Diary of Jeremiah White Graves, Volume 3, Book 7

1876 April 20 Edmond got back last night a little after day light down got 4 Bags, Sea Fowl Guano safe & sound. To day Edmond is clearing the fence towards ^{Edmond Tuckers} Jimmie is plowing & Wm & Nannie with Edmd Peter is Plowing up his Potatoe Patch to day this evening Hauling rails along fence between me & Edmond Tucker place I rent him

21st Edmd & Peter fencing corn field fence next to Edmd Tucker our p^t of Cross fence & out side fence Coming towards home Jimmie & W^m plowing for Corn I went up to Mount Airy & got some Plaster from Mr Creasey to Plant Corn next Week ---

22nd Edmond & Peter & Nannie Hauling rails & fencing around Corn field. beautifull ^[unclear] day. Jimmie & W^m Plowing for Corn in fresh field, Planted Peas in Garden yesterday. Made Hot Bed. Easter Monday Edm^d & Jimmie made it & got Potatoes from Mrs ^Powers

Sunday 23rd April Rained a little Yesterday in the evening Sent Jimmie to Millers Mill after Hh^ds Slaves & I got 1 Bag of Plaster to Plant Corn of Mr G Creasey at Mount Airy Yesterday Peter Adams fixing Corn planter D^o in evening.

Edm^d was Plowing in Jimmies place. little Cloudy this Turned out White & Buck On Friday last & this morning stoping feeding Cows put Tom my Bull in pasture for Dolley one of our Milch Cows -- Keeps a little Corn yet.

24 Rained nearly all night & at it this morning Tobacco not in order yet, but coming

25. Rained Thundered nearly all day yesterday Edmond took down some of ^Tobacco This morning taking down my Lugs for Seconds made on creek & some Seconds & Lugs of Lowrys, which I am to Sell

1876 April 25 Sent Jimmy to Yates Mill With 2½ Bus Corn for us meal 2 Bus Corn Sent Peter for meal & 2 Bags for Edm^d dews meal got meal for all

26. made Bed Corn 10 p^s. our Bed Corn too ^short Edmond Harrowed lot by ^old prise Barn the other Side of drain & now by corn house Peter listing in Lot above house Jimmy Plowing in fresh field, fair pretty day Cool weather fixing to begin to Plant Corn tomorrow some, frost this morning --

27 Still Planting Corn Edm^d & Peter putting began to plant Corn, Peter above house. Planting ^{Began to Plant Corn Peter above house}it with Guano & Plaster fine weather James D Hunt came here & went away this day 2 nights & 2 days nearly ---- Kato to day in evening to drop Corn for Peter Edmond & his gang planting in fresh field.

28th Edmond planting in fresh field Peter Planting Kate droping above house

29 Rained this morning Jery came this evening

April 30th Edmond Harrowing by Corn House " " Peter Listing in fresh ground --- " " & then went to Planting Edmond breaking up till 12 oclock then planting cleared off very pretty rather cool Peter finished planting in lot above House He put plaster & ashes on Corn 8 or 10 rows between drains above Garden to try it & no Guano, Put Plaster on Bed this morning at 12 oclock Manured with Peruvian Guano & Coal Dust to day --- Sunday this day sometimes Cloudy & Wind Blew very hard nearly all day long, ^{Cool nearly all the time}

May 1 Monday Planting Edm^d & Peter Peter planting all his Corn in Sea fowl Guano & Plaster Edmond rows his corn in Guano only very Cool all day flies eating all the Tob^a plants

1876 May 2nd Planting corn Edm^d & Peter in fresh field, they both were hindered by Old Martin at mountian field to put ^{out fire} he let get out burning Brown Sage & burnt 100 Pannels of my fence Cloudy & like for rain this morning Began to rain about 9 Oclock quite cool Raining nearly all the evening weather Very cool, cant strip Tobacco not in order Forkin[g] up some manure cleaning up fence above Granary where we will tend while it stops raining Peter in shop fixing s[w]ingletrees

3. Putting Dust out of Hogs bed on Plant Beds for the purpose of keeping the flies from eating them up Cloudy & like for rain Will go to planting Corn after awhile quite Cool & damp, 1 Turkey Hen out only 6 turkeys

4 Peter Planting corn to day Edmond fixing my little corn Patch by Irish Potatoes & will Planted it Snaps simblings & etc Plowing little Corner by Turnip Patch for & Bedding in Garden for Peter Planted my Pea Patch in p^t to day Greens etc, Jimmie Beding opened the Beds W^m droped Jimmie Covered Rolled the corn in Guano^{Put Plaster & little Guano with my Peas in Hill} & Plaster Planted Corn Simblings & Pumpkins & snaps in my Patch Planted out some greens & corn & snaps in Garden by Pear tree Nannie Dress & Miss Frankie worked & manured onions Nannie put manure round apple tree Edmond planted corn by corn house to day I planted Cimblings by corn house

5 May Friday Peter Planting putting Guano in hill ^{Plaster out} Edmond & Jimmie Beding on Branch by Pig Pen Planting corn & snaps there Cimblings & Pumpkins Coolest April & May I think I ever saw in all my life before

6th Edmond has planted by corn house & expects to finish fixing & Planting the Lot the other side drain in Lot by old prise Barn, -

1876 May 6th Peter Planting in fresh field yet & will get down in that field this morning & then he will only have ½ only of the fresh ^{field above the granary} last night & this morning the first night & morning that is warm & Beautiful for a long time for every thing to grow. Edmond & Peter Come into fresh ground above Granary Listing & then planting that monday If providence permits

7 Sunday clear soon in the morning cloudied up & looked likely for rain.

8th. Monday cloudy some but no rain yet Edmond & Peter fixing fresh ground & above Road to Plant Corn, cloud & warm at night

9th. Rained moderately about all night & Raining this morning not done planting corn yet. took my Creek Tobacco & that came from Lowrys of the good, & mine from Creek Down in Bulk on Sticks -- this morning Tobacco plants very sorry flies nearly eat them up Stop raining about 12 oclock

10th May Picked & cleaned plant Beds Striped Tobacco awhile manured them with Guano & Hog Bed dust Edmond & Jimmy plant corn in fresh ground this evening wind blew very hard to day Peter finished Bedding in fresh ground Jimmy Edmond is planting Mrs Harvey sent for some ^{alecampaign[?]} Very cool this evening, & windy N.

11th. Plowing for Greens etc etc Peter & Edm^d both Nannie & me went to W^m Moses to day

12 Edm^d cleaning up in our field this morning Peter planting corn this morning Clear day & cool Nannie Dews at work in Garden fixing to plant Cabbage Plants Tomatoe Cucumber cimbling Pumpkins both sorts Corn & snaps both etc etc etc Nannie D. Planted the above in Garden yesterday & this morning

13th. Peter finished planting yesterday. Edm^d finishing, not much ^rain last night, warm this morning, Planting cotton etc this morning

1876 May 13 Nannie going to meeting S S today Nannie Dews Worked in Garden Planted Cotton & Irish Potatoes some Beets Tomatoes Corn & Snaps Water Melons Cucumbers Pumpkins Misses Frankie helped her Plant Cotton Edmond Dews finished planting Corn this day & went to cleaning up old field for Tobacco Peter done but little today I think --

14 I went to meeting S S by myself today quite cool flies eat all the tobacco plants

15 Nannie & me went up JR Whitehead Mrs Coleman not there to promise by letter I left Nannie & come home by Sun down Peter ^{Edmond began to milk Dolley this day} Hauling out manure on his Lot Edmond cleaning up old field & Jimmie is Plowing old field

16th Edmond & Peter same work ^work cloudy ^{& like for _rain}

17 Cloudy this morning Edmond fixing some of his Tobacco Land for corn Peter Plowing in manure on Tobacco land Clouday all day Edmond planting corn on fresh ground above wheat I had some ^Pumpkinspumpkins ^Planted there this evening have not seen the Sun to oday Mr M Lain finished Hh^d for Tobacco this morning.

18th Edmond Tucker here all day prizing Tobacco NannieDews & W^m helping & got done about 9 oclock in & put the [Turce] in Barn Rained in evening Peter began to Plow ^{his corn} his

19th Peter Hauling rails this morning Edmd Dews striping Tobacco Jimmie coltering in New ground this morning I had a hard time prising yesterday with old Prize etc etc thank the Lord we finished it

20. I went after Nannie today got home a little night did not rain got 46 slips at Mr Lains 8 of which was african planted there last ^night Just below Turnip Patch & covered them up cloudy this & likely for rail[rain] yesterday Very Hot Done striping Tobacco this day got Nelly shoes^{before changed}