Diary: Caleb E. Iddings, 1880

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33º Cloudy- S.E. January - Sunday 11th 1880

Charley drove both horses to the open buggy & went to "Woodburn" after Lizzie Stabler, taking her to "meeting." Dora also went to meeting. Sun rose clear, but soon became overcast & continued raw & damp all day with an easterly wind. Charley & Dora went to ride in the afternoon. Ernest here to tea. Charley, Dora, Ernest & Willie all went to Lyceum to Bible Class. Carrie Brown (colored) lives at Wark Millers) here for advice & med:

40º Cloudy - S.E. Monday 12th

Wrote again to State vaccine agent for fresh virus - Drove over to "Osceola" and to B. Rush Roberts before dinner. Afternoon "Farmers Convention" met at the "Lyceum." Bro. Richard called. Rained considerable in the afternoon and evening -

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35º Snow- NEJanuary- Tuesday 13 1880

Commenced snowing about midnight and continued until about sunrise. Cleared off about noon and commenced growing colder and by sun down was freezing. I wrote & made out bills all day. Ernest & Frank Snowden here to tea. Charley went to Scott's in the evening to practice with "string band." Home at 11.15 p.m. Ernest staid all night with Charley.

Clear. 10º Wednesday 14th

About home most of the day making out bills &^c went to B Rush Robert's. Leanna Mitchell washed for us - making a days work.

33º Clear & Cloudy. S.E. January - Thursday 15^th 1880

About home all day working at my books, making out & mailing them &^c made an opening into the space in the attic near the eaves on the North side of the house. Ernest here to supperl W. Scott here in the evening until stagetime gave us some fine music from my old violin. After which he & Charley went to Saml. Ellicott's to "band practice." Allen B Farquhar and Miss Lottie Pleasants were married at W H Farquhar's & started on a wedding tour in Virginia.

33º Cloudy& Clear W Friday 16^th

Loaned Ernest the oninebus to go to "Laurel" for "Nonpariel" corn crusher. I went to Warner Cook's Jno Whites & B R Robert's - In the evening Charley took Mary Gilpin & went to Benj D Palmer's wedding reception. home at midnight

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36^o Cloudy & Foggy January Saturday 17^th 1880

I walked over to see the "out door" steam mill in operation near R T Bentleys ice dam. Rachael Spriggs here for advice & medicine also Ernest Iddings & Annie Fenel. Walked to the store in evening.

35º Clear & Cloudy S.W. Sunday 18^th

Sun shining part of the time & is truly acceptable. Harry & Helen called at the front gate. Helen came in & went from here to meeting. Harry took the baby and went on to "Fulford". Charley rode up to N Fulford, before meeting time. Ed. Bentley brought Ellie Chandlee & left her. She spent the day here. Charley went to "Riverside". Ernest came home with him to spend the night, Harry & Helen Lea called with the baby and spent an hour or two with us in the evening. Willie and Charley went with Ernest over to the Steam Engine & worked there filling the boiler & until after 9 o'clock.

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40º Clear & Cloudy - S.W. January - Monday 19^th 1880

Was sent for to visit Gilpin Stabler, went to "Harewood" to Mahlon Kirks & to B. Rush Robert's - Sophie Elizabeth White called - Also Walter Scott. Charley suffering with intense headache - having taken additional cold. Ernest called to see about "Truss" &^c Warm as April birds & bees singing & humming around. Ernest here to tea.

43º Clear & Cloudy - S.W. Tuesday 20^th

Went to Ashton. Sent Boston to H T Lea's Mill for flour - went to Jno. Ed Hill's about dusk. Eustice Laford called - Cousin Mary Chandlee spent day with us. Dora went to Lyceum to "Benevolent aid" society Thunder storm passed around to the north of us just after dark Received vaccine quills from the State agent.

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33º Clear - N.W. January - Wednesday 2^1st 1880

Went to "Harewood" to see B Gilpin Stabler. thence to Mr S. Bonds to B Rush Robert's & home. Jno Bacon called for advice & medicine, also Miss Bettie Disney. Ellie Chandlee came to spend the night with us. I went to "Alloway" to see Friend Caleb Stabler dark when I left home. Moonlight drive home. Ernest Iddings here to tea & to spend the night.

40 Cloudy & Rain N.E. Thursday 22^nd

Ellie Chandlee left on the second stage for Laurel, Washington, and Alexandria. I went to "Harewood" and "Alloway." Ernest dined here. Ed Chalfant here in the afternoon. Remodeled & improved patent inkstand. Mr. Eustace Lawford called at suppertime. Charley went to the Lyceum to a lecture taking some of Mrs. Mary. G. Tyson's daughters. Willie went to our neighbor Whites to see their daughter Sally married to Elija Leizear. Wear warm & "muckky"

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42 Clear- W January Friday 23d 1880

Amelia Spriggs here for advice and medicine for her daughter "Becky". before breakfast. Went to Harewood to see B Gilpin Stabler. Took Harriet &Edwd. &called at " Fulford" Sam Cole here for advice & med for his child - Went to Ashton Store.

28º Clear N.W. Saturday 24th

Clear cold morning: the ground frozen hard enough to bear a horse in some places for a short time in the morning, but broke through by 10 o clock & made the roads as bad as possible off the turnpike Went to Sam Coles to S Mebane's & B R Roberts before dinner -

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28º Clear. W January- Sunday 25th 1880

Clear & cold in the morning but clouded over afternoon. I went to Harewood to see Gilpin Stabler. Afternoon Katey White here & had touch extracted. Heard of the death of John Stabler's wife ( Alice Bently Stabler) in Philadelphia. She was a faithful wife & much beloved Respected and pitied by all who knew her and the trials to which her lot in life subjected her. Eustice Lawford here to tea. Sam Cole here for advice and medicine.

29º Clear. W. Monday 26th

Heavy white frost covering the ground like snow. Went to B R Robert's. Afternoon went to Mr. S Bond's Helen B Lea spent afternoon here Vaccinated their baby. Harry came to tea. Dora went home with them. Charley went to "Walnut Hill" in evening to "band practise". Willie went home with E Chalfant to spend the night with him. Charley got home at 11-45 p.m.

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44 Rain. S.E. January - Tuesday 27th 1880

Disagreeable day. Raining at intervals all day. Air Raw & chilly. Roads off the turnpikes as bad as can be. Afternoon went to Harewood and to B Rush Robert's. Richard Lea brought Dora home. C took one of R T Bentley's horses "Betty" to the phaeton and with some of the North Fulford people went to another "Spanish Fandango" at Henry Chandlee's dancehall. The weather and Roads are bad as ever they were in January in the recollection of any one living. Drizzling rain & "axle deep" - C got home at 1 o'clock after midnight

Clear- W 42º Wednesday 28th

Annie Fenel here for advice & med. Also boy from Mrs Wheeler's - and servant from B Rush Robert's - Clear & beautiful day but felt more like spring -

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40º Clear W. January- Thursday 29th 1880

Clear most of the day. Went in "little buggy" to B R Robert's and to Harewood to see Gilpin Stabler. Julia Hallowell here to see Dora & get medicine for her uncle Richd. Cissel's little girls here to have a tooth extracted. Mary Gilpin here to make a call & get advice & medicine. Charley actually at home this evening and in bed before 10 o'clock.

39º Cloudy. S.E. Friday 30th

Cloudy & dull. Mended the single bedstead in our Room. Adeline Hood Hammond here for advice for her infant daughter. Temperance lecture by a woman at the Lyceum. Willie went to hear her. Charley went to a "Musical" meeting at Saml Ellicott's. Home at 11-30 p.m. Rained nearly all night.