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DIARY OF FRANCIS TAYLOR, 1798,
1798,
MAY,
21,Flying clouds-smoky,dry. Maj'r Moore's Joes & G.C.Taylor's Tom at wotk for me.
Red'd a letter dated 1st instant from F.S.Taylor.

22, Cloudy morn & sprinkled rain,windy, warn,dry evening. Sister J.Taylor sent 9/-
& got 9lb Hogs lard. Joe mended fire place in Kitchen & pointed meat house
underp'g. I went in evening to J.Taylor's- Mrs Parsons had arrived there just
before(attended by H.Thomas) & servent. She conversed woth more sense that I
expected, and a pretty good memory.

23, Cloudy morn- A light shower afternoon. Paid Maj'r Moore's Joe 7/6 for Underpin'g
Spring house, mending Kitchen fireplace & pointing under meat house, being in
full for work at this time. I went home- Mouth sorer than for some time.

24, A little rain last night and Showery to day, but not a good season to plant.
M.Biggers went with my Cart to Herndon's mill and got me 421 feet of Plank.
C.Taylor sent some corn & got I.Potatoes in exchange.

25, A light shower of rain afternoon. Took out 6th Hhd Corn. Had 24 Sheep Sheared.
14 Lambs marked- 4 of them Cut- left 1 ram- 9 Ewew lanbs. I carried 190
lbs Hemp to Elliot Hackley & sold at 60/- Bo't Sundries of him. Planted Cab-
bages- Slight season. Wrote F.S.Taylor, sent by Post.

26, Remarkably clear. Sent to Taliaferro's mill & got 6 bus Corn ground. Wm.Bell
sent 2 bottles wine in return for Lent 10th March. Had Midlings( The other Bacon
before) packed in ashes. I walked in evening to C.Taylor's- Slly & Betsy Tay-
lor were at Col.Barbour's place, whose family were there, they came home accom-
pained by Dr.T.Barbour.

27, Fair cool morning, Hazy thin clouds evenig. I walked to Court house- Mr. Fergu-
son, a Methodist, preached- A tolerable number to hear him. I came to Aunt Taylor's
to dinner. Mrs Burnley & children, Nelly Glassell & own family there.

28, Cloudy morn. Broken clouds- rained a little about sunset. I went to Court. Paid
Thomas Herndon 39/- in full for Plank from saw mill the 15 & 24th instant p/r
reciept. Sent G.Brooks( a poor man) by his daughter, a dollar . Maj'r Moore
Mr.C.P.Howard,C.Taylor & myself looked into A.Shepherd acc't ag't Woods s-
tate but not concluded. Heard brother James was at brother Jonathon's 13th inst
Rec'd a letter from brother Jonathon dated March last, mat's his daughter Su-
sans marriage to Mr Thomas Arnold. Capt James Barbour sent a waggon to my house
& I delivered the two Square Tables left with me by Mr Wm Taylor, of Fredericks-
burg, which he informed me he has purchased- & next day told me he had also
purchased the Tea table & looking Glass which are still here- & that the whole
cost 37 1/2 Dollars.

29, Clouds & Sprinkled rain- rained at night moderately. I went to Court- Maj'r Moore,
Charles Taylor & myself signed our report to The Suit A.Shepherd ag't Jos Woods
Exec're & delivered into Court. I paid William Wirt 4 dollars for feed,& advice
in the Pent'n & Summons, McCall Smellie & Co. and Capias George McCall & Co
againts Taylor's Ex'ors. Replanted Wtermelon, Cucumber &c.

30, A good Shower of rain last night- Cloudy & several showers to day. A midling
good season. Thinned corn. Planted Cabbages in evening. I went in evening to
J.Taylor's- Aunt Thomas, John Pendleton's family, Tho's Barbour's do. J.Taylor
jr & do. there- G.L.Grasty came with J.T.jr from Court.

31. Clear morning, a very little rain in evening. I staid at home. C.Taylor sent &
got Cabbage plants.

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 MANUSCRIPTS ARE PROTECTED BY COPYRIGHT.