer took a Turkey to P. Rose he paid me for it and 5.00 he owed me before Jack was here nice day H.H. went to town

20 Snowed all day I salted the Hog. H.H. went after Coal Snow melts as fast as falls

21 Trimmed some Hedge nice day H.H. went to Mines and paid 2.25 and got rec't for what I owed Elay cought some Chickens for RJG

22 Went to Kewanee took 6 Chickens and 1/2 bu Corn Chickens weighed 25 lbs all came ot 1.35 they didn't pay for them Cold day took Butter to Kewanee got groceries

23 Went to Annawan cold day got letter from Binder Co. Got Nell shod

24 Terrible Cold Jack was here after me to haul Coal to his Mother and Walt Slutty

25 Hauled $40.20 Coal from Messmore Bank for Jack to W. Sluttz Cold day little Pete says his Brother was almost killed last Saturday night in Atkinson

26 Hauled load of Coal for Mrs Eyer Cold day

27 Did nothing snowed all day caught Chickens and put in hen house

28 Got load Coal at Piles Bank pay was for 29 bu Andrew was here for me to go over and haul some wood for Father nice day but cold

29 Hauled Wood for Father nice day Lydia and Bur went over too

30 Hauled some Straw for Bedding we all went to town after noon nice day thawed

31 Sunday nice day