Jeremiah White Graves Diaries

1864 Oct 15th Lost both my sows at plantation 1 Died & 1 Killed at Mr E Lewis by negroes, - Stacked Tops cut Tobacco Housing &c &c &c, — Cutting down Sorghum. 2 smart frosts weather cool Firing Tobacco, have not heard from Jerry for 1 One Month. Making Molasses & sewing Wheat in Tobacco Land Halled up Pea fines &c

17th Went to Court Sunday Cutting Corn gathered Peas & Beans halled up Pea & Potatoe vines.

18th Sewing wheat, &c to day.

19th Sewing wheat this day — Mr Bybee Stilled for himself last Monday.

20. Making molasses Halled wood & Sewed 1 Bushel Wheat Bushed in Miss Mary Faris came here to w[?] this day at 12 Oclock

23rd Oct. Jerry Smith Joe belonging to JDH. Estate & Fannies Perry all started to Richm^d with Mr N. C Millers hands to work on Breast works for 1 mo Confed. Call, Mr N C. Miller gets Rich^ds for them in Danville 24th & 25. they will go on to Richmond

1864 Rich^d Whitehead came home this 23rd

Oct. 24th Sewed 2 Bushels Wheat this day

25th Fanned out wheat, Duged our Irish Potatoes, & cutting corn to sew wheat

27 Sewing wheat cutting down corn Halling 3 Loads wood ^{Carried Fan home} to day

Nov 4 Since 25th Oct we have good wood Sewed wheat gathered Lot corn Rained 2 days Killed 1 Beef weighing 452 lbs Davy a steer. Jorden been up here today We have lost 1 of our sheep here & 1 at plantation in the coarse[course] of one week past.

Nov 7th Finished Seeding wheat hear[here] last Saturday evening – getting out Peas to day & expect to send to the Mill sometimes Sat.

8 John Richard Whitehead started this morning Cloudy & like for rain Putting away our Greens Bybee Starts to Danville with 2 Yankee prisoners caught by T. J. Monroe.

14th The last week I went to Danville Car^d Bill to go to Army as Teamster or cook agreeable to call of Gen^l Lee. Sold Peas onions Brandy for Est. & my toll. Potatoes etc they cut Halled wood at home while we were gone.

Mr Hargrave & myself could not agree on the Terms Hargrave gave him his acc^t Rec^t $11. or 12. & $10. in cash for the time he has been there say since 16th Jany 1859.

1859 Augt 24th Last Evening about night it commenced Raining & Rained nearly all night moderate & this morning still raining, sewed Turnip Seed in Lot; Mr Chumney sewing up my Shoes & Sallies Balance & Bob chinking Tobacco House this morning clem spining Cothran has one House full of Tobacco Cut nearly at aspen Grove Owens Barn Finished the Grave yd & Raised his Stable & began to pull fodder there this evening Sewed Turnip Patch & we are sewing more seed in fresh ground,-

25th Sewed more Turnip Seed at aspen Grove ^{26 Mrs Hunt & Bob gone to Mr Browns today} Cutting down pines at work on Barns here

30th I have been to the association at Bethany near Danville, started last friday fine Rain Since I left home, they have cutting ^{Mrs Hunt left here while I was gone to association} Tobacco Toped Tobacco etc etc Some person attempted to break into our smoke house while I was gone, overseer gone to day to get corn got only half bushel meal at Whiteheads, I got back this day —

31st Began to Pull fodder till 12 Oclock then Cutting & Hewing Post for prize shelter etc clear good day memorandum of wheat From aspen Grove sent by Henry to Faris 12½ Bushels wheat for ourselves 2½ for Chummey; Bus. wheat - 5 Bushels corn from there for us

Sept 1st Pulling some fodder & Cutting Tops in Orchard, & some in Lot above Tobacco —

1859 Sept 2nd making fence in Lot Shingling negro House ^{Dr P D Steptoe Returned at Jnos place} Cutting down pines in old field Halled wood to Tobacco House — this morning, clear cool day —

3rd Sept at work on our Smoke house nearly all day fixing the inside of it clear fair day. W^m Langhorn & James C Hunts 2 Daughters Fan & Bit Stayed here last night. & Servant & Stud Horse to carry all^{or Carriage}

4th Nannie Sallie & myself went to aspen Grove to day - Jerry went with Fannie & Cate to Capt Fitzgeralds Saturday —

5th Cloudy & like for Rain Toping Worming & succoring Tobacco this morning - This is monday & ever Since last Thursday company at Johns place, Steptoe Thorn[ton?] Langhorn Jn^s Hunts 2 Daughters & Mrs Hargrave & her family -- clouday & Raining a little once in a while, Mr Stanly here & fixed upon next Friday week to settle his matters

6th Fannie Came here last night this morning Carried her Colts to aspen Grove to wean quite cool this morning, worming & succoring Tobacco to day - Jerry gone with Fannie to aspen Grove,- Returned & in evening I started with Sallie to Danville to School to Mr N. Penick, Boarding with Mr T. D Neal at $10 pr month — From 6th to 16th when I returned they have finished pulling fodder here cut 1 house Tobacco cut some Tops, etc. found them all well, Rain[in]g this morning being 16th they are firing Tobacco spining etc Mr Brown stayed here all night

17th cleared off last night wind high, sent Him to aspen Grove to get some corn & wheat to Eat & bring me a Lamb, cutting Topsgot ½ Bbl wheat ½ Bbl corn

1859 Oct 20th Cutting & Plowing in Lot -

21st went to mill Halled & Cutting firing Tobacco - I went to Jonah Kelleys sale

22nd I went to Johns place, began to sew wheat here, Cutting down Seed Broom Corn & Egyptian wheat. Stoping Gullies in Lot etc

23 Cutting down new ground sewing wheat in Lot fine day for business

24 Same work,

25 Mr Keatts came here to build chimny Sewing wheat this day —

26 Mr Keatts worked 2nd day on chimney pulling Halling up Lot Corn halled 2 Loads. Mr chumney & claiborne with Mr Keatts.

27 Halling up Corn wood & Bricks & at work on chimney - Mr Keatts

28 & 29 Same work on chimney & Housed Corn this evening I went to Sarah McCullock Mr worked nearly 5 day this week -

30st Jerry went to Fannies, Sallie came home yesterday morning Saturday stayed till Monday & went back to Doct Thompsons to go to Danville

31 Halled up a Load of stacks our Load Corn on Stacks Halled 3 Loads wood & 4 Loads Rock Mr Keatts did not come to day all to day

Novr 1st Mr Keatts came after Breakfast Send after Mrs Neale for Lila, child Born about 12 Oclock a Girl. Chumney sent to Mill Halling Rock to day - fine weather

2nd Fox came 8 or Ten Oclock to Dig well & He is Complaining, Keatts Chimney is about to fall down, Arch Broke intoo [in two] in middle, I went to Plantation to day

3rd Mr Keatts at work fixing chimney that was about to fall down Sent to Yates got upwards 30 lbs Iron for chimney etc.