The Diary Entries of John Geddes of Washtenaw County, MI - 1846

Jan 1^st 33 degrees in the morning and 46 degrees at noon.� A drizzling.� Roads good.� some snow.� Huron low.� I was at home.� Cut loose and sawed some Oak lumber is $6 per thousand. Rail Road rails $8.00� Poplar Siding $6.50 Pop. flooring $7.50 Pop Boards $7.� Shoots or Bran $8.00 per ton.� Flour $4.50 bu.�

5^th � Collins B. Cook commenced teaching in School District (8) eight.

21^st � Five inches of snow fell last night & this morning.

25^th � Thermometer 16 degrees below zero.� 24^th 5 degrees below.� 25^th 32 degrees above.

26^th � 36 degrees above all morning.� Water scarce yet

31^st � Last night the weather changed from raining to freezing and broke my thermometer by freezing the water

Feb 10^th � A party of neighbors at John Geddes� last night.

15^th � My son John was bit by a Dog on the finder He was alone in the Road and Dickinson�s dog was coming up the road and bit the boy.

21^st � Good sleighing.� The best this winter.

24^th � Julia Etta Savage left for home (Mother a bad cold)

March 2^nd � Last day of good Sleighing this winter.

3^rd � Wm Parker the Evangelist came to Ypsilanti to preach.

19^th � This is John Geddes birth day.� The thermometer is 46 degrees in the morning and 59 degrees at noon.� In the forenoon,

it rained a little: in the afternoon the day was very pleasant

April 6^th � Township Election John Geddes elected Supervisor

John Geddes has 319 votes

Orin White (Loco) has 263 votes for Supervisor and Horace Coy (Native) has 69 votes for Supervisor.� George W. Jewett (Abol) has 69 votes for Supervisor

17^th � Jacob Bacon, P. W. Sage, John Geddes, Wm. - - - - -, Isaiah Norris, John Howland & George Skinner signed a litter directed to the Rev. Ira M. Wead inviting him to resign the Pastor in charge of Ypsilanti Congregational Society.

May 2^nd � Wheat .80 pr Bu at Geddes Mill

9^th � Wheat .62 � pr Bu in Ann Arbor

19^th � Thermometer 28 degrees in the morning.� Did not do much however.

21^st � Mr. Wead refuses to resign hi pastoral charge in Ypsilanti for the present.

May 16^th � River Raisen Bank Broke.� I lost nothing by it.

25^th � Henry Savage (my wife�s father) died about seven o�clock A. M. He would have been 70 years old if he had lived to the 11^th of June 1846

25^th � Thermometer 96 degrees

June 6^th � R. Geddes got .65 pr bu for Wheat at Geddes Mill

12^th � William Geddes wife brought him a son.

20^th � Wheat .56 pr bu in Ypsilanti

18^th � Thermometer 100 degrees

24^th � A Camp Meeting commenced on Ne of NW part of Sec 36 and ended 29^th.� It was a rainy time.� four converts and eight sanctified.

July 4^th � A warm day with some rain.� Mr. Wolf, wife and family visited.� Mr. John Powell, Mr. Perry wife & girls.� Mother Savage & Julia Etta Savage.� William Allen + wife + their son.� Allens were there.

6^th � Robert Geddes began cutting Wheat.� An abundant crop but some shrunk this year.� Harvest hands scores and wages $1.75 per day.� Wheat .50 pr Bu.

10^th � Thermometer 72 degrees in the morning.� 102 degrees a little after one O�clock

11^th � Thermometer 75 degrees in the morning, 95 degrees warmest

16^th � Thermometer 40 degrees in the morning� John Geddes worked 6� days raking & binding Wheat this harvest.

July 12^th � Julius Foster and Maria White were married.� It was Sunday evening.� Aaron Lawrence Esqr Loses on 1000 barrels of Flour.� Bought Hunter $1711.9� It was a disastrous and foolish speculation.

29^th � Thermometer 102 degrees at one O�clock

August 1^st � Wheat is .50 pr Bu.� The Wheat crop is abundant.

3^rd � Bought a horse of Partridge for $65

7^th � Thermometer 103 at 2 O�clock.� Wheat .56

8^th � Pettibone moved into the Board kiln house.� They are to have it one year for 10 dollars

Sept. 1^st � Mrs. Pettibone died about eight O�Clock P.M.

4^th � A rainy day.� Water enough now to Saw

7^th � Thermometer 93 degrees.� Wheat .56 This has been a warm summer and sickly this fall.

14^th � Wheat .60 pr Bu in Ann Arbor

18^th � Robert Geddes sold his crop of Wheat to Norris for 62 � pr bu and the rise

19^th � Wheat .65 pr bu in Ypsilanti

24^th � This day the Central Rail Road was sold

Sept 26^th � Wheat .70 in Ann Arbor.� Sept 30^th .70 at Geddes Mill

Sept 28^th � Thermometer 39 degrees

28 & 29^th � Went and returned from Detroit

29^th � Wheat 73 pr Bu in Ypsilanti

30^th � Bought 15 acres of land in Sec 23 for $300.� Paid for it. (All but $17.28) by $180 let Morgan have Aug 5, 1838

Oct 3^rd � Thermometer 32 degrees.� The coldest this season yet.

13^th � Thermometer 30 degrees at 9 O�clock P.M.

14^th � Thermometer 30 degrees at 2 O�clock A.M. Coldest this season.

14^th � James Lawrence + Mary Rogers were married at his fathers.� They had considerable of a party.� It was Mary�s birth day.� She is nineteen today.

15^th � William Palmer + Mary Drake were married.� Aaron Lawrence Esqr settled his Flour + Wheat speculation with Hunter.� Lawrence paid $750 in Cash and gave his note for $350

24^th � Wheat 62 �� in Ann Arbor + at Geddes Mill and buyers scarce.� More wheat than nomey

24^th � The Rail Road more business than it can do.

19^th � Thermometer 22 degrees this morning.� The coldest this season.

31^st � Wheat no sale viz� more persons to buy.� Flour .64

Nov 21^st � Wheat about 60 pr Bu or no sale� Bought 17 Bu Wheat at .65 for my own use

Nov � Had my buggy overhauled.� It cost $37.50

26^th � Thermometer� this morning13 degrees� After a warm muddy November.� The weather changed yesterday and winter set in.� Wheat .56 in Ann Arbor + 62 � in Ypsilanti.� Bran 4.00 per ton.

28^th � William DeWaters moved into the boarding house At � day work per week.� Rent

Dec 7^th � James M. Wing commenced teaching school School District No Eight at $15.00 pr month

23^rd � Rev. Mr. Ira M. Wead Donation party

27^th � John Geddes (my son) is four years old today. Weighed 26 lbs.

31^st � My ------ this year is $458.40

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