Diary of Jeremiah White Graves, Volume 2, Book 2

1845 Feby 22 this week Mr Moon has got shingles to cover Old House & he Began to strip tobacco in Big Barn on Hill this day - 21st halled lugs out of Mr Grastys new ground this day.

26th Feby. Beautiful weather allmost like May- Ja^s C. Hunt married yesterday 25th Feby 1845 — Shingling our old House this day Burning log Heaps etc etc Plowing in mountain field Mr Moon left on Thursday 27th Feby & Irby on Friday 28th without finishing

March 1 Children started to school this day -Jeremy at Stony Point & Plowing -Planted Irish Potatoes, English Peas & onions etc etc began to prize Lugs

7 I went to Rice to meeting

8 Raining & we are stripping Tobacco weather changed & a good deal cooler In Jany 1845 made a bargain Mr Ja^s Murphy to Plaster my House & white wash it to be finished off as I want it for $45. But If I think myself this work is worth $47.50$ I am to give him that sum the two Dolls and fifty cents is at my discretion which sum of $45 I am to pay said Murphy March or april 1846 - this is our contract

March [10?] Halled stacks and wood out^{& Piled up trash} of new ground

12 Halled up & getting out oats to sow

1845 March 14th Malissa sick child Born after midnight this morning --

15. Bud Faris sent for help to Roll Logs Could not help him Henry sowing oats. I am going to meeting. Federick cutting gutter for Malissa House to drain the water off -- Phil gone to mill. Just commencing sowing oats this morning tho have been preparing the ground for 2 days.

1845 ^{March 18th} Sewed 15 bushels to this night Fed gone to day to Roll Logs to Mr Neals Set yams this morning for [name?] to plant. Planted goard seed Paid Mr Moon $115 in all the other $10 I dont Know that I shall ever pay him without being compelled because he did not finish my ^houseat all & some he did do was not done workmanlike

¹⁸⁴⁵ March 19, Wednesday Very cold & windy ground hard frozen I am afraid Tobacco plants Killed. My wife & F.W. gone to see ^Coleman Mrs

20 Really a winters morning ground hard frozen. cant Plow. Freezing weather Pull Down old saddle House this morning at 12 Oclock this day the water Freezes in the Porch tremendous cold for March 1845 1845 26th. weather a little moderated Sewed flax seed nearly done sowing oats

1845. March 26 Sewed Plant Bed over on the Branch this day - weather has been very cold for more than a week. 1845 Our new ground nearly half coltered

27. weather moderate finished sewing oats

28 Went to saw mill paid off Mr Miller in full to the 30¢ in my Debt

31 weather moderate Stripping Tobacco & hope to finish this day & prizing Lugs Yesterday our new ground fence got burnt say 40 pannels fire got out from our new ground Saturday

29th monstrous fire in the woods towards good Hope gathered a good many hands & stopped it. done no mischief

30. Fire at new ground & burnt 40 panels fence entirely for me

April 3rd Finished coltering new ground this day - Plowing for corn Planted snaps and corn in Garden

2nd April, 4th planted snaps, cucumbers & simlings in garden etc etc weather dry & warm at this time

8 April commenced making new ground Tobacco Hills still for Corn ground hard and very cool every thing Kill allmost Killed this morning 9th April 1845 Smart - Ice in places

1845. April 9th Remarkable dry & very cool --- Henry Clay has the Distemper very bad --- Moons Negroes cut his wifes throat & very near Killed her On the 8th April every thing Killed almost Beets & all the fruit Killed

11th. Commencing planting corn in mountain field Weather rather warmer but very dry & Windy no appearance of Rain

12 Still dry & little cool, planting corn ^^{& Snaps} by Malissas House Very Smoky Weather - Planted Sweet Potatoes

14th Planting Corn at Stony Point Looks a little like Rain, weather a little cool, great deal Smoky weather

15. Still Planting corn at Stony Point it looks something like ^rain Weather moderate

16 No rain faired off dry & Hot. Planted Corn & Snaps back of Garden this day Fed Halling Rails to make Tobacco Lot by Henrys House, Marked my Calves & Turned all out this morning Still very Smoky

16th Planted all our corn except where the ground is too hard to break up

17 Hilling & colter New ground

1845 April 18th. Cloudy & Drizling Rain none yet to do any good Hilling new ground little cool this morning Sent by Phil counterpane to Mrs Jno Tucker to weave flower of almond the Draught 9¢ cash & dif in trade -

19th began to rain about night & rained moderate 19th one or 2 Hours, Planted out some cabbage plants - ground yet hard in places Sent Bro. Wm Dews at meeting 1/6 -

21 Cloudy but no more Rain yet Shuck Peas this Morning. Breaking Balance of our corn Land

-22 Finished Planting Corn at Stony began to prize tobacco again & Coltering & Hilling new ground,-

23 Prizing Tobacco short coltering with Horse & Hilling new ground

26 last evening had a shower of Rain Prizing Tobacco & about finishing hilling up new ground Planted watermellon Seed in sweet Potatoe Patch, & also set out Tomatoe and Cabbage plants this day. Manured Plant Beds. Coltering up cow Pen for Corn, Dry & Hot little Windy -

28 Finished Planting in cow pen Lot etc - Hilling up little new ground on Branch above Granary planted Pumpkin seed etc