Box 1, Folder 4: Diary 1811-1832

[Left Page] 144 Portsmouth 1831 15th Went up the canal early on horseback to take the estimate, got through as far as Pond Creek — 16th Sunday — Worked all day on the estimate 17 " Went up the canal & took the rest of the notes for the estimates 18th layed out some work for Mofs at the through cut below town — Heard from Williams that the estimate would not be paid until next week — 19th Went up the canal to Brush creek 20 Went on to the McLanes culvert where I stayed [illegible] [illegible] 21 Remained at culvert 22 Went down to Portsmouth in the P.M. 23d Sunday — Stayed at Portsmouth — Wrote to Parri and to Phebe Allen of Lockeport got a letter from her a few days ago. 24 Went up the canal to Sec. 244 & returned 25 — Mr Williams & Capt Cleaveland arrived at night — celebration at Chillicothe 26 — Pay day — went up the canal to Brush creek — 27 — Rain last night went on up to Camp Creek & saw Mr & Mrs. Fisher Herrod's & Cutlar's folks (old friends) 28th Returned to Willcoxons — 29 Came to town — Went to see the [illegible] with ________ 30th Sunday — large meeting — went [illegible] times _______ Rainy ________ [Right Page] 145 Portsmouth Ohio 1831 31 October — Rainy — Stayed in town made out final accounts 1 November — Went up the canal — met Bradford on Gilliam's — continued to Devers' where we stayed — Examined the bottom &c for Johnson's Sec's 227 & 228 — nearly finished — carried money to McLane 2d Returned to Willcoxon's — Met Mr. [illegible] at Brush Creek. 3d Reexamine Gilliam's job which is done came to Portsmouth — Visited in the evening with Mr McVay — 4th Walked over to Willcoxon's where I got a horse of Bradford & rode to Brush Creek where I stayed — Saw a man drunk who was acquainted with our folks at Galen N.Y. — His name was [Curtes?] 5th Rode up to McLane's and waited for Mr Cleaveland till noon — Then came along Mr Waller who says that he will not come till tomorrow — Rode down to town with him — Sunday — Went to church to & so on 7th Assisted in making out final Ac'ts. Mr Cleaveland went to the "forts" with — 8th Indian summer — In the after noon went over to Mr Willcoxon's with [illegible] W— a young lady of this place accompanied with other ladies & gentleman Got a letter from Darius — He will be out of employment at the 1st Dec. — Got also a letter from Mr Carrol of Louisville giving some

[Left Page] Portsmouth Nov. 1831 encouragement for me to apply for a situation on the Lexington & Ohio Railroad — I then wrote a long letter to Darius proposing that he apply for that station — 9th Nov. Went up the canal to Brush Cr. but as I had forgot some business I returned to Willcoxons — 10th Went over to town & made a calculation of the seeding of the banks with grass. Mr Price arrived Mr Williams expected. 11th Went up the canal to McLane's culvert on horse back — some Words with Mr Martin the overseer at Brush Creek! — 12th Came down in the afternoon — went up Pond Creek to see the timber lodged there by the Hurricane last summer — Rode the horse to the ferry for Bradford to ride back — 13. Sunday — Fine day — well spent — 14th Went up the canal with the level as far as Brush Creek — with Bradford only — My axman left on Saturday for a trapping voiage to the head of the Yazoo river. 15th Went up to McLanes — set pegs to for Watson — met Cleveland — returning — 16th Came down to Portsmouth set pegs for Moss. Got another letter from Carrol saying that I can get employment on the R.R. My long letter to Darius was Miss carried & retud [returned] so I wrote again to night — wrote also to Mr Carrol — Sent a Box & letter to Dr Hildreth by Dr Hempstead

[Right Page] Portsmouth Nov. 1831 17th November — Went over to the canal & finished setting stakes for Moss by noon. In the evening went to a tea-party at Mr Davis' — Mr Williams returned from Chillicothe but went on immediatley to Cincinnati. 18th Stayed in town — Went to an exebition [exhibition] in the evening with some — to see a man eat fire, swallow a sword &c &c — a vulgar affair — 19th Went to the same show without any — & hissed the clown off the stage! — made as much fun as he did!! — Got a letter from home Sunday — Fine weather — wrote a letter to John Burnell at Casnovia N.Y. Mr Tarry in town — 21st — Went up the canal to Brush creek horseback 22 — Went up to McLanes & returned to Portsmouth wrode [rode] Bradfords little horse — Quilting! 23d Stayed in Portsmouth — 24th Went up the canal with the level — set stakes for McLane — 25th Set stakes for Watson & Dove and returned to Willcoxons or Bradfords 26 — Rain — went over to town measured pavement. Got a letter from Pazzi who is now in Columbus — Sunday — Cold day — Sung Mear at Sunday school 27th Stayed in town 28 " " " " Went to a Singing party in the

[Left Page] Portsmouth Dec. 1831

evening at Dr Offneer's. 30th Got a Letter from Darius — Went to another party in the evening at Mr Noels. Mr Jennison from Circleville & family arrived — they are to live a few miles below here — Came home from the party in the snow! 1st December — Snow 4 inches deep this morning Took a ride on the new Steam Boat Senator just finished in this place by Capt. Green; accompanied by a large party of ladies & gentlemen & I waited on Miss B.— but payed the most attention to Miss] Jennison — who is just from Vermont 2d Spent part of the time in fixing and settling our Quarterly accounts. Reading "A Year in Spain." 3d Stayed in town — Mr Voorhies & Henry Jennison arrived from Waverly. Went to a theatre in the evening. 4 Sunday — Went to Meeting &c as usual — Miss J. 5th — Visited some with Mr V — 6th done the same 7th Mr Voorhies went home in the morning and Mr Jennisons went to Rockville Snow again — 8th Went to Br. Creek & returned with Mr. Clench 9th Went out ot the Mouth of the Lille [illegible] to make an estimate of the work done on the bridge 10 — Made out the estimate above — Quite unwell with a cold (Influensa) 17th Spend the week at Portsmouth —

[Right Page] Portsmouth 1831 The severely cold weather continues — done some work with the level in Mass. pit — Read on Mechanics. 18th Sunday — 19th Went on the ice — which now extends quite across the Ohio — & skated up as far as Mortons — Theatre — Irish Wedding — 20th Went again on the ice and rigged a Whirligig for the girls — 21 — Measured the pit dug by Moss Sec 249 — Theatre with the Ladies — 22 Went up the canal to Brush Creek — took soundings in Brush Creek 23d Went up to McLanes & then returned to Portsmouth — Snowy afternoon — 24th Remained in town — Sunday Mr Voorhies is with us — 26 Mr Terry & Miss Y. in town — Singing party at Mr Glovers. 30th Splendid pary at Parker's Hotel. 31 — Lovers Quarrel. Letter from Mr. Kneas 1st January Sunday — Wrote to Darius about the letter from Mr Kneas the Engr. of the Lexington & Ohio Railroad company. Also wrote to John Burnell — Some folks turned out of meeting for Singing songs! 2d — Stayed in town (theatre) 3d Went to Hear Mr Hull deliver a Lecture on Grammer &c 4th Went up the canal & took an Estimate and returned to Portsmouth. Went to hear another

[Left Page] 152 Ports. Jan 1832 Lecture by Mr Hull & bought one of his books — A meeting is to be held on monday to form a Lyceum in this place. 5th Jan. Made out the estimate taken yesterday — rainy — Cleveland returned after night 6th Stayed at home 7th Measured Protective stone for Moss. 8th Sunday — Wrote a letter to Pazzi — Mr Waller took it to him 9th Stayed in town. Attended the Lyceum meeting a society was formed for the purpose of delivering Lectures. 10th Went up the canal — Layed out the new channel at Brush Creek — stayed at McLoghlins — 11th Went up to Camp creek 12 Returned to Portsmouth — River risen 30 feet since Saturday! began to fall — done much damage to steam boats &c which have now begun to run again 13 & 14 Stayed in town — Attended a meeting of the Lyceum. Sunday 16th Went up to Camp Creek, to notify the Contractors about the Estimate. 17 — Returned to Brush Creek (Rainy) 18 — Went to town afternoon. Creeks high found Mr Voorhies — got a letter from Darius dated at Cincinnati & one from Dr Jones — spring weather 19th Wrote 3 letters — To Darius, Mr Commissioner Williams & Dr Jones

[Right Page] 153 Ports. Jan. 1832 20th Jan. Went over to Bradfords & returned in morning — 21, 22, 23, 24 25 Stayed in town — Attended two lectures at the Lyceum. River very high 26-29 — Ditto. Got a letter from Darius & answered it. Wrote to Mr. E. F. Lee of Cincinnati. 30th Went up to Brush Creek. Crossed on the ice & came down in a "jumper" — broke down once and upset once in trying to pass a wagon. 31 Wrote to Pazzi. 1 February stayed in town 3d Went over to Willcoxons. River rising rapidly 4th Returned to town — heavy rains. 5th Sunday. Mr Price is with us — Mail from Chillicothe did not arrive till noon to day. Boats running on Ohio which is still rising rapidly. 6th Went up to Brush creek — ferried to Edds locks — Sludge filling up creek — Scioto very high. Returned to Willcoxons. 7th Rainy — came over to town in Moss flat boat. with Mr Loghry from Rockville. Water 5 feet below bottom (hill level) & 12 feet below highest known flood — Ferried a mile & a half! Noble river. 8 Rainy — stayed in town 9th " " Wrote a letter to Mr Smyth Editor of the American Farmer at Baltamore giving a description of Scioto County for publication. River now 10 feet below highest or 48 above lowest water — begun to fall. Weather warm — mud deep!

[Left Page] 156 Ports. Feb. 1832 10th Stayed in town — measured protection for Moss 11 — Got a letter from Darius in answer to my two last. Wrote a letter to Elias Langdon of Galen New York. Hail, thunder & lightning Sunday — Wrote an anwer to Darius — river again rising — nearly as high as ever known 13 Went up to Watsons above Brush Creek — met Mr Cleveland & returned — River as high as top of tow path — had to go some distance to get round the back water in Pond creek. 14th River higher than ever known before! several frame houses floating down — with hay, rails, wood, & almost every thing else. Many small houses & stables upset in Portsmouth. 15 — River still rising at the rate of one inch per hour. In the street. Went to a party in a skiff — fell overboard going home. 16 — River rising as before. Could not get over to the canal. Water in most of the houses 1 1/2 feet deep in my tavern & the passage leading to the office 17 — Does not rise so fast. 18 — Begun to fall last night — water 5 feet higher than ever known before & 63 feet higher than low water of 1830. Rode in a sail boat Claranette. 19. 20. 21. 22 River falling slowly — Judge Edds returned from Cincinnati — brought our pay for the last quarter ending 1 Dec. Washington's

[Right Page] Portsmouth. Feb 1832 birth day was celebrated by firing 24 guns & by drinking Egg-nog & apple-toddy! 23 Went up the canal to Lucus' — Severe snow storm! 24 — Continued up to Brush creek & then returned to Portsmouth — Water fallen 12 feet. Sent a letter to Pittsburgh for some Rice paper. Also wrote to Judge Hall to stop the Illinois Magazine & to H. L. Barnum on business for Lucus. 25 - 28 — Stayed in town — Extremely muddy, — some rain 29 — Fair day! first for a long time — Went up the line with the Level — stayed at McLochlin's. 1 March — Went up to McLanes & set some firm stakes & then returned to Bradford's. High water 9 inches higher at Br. Creek than at Portsmouth 2d — Went over to town — met Cleveland — Mr Garrison returned from his trapping voiage [voyage] to the Jarsoo river. 3 — Stayed in town Mr F. G. Bates from the Yellow Springs visited us — he is just on his return from Rochester N. Y. — 4 Sunday — Walked over to the Locks with Mr B. accompanied by an Englishman & Mr Waller. Heavy hail storm in the evening. 5 & ^ Stayed in town — Cleveland lectured before the Lyceum on Arithmetic