Diary: Caleb E. Iddings, 1880

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12º Clear- N.W. February- Friday 20th 1880

Cold bracing winter morning. Went to Mechanicsville and ordered "fire board" of Russia iron for the parlor. got stove plates for the cooking stove. Made up the hot bed. Ready for planting the seeds when the time comes. Afternoon, went to Ashton to see Jno Abel about a trapdoor for the house Roof. Vaccinated Mebane's infant Matilda Tasker here for advice & medicine. After tea Charley went to Scott's.

22º Snow S.W. Saturday 21st

Violent snow storm commenced about 5 o'clock this a.m and continued until about 9.30 a.m. when it cleared off & the sun shone out. Afternoon I went to to Ashton to Jno. Abel's. Mrs Gideon Gilpin called for advice and medicine for daughter Annie after tea. I walked up to the store beautiful moonlight. Made nursing "commode" of an old office chair.

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31 Clear NW February- Sunday 22d 1880

Beautiful day- Charley & I drove to Mrs. Wheeler's before dinner. Geo. Sprigg here for advice &^c for wife & daughter. Jmo. Simon brought his brother for advice. Harry and Helen here with the baby. Charley took Dora quite a long drive over "Norwood pike" to its junction with "Washington & Brookville pike", & home via Mechanicsville. Mr. Eustice Lawford here after tea & had abcess lanced in mouth. Charley went away with him to spend evening.

Clear + Windy. N.W. 30 Monday 23d

Took D.A.R. over to "Homewood" moved medicines &^c into west room in third story. commenced opening a trap door in Roof of the house. After tea Jno Bentley Walter Scott, Frank Hallowell &^c all went to Henry Chandlee's to "practice" for "the musical" Jenny Jackson spent the Evening with us.

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19º Clear. N.W. February- Tuesday 24th 1880

Jno Abel came + put in a "trap door" on south side of our house Roof. also made a closet in the passage upstairs I went to B Rush Robert's and to Owen Hardy's on E Thomas Jr's place. Arthur Stabler called. Lecture in evening at Lyceum by W Dalrymple on "Mound's and Mound Boulder's". Charley took Miss R Hazden. Dora & Willie went together. Showers of rain in the night.

31º Clear. S.W. Wednesday 25th

Rehung doors to closet in passage upstairs. Went to Owen Hardey's & "Ashton." Martha Wright called at office, also Moab White. Hallie Chandlee & Lizzie Iddings called at the door. Billy Coale arrived from Harford Co. about 5 o'clk p.m. driving his horse "Patrick Henry" Jr to his jagger wagon having left Harford on Monday morning.

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45 Clear. February - Thursday 26th 1880

Drove to see Hardy's infant on E. Thomas Jr's place - Sister Beulah spent afternoon here. After tea Henry Miller called Charley went with him on a fox hunt, home at 11-30 p.m. Extremely warm, frogs croaking merrily in the meadows and low grounds -

45º Clear Hazy- S.W. Friday 27th

Drove "Patrick Henry" to Ashton & back. Friend Caleb Stabler called also Mr Frank Wilson & daughter Drove Billy Coale down to Leawood Mills & home to dinner. Afternoon drove "Pat" to light buggy & took Billy Coale to "Riverside." home before dark. Charley & Dora went to "N Fulford" to a meeeting of the "musical."

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46 Cloudy-Rain S.E. February Saturday 28th 1880

Cloudy & showery - Bill Coale & I drove to "Brighton" with my horses to his jagger home to dine. Rainy afternoon. After tea walked up to the store & got lock for the back passage door & put it on before bed time

42 Cloudy & cloudy S.E. Sunday 29th

Billy & Charley took a drive before meeting Bros Richard & Charles & Lizzie called. Rithd dined with us. C & L went to Sharon to dine & called home for R- on their way home. Charley & Billy went to Scott's & took tea at "Fulford"

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42° Cloudy - S.E. March Monday 1st 1880

Billy Coale left for Balts & home at 8.30 o'clock this a.m. Coleman Morton brought his child here for examination & certificate Went to Gideon Gilpin's to prescribe for his daughter Anna. Frank Wilson Jr: here for advice & med: After tea Charley went to Scott's to a "Sociable " taking Miss Alice Tyson & Mary T Kirkhome about 11-40.

32° Clear W Tuesday 2nd Drove to Ashton: put new bottoms in chamber chairs. Afternoon took Harriet Dora, Willie & Edwd: I went to Brighton in the "omnibus" called at Homewood & brought DAR home with us. Got new Shaving horse Jno Abel has made for me. Alice Peirce came home with us to make Dora a visit. Henry Mills sent us 3/4 cord of wood (old pine.)

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32 Cloudy E March - Wednesday 3d 1880 Put new bottom in another spare chamber chair. Mary Snowden (colored) called for advice & med: Also Arthur Stabler. Commenced raining about noon & continued with increasing violence until by dark it was "storming". with high wind from the SE. accompanied with heavy rain.

Cloudy + Clear. W 40 Thursday 4th

Cleared off quite warm but clouded over before night: put another new bottom in chair. Went to see Tom Carter on Massey's place, called at Ashton. Afternoon, went to Fulford & got some milk. Dora & Alice walked to Fulford. Charley went to Rockland to special evening. home 11.15

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44 Clear + Cloudy W March Friday 5th 1880

High wind most of the day. Edwd Peirce came after Alice about 9 this a.m. About home all day. took harness to Bukoffskeys for repair. Put the sleigh up overhead in summer quarters. After tea Jno Bentley, Walter & Saml Serot &^c spent the evening here practicing with Charley

44º Clear NW Saturday 6th

Harry T Lea dined with us. Afternoon I went to Ashton and took Willie &Edwd to Fulford.

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36^o Rain, Hail, & snow. E. March- Sunday 7th 1880

Commenced storming about midnight last night & continued throughout most of today. I took Charley with me & drove down the "Leawood Mills" to prescribe for Saml: Crawfordhad an extremely disagreeable ride in the storm. "Boston" seems quite unwell & went to Jus Powells which he calls "home" Charley, Willie & I took care of the horses &^c

Cloudy SW 36^o Monday 8th

Partly cleared off about midday but did not succeed entirely, Drove to Ashton Afternoon I took Willie and drove to Walnut Hill"String band" met here and practiced until about 10-30

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43^o March. Tuesday 9th 1880

Snowing very fast and continued most of the day but melted almost as fast as it fell: About house all day except walked up to the store. Cleaned the sewing machine thoroughly.

28o Clear and Cloudy W Wednesday 10th

Richd Lea here for advice and med: for Harry's wife about 4.30 in the morning. I drove to Leawood Mills after breakfast to see Helen. Afternoon drove up to Wm H Farquhars to see about hay.