Gray Family

Gray Family

Journal of Jonathan Gray

Jonathan & Phebe ( Grimes) Gray, moved to Lawrence Co. AL around 1810-12, from Fayette, Co. KY.
 This couple are my 3rd great parents, 
Their oldest child, James Madison & Emily (Cooper) Gray, are my 2nd gr. grandparents,
Their son John Milton & Sarah (Sally) (Berry) Gray, are my gr grandparents, they are first 
cousins, They moved to Pope Co. AR in the late 1870's, and died here, So I am still doing 
research on the Gray's. 
I am Erma Lee (Judkins) Masters, I live in Dardanelle, AR, Yell Co., e-mail 
judkins@cox-internet

Could some one find my 2gr grandfather James Madison Gray, Lawrence Co. in 1870, his first 
wife, Emily Cooper Gray died before 1850, he then married to Mariah L. Dunlap, in the early 
1850's in Lawrence Co. I would love to contact some of his children, I have him on the 1860 
census, Lawrence Co. 
James Madison Gray and Emily Cooper Gray had 2 sons, 
1: William Gray, 
2: John Milton Gray, my gr grandfather,he came to AR. So I would sure like
 to hear from William Gray's ancestors. Please let me know if this is the person where I need
 to send my family information, Erma

Journal of Jonathan Gray 
Jonathan Gray Journal

January, 1859

1st. This is a pretty, sunshiny day. I went to Courtland. There was a Negro hiring and a sale
of many things. Well Grimes paid the $5 he borrowed. I bought nothing.
2nd. Cool and clear morning.
3rd. Paid Barber 3000. I went to Courtland. Wm McDonald took up two pieces of notes. I paid
Dr. Mays $2000 and took up my note. Scruggs give me his note for $100 transferred by
McDonald to him.
7th. Cold. Old hog Barbee sent back the two locks they stole off the boors.
8th. I sent and got a spade of Speaks & Sykes at $1.50 and sent it back on the 11th.
11th. Ben went and got a bottle of cherry pectoral and paid for it. Also got a spade of
Cunningham and paid for it- $1.00
18th. I went to town and got of Cunningham ; got the amount of $4.62 &; one vest $3.00 &; total
in all $7.62 cents and took up Ben notes and accounts in all of Cunningham & Acklin
accounts to date.
20th. I went to Courtland and got of blacksmith Negro John a half barrel of tar and paid him $4.
I got a gallon of oil and some paint of Pippin and paid for it. I wrote to Choucher not
to send me any more wiskey and to McGee to leave the note I give him with Ben Hawkins and
paid Cages note to Owen to pay on Ben;s note. Paid for Ben to Cunningham, Acklin & Owen
$200.
25th. I went to Courtland and Ben Hawkins paid me $150 he collected from Finnard and I left the
note with him to collect the balance. I paid Owens & Mays on Ben;s note about $64. I owe
for a pair of buffelow shoes to Speaks, $2. I got of Pippen drugs and paid.
27th. I paid Linsey my taxes amount to $16.63.
29th. I settled with Dr. Sykes and he paid me what his bill did not take. I bought 3 sows of Mr.
Dediker & 16 pigs at $25. Quin starts this 1st of January again to work with him at $35
per month.
31th. Quin started again to work with Jacob Dediker at $35 per month.

FEBRUARY, 1859

5th. I sent MILTON to Courtland after a saddle made by Simmons and got of Speaks & Sykes one
Negro blanket and a little saddle blanket on a credit.
6th. I have enclosed two gold dollars to the editor of the Washington union paper.
9th. I sent Ashford 32 lbs. Of dry hides by Ben and got a pair of shoes for Judy.
15th. Ben got a pair of shoes at the tanyard, $2.
16th. Rainy time, Darnel stayed away. Not coming to see about anything.
17th. Darnel went to work again. MILTON went to town and got of Cunningham 4 combs all cost
50 cents.
18th. A rainy time and warm.
19th. We began to bed up for cotton at Egypt. Warm weather.
20th. George brought me up two bull tongue plows and Dr. Guns dr. book. I paid him $6, all he
charged. Foster all night.
21th. Frosty morning. Ben off some where. Frosty all night.
22th. Pretty day. 5 plows running. Bedding up for cotton and corn.
23rd. Darnel off again. Lost today. Rain in the morning. MILTON got of Speaks__?___ and a ball
of shoe thread, all today.
24th. Rain. Darnel off again to the tanyard. Another day lost. MILTON took back the shies that
Ben got and got himself a pair in their place. Darnel quit. Rain all the time. Darnel
moved today.
25th Quin came home. Finished working with Dedeker on Town Creek. This time has worked 22 days
at $1.34 - $29.70. I rented a piece of ground over the creek to Goode Grimes for $5. Also
I rented Marion Darnel the part of the section field for 10 barrels of corn.
26th. Hauled 2 stocks to the mill.
28th. We planted Irish potatoes. Ben went to see Houston about his __?___.

MARCH, 1859

1st. I went to Courtland and bought a ----?---- of Cage at $280 for Mary S. Berry and got of
     Ben Hawkins some garden seeds ; owe. Binding of Sturdevant & paid for the binding for my 
     coat. 
2nd. Hard rain at night.
4th. We are bedding up for cotton.
5th. I went to town and bought a __?___ for Mary B. at $280. I got a load of cotton seed of 
     Thorn and bought sugar & coffee of Dr. Morris. Paid for it and some seeds of Pippin & paid
     for Ben;s saddle.

7th. Began to sow oats. I went to town and bought many things at auction at Dr. Morris;s. I got
some drugs of Pippen & paid for them.
8th. I got of Cunningham two round pieces of iron; also two pieces of flat iron for bands for
harrows; also got a barrel of molasses of Moses and other things I bought at auction on
yesterday.
9th. A little dry weather now.
10th. Cloudy again.
11th. A rainy moring.
12th. I went to Courtland. Dr. J. Sykes paid me $100 and I paid Dr. Tweedy $12.50 for Mary;s
cow; also I paid Cage $30 towards Mary;s __?___; also, I bought several things at auction
and will pay for all on Monday. Got of Cunningham one piece of __?__
13th. Cloudy morning. Rained, thunder, & lightning all night.
14th. Rainy morning. A flood of rain. Old Davey Blackston died. I went to Courtland and
marked 5 sacks of cottonseed and sent them to Issac Gray to Dechards Depot and I paid
Moreys for all I bought at auction.
15th. I worked on the road with a few hands of my own. D. Blackston was buried.
16th. We plowed. A little rain again.
17th. Rainy Day.
18th. Rained, blowed & snowed. A most abominable day.
19th. We raised the gin house posts and beams. Sun shines again.
21th. A rainy time. Milton went in the stage in the evening to Courtland to go to school
and board at Mrs. Davidson;s
22nd. A rainy spell all along now.
23rd. Rainy spell and warm.
24th. We are planting corn. Quin working on the gin house.
25th. We are planting corn again.
26th. I went to Courtland and bought of A. A. Acklen six bottles of sarsaparilla and owe
for it. Bought 2 belts and paid of a hankerchief paid. Bought at the auction of
Shardevine many things and will pay some time.
28th. I went to Courtland and brought home the things I bought at auction on Saturday and
paid Luke Jones for the gunny bags, I bought of Cannon some time since.
29th. I got of Cunningham a rat trap & a mouse trap.
31st. As above. The wind a little cool.
APRIL , 1859

1st. We planted the home lots of corn. Rain at night.
2nd. A rainy day. Quin gone to mill. Rained and blowed all night.
3rd. Some rain.
4th. We began to plow in the Love field. Frost and ice in the morning.
5th. Cold wind. A hard frost.
6th. Cool. We are working at Egypt.
7th. As above. Dry weather at last.
8th. We are planting corn at Egypt.
9th. I went to Courtland. Dr. Sykes paid and took up his note. Scruggs paid and took up his
note for Jack hire. I bought of Cunningham 4 yds. of domestic at .50.. I got some things
at auction and paid for all I got. I sent L. Eggleston money to him by James.
10th George and Mary his wife up here.
11th. We began to plant cotton at Egypt. Weather warm and windy.
12th. Still planting cotton at Egypt. Thundering around.
13th. Began to plant cotton at Black Mingo.
14th Planting cotton as above. I sent and got two ____ plows of Mrs. Battles John, both w
eighing 32 pounds and paid for them.
15th. We have today planted the middle cut with the Boyds __ ___cottonseed.
19th. Henry Thorn let me have another load of cottonseed. He is a gentleman of the right grit.

20th Began to plow and plant the corn over again.
21st. Still planting the corn over. Rained at night.
22nd. Cold, rainy, blowing and frost at night.
23rd. I went to Courtland. I got of A. A. Ackland and owe for it, bees wax at 40 cents. I paid
cash as follows: paid Luke Jones Cannon;s clerk for ½ barrel of whiskey, $9.20; paid
Mrs. Battles; John $5.220 for two __ plows: paid Davidson for MILTON;s board $7; paid
Hardwick for fixing the clock $5; paid J. Thorn for segments and fixing hydrolic ram $25.
I bought a horse of Mr. Scruggs at $150. Also bought of Finch conditionally a one-eyed mare
at $85.
24th. A little cool and a light frost last night.
25th. I loaned Thos. Tweedy $500 in gold and paid Finch $70 for an old blind mare. I got of
Cunningham stuff for Milton a coat and a ½ box of tacks on a credit. Also he paid 50 cents
for cutting Milton;s coat and a plow line.
26th. Replanting corn.
27th. MILTON got of Cunningham one hat at $1.12 ½.

MAY, 1859
6th. I got of Cunningham 2 collars, $1.90, horse collars.
7th. I settled with Alva Ashford for all of our accounts for the year 1858 and up to this date 
     & he falls a little in my debt. I got a small side of harness leather and my boots soled. 
      All included in our settlement this date above. 
12th. I bought of Cunningham blacking & brush and pd. $1.
28th. I bought a coat of Cunningham at $6.50. Also other things amounting to 90 cents.

JUNE, 1859

4th. I paid Thorn for a gin $50, all it cost & bought nothing but a pound of pepper & paid for 
     it.
11th. I was in Courtland and paid for all I got.
16th. Jacob Dediker began to work at 12 o;clock to help to make a gin wheel & worked Friday and
      half of Saturday making 2 days up to Sunday the 19th of June, 1859, at $2 per day.
17th I sent to Cunningham and he sent me a little half pint bottle of castor oil & another half
     pint bottle of spirits of turpentine on a credit and a little bottle of laudanum.
28th. MILTON got of Acklen a white wash brush and a pound of soda and got of Cunningham a pair 
      of shoes for himself at $1.50.
JULY, 1859

5th. There was a big barbecue and a sawdust dance up at the Sulphur Spring at the old tanyard.

14th. I went to Courtland and bought and paid for a barrel of mean sugar. I got of Cunningham 
     an empty barrel at 75 cts. And owes him for it.
25th. I got of Cunningham ½ pound of powder.

AUGUST, 1859

6th. I got of Cunningham 3 lbs. Of 4d nails and paid John the Blacksmith $2 for his iron. Rain 
     along now.
12th. Ben went to town and got of Owen and Mays two axes at $1.50 a piece. Got of Acklin one 
      bottle of cherry pectoral all on a credit.
19th. I got of Cunningham 5 yds of cotton flannel all 5 shillings. Got of Acklin one ounce 
      of ___
25th Got of Acklen two boxes of pills. Got of Owen & Mays one two inch chisel. The 25 & 26th 
     S--- and Mays came to see me.
30th Got of Speaks one cross cut fule saw, 1 lb. of powder and 2 lbs. of shot.

SEPTEMBER, 1859

1st. I got at Speaks Store 2 undershirts at $3.50 and got of Pippin a bottle of dear brandy at 
      $2.
3rd. I got at Speaks 10 yds. Of stuff for cotton pockets, 3 yds of stuff for Quin a shirt.
6th . Dr. Sykes came out twice to see me.
11th. Dr. Tweedy came out in the night. Not sent for.
16th. We got of Acklen 1 bottle of quinine, 1 bottle of cherry pectoral.
28th. Mrs. Gray got of Speaks about $5 of things.

OCTOBER, 1859

8th. I got 36 yds of stuff for the Negroes breeches of Speaks and Sykes at 23 cts. Pr. Yd., 
     $8.39. I bought of Cuningham one hat and one vest at $7, both about the 20th., of Oct. 1859.
25th. I sent to Sevier & Howard money to pay for gin band & ---each his singular pay. I got 
      from McDonald by Acklen $200. Quin began to work for Col. S. Shackleford.

NOVEMBER, 1859

1st. I sent to the tanyard 33 lbd. Of dry hides and got home my deerskin. It is a mistake.
4th. I left $110 in gold with Jas. Pierce to pay Tuttle for his horse. He returned it.
5th. I paid Mrs. Massey $20 for her mill stones.
14th. I got of Speaks 8 blankets, $12; Milton;s boots, $3; two pairs of shoes $2.50.
15th . Quin went back to Col. Shackleford last Monday & today. I got 3 pr. Of shoes of Ashford.

DECEMBER, 1859

21th, Ends the worst year both spring and summer. A drought. No corn. And December began bad 
     and continues cold all throughout. Poor cotton crop, 15 bails.

January, 1860

1st, I commence my journal again after a cold December. 1st. cold. A snow on the ground. A cold
but clear day.
2nd, I was in Courtland. Bought of Sturdivant an overcoat at $9. One lb. Of nails and a cotton
rope for a well rope which I will pay for in the account of 1859. did pay for all.
3rd, Ben is hauling his corn from Hodges place. The weather still cold and frozen. A. Ashford;s
mules runaway with the wagon and broke Negro Henry;s arm. Dr. Coons is here doctoring him.
We got three loads of corn for Ben from Hodges at 5 barrels a load is $50.00 and paid him
in gold $50 and first time paid him over $1.10 cts.
4th, What is sot down from Tuesday the 3rd was for today the 4th. Wednesday night W. Hendrix
came.
5th, Cold weather. Hendrix here and began to work.
6th, We are making fences.
7th, Ben has gone to town to dun for me. He got no money but promises.
8th, A clear pretty day.
9th, I was laying fence;all day in the mud. Quin went back to work for Col. Shackleford.
10th I went to Courtland and got the money sent by Addams Espry? For my cotton. Also got my
note given to Barbee for $1140 taken up by Wm. McDonald and I credited his note with it.
11th I give MILTON this morning $5, previously $10, also in corn 50. Wet, muddy weather all the
time.
12th, A nasty, drisly morning and all day.
13th, Still rainy. I give Wm. J. Hendrix an order to trade with Cunningham not exceeding $100.

14th, Ben moved Em over home. Milton went to Ashford;s tanyard and got Mary and Caroline shoes
and himself a pair. Quin finished at Col. Shackfords.
16th, Clear weather at last. We are some making rails, some clearing out fence row and myself
laying the ---mud yet. Sleet and a little snow at night.
17th, This morning let W. Hendricks have 18 lbs. of sugar and previously 2 lbs, in all 20 pounds.
I went to Courtland and Dr. F. Sykes paid me $28 that T. & R. Tweedy owed me. I paid and
took up my note of $170 that I owed for the John horse. I paid Pippen his bill, $4.74. I
got of Cunningham a knife and handkerchief and paid for them. I have paid for all I have
got this year so far.
18th, All hands at the fence. Ben got of Swopes at mill 396 feet of plank.
20th, Cool and windy. Ben got my wagon and steers and moving to Egypt. We are all tearing down
old rotten Barbee;s rotten fences and reseting them. I paid Mr. (Tlilwell?) Howard;s clerk
his bill for the sack of coffee, $22.75. Parson Shackleford here.
21st , Going to Courtland and left with Simmons two dollars to send on for the Weekly appeal.
I paid Peebly his bill for brandy he says I got in 1858, also for 10 lbs of sugar got
in 1859. I paid Cunningham 40 cents for 2 yds. Of cambric and soap and ldft with him
$4.60 to be credited on my account. I received of Scruggs $125 by Jno. Houston. Pd.
Pierce the balance of freight on sale. Got an almanack of Owens, pd.
22nd , Pretty, clear morning. I went down and stayed all night at George;s.
23rd, I paid off the Tuttle note to Jas. Irwin and took it up. I was at a sale at Compton;s
place. Bought nothing.
24th, It is windy & warm. We are clearing out the ditch.
25th, I went to Courtland. John Houston paid me on Scruggs note $600. And paid as follows:
pd. Owen and Mays $11.29; pd. Cunningham $51.29; pd. Simmons for postage; $2.50 from
1854 to Jan. 25, 1860; pd. A.A. Acklen $18.90; pd. Speaks & Sykes $55.23; pd. Dr. Mays
$6; pd. Dr. Bentley $10.50; pd Dr. Sykes for account and Morris;s note $39.00; pd.
F. Davison the school at account of $2.50; pd. Ben $20 for cutting box $10; pd. Milton
for his cotton 5; pd. Jack for his cotton 11.25.
26th, A windy, smoky day. We are still mending up old fences.
27th, We are going to work on the road and did work. I let William Hendricks have 19 lbs. of
coffee, all I promised him previously.
28th, We worked on the road. Quin gone to Col. Shackleford;s after corn. Good Grimes pd
$5, what he owed me.
29th, George & Mary his wife up here. I sent Joel Cottingham money for his lard $6.50
30th, Felax gone to Col. Shackleford;s after more corn. I have sent by Milton money to pay
John Battle for work. I have a continual aching in my head. Negro John charged $3.
31st, It looks like rain. A rainy day. Quin working in shop.

FEBRUARY, 1860

1st, A most abominable, cold, ugly day. It snowed and blowed last night.
2nd, Still cold and my head still aches. Quin fixing plows.
3rd, Cold and clear. We are working in new ground.
4th, I went to Courtland. Bought a vest of the Dutchman, pd. $3. Bought of Cunningham a pair of
boots at $3.50, paid; plowlines .50. Speaks paid back $1.50 for the spade Blacking of
Cunningham paid; turnipseed pd. Let Ben have $20.
5th, Parson Shackleford here tonight. Rained.
6th, A wet morning. I sent $2 by Parson Shackleford to pay for the Molton Democrat. I paid
Mrs. Vaughn;s boy Billy 50 cents for yams.
7th, Cloudy day. A little rain. I am mending bridles. It snowed in the night, the deepest this
year.
8th, Snow of 5 or 6 inches deep on the ground this morning and melted off suddenly.
9th, I went to Courtland and Mr. Acklen paid me for John Houston the amount of a note I had on
John Scruggs; also I let Houston have Scrugg note of 1000 due the 3rd of January, 1859 &
interest $88.30. I pd. Cunningham $7.50 for a barrel of flour. A clear pretty day. The hands
still working in the section field.
10th, Cold morning. A little rain at night.
11th, I went to town & left John Houston;s note with Mr. Acklen to get another that would
Please me better. I paid him for a bottle of gin $1; also 2 papers of cabbage seeds 20 cts.
I got a pair of shoes of the Dutchman, pd. $1.50. I paid George $10 for Ben. Got of Acklen
one little bottle of spirits of turpentine, pd. 30cts.
12th, A pretty, sunshiny day.
13th, MILTON started to school in Courtland and Quin started to work for Col. Shackleford. I
was in town and pd. Dutch 50 cents to fix spectacles. Pd. Dr. Tweedy $5 for nothing. Pd.
Speaks for saw and pinion for the mill about $5.50. Pd. Freight on molasses. Pd. Acklen
for oil & jug, 50 cents. I wrote a letter to Price of Florence.
14th, This is a wet, drisly day. We built the fence across the yard.
15th, Cool & cloudy. I have sent Felix after a pinion. We are clearing up new ground.
16th, A cool morning. Plowing on the 16th section field and finished bedding up.
17th, Cool morning and rained again. I went to Jones Mill and met A. Ashford. He give me his
account all wrong.
18th, I went to Courtland and give A. Ashford back his account to correct. I got a letter from
Capt. Ashford with $18 in it and a subscription list to buy a horse for F. Oliver. I paid
and took up my note given to Issac Walker for $457.58 cents paid for M.L. Eggleston;s land.
I bought a horse of Jos. Thorn at $80 if he suits me.
20th, Cool, frosty morning. Quin stayed at home to fix the mill and went back in the evening to
Shackleford;s.
21st, This is a rainy day, a most abominable day. We ground some corn. Cleared off in the night.
22nd, A pretty morning. We are jobbing about.
23rd, I went in the morning and cut some grapevine slips and put them in a box and sent them
to MILTON. Also put $20 in a letter and sent him. I paid Jos. Thorn $80 for a horse.
I left $18 and the subscription paper that was made up for Oliver with Mr. Owens. I got
trace chains and some calico and other things of Cunningham and paid for all I got. Got
arsenic of Acklen, pd. We are plowing again after the rain.
24th, Cool wind. 6 plows running today. A cold, frozen night.
25th, A cold morning. MILTON, Hendrix and Fill gone to help Smith;s wagon out of the mud. Quin
5 days this week.
26th, I got a letter from Price of Florence and one from Short of Cattanooga. This is a cool day.
27th, Quin is working at home this week. I have got 5 bushels of yams of Crow and left $5 with
his wife this morning. We are bedding up for cotton.
28th, We are plowing some in the mountain field and some for oats and buned the sedge patch. I
give B.F. Gray $60 which is the last I will give him for his last years;s work and play.
It rained all night.
29th, A damp morning. I am mending my old saddle.

MARCH, 1860

1st, This is a pretty day. I took out of my bag of gold $10 and sent Quin to town after nails.
He got 10 lbs. And paid for them. I got a letter from Short saying could have his whiskey
at 50 cts. pr. Gallon. weather pretty. We are plowing.
2nd, I let Wm Hendrix have $1 to buy potatoes. I went to Courtland and sent a letter to Berton
Eggleston to send the money for my horse. Ben Hawkins paid me the money he collected from
Hinnard. I pd. Freight on the oats and all I owed. Bought of Cunningham a handkerchief and
a bottle of whiskey and pd; Murtang liniment of Acklen and pd. I left the spectacles with
the Dutch botch.
3rd, I loaned Mr. Bankhead $1000 until the 1st of January next. MILTON took a load of wood to
Mr. Davison and got a sack of oats of Mr. Shardevine. We are trying to grind some meal.
Ground about 3 bushels and Hendricks got 3 pecks.
4th, Rained before day.
5th, A little rain this morning. Quin went back to Col. Shackleford;s to work. MILTON started to
school but turned back for rain.
6th, We are trying again to plow and sowed some oats.
7th, A little cloudy. We are trimming the peach trees.
8th, I went to Courtland and bought two bushels of Irish potatoes of Steve Gibson at $1.60 and
will pay soon. I paid Shardevine for his oats. This is a windy day. I let Wm. Hendrix have
a half bushel of Irish potatoes at 80 cents. It rained in the evening and blowed & cleared
off.
9th, We are planting some $1.60 Irish potatoes.
10th, I went to town and pd. Gibson for his Irish potatoes. I sent a stock to the mill and a
bag of corn. Got powder and shot & pd; and parsnip seed & pd. I let Wm. Hendrix have
five dollars. He went over the river after a cow.
11th, Clear and frost this morning. George & young Burford up here today.
12th, Cold, keen north wind. Jos. Thorn here helping Quin fix the mill. I sent a stock to the
mill and turned over with another. I give Thorn $5. Loaned Acklen $500.
13th, Quiin went back to work for Col. Shackleford. Jos. Thorn and Jack Armstrong came out and
put a gudgion in my mill wheel shaft.
14th, I sent 2 small stocks to the mill.
15th, A very cool morning. I sent the deer skin to the tanyard.
16th, We are working on the road. Some rain today.
17th, We began to plant corn in the lot above the old cribs. Quin finished at Shackleford;s. 5
days this week.
19th, We are planting some corn. James and Clark Eggleston here all night. Eggleston paid me $160
for my bald horse.
20th, I went to Molton and paid Asa Hodges $21.23 for a half barrel of scrip and a sack of oats.
Also paid my taxes of $39.51. I bought a horse for Mary and paid $76. I bought Thorn;s
Peter at sherrif sale at $860. Pd McKelvy his bill and a rope to lead my horse $1.00.
21st, I went to the saw mill and to the tanyard and nobody at home. Got a deer skin. James and
Gambel all night.
22nd, I went to Courtlnad and got my wife;s specks and nails of Cunningham and pd. I done
nothing more but pd. Davison.
23rd, There is a little rain this morning and very smoky. We planted some early corn yesterday
and Hendricks a (puppy ?) , had corn planted that was of no account. It rained all night.
24th, A very cool morning. We are trying to get some wood. Quin at the mill. I have sent MILTON
to Irvin;s after tallow;got 16 lbs. I went to Courtland and got of Ben Hawkins a saddle
blanket, 75 pd; 1 lbs. Of ----12 ½ paid; one bottle of gin of Acklen and paid $1.
26th, Last night a hard frost and ice and a cold north wind today.
27th, A very cool night & frost. We are bedding up for cotton
28th, Still cold and a hard frost. We began again to plant corn in the middle cut.
29th, Mrs. Bobo died. Still very cold and we are planting corn.
30th, The woods full of fire and burnt some of my fences. Windy. Hendrix one bushel of meal.
31st, Cool and windy. The first part of March was pleasant, the last unpleasant. Rained in the
evening and at night.
APRIL, 1860
1st, Cool wind and a sprinkle of rain.
2nd, Cool morning. We are planting corn and finished all but the new ground.
3rd, A powerful windy day. I went up to the place where old Mrs. Bobo died. A tree fell on my
old horse Lige and killed him and the other horses in the plow and Jack narrowly escaped.
Trees blowed---
4th, The ground too wet to plow. I went to see Phillip Pointer. The blind mare had a colt last
night.
5th, We are bedding up for cotton in the section field. My blind mare died with the blind
staggers and left a young colt.
6th, I went to Courtland to try to buy a horse. I sent or left $5 with Mr. Speaks to send to
Florence for me some peas. I bought a horse of Parson Harris at Mountain Home and paid $80.
7th, We began to plant cotton on the mountain. George & his wife up here.
8th, Very warm and windy at night.
9th, Cloudy & Windy
10th, We are planting cotton on the section field. Old Jack & Will acting the scoundrels I got
of Acklen by MILTON one qt. Of oil on the credit.
11th, My wife & MILTON went to Courtland. I got nails and paid for them, that is my wife pd. for
them. We are planting cotton at Mingo.
12th, I went to town and got a quire of paper of Speaks and pd. for it. Bought a barrel of sugar
of Acklen, 260 pounds at 10 cents is $26. Also 2 kegs of Owens. This is beautiful weather,
a little cool in the morning.
13th, We finished planting cotton at Mingo and brought home my 2 plows. A sack of corn from
Leckey;s and a barrel of sugar from Acklen; 2 kegs from Owens all pd.
14th, The Negroes planted their patches. Jas. And family came up.
15th, The weather rather dry.
16th, I have sent a sack of corn back to Leckey.
17th, We are plowing and replanting corn. Began to rain in the evening. Rained all night. I sent
a letter to MILTON.
18th, This is a rainy morning. We ground some on the mill.
19th, A damp morning.
20th, We planted the new ground corn.
21st, Growing weather. Quin fixing a cow lot. James came up after his mother and took her home
with him. I paid Capt. A. Jones his note of $9.10 cents and one dollar cash, the amount
of his account for plank and he is to tear up the account as he has not got it with him.
I give Wm. Hendrix ten dollars to pay for his cow in addition to $5 previously.
23rd, Quin is trying to fix the hydrolic ram. A damp morning. I received a letter from Puckett
& Hodges that they had sent me a barrel of sugar and a half barrel of whiskey.
24th, We are planting the new ground corn. A frost at night.
25th, A light frost this morning. I went to town to see if I could dispose of the sugar sent by
them rogues Puckett and Hodges. We planted the sedge cut of corn.
26th, Cold and a frost this morning.
27th, Very cool & a frost, a little one.
28th, I went to town and sold the barrel of sugar sent by Hodges to George Clopper for what
it cost and sent them the amount being 23.81 and one dollar and 19 cents over. I settled
with Col. Shackleford and we are even. MILTON went after his Grandmother.
29th , Still cool weather.
30th, We commenced to harrow cotton. The weather dry. I have given Betsy property today as sot
down in another place in this book. It rained some this evening.

MAY, 1860
1st, A very pretty day but a little cool.
2nd, N.W. wind, warm, sunshine. Higgins broke down his buggy and stayed all night. The weather
      very cool at night.
3rd, Still cool morning.
4th, I loaned my saddle to Higgins.
5th, I sent Puckett $10 in a letter and sent and paid Pierce freight on whiskey. Mary and 
     children came up. 
6th, Phillip Pointer died this morning. Mary and children went home with George. 7th, We began 
     to chop through the cotton
8th, Windy & cloudy, dry & dusty, but rained at night.
9th, We are planting ------yam slips. Cloudy morning. I sent $10 to A. Ashford by Hendricks.
10th, We are working in the cotton in the section field.
11th, As above. It rained at night.
12th, A wet morning. All the Negroes working out their patches. I let Hendricks have one gallon
      whiskey, $1.
13th, Mary & family went home. George took his mother home with him. Pretty weather.
14th, We are planting peas. 
15th, I let Bill Hendrix have a half bushel of meal this morning. This is growing weather. A 
      bottle of ink of Acklen. Peter-----? Died.
16th, This is growing weather. Crop look well. 
17th, Harrowing cotton.
18th, I am fixing up my old gun and Quin making me a bed stead.
19th, I went to town and bought of Shardevine 9 yards of ticking. 31/2 pounds of ---.and a 
      coffee pot and I paid for all. Got a cross cut saw & file of Speaks and paid; 3 boxes of 
      matches of Acklen and paid.
20th, Clear and windy. I wrote a letter to Dr. George C. Gray.
21th, There is a little appearance of rain this morning, but failed.
22nd, It rained enough this morning to do no good.
23rd, A little rain in the evening.
24th, B. Hendrix a half bushel of meal. MILTON got of Acklen stuff to kill rats 25 cts. 
      Planting out yam slips. Dry.
25th, Dry and cool weather and also hot in the sun.
26th, I sent and got a barrel of flour of Cunningham at $8 and will pay when I go to town and 
      I let Hendrix have it.
27th, It had the appearance of rain, but passed off.
28th, Hot and dry. I sent by MILTON $8 to pay Cunningham for a barrel of flour I got for 
      Hendrix.
29th, Still looks like rain but no rain. We are working in cotton.
30th A pretty day after the rain. I got the ------yesterday of Acklen and pd. 15 cts.

JUNE, 1860
1st, Pretty weather.
2nd, Quin has gone to Swopes mill with 18 bushels of corn. George & family and Billy up here.
John also with 2 bushels of corn.
3rd, Crops suffering for rain.
4th, I swapped horses with Ben and am to give him $50 to boot payable next Christmas.
There was a sprinkle of rain at night.
5th, It threatens to rain but does not come.
6th, Black clouds around. No rain yet. In the evening a thunder and hail storm. Hail as as
partridge eggs. A good rain also.
7th, Damp morning. We are setting out yam slips.
8th, Thundering and lightening with rain this morning. Showery all day. The Courtland school
out today. Milton started to school on the 13th of February.
9th, A cloudy day. Quin drawing the cole.
10th, Clear & cool this morning. Parson Shackleford all night.
11th, Cool morning. Parson Shackleford left for Moulton. Quin went to work for Col. S.
Shackleford this morning.
12th, A rainy morning and last night. It cleared off and we cut our scattering wheat.
13th, A pretty morning. Milton went after his books.
14th, A hard rain at night.
15th, A cloudy morning. Cleared off. James came up on his way to Moulton to straighten old
Bill Elliott.
16th Growing weather. Crops look well.
17th, Clear and pretty weather. Henry Sherod died.
18th, Warm weather. Milton gone to town to the final examination. I am a little sick. Quin at
work for S. Shackleford.
19th, Cloudy this morning.
20th, Cool morning and got days. An ugly woman with two impudent boys she call her sons
with two fine horses, one a mare, call to get their horses fed & dinners and said they
had no money. I believe the horses was stolen and all of them horse thieves.
22nd, I am sick in bed with dysentery. It is pretty weather. Clouds flying around.
23rd, Mary sent for her mother. Quin has worked 2 weeks and is at home.
24th, My wife is starting to see Mary.
25th, Quin is at home this week waiting for lumber. Has worked 2 weeks.
26th, Quin hauled 2 stocks to Jones Mill.
27th, Cloudy this morning. Cleared off. Quin took 2 more stocks to the mill.
28th, Quin took 3 more stocks to A. S. Jones mill. That is 3 for myself and 3 for Jones
up to the 29th. Milton got 1 lb. Of nails & a paper of tacks and pd.
29th, Hauled 2 loads, 2 stocks at a load. I went to Mary B. after my wife. Campbell made a
single tree, $1.
JULY, 1860
1st, Came home. Hot weather.
2nd, Quin hauling about the farm at Screwdriver. I let Ben have $14 in gold.
3rd, Quin making axletree for wagon. The weather hot and dry. Corn withering up.
4th, Hot and hotter. Quin fixed the wagon and found out the wheat making 13½ bushels. I am sick
with a dysentery. Hot and dry.
5th, Hot and dry. The corn suffering for rain. Quin took 2 loads of stocks, 3 stocks to the
mill. Milton got some medicine of Dr. Bentley and a pint of paregoric and a little bottle
of laudanum of Acklen. I am still sick with my bowels.
6th, Rained a fine shower. Quin getting crib logs. I am still sick a little.
7th, M. L. Eggleston and family came up. Quin hewing crib logs.
8th, Dry & hot. Cool mornings. Hendrix quit work the 4th day of July.
9th, The corn burning up. Hendrix off somewhere.
10th, It is so hot it appears the earth will burn up.
11th, Corn burning up. Hendrix poling about Quin at the crib logs.
12th, Still horrible hot. Corn burning up. Hendrix went to work again last 7 days. Sister
Mariah, her granddaughter Eliza Pettit and Miss Henry and Zebulon Gray, Brother William;s
son, came up.
13th, I went to town and bought several things & all paid for. Hendrix went to town. Quin took
2 stocks to Jones for Jones. Zebulon Pike Gray started home at 12.
14th, The Negroes working out their patches. Hendrix off again. The corn burning up.
15th, Cloudy this evening, and perhaps may rain. No rain yet.
16th, Hot & dry. Hendrix began to work a little again.
17th, Still dry and everything burning up. Hendrix worked from breakfast until dinner. Storm
and rain in the evening.
18th, Hendrix off today. Hot weather today. We are getting puntrons for crib floor.
19th, Hot & sultry. We are raising the crib. Milton went to town and got some things which I
will pay for when I go to town. Only 2 lbs of candles.
20th, Still working at the crib. Our well failed.
21th, Jordan and Billy Button up here after plank and whiteoak. I went to Jones Mill with them
and got for Mary 500 feet of ____ and weatherboarding at $1.25 per___. Hendrix quit and
I pd. Him $20 in gold. Eggleston came up and took our friends home with him.
22nd, Still hot weather. Our friends off with Eggleston.
23rd, A shower of wind and rain this morning. I give Milton $5 to get 8 lbs. of candles. Some
rain in the evening but the ground so horrible hot it does but little good. Corn too far
gone to recover.
24th, Cool morning but a hot day. I sent Felix and Milton to Swopes Mill in the evening with 23
bushels of corn.
25th, Felix got home with 23 bushels of meal. Milton went to town and brought out George Henry.
26th, Milton has gone this morning after George Henry;s trunk. Also got nails and paid for
them.
27th, Thundering around. A sprinkle of rain.
28th, Milton went to town and brought out American and Milton;s son Jonathan.
29th, No rain here, but it rains all about. A good rain.
30th, It looks like rain. We are cleaning out the well. Milton started again to school in
Courtland. It rained hard at night.
31st, A little rain this morning. I moved myself to Pearson place. A fool Breckinridge
barbecue in Courtland.
AUGUST, 1860

1st, Cool morning & hot days. Milton got a pair of shoes for Quin of Cunningham and owes him
$1.50. Bill Hendrix moved to Charles Swopes. We began to pull fodder. All of the quality got
back from Eggleston;s. Also Zeb got here.
2nd, Hot morning. We are pulling fodder.
3rd, I am down here at the Pearson place by myself to keep out of the way of the noise.
4th, My wife has gone to church. My wife run in debt to Owens.
5th, I am at the Pearson place to keep out of the noise.
6th, There was an election in town for clerk & assessor. I bought of Acklen stricknine $1.00,
a bottle of Bools cherry pectoral and owe for it. Every other thing I got is paid for.
7th, Horrible hot. Quin housed up. I have such a cold and so hoarse I can;t talk.
8th, Rained in the evening.
9th, Hot, sultry morning. Mariah Gray going home with George.
10th, Rainey morning.
11th, We are making a fodder lot. Some rain.
12th, I paid Wm. J. Hendrix $10 and owe him $2 which I have ready for him.
13th, I went to Courtland and paid for little Jonathan and America;s tickets to go to
Germantown for $6.20. I got a knofe of Cunningham for Jonathan, 60 cts., pd. I paid
Mrs. Sherods Ben $1.50 cts. For lime. The weather cool.
14th, We are pulling fodder.
15th, At the same work today as we was yesterday.
16th, At the fodder. My wife sent a dollar to get yams and I sent 10 cts. To get screws.
18th, I went to Courtland and bought of Cunningham stuff for 2 pairs of ___ and nails and
paid for all.
20th, Fixing to make bricks and at the fodder. Stormy morning, but no rain.
22nd, Finished the fodder all but the new ground and working at the bricks.
23rd, At the bricks.
24th, A hard rain and filled the mortar hold full of water. I sent Milton with $2 the last
I owed W. Hendrix to him. Also, I sent 60 cents to Jim Moon for the cole I got last
spring.
25th, We made a few bricks in the evening. Felix got from the mill with a load of plank.
26th, Self unwell.
27th, I went to town and let Cunningham have $100 note and got a barrel of flour ____and sent
to Vanhook by Milton $9.
28th, A damp, drisly day. We are still at the bricks.
29th, I let Ben and Mrs. Blackston each have a turn of corn. It has cleared off this evening.
30th, Still making bricks. Very hot days.
31st, Benjamin worked on the road.
SEPTEMBER, 1860

1st, We are still making bricks. Sun shines hot. My wife gone to church.
2nd, A hard rain in the evening. I brought all of the little ones down to put up bricks.
3rd, Parson Shackleford left this morning for Moulton. We are fixing for making bricks after
the rain.
4th, My wife is going down to Mary B.. Still hot weather. We are pulling new ground fodder
and making bricks. Rain at night.
5th, Rain so we could not make bricks. I got a letter from Milton.
6th, Hot day. Quin fixing gate. All hands projecting about.
7th, Clear today. We are pulling the new ground fodder.
8th, We are making rains and gates.
9th, It looks like rain.
10th, It cleared off at 12 and we began our bricks again. I sent $30 to Howard for bacon.
11th, Very cool night and hot day. We are making bricks and pulling grass.
12th, We finished making bricks.
13th, We are picking a little cotton & pulled some grass.
14th, At the cotton. Got nails of Cunningham.
15th, We are cleaning up the house at the bottom of the hill. Milton went to town and got
glass and putty. Paid for them. Began to liln the bricks. Both of my dogs died eating
stricknine.
16th, A little rain.
17th, I sent Quin after the 2 barrels of salt and he paid freight on them and the bacon and
I sent $7.29 cents to Warren to pay for the two barrels and one I got last spring.
18th, We are kilning the bricks.
19th, It looks like rain. We are in a great pucker this morning to secure the brick kiln.
20th, We moved down to my farm in the valley, the old Pearson place, and finished kilning the
bricks.
21th, We pulled the corn in the crib field and shucked it out.
22th, I went to Courtland and bought of Cunningham 14 pairs of shoes and 10 hats and 5
handkerchiefs and paid for all. This is pretty weather. In the evening M. L. Eggleston
& family & James with McGahey came up.
24th, I went to Courtland and got of Pippin 6 boxes of blacking and 3 glass and paid for
them. Engaged of Cunningham shoes. I give Mount Blakson the Vanhook certificate for
schooling.
25th, James went to court.
27th, We began to burn the bricks.
28th, We are picking out cotton. Eggleston and family went home.
29th, We are burning bricks and picking out cotton. Jane sick and gone to hunt the hogs.
30th, And last of Sept. We are still burning bricks. The weather still warm.

OCTOBER, 1860

1st, We finished picking cotton over the 1st time today in the valley and went to the
mountain.
2nd, Picking out my wife;s patch on Mount Sandy.
3rd, A sprinkly of rain this morning. We moved the shucks out of the house.
4th, A drisly morning. I sent 13 ½ bushels of corn to E. M. Swopes mill this evening and
the puppy of a manager sent him home and let the corn lay in the wagon all night.
5th, The rogue miller sent the boy home without his meal. Rained a little.
6th, Cloudy & warm. Jack at the cotton. Quin & Felix quarrying rock. Milton took a load of
wood to Vanhook, price $2. The weather warm and showery.
7th, It is very warm.
8th, It turned a little cool in the evening. Quin putting up a stone chimney to his house.
9th, We finished this morning picking over the section field of cotton the 1st time and began
to pull corn.
11th, Finished the mountain field of corn.
12th, As above. Killed a beef. A hard frost.
13th, I weighed 59 pounds of Jack;s cotton. The ground white with frost.
14th, Weighed 238 pounds of Jack;s cotton.
15th, A hard killing frost. I have sent Mary;s shoes back to Cunningham to get another larger
pair and a pound of nails from Cunningham and a bottle of Hosstutter;s Bitters, pay $1,
from Acklen.
16th, Ahard frost. We are at the cotton and jobbing about.
17th, Killing frost. Sent Vanhook 3 lbs. Of butter, 50 cts.
18th, I sent Quin and Will to help George raise his ( press ?). I went down to see James. He was
sick.
19th, We dug our poor little yams. Windy and a little rain.
20th, A damp, ugly day.
21th, Cloudy and dull day. Mrs. Yates & Mrs. Belew came to see us.
22nd, We began to plow for wheat.
23rd, Sent Vanhook 3 lbs. Of butter, 50. I went to Courtland and bought a vest , 1 lb. Of shot.
I swapped off John horse for two mules and give my note for $200 to boot one day after
date. I bought 4 little sows and 16 pigs of Lecky and am to give $22 on Christmas, but
Ben says he has bought them and I shan;t have them. I got of Acklen linament 25 cents
and paid.
24th, I went again to town. Got of Speaks one hat $4 and a pair of gloves of Cunningham 75 cts.
25th, I started before day to see and hear Douglas and got home again before dark. Walked from
Courtland.
26th, Sick all day with a sore eye. Ben started the gin.
27th, Windy day. Viney & Milton gone to James wheat. George the bricklayer began to build a
chimney.
30th, Sent to Vanhook 3 pounds of butter. Beautiful weather. Black George at the chimney.
31st, Rained before day. Last night Negroes housed with the belly ache. Sent some small hands
to help Ben pick cotton.
NOVEMBER, 1860

1st. A rainy morning. The Bricklayer stopped from work, but works say ½ day. Milton took a horse
to bring up Mary.
3rd. Cool & windy. I have sent A. Ashford 43 lbs. Of dry hide and 44 lbs. Of green hide and
I sent for my account. George got his chimmey finished by 12 o&#8217;clock. Worked 5 days.
Mary and children came up. Began to sow wheat.
5th. Poking George the bricklayer came again. John Carter here with----. I paid him $1.68.
6th. I went to the presidential election. I pd. Black John the smith $1.00. pd. Freight on
------& rope $ 1.90. Got of Acklen----50.
7th. Cold frosty morning. The bricklayer finished his chimmey. Worked 7 days in all 8 days $12.
8th. A showery day. We are plowing in wheat and stopped. Rainy night.
9th. This is a rainy forenoon.
10th. A pretty day after the rain. We made one bale of cotton for a beginning.
11th. A frosty morning. Self sick with a cold and bowels in bad order.
12th. A pretty day. Finished the wheat and made a bog pen.
13th. Sent Vanhook 31/2 pounds of butter. We have finished our cotton and finished sowing wheat.

14th. I had a chill, a most abominable. Sent for Dr. Sykes. Quin got home from the mill..
15th. The hands helping Benj. Pick out his cotton. George and his wife came up.
16th. Cloudy. The mules has got out but is found again.
17th. A drisly day. We are getting wood. And made one bale. The lever give way in the tennent ?

18th. This is a beautiful day.
19th. A pretty day. Began to pull the back fields of corn. I sent and got of Acklen one bottle
of Bools Cherry Pectoral $1, salts and a roll of liquorise licorice ?.
20th. The hands gone to help Ben pick out his cotton.
21st. cool and spit snow this morning. Helping Ben at his cotton and Felix hauling rails.
22nd. Cold and some ice. We are gathering corn. Rained in the evening.
23rd. Baled cotton. Cold wind.
24th. Cold, frozen morning. Hauling in corn.
26th. A rainy morning.
27th. A rainy time.
28th. A wet & muddy day.
29th. A pretty day. I weighed Quin;s cotton, 345 pounds, and Wells; 257 pounds. Milton stopped
going to school.
30th. I sent and got of Acklen many things in the drug line. Sent 4 bales of cotton to town.

DECEMBER, 1860

1st. I have sent 8 bales more cotton, in all 12 and wrote Howard, also to Brown, editor of the
Washington Constitution to stop it. I got of W.A. Owens 1 bolt of jersey and one bolt of
lining, factory stuff.
2nd. Cold, frosty morning. Pretty and clear and rained the before day.
3rd. Drisly morning . We are killing hogs and killed 4. Ben got one. Milton quit school.
4th. Spitting snow all day. We are gathering corn & cutting up meat.
5th. At the corn and fodder. Cold & frozen weather.
6th. Thick ice this morning.
7th. We finished gathering corn & fodder. Milton got clothing of Owens and lining for Betsy;s
dress.
8th. We are fencing.
10th. Milton went to town and got of Cunningham 3 lbs. Of nails, bolts and screws and ½ dozen
hand saw files. It rained in the morning. Parson Shackleford stayed until after dinner.
11th. I went and settled with A.E. Ashford up to this date and he falls in my debt $5.60. We
are helping Ben pick cotton and hauling it.
12th. A cold, Frosty morning. We are picking & hauling Ben;s cotton. I went to town in the
evening and put a letter in the office for Howard. I got of Cunny one pair of shoes at
$2 and a cross cut saw file 37 1/2.
13th. Cool morning and pretty day. Hauling & picking cotton for Ben.
14th. A damp, cloudy day. Mary came up going after her daughter who is sick at Moulton.
15th. Cloudy and very cool. We are fixing the press and getting wood.
16th. Milton started to school the 30 of July and quit the 29th of Nov. making 4 months.
17th. I give Dediker my note for fifty dollars for 5 sows and 19 pigs. I went to town & got
of Acklen ½ of rum, $2, a pr. Of gloves of Owens at $1 on a credit. We killed 13 hogs.
18th. We are cutting up meat, making & hauling rails & making fence. Rained hard all night and
Wednesday morning.
19th. A wet damp morning. Rained at night. We are tearing down old rotten Bargee;s old rotten
fences.
20th. At the old fences. Ben a ginning his cotton.
21st. A windy morning.
22nd. An election in Courtland to send members to a convention. I got of Cunningham one pair
of shoes for my wife $1.50. Smith paid Milton $3.
25th. This is a damp morning. The Negroes are off a frolicking.
26th. A pretty, clear, frosty morning.
29th. Wm. McMahon died. Snowed at night.
30th. Snow on the ground.
31st. The ground covered with snow and last of 1860 and a year of contention of revolution. So
ends the year.
JANUARY, 1861

1st. A cold frosty morning. I went to town & paid for all I got. It is very cloudy.
2nd. We are all a fencing.
3rd. Cold, frosty morning.
4th. Wm. Hendrix came out and fixed the clock.
5th. Cold & frosty. I send Vanhook a load of wood $2. I was in Courtland and McDonald paid me
$100 and I credited his note to that amount. I paid Simmons postage all up to this date.
Bought & paid for a qt. Of rum and a qt. Of whiskey to Pippin and paid Thorn $700 toward
George;s jin.
6th. Cloudy and rained before day.
7th. Drisly day. Pilgarlick came and run away.
8th. A damp, foggy morning. Mud everywhere.
9th. Still drisly, cloudy, rainy day.
10th. Drisly, damp time.
12th. I went to town and got of Cuney 4 locks at 50 cts. A piece $2.
13th. Rained all night.
14th. A rainy morning and all day and night.
15th. Still cloudy & rainy time all day. Cleared off in the night.
16th. A clear, cool day. We are again trying to build and upset old fences. More rain.
17th. Rain and mud.
18th. I am sending to Jones poor mill. Fencing. Cool & damp.
19th. Cool & damp. Milton went to Courtland & Dr. Sykes sent me out for the money that rogue
and scoundrel Howard sold my cotton for or rather stole it.
20th. Cloudy.
21st. I went to town and left $200 with A. Simons to pay Terry and I paid Sally (poor dear).
$12, for bricklayers work. I got a quart of rum of Acklen, a pair of boots of Cunningham
on a credit.
22nd. We was all at the fence. A hard wind at night.
23rd. A little rain and wind from the East this morning and all day.
24th. A cloudy morning. I let Sqr. Dinsmore have 30 yds of baling and he also paid for it.
Snowed in then night, 5 inches deep this morning.
25th. Snow on the ground 5 inches deep this morning.
26th. The ground covered with snow. I went Milton to Courtland with $75 to pay Jo. Thorn the
balance for George;s gin. Also with $50 to pay Dediker for his hogs. Milton got a pair
of boots at Owen at $3.25.
27th. Clear & the snow melting off.
28th. We raised the blacksmith shop. Milton carried a load of wood to Vanhook $2 and brought
out a half barrel of whiskey.
29th. I went to Courtland and paid Dr. Sykes his bill of $3 and paid Speaks & Sykes for all
and more up to this date. I give Simmons $2 to send on for the Appeal. I got of
Cunningham 10 lbs. Of nails at 8 cts. Per lb. is 80 cents.
30th. We are still fencing. I let Ben have $20 to pay Lecky.
31st. Cool & cloudy. I was in Courtland, Ala. ratification meeting about the secession of our
state. Terry got the $200 for his fool cousin for the mules and $5 interest.

FEBRUARY, 1861
1st. A rainy day all day and night.
2nd. Pay for mending the spectacles.
3rd. Still cloudy and dull weather.
4th. Raised the blacksmith shop.
5th. In the mud at the fence. My wife sent Mrs. Smith 7 pounds of butter. Frosty morning. Clear
     weather.
6th. Hard Frost. Still in the mud fencing.
7th. I went to Courtland, got of Cunningham ;pounds of nails 80 cts. Also 4 plows --- one 
     ---an 3 round ---. I got of Pippen blue ointment and blister salve, pd.
8th. I went to Halls to show him and Scruggs the lines of their land.
9th. I went again to poor extravagant Courtland & got 5 lbs. Of rice of Jas. Peeble and paid
     for it.
10th. A drisly morning and hard rainy day.
11th. We are making a cole hill. Free George began to work in the shop at 12 o&#8217;clock. 
      I have sent Milton after the iron I have at Cunningham. He got 4 ½ lbs. Cotton rope at
      37 ½ cents lb. 
12th. Free George run off and my puppy Quin give me insolence and I tanned his yellow hide a
      little. I went to town and sent by Simmons $2 for the Washington Constitution & paid 
      Owens $20 and owes him $7.50. Cudgeled Free George.
13th. I sent a letter to the Moulton Democrat to stop as my year is out. My paper .
14th. I went to town & carried back 4 plow --- and got some slab iron and a piece of steel & to 
      Milton a coat at $5 of Cunningham, a barrel of potatoes of Hardwick. 
15th. I sent back to Hardwick the barrel of potatoes, I got yesterday. I sent 12 bushels of corn
       to Jones mill.
16th. Showers of wind and snow. A cold spell.
17th. Cloudy & cold.
18th. Cloudy and wind and showers before day.
19th. Showery & wind all day.
20th. I went a dry hide to Ashford, weight 12 lbs. And a piece of ragged harness leather. Milton
      went to town after Bynum;s Ty. He began to work at 2 o;clock. We worked with my hands on
      the road. I got a pair of trace chains of Cunningham. 
21th. Ty working in the shop.
22nd. I went to town and sent a letter to Warren to send me 2 barrels of salt. Paid me $16, all
      he owed me for Quin;s work. Ty finished in the shop. I got 2 ½ bushels of oats of Jno. 
      Dandridge.
25th. Cold. Frosty morning. J.M. Whorton began to work at $12 per month.
26th. Cold & cloudy. Horton 1 lb. of tobacco. We are plowing for cotton. 
27th. This is a pretty warm day. We are sowing oats. I owe Jno. Dandridge for 4 bushels of oats.
      I went to town and got ½ bushel of onions, pd.
28th. Whorton sick.
MARCH, 1861

1st. I went to town and got 2 barrels of salt of Waren and 6 yds. Of stuff for Judy, a coat of
     Cunny 85 cts. Horton sick.
2nd. Pretty weather. Took Vanhook 1 ½ pounds of butter 25. I bought a barrel of potatoes & pd.
     Whorton off sick.
3rd. Bauchanan;s time out and Lincoln begins. The weather warm. I made Whorton a qt. of bitters
     to cure the ague.
4th. I went to Courtland to a sale of the property of Wm. McMahon deceased. Horton at work
     today.
5th. Bedding up for cotton. Cut & spaid pigs.
6th. Quin went to town in the evening and got of Cunney 5 lbs of nails and a little chalk.
7th. We began to plow for corn.
8th. Windy and sprinkle of rain. A hard rain.
9th. A camp & cool morning. I went to Courtland and took up my note held by Barbee of 1140 
     and paid by Wm. McDonald and credited on his note and took him and Bynum;s new note of
     $1809. I sued Mrs. Battel & Jno. Houston on their note of $1088 and give it to Baker to
     collect. I bought of Cunningham stuff for pantaloons and other things. J. M> Whorton, 
     1 qt. of whiskey, 25.
10th. Cool & frosty weather.
11th. Cool & frosty.
12th. Cool & windy. We are plowing for corn. I wrote a letter to Milton.
13th. Windy & warm. Quin has gone to Swopes Mill with 12 bushels of corn. Blowed and turned 
      cold in the evening.
14th Cold north wind. We began to plant corn. Jack and Horton laid up.
15th. Cold, frozen morning. The ground froze hard. Horton has the flue and laid up. Work today. I went to town and paid Cunningham the $2 I borrowed of him. Bought of Cunny needles & 7 yds. Of binding, ½ lb. of tea. Rained in the night.
17th. Cold and cloudy.
18th. It is as cold this morning as the dead of winter. We are making a ditch to straighten
      the branch and breaking up the little field by the house.
19th. We planted the early corn and up on the hill. The weather turned a little warmer. 
      Clouded up in the evening.
20th. The wind as cold as winter. We We are planting corn again. Jack still housed up.
21st. Still cold, frosty weather. We are still planting corn on the frost.
22nd. Cool & windy.
23rd. Rained before day. We bedded out the yams. Horton went to town after dinner to trade 
      with Cunningham
24th. I sent John Dandy $2 by Julus to par for oats. Eggleston and family came up.
25th. Cool wind and frosty mornings. We are planting corn in the section field.
26th. Hard wind and rain in the evening.
27th. I went to town and got of Cunningham 3 papers of seed and a paper of tacks, 40 cents,
      and 5 pounds of nails, 40 cts.
28th. Cool & cloudy. We are rolling logs and planted the little field of corn by the house.
29th. Still windy and a hard rain at night.
30th. I went to town and got of Cunningham 9 yds. Of calico, $1.50: 1 yd. Of outing, 15 1 ½ . 
      of domestic, 18l buttons & binding, 3 yds. About 50.
31st George & family here. Rained hard at night.

APRIL, 1861

1st. A rainy morning. The earth flooded. Nothing doing. Horton quit work. Went to ----.
2nd. Thundering and a rainy day.
3rd. I took Quin down to Hall;s to look at their wheat thrasher. It is no account. Rain all
the time.
4th. It looks like rain this morning. Windy all the time.
5th. Cool, cloudy & windy.
6th. This is a rainy all day until evening. Windy all the time.
7th. Another lonesome Sunday. Rained at night.
8th. Rain all the time. Nothing doing but getting a little wood.
9th. Very cool. Quin gone again to mill with 13 bushels.
10th. Cool & cloudy. A little frost this morning. Moon changed 9 minutes after one. A cold time.

11th. Quin went to town and got of Cunningham sundries, 5.22. Rain in the morning. Sunshine at
2 o;clock.
12th. No rain yet this morning. We began to plant cotton in the evening.
13th. I went to Courtland and settled Acklen;s account of 1860, being about $40 and he paid me
$60 and I credited his note $100 up to the 1st of April, 1861, and bought of him a barrel
of sugar at 9 ½ cents pr. Pound. Cool wind.
14th. Cool wind. Rain, thunder and rain at night. Most abominable weather.
15th. Rain & mud all the time. No planting our crops. Milton went to town and brought the sugar
home. I got of A. Acklen marked 245 pounds at 9 ½ cts. Pr. Pound $23.27. In the evening
blowed from the north and hard, cold rain.
16th. Cold, north wind. Mud, nothing but mud. Frost at night.
17th. Frost on the ground this morning. We are planting cotton.
18th. Cool in the morning. The sun shines at times as warm as summer. We are planting cotton.
19th. Cold north wind. A gloomy, despised spring. We finished planting cotton.
20th. Some frost in the morning. I went to Courtland and got of Pippen calomel and flour of
sulpher and paid and left with Dr. F. Sykes 37.50 cts. To pay over the tax___. I paid
C. Bynum 5.25 for his man Ty;s work 3 ½ days. Coo. Morning. Warm day.
21st. Another lonesome day.
22nd. Cool wind. We are planting our corn over in the little field by the house. The ground
baked as hard as brick bats. Wm. Hendricks came out and fixed my clock. I paid him $5.
23rd. Thunder at night and a little rain.
24th. We are planting my last cut of cotton and some corn in the last field.
25th. My wife went to town and bought of Speaks & Sykes to the amount of $14.00 as per their
bill. We are replanting corn and breaking up sedge field.
27th. Rain.
28th. A little cool. A beautiful clear day.
29th. Another pretty day. We are planting some new ground corn. Rain at night.
30th. Too wet to plow. Quin went to town and got John the smith to cut some screws.

MAY, 1861

1st. Clear again. We are trying to plow again.
2nd. I was in town and got of Pippen sarsaparilla, about 75, and stuff to kill rats at 25 cents.

3rd. A clear day.
4th. George and Ben has both joined the Volunteers.
5th. Thunder & lightening last night. Ben sick with the pallet of his mouth. At night thunder 
     and lightning and a flood of rain. It poured down.
6th. A rainy morning. Cleared off at 12 o;clock.
7th. Quin going to the mill. We are thinning corn. Too wet to plow. I sent Ashford 23 lbs. of
     hide.
8th. There was a barbecue and speaking in town.
9th. A hard rain at night. Still too wet to plow in low places.
10th. The ground too wet to do anything.
11th. I am sick.
13th. Some rain this morning. Wars & rumors of war.
14th. Cool and cloudy. We are working I in cotton. Ground wet.
15th. A clear, pretty day. A little cool. The grass and weeds outgrowing the cotton and corn.

16th. I went to town and got of Cunningham 3 boxes of blacking, 1 lb. of powder, 3 lbs. of 
      shot, 1 boc of caps, 50. Bankhead pd. Me $20 and I give it to George & Benjamin. 
17th. Ben started to the wars and George also. 
18th. I went to town and give Dr. F. Sykes Acklen;s note of $500 credited with $100. I got of
      Pippen lb. of pepper. Rained at night.
19th. A hard rainy day and at night poured down a flood.
20th. Some rain this morning. The ground flooded. The fields washed away. We worked on Mount
      Sandy.
21st. Cool & cloudy. We are working on the section field.
22nd. Cool and clear. We are working on the section. Too wet to work any other place.
23rd. A clear day at last. We are working in corn.
24th. As we was yesterday, so we are today. Warm & windy.
25th. I was in town. There was a home guard formed.
26th. Clear & warm.
27th. All hands at the corn and cotton.
28th. Growing weather. Ground hard after so much hard rain.
29th. I went to town. Bought of Speaks stuff for two pair of pantaloons & trimming.
30th. Benjamin started to the wars.
31st. We are planting the Lige cut of corn. Is warm & cloudy today.

JUNE, 1861

1st. Sent 3 bushels of corn to the mill. Quin began to cut the wheat. I went to town and sat a
while in the police court. I bought of Pippin a bottle of gin at $1, an ounce of cobalt,
and an ounce of spiccanna ?
3rd. Still dry weather.
4th. A general search of Negro cabins to look for concealed arms and other things.
5th. A negro whipping in Courtland for their stealing of Speaks & Sykes goods.
6th. The weather hot & dry. The ground as hard as bricks.
7th. A little cloudy. We;re hauling in wheat. Some thunder & rain. We are trying to thrash
wheat with my thrasher.
8th. I went to town and came away disgusted with the people.
9th. I weighed out 12 lbs. of bacon for Ben;s hands to last a week.
10th. We trashed out 3 ½ bushels of wheat. We are plowing and hoeing.
11th. Quin has gone to mill with 12 bushels of corn and 3 ½ of wheat. I went to the mill also.
12th. Hot in the sun. Eggleston & my wife went to town. Hot weather.
13th. We are plowing in cotton. Eggleston & family went home.
14th. Hot & hotter. We got a letter from Ben & one from Milton.
15th. I was in town and sent a letter to Milton & one to Ben with $20 in Ben;s. I got a bottle
of stuff of Pippen, $1, paid. 50 pounds of flour and 1 bushel of meal to Hardwick.
16th. George & family up here.
17th. Very cool. North wind.
18th. Cool morning and hot in the sunshine. The infernal bugs eating up the potatoes &
everything else.
19th. I am having my wheat threshed out & working in the cotton. I had one of them damnable
chills last night. Cool nights and hot days. Made only 46 bushels of wheat.
20th. Cool mornings and hot and dry days.
21st. Still dry weather. The rust & smut ruined the oats.
22nd. I was in town and bought of Pippen one ounce of asafetida, and of Acklen stuff to make
paregoric, of Cunningham 1 lb. of ___.
23rd. A glorious rain this evening.
24th. I am in bed sick with my bowels. A little rain today.
25th. Milton has carried tow loaves of bread to Courtland to the barbecue. I got a letter from
Benjamin.
26th. A hard rain and wind in the evening.
28th. Milton went to town and got a sack of coffee weighing 25 lbs. Sent by Milton.
29th. Some showers of rain.
30th. A hard rain at night. Too wet to plow this morning.

JULY, 1861

1st. A damp morning. Milton took Vanhook $1 worth of butter.
2nd. 13 bushels of wheat to Swoop;s mill. There is a tremendous comer. The longest tail I ever
     saw.
3rd. I have come to live up here on Mount Sandy by myself & Ike.
4th. A good deal of rain.
5th. A rainy time. We are cleaning out our patches on Sandy.
6th. We yoked up our young bull to help haul a stick to the mill and he killed himself. I sent
     his hide to Ashford, weighing 72 lbs. I sent 2 quarters to town, hind qr. Weighing 125 lbs.,
     four qtr. Weighing 154 lbs. I sent 76 pounds of lead to Cunningham and 82 pounds of flour
     to Vanhook to pay for Milton;s schooling. Quin has taken a stock to Jones' Mill on Monday.
8th. I sent a stock to mill.
9th. Quin took another stock to Jones; Mill.
10th. I am up here by myself, like an old hermit amusing myself with reading a fool novel.
12th.. Cool morning. Crops green and good.
13th. My wife & Milton gone to see George. I sent a letter to Ben.
14th. Still very cool nights.
15th. Rainy time now.
16th. Still a wet time. Crops growing fast.
17th. We are making rails to fence a turnip patch.
18th. Rain, rain.
19th. Milton gone after my paper. We are hauling stock to the mill. I wrote to Acklen and 
      Bankhead that they must pay me some money or be sued.
20th. Milton has gone to town to carry his uncle Milton a bag of meal and a little flour.
21st. Still a rainy time.
22nd. I have hands up here on Mount Sandy. Fixing to move up. My wife went to see her children.
23rd. We moved up to Mount Sandy. No rain, but cool.
24th. I went to Courtland to hear the war news. I got of Sturdivant 7 pounds of nails and paid.
25th. Warm in the sun.
26th. Quin took 20 bushels of corn to Jones; Mill.
27th. I have sent to Cunningham 16 bushels of meal at $1 pr. Bushel and got one gallon of oil
      and a keg of white lead. I got of Acklen red lead 25cts. Spanish brown 12 ½, green 25.
29th. I sent Milton with some things to Ashford;s camp. The weather dry. There has been hard
      fighting between the Yankees and the white folks.
30th. Warm weather. War news.

AUGUST, 1861

1st. The weather hot.
2nd. As above.
3rd. The Negroes has ______.
5th. This is election day.
6th. I sent 100 pounds of lead to Dr. Sykes for the Volunteers.
7th. No rain but hot. Some rain in the evening.
8th. We sowed turnip seed & let Finch have 484 pounds of fodder.
10th. A showery time.
11th. Hard rain last night.
12th. I went to town and puppy Finch paid me for a stack of fodder. I give a bill on Jo Bradley 
      for $200 payable the 1st of January. My subscription to the volunteers, Rainy weather all
      along now .
13th. A damp morning.
15th. We moved up ___. It looks like clearing off. I sent 18 bushels of corn to Jones; Mill. 
16th. I moved EM over. I let Mount Blackstone have the cow that Ben got of Mrs. Blackstone for
      what Benjamin owed him, $15. Also, Mount is to pay $2 to his mother for Ben. Walltroop.
      Moved to my house in the valley.
17th. I went to town and put a letter in the office for Ben. E. bought of Cunny shoes & paid.
      A battle fought in Missouri and we whipped the Yankee Hessions ?
18th. The weather unsettled.
19th. We began to pull fodder for me.
20th. Ashford;s company and 3 others left Courtland for the wars.
21st. A showery time.
22nd. Rain ruined a field of fodder for me.
23rd. Still cloudy.
24th. I was in Courtland and sent another letter on to Ben and told Mount Blackstone he 
      could not have Ben;s cow. I returned a pair of shoes to Cunningham and got another pair.
25th. Clear & cool.
26th. This is a rainy day.
27th. This is another rainy day.
28th. Rain all the time. 7 lbs. of butter sent to Smith.
29th. It has some appearance of clearing up.
30th. No rain today.
31st. I was in Courtland. Bought nothing but a paper of tacks of Cunningham, paid.

SEPTEMBER, 1861

1st. Milton and Billy has gone to Ashford;s tanyard to get him a pair of shoes.
2nd. I went to town and bought of Cunningham a handkerchief for Billy. I give him $5. He
started for the wars. I made McDonald a bottle of quinine bitters. He went also.
3rd. We are pulling fodder.
4th. We are at the fodder.
5th. We are pulling fodder at Egypt. I went to Jones;Mill and nobody at home. All still.
6th. I got a letter from Ben. A hard rain.
7th. Quin is making a box to put sundries in to send to Ben.
8th. We packed up sundries for Ben.
9th. I sent the box to Courtland and it has not gone owing to circumstances.
10th. We are clearing out the water hole.
11th. I went to town & sent Milton and brought the box home with sundries for Ben. I got 6
bottles of sarsaparilla of Acklen $5.
12th. We are clearing out the water hole.
13th. As above.
15th. Rain in the evening.
16th. We worked some on the road. Quin has gone with 12 bushels of wheat to the mill. Felix
has taken a big stock to Jone;s Mill. It is hot and hotter and rained as usual.
17th. Quin has got home with his flour and Phil is going to Jones&#8217; Mill with corn.
18th. I took a box to town with sundries to send Ben in care of Dr. Sykes.
19th. I went to town and back. Got a paper.
20th. A showery time.
21st. More rain and turned cool. Sent a letter to Ben.
22nd. Very cool.
23rd. I went to town to get Mrs. Walltroop;s note from rogue Cunningham.
24th. Pretty & cool weather.
25th. Cool nights. A man by the name of Sharer sot in to work and I discharged him at night.
I was in town and got 3 ounces of ____.
26th. Hard rain in the night and showery.
27th. We are picking a little cotton.
28th. We are pulling grass.
29th. Very cool and I think there is some frost. I let Mrs. Walltroop have 50 pounds of flour.

30th. Cool. We are picking a little cotton.

OCTOBER, 1861
1st. Cool morning.
2nd. Cloudy. All hands at the cotton.
4th. I went to Ashford;s tanyard and got nothing.
5th. I went to poor Courtland. Got of Peppen a bottle of stuff I will pay for soon and
     a bottle of quack stuff from Acklen;s shop & will pay. Rain.
6th. A rainy morning.
8th. We are gathering nubbins at Egypt.
9th. At Egypt as above.
10th. We are pulling the 16th section nubbins. Quin started to work for Pointer.
11th. Rain in the night and this morning. Quin went to work for Sam Pointer yesterday.
12th. I paid Pippen for stuff got previously.
13th. A clear day.
14th. I sent a beef to Courtland and had to bring most of it home. I sold Mr. Yound one
      middling of bacon at 23 ½ cts. Pr pound: also, let Dr. Smith have all of a load of corn.
15th. We are picking cotton at Egypt.
16th. At the same as yesterday. Some rain.
17th. Rain. We are getting wood. Milton went to town and brought home the shoes I got of 
      Mr. Owens and returned 2 pair that cost both pair $3.50 and credited my account of 3.50.
18th. I went to Ashford;s tanyard and settled with him after getting two small pair. He fell
      in my debt of $4 and some cents.
19th. I went to Courtland. Ben Hawkins paid me for a qt. of beef. I got 2 pair of small 
      shoes of speaks and paid $3. Milton got at Ashford;s 2 pair of shoes which I will credit
      his note with. I got a quire of paper of Simmons and paid 40 cents.
21st. We gathered peas.
22nd. We began to pull corn.
23rd. At the same as yesterday.
24th. At the corn.
26th. I give up Ashford;s note.
31st. Began to sow wheat.
NOVEMBER, 1861

1st. Rainy weather. I sent and got 4 pr. Of shoes of Ashford;s.
9th. Rainy day.
11th. We are picking cotton. Too wet to plow.
12th. Sowing rye. Quin came home from Pointer;s waiting for work.
13th. Sowed the lot by the house in wheat.
14th. As above.
15th. We finished sowing wheat.
16th. Nothing particular.
17th. It is a little cooler.
18th. Quin went back to work for Sam Pointer.
19th. I sent 13 bus. Of corn to Swoopes Mill. It rained in the night. Sowed a little more
      wheat.
20th. A muddy morning, but we picked cotton.
21st. Quin came home tonight from Pointer;s. Out of work.
22nd. A little rain this morning and turned cold.
23rd. Ice this morning. We finished picking cotton all but gleaning.
24th. Very cool.
25th. All hands picking Ben&;s cotton at Egypt. Quin at home waiting for shingles.
26th. We are at the cotton at Egypt.
27th. Quin went back to work for Sam Pointer. I sold stuff to Mr. Jones for his 
drove of cattle at $9.00. A hard rain this morning.
28th. We are picking out Ben;s cotton.
29th. A tremendous rain and I got wet as a rat.
30th. Very cool. I was in town and had a parcel of patrollers appointed.

DECEMBER, 1861

1st. Cool & cloudy.
2nd. A cold, cloudy & drisly day. Quin has gone back to Pointer&;s
3rd. We are picking out Ben;s string cotton.
4th. Cold, frozen morning. I let Mrs. Blackstone have a wagon load of corn
     to pay $10 Ben owed her, $12 and Mount paid her two dollars on the cow he got.
6th. We are picking out a little cotton.
7th. I was in Courtland. Got nothing. Pd. Owens 30 cents Milt. Borrowed.
9th. Pretty warm weather.
10th. It is as warm as summer.
11th. We are making rails and running cross fence.
12th. As above. Cold. We killed my shoats.
13th. Frosty mornings.
14th. Splitting rails and clearing.
15th. Beautiful weather.
16th. We are making cross fence.
17th. I rented Egypt to Thos. Yates for $2 per acre for all he cultivates 
      and sold Ben;s sow and pigs to him at $20.
18th. I went to town to see about Leckey;s Negroes hog stealing.
19th. This is a beautiful spell of weather.
21st. Turned cold.
22nd. Cold
23rd. Cold & frozen.
24th. As above.
25th. Christmas. Quin working for himself if working anywhere.
26th. Warm & windy.