Box 1, Folder 4: Diary 1811-1832

[Left Page] 60 14th October 1829 — Howing arranged all my affairs I took my final departure from Louisville, and without much regret. Arrived at Cincinnatti [Cincinnati] at 2 o'clock on th [illegible] 15th In the Steam boat Herald. Spent the rest of the day in the City. 16 Started in the Stage for Chillicothe arrived at Williamsburgh before night 17 At Chillicothe 8 o'clock in the evening — Canal letting in a few days — many rowdy contractors in town — slept with a Drunkard at Maderas Hotel. 18th Went up home (11 miles) this morning Met father on his way to the Letting. 19 Father returned — bringing a letter from the Resident Engineer Jesse L. Williams to O. P. Jennison the Assistant at Circleville. He got a job at Dry run 5 miles above Chillicothe. 20th Went to Circleville & commenced work — at the Aqueduct. 27 Wrote to John R. Henry & to Darius. [Right Page] 61 Circleville — 1829 1 Dec. 1829 — Wrote letters to Benj. Silliman, Dr. A. Clapp of New Albany Ia. & to Mr. Thomas H. Taylor — of Shippingsport Ky. 2d Wrote a letter to Dr L. P. Hildneth acknowledging his box of minerals. 3d Wrote a letter to Darius, giving and account of my travels to Lancaster & Carrol. Received one from John R. Henry. Went down the canal — Saw Dr Jones my brother-in-law 5th Bought a Blow-pipe — Rainy — went down to Yellow Bud. 7th Went up the canal to near Circleville where I met Mr Williamson & Mr Robeson — went back with them. 8 Rainy — Went down to Kline's tavern to meet the party but found they had gone. 9 Rode up to Pllumb Run & then walked till I overtook the party on Sec 108. Went on to Circleville — 10 Received a letter from T. G. Bates of Portsmouth Ohio requesting that I should come down there as soon as possible, if I intend to join his party. In the evening Mr. Long brought me a letter from Darius & a piece of Lehigh Anthracite. 11 — Went down the canal as far as Yellow Bud 12 Went up to Hosey's tavern & returned in the rain. Mr M. L. Williams went up to Circleville 19 — Saturday went home (Yellow Bud) 21 — Mr. J. L. Williams returned from Pittsburgh Pa.

[Left Page] 62 made a plan of the Wells Creek bride on the national road 22 December Went down to Hoseys 23 — Went home — Father started for Bucyrus to look at some land which he owns there 1 January 1830 Mr. J. L. Williams returned from Columbus & informed me that I am not to go to Portsmouth but that my station is to be at Chillicothe. 3d Jan. Father returned — did not like the place. 5 — Mr. E. Chapman one of the original contractors at Louisville came to our house & wants me to go with him immediately as a Wittnefs [Witness] in their suit against the Canal Company. He brought several letters. Parri went up to Circleville to get my overcoat, after he returned I went to Chillicothe. Bought a new hat & shoes. 6th Took an early start & rode to Portsmouth 45 miles where we arrived after dark. Roads frozen — weather cold — Took breakfast at Piketon at 12 o'clock — 7th Waited for a Steam boat to convey us to Louisville — Saw Francis Cleveland Res. Engineer [illegible] F. G. Bates Assistant. 8th Got under way at 5 o'clock P. M. in the Robert Fulton. Mr Wornwag [Wernwag] the celebrated bridge builder was one of the passengers 9th Arrived at Cincinnati at daylight & remained all day 10th Arrived at Louisville before daylight.

[Right Side] 139 Portsmouth Ohio 1831 20th August — Returned to town from the canal where I had been to a wedding during the week. Got a letter from Parri who is printing & studying medicine at Urbana Champaign Co. in this state. Sunday 21 — My sabbaths are all spent in nearly the same manner so that I can describe it now once for all. [illegible] 9 o'clock A.M. Went to Sunday school where I teach a clafs [class] of little boys — 11 o'clock went to an Episcopalian church — In the afternoon wrote a letter to Darius and at Evening went again to church in the rain & then went home with some XXX 22d — Rainy 23d Stayed in town 24th Went up the canal to Brush creek with M. Garrison my Axeman. 25th Rainy 26 Went up to Mc Lane's — begun to take the Estimate 27th Went down to Portsmouth Mr Williams went up. 28 Sunday 29th Commenced making out the estimates 30 . . Worked on the estimates — 31 . . Mr Williams & Price arrived from Chillicothe News of Mr Fisher's marriage! — another 1 unexpected —

[Left Page] 140 Portsmouth 1831 2 September — Went up the canal to Oldtown examined Dickey's sections which are nearly finished. Stayed at Old John Williams' 1 Sep. Payment day — 3 . . Returned to Portsmouth done considerable work — arrived at night 4th Sunday — Wrote a letter to Father en= closing fifty dollars — also one to Parri 5th Went up the canal as far as Lucas' — Examiner Dicky's work again — 6 Continued up to Keyes' — set some stakes for trimming on the lower end of Sec 231 — Afternoon went down to 236 & layed out a culvert pit — 7th We had but just got to McLane's when it began to rain — We had been there but a few minutes before Cleveland came down from Camp Creek. 8th Went down to the new culvert on Sec. 23b and altered the stakes so as to [illegible] a culvert of 6 feet [illegible] instead of 8. Then left the party (who went down) & returned to Bruch creek along the margin of the river collecting shells. Stayed at [illegible] to see Mr Dove — 9th — Rainy but went down to [illegible] [illegible] talked with Mr Herrod about going into the Distilling & pork businefs [business] at Brush creek — Returned after noon to Notinghams [illegible] job on 238 [Right Page] 141 Portsmouth 1831 10th September — Came over to town from [illegible] set some stakes for Shaffer & Waite. Sunday — Set up last nigh [night] with the corpse of Mrs. McGregor, with three others and four girls. Went to the funeral at 2 o'clock which was about a mile & a half from town — 12 General muster & court day — done some work on the bank of the [illegible] back of the town — Cold mornings — Fire feels quite comfortable. Took leave of [illegible] O. who is going to Virginia. 13 — Went up the canal as far as Herrod's stayed at T [L?] Willcoxon's. Mr Bradford is sick — [illegible] & myself alone. 14 — Went on up to Brush Cr. Begun to rain at night — Keye's — 15 Rainy — 10th Rainy in the fore noon — Went [illegible] hunting! 17 — Cool — fair day — went up to McLane's & returned to Portsmouth — got a letter from Parri — Sunday [illegible]! 19th — Egg Nogg — before Breakfast for Mr Parker who takes Mr [illegible] place at our tavern. — 20th Stayed in town 20 Went over as far as Willcoxon's — Set pegs for Esq. Waite. Went into the woods with Mr Garrison & his gun — killed nothing.

[Left Page] Portsmouth 1831 21 Sept. Went up the canal to Brush creek took dinner at Herrods — He is to move to Camp creek tomorrow. 22 Went up to McLane's — and to a wedding at Esq. Dever's' — Returned to Brush creek where I found Herrods [illegible] on their way to Camp creek. 23th Came down to Willcoxons before noon Set pegs &c for Gillian — Pedler 24 Set stakes &c for [Mofs?] & went to town before noon — got a letter from Darius & Parri Prospectus for a book. Sunday — Wrote to Darius also a long letter to Father & mother. Lonesome! 26th Rainy — Stayed with Mr Glover saw Millford G. who is just from West Liberty where father lives. 27 Measured Mofs' lock pit — Sec 249 — Went to the Curcus with some ___! 28 Gave Milford Glover a letter for Father containing $25.00 — Went over to the canal but returned — 29th Went up the canal to Brush Creek with the Captain ([illegible]) — 30th Returned to Ora's culvert Sec. 244 — to see to the puddling — 1st Oct. — Got a horse and rode up to Brush creek again — but he got away & I had to walk down — came as far as Willcoxon's [Right Page] Portsmouth 1831 Sunday — Oct 2.d 1831 — Came over to town but returned with Mr Bradford my Rodman to see about his wedding which is expected to be soon — His particular business to= day is to ask concent [consent] of her parents. 3d — Returned to town this morning & then went up the canal to the head — Stayed at Devers' for the first time. Mr Garrison unwell — Bradford only went as far as the culvert on 244 — Very hot day 4th Rain last night & this morning till 10 o' clock after which we returned to Willcoxons, where we arrived just at night — 5th A very cold windy day — Went on to town — met the Captain going up — Stayed in town — 6th Went over to Mr Willcoxons to the wedding in the afternoon — few people there — went home with some — and slept at [illegible] Shaffer's — 7th Rode up to the McLanes & back to Willcoxons Mr Cleaveland & Prcie came down but did not see them — 8 — Rainy morning — went over to town [illegible] rising — 9th Sunday } Stayed in town 10th & 11th } Stayed in town 12th Went up the canal — no one at home at Keys — supper & breakfast with [illegible] 13th Came down to Portsmouth [illegible] Cleaveland returned