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13[201] DIARY OF FRANCIS TAYLOR, 1792
1792,
June,
6, [Continued] The hail, injured John Leather's crop of Wheat almost to ruin- Maj'r Langham's also was much hurt, Other fields were damaged but not so greatly that have yet heard of.
7, I rode to Court house, gave Mr. Howard a Mem'dm to get me some articles at Philadelphia, for w'ch place he set out to day- Maj'r Moore, Maj'r Langham & Mr. Howard went to Capt Burnley's, he asked me, I rode by home & went there to dinner. Mr. Howard proceeded on his journey, intending to Stevensburg- A very little rain in evening, cool day.
8, Cool night and morning- Began before sunrises to rain fine or small rain, continued cloudy all day tho'very little rain- I went with my father to Chas Taylor' J. Taylor, J. Taylor jr, Nancy Taylor, Thos Barbour's wife and Betty Chew dined there.
9, Still cloudy, in the evening a few drops of rain. Jas Taylor came over after breakfast and Ch's Taylor, they dined here and after dinner we went to the Court house, brought home 10 yards brown Linen G.C.T bought in Fred'g for me.
10, Having been for two days rather more unwell than usual I took a Dose of Salts &c- & Rhubarb in the evening- Reu Taylor came here before noon- soon after he came it set in raining with smart North Wind, the rain was small and continued constant till night, I think it the best rain since 22d April. R.T. walked here My father lent him his horse &c at night to return-Very cool weather. [SUNDAY]
11, Cloudy, misty morning and continues cool. G.C. Taylor returned here from Caroline He received The money for me of Mr. Lovell for which a Hhd Tob'o sold, Nt 1255 lb at 18/- $11. 5.10-and bought for me 10 yds Brown Linen 9/2 & a Box Andersons pills 2/- After dinner G.C.T went to Jas Taylor's, very rainy and cold-Had Watermelon & Cucumbers replanted-
12, Very rainy day and cool- Much rain fell though it was fine- G.C. Taylor came from J. Taylor's after breakfast and after dinner went to C. Taylor's & returned at night.
13, Continues cloudy and cold, some rain in the morning, cleared by noon- G.C. Taylor rode to Court house after dinner, James Bell came home with him.
14, James Bell went away after breakfast- G.C. Taylor set off at same time to Doct'r Walker's with Syl, who returned with the horses in the evening- My father went to Maj'r Lee's as soon as breakfast over, but he had set out for Fredericksburg. After dinner he walked C. Taylor's with a boy to carry G.C. Taylor's Linen &c, for Miss M. Conway to make shirts. Weather clear, and rather cool.
15, Weather warmer this morning than lately. My father rode to the Store at C. house, bo't needles, thread &c. Betty Chew and Nancy Taylor walked here, the former asked me to do somethng about her claim to 30 acres of Land &c whereon Henry Lee now lives- they returned befoe noon. My father dined and then went over to C. Taylor's to carry thread &c for C.G. Taylor's shirts. I cut most of the Peach trees that were planted last year from down near the root. The Locusts had injured them very much, the limbs and bodies of many appeared dying- The Locust lasted in great numbers from about the 2d of May four weeks. Some Locusts (tho' but few) continued about ten days after their continuance about four weeks, about that time a spell of wet cold weather happened which it is thought destroyed great numbers, otherwise they probably would have had a longer duration.
16, I rode to Court house- got my mare's shoes removed. Received my newspapers, Most of the Papers brought by Post did not come from the office at Fredericksburg, where tis supposed they will not deliver them until the postage paid. I came home & dined and walked J. Taylor's in evening. He had rode out and came by here but got home before I came away- Weather changed to warm. Two of my father Sows died this week.
17, My father and I rode to Court house. A Mr. Ellis, a Methodist, preached to a large audience, those whose opinions I heard said they thought he delivered a good sermon. We returned to dinner- Warm, some clouds & distant thunder-
18, My father sent Syl to Th's Mallory's with 34 lb thread to be wove- I also sent some fine thread to be made into Jeans with 2 lb Cotton I had there before.

From the TAYLOR DIARY, #1907-z in the Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina Library, Chapel Hill. FOR REFERENCE ONLY: PERMISSION TO PUBLISH MUST BE REQUESTED. WARNING: MOST MANUSCRIPTS ARE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT.