A FARMER'S DIARY by CHARLES HENRY CUSHMAN Submitted by Max B Cushman July-September 1900 JULY 1900 01 Sunday Jake went to Kewanee and got some Clothes, Lydia and I went to Rockys rained after noon 02 Too wet to Hay fore noon Jake and I worked in Hay after noon rained Just at night Jane Moon Buried Lydia went to funeral Verner came here and stayed all night 03 Wet fore noon I turned Robert out Jake and I hayed after noon Verner went away Jake went town fore noon Nell M went to Col. 04 We all went to Kewanee but Jake went to Annawan warm and windy 05 Hauled hay in forenoon got too windy to work in hay so Jake and I went to town in after noon bought 300 lb of twine of Carter for $31. got repairs for binder of Odeman paid for them. received a letter from recorders with one dollar for extra pedigree. 06 Hayed 3/4 day Jake went to town then and I got a load of Cobs windy Lydia went to Cemetary 07 Jake and I went to town I got $100 of Barker got pair nets paid for them paid Wheelock Shaw $23.35 for Oats got lumber for a Hay rack paid $3.35 for it. got a tire set and paid for it at Odeman settled up with Jake and paid him $6.00 Big rain and largest hail fell that I ever say, Limpka fixed his fence 08 Sunday Rachel Johnson Died in Chicago this morning at 1 Oclock Jake went away Frank Page here to see Grace They went away in evening Myrtle and Nell here Cool day wind in N.E. I wrote a letter to recorders office 09 Hauled Hay nice still day Insurance agent here 10 Hauled hay and tinkered around Lydia and Grace went to Rachels funeral Nell Cushman here rained a little sent two pedigrees away by Lydia she and Grace went to town 11 Finished hauling Hay Grace went to Geneseo I paid her 5.00 Burr took her to town I got Hay rack I paid Odeman 1.00 for bolts. Harris 3.00 for making rack, Fittzke 85 cts for bolts and paid 65 cts for reach at Deweys got Harness sewed and paid 15 cts for it, got letter from Insurance agent in Kewanee nice day I brought 3 Cows up from south 20 they will be fresh soon 12 Brought Cattle up from south 20 fixed hog fence Lydia went to Rockys nice day 13 Went to town got canvasses owe 9.50 for them rained some signed for a paper 25 cts for 6 mo. and got a whip thrown in Jersey had a red Bull Calf 14 Cut Oats all day on west 40 Irve cut too and his man shocked nice day Lydia and Burr went to Kewanee 15 Sunday nice hot day Lydia and I went to Annawan to get some repairs for Binder got 3 pieces Jake Bradford came to help me shock Oats, rained some showers in streaks all around over the country 16 Rained most all day we cut 5 rounds and shocked a little Mr. Bowen here to see if I was going to stay on farm, Irve came and got his binder Vesta came and stayed all day 17 Cut Oats all day finished on 80 Jake shocked all day Lydia went to town and brought John Odema out to fix Binder he put in a new knife and stripper John J. here at night nice cool day 18 Cut Oats all day Irves man cut too we cut 90 acres Jake shocked all day nice day Insurance man and Dr. Mannon here Grace came back from Geneseo Burr went and got her 19 Cut Oats Jake shocked all day Irve cut 8 acres his man shocked all day Irve shocked part of fore noon I broke stripper on my Binder Burr went to town and got a new one of Odeman he got a sack of flour of Barker Elmer has his first tooth just through, nice day storm came up at night 20 Lydia went to Kenanee Cut some fore noon rained Irves man shocked part of fore noon Jack shocked 1/2 day I shocked after noon south of road. Jake went to Annawan after noon 21 Irve and his man all day Tom Dunn shocked all day Jake shocked all day nice day Frank Page came and got Grace and took her to Kewanee. Jake and I went to Annawan at night I got a bl salt and 1.00 sugar at Barkers didnt pay for it. 22 Sunday Turned Cattle across the road Laura Vale 2nd had a red Bull Calf Burr went to Limpkas and got 8 balls of twine I am to pay Fittzkee for it nice clear day and warm Elmer weighed 23 1/2 lb 3 oz Red Bowen Cow had Calf Grace and Frank went away at night 23 Jake shocked all day Irve cut fore noon and his man shocked 1/2 day nice day I cut some south of road Gus Shalty here Lydia got 2.55 of stuff at Fittskees 24 Rainy morning. Jake left for another Job I paid him 8.25 for work, borrowed 5.00 of Grace to pay him. 25 Shocked and cut Oats Lydia Grace and the young ones went to Pettits, Grace got word that she had a job clerking in a store in Kewanee nice clear day 26 Finished cuting oats Lydia took Grace Home and paid her 5.50 nice day Hank Moons came here for help 27 Shocked Oats forenoon helped H. Moon thrash afternoon nice day 28 Helped H. Moon thrash fore noon and shocked Oats afternoon went to town at night got some salt and 1.00 sugar paid for it Charlie and Ella came at night while we were gone nice day Burr went to Green Rover with John Templeton 29 Charlie and Ella here Lydia and Ella went to Rockys after Plums I let Johnson have 30 cents yesterday 30 Helped Jim Moon thrash all day nice day Norg here with his 31 Helped J. Moon thrash 3/4 day nice day shocked some at evening AUGUST 1900 01 Got 12 bu Coal shocked some, rained some cleared off nice evening 02 Played Hell shocked oats at home 03 Did same helped R Pearl thrash 04 Helped J. Batten thrash 05 Sunday Will and his Mother here Jim Jolley here nice day Jilly Pettitt here for help 06 Helped J Batten and Morgan thrash Will Cushman and Wife came, G. Pearl here for help nice day 07 Helped J. Pettitt thrash all day Van helped G Pearl and C Hise nice day Lydia and her Mother went to Petitts Dolpha went to Vestas 08 I helped Petitts one half day and A.J. 1/2 and Van helped Hise 1/2 day and J. T. 1/2 day I got 28 bu Coal Irve here Mrs Mumford and Dolpha went to Joe Andersons nice day 09 Helped Rocky thrash Van helped too Burr carried water for Jim Bowen put up a new mill at the North well nice day thrasher went to Kewanee at night Van went too Lydia went to town and done some trading 10 Commenced thrashing nice day Van helped all day Belgum helped 11 Thrashed all day have 3580 bu out now Van helped all day Martin Dire helped all day sprinkled some John Princes Wife Died 12 Sunday Big rain last night in night Van and Dolpha here Howard here and Hank Moon here Jiles Petitt here 13 Spread two loads of Oats that was left on wagons went to town got bl salt Lydia took Eugene to Dr. Irve here and got plow nice day Howard Batten here rained at night. 14 Big Rain I got 13 bu Coal Van and his wife went to Andersons I paid Van 5.00 and owe him 2.25 yet. Storm at night Old Cow had a Bull Calf 15 Rained hard in morning Burr and I hauled two load Hogs for J. Moon, J.T. had 3 Cattle killed last night by Lightning 16 Rained fore noon took Mrs Mumford Home Insurance man here Will Bowen paid me 15.00 for Boar 17 Hattie and Nora came I went to town paid W. Shaw 12.00 for Boar got some Sugar and Vittles nice day rained this morning Howard and Jack here to fix machine Burr killed 8 kittens 18 Hauled two loads Oats to Dewey hot day Bob Henry and Lyde brought Van over in evening 19 Sunday Took Hattie Allen to Fathers hot day Van went to Irves and came back in evening 20 Commenced thrashing again 21 Finished thrashing had 5424 bu threatened rain got 8 bu Coal of John Templeton 22 Helped W.Shaw thrash with two men and team threatened rain shut Hogs up 23 Helped Henderson thrash with two men Lydia went to Chicago to be doctored nice day Big storm came up at night Bred Lady Rose to Sir Robert. R. Baten Died 24 Went to Annawan got $100.00 of Dewey paid Slater for meat paid Littzkee all I owed him and paid Barker rained some Templeton children here I paid Russel $1.00 for Carrying water Chas Quart here at night to see if could haul manure and plow 25 Big rain and Wind last night I fixed fence all day nice day looked like rain R.Batten buried at Fairview De Splinter here to buy a Hoarse 26 Sunday We stayed at Home 27 Hauled a load of Oats to Dewy fore noon helped Henderson McChesney thrash after noon with two men W. Mumford here Lydia went to Irves nice day 28 Helped Henderson thrash with two men nice day Irve here 29 I hauled two loads Oats to Dewy I paid Sides $25.75 and paid Wiliams boy $3.75 and Tom Dunn $1.50 Lydia and Burr went to Kewanee Lydia paid Van $4.75 and got Burr some Books I got Pedigrees and no of Hobson and Duke nice day 30 Took load Oats to Dewy worked on road for Wells Par here in mornig medicine man here nice day Rocky here turned Nell out in pasture south 31 Hauled two loads Oats to Dewy nice day show in Annawan Mrs Taylor had a law suit with her Tenant John Hamilton SEPTEMBER 1900 01 Hauled two loads Oats to Dewy nice day I gave W.Mack 3.00 for Alva Eyer for cutting bands, I gave Ed Mapes a note of $226.00 for 30 days for 9 Calves and 3 Cows with a Calf in each one 02 Sunday nice day strong south wind John J here big storm came up at night sky looked terrible red 03 Went to Annawan and got some Cows and Calves of Ed Mapes Bowen here hunting Walt Williams here Insurance man here and left Policy and I gave him a note of $103.26 due in 30 days nice cool day wind in north west, got a load of coal and paid for all I had got before 04 Lonie commenced work for $20.00 per mo nice day Lonie hauled manure I went to town Lydia paid Til Eyer 65 cts 05 Lonie hauled manure I tinkered around nice day 06 Went to Irves they were to Kewanee I left Dukes Pedigree there and went to town and sold my Oats to Dewey for 20 paid off two notes at Bank for E. Mapes brought 500.00 home to give Bowen nice day Loney hauled manure and Quarts hauled with two teams Burr came Home from school with pain in his stomach 07 Went to Kewanee and then to see May's Farm down by Galva took butter to Blakes and got groceries Lonie hauled manure nice day Irve here left 500 at Union National Bank for J. Bowen 08 Went to Annawan nice day Lonie hauled manure Big wind at Galveston Texas destroyed the town 2500 killed 09 Sunday We all went to Fathers nice day we went up to Henry's 10 Lonie hauled manure Mrs Pete washed I paid her $2.25 for washing Quarts Boys hauled manure H.Moon gave me 1.00 for Lonie and I gave it to him 11 Hauled manure Big Wind of this season 12 Hauled manure dug potatoes and I went to town got bl salt 13 Went to Kewanee Fair Lonie hauled manure 14 I went to see a farm in Lee Co Got back at 12:30 at night Lonie hauled manure nice day Land agent here to stay all night 15 Went to town with J.B.Brown stayed all day Lydia went to Irves and then went to town afer me We make a crowd to go to Iowa to look at land it is composed of J.Corwin J.Maloney J.Eyer E.Mapes J.Harvey and myself Joined Republican Club in Annawan first man 16 Sunday nice day Irve here and game me a note of $34.00 17 Nice day Bowen here with load of ties Paine and Barber here Nell Cushman here Spectacle man here I went to town Drew $34.00 on note at Bank went to Preachers and got 12 Chickens for $3.00 Burr went to Dr and got some pills didnt pay for them 18 Charlie went to Iowa today to look for farm Bowen here with load of ties Will and Mother came over Mother stayed I took Charlie to train in afternoon, rained before I got home Lonie finished hauling manure (This entry thru 10/25 by Lydia) 20 Lonie dug potatoes Mother and I went to Annawan in afteroon 21 Lonie dug potatoes I went to Kewanee in fore noon left Eugene with Mother. Mrs R Brought the mail got letter from Charlie. Cows got in shaws corn. 22 Lonie dug potatoes in forenoon went to Help McChesneys shell corn afternoon but they did not need him so he came home and picked load of corn for hogs Burr went to town with Alfred, rained some at night 23 Sunday very nice day . Morgan here to have Lonie help haul corn tomorrow. Mother and I went to Rockyfellows after dinner Burr went to Senifellons Cows got in Haxbys corn 24 Lonie hauled one load of corn for McChesneys rained fore noon Jim Paice paid me 2.75 for clover seed. Little calf died. 25 Lonie hauled two loads of corn for McChesneys Charlie got home from Iowa Mother and I went to Annawan in afternon. Irve was here 26 Lonie hauled two loads of corn for Jim Batten Mr Bowen here with plank for barn floor Gus rich came for one to work on road. Sowed some timothy seed on ten acres 27 Finished sowing seed Lonie hauled two loads of corn for Jim Moon. Ella came and stayed all night 28 Lonie worked on road. Ella went home after dinner and Mother went too. We went to Annawan rained hard all afternoon 29 Lonie finished working on road this forenoon. I skinned cow that died last night. Went to Kewanee afternoon. Took potatoes over to Father Cow hide weighed 68 lb got 5 cents a lb for it. paid Joe Pyle $1.50 for load of coal 30 No entry
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