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7[261] DIARY OF FRANCIS TAYLOR, 1795, 1795
April,
6, Very warm,some clouds & drops rain. I have been very unwell for several days. There was to be a Cockfight at John Waugh's and most of the men went from about here- I went to C.Taylor's-J.Taylor's wife, Nancy Taylor,children, Mrs Dade & children & Kitty Nooe, M Chew were there. Frank rode my colt from home before noon & did not get back till dark.
7, Warm & Spring weather. Sowed about 5 Bus Oats,some below the Overseer's,and about the same quantity by Peach Orchard. I took a dose salts- Replanted 4 Apple trees. Frank complains of being sick-gave him salts.
8, Warm, a little rain in morn'g, cloudy day. Sowed about a bushel Flax seed in Mountain Valley. I went down the run, caught a few fish. Mr. J.W.Berry got here at night, returning from his father's to Kentucky.
9, Thursday, Turned cool in night-some clouds-cold evening. Reuben Taylor came by I went with him and J.W.Berry to Wm Dade's- Suky Gibson,Suky Conway,John Nooe & sister Nancy Taylor, Sally & Betsy Taylor & Mr Coleman dined there. Col L. Taliaferro's two daughters came in evening & Mr Massey there a little in day. Mr.Berry came home with me & walked to J.Taylor's. Reu Taylor came away when we did from Mr.Dade's. M.Biggers fixed Steps to my East door to day.
10, Cold,windy,sharp last night, ice 1/4 thick in the porch and cold fair day. John Washington Berry came from J.Taylor's early in morning. He left a Bank note 5 Dollars for G.C.Taylor which sum he had borrowed. F.T. pd 5 Dol's to G.C.T. I sent Letters to Jon'a Taylor & Rich'd Taylor. After breakfast J.W. Berry set out intending to night to get to Mr Joel Doggett's.
11, Hard Frost, I fear has injured most of the fruit, smoky andcontinues cool. J.Taylor brought an order from G.C.Taylor on me for $26.19.0, which I paid & charged to G.C.Taylor's acco't w'th G'T's Estate. J.Taylor paid me for Mess'rs Tho's & Ja's Barbour $26.5.5. & 13/7, the balance against him in my father's Estate acc'o.
12, Sunday. Frost but not sharp. Smoky and cloudy evening and began to rain about sunset. I went to C.Taylor's- he was from home & Sally was gone to Cap Conways Dan'l Davis dined at C.Taylor's where he went to get advice about a sick child- He came here & I gave him some garden peas to plant. Friday, the 10th instant, M.Biggers sowed Cabbage & other seeds in burnt patches, says those sown formerly(except Lettuce) were destroyed by insects. Had last evening some Cimbling seed planted-
13, A good rain in night-cloudy morn,find day. I had headache & fever. Aug'ne Webb came here from Office,wanted me to go there but I did not, he said J.Taylor was gone from hone. John Pence came here & got licence to marry Eliz'a Lucas- Zach Lucas security.
14, Fine day. I went to J.Taylor's, paid him Licence fee received of Pence, he paid 3/- for 3 lb butter- C.Taylor & family came & I staid there to dinner. R'd Barbour came with J.Taylor jr in evening. Began to plant corn about an hour by sun in the evening in the Pasture field- finished that field the 16th & Mountain field the 18th- and a wet place below the Spring the 20th.
15, Fair good weather. Sowed peas in Garden-3rows next the first patch of Midling sort- 4 rows Nonpareil- Sowed 2 rows Saddlestrap beans the farthest. Sowed in Hogpen,Carrots next Potatoes,Beets next, 2 rows Parsneps & the farthest row Scarcity. Continued planting corn in Pasture field.
16, Fine weather, some clouds & a few drops rain in evening. Lightning at night. Finished planting Lower field of Corn 2 or 3 o'clock and afterwards began to plant mountain field. Planted Sugar Beans,Snaps,Watermelon & cucumber seeds by the Hog pen. Col.T.Taliaferro sent by Mr Bond &Mr Taliaferro(son of Robert) to ask for Cabbage seeds: I sent some.
17, Fair & drying. I went before breakfast to a Spring on the road & walked from there to the branch by R.Taylor's- Cut canes & ret'd over the Mountain, got home about 4 o'clock-fatigued.
18, Saturday, Cold and Cloudy.I rode to Courthouse,saw a good many going to muster at Bishop's- I heard there were some negroes to be at Court house for sale,they had gone past. I paid Mr.Shepherd 1/- which he had paid Breedlove for bringing 66 lb Iron, 12 lb Coffee & pr Sheep Shears, from Blairs.Finished planting corn in Mountain field before noon.I came home from Court house about noon

From the TAYLOR DIARY, #1907-z in the Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina Library, Chapel Hill. FOR REFERENCE ONLY: PERMISSION TO PBULISHMUST BE REQUESTED. WARNING: MOST MANUSCRIPTS ARE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT.