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28 [216] DIARY OF FRANCIS TAYLOR, 1792, 1792, December, 3, G.C.Taylor went to Albemarle- B.Taylor & I cut off cloth & Linen for all the young negroes (including Betty's children & Sarah's Frank) except Jonathan's Jacket & Breeches- J.Taylor came here and Benj'a Taylor & myself having chosen the following slaves agreeable to my father's Will, vizt: Francis Taylor, Davy for the one grown, and Peter & Hannah for the two young ones- Benj'a Taylor, Israel & Jack for his two grown ones & Lucy & Suky for his two young ones-& to Benj'a Taylor for the four in leau of Land or money, Moses (alias Sam Daniel), Sary & her child Jim & Milly, a young wench. The two for James Taylor not fixed- he having time to consider w'ch two of the four young negroes he would like provided he takes Lucy & Clara or Charlotte & Dinah. Monday- After dinner B. Taylor & I rode to the stores at Court house- Got the Newspapers- 4, A few spits of Snow & some rain & Cloudy- killed a Heifer, Sent one fore Quarter to M.Biggers, weight 51 Nett- Sent part of a hind quarter Weight 31 1/2 lb to James Taylor- Which overpays for what he sent some time in the Fall- 5, J.Taylor & Reu Taylor came here (it being the day appointed for Maj'r Madison to meet to survey & Divide My father's land), J.Taylor returned after 12 o'clock Reu Taylor staid- After 1 o'clock Maj'r Madison, James Bell & G.C.Taylor got here & about 3 o'clock we set out to Survey Beginning at the Corner at the fork of road between J.Taylor & this Track in Capt Burnley's line- James Bell & Macon Biggers carried the Chain- J.Taylor joined us as we went up the mountain. Surveyed round the lines to near where Mildred James formerly lived- A.Madison, J.Bell & Reu Taylor came home with us- intending tomorrow to proceed on the survey &c. 6, Thursday- Very foggy morning. Bro'r James came here after breakfast. We sent to Wm Bowling to join us at the Overseer's to assist, Macon Biggers to carry t the chain, which he did from the place where we left off last night, to the road by Mrs James's and up the road to the beginning- James Bell went away after breakfast- C.Taylor joined us at the overseer's and J.Taylor, C.Taylor, Reu Taylor, B.Taylor, G.C.Taylor, Maj'r Madison, William Bowling & Macon Biggers got to ys house about 1 o'clock- Abs'm Smith came to see G.Taylor, he and the others dined here. We intended running the line to Divide the Land in the evening but it proved so rainy that we could not. Maj'r Madison staid here with Benj'a & G.C.Taylor- others went away- 7, Macon Biggers gave me a verbal account of the Corn made here this year, which he says has measured 117 Hogsheads- Cool morning with some little snow- G.Taylor came here After dinner. We went to the corner on the mountain vizt, the beginning of the 40 acres G.Taylor sold to Hub'd Taylor- A Madison run a line across to the road a little to the South of the Barn- Outs & 7 sticks, but said it wanted about 30 acres of making 400 in this end. Major Madison said he would run the line right on next Monday morning- He came by & proceeded home- James Taylor & Capt Burnley came here when we were turned from running across the land. Ben Taylor & G.C.Taylor went home with C.Taylor at night. M,Biggers & Wm Bowling carried the chain- 8, Uncle Taylor dined here- M.Biggers gave me the Tally of Corn made the present year, being 117 Hnds. said he had taken 2 Hnds of the sorry & should take 7 3/4 of the Good corn being his Share of the twelth part- 9, Old woman Caslow died- Her cloaths & utensils for cooking &c were all carried off that night. I did not hear of her death till the next morning. Wm Wright (the crier) came here in the evening. --[SUNDAY]-- 10, James Taylor: being left two young negroes by my fathers Will, between the ages of 5 & 15 years, Judy, a girl of Eleven & Clara, a girl of 9 years of age, were delivered to him- The sale of my father's estate began, the weather was fine and a good number of persons present. W.Wright staid here. From the TAYLOR DIARY, #1907-z in the Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina Library, Chapel Hill. FOR REFERENCE ONLY: PERMISSION TO PUBLISH MUST BE REQUESTED. WARNING: MOST MANUSCRIPTS ARE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT.