Diary of Jeremiah White Graves, Volume 2, Book 6

1849 aprl 14th. Fed Halling wood 2 Plows laying off one way 3 hands Hilling from 12 oclock^15thcloudy & cool all day

15 very cool & dry windy weather -

16th Every thing Killed by frost I expect this morning, very cool, Laying off to Plant^Corn Hilling & Harrowing beds on bottoms,

17. cloudy & cool all natures in mourning every thing Killed by Cold & frost. weather moderated a little, began to Plant Corn this side branch = finished laying off one way Collard Plants & flax very much Killed by frost

18 Planting Corn Just below House & on Bottoms to day - cloudy & like for Rain at this This morning Rain Hail and snowed a little took Bacon^down& Packed up 35 middlings 35 Hams & 31 shoulders & some p^s very cold & windy weather – Planting all drill corn to day very^{cold windy day} Finished Planting Corn this evening

19. Cold & windy morning, Henry Jane & alse gone to Mrs Colemans to Plant Corn Jordan going to mill 1 Bus. Fed Halling manure & wood & Hilling Ann Hilling Lila breaking Tobacco Lot on Branch My wife & Fanny W. went to Mr Jno D Hunt yesterday about his [Caty?] or [Settoe?] etc etc Henry Jane & Alse went to Mrs Colemans to ^{Plant Corn}

20 Smart frost every thing like vegetation Seems to stop at the cold windy dry weather tho the weather seems to be rather moderating

1849 aprl 20 Henry going to mill with a large Log for Palings & 10 Bushels corn for meal - Hilling & Coltering in new ground Lila breaking lot on Branch —— got the meal & no Paling. 2 Large Logs at Millers mill for Palings

21st Hilling new ground, Broke up Lot on Branch, Henry gone to Mrs Colemans to Plant Corn or lay off the ground The 19 or 20th Henry Jane & Alse was there helping to Plant Corn-- very cool indeed & looks like Winter weather very dry & some times windy -

22 Weather still cool tho moderated a little Flies are eating Tobacco plants. a little cloudy to day & last night

23. clear moderate weather dry & windy & a bad time on Stock, Buds all Killed & wheat & collard Plants Bit etc etc. Hilling & Coltering Henry gone to shop with Horses to shoe etc Written 3 letters 1 Col^o Smith about by Lug Hh^d Tobacco & the articles for Mrs. McCullocks family, one to Mr Bagby for one sack sate 10 lbs steel 1 Bale Cotton one letter to Dan^l for a Bonnet for Fanny White & sent ½ Doll. for Sally a pr of Bl[ac]k [no. ?] shoes — about 5 oclock

24 This morning Henry gone to Lynchg. started with Lugs Hh^d, Hilling in big new ground began to Rain about 12 oclock this day In evening Alse shelling corn Jane spining. Lila Ann & Fed prizing Tobacco —

25 Rained moderately all night. monstrous good Rain weather moderate taking down all our good Tobacco this morning prizing & Packing in Hh^d & Bulking good fine weather in deed very good — Raining nearly all day

26th Aprl 1849 Raining again this morning. seasonable weather, prizing Tobacco shelling Corn & spining this morning Went to Hilling about 9½ oclock to day Henry returned from^Lynchg hour or two Sun in evening gone nearly 3 days good trip

27 Rained nearly all night, prizing good Tobacco this morning uncovering Plant Beds piling up manure etc etc etc

28 prizing Tobacco spining etc this morning Raining cloudy damp weather - nearly all this week - Fed at work on Tray -

29 A Fine day clear, went to Edge Hill

30 little cloudy this morning, Beding up second years ground coltering in new ground & Hilling - - fine growing weather went ^to shop 2 Hands twice

May 1st Went to shop again this morning - Fixed Pea Patch & square for greens myself Henry fixing scarce crows ann & alse Hilling Coltering in new ground Jane & Lila & Henry Beding ^{Finished Beding second yrs Land for Tobacco} second yrs Land Fine weather every thing mends ^{(like vegetation}

2nd Henry started to Lynchg again this morning with fine Hh^d Tobacco all hands Hilling in new ground. cloudy & like for Rain cleared off about night - Planted ^Greens square

3rd prizing Tobacco this morning & Hilling

4. prizing Tobacco & Planted Peas & Corn & Simblings Hilling in new ground, fine weather a little cool. Henry returned from 2 or 3 hours sun this evening.

1849 May 5th Beding Cotton Patch & Planted Cotton Watermellon Simblings etc etc this day & negroes have Holliday after Picking Plant Beds etc — Henry come back in a little more than 2½ days

6 cloudy all day & Rained a little

7 Taking down Tobacco, short, this morning prizing & Hilling cloudy & like for Rain - a little cool this morning

8 prizing Tobacco & Hilling new ground

9 Coltering & Hilling new ground rained a little this morning - cloudy & like for Rain

10 cloudy & like for Rain - Finished yesterday Collering our new ^{both ways} ground & expect to get done Hilling this day new ground fine growing weather. preparing for greens & Irish Potatoes this morning etc began to Rain in evening & we lacked a little of finishing the new ground

11th Rained all night & very cool indeed wind N E, quite cold children stayed all night at Bro. Dews at Miss Marthas wedding Planted out greens yesterday prizing & steming Tobacco this morning - Tobacco Plants small Henry gone to mill cart 7½ Bus. Corn^mealfor stoped raining about 12 Oclock tho cloudy

19 It has been quite cool & Rainy all the week, nearly done hilling second yrs Land went to Lynchg on Tuesday Broke down & pestered tho not a great deal Mr John Ward lent us a pr of wheels & we went on & Returned Friday sold our Tobacco 3.80 3.30 4.55 & $5.90

1849 May 20th Nights till very cool some poeple planted Tobacco We have not yet

22. Planted about 7 or 8000 Tobacco Hill Planted Irish Potatoes seed to day Plowing Corn & weeding. Planted last square Greens

23 Replanted corn on Branch & weeding drill Corn. Planted Peas & Corn on Branch

24th weeding drill Corn, Plowing & Harrowing weather fine, cloudy & a ^little like for Rain nearly done Plowing p^s cheek corn below house Cut Mrs Coleman colt. done by Bro. Wm Dews

25 Weeding corn below house Plowing & Harrowing weather cool, finished weeding p^s below the House, & all drill corn nearly except ^branch

26th Raining this morning & last night & all day shoemending spining shelling corn etc. weather Cool & Rain from N. E.

27th cloudy & Rainy this morning, quite cool Put Lady Jane to Mr Collins Horse kept by Free Patrick I am to pay Five Dolls for a Colt. no Colt no pay, =

28 Thundered & lightened this morning Rained hard & raining nearly all day very wet time in deed. weather more warm — Planted 3 or 4000 Hills mon in big new ground Tobacco Hills last Saturday 27th Inst.

29th Planting & expect to finish all new ground to day - Cutting off & Planting -

30 My waggon started for Lynchg with Mr Lewis’s Tobacco 1 Hh^d at $4 Fernage & tollage all p^d, Planted our new ground Tobacco except a Bottom in it. Planted a little of our second yrs Land now Bushing Oats & wheat thining Corn etc very wet time & warm Thining corn & gone to mill this morning

31st May - Thundered cloud in night & rained very hard Brot from mill this week 3 Bbls meal