197

3 [191]DIARY OF FRANCIS TAYLOR, 1792, 1792, February, 1, Cold last night tho'not so severe as some past weather. Had crust on Snow hard enought to bear a light man. C.Taylor, John Pendleton & Jas Taylor j'r dined here- Clear day, S.West wind, thawed some tho' pretty cold- 2, Mrs James came here last night to Eliza's house where my father's Sary had come to lie in- Sary delivered of a Boy this morning- Mrs James came to the house and breakfasted & then was sent home- The Stalled Ox killed this morning, it weighed 110 fore & 125 hind Qu'r, making about 470 lb. Nett. Only 22 lb Nett Tallow. The weather clear and moderate. 3, Fine mild weather, clear and thawed some. My father divided a fore Quarter of Beef in three parts and sent one part to each of my brothers, James, Charles & Reuben. We rode to James Taylor's, dined there. Fra's & William Madison, Betty Chew and J.Pendleton & famiy were there- F. & W.Madison came home with us- 4, F. & Wm Madison, J.Taylor & son, & J.Pendleton dined with us, they all went away in the evening. Clouded in the night, began early to rain, which it continued to do till in night, tho' very little fell- Snow thawed a good deal. 5, [SUNDAY] Cleared in the night, mild weather, thaw continues moderately, some flying clouds. 6, Moderate, thawed a little. My father rode to Court house, came by Uncle Taylor's & dined. Jenny Taylor has been very unwell, is a little mending. I being unwell, took a dose of salts & staid at home- 7, Clouded in last night not very cold. Began about 10 o'clock to snow and continued all day very fast, in evening (for a littetime) Sleet & rain & then fine Snow. 8, Snowed but little last night, some little this morning- the new Snow 6 or 7 inches upon the former which is somewhat more- ceased about 10 o'clock & good evening. I carried a ps. Linen to J.Taylor's, with buttons, thread &c, to make me 4 shirts, which J.Pendleton's wife is to make, also 1/2 doz Handkerchiefs to be hemmed- a Shirt to measure them. She is to make the shirts when she goes home J.Pendleton returned from Culpeper while I was over- I returned home about noon- Abner Porter came to my father's to enquire if he had Wheat to send to Fredericksburg, says the price is 5/- pr Bushel- He dined here. 9, J.Taylor, C.Taylor, J.Pendleton & J.Taylor jr dined here. Clear good weather, thawed a little- 10, South wind, not warm in morning- but changed to warm evening and thawed a good deal- My father sent Syl for Cloth &c at T,Mallory's, he met [r.M!s?] son coming with them & took & brought For my father 14 yards- Also brought a pr Yarn hose knit by Mrs Mallory, who ret'd some knitting pins. Henry Mallory's & Abs'm Smith's Waggons Loaded here with Wheat, by the measure 40 bus each. They were found by G.T. with Provision &c. The Wheat car'd on Smith's account. 11, Cloudy morning, the clouds thin and no falling weather, mild weather but does not thaw much. My father rode to Court house after breakfast, I not being well as usual did not go- Heard there was to be a Ball at Nooe's last night. My father did not return till sunset. Maj'r Moore came here between 1 & 2 o'clock dined and ret'd in evening. Some sunshine but not clear. 12, [SUNDAY] Cloudy and did not thaw much, a little sunshine in the evening, but cloudy- We dined at home. 13, Cloudy last night and changed cold- A mist which froze as it fell before day, and continued such weather till noon when it snowed fine snow till night &c. Overseer was here & said there were 5 lambs alive, 1 dead-2 14, Cloudy snowey mist in morning, Sleet, rain & snow in evening. My father went to Court house, this day being appointed for electing an additional member of Congress in this district, the day was so bad only a few persons mett, but 9 voters were there, who gave their votes for Mr.Brackenridge- I staid at home- My father got home in evening to dinner. 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 MANUCRIPTS ARE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT.