For the first two weeks of January, 1851, James P. McPherson worked at his sewing trade in his new home. We need to remember that he wasn't sitting in a large well-lighted sewing room, but rather he and Mary, and their four children, were all in the very small log cabin as shown in the previous post.
Then Wisconsin cold weather hit, strong winds took off part of the thatched roof. J.P., Mary and the four children must have spent a miserably cold night, until Mr. Thomas Miles came to transport the family to his house. J.P. said of that night, "slept none at night." For the next three days, the McPherson family stayed at the Miles' house until J.P and neighbors had his roof repairs.
For the next week, he worked at his sewing and went to the Nash "raising," then on the the 29th and 30th, the cold weather returned According to J.P., "So cold I could not work." When we read about the cold the family withstood during that first January in their new home, we must remember that the only heat in the log cabin was a pit in the floor, near one corner -- no chimney and the smoke (and heat) escaped through the thatched roof. Those Wisconsin folks, and those ancestors of mine, were stout hearted and resilient.
On another note, J.P. received a letter from William Cairncross, and sent one to Alexander Cairncross. The Cairncross and the J.P. McPherson family were very close. Friends for sure, but there may be some family connection back in Scotland. We will read more about the Cairncross family later in the diary.
Now for another excerpt from the diary.
Journal Entries for
January 1, 1851 through January 31, 1851
Jany 1st Wed Took home
Mr. Meyers coat. Called at Jas. Stewarts for wash tub.
" 2nd Th. Cut 2 sack
coats for Mrs. Thomsons boys.
" 3rd Fr. Working at G
Davidsons coat.
" 4th Sat. DO " " " "
" 5th Sun. At Home
" 6th Mon. Working at G
Davidsons coat.
" 7th Tuesday DO DO
" 8th Wed. DO DO DO & at Dd
and Wm. Beats vests.
" 9th, 10th & 11th DO DO " "
10th posted letter to A. Adamson.
" 12th Sunday At Home
" 13th Mon. Working at
A. Davidsons coat.
" 14th Tuesday DO " " " "
" 15th Wednesday DO " " " "
" 16th Thursday Very cold.
Some snow fell in the morning. Cold increased during the day and a
strong wind arose which stripped part of the thatch from my roof –
slept none at night.
" 17th Friday Excessive
cold – Mr. Miles moved my family over to his house until my roof
can be fixed.
" 18th Saturday Still very
cold. Messers. Lamont, J. Beat, R.Meinzies and A. Davidson repaired
my roof.
" 19th Sunday At Mr. Miles
all day. Cold decreased.
" 20th Monday Moved my
family back to my own house.
" 21st Tuesday Sewing A.
Davidson.
" 22nd Wednesday DO DO
Rec'd letter from W. Cairnecross
" 23rd Thursday DO Mr.
Stevenson.
" 24th Friday Do " " Poted letter to A. Cairncross
" 25th Saturday Do " "
" 26th Sunday At home
" 27th Monday At Mr. Nashs raising
" 28th Tuesday Working at home Sewing
" 29th Wednesday So cold that
I could not work. Rec'd letter from G. Cassidy.
" 30th Thursday Excessive
cold day. Not able to work.
" 31st Friday Still cold,
but not so much as yesterday. Posted letters to G. Cassidy, Hon. A.
A. Bird.
End of January 1851 diary entries.
~ ~ ~
© Joan G. Hill, Roots'n'Leaves
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