Diary: Caleb E. Iddings, 1880

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63 Clear N.W. May Monday 10th 1880

Wash woman here. Tinkered around home. Drove to Ashton to see about medicine for Wm Bukoffsky. Perry Howard commenced working for us. Boston having left & gone to Philadelphia. Charley took Mgt. Tyson to a temperance lecture at Mechanicsville after supper.

63^o Clear & Cloudy Tuesday 11th N.W.

Took Harriet & Edward in the phaeton & went to Wm Thoma's Called at Jno M Smith's & "Riverside". Almost rained.

Frank Snowden & Douglas Miller spent the evening here had some music

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60 Clear N.W. May Wednesday 12th 1880

Very pleasant day but warm in the sun. Helen Lea called for advice & medicine having had a chill from leaving off her underclothing too soon. Thos. Beulah & Hallie Lea, Bros Richard, William & Charles and Lizzie spent part of the afternoon and took tea with us. We had a very pleasant reunion and all seemed to enjoy themselves. Had some music in the evening. I sat up quite late (for me) trimming the "lazy" back of the third or extra seat I had made for the Germantown wagon.

42 Clear N.W. Thursday 13th

Great change in temperature, it being quite chilly & raw this morning & the wind blowing we feel it more.. Phineas Carol here whitewashing the dining room & kitchen.

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41^o Clear N.W. May Friday 14th 1880

Jno C Bentley took our Germantown wagon & went with a party to the "Falls" of the Potomac. I drove to Riverside in the afternoon in light buggy taking Willie. Charley took Hallie Lea to "Ingleside" in the evening. I read and wrote letter from & to D.Aquilla Brought from "Riverside" a small "lawn mower". Was called to Remus Johnson's in the evening in time to witness the death of his wife from "apoplexy".

55^o Clear N.W. Saturday 15th

Mended "Lawn mower". Afternoon drove to Riverside in the phaeton & brought Willie hom, he having spent the day with his cousins Herbert & Richard. Walked to store in evening & got pair "low cut buttoned shoes."

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65^o Clear N.W. May Sunday 16th 1880

Dora Charley & Willie all went to meeting. Charley and Willie first having driven over to Jackson & Bentley's. "Whitsuntide" Sunday. considerable travel among the colored people. Helen & Harry Lea took tea with us. Herbert Kirk came to spend night & leave for home tomorrow. Ernest brought him out.

"Whitsuntide" 65^o Clear N.W. Monday 17th

Levi Shaw's people here for advice etc for "whooping cough". Herbert Kirk left in late stage for home. I took the phaeton to Budd's shop to have tires cut. Wash woman here.

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65^o Clear W May Tuesday 18th 1880 Charley & I left home at about 6.40 a.m. (in the phaeton) for Washington via Norwood pike. Stopped at "Graves" & had "Polly" reshod. Reached Gheen's & Osborn's stables at 9.40. Went to Tremont House & registered, thence to C Abert Esq's & Capitol Visited both houses of Congress (in session) & back to Tremont to dinner. Went again to Mr Abert's office where C left me & went to Races. He met me again at stables at 6.30 p.m. Soon after which we started home, reaching here about 10.40, having a beautiful moonlight drive. Coming via Sligo & Ashton Road.

65^o Clear S.W. Wednesday 19th

Quite tired & stiff from the Washington trip yesterday. Louisa Howard here with daughter for advice etc. Took Polly to shop & had another shoe put on hind foot. Saml J Hopkins called.

Went to Richd: J Bentleys to tea. Walked up to the store in evening.

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67^o Clear S.W. May Thursday 20th 1880

Colored boy "Jim Clark" came to work. Sent him with the colt to "Scott's" to pasture. Lucy Stabler called. Afternoon drove to William Thomas. After tea Charley took his sister & Miss Estelle Tyson to a "young folks" party at "Oak Grove". Isaac Hartshorne left the small parlor clock on his return from a trip to Balto for repairs.

67^o Clear & cloudy S.W. Friday 21st

Sent fifty Dollars to Wm. Milstead at "Laurel" by the stage driver William Leizear together with a letter of explanation. Warwick P Miller here for advice etc. before breakfast also Mrs Jno King. Drove in little buggy to Saml Crawford's to Leawood Mills & Riverside taking the boy "Jim" with me. Afternoon drove to Fulford to prescribe for Hallie Lea's sore throat. After tea Charley & Dora went to "Osceola" to a "young folks" party. Recd: Money order from D Aquilla. Children returned from "Osceola" at 11.35 p.m. having witnessed a coal oil explosion, not in the programme.

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68° Cloudy S.E. May - Saturday 22^d 1880

Threatning Rain & slight sprinkle Drove to "Fulford" to see Hallie Lea Mr. Ernest Lawford called for advice &c for his Bro: Bros: Richd & Chas: called with a horse they had bought for Bro W^m Richard staid to dinner and most of the afternoon. & as it Rained (a fine shower) He went home in my phaeton. Eliza Thomas here for advice & treatment for sore throat. Ernest called in the Evening -

61° Cloudy + Rain S.E Sunday 23^d

Charley went home with Ernest last night (on horseback) after the store closed. Willie went to meeting. Several showers during the forenoon - Afternoon. Eustace Lawford & Phineas Carol's wife here for advice &c. Charley came home & went in buggy to N. FulfordWillie & I walked up to Gideon Gilpin's & waited for Charley.

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67° Cloud - S.W. 1880 May- Monday 24th

Threatning Rain until after dinner when it cleared off warm. Took the Phaeton to Tom Budd's and had one plate of hind spring mended also lock plate put on & shaft box repaired - Put a new blade in father's old pocket knife ground up the old one & put it generally in first Rate order once more - Mary Hamilton (nee Cole) here & had tooth Extracted had shoes put on Counts hind feet. Mr. Eustace Lawford here in the evening -

Clear - S. W. 70 MondayTuesday 25^th

Drove over to Jackson & Bentley's and to Clinton Cissell's in light buggy (taking Willie with me) put a "shut spring" on Venetian door in passage. After tea Charley drove over to the River for a bath. It has been exceedingly warm in the sun to-day but a nice little breeze has Rendered it bearable. Little Edward quite sick with diarrhoea, vomiting, and high fever.

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70 Clear S.W. May Wednesday 26th 1880

Was up much of last night with our dear little Edward who was suffering much with high fever, painful diarrhoea & occasional vomiting. Drove (in the Germantown) to Ashton for medicine &c and to Fulford for ice. Edwd: seems better. Mary Ann Plummer here for advice and medicine

70º Clear S.W. Thursday 27th

Another very warm day. Ruben Hopkins here for advice & medicine. Went in open buggy to Mr. Frank Wilson's & thence (via Brown's bridge) around to Jackson and Bentley's store & home. Afternoon I took the horses over to "Riverside" & brought the omnibus home. After tea Charley went with Ernest to N. Fulford.

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70 Clear and Cloudy - S.W. Friday 28th 1880

Harriet Jackson (colored) called me up (about 2 o'clock this am) to prescribe for her daughter. Drove in phaeton to Fulford. Worked the potatoes and gave the bugs a dose of Paris Green. I have never seen potato bugs in such myriads before. Bro: R brought cousin Hannah Chaudlee over to spend a night with us.

Saturday 29th