December 7, 1843 - March 6, 1844

1843 Dec 7^th Rainy day & we are stripping
tobacco in little barn at home.

-- 8^th Dec. Began to grub new ground.
Cutting on branch. A fine day.

20 The weather very cold from 15^th to 20.

25 the weather quite moderate & wet.

29 Turned cold yesterday. Halling wood
& cutting & grubbing. Cutting wood
this evening on mountain for plant bed.

1844 Jany 1. This week burnt one plant bed
on mountain & one on the branch & this
day sewed & covered both.

Feby 20^th. This burnt plant bed in new ground.
Malling rails & pilling wood & plowing
for corn. Halled out manure a few days ^ago.
Federick cut his thumb 1^st Feb. which has
thrown our malling back very much.

¹⁸⁴⁴ March 5. Engaged with Mr Moon to do the
wood work of a house of such a
^{description as below}
^^{The half to be brick}
with a passage between old house the
house 2 stories high with a base
ment story viz. 2 stories on basement story.
4 windows in basement 2 on first floor
4 on the next with winding stair case
& lodging room over passage the passage
to be of wood altogether, 2 doors & shutters
in passage. 1 door in D^o leading down in
Basement & in first room steps or staircase
to lead up in second story out of passage
all to be finished off in a good workman
like manner, the mantle piece in front to
be a little extra for the sum of $125.—

Also engaged with Mr Sampson this
6^th March 1844 to build a brick house
20 feet square 2 stories high with a
basement story to mould and on burning
kilning etc etc & then I am to pay
him 2 1/4 dolls per thousand for laying
etc work to be done well, that is
making burning & laying $2 1/4 p. M.