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DIARY OF FRANCIS TAYLOR,1799,
1799,
February,
13, Clear mild morning, Change hazy windy fair day evening. John Taylor came here to breakfast. A Negro Waggoner(John Hites) brought me a Bar'l Tar & Frying pan I paid him for carriage 3/- brought also & left here Sundry things for Maj'r James Taylor,who came and carried them away in my Cart- I paid the Waggoner 10/6 which J.Taylor jr repaid for bringing up his things- The Waggon had thing for John Taylor which he carried to his mother's. Reuben Taylor came here from J.Taylor's after they were gone. I paid & settled with him for the Articles he bought for me at Fredericksburg $3.18.6 & 4/6 for 2 3/4 lb Steel I had of his at James McNeils Shop. $4.3.0- He went away before dinner. Took out 3d Hhd Corn from New Corn House- 2 Hhds was taken out the 8th for M.Atkins. Malachi Atkins sent Cate & got a quart Whisky. About 2 o'clock(afternoon) the Dwelling house of Ch's Taylor was discovered to be on fire on the roof, it being very dry and a strong South wind prevented any chance of putting out the fire so that the house was totally burned- C.Taylor & family were at J.Taylor's- My Overseer & 4 Negroes with sundry others assisted to get out the greatest part of the Beds, Cloathing &c which were preserved- C.Taylor came here & got my Cart to bring part of his furniture &c which w'th some of G.C Taylor's was received in my house- C.Taylor went to J.Taylor's- G.C Taylor came & staid with me.
14, Clear windy mild morn. Clouds afternoon. C.Taylor came here & breakfasted-with G.C.Taylor & self. Said his Carriage wou'd go with Miss M.Conway & some of his youngest daughters to Capt Conway's- he went home & G.C.Taylor to J.Taylor's before noon- Sundry other articles of C.Taylor's was brought hee & stored, Betsy Taylor came and got sundry things she wanted. Pat carried away some & she others- Betsy dined here and went to J.Taylor's. Malachi Atkins went to J.McNeils & got 3 plow shares.
15, Fair and mild,windy. GC.Taylor came here at night, went after breakfast to J.Taylor's- C.Taylor had been home & walked here before noon, said Capt Conway was at J.Taylor's. I walked there with him about noon- Capt Conway, Maj'r Moore,*Thos Jenkins- C.Taylor, his wife, Salley & Betsy Taylor, J.Pendleton & family & J.Talor jr & do there. G.C.Taylor came home with me. Had a plant bed burned on branch below Overseer's house & the 16th gave M.Atkins Cabbage, Lettuce, Onion seeds & Turnep, to sow.
[*Thomas Jenkins marriedElizabeth-*Betsy*-Taylor, dau. of Dr.Charles. Sally, her sister, married William Milburn.-WKA]
16, Saturday, Some thin clouds-Sunshine & hazy. G.C.Taylor went to J.Taylor's after breakfast, C.Taylor called here,said he intended to go to Wm.Gibson's to try to engage him to build a house- his wife went from J.Taylor's to Capt.Conway's where he expected to be to-night. Salley & Betsy Taylor, Nancy Crutchfield & Caty Pendleton walked here before noon, the two for her to get some of their things- they returned to J.Taylor's to dinner. I dined alone.
17, [SUNDAY] A snow fell last night & early this morning, about 3 inches deep. Cleared up mild- part of snow thawed. J.Taylor,John Pendleton, G.C.Taylor & the boys came from J.Taylor's. Mr.T.Barbour from home(going to Richmond) J.Taylor jr & Tho's Crutchfield from Stevensburg(where they went yesterday) the above dined here, all went away but G.C.Taylor.
18, Fair & mild- half of the snow dessolved. G.C.Taylor was puking a very sick last night,got better in evening. Bailey & Betsy Taylor rode here- I let them have Linen to make me 3 shirts- C.Taylor also came from Capt.Conways- Shaved & went to see about getting plank toward building- G.C.Taylor staid, the other went away before dinner.
19, Thin clouds,moderate. After breakfast G.C.Taylor went to J.Taylor's & returned after supper- C.Taylor came here in the evening. Heard that John Taylor's child died two days ago, it had been sick since last Fall.

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.