Box 1, Folder 4: Diary 1811-1832

[Left page]

30

17th July - Worked on the canal and got a letter from Darius giving an account of his journey to Circleville 18th In the [\strike afternoon \strike] morning I copied the Engineers reports estimates & Afternoon I went to Louisville to give them to the board of directors got some drawing paper. 19th Commenced drawing a plan of the locks - Went over the river with Mr Taylor in search of specimens 20th Sunday. Went to Louisville with Mr Henry & Mr Taylor, but stayed at home most of the day. 21st Done some work on the canal stoped on account of a heavy rain storm. When to Louisville & had the wheel barrow wheels shipped on board the S.B. Gen Marrion Recd a no. of [Sullivan's?] Journal 22nd Worked a little on the canal & done some writing for Mr Henry. After which we took a survey of the bank fo the river from Portland up to Louisville. 23rd Finished the survey and made a map from it - Read in [?]. 24th Done some work on the canal & then drew a map of the proposed alteration of the line at the upper end. Found a shell called by Dr [Hildrett?] [Unis Fohotus?]. 25th Copied the reports & in the forenoon I took them to Louisville in the afternoon. 26th Rainey - Worked a little on the plan of the locks commenced measuring stone. 27th Sunday - Wrote a letter to Dr Hildrett mentioning

[Right page]

31

that I had found his new shell the [Fobiatus?] - also to Darius - Took a long walk in the afternoon with Mr Henry and Mr Taylor in the country 28th Done some work on the canal with Mr Henry then went to measuring stone. 29th Measured stone till noon then done some work on the canal with Mr Henry - There was a man killed in the street by another by stabbing. 30th Done a little work on the canal in the morning & then continued measuring stone 31st Spent my time measuring stone. 1st August - Copied the Reports & I took them to Louisville. Gave the printer the meteorlogical table for July - Bought a map of Tennesee 2nd - Spent most of the time in measuring stone 3rd Sunday A shower of rain came on yesterday and continued through the night and at intervals during the day. Finished the plan of the locks which I began some time ago. Wrote a letter to Darius 4th Election day. Went up the canal in the morning & went over to Rocky Island after dinner. 5th Wrote a letter to Mrs Phoebe Allen a cousin of Lockport. When to Louisville 5th Last day of the Election Jackson candidates have majorities. Mr Henry spent his time [Electroneery?] & I in Reading the New York Canal laws from which I have made some extracts in my book of Canal memorandums.

[Left Page]

32

7th August Worked on the canal in the forenoon Spent my time in reading in the afternoon 8th Worked in the office in the forenoon, Went to Louisville to deliver the Engineers report Mr Davidson from Philadelphia arrive, he is President of the directors in place of Mr Berthow, resigned, - got a letter from Darius - Copied some notes from Treadgold treatise on railroads. 9th Done some work on the canal in the canal in the fore noon. Drew a plan of the quotes for the workmen. 10th Sunday - Read in the N.T. canal [Lawes?] 11th Worked on the canal - [Swaped?] paint boxes with Mr [Sayre?] & gave him some plans to boot - Took a dose of the oil of the fruit of the [Creton?] [Fig-blume?]. 12th Worked part of the time on the canal & the rest in drawing plans for Sayre. 14 Done but little work on the canal - spent most of the time drawing. 14th [Canarf?] White arrive. Went to Louisville to deliver a paper for Mr Henry - First stone laid in the bridge 15th Done some work on the canal in the morning and then assisted in working out the Engineers Report. In the afternoon I [earned?] the [T?] Louisville - Saw Mr White. 16 Spent most of the time in drawing and reading 17th Sunday. Stayed at home.

[Right Page]

33

18th August. Received a letter from Darius & one from Phoebe Allen for him - Spent my time writing and drawing. - 19th Henry Clay arrived - Worked on the canal in the forenoon. Wen to Louisville, got some drawing paper. Sent a letter to [Miss?] Allen. Mr Henry was before the board of directors 20th - Mr Henry went to Louisville & I worked on the canal - Mr White tried some experiments in [blarthy?] rock with tubes without [tampiy?] but did not succeed well. He wants me to collect a set of Muscle shells for him from this river. Socks & Bridgeport under contract to [Courney?] [Sayre?] & co. 21st Worked on the canal - Mr Henry came down from Louisville this evening & brought me a present from Mr C. White of Comstock's Greek Revolution. 22nd Set some stakes & then made out the Reports & estimates - Carried them to Louisville Mr White left. 23rd Worked part of the time on the canal & part in my room reading the "Greek Revolution" 24th Sunday Wrote a letter to Father & another to Darius on the same paper. Went a fishing with Mr Victor Audobon. 25 Spent the forenoon on the canal & the afternoon drawing. 26 Went to Portland to get some castings. Then when to New Albany for the same purpose

[Left Page]

34

27th August Mr Henry went to Knob Creek to examine the property which was given to Carney Sayre & co. I worked on the canal. 28th Worked on the canal in the forenoon & spent the afternoon in reading. 29th Copied the reports - took them to Louisville. got $20 of Mr Goodwin & paid it to [Dotisle?] for board - Found a letter in the office for father, had it sent to Chillicothe. 30th Worked in the office in the forenoon & in the afternoon at the locks. 31st Sunday Stayed at home. 1st September. Went to Louisville. 2nd A [cold?] day worked on the canal 3rd Worked on the canal [?] 4th Henry went to Knob Creek Worked on the canal came down by way of the river & got some shells Went to a book sale at Louisville in the evening but bought nothing. 5th Done some work on the canal then assisted in making the report & after which I took a ride in a skiff 6th Worked on the canal in the fore noon. Went to Louisville in the afternoon. Got a specimen of [forilwood?] of Dr Rogers 7th Sunday. Worked at the locks in the fore noon - The lower [Mitre?] [sill?] was laid & we found the exact [piece?] for it - Went to [Govreliam?] afternoon 8th Rainy day - Copied the contract between the S&P Canal Co. & the [Courney?] Sayer & Co.

[Right Page]

35

9th Worked on the canal Recieved a letter from Darius 10th Worked on the canal 11th Went up the canal [Worked?] the river from [Corn?] to Grove island 12h Went up the canal - then copied Mr Henry's reports carried them to Louisville 13th Worked on the canal in the forenoon. Mr Henry went to Louisville & I wen to Grove Island with Mr Taylor. 14th Sunday Stayed at home 15th - [Sored?] lead around the [bolts?] of the upper [mitresill?] of the [?ward] lock. 16th Finished the above work - Spent rest of time reading 17th Mr Henry went to [Corydon?] Pa. & I worked on the canal. Sayre went to Ohio. 18th Went to Louisville in the forenoon & in the afternoon I worked at the locks 19th Mr Henry returned just in time to make his Reports I took them to Louisville - I got a new [Book?] - having had our [old?] one [broken?] by a stone from a blast. 20th Worked on the canal - then went to Gove Island to get some shells for Mr. White. 21 Sunday - Got a horse and took a ride among the knols back of New Albany. 22nd Worked on the canal - took some medicine 23rd Worked on the canal. 24th Worked on the canal in the fore noon took our new rod to Louisville to have it altered, got some [lagille?] [reds?] from the lock bar near Louisville.

[Left Page]

36

25th September. Worked part of the time on the canal and spent the rest of the time in reading. 26th Copied the estimates & and I took them to Louisville. Saw a balloon 27th Went to Louisville to borrow a rod - took levels on the earth not contracted to Southerland & Adams 28th Sunday - Went to church with Taylor & Henry - in the after noon took a walk with Taylor. 29th Went up the canal - got some "organic remains" from the rock. In the afternoon we were invited by Dr Clapp of New Albany Went to Louisville & got the new rod 30th Went up the canal - Worked at the locks in the afternoon. 1st October. made some calculations of the work of the canal. 2nd Went up the canal. In the afternoon I went over to New Albany to see Dr Clapp. He gave me some specimens from his cabinet & lent me a map of the falls. Got a letter from Darius. 3rd Worked on the canal then in in the office. Went to Louisville to deliver the reports &c. Got an order for me wages 3 months at $25per month. 4th Went up to Louisville to get the money on my order. Took a walk out to the bridge now building across Bear Grass Creek - Bought a grey coat cost $15.00 - Worked on the canal in the afternoon.

[Right page]

37

5th October Sunday - Henry, Taylor, Audobon & myself went to Louisville for the purpose of going to church, but as there was none we got a [snack?] & went to a camp-meeting about 5 miles South of the City - 6th Worked on the canal - Commenced a survey of the falls for the purpose of ascertaining the best situation for a bridge, across the river. Frost last night 7th Went to Louisville & took some levels for the bridge - Walked nearly across & Mr Henry went the rest of the way in a canoe. 8th Took levels from Jeffersonville to opposite Grove Island - Measured from the left shore to Grove Island - Mr Henry come over the falls in a canoe for the purpose of taking the soundings of the water. 9th Worked on the canal & commenced drawing a map of the Ohio Falls 10th Went up the canal & measured the pavement & base, [level?] this week - took the estimates up to Louisville. After I returned a Mr [Lucus?] Lyon of Detroit came & enquired for me. He had seen me at Sockport & had seen My description of the Canal in [Silliman's?] Journal. 11th Done some work on the canal & then Went to a "Political Barbuie" which was given about a mile from Louisville. 12th Sunday - Went over the river with Taylor and Audobon - went up the [bank?] to Jeffersonville.

[Left Page] 38 where we got dinner. We then went out to the [chalybeate?] springs about a mile back of that town. Returned by way of Clarksville 13th October. Drew a little on the map of the Falls then went up the canal. Went up to Louisville to take the necessary observations to get the distance across the river but could not get a compass. 14 Went again to Louisville to get a compass & was again disappointed. Worked on the map. 15th Went again after the compass but was again disappointed. Got a letter from Dr. S[J?] [Hildmoth?] of [Manettor?] Ohio in answer to my letter of the 2d Aug. last — 16th Got the compass & made the necessary observations to ascertain the width of the river, which is now rising. 17th Measured the pavement [etc?] for the estimates which I copied. Took them to [Louisville?] — got the Oct. No. of Silliman's Journal. 18th Spent most of my time in drawing the map of the Ohio Falls which is to accompany Mr. Henry's report respecting the bridge. Got a pair of boots price $6.50 19th Sunday. Took a long walk with Mr. [T.?] H Taylor up Silver Creek . Returned by way of New Albany. 20th. Spent most of the time [drawing?] — Wrote a letter to Darius also one to Dr. [Hildreth?] 21st Went to Louisville — worked on the canal 22d received a letter from Darius. [Right Page] 39 22d October. Worked on the canal. ———— 23d — Sent a box of specimens of minerals and fossils to Dr. [Hildreth?]. Went to Louisville. 24th Took measurements [etc?] for the estimates — copied them but had them sent to Louisville. Got a letter from Mifs [Miss?] [Phoebe?] Allen. Worked part of the time in plotting a survey. 25th Worked on the canal. 26th Sunday. Wrote a letter to Mifs [Miss] Allen on the subject of Religion — Walked to [Portland?] to see the steam boats. 27th Drew a plan of the bridge over the Ohio for Mr. Henry. 28 Went up to Louisville to get some newspapers worked on the canal 29th Worked on the canal — spent rest of my time in drawing — 30th Worked most of the time on the canal. 31st Measured pavement [etc.?] for the estimates which I copied & took to Louisville — Went to New Albany to get Silliman's Journal which I had lent to Dr. [Clapp?]. 1st November — Went to Louisville to ascertain whether there was a boat about to start for Cincinnati — I intend to make a visit to my parents in Ohio. Got some money {of?] Mr. Goodwin 2d Sunday Left Louisville at 9 o'clock in the Steam boat [Talisman?] 3d Arrived at Cincinnati just at night. Took supper with Parri at Hicks' (his boarding house) & slept with him in the office of the Western Tiller. 4th Took lodgings at [Denisons?] Inn — gave the