James Dobbins HILLHOUSE Diary, part 4

James Dobbins HILLHOUSE Diary, part 4 JANUARY 1877
1. I will say something about the last 2 months. It commenced getting cold the first of November and has been ever since. Honey Creek has been froze over six weeks so the wagons crost over dry shod. Saturday and Sunday before Christmas a snow fell 6 or 7 inches deep and that broght January cold as rip. January snow 6 inches deep to commence with.
2. I killed my hogs today. Salted 995 pounds. I helped John W. Hillhouse to drive his hogs to my house. He aims to kill tomorrow. Cold as rip. No sine of melting.
3. I helped John kill. Salted 745 pounds. The ice on the creek makes solid bridge.
4. I an my wife threw some sacks of grain into hack and went to Marionville to mill and to L.W. Moore's visiting. We lost the tire off our hack. Drove 7 miles never missed it. Spoilt the fellows the snow prevented.
5. I got a buggy, went home found my tire 400 yards from our home brought up, put it on and next day went to Elam Grange to the installation of officers.
7. Sunday it rained big last night and till noon today. Commencing freezing and snowing as deep as ever.
8. Nancy and I went to Peggy Williams to see her. She is sick. I went on to Aurora got 7 pounds of coffee.
9. I and my wife went to see Malinda Thomas. She has a very sore thumb. Been sore 3 months. I went to Verona got 104 wagon spokes paid 1.55 cents a hundred.
10. I comensed fill one of my wheels this morning. Considerably warmer.
11. I am quite poorly on the bed. Warmer, thawing, the snow has near all melted. We have no such day all this winter.
12. Cold as ever today. I am up and around but not well. Wind from the north west and snowing. Too cold to snow much. The creek is froze so wagons can pass over most anywhere.
13. We went to the Grange. The officers of Zion grange was all installed. More pleasant today. Fields the game buyer came and got: 71 rabits, 9 quails, 2 opossums, and one prairie chicken.
14. Sunday we all went to Zion to church. Masters preached. Very ruff weather. We have had winter strate from the start.
15. I have commensed my wheel. It is misty this morning. Nanie and Mattie is gone to J.D. Gibsons. Turned colder.
16. Clear and cold this morning. I worked on my wheel. Too cold for anything but make fire, cook and eat.
17. I finished one wheel commensed another. More pleasant.
18. Columbus Hillhouse and Columby White and Anderson Moore and Bell Pharris was married today. Dreary day.
19. I made a bolster for my wagon and put a shoe on my horse.
20. I went to Southbend Grange to the installment. James Moore and Nann is with us tonight.
21. We went to see Aunt Hannah Rinker and Peggy Williams.
22. I hauled out a stack of hay put it in the barn. I and my wife went to E.W. Springers.
23. I put on my tyres and worked on bolsters. Mrs. Babet and Mrs. Elkins is with us today. Fine sunshine today.
24. I and Nancy went to Verona to the Christian Alliance. I bought a coat, cost 9 dollars. We took dinner with J.M. White. We had a very pleasant session today. The next Evangelical Alliance to be at Mt. Vernon on Thursday and Friday before first full moon.
27. We are at home and went to Grange.
28-29. We went to Zion SS in the morning and Lick Prairie evening. Mr. James White the old Sunday School vetran give much incouragement and it was quiet a treat.
30. I and Nancy went to Knox Gibsons and I went to B. Jones and sold 80 acres of land to Jones for 500 dollars. He paid 150 dollars and 350 on five year credit.
31. We went to Mt. Vernon to make deed, made it and took trust deed for balance. He never paid any more. I had to sell the land again.
FEBRUARY 1877
1. I put in a beam in a plow and went to John Hillhouse got 25 bushels of turnips for the Joplin market.
2. We went to James Gibsons got 6 bushels of apples and went to see Caldona Curtis. She is crazy, almost a maniac.
3. Went to the Grange and made me some wagon bows to fix my wagon for a trip to Joplin. Very fine weather indeed.
4. We all went to Zion to church and to Margaret Hillhouse for dinner and home.
5. I went to Joplin. Sold my load made 85 dollars clear. Was gone 3 and one half days. Rain last night. Warm.
9. We went to Mt. Vernon and made deed to Zellett to land he paid debt and all costs to the estate of G.A. Hillhouse that enabled me to make final settlement to estate. Caldony Curtis died this morning.
10. We all went to Zion to the funeral Rev. A.A. Young officiated. Fine weather frosty pleasant.
11. We all went to Zion to church. Rev. Master Treace.
12. I worked in shop on wagon. Rain.
13. I went to James Moore's and to mill. Rain today.
14. We came home from Marionville got 7 bushel Irish potatoes at 35 cents per bushel.
15. I went to James Gibsons got 7 bushels of potatoes at 35 cents per bushel. Knox Gibson is visiting us today.
16. I went to Alfred Whites got 6 bushel potatoes 50 cents per.
17. We went to Zion to church Parson Brown did not come. Hauled a load of cut wood to the church.
18. We all went to Zion. Rev. Young preached. I and Rev. Springer went to Take-In to church at night.
19. I started my plow to breking ground. Fine February so far.
20. I put a beam in Nance's plow and swapped land with him.
21. We are working on the farm for a crop.
22. The Clover hauler is here fixing to thresh. Raining a little. I am working in the shop on plows and single trees.
23. We finished clover. I had two bushel to my share. They had one. I sold mine for $16.00. Two acres.
24. We went to Abraham Smith's funeral and to the grange. Fine weather.
25. We stayed all night at Johns. We went to Elan S. School.
26. We worked on the farm. Fine weather.
27. Knox is plowing. I am clearing up the worst places
28. We are working on the farm. Fine day for bisness. So this ends February. It had been fine for bisness.
MARCH 1877
1. I went down on flat Creek to the pine shingle mashean after shingles to cover my house.
2. I loaded 4,000 shingles. Come to Wyly Wises.
3. We came home. Cold, cold, blow, blow, snow, snow.
4. We went to Zion. Springer preached. We came home with him. Anderson Young had 12 sheep killed last night with dogs. We go to Lick Sunday school.
5. Worked about the farm. More pleasant.
6. Worked about the farm.
7. I went to Aurora took chickens one dollar and 75 cents per dozen.
8. I sowed oats and clover. Fine day. Sine of rain.
9. Snow, blow, rain storm. Bad weather.
10. We went to the grange. More moderate.
11. We went to Zion in the morning and Lick S.School in the evening. John Hight is here for the first since last fall.
12. I made a double tree for George Gibson's wagon.
13. E.B. Hillhouse and wife, John Will and wife, Liza Gibson, Utah Babbet are all here for dinner. It is Ida's birthday. She is 10 years old.
14-17. We all commensed surveying our land. Holt, Gibson, Young, Nance, J.W. Hillhouse, J.D. Hillhouse and got dun and all marked corners Saturday by J.W. Black surveyer.
18. We went to Zion. Rev. Young preached. We went to see Dobbin. He is sick.
19. I loaded my wagon with 22 bushel potatoes, 7 bushels apples, started. Stayed all night at Dobbins.
20. I set out for Joplin. Got to Punkin creek.
21. Nice morning. Set out early arrived at 12 noon. Sold my load at $1.00 per bushel. Started at 4 p.m.
22. I stayed with Samuel Makers in the grove at Old Man Hickeys. I took road early now. A long drive home, landed at home at dark. Made 14 dollars and five cents clear on my load in 4 days. Fine weather.
23. I went to get 7 bushels of apples from A. Dennis at 62 cents per bushel. Rain this evening.
24. Rain, sleet, snow indoors too bad out. Melting some this evening.
25. I went to Zion and Lick to S. school.
26. I and Gib went to the pinery for shingles.
27. Come home. Bought 4,000.
28. I planted onions. We went to J.W. Moores.
29. I got 4 bushels Irish potatoes at 50 cents per.
30. I cleared off place for my house. Set out cedar trees planted potatoes and made garden generally.
31. I went E.B. Hillhouse got 16 bushels apples at 50 cents, 3 bushel dryed apples at 1.25 per b. Went to Mt. Vernon got my horses shod. Big rain. We are having a heap of rain.
APRIL 1877
1. I went to Zion to church. Springer preached. A very raw day. Margaret and the boys are with us.
2. I started with 22 bushels beans, 6 bushels dried fruit, 6 bushels potatoes, drove 3 miles west of Sarcoxie.
3. I entered Joplin at 2 o'clock sold in a few hours got 1.25 cents for my green fruit and the same for Irish potatoes. 1.35 cents for dry fruit. Got to Turkey creek camped with S. (W?)Waelde.
4. Arrived at Dobbins, stayed all night.
5. I bought 6 bushels from Osburn at 55 cents, came home went to Marionville got 6 more bushels from Neff at 75 cents.
6. I worked on the farm.
7. I went to a sale at Verona. I bought 190 pounds bacon ham at 10 cents pound. 3 bushels potatoes at 60 cents. Big rain hail today.
8. I am at home this forenoon. Ida had measles.
9. I went to Aurora and Marionville to gather my load. Got it all in. Peach trees in bloom.
10. Started to Joplin 22 potatoes, 190 pounds bacon ham, 17 pounds butter, 5 bushels beans.
11. I met Gib. We camped at Sarcoxie. We went to Webb City. I sold by potatoes for 1.25, beans 1.75, butter 25 per pound.
12. I sold my bacon for 11 cents. Am ready for home at 8 O'clock. Gib will go farther. I got to James Shipman's. Rained some all day.
13. I made clear off my load after all expenses paid 22.50.
14. I came home this morning. Planted corn patch and Irish potatoes. Went to Grange.
15. James Moore and family are here. I go to see Dora Gibson. She is very sick.
16. I came home and went to making corn rows. John L. Hillhouse worked in my place while I stocked his plow. Looks like rain.
17. Rain. I worked on harness. Rain, rain.
18. I am still working on harness. The grass is coming fine.
19. I am working in the shop. Rain.
20. We are shucking out shock corn.
21. We went to Mt. Vernon to make deed to James Nance to land. I got me a hat $1.75 a pair of boots $3.75 and Nancy got a pair of shoes $2.25 and a pair $1.50. Fine weather. Apple trees in full bloom. Fine prospect for big crop.
22. We went to church to Zion and Sunday school. Rev. Beasly preached tonight. Fine weather.
23. I am working in shop on a plow stock for John L. More. Rain--big rain.
24. I am shoemaking. Rain big.
25. I am repairing fence on the farm.
26. Grass is plenty for all stock we feed now but that we keep up. It still rains. I am still working on fence when it don't rain.
27. We went to see Dora Gibson.
28. I am marking off corn rows. Went to Grange.
29. We went to Lick S.S. Nannie is about well of measles.
30. I have been planting today. So much rain there has been very little corn planted in this month. So this ends April. Very wet spring. It is some cool now to commence May.
MAY 1877
1. I am planting corn trying to get a big move on.
2. Planting all hands busy.
3. We finished our piece and the rain has come again.
4. I made an axletree for Chochran. Levi, Gib and Alsy and f amily is visiting us today.
5. I am working between the corn rows.
6. Matt has measles. I go to church and S.School. Wm. Wheat was elected suintendent and J.D. Hillhouse alturnet.
7. I am working on the farm. More settled weather.
8. I went with J.W. Hillhouse to Veronna with pork hogs.
9. I am working on the farm. Fine growing weather.
10. Working on the farm.
11. Working on the farm.
12. We finished planting corn for the year. Rain.
13. We went to Zion and to Lick Prairie S.school.

I commence to build me a new house on higher ground in this month getting the timber to the place. I cannot collect money to hire a capenter and I can leave the shop and do the work myself. So I and Knox goes at it, lays the foundation. Knox is a lad of 12 years. We cut the frame, we rear it up, put the roof on and now for the mecanicle work on doors, window, stairs,floors, cesining, plastering. We done all but the chimney and plaster and it is a daisy. We done the painting also.

December 6, 1877, we left the old mansion where we had lived 42 years and bout sunset we are snugly housed in our new home on higher ground the south end of our farm one half mile south. On Wednesday the 10th we moved old Mother Gibson to our house to spend the balance of her days. She lived one month and died at the good ripe old age of 73.

Introduction and Obituary ** Diary Years 1844 through 1848 ** Diary Years 1850 and 1858
Diary Years 1880 and 1886** Diary Years 1888 and 1889

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