July 1, 1882.
Clear and hot. Mattie and Lizzie went to St.
Louis this morning. This has been a hot day though a good deal of breeze.
Mattie and Lizzie returned from St. Louis on the late train. I got some
Burbank potatoes from my garden under the straw, the most beautiful
I ever saw, very large, white and smooth. Cool this evening.
July 2, 1882. Sabbath.
Clear and cool, we had cool, delightful night
for sleep, wind north. Arthur came in forenoon. This has been a most
delightful day and quiet tonight.
July 3, 1882.
Cool, but dark clouds in west and north and
by 7 o'cl. this morning wind and rain. How changeable the weather. Both
rivers very high and still rising and overflowing the banks. How destructive
these high waters. Arthur left early this morning. The rivers still
rising. Cleared before noon. I sent Fred a draft for $900.00.
July 4, 1882.
The Methodist Church invited the other churches
to join them in a children's picnic in Redman's Grove. This day has
been delightful if anything too cool. Quite a large number of people
and children spent the day in a most delightful manner, the long tables
groaned with the choicest viands, both for dinner and supper. Very cool
this evening. The Missouri River falling this day.
July 5, 1882.
Clear and cool. This has been a delightful day.
Several members of the family troubled with diarrhea caused by the cold
weather. Mrs. Ross called in afternoon.
July 6, 1882.
Clear and cool in morning, cloudy by noon, milder
today. Potatoes very fine this season. The Burbanks are splendid and
seem to be as early as the early Rose. Some of my early corn has been
in silk and tassel from some days, my oats are ripening fast. This is
the greatest oat season I ever saw.
July 7, 1882.
Cloudy and light sprinkle of rain, cloudy most
of the day. Plowed my garden, mowing the fallen oats and cradling those
standing.
July 8, 1882.
Clear and warmer, though very pleasant summer
weather. Had my oats bound up and shocked. Several of us sick with diarrhea.
Had Fred's surrey buggy brought up this evening.
July 9, 1882. Sabbath.
Clear and warmer, mercury 90° in afternoon,
good deal of breeze, signs of rain in west.
July 10, 1882.
Cloudy, rain last night, clearing before noon.
Wind west in evening, delightful.
July 11, 1882.
Clear, fine morning. Farmers are threshing wheat
rapidly and selling at $1.00 per bushel, it yields from 30 to 35 bushels
per acre. War begins between England and Egypt at Alexandria. Rode down
to Marias Croche with the boys. Cruse has threshed 1,000 bu. wheat and
sold it for $1.00 per bushel and stacked the rest about one-half. Rheaker
has sold all his wheat and will thresh all this week.
July 12, 1882.
Clear and delightful day, cool Put my oats in
barn. Sam Alderson is in town. Getting dry. Got a postal from Calvin
Johns.
July 13, 1882.
Clear and cool. This is a very remarkably cool
July. Windy and light shower from northwest in afternoon. Letter from
Mary Pearce today.
July 14, 1882.
Clear and pleasant day. Called on William Parks
in afternoon.
July 15, 1882.
Clear and weather delightful, cool nights, threatened
rain in afternoon, had a very light shower, rain very much needed. Daisy
Martin returned from Mobile. Moehlencamp loaned me his man for a week.
Arthur came to supper. The English bombarded Alexandria, Egypt, demolished
the forts and Arabi Pasha and his army retreated after pillaging and
looting the city.
July 16, 1882. Sabbath.
Clear and pleasant, some clouds, in afternoon
threatened rain but passed by. Sam Alderson preached in our church at
night.
July 17, 1882.
Clear this morning, warmer. Arthur left on early
train. George missed his chill yesterday and went to Prtage and Elm
Point this afternoon, very dry.
July 18, 1882.
Clear and warmer, mighty cool, some mosquitoes.
Gathered corn for dinner. Started a box of goods and clothing for Mary
Pearce. George returned in evening from Portage. He drove a mare of
Moelenchamp's which he offers to me for $25.00. She stood it finely.
Ellen Cowan came in evening.
July 19, 1882.
Clear, very pleasant, cool nights. Miss Lou
Elgin was married this evening. Very dry. I bought the mare of Moellenchamp,
she is ten years old.
July 20, 1882.
Light rain for several hours. clear in evening.
Henry Gauss came this forenoon. Weather cool.
July 21, 1882.
Clear and cool, mercury 68° in morning early.
We all took a ride in afternoon to cemetery. We stood around the graves
of our loved ones and shed tears of grief, -- Mattie, Lizzie, Henry
Gauss and their children and our dear afflicted Eleanor Martin. How
vividly was brought to our mind the dying scenes of our dear Glover
at their house. French Strother called today.
July 22, 1882.
Clear and cool, mercury 66° early in morning.
We sleep under blankets every night during this month. George went to
the Democratic convention at St. Peters. The weather is delightful but
too dry. My early sweet corn is very fine.
July 23, 1882. Sabbath
Clear and cool, warmer during day, mercury 82°
at 2 o'cl. p.m. Arthur came this morning. All the children with us today
except Fred, Lou and Mary. All Mr. Gauss's children with them except
Robert. These are delightful interviews though very rare. We received
a letter from Fred today, he is well and about to make a settlement
about 20 miles from Dr. Johnston's ranch in Uvalde County, Texas. I
received a letter from cousin Thomas Johns's daughter, Fannie, Appomattox,
Co. Va. Very dry, no signs of rain.
July 24, 1882.
Mattie and Shirley Borden, Lizzie, Henry Gauss
and their children left this afternoon. We will be very lonely now.
They are good, dear daughters. May the Lord bless them.
July 25, 1882.
Clear and warm. In afternoon, my wife, Shirley
and I rode down about three miles on the bottom road to Achopohl's to
my land on that side of the lake. Achepohl rented it this year and raised
a fine crop of wheat on it. The part next the lake is in corn, it is
wet land and the corn is poor and needs rain badly. The wheat crop in
the bottom is very heavy. Some corn crops look very good, and others
poor. All need rain very much. Good deal of sickness, bowel diseases.
July 26, 1882.
Clear and hotter. Our peaches are beginning
to ripen. I pulled a few ripe tomatoes today. Quite hot in afternoon,
mercury 90° in afternoon.
July 27, 1882.
Clear and hot, some clouds. Called to see old
Mrs. McAfee and her daughter-in-law. In the afternoon I called on Mrs.
Robert Parks who has been absent at Eureka Springs for some months.
About 6 o'cl. p.m. we had a shower. We are getting some ripe peaches,
very red freestone, very good, too.
July 28, 1882.
Clear and warm, about noon a cloud passed over,
some thunder but no rain. The early sugar corn we are eating is very
large and fine, red cob. The worms are eating up the late cabbage.
July 29, 1882.
Cloudy and cooler. Yesterday about 8 o'cl. it
commenced raining and continued for about two and one-half hours, a
good steady rain. What a blessing, we need three times as much. Some
appearance of rain at noon. I tried putting dry sulphur on my cabbage
to kill the worms. About half past one o'clock p.m. we had a very good
rain, the rain last night didn't amount to much in the prairie. Mary,
our servant, went to see her family in the Prairie in afternoon.
July 30, 1882. Sabbath.
Raining hard this morning. About 8 o'cl. last
night it rained very heavily several hours and very heavy rain this
morning, no wind. This is a glorious rain, ground soaked, a good corn
crop is insured now.
July 31, 1882.
Cloudy and everything wet, light rain in the
night, warm. Everything will grow rapidly now, George went up to Troy
this evening to attend the congressional convention tomorrow. Judge
Buckner has no opposition.
Aug. 1, 1882.
Clear and warmer, about 9 o'cl. a.m. mercury
83°, at 3 o'cl. p.m. 89°. Fine weather for corn. I called this
morning in buggy and took Colonel Cunningham out riding. He is now 83
years old and is very vigorous.
Aug. 2, 1882.
Cloudy, cooler. Last night between eight and
nine o'clock a heavy rain from northwest. Half past eleven o'clock a
heavy storm passed south of us. George returned from Troy. Judge Buckner
was nominated for congress.
Aug. 3, 1882
Clear and pleasant. The cabbage worm is eating
up my late cabbage. The weather has been very delightful today, mercury
82° at the highest.
Aug. 4, 1882.
Clear in morning, cool, heavy clouds in forenoon
and afternoon, passed off with little rain. Called on Mr. Potser, Miss
Elgin's husband, and also on Professor Watkins at Mr. Alderson's.
Aug. 5, 1882.
Clear, foggy, warmer. John Pearce came down
from Wentzville this morning. Cut the end of his finger with the sickle
two weeks ago. Warmer, heavy clouds in west about 5 o'cl. but no rain.
Eleanor Martin was here, in afternoon. Called on Mr. Watkins.
Aug. 6, 1882. Sabbath.
Clear and warm. Arthur came on the morning
train. Children's missionary meeting in afternoon. Dr. Lucius Walton
called after supper. About 7 o'cl. had a shower.
Aug. 7, 1882.
Clear and warm this morning. Everything wet
and growing. Arthur left on early train. We get an abundance of tomatoes
now. My French corn is ripe. Light rain about noon. I rode out to Mrs.
Durfee's place in afternoon with John and Shirley. The fall apple trees
are loaded down, Rainbows especially. The corn on the back of lower
field is poor, too wet in spring.
Aug. 8, 1882.
Clear and delightful, northwest wind. A storm
passed around us during the night. We had a light shower.
Aug. 9, 1882.
Very cool, mercury 65° in morning, wind
northwest all day, delightful weather, nights too cold. I went to the
Prairie (my farm) in afternoon with John and Shirley. Rahker has all
his stubble land plowed. Cruse more than half done. corn is very fine,
except that through it in spots the stalks have fallen down, supposed
to be caused by a large white worm eating the roots. Four or five years
ago nearly all the corn down there was ruined in th esame way. Both
of my tenants have raised nearly enough wheat to pay their off out of
1/3 of it. The lake is very full. No sickness, no mosquitoes.
Aug. 10, 1882.
Clear and very cool, mercury 62° in morning.
The days are delightful, nights too cool for health or corn. Went with
my wife to see Mrs. Watson in afternoon.
Aug. 11, 1882.
Clear and cool, mercury 64°. George went
to St. Louis this morning and returned on late train. Called at William
Parks in afternoon.
Aug. 12, 1882.
Clear and cool in morning, mercury 68° at
6 o'cl a.m. Nights still quite cool. John Pearce started this morning
for Wentzville, riding on bay mare I bought of Mellenchamp. She is a
strong gentle animal and he is to put in 10 or 15 acres of wheat on
Mr. Pearce's land. Wind south today and warmer, a rain would help now.
Mr. Alkire and family are up today visiting Mrs. Sheppard and called
here in afternoon.
Aug. 13, 1882. Sabbath.
Clear and warmer, some clouds in afternoon.
Blanche came back from Dardenne yesterday evening.
Aug. 14, 1882.
Clear and warmer, it felt very hot during the
day, no air, became cloudy and looks like rain. In the evening I went
out with Shirley and Blanche to the negro camp meeting in Nature Park.
Quite a crowd of negroes and a good many whites. The preacher had a
stentorian voice, his text: "Why halt ye between two opinions".
He had a crude style of eloquence, calculated to excite and arouse the
negro audience to a high pitch. Their singing was very animated and
many of the audience, especially women were demonstrative and joyous.
Their religion is very much a matter offeeling though no doubt some
of them are truly pious -- but their ideas on truth, chastity and honesty
are very loose. They need good, plain preachers who would instruct them
in their doctrines and duties of christianity. Rain tonight at 9 o'clock.
Aug. 15, 1882.
Cloudy and warm this morning, had a rain about
4 o'cl. this morning. It will refresh things a good deal but we need
a good heavy rain. Heavy clouds about noon. They had a heavy rain in
the lower prairie. George went to St. Louis this afternoon.
Aug. 16, 1882.
Shower early this morning, cleared in forenoon
and cooler. I have had a serious time with a back tax case against the
church, it had reached with cost and handling, and penalties to over
$300.00. We were sued in the Circuit Court and Judge Edwards decided
against us -- that while churches are exempt, parsonages are taxable.
The County Court took off one-half. George returned from St. Louis this
morning. Eleanor Martin was out this afternoon.
Aug. 17, 1882.
Clear and very pleasant, wind west. Sold a bushel
of pears to Martin for $1.00.
Aug. 18, 1882.
Clear and cool. I gathered corn for dinner from
the Egyptian sweet corn planted on the 25th May. It is very large and
fine. Went out to E. C. Cunningham's in afternoon to look at milk cow.
Aug. 19, 1882.
Clear and warmer, getting dry. I received a
letter a few days ago from Mrs. Edmund Johns of Springfield, Illinois,
enclosing a letter from a Mrs. Morriss of -- ---- Texas, asking her
for money as she is in need, says she is 86 years old and sick. I suppose
she must be an older sister of Edmund Johns. We got a letter from Fred
yesterday, giving an account of his part of Texas, Rio Frio, Uvalde
County, Texas. He is doing well practicing medicine.
Aug. 20, 1882. Sabbath.
Clear and warm although the mercury only gets
to 85° in middle of day. George went to St. Louis this morning on
early train to see his sweetheart, returned on late train.
Aug. 21, 1882.
Clear and warmer. Mery Gerhart, our old servant,
called, selling some pears.
Aug. 22, 1882.
Clear and warm. I went down to the bottom with
Muegge to sell him some rails that are not needed on my bottom place.
Joe Carter is plowing with five horses, ground very hard. These riding
plows are a great thing. Saw some fine corn in the bottom. Heavy cloud
and thunder south of us about 2 o'cl p.m. and a cloud passed north.
Went out to Stonebraker and Kirkpatrick fam near Dardenne to look at
a milk cow. They have 150 head of cattle grazing. Rain needed. George
went after dinner to St. Peters with Logan to picnic. Hot day.
Aug. 23, 1882.
Clar and warm, mercury went up to 90° today.
Some signs of rain in afternoon. Gathered and sold three bushels tomatoes
today. Got cow on trial from E. C. Cunningham. Signs of rain all around.
Aug. 24, 1882.
Clear and warm. We have had three hot days,
mercury about 90° in middle of day, seems to rain around us nearly
every day or night.
Aug. 25, 1882.
Cloudy and rain in morning, light showers in
night equal to heavy dew. Returned the cow to Mr. Cunningham, poor milker.
Heavy clouds with rain passed around on south and north about noon.
Aug. 26, 1882.
Clear and cooler, threatened rain but passed
around. Went out to E. C. Cunningham's in afternoon to look at a cow.
Aug. 27, 1882. Sabbath.
Cloudy and cooler. Arthur and his friend, Mr.
Chapman, came up in morning and returned in afternoon to St. Louis.
Very cool, pleasant day. We are having some very fine peaches now.
Aug. 28, 1882.
Clear and cool. Having a piece of ground plowed
for rye and timothy. Called on Mrs. Ross in aftgernoon. We are having
some very fine peaches now, both cling and free stones. My wife is making
sweet pickle of a large cling white which I suppose is the Mixon cling.
Aug. 29, 1882.
Cloudy this morning, had a moderate rain during
the night.
Aug. 30, 1882.
Cloudy, about 11 o'cl. a.m. we had a heavy rain
and in afternoon another shower. Received letters from Lizzie and answered
it. Eleanor Martin came out in afternoon.
Aug. 31, 1882.
Cloudy and cool. Gathered a great many pears
and peaches today. Sent a box of pears to Mrs. Judge Buckner at Mexico,
Missouri. Shirley and Blanche went to a children's party at Mr. Robert
Parks given by little Mary King.
Sept. 1, 1882.
Raining this morning, a real dripping, wetting
rain, cool too. It has rained freely all day.
Sept. 2, 1882.
Clear and cool. This has been a delightful day.
Gathered some very fine peaches for the McDearmon's. I saw the machine
for drying fruit by evaporation.
Sept. 3, 1882.
Norville Rives and Rine Smith had an altercation
in a saloon, afterwards Rives went to his store, loaded a pistol and
returned and shot Rine Smith in the thigh. It was only a flesh wound.
Too much whiskey.
Sept. 4, 1882. Sabbath.
Clear and cool, delightful day. In afternoon,
I went to Robert Pourie's to see Dr. Hostetter from St. Louis who professes
to cure a great many diseases by animal magnetism or mesmerism.
Sept. 5, 1882.
Clear and warm. I sowed three pecks of rye this
morning, - the ground in fine order. Gathered a lot of very fine pears
for preserving this morning.
Sept. 6, 1882.
Some clouds, a dappled sky indicates rain. Saw
Reverend Thomas Watson in town today. He and Dr. Martin exchange pulpits
next Sunday. George went to St. Louis today. Out Cirduit Court is in
session now. More cloudiness in evening. From the accounts from all
sections, the crops, wheat and corn are large. Cloudy all day. George
returned from St. Louis on the late train last night. Mr. Ben Pearce
took dinner with us.
Sept. 7, 1882.
Clear and warmer. Got 400 strawberry plants
from Mallinchrodt -- 200 Crescent seeing and 200 Cumberland Triumph.
Set out 250 this afternoon. This has been a bright, warm day.
Sept. 8, 1882.
Cloudy. I sowed Timothy seed on the piece of
ground in meadow where I sowed rye. George stayed all night with Ed
Gill and Ed Robert. Rained about 10 o'cl. Mr. Ed. Robert, a young lawyer
of St. Louis, took dinner, supper and remained all night. Returned in
forenoon.
Sept. 9, 1882.
Clear and cool. This has been a fine day. Big
managerie and circus in town today and crowds of people from the country.
Set out 150 stawberry plants (Cumberland Triumph). Heard today that
Henry Gauss sold out in Sedalia. Eleanor Martin is here this evening.
Sept. 10, 1882. Sabbath.
Clear and delightful day. Reverend Thomas Watson
preached for us in mroning and in Methodist church at night, very able
sermons.
Sept. 11, 1882.
Clear and cool in morning. Henry Gauss has sold
out in Sedalia. This is fine weather to ripen the corn, which keeps
very green.
Sept. 12, 1882.
Clear and cool. I am greatly exercised about
Mary Pearce and her family in Arkansas. They are so poor and sickly.
Tom is utterly worthless. Mr. Pearce and I are thinking of moving them
up to Wentzville. What a terrible misfortune for a girl to marry a lazy,
ignorant man. Saw Ed Pearce in afternoon. The wind blows like rain.
Mr. Goodlet, the principal of the Public Schools, called this afternoon.
He is related to the Whartons.
Sept. 13, 1882.
Clear and windy. gathered the last of the peaches
this morning. Gathered a lot of Sockel pears and put them in cellar.
The papers today report a very hot wave over Kansas, the mercury going
up to 109° very suddenly. We feel it here today, this is one of
the hottest days of the summer, mercury 90°.
Sept. 14, 1882.
Clear and hot, we have had a strong, hot wind
for two days, mercury 92° today at 2 o'cl p.m. Getting very dry.
The English Army gained a great victory yesterday in Egypt.
Sept. 15, 1882.
Cloudy in morning, warm, need rain but fine
weather to ripen the corn. We heard today of the death of Mrs. Fant
very suddenly at Trenton, Illinois. Called at Mrs. Frayser's in afternoon.
Clouded up in the evening.
Sept. 16, 1882.
Clear and warm. I attended the funeral as pall-bearer
for Mrs. Fant from the house of Mr. C. M. Johnson to the City Cemetery.
Very hot and dusty today. Arthur came this evening.
Sept. 17, 1882. Sabbath.
Clear, hot and dry.
Sept. 18, 1882.
Clear and hot. Arthur left this morning. Very
hot day and very dry. Fixing up my cow house, old man Perean helping.
Professor Goodlet took tea with us.
Sept. 19, 1882.
Cloudy and cooler. Had a strong blow in night
and some clouds, wind in west.
Sept. 20, 1882.
Cloudy, cool, merecury 64° in morning. The
Fireman's Tournament comes off today. Fine day for it, cloudy and cool
all day. Main Street is decorated with flags and green boughs, great
crowd in town, five companies from other towns. This change is a great
relief.
Sept. 21, 1882.
Cloudy and very cool, mercury 52°, in morning.
Ed Stonebraker stayed all night with George.
Sept. 22, 1882,.
Clear and cool, light frost in low places. Dr.
Martin and Mr. J. H. Alexander went to Presbytery at Crystal City. Miss
Naomi Barron and Miss Mariette Garvin called in afternoon. I dug some
of my Burbank potatoes this afternoon, under straw. They are very large
and fine.
Sept. 23, 1882.
Clear and cool. George and Minnie McDearmon
went to Hamburg to a picnic today. In afternoon I rode out to Mrs. Durfee's
place with Jane and Shirley. Great crop of fall apples, selling some
at 50¢ per bushel. Mrs. Durfee's late corn on the black land is
very good, stalks very small, and ears large.
Sept. 24, 1882. Sabbath.
Clear, cool in morning, mercury 54°. Mr.
Ed McCluer, a native of Dardenne Prairie in this county, is expected
to preach for us this morning. Mr. McCluer and Will Garvin took tea
with us. He is a very promising young preacher.
Sept. 25, 1882.
Clear and cool, mercury 52°. Digging my
sweet potatoes today. How uniform the weather keeps from day to day.
Sept. 26, 1882.
Clear and cool, mercury 52° in morning.
Digging my Irish potatoes, very large and fine, under straw.
Sept. 27, 1882.
Clear, warmer, some little clouds in afternoon.
Called at Robert Parks in afternoon. Mrs. Parks looks badly. Mamie goes
to St. Louis next week to live. She has a healthy child, Mary Kind,
grows fast and looks very healthy. Met on street Mrs. Dr. Pendleton,
formerly Ida Cunningham. We felt shock of earthquake last night at about
4 o'cl.
Sept. 28, 1882.
Cloudy and light rain in the night. Rain in
middle of day. George went to Portage to picnic with Charlie Johan.
Warmer.
Sept. 29, 1882.
Cloudy, but clearing, warmer. Had a heavy shower about 10 o'cl. last
night and about 3 o'cl a.m. We had a thunder shower, wet this morning.
This has been a pleasant, fine day after the rain. I rode out to Dr.
Furgerson's this afternoon with Mr. Alderson to see the pulverizer operate
and to see a crop of corn raised with it. It is certainly a very heavy
crop of corn, looks like a 100 bushels to the acre. It is drille, the
ears are very large and often 2 ears on a stalk. The great virtue of
the pulverizer is that it makes the ground so fine and it receives and
retains moisture so well.
Sept. 30, 1882.
Clear and warmer. Eleanor Martin came in afternoon. Got 4 bu. corn from
Dierker for my pigs.