Amanuensis Monday, 2016, September 19: J.P.McPherson's Diary, October 1 through December 31, 1855

Diary entries for October 1 through December 31, 1855

OCTOBER, 1855

1^st Mon. Borrowed 5 Bushels of wheat from McGregor which Morrison and Billy took to mill. Fixing floors.

2^nd Tues. Fixing floors forenoon. A. C.(Cairncross) thrashing for McGregor after 11 o'clock. Self thrashing for Housel after dinner.

3^rd Wed. Thrashing for Housel.

4^th Thurs. A. Cairncross thrashing for Housel in the morning. Had my grain thrashed, assisted by Housel, Morrison, McGregors, Cairncross, and R. Lamont – Cairncross & Lamonts Horses. Wheat 85 ½ bushels – Oats 160 bshls.

5^th Fri. At Primrose. Mrs. Cairncross arrived.

6^th Sat. At Baers Tavern – Cross Plains. G. .P. Thomson nominated for Assembly.

7^th Sun. At Cairncross.

8^th Mon. At Madison with T. Adamson.

9^th Tues. Hunting sheep forenoon. At E. Thorson afternoon. T. Adamson digging Potatoes.

10^th Wed. Hunting sheep forenoon. Cleaned grist for Cairncross. T.A. At Potatoes.

11^th Thurs. Digging Potatoes.

12^th Fri. DO DO

13^th Sat. At Store forenoon. Hauled Potatoes afternoon.

14^th Sun. At Wm. Hendersons

15^th Mon. At Housels raising. T.A. at Potatoes.

16^th Tues. At Madison on Poor House business

17^th Wed. DO DO At Poor House all night.

18^th Thurs. T. Adamson at Cairncross's raising. Returned home at noon.

19^th Fri. Hauling & husking corn.

20^th Sat. At Black Earth at Republican Convention. Posted letter to Supervisors of town of Richland.

21^st Sun. Returned home at noon. Visited by Wm. Cairncross, wife & Mother.

22nd Mon Husking and hauling corn

Eastman Johnson painted Corn Husking
at Nantucket around 1875.

23^rd Tues. Self and T. Adamson husking corn for D. Beat.

24^th Wed. DO DO & Billy husking corn for D. Beat.

25^th Thurs. Husking and hauling corn.

26^th Fri. Cleaning Stable & hauling corn stalks.

27^th Sat. Chinking and muding stable and cleaning oats.

28^th Sun. At Mt. Vernon and Cairncross's. T.A. At Beats.

29^th Mon. At Madison with oats.

30^th Tues. Husking corn & digging potatoes. T. Adamson went to Poor House.

31^st Wed. Sewing forenoon. Thrashing for S. Lamont afternoon.

NOVEMBER, 1855

1^st Thurs. Thrashing for S. Lamont.

2^nd Fri. DO DO in the morning. Cleaning grist.

3^rd Sat. At Mill forenoon. Thatching Stable afternoon.

4^th Sun. At Poor House. Mrs. Pickett died.

Hand-Powered Corn Husker
Courtesty of Iowa Agriculturist

5^th Mon. Cut coat for Mr. Gaynes.

6^th Tues. At Election.

7^th Wed. At Mill for grist which yielded only 29 pounds to the bushel. At Mr. Gaynes.

8^th Thurs. Cut coat for (“Mr. Gaynes” lined out //JGH) Lamonts boys.

9^th Fri. Fixing Stable

10^th Sat. Working around home.

11^th Sun. At A. Browns.

12^th Mon. Fixing Stable forenoon – at Poor House afternoon.

13^th Tues. At Madison on County Poor business till Saturday

24^th Inst. On Friday the 23^rd was reelected County Superintendant of the Poor for three years from the 1^st day of January next.

25^th Sun. At home. Visited by C. Olson.

26^th Mon. DO   doing but little.

27^th Tues. At Poor House.

28^th Wed. Doing chores. Working at Tax list.

29^th Thurs. Killed 3 hogs, assisted by Mr. Housel.

30^th Fri. Took 2 hogs weighing 327 pounds to the Poor House.

DECEMBER, 1855

1^st Sat. Working at tax list. Took E. Thorson's acknowledgement of contract between him and Andrew Henderson. At Mr. Norths.

2^nd Sun. At home.

3^rd Mon. Correcting as far as possible the gross errors made in the assessment role by Mr. North.

4^th Tues. Working at tax list.

5^th Wed. DO DO

6^th Thurs. DO DO

7^th Fri. DO DO

8^th Sat. DO DO

9^th Sun At home

10^th Mon. Working at tax list

11^th Tues. DO DO Drew Mortgage for Abram jacket.

12^th Wed. Finished and took tax list to Town Treasurer.

13^th Thurs. Writing and doing chores.

14^th Fri. Fixing fence round grain crib. Posted letter to Geo. Dow.

15^th Sat. Doing chores. Drew and took acknowledgement of Mortgage for John McDonald.

16^th Sun. At S. Lamonts

17^th Mon. Fixing fence.

18^th Tues. Working at S. Lamonts coat.

19^th Wed. DO DO Drew Deed and Mortgage for T. O'Neill and Oley Thomson. Recd. letter from Wm. Davidson.

20^th Thurs. Took Mr. O'Neill & Thomsons acknowledgement of deed and Mortgage.

21^st Fri. At Madison with S. Lamont. Posted to W. Davidson.

22^nd Sat. Cut 3 coats and 3 vests for J. McCaughey.

23^rd Sun. At home.

24^th Mon. Fixing yoke. Working at Lamonts coats.

25^th Tues. Working at Lamonts coats.

26^th Wed. Finished Lamonts Coat. Recd. letter from Judge Dow.

27^th Thurs. Fixing fence round hay.

28^th Fri. Cutting and hauling fire wood.

29^th Sat. Skinned Bull which died during the night. Working at boys coats.

30^th Sun. At Home.

31^st Mon. Made bedstead for children.

End of diary entries for October 1 through  
December 30, 1855

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 © Joan G. Hill, Roots'n'Leaves Publications