Diary of Jeremiah White Graves, Volume 2, Book 2

14th Sunday Raining & a sleet this morning, Kitty better weather cold & real winter ever since 1st Dec 1845

15. Raining this morning & cant do any thing out striping Tobacco very ^wet about 9 oclock it commenced snowing & at 2 in the evening continues to snow. snow 1/2 shoe Deep, pleasant Day since Decr. came in yet. Snow 7 or 8 Inches Deep

16th Fair & cold snow melted but little

17th Cloudy & like for Rain cutting & Halling fire wood this day ——

18th Raining & we are striping Tobacco snow melted but litte yet. about 1/2 done grubbing new ground.

19 Cold & windy, real winter weather cutting fire wood in new ground

20 this day given Bond to Wm Dews Admr of Mary Stone Decs^d Jno S Lewis Scty for $31.50 for six Bbls corn — I am also Scty. for Mr. J.S. Lewis for $73.50 to same for 14 Bbls corn bot by him at said sale ———— this day Saturday Strait S. meeting is a tremendous cold day & at night the wind blows & is as cold as I most ever saw & there has not been as yet a pleasant day in this month — went to meeting & pd $5. to J T. McL no meeting on acc^t weather Preacher not there

1845 Dec. 21st Sunday a bitter cold cold night & morning snow yet covers the ground — Earth like a Rock so hard frozen

-22. yet cold & snow melted very little cutting — new ground & spining Burning Brushing

23- Fair & tolerable Pleasant Cutting in new ground & Halling wood.

24th This morning snowing gone to mill shoemaking & shelling corn real winter weather & has been ever since 1st Decemr 1845. Rough on every thing Snow melted very little that — first fell & covers many Homes^now Snowed nearly all day, not very fast Hailed some, weather not very cold this night- nearly done cutting down on Branch & have cut 20 yds wide & 100 yds long in new ground of little growth,

25 Cloudy all day. Weather a little more moderate my wife gone to Mrs Hunts Halling wood for Christmas this day _clear

26 Very cold & freezing this morning

27 a Beautifull day & my wife gone to Mrs Smyths, clear clear

28 A little cloudy tolerable cold snow melted very little been on ground 2 weeks

1845 Decemr 28th This Month truly has been winter throughout cold & snowy weather People generally so far enjoy good health

Dec 29 little cloudy weather not very cold tho the snow melts but little Mrs Hunts Allen came here this morning to work for Fed making shoes, has to work 8 days —

30 little cloudy weather moderate snow melts but Slow Kill cherry this day or yesterday - cutting wood in new ground Halling wood etc

31 Soon in the morning clear & moder -ate after the morning cloudy & like for falling weather, cutting in new ground & Halling wood Hung up our meat yesterday —

1846 Jany 1st A little cloudy soon in the morning Bids fair for a pretty day after morning cutting little growth in new ground Halled stack straw to fodder stack & 4 Loads of wood for Andrew Crews began this day about 11 Oclock to cut big growth but not ½ done cutting little growth

2nd Rained last night snow melted Smartly weather moderate Bid fair for another pretty day. Began to rain about one Hour be[fore] sun last evening very windy & somewhat cloudy

3rd Jany very pretty morning weather moderate

1846 Jany 3rd Cutting Big growth in new & trying this day to finish grubbing Phil gone to mill, carried our last cotton to Pick & 1/2 Bushel Buck Wheat & 1/2 Bbl for cows

4th Jany Sunday a Beautiful morning weather moderate snow that fell 1st Decem nearly gone some Ice in road Jany has been moderate as yet

5. Another Beautifull morning weather moderate Began to cut wood wood to burn Plant Bed on mountain, finished grubbing^{in new ground} nearly

6th This morning raining moderately the weather moderate, we are striping Tobacco Rained Hard nearly all day Turned cold, & a Dreadfull night ——

7 Weather more moderate cloudy tho not raining striping Tobacco at new ground 3 hands, Phil gone to mill Federick shoemending, ground is very Wet about this time, snow nearly gone

8 in the morning cloudy & snowed a little Turned off windy & cold

9th a fine morning, we cutting in new ground & halling wood Pleasant making gates, 8 & 9

1846 Jany10th Saturday A fine morning^{cutting onSunday}Second new ground & Halling wood —

Sunday 11th Another fine day, has been fine weather for most of this month

12th Fine day & we are burning Large Plant Bed on mountain —

13th Finishing Plant Bed to day — A little cloudy weather moderate

14 Sewed Plant Bed this morning & covered it & cutting wood for another below the road on mountain ——

15th Commenced burning small Plant Bed on mountain this morning weather moderate & cloudy to day Went yesterday to Mrs Hunts Bring Lains Ezekial East & shop to carry hides for Miller to Tan^{3 carried}— got the shingles my Plow & a little straw from Mrs Hunts yesterday Sewed small Plant Bed on mountain this night in the rain, began to rain about night —

16th rained nearly all night cloudy this morning & we are striping Tobacco at new ground —— 17th Finally a rainy Day Striping Tobacco