Volume 32, Number 3 - Spring 1993
W. D. Sylvester
Journeyman Pioneer Part IV (1867-1938)
edited by Lynn Morrow and Linda Myers-Phinney
1901
[June] 24 Went up to Plez’s and he and I went to mill. The old miller gave me a piece of gain [?] belting for my turning lathe. It does much better now.
June 25 Terrible dry and hot. Chintz bugs and dry weather have about killed the corn. Don’t look like there would be anything raised. Work in shop most of the time making chairs.
June 26 Do
June 27 Do
June29 Do
June 30 Sunday: At home all day except I go up to Plez in the morning to get my mail. Not a drop of rain yet.
July 1 Finish a rocking chair for old Lady Woodhouse.
July 2 Work in shop.
July 3 Went up to Plez’s.
July 4 We are at home all day. I do not do much.
July 5 Plez and Maud stayed here last night. We went to Ed Stumpffs to-day.
July 6 Worked a little on a chair this morning. Don’t do much bal of day. Hot! Hot! Not a drop of rain yet. [1901 was a significant drought year in Ozarks history.]
July 7 Sunday: At home all day
July 8 Tinkered in shop
July 9 Helped Plez fix up his wagon to start to the Territory. July 10 Went to Ed Stumpff’s and got some plums, and tinkered in shop. July 11 Painted Ed Stumpff’s buggy in forenoon and over to Jimmie Gooding’s in afternoon.
July 12 Do some work on Ed Stumpffs buggy top. So terrible hot I don’t do much. Not a drop of rain yet.
July 13 Worked in Shop.
July 14 Sunday: Home all day.
July 15 Went to the store. Sold Ed Stumpffs two hogs for $5.00
July 16 Helped Nettie clean down the up-stairs, and worked a little in the shop.
[Jly] 17 Went and took a chair to old man Wood- house’s, and look after the things up at
Plez’s place, and bottomed a chair.
July 18 Jimmie Gooding brought down the material for me to fix a wagon for him. I drove the spokes in the hubs to-day.
July 19 Made a "wheel bench" to work on. Got a big augur of Isham Foster. went down the creek to try to find the geese Plez left here. I didn’t find them. Not a drop of rain yet. Hottest. dryest time every known.
July 20 Worked on a wagon at shop.
July 21 We went to Isham Foster’s.
July 22 Worked on wagon
July 23 Do Went up to Plez’s in evening.
July 24 Worked on a little on wagon.
July 25 Went fishing with Fosters and Stumpffs[.] Nettie Picked the geese and ducks Plez left here.
July 26 Minnie Stumpff was here. Ed was .here awhile. I worked on the wagon of Gooding’s.
July 27 Had a tolerable good rain yesterday, but not near enough[.] Some showers to-day
July 28 Sunday: At home all day except I went up to Plez’s place this morning to see how every thing is getting along.
July 29 Worked in the shop most of the day.
July 30 Went to the store in forenoon. Had a very good rain this afternoon.
July 31 Worked in shop some.
Aug 1 Worked a little in the shop, and planted some beans: cut some sprouts in garden.
Aug 2 Bottomed a chair, and went up to Plez’s place. Everything is growing nicely since the rain.
Aug 3 Rimmed a wheel and did some other tinkering.
Aug 4 Sunday. Another good rain to-day. Geo and Annie Stumpff came over this afternoon.
Aug 5 Cut some sprouts in the garden, and worked on some wagon wheels.
Aug 6 Finished Jimmie Gooding’s wagon job.
Aug 7 Worked the roads
Aug8 Do
[Aug] 9 Do, for Plez
Aug 10 Do, till noon. Another good rain last night.
[15]
Sowed some turnips.
Aug 11 Sunday: We went to church at Jones School house with Foster’s
Aug 12 We changed the kitchen from the back to the front room
Aug 13 Helped Nettie round the house.
Aug 14 Went to the store and tinkered round
Aug 15 Went to Old Man Woodhouse’s and looked around Plez’s place. Aug 16 Made some barn doors for Ed Stumpff
Aug 17 Cut a few sprouts in the morning and nasty sick balance of day.
Aug 18 Sunday: at home all day.
[Aug] 19 Went to the store and tinkered round
Aug 20 Tinkered round
Aug 21 Went to old man Woodhouse’s and got the money for making them a rocking chair.
Aug 22 Do nothing much. Raleigh is nearly sick. Aug 23 Raleigh nearly sick. Went and got Mrs. Foster to come over and stay with Nettie while I went to the store to get him some medicine.
Aug 24 Raleigh sick. I help take care of him.
Aug 25 Sunday: Raleigh about same, Ed Stumpff’s and Isham Foster’s were here. Sent Plez for medicine.
Aug 26 Plez and Ma came from the Territory Saturday. Ma is neerly sick. She is here now. I help around the house.
Aug 27 Went to get medicine and Dr. was gone.
Aug 28 Had to go for medicine again.
Aug 29 Helped Ed. Stumpff thrash in forenoon. Do nothing in afternoon.
Aug 30 Went to Dr. and got medicine, and went on to the store. Traded for 6 1/2 bushels of wheat of Plez. He brought it down here and brought some peaches. Raleigh is better.
Aug 31 Put a lid on hinges on the wheat box. Tended to Raleigh while ma and Nettie put up the peaches.
Sep 1 Sunday: At home all day.
Sep 2 Tore up the stick stand-table and began to make a wall bracket out of it.
Sep 3 Finished the wall bracket and tinkered round.
Sep 4 Worked on a child’s chair for Geo. Woodhouse.
Sep 5 Fixed up a wardrobe for Plez.
Sep 6 Tinkered in the shop.
Sep 7 Tinkered round
Sep 8 Sunday: We all went to Joe Seitz’s.
Sep 9 Finished child’s chair for Geo Woodhouse, and cleaned out the spring. It is very low.
Sep 10 Shower of rain today. Plez brought some more peaches, and I helped Nettie peel some.
Sep 11 Do some work in shop and help peel peaches.
Sep 12 Helped peel peaches. Hard rain to-day.
Sep 13 Tinkered at the shop and peeled a few peaches.
Sep 14 Carry water for Nettie to wash and work a little in the shop in the forenoon. Went to the store in the afternoon.
Sep 15 Sunday: At home all day.
Sep 16 Worked at shop a little in forenoon[.] Stayed in the house with Raleigh while Nettie went to Mr Foster’s in afternoon.
Sep 17 Went to Isham Foster’s and got some peaches and put on a pair of chair rockers.
Sep 18 Went to mill, and to Foster’s and got some more peaches. We built the first fire in the fire place yesterday.
Sep 19 Got one half bushel more peaches at Isham Foster’s, and worked at the shop. Very light frost last night, first.
Sep 20 Worked at the shop forenoon. Stayed with Raleigh while Nettie went over to Minnie Stumpffs in afternoon. Had a light chill in the evening.
Sep 21 Not very well to-day. Went up to Plez’s in the evening. Maud returned from a visit to Bates Co to-day.
[Sept] 22 Sunday: We stayed at home all day. I don’t feel very well.
Sep 23 Tinkered at the shop.
Sep24 Do
Sep 25 Went to the store with Plez. He was here and got his fruit we canned while they were in the Territory. He took home the wardrobe I fixed for him.
Sep 26 We stayed all night at Plez’s last night. Nettie went to visit Minnie Stumpff to-day. I worked in the shop.
[Sept] 27 Worked in the shop.
Sep 28 I am nearly sick to-day: do not do much.
Sep 29 Sunday: Plez’s are hereto-day. It is very dry again.
Sep 30 Bottom a chair in forenoon; do not do much in afternoon. I am nearly sick.
Oct 1 Work in shop.
Oct 2 Do
Oct 3 Do
Oct 4 Do
Oct 5 Do
Oct 6 Sunday: at home all day.
Oct 7 Work in shop. Ma came to-day from Ed Stumpffs.
[16]
Oct 8 Work in shop
Oct 9 Went to mill and water was so low I couldn’t get my grinding done.
[missing] Went back to mill to-day.
Oct 11 Went to store in forenoon, Went to Plez’s in afternoon. Shower of rain to-day.
Oct 12 Bottomed a rocking chair, and put on one rocker.
Oct 13 Sunday: Mr and Mrs Arthur were here today.
Oct 14 Nettie went to Geo Stump’s visiting and I borrowed George’s gun and went hunting.
Oct 15 Chopped down the hollow clearing the garden larger.
Oct 16 Do
Oct 17 Went up to Plez’s to take a letter to ma.
Oct 18 Worked a little down the hollow. Hen Carney was here most of afternoon. I fixed an old gun I got of Plez.
Oct 19 Chopped a little down the hollow. Went to Store.
Oct 20 Sunday: Old man Woodhouse was here
Oct 21 Tinkered round: Went hunting in evening.
Oct 22 Run the lathe a while in the morning. We went over to Ed Stumpffs
Oct 23 I went Plez’s and tinkered round.
Oct 24 Minnie and Annie Stumpff were here[.] I went to mill, but could not get any flour. Rived a few boards in the evening.
Oct 25 Went to Ed Stumpffs and got a board for chair [illegible]
Oct 26 Went back to mill.
Oct 27 Sunday: We went up to Plez’s.
Oct 28 Went to the store: Went to Plez’s.
Oct 29 Fixed some windows for Dave Potter, and went to Geo Stumpffs in the evening.
Oct 30 Worked at Dave Potter’s till noon. Chored round in afternoon.
Oct 31 Helped Nettie clean house.
Nov 1
Nov 2 Worked at shop forenoon. Plez brought me a load of corn in afternoon—11 bushels[.] I made a neck yoke for him.
Nov 3 Sunday: At home all day.
Nov 4 Worked at shop.
Nov 5 Worked at shop in forenoon. In afternoon took a rocking chair up to Plez’s to send to Nettie’s ma.
Nov 6 Went to the store in forenoon. Worked on a desk at the shop in afternoon.
Nov 7 Worked on my desk and went to Geo Stumpffs and got a piece of beef.
Nov 8 Helped Nettie [illegible] to Geo Stumpff’s. I came back home and finished my desk all but one drawer and pigeon holes.
Nov 9 Tinkered in shop. Plez came back from Aurora. He went up yesterday. I did his chores.
Nov 10 Sunday: I went up to Plez’s this morning, and got two steel traps I sent for. At home balance of day.
Nov 11 Put drawers into my desk which I made last week.
Nov 12 Finished the desk drawers.
Nov 13 Tinkered round till evening and then went to the store; came back by Plez’s.
Nov 14 Do not do much; set some steel traps &c.
Nov 15 Tinker round and get wood.
Nov 16 Went up to Plez’s. He had gone to Marionville. Got some pumpkins at Dave Potter’s, and carried part of them home.
[Nov] 17 Sunday: We went over to Isham Foster’s. Ida is very sick.
Nov 18 Went up to Plez’s and back home via Isham Foster’s. Oiled my new desk in afternoon.
Nov 19 Worked for Ed Stumpff on his barn.
Nov 20 Tinkered round.
Nov 21 Went to the store forenoon and did nothing in afternoon but get a little wood.
Nov 22 Rained nearly all day. Went over to Fosters.
Nov 23 Rained some. Went to Plez’s and Stumpffs
Nov 24 Plez’s stayed all night here last night and all day to-day.
Nov 25 Worked a little on kitchen cabinet for Stumpff’s. (Ed.) Went and got some beef.
Nov 26 Worked on cabinet. Minnie and Annie Stumpff visited with Nettie to-day.
Nov 27 Work a little on cabinet and go up to Plez’s.
Nov 28 Thanksgiving: We went up to Plez’s and I went to mill.
Nov 29 Worked on cabinet.
Nov 30 Finished Ed Stumpff’s kitchen cabinet in forenoon and fixed my shoes and went over to Ed. Stumpffs and got the mail.
Dec 1 Sunday. We went up to Plez’s and [illegible] all went to the grave yard, and plant some cedar trees at pa’s grave.
Dec 2 Made a stand table for Dave Potter’s.
Dec 3 Nettie and ma went to Isham Foster’s.
Dec 4 We were all at preaching at Isham Foster’s last night. Cottrell preached. Worked on a kitchen cabinet a little and went to the store.
Dec 5 Worked on our kitchen cabinet. Snowed a light snow last night for the first this winter.
Dec 6 Worked on kitchen cabinet. Very cloudy and [illegible] but tolerable warm.
[17]
Dec 7 Went to Ed Stumpffs and got a walnut board to finish over kitchen cabinet. Rained.
Dec 8 Sunday:Rained last night. Big snow to-day. Dec 9 Went to Geo. Stumpffs and got some mail he brought out for us. Ground covered in snow.
Dec 10 Went up to Plez’s[,] Stumpff’s and Foster’s.
Dec 11 Finished out kitchen cabinet.
Dec 12 Went over to Ed Stumpff’s in forenoon. Made Nettie an Ironing board, ground my ax and chopped a little bal of day.
Dec 13 Rained a heavy rain last night, and is stormy to-day. Went to Ed Stumpff’s and on up to Plez’s, and go wood.
Dec 14 Tolerable cold. I get wood is about all.
Dec 15 Sunday: Raleigh is sick. Plez’s are here today. Real cold.
Dec 16 Snowed to-day. Too cold to do much.
Dec 17 Plez and I killed two hogs to-day. Terrible cold. Raleigh still sick. Cow died last night.
Dec 18 Went to Foster’s and Stumpffs on errands. Terrible cold.
Dec 19 Went up to Plez’s and carried down a piece of our meat. Sent to town by the mail carrier for medicine for Raleigh. Terrible cold.
Dec 20 Went up to Plez’s and chored round. Cold yet.
Dec 21 Started to mill but heard I could get no flour sol left the grist at Plez’s. Got a sack of flour of Geo Stumpffs. Little warmer to-day.
Dec 22 Sunday: Raleigh is a little better. We are at home all day. Plez was here a little while.
Dec 23 Went to mill but could not get my grist; miller was behind with his work. Went to store in afternoon. Raleigh about well. Warmer now.
Dec 24 Took a cedar tree over to Ed Stumpff s to use for a christmas tree. Plez helped me skin the cow that died the other day. She has been froze solid till now.
Dec 25 Christmas day: We had a neighbor’s social and Christmas tree at Ed Stumpff’s last night. Had a very pleasant time. To-day is fine and warm. Geo Stumpffs and Plez’s here to-day.
Dec 26 Worked at the lathe—turned some chair posts.
Dec 27 Worked at shop forenoon, went to Ed Stumpffs in evening. Dave Potter took his stand table home to-day.
Dec 28 Went to mill and to the store. Nettie went to Isham Foster’s.
Dec 29 Sunday: At home all day.
Dec 30 Went to Keplar’s and got a pair of heel irons [?] made. Helped Plez grind his axe.
[Dec] 31 Plez came down and we ground up the tools and made ties to-day.
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