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DIARY OF FRANCIS TAYLOR, 1796,

1796,
March,
25, Good Friday. Hard frost. Ice 1/2 inch thick- Cool clear day, snow clouds at G't Mountains. John Leathers came here & agreed to Carry W. Taylor's Trunk to Charlottesville for 3 dollars, he was paid two- We went to Court house. W Taylor & Jon'a Gibson went away before Sermon - Mr O'Neil preached. I dined at J. Taylors- T Barbour's family there. I paid Mr Shepherd 3d for bringing 9 1/2 lb Steel from Blair's.
26, Hard frost- Ice 1/2 inch thick. Hazy & Smoky, cold. I was sent for and went to J. Taylor's. Aunt Taylor, C. P. Howard & wife, Mrs Burnley and daughter dined there- Mr W. C. Brown came after dinner. J. Taylor jr & wife, T Barbour's family also were there. Had Beets sown in Borders round 'Sparagus square- Frank went Maj'r Langham's & got 4 Rose bushes and 4 Grey heart Cyons.
27, Easter Sunday, Great white frost, some ice, Fair and moderate. I walked to Court house- Mr O'Neil preached, the Congregation was greater than the former had been. I dined at Aunt Taylor's Col. Madison & wife, Maj'r John Daniel & wife, Mrs Burnley & daughters there. I paid Col. Madison 3/6 for a Bell I had last year. Bought a Bridle of C. P. Howard for 4/- & paid him.
28, White frost- cold winds & some clouds. I went to Court. Received 200 dollars of T. Barbour jr £60.0.0.
Rec'd of D. Triplett p/r T. Richards, 61.8.8.
121. 5. 8. 3/4
Paid Anthony Buck, Mess'rs Blair's Acco't 31. 5. 8 3/4
Paid a Waggoner for 33 Gallons Whisky @ 4/9 7. 16. 9
Det C. P. Howard have 100 dollars Bank notes
he ret'd £24. 18. 6 (bal'ce he is to pay £5. 1. 6.) 5. 1. 6
29, A little frost, Dry, windy & smoky. I sent my Cart to Court house and brought
home the Barrel Whisky I bought yesterday. Also 3 Bushels of Salt from A Shepherd jun'r. I walked to the Court- paid 20/3 for the Salt, also paid John Leathers a Dollar, the balance Wm Taylor was to give him, (making 3 dollars) for carrying his trunk to Charlottesville, which he did yesterday and got back to day. I dined at T. Bell's, 4/6. Mr. Wm Dade sent me a present of 2 Rocks [fish] and some perch.
30, Warm, dry, windy and smoky. I rode to Court- not many people there nor much business done to day. I dined at home at night.
31, Very dry, warm and smoky. Maj'r John Lee came about noon to see me and dine- After dinner I rode with him to Court- they did much business (I heard) & adjourned.

April,
1, Friday, Dry weather continues- Peach trees in bloom, the fruit has been oit with passed frosts, considerably. I drew off the whisky bought last Monday, think it weak. Macon Biggers cut and marked 14 shoats. C. Taylor sent a boy for Cabbages &c & to ask me to dinner. I went. Wm Taylor & wife- Bro'r James, his wife, Nancy Taylor, J. Taylor jr & wife, were there. Wm Taylor agreed to give me £20. for my young bay mare. I told him would wait for payment till be returns from Kentucky. Hannah began to lead Oxen.
2, Smoky. In the evening thunder to the North, some drops of rain & violent wind from North, very dusty. Wm Taylor sent for & got the young bay mare. I was taken ill this morning with a chilliness w'ch lasted some hours, a very high fever followed & continued all day. Reuben Taylor called here going to Court house, asked me if I wou'd let him have some whisky, did not determine. Had Scarcity sown in beds of N.E. Square in Garden.
3, Rained a little last night, cool, cloudy day but no rain. I am somewhat better in health, took 20 grains Jallap & 15 grains Ipecachuanar. C. Taylor & Wm Taylor came here. I went with them to J. Taylor's, their wives &c dined at J. Taylor's.
4, Monday, Clear, a very slight frost-smoky, warm evening- very dry. I went to C. Taylor's he went with me to Mr. Dane's- Wm Taylor was there getting horses shod- Allan Massey also there- C. Taylor & I went from Wm Dade's about noon to Col. Law'ce Taliaferro's- Mrs Miller was teaching Dancing- Brother James, Richard Taliaferro &c dined there, also Mrs Dade, J. Taylor, C. Taylor & I came

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.