Jeremiah White Graves Diaries

1856 Jany 21 Have been to Sale at Fannies 15th there nearly all the week very disagreeable weather under foot tolerable over head till Saturday night it began to Snow again & Snowed all day Sunday & till in the night this is 3 weeks in succession it has snowed very deep Snows, this last one nearly as deep as any I went to meeting Saturday, — very disagreeable weather for Pigs Lambs & [e]very thing else,- we are doing but little to day Jacob is at Mr overbys & has been since the 5th Inst = lost some pigs chickens & Lambs

22nd Another very Cold day & we are doing little or nothing but feed & make fires, very Cold & wind high from N W. & cold enough to freeze any thing almost, lost 2 more pigs at House,- - Snow melts but little any where Chip Came this evening to start to Mr Overby & for Jacob to Come home but the weather is so disagreeable I would ^not let him go = 23rd weather moderate a little halled up some wood & halled one waggon Load of wood for Mr Neal 1 little Lamb living yet all my pigs Dead but 7 in the woods We have Fannies Blackey here trying to break her to the waggon & Henry Clay up there Since about 10 or 15 Jany Inst. This day I wrote to Emond D Johns some time before X & this day I wrote to Dan^l R Hunt Rich^d & John Graves Green city V^a Ruckersville P.O 24th clear & cold Halled up a little wood worked Blackey & Pompey She done only tolerable one more Lamb Dead, we have put all our Pigs in a pen here at the house to try & save them, -

26 Halled wood for ourselves & Halled ½ day for Miss Neals, weather Cold & like for snow, Rough sure enough

1855 May 1st I have this day Sold my Crop of Tobacco 2 Hh^ds Lugs prized made 1854 except a little parcel Sold Separately at the Factory to Thomas W. Anderson for 8½$ all round except the little parcel the Two Lugs Hh^ds prized I have delr^d & am to have the weights when sold by Mr Anderson in Rich^d in a few days Delired the 2 Lugs Hh^ds weighing by 3rd May 185[5] 1 Hh^d weighing 1055 lbs 1 D^o - D^o 2050 lbs @$8½ $174.25 the little parcel upwards of 30 lbs got $1.52 which is p^d

also pd me For Henrys & Jordans parcels $2.08 for Henry 2.28 for Jordan

¹⁸⁵⁵may 7 Delr^d to T. W. Anderson 1368 lbs Tobacco pRec^d @$8½ 116.28 29th Delr^d to D^o D^o 1348 lbs " pRec^d @ 8½ 114.58 June 6th delr^d last to D^o 1061 " " $405.11 this day @$8½ 90.18 Bond On Dem^d this 6th June $495.29 === 1855 for - 495.29

Memorandum wheat used of Crop made 1855 2 Bushels for ourselves Settled & tolle paid 2 Bushels let Mr Evans have Sent 4½ Bu

1856 22nd Oct Sewing wheat cutting down corn Mr Wyatt & Jacob at work on Barn fine weather

23rd I moved Mr. Adams this day & took nearly all Balance sawing shingles Blocks & hanging Succors & Sandy & wyatt at work on Barn

24th Sawing shingle Blocks Sewing wheat Sandy & Mr Wyatt at work on Barn balance cutting down & shucking corn the 21st this months I agreed to give him at the rates of $80 pr year for him to atten[d] closely to the hands —like for rain

25 Sewing fresh ground in wheat next to Johns Spring, cutting down & stacking corn next to orchard halled up Load corn for Hogs & then Halling wood etc

26th I started for the fair at Richmond this morning & arrived at Mr Overbys left my horse & started 27th for Richmond where I arrived Just before night stayed in Richmond that —

28 In Richmond at Fair grounds --

29th In Richmond at D^o said to be near ^Poeple 15,000 at night about started for Orange & Green got to Gordonsville at 12 that night

30 Hired horse at $1 pr day went to see Cousin Charles Graves found him sick went from there to James W Graves & found him Just alive, went from there to Bro Johns stayed ^night that

31 Returned to James - went to see cousin charles & went to Gordonsville that night. —

Novr 1st started from Gordonsville at 12 Oclock & arrived in Richmond at 4 Oclock in morning stayed in Richmond at James Hunts & uncle Crenshaws till Monday morning & then started for home got to Mr Overbys 12 Oclo[ck] got my horse went to Mr McCullocks that night

Hh^ds Staves & 2 there for Square edge Plank Jacob making another pr shoes Jerry S gone to P.O. Striping Tobacco - cloudy & like for snow etc.

6 Jany 1857. Faned out all wheat to day made 1856 - 152 Bushels 4 Bushels in every 100. 6 Bus & a little over due Ja^s Kelley 6 & upwards sent home Halled wood, put Plank in Barn & firing Cutting Big growth in new ground – very cold weather at this time,-

7th Cutting in new ground all — I went to Riceville Car^d my wife —

8th Mr Jno Hunt here, cutting in new ground going to Fannies etc – – – – –

9 went & stayed all night, & come back evening Cutting in new ground fair cold weather

10 Halled up straw & chaff & Oats This morning. Jerry gone to shop & Mrs Hunts etc Cutting big growth in new ground Cloudy & like for Rain Jordan & Fed gone to Fannies etc to get Jacobs Trunk & Fed is to help get Ice up there monday If they get up there lent Fannie 2 ^Iron wedges for 2 weeks -

11th Nannie has gone to Mrs Hunts on her way to Richmond tomorrow morning I let her have $20. & she has 3 or four Dollars in Silver Jacob is starting with them on his way to Cap^t Boxleys to live with his grand Papa Jerry has $6.65 - Jacob & Jerry will meet them tomorrow morning the Lord permitting, very cold weather.

12th All gone on this morning for Richmond Jacob gone to his Grand Papa^s to live the weather has moderated a little

Just before they got there they passed a goodly number of Gypses with Carry alls & Horses all Camped Out in the Snow, they started from Bro Roaches Tuesday 2nd Feby & got to Mrs Hunts in evening & I went over there & we come home that night being from 3 weeks & 3 days & what is worst than all see but little of Richmond on account of the weather But If the Lord spare us & we can make our arrangements we will go together next time providence permitting & I will try & let her See something

5th Jerry is gone to Fannies W. F this morning We have halled up Fresh ground little Barn in new prize Barn & pack it down Cutting & Pilling wood at new ground Henry Cutting wood to fire plank Jordan & Jerry Smith or Buck halling out tobacco Stalks from prize shelter - like for Rain & very moderate weather, at this time snow has gone very much to day —

6th Halled a Load of Tobacco from old prize Barn to new to strip to day cloudy & like for Rain,-

7th Striping Tobacco all day ground very wet moderate weather Kate & Jerry came down yesterday – snow most gone. I went to meeting House to day -

8th Sunday Kate & Sandy went up to Fann ies to day- Rec^d a letter from Mr Jno D Hunt about renting Owen his overseers house & Owen here to day. Sent Jerry up to to see Shanks & his wife to day Sent them 3 lbs coffee & some Rice & Fannies Lila Bread & flour for them –