From Gauss and his Children

Contents 1 Journal, 1882 1.1 January 1.2 February 1.3 March 1.4 April 1.5 May 1.6 June 1.7 July 1.8 August 1.9 September 1.10 October 1.11 November 1.12 December 1.13 Source:

John Jay Johns Journal, 1881<---->John Jay Johns Journal, 1883

Journal, 1882

January

Jan. 1, 1882, Sabbath. This first day of a New Year is the coldest day we have had this winter. The mercury this morning at 7 o'cl was 8° above zero. This is a clear day and a keen aur [sic] from Northwest and about 2 inches of snow on the ground. I wish everybody a Happy New Year and may the Lord bless everybody and make them happy and useful by his saving grace. What a happy world this would be if everybody loved God and his fellowman as himself. What a glorious place Heaven must be where every being is holy and love reigns supreme. Lord help me and everyone connected with me to do better in this New Year than we ever did before. What are signs in this Christian world? Decidedly encouraging, the gospel is making more rapid advances in the world, especially in heathen lands than ever before, more missionaries and more converts. May God speed the work. Douglas Martin took dinner with us today. At 3 o'cl p.m. mercury 20°. Car shop foundry burned yesterday.

Jan. 2, 1882. Cloudy and not so cold, mercury 18°. Elanor Martin spent the afternoon with us. This is a very delightful day. Mr. John Mittleberger, an old and highly esteemed citizen died Sunday evening after a long illness at 64 years of age. John Pearce returned tonight.

Jan. 3, 1882. Cloudy and milder, wind east. Fred took dinner with us today. Attended Mr.Mittleberger's funeral today at 1 o'clock. Mrs. Glenday down to Fred's to stay two days and nights in the absence of their servant. George went to St. Louis this evening. After supper it commenced sleeting from the east.

Jan. 4, 1882. It snowed and sleeted all night and continued to sleet this morning, mercury 30°. Very cloudy and misty, walking bad, quite slick.

Jan. 5, 1882. Cloudy and colder, mercury 25°, a crust of ice and snow on the ground. another case of small pox in town. The servant girl that made up the bed where the man slept in the Strangers Home was taken with it yesterday. Eleanor Martin came out in afternoon. Colder in evening. They are hauling ice from the Marias Choche lake for the brewery, 3 inches thick.

Jan. 6, 1882. Cloudy and warmer, melting rapidly, the sun out in the afternoon. Fred's health is getting bad again, lung trouble, a painful thing to him and all of us. He will probably have to go to a warmer climate. In evening, heavy fog.

Jan. 7, 1882. Cloudy and very heavy fog, melting fast, mercury 42°, by noon cleared off and mild as spring, quite muddy. Annie and Eleanor Martin came up. Theo Gauss has a very mild attack of Typhoid Fever, he goes about the house all the time. Snow is all gone.

Jan. 8, 1882, Sabbath. Cloudy and colder, feels like snow, wind west, in evening, clearing off. Fred's lung trouble has returned and he has concluded that he must leave here permanently and go to a milder climate. This is a great trial to him and family as well as to us. He has such fine prospects here as a doctor, that it is a sad thing that he has to break up and go to a strange country probably Texas and begin life at some other business. Such are the vicissitudes and trials of life. The Lord's dealings are very mysterious but he doeth all things well.

Jan. 9, 1882. Clear, bright cool morning, mercury 31°. Fred came up in afternoon and told us of his purpose to leave here on account of his bad health. Annie and the children will go to Boonville and he will go to San Antonio, Texas and see what he can do.

Jan. 10, 1882. Cloudy, cool in morning, commenced raining by 9 o'cl in morning and conti8nued most of the day. Fred gave Shirley two pet squirrels in a very large fine cage, almost a small house. George went to St. Louis this evening.

Jan.11, 1882. Cloudy and cooler. Fred walked up and took breakfast with us. George returned from St. Louis in forenoon. Eleanor Martin came up in afternoon and took tea with us. I called to see Miss Faning who has hip disease.

Jan. 12, 1882. Cloudy and frosty, mercury 32°, feels like snow. Mr. William parks lectured last night at prayer meeting on Abraham's faith in offering up Isaac. What a sublime act of obedience to and faith in God. Commenced raining just before 12 o'cl. and has rained all afternoon and still rains now, 7 o'cl., east wind and quite chilly. John and Shirley are down at the Journal office, helping to fold paper.

Jan. 13, 1882. Cloudy and mild, wind west and getting cooler. Strong west wind blowing and cooler this afternoon.

Jan. 14, 1882. Clear and cold, mercury 26°. Eleanor Martin and Annie came out in afternoon. Arthur came in evening.

Jan. 15, 1882, Sabbath. Cloudy, warm and looks like rain this morning, drizzled a little in forenoon, cleared in afternoon and very mild. Fred went up to Warrenton yesterday evening to see Dr. Middlecamp. Mrs. Glenday went from church with Annie. Arthur left in evening for St. Louis.

Jan. 16, 1882. Cloudy and sleeting, colder, mercury 26° at 7 o'cl this morning. At 12 noon, mercury 20° and snowing, cold stormy day. At 5 o'cl in evening, mercury 13°, quit snowing. I called to Theo Gents, who has been confined to the house with a mild attack of Typhoid Fever for four weeks. Fred came up with Mrs. Glenday and Mary Glenday. He soon had an attack of pain in the chest, to which he is subject. They are very severe and frequent. We applied mustard plaster to the back. It is a singular disease, his lungs have been seriously troubled for some months.

Jan. 17, 1882. Clear and cold, mercury 6° above zero. This has been a very fine winter day. Fred and Annie came up this evening to stay till they leave, have packed all their things for shipment to Boonville.

Jan. 18, 1882. Cloudy and not so cold, mercury 16°, moderated today in afternoon, clearing. I went out with Mr. Ezra Overall to see Judge Boyse who is very low with cancer.

Jan. 19, 1882. Cloudy and milder, mercruy 24° early in morning. Annie and the children left this morning for Booneville. Fred went with them to St. Louis. What a changing world. Over three years ago they came here from Booneville. Two children have been vorn to them in that time. He has been very successful as a doctor, has a fine practice but his health has failed and has to break up here altogether and go to Texas to find health and a home if the climate agrees with him. This is a sad reverse to them and to us. May the Lord overrule it to their good and His Glory.

Jan. 20, 1882. Cloudy, mercury 32°. Fred returned from St. Louis today. The elders of the church had a meeting yesterday evening to consider the repairs necessary to be done on the church - the ceiling and a gallery. Eleanor Martin spent the afternoon and took tea.

Jan. 21, 1882. Cloudy and mile, mercury 36°, in forenoon wind went to the west, cooler and clearing after noon.

Jan. 22, 1882, Sabbath. Clear and cold, mercury 16°, very fine bracing day, in afternoon, mercury 32°. In evening Fred and George went to St. Louis. Fred coughs a great deal. He is getting ready to leave for Texas in a few days. I was quite unwell today. Just at dinner time had an attack of confused vision followed by dull headache that lasted all afternoon and evening.

Jan. 23, 1882. Clear and cold. Fred and George came back from St. Louis this evening.

Jan. 24, 1882. Cloudy some and not so cold. I called to see Mrs. Ross this afternoon. Eleanor Martin spent the afternoon with us.

Jan. 25, 1882. Cloudy and warm. Mrs. Durfee and Mrs. Glenday spent the day with Mrs. Rhodes. Very dark threatening day, rained in evening.

Jan. 26, 1882. Cloudy and warm, rain last night. Spring morning, mercury 52°, early this morning. I see by the papers that the weather in the east is extremely cold, in some places, mercury 30° to 40° below zero. In afternoon, mercury 66°, at 3 o'cl. wind blowing a gale from south west. Cloudy and getting colder. Mrs. Alderson dined with us.

Jan. 27, 1882. Cloudy and very damp and chilly, east wind. Eleanor Martin spent afternoon and took tea. George went to St. Louis this evening.

Jan. 28, 1882. Clear early in morning but soon clouded up and colder, west wind and looks like snow. Mercury 39°, early, but goes down fast, now at 10:30 o'cl a.m. 33°. Fred left this morning for Texas via New Orleans and Galveston and Gulf with William Bode. He coughs a great deal and is very unwell -- has lost a good deal flesh. This is a sad chapter in his and our history. He was lately doing so well in his profession and apparently so prosperous and permanent here and now it is all broken up. He has to go far away to seek a new home if the climate suits him. May the Lord go with him, bless him and make him a blessing -- our help is in God in our trouble. Cold in afternoon, George came home today.

Jan. 29, 1882, Sabbath. Clear and very cold, mercury 10° above zero, at 7 o'cl. It has been cold all day.

Jan. 30, 1882. Cloudy and cold, mercury 22° in morning, wind east and very chilly. Eleanor Martin came out in afternoon. Dear girl, she suffers greatly at times. Commenced snowing in evening.

Jan. 31, 1882. Clear and cold, mercury 26°, ground covered with snow about two inches deep. Melted some during this day. Attended to shipping Fred's furniture to Boonville. Called with Garvin in afternoon to see old Mrs. Sheppard to get a contribution from her to repair our church. I asked her to give $200.00, she has plenty of money. she promised to do something.

February

Feb. 1, 1882. Clear, bright day, cool, snow passing off. Eleanor came out in afternoon. Mr. and Mrs James Lindsay, Mr. and Mrs. Morton called. Received a postal from Fred at Cairo, he was better. I shipped his furniture to Boonville.

Feb. 2, 1882. Clear and milder. Assisted Wm. Kirkpatrick and Dr. Furgerson to divide Dr. Sam Overall's estate.

Feb. 3, 1882. Cloudy in morning, mercury 32°, most of the day very cool and clear and fine. Letters from Annie and Lizzie today, all well. got a load of very poor corn from dierker today, 85 bushels. Called to see the afflicted daughter of Mrs. Faning, she is better. George went to St. Louis this evening.

Feb. 4, 1882. Clear, bright day, mercury 32° in morning. George retruned from St. Louis today. Eleanor Martin spent the afternoon with us. We expected Arthur tonight but he has not come.

Feb. 5, 1882, Sabbath. This is a bright, lovely morning, the day has been beautiful throughout. Mr. Robert Parks took dinner with us. His family is in St. Louis, Mrs. Parks and Mamie in bad health. A Postal from Arthur says he was left by the train. Children Missionary Meeting in afternoon. The women and children of the church are doing a great work for foreign missions. I speak of the whole church.

Feb. 6, 1882. Clear and mild, warm day, mercury 68°, cloudy in evening and looks like rain.

Feb. 7, 1882. Warm and very cloudy in morning and commenced raining at 9 o'cl. in a.m., about noon wind changed to west and got colder.

Feb. 8, 1882. Clear and colder, west wind. Attended the funeral of Judge Clem Boyse at the Catholic Church. In afternoon Eleanor Martin came up and spent evening.

Feb. 9, 1882. Clear, fine morning, mercury 30° in early morning. It has been a bright beautiful day. I called on Mrs. John E. Stonebraker and Mrs. Custer. Mrs. J. E. Stonebraker has been sick. I also called on Mrs. A. H. Stonebraker.

Feb. 10, 1882. Clear, delightful morning, mercury 39°, warmer during the day and in evening, cloudy. I commenced feeding Mangel Wertzell beets to my cow. Called in afternoon on Mrs. (Dr.) Overall. She expects to remove to Kansas City.

Feb. 11, 1882. Cloudy and warm, looking like rain. Have been smoking my meat this week. Sold Fred's Horse, Jim, saddle and bridle for $100.00 today to Armbruster. Received a postal from Fred today at New Orleans, he says he is better.

Feb. 12, 1882, Sabbath. Warm, bright day. Arthur came last night. He is very well. We proposed to the congregation today to raise money to repair the church. Very warm in afternoon, mercury 72°, and cloudy. We had a beautiful rainbow about 4 o'cl and about 5 o'cl we had a light thunder shower. Robert Pourie came out in afternoon and Doug Martin took tea with us. Arthur returned to city.

Feb. 13, 1882. Clear and cooler, wind west and north, mercury 40° in morning. Dr. George B. Johnson is in town from San Antonio, Texas. Thinks that is a fine climate for weak lungs.

Feb. 14, 1882. Clear and frosty, it has been a delightful day. Got a postal from Fred at Herne, Texas, water bound. The Brazos river is so high the cars cannot run. I went out to Mrs. Durfee's farm in afternoon, wheat looks fine.

Feb. 15, 1882. Clear and mild, mercury 40°, warm all day. Elanner Martin spent afternoon and took tea and Dr. Martin called.

Feb. 16, 1882. Cloudy and rain in night, raining this afternoon. Fred is in Auston, Texas, a letter from Bode says. Called at William Parks in afternoon. Cleared up in evening.

Feb. 17, 1882. Cloudy and colder, mercury 38°, damp, east wind and very chilly all day. Made a settlement of Glover's curatorship of Lee Van Burlio estate with the Probate court today and George was appointed curator. We had letter from Fred yesterday at Austin, Texas, he was much better.

Feb. 18, 1882. Cloudy and damp, east win. George went to St. Louis this morning. Having some garden spaded for lettuce, radishes and early potatoes. Ground rather damp and cold.

Feb. 19, 1882, Sabbath. Raining hard and has been since middle of the night, cold rain from the west. I attended the funeral of Mrs. Dennis McDonald at the Methodist Church. She died in St. Louis County at her son's, was 71 years old. She was a very pious woman. It has rained freely all day and is raining now at night.

Feb. 20, 1882. It is still pouring down rain -- has been raining now more than 30 hours continuously and heavily. Everything is flooded. George came home last night on late train. Mercury 38°. Very heavy rise in the river and still raining all day.

Feb. 21, 1882. Partly clear, cold, the mercury 20° early morning. The wind blew a gale from west all night and is blowing very strong today. Very wintry day. No crossing river either by bridge or ferry boat. The heavy rains caused so great rise in the river that Sunday night the ferry landing boats were carried away and all the trestle work and piles under the bridge were washed away. No train can come across and will not for a long time and the ferry boats cannot cross today -- the river is so high and rough, the wind so strong. The large house at the Ferry landing on the other side fell in today. They undertook to have a Mardi Gras procession tonight, it was gotten up on short notice.

Feb. 22, 1882. Cold and clear, mercury 20° in morning. The river falling, the ferry boat crossed today, a train passed down, passengers crossed on boat. No mail from East. Eleanor Martin came out in afternoon. Three days without any mail is a wonder in this age. Jim Rowe buried today.

Feb. 23, 1882. Clear and cold, mercury 22°, this has been a clear cold day, the wind in west. Mail came from St. Louis last night after three whole days without any. The recent heavy rains have caused immense damage throughout the country, on lowlands, and water causes great suffering to many people. The Ohio and Mississippi rivers higher than for many years. I called on Mrs. Parks this afternoon. She and her children go to Eureka Springs next Monday.

Feb. 24, 1882. Clear and cool, mercury 24° in morning, wind east. We received a letter from Fred at San Antonio dated Feb. 21. He was better. Met friends, a Mr. Thomas and Dr. Elliott, formerly of Rockford, Missouri. One has a hay farm near San Antonio and the other a ranch. Garvin and I called on Mrs. Sheppard for a donation for repairing the church, she [gave] us $200.00. Poor old lady, she has money and it annoys her to know what to do with it. It is hard for an old lady to be poor and yet money is a burden to her, never had an[y] until she was old.

Feb. 25, 1882. Clear and milder, somewhat cloudy. Eleanor was out this afternoon. I took an invalid chair of Mrs.(Dr.) Overall's down to Miss Faning, who has been sick with hip disease all winter.

Feb. 26, 1882, Sabbath. Cloudy and warm, cleared before noon. George received a letter from Fred today dated Feb. 23 from San Antonio. He had been out to Dr. Elliott's hay farm, was much better, intended to go to Uvalde and Dr. Johnston's ranch. Our pet dog, Sank, has disappeared and we are greatly concerned about him. George was on the Ferry Boat Saturday evening and Sank probably went across the river thinking George was on board.

Feb. 27, 1882. Cloudy and mild. Got a postal from Arthur saying he had returned from New Orleans being detained at Cairo 36 hours by water. We learned from Capt. Owen's son that Sank was on the other side of the river and George went over for him, we were delighted to see him. How people become attached to a dog. There is a strange affinity between a man and a dog. This has been a dark cloudy chilly day.

Feb 28, 1882. Cloudy, light rain in the night and drizzling this morning, warm, mercury 56°. About 10 o'cl. this morning it settled into hard raining and continued till about 3 o'cl. In afternoon. The Wind went to the northwest, not cold yet. I saw Capt Levi Hunt this morning, he is at Fort Conchio, Texas. Jim Boyse returned from San Antonio, Texas last night, says Fred is improving, likes that country very much.

March

Mar. 1, 1882. Clear and pleasant, mercury 60°, at noon quite warm, spring-like. Eleanor came in afternoon and took tea with us. I sowed clover seed on part of meadow most injured by the drought last summer. The rye patch is very good and cow has been in it all winter. She gives a great abundance of milk and butter, good feeding is the great thing.

Mar. 2, 1882. Clear and mild. This has been almost a summer day, mercury up to 75°, If the ground was dry enough, I would plant potatoes and several things.

Mar. 3, 1882. Clear and a little cooler. This has been a cooler day than yesterday, mercury 67°. I went to my farm this afternoon, wheat very rank and strong, too much so. I called to see Cyrus Linsay who has been sick with Typhoid Fever for six weeks. Great deal of water on low places in prairie.

Mar. 4, 1882. Clear and warm, this has been a summer day. In afternoon cloudy and threatens rain. Sowed some lettuce and radish. We had a Postal from Fred today at San Antonio, he is better.

Mar. 5, 1882, Sabbath. Last night we had a rain storm, a good deal of thunder and lightning, this morning cooler and has continued cool all day and in afternoon, cloudy. Arthur came up this morning.

Mar. 6, 1882. Clear and cold, mercury 32°. This is a fine day, cold, bracing wind from the west, fine for the fruit and wheat in keeping them back.

Mar. 7, 1882. Partly cloudy but clearing, cold, mercury 29° this morning. Ground frozen this morning. Our apples have lasted up to this time, most remarkable considering the condition they were last fall, cracked so much by the extreme drought. I have 3 bbls. cow boats on hand.

Mar. 8, 1882. Cloudy and cool, mercury 32° in morning, wind east. Had some garden spaded yesterday, too cold and wet to plant anything. Has been cloudy and chilly all day, commenced to rain about 5 o'cl. in evening. Eleanor spent the evening with us.

Mar. 9, 1882. Very dark, heavy clouds this morning and thunder, good deal of rain during the night, heavy rain this forenoon, everything drenched. We had a meeting of the Elders of the church to appoint a committee to raise money and a committee to have repairs done in the church inside.

Mar. 10, 1882. Cloudy and cold, mercury 32°, this morning heavy snowstorm west of us. The cold raw cloudy days again. No letter from Fred for a week. The Ladies Sewing Society met here this afternoon. How much women can do for the church when they try and the meeting together is good in a social way.

Mar. 11, 1882. Clear and very heavy white frost, cloudy and cool all day. Had raspberries uncovered. Had a letter from Mary Pearce. They are very poor, lost a horse.

Mar. 12, 1882, Sabbath. Clear and cool, clouded up and felt like snow but cleared in evening. The County Bible Society Meeting at the Methodist Church in evening, house full -- interesting meeting. A Colporter will commence work in this County to supply destitutions.

Mar 13, 1882. Clear and cold, mer ury 30° in morning. This has been a most delightful day, cool, clear and bracing. We had a letter from Fred today. He expected to leave next day for Fredericksburg in Gillespie County, Texas, where he thinks of settling to practice medicine.

Mar. 14, 1882. Clear and cool in morning but soon clouded up and before noon rained some. Cleared again in afternoon.

Mar. 15, 1882. Clear and milder, this is a delightful day, a fine, bracing, drying day, west wind. Mr. James Lindsay took dinner with us today. Eleanor Martin spent the afternoon. Cooler this evening.

Mar. 16, 1882. Clear and cool this morning, clouded during the day, east wind -- cleared in afternoon.

Mar. 17, 1882. Cloudy and thunder storm in night, some hail -- cloudy and showers today, warmer. George went to St. Louis today with Mr. J. E. Stonebraker on church repair and returned at 8 o'cl., p.m.

Mar. 18, 1882. Cloudy and very warm this morning. Dierker sent a team in today and sowed oats in the orchard. Planted early potatoes in the garden. I will cover them with straw after awhile when the ground gets warm. The ground too wet to plow. Little after noon the wind went west and cooled a good deal, the mercury went up to 80° before noon and then went down to 60°. The papers give the most distressing accounts of the suffering of the people on the lower river by high water. It is beyond anything known. The government and the states and cities are active in releaving the distitutions. Eleanor Martin was here this afternoon.

Mar. 19, 1882, Sabbath. Cloudy and rain in morning and at noon and again in the afternoon -- east wind. Professor Minor took tea with us. He is going to lecture on Astronomy in our church lecture room. We got a plan for an addition to our house from Henry Gauss.

Mar. 20, 1882. Rain through the night, good deal thunder and lightning, cloudy and threatening this morning, mild. Setting out peach trees in orchard.

Mar. 21, 1882. The wind commenced blowing from west yesterday evening and continued all night to blow a perfect gale and still continues all day, clear and cold. The mercury this morning was 35° but it froze some. It is almost impossible to walk out the wind is so strong. It is a genuine equinoctial gale.

Mar. 22, 1882. Clear and cold, mercury 25° this morning. It is so dry that the fruit will not be injured. Professor Minor lectured on astronomy in the basement of church last night. The wind is in the west yet, feels like winter out.

Mar. 23, 1882. Weather milder, wind east and then south, in afternoon, cloudy and looks like rain. Planted four double rows peas. Rain at night. Went with John and Shirley to Professor Minor's lecture on astronomy.

Mar. 24, 1882. Clear and cold this morning. We have had a good deal of cold weather for three weeks. It has been fine for the wheat and fruit in keeping them back. Plowed up part of my meadows, sowed oats. Plowed my garden. Mr. Bates and sons making fence and privy today. Planted onions and beats.

Mar. 25, 1882. Clear and cold, mercury 35°, in morning. Very drying weather now. Received a postal from Fred in San Antonio saying he and others in a stagecoach between Fredericksburg and San Antonio had been robbed of their money. Heard a lecture in the Jefferson Street Church last night on Spiritualism by Reverend Claggett. He said it was all the work of the devil, that it is often spoken of in the Bible and denounced as the work of evil spirits, that those who believe in it neglect the word of God, that mediums are generally low characters and imposters and have been proven to be such repeatedly. Skeptics, infidels and all who reject the Bible resort to such things to satisfy a yearning for something beyond this world. Atmosphere very smokey this afternoon. Doug Martin took tea with us. Eleanor Martin spent afternoon with us. Arthur came up this evening.

Mar. 26, 1882. Cloudy and threatening in morning, light rain during the day. George stayed all night at the Galt House with friends. Arthur went back to St. Louis this evening.

Mar. 27, 1882. Cloudy and cold, wind west. Mr. Bates finished the privy today. Closed the contract with Speiker and Mackman for the addition to the house, two stories high 20 ft. by 16 ft. -- portico 20 by 7 ft, Bay windoy -- $1,384.00.

Mar. 28, 1882. Clear and frosty. This is a very fine day. Having the rock in foundation of old cabnin taken up. Planted cauliflower and cabbages plants this evening.

Mar. 31, 1882. I left home Wednesday morning (27th) for Troy to attend a meeting of Presbytery and returned this afternoon. The weather has been clear, but decidedly cool, warmed today. Had a very pleasant trip. Went to Wright City on train and over to Troy in spring wagons, very bad roads. Troy is a very pleasant little town, good deal of intelligence and wealth. The Presbyterian Church was planted there long ago and tolerably stron, large fine church building for such a place, -- Reverend Dudley, Pastor. The people treated us with great kindness and hospitality. I stayed with Mr. Knott. The most important action of Presbytery was the reception of the Reverend Hollifield from Huntington, Pa., into our Presbytery, the Pastor elect of the Grand Avenue Pine Street Presbyterian Church in St. Louis.

April

Apr. 1, 1882. Clear and warmer. Reverend Mr. Morton, Pastor of the Jefferson Street Presbyterian Church died suddenly last night of heart disease. Services at the church this p.m. at 3 o'cl. and the body will be taken to Ohio for burial. Very warm, mercury at noon 80°, at 3 o'cl. 84°.

Apr. 2, 1882, Sabbath. Clear and warm. Reverend Mr. Barrett came to my house yesterday evening from Troy and preaches for us today. In afternoon, very hot, mercury 84°. Robert Harris, an old citizen, died last night from long and hard drunk.

Apr. 3, 1882. Clear and warm. Mr. Barrett left for Mizpah, his home in St. Louis County, this morning. Very hot again today. In afternoon mercury 85°, getting very dry. Planted 1 1/2 bu. Burbank potatoes in back garden. They commenced hauling sand for the addition to the house.

Apr. 4, 1882. Clear and still warm. Commenced digging foundation for addition to house today. This is a city election day. The negroes are numerous around the streets expecting to be treated by somebody for their votes, a great sham on suffrage. It is hazy and mercury 83° at 2 o'cl. p.m. Sowed Trophy and Scme tomatoes seed and planted tow double row peas. The first planting is up. Cloudy in evening.

Apr. 5, 1882. Clear and warm. The Masons are laying the stone foundation for the house. I planted two rows of bean seed. Making a milk house of stone and brick arched over and covered with earth and sodded. Eleanor Martin spent the afternoon with us. The mercury got to 83° in afternoon, smokey and hazy. The stone foundation is nearly finished.

Apr. 6, 1882. Clear and little cooler this morning. About 3 o'cl. in the night we had a strong blow from the west, some thunder and lightning and a light shower. By middle of day very hot and by 3 o'cl. p.m. mercury 85 . The papers say a hot spell in April was never known before. Milk house nearly finished. Letters from Fred and Mattie today. Fred's health fine.

Apr. 7, 1882. Clear and little cooler, during the day strong appearance of rain, in afternoon, thunder in south and west, but passed around -- cooler this evening. Mrs. Watson very low has been very sick for several days.

Apr. 8, 1882. Cloudy and rain forenoon. This shower will soften clods and top of the ground. Planted two rows sugar corn just below the grapevines and one row of the Prolific corn, two stalks from one grain on back side of garden. Got the milk house nearly finished. Had the dirt put on it ready for sodding. I set out twelve tomato plants. Threatening clouds around after night, heavy clouds and thunder and lightning south and west, heavy storms passed to the east. Before 10 o'cl. a heavy rain storm came up from west and lasted for nearly an hour.

Apr. 9, 1882, Sabbath. Clear and bright after the stormy night. All nature is bright, blooming and beautiful. Every fruit tree is loaded with fruit buds. How sweet and beautiful nature is in spring time, how like the heart of man in his youth, full of vigor and hope and joyous anticipations. Mr. Martin is in St. Louis today. We heard Dr. Irwin at Jefferson St. Church. Cooler this evening.

Apr. 10, 1882. We are in the frigid zone this morning. At 7 o'cl. this morning the mercury was 45° and at 10 o'cl. it was down to 45° and the wind north and cloudy. Two days ago and for six days previous we had summer heat -- 85°. A severe frost now would do incalculable injury to fruit, especially and perhaps to wheat too. Sodded the milk house and stuck early peas today. We have to have good fires today.

Apr. 11, 1882. It was windy, cloudy during the night and the mercury is down to freezing this morning, ice on water. As it is dry we hope the fruit is safe. If it is we have made a very narrow escape and we ought to be thankful to a kind Providence. Wind east and very chilly. The meadows and pastures are full of pepper grass. I am having my pasture below the house mowed to destroy the pepper grass. Cold east or northeast wind all day, cloudy and cold, the mercury now at 6 o'cl. p.m. is 30°.

Apr. 12, 1882. Cloudy and cold, mercury 33°, light snow early in morning, soon disappeared, chilly east wind.

Apr. 13, 1882. Clear and cool, mercury 40° at 6 o'cl. this morning, moderating some. Got two loads of straw for my potatoes this morning. In afternoon, Dierker sent a load of straw and plowed my garden, ground in very fine order for plow. Still cool and cloudy. In evening went to hear lecture on the Sepoy rebellion in India in 1856 by Reverend Mr. Hay of Indianapolis. He was there at the time. The scenes of that terrible butchery are too awful for detail. God overwhelmed it all in the advancement of His Kingdom in that land. The East India Company was destroyed and [C]hristianity built up.

Apr. 14, 1882. Cloudy and cool, mercury 42° in morning - continued cloudy and cool most of the day. The ground has gotten very dry on top. I set out twenty-five early cabbage plants.

Apr. 15, 1882. Clear and cool, mercury 40° in early morning. I attended a National Tea Party at Mittleberger Hall last night, given by the Episcopal ladies. They wore old style dresses and bonnets, and we had a very good supper. The entertainment consisted of vocal music and recitations by ladies and gentlemen.

Apr. 16, 1882, Sabbath. Clear and milder. This has been the clearest and mildest day for ten days. Still the air is cool and have to have fires and overcoats. Arthur came up last night. Union services in our church today and in the Jefferson Street Church at night. Old Mrs. Bassett was buried today. Mrs. Watson is still quite sick.

Apr. 17, 1882. Clear and milder, not warm. Arthur went ot St. Louis on the Cannon Ball train. Very dry. Had my raspberries replanted where missing. The carpenters put the sleepers on the foundation and the portico too. Took down the old Portico. Good deal of it sound, though it has been standing twenty-eight years.

Apr. 18, 1882. Cloudy and light shower, warmer, in afternoon blew almost a gale from southeast and clouds of dust. Hauling brick for the house. I sowed a bed of late cabbages seed, Flat Dutch and American Savoy. Very cloudy in evening. By 8 o'cl. a heavy rain from southwest, a rain greatly needed.

Apr. 19, 1882. Cloudy and cool, wind west. Yesterday afternoon there was a terrible cyclone at Brownsville, Saline County, this state, blowing down a great many houses and killing seven or eight persons. The rain and wind in some parts of this county was heavy and strong. I set out twenty-five cabbage plants this afternoon, early Yorks, and one dozen Excelsior tomatoes plants. It has been cloudy and cool and windy all day.

Apr. 20, 1882. Clear, bright morning, milder. Planted three double rows Coxton peas and one half single row and the other half with extra early May peas behind the smoke house. Called in afternoon on Mr. Jesse Haigler, he has a new sheet iron roof on his house. He has a fine orchard grass pasture. Called on Mr. Parks. He is preaching to vacant churches every Sunday. I set out about seventy lettuce palnts this evening, got from Angert. Set out a dozen Excelsior tomatoes plants in back part of garden. This has been the warmest day for some time.

Apr. 21, 1882 Clear in morning, wind east and cloudy in forenoon. Planted three rows early red cob sweet corn below the grapevines. Planted two rows okra and two rows wax beans. Cloudy in evening and threatens rain tonight. Most of the brick is here and men brought their scaffolds to begin on the house tomorrow. The ground is very dry again. Vegetation needs a rain and warmer weather. I am cutting rye from my little orchard for my cow. It is very rank rye with a good stand of timothy. For two weeks past my cow has been on rye and wheat bran and she has fallen off in butter considerably though plenty of milk.

Apr. 22, 1882. It clouded up in evening and rained by 9 o'cl. and was stormy during the night, some hail, cloudy this morning. The rain was not heavy. The ground in good order to work this morning. The rain was good for it. I planted two rows salsify. The masons at work on the house and finished the foundation by noon. Ed Pearce took dinner with us. Raining freely all afternoon. Poured down most of the time, heaviest for months.

Apr. 23, 1882. Sunday. Cloudy and cool, mercury 48, everything very wet, a cool, disagreeable day.

Apr. 24, 1882. Cloudy and cool, but clearing. The masons have most of the first story up. Clear in afternoon. Set out a lot of lettuce from Poser. John Pearce had a chill in afternoon, third day chills. Our cow has increased in milk but fallen off in butter, she is on rye.

Apr. 25, 1882. Cloudy but clearing, clear before noon and warmer. Called on old Mrs. McAfee, an Irish woman, who came to church last Sunday. She is a Presbyterian, lives with her son. Have a neuralgic headache in evening. Warmer.

Apr. 26, 1882. Cloudy, had a thunderstorm about 4 o'cl. this morning, some rain, warmer. I had a distressing night with my head, no sleep and pain in my head today too. Warm day, sun out. Eleanor Martin came out in afternoon. The second story of the house nearly up.

Apr. 27, 1882. Clear and beautiful morning. I am better of my headache. Warm, growing weather.

Apr. 28, 1882. Clear and a good day. Planted a row of butter beans - 2 rows of French corn and one row of blackeyed peas and three rows of Mangel-Wenzel beets. Set out 15 tomatoe plants and had 12 or 14 hills prepared for watermelons by digging deep, putting half rotted straw and covering with earth. The brick work of the house was finished this evening and the rafters are up. Cloudy this evening.

Apr. 29, 1882. Clear and cool, wind north. This has been a cool dry day. The workmen have put on sheeting roof and the cornice. Planted a long double row of blackeye Marrowfat peas in back of garden. Called this evening on old Mrs. Sheppard, unhappy woman, has all that money can give but the loss of all her children makes her desolate. I believe she is Christian. Called on the McAfee's son of the old Irish woman that was at church last Sunday. His wife is an Irish woman too, and had four children. She is an Episcopalian. I urged them to attend church. There are a large number of people who change from place to place so often that they form no acquaintances and have no local attachements -- give up their good habits in which they were raised in religious matters.

Apr. 30, 1882, Sabbath. Clear and quite cool, strong northwest wind. It has been a decidedly cool day and very drying, need fires all day. The old Irish woman was at church and her two sons and one of the wives. They came because I called on them and invited them.

May

May. 1, 1882. Cloudy and cool and light rain before noon. Putting roof on house. Heavy shower of rain in afternoon about 5 o'cl. cool. Learned this afternoon that the church case was decided in the United States Circuit Court this morning in our favor. Want of jurisdiction, the case having been already decided in the State Court. This painful law suit has been in the courts now for 15 years and we have exhausted every means to compromise with them, offered repeated[ly] to give them half the property. We are still harassed by a law suit vs. us by the Public School Board.

May 2, 1882. Clear and cool, mercury 46° at 6 o'cl in morning, bright day but cool. Planted watermelons and cantaloupes and replanted the corn first planted. Had my ground prepared for sweet potatoes and a piece of ground plowed in orchard for late corn. George went to St. Louis this morning.

May 3, 1882. Cloudy and cool, rain before day. Putting floor in the new building, finished covering it yesterday. During day sun warm. Planted two more rows of Mangel Wentzel beets. Planted watermelons in back of garden, had the hills dug deep and old straw put in and covered with earth, most of them Jackson from Dr. Bruere. Planted some hills in nutmegs and canteloupes in the old cabin foundation. I am still cutting rye for my cow from little orchard, it is to head. Eleanor Martin spent afternoon. Got a postal from my old cousin, Mary Rice in Philadelphia, she is in ill health, is now 80 years old.

May 4, 1882. Clear and very warm in morning, cloudy and threatening during day and good deal warmer. Planted squash seed and cantaloupes.

May 5, 1882. Cloudy in morning and very warm. Planted five hills of the Kankakee watermelon and tomato and blackeyed peas. George went to O'Fallon today. This has been the hottest day for weather.

May 6, 1882. Cloudy and cold. Yesterday was extreme summer heat, now wintry. They had a very destructive hail storm in St. Louis yesterday evening, it extended into Illinois. In northern Illinois heavy storms in morning. This cold comes from that. We have fires today. Planted some more Mangel Wentzel beets. Set out fifty sweet potato plants - red. The house is nearly ready for the plasterers, the porch is nearly up. Arthur came up this evening.

May 7, 1882, Sabbath. Cloudy and warmer, rained a little about 10 o'cl., a.m.. cloudy all day and warmer. Before 9 o'cl. it commenced raining freely.

May 8, 1882. Clear and bright all day, had a shower last night, very warm during the day. Carpenters putting on cornice on the old building and had to take off some of the old roof. Signs of rain in evening and they put on tarpoline. I planted two double rows of Canada peas such as the grocery sells for cooking. I do it as an experiment.

May 9, 1882. Cloudy and windy and cooler. We had a very heavy storm in the night, the first came about 10 o'cl. from southeast and then about 1 o'cl. a very heavy blow and a pour down rain from the southwest. Eleanor Martin spent the afternoon with us, she is a good dear girl, she bears up under her great sorrow wonderfully.

May 10, 1882. Clear, bright, spring day. The plasterers commenced lathing this morning and the carpenters are roofing the frame of old building. I set out 100 sweet potato plants yesterday evening, red. They are putting the asbestos on the portico and bay window. Called this afternoon on Mrs. Isaac Hore, who has a cancer on her breast. Mr. Coshow has been doctoring it for months, took out a large part of it. She is up and about. Set out 120 yellow sweet potatoes plants from Mrs. Gardener. Cloudy and cool.

May 11, 1882. Cloudy and cool this morning. The carpenters have finished the cornice on west end of the old house and shingling that side. I got five pigs this morning, about six weeks old. Windy and cloudy, showery and quite cool.

May 12, 1882. Cloudy, cold, strong west wind, mercury 47° this morning, feels and looks like winter, most unseasonable weather. This has been a very cold rainy day, wind west and feels like frost and still raining tonight. We have kept up big fires all day. We are very much exposed, the house is so open. Commenced the plastering today.

May 13, 1882. Cloudy and cool still though the mercury is same as yesterday, 45°, cool, cloudy day. It has been a dreary spell of weather for five days.

May 14, 1882, Sabbath. Clear and still cool, we have escaped frost. This has been a fine day, the air is cool but the sun has some power and dried off a good deal.

May 15, 1882. Clear and cool this morning. I expect to go to Wentzville today, and see Mr. Pearce about Tom and Mary. This has been a clear, bright day, a little cool, wind continues in west and north and has been there for more than a week. I went up to Wentzville and returned today. The wheat and oat crops look well, corn very backward on account of cold wet weather. Some of the wheat was a good deal hurt by hail, the heads bent. Mr. Pearce is feeble, result of carbunckles last fall.

May 16, 1882. Clear and cool, the wind continues at the north though sun has some power. Old man Porrean is white-washing fences. Hoed over my corn and replanted blackeyed peas, corn looks yellow, watermelons not up. Put my cow in pasture east of house, the grass is more than knee high. Plasterers are nearly through.

May 17, 1882. Clear, cool, sun has some power, nights and mornings cool, ground dry on top with crust. Plasterers patching rooms. Cutting grass for cow instead of letting her run on pasture.

May 18, 1882. Clear and cool. Had fences white-washed. Had to replant all my watermelons, they rotted. It has been warmer today.

May 19, 1882. Cloudy and warmer today. Sent Mary Pearce $30.00 in provisions and money from Mr. Ben Pearce. Covering the back part of the house today. Plasterers putting on the finishing coat today.

May 20, 1882. A heavy shower came from southwest this morning at 6 o'cl. and continued raining several hours. Everything will grow rapidly if it keeps warm. Heavy raining. Plasterers finished today at noon. I set out 120 sweet potato plants in mud. Cool in evening and rain at night.

May 21, 1882. Clear and quite cool, wind in west, very cool all day and tonight feels like frost.

May 22, 1882. Clear and cool, mercury 48°, in morning. The carpenters are covering kitchen and finishing the portico. This has been a clear, cool day, poor corn weather. Called on Mrs. Watson this afternoon. She is going about again. Carpenters finished covering the kitchen. I received a telegram from Judge Dryden asking me to go to St. Louis tomorrow on the church suit case.

May 23, 1882. Cloudy and cool, mercury 50°. I expect to go to ST. Louis this morning on Warrenton accomodation train. Went to St. Louis. Some rain during afternoon, cloudy, cool all day. Saw Judge Dryden about the church case. The other side have moved for an appeal to the S. C., U. S. They have to give a bond for costs, -- $500.00. Alderson and Mrs. Watson are opposed to it and Dr. Furgerson will risk anything. I saw Mr. George Strong, their lawyer and I think they are making the appeal to force us to a compromise which they have all along refused. I saw John Gibson and Mrs. King.

May 24, 1882. Cloudy and cool this morning. Had my garden all plowed this forenoon. Commenced raining before noon, about 11 o'cl. The rain continues this afternoon, gloomy weather. Papers report snow storms and heavy frosts in Iowa and the northwest, great damages. The month of May so far is remarkable for cold. George left this afternoon for Delevan, Illinois to attend the wedding of his classmate, Horton. Raining freely tonight.

May 25, 1882. Cloudy, cold and damp, everything is wet, mercury 52° this morning. This is a severe check on farming work. Cleared some in afternoon and warmer. I planted two rows french corn in garden and three rows sweet Egyptian corn. Set about 100 tomato plants and planted a patch of Baldwin double corn in orchard. Painters are at work on house and whitning ceilings.

May 26, 1882. Clear and milder, mercury 56° in morning. Feels more springlike today. Papering my wife's room. Painting Mrs. Durfee's room. Warm today. I called on the Fenings, the girl is on crutches, they are good people but poor. They need something to do to help themselves. How a little of the superfluous wealth of some people could be usefully employed to help the really deserving poor. The important thing is to help people to help themselves. Cloudy tonight and warm. The first day and night we have needed no fire for a long time.

May 27, 1882. Cloudy this morning and mild, heavy rain in the night, commencing about midnight. Warm and cloudy most of the day, light shower in afternoon. Set out about 150 Savoy cabbage plants. Eleanor Martin spent afternoon with us. Mrs. Durfee's room was papered and painted today. I went to woolen factory this morning and secured some work for Miss Faning which will relieve her a good deal.

May 28, 1882, Sabbath. Cloudy and raining, cool. We had a very heavy rain during the night, the biggest rain this season. Arthur came on early train and George on the late train. Cloudy and cool most of the day. These excessive rain and cool spells will check the chinch bug. Army worm is at work too, they like cloudy, cool weather. We received old Mrs. McAfee and her daughter-in-law, Mrs. McAfee into the church this morning.

May 29, 1882. Clear and cool morning, mercury 57°. Arthur left on early train this morning. This has been a bright, beautiful day. Holiday among Germans. Mrs. Durfee's room is finished, being put in order today. I see the army worm has eaten my timothy in the back meadow. Fraternal relations established between the northern and southern assemblies and delegates appointed. I hope this will have a happy effect. The division and controversy began during the war. Time and the Grace of God is having their mellowing effect. There has been great friction in the border states.

May 30, 1882. Some clouds this morning, cool last night and this morning too, ground very wet. The painters finished my wife's room this morning. Old Mrs. Sheppard came this morning and spent the day. She is now about eighty-tow and is quite bright and active. Set out some cabbage plants this afternoon. The painters commenced painting the brick of the new house today. Appearance of rain tonight.

May 31, 1882. Raining this morning, mild. This is a great drawback to farmers. Cloudy weather favors the army worm. Wind went to west and nuch cooler, very cloudy and feels like snow. Set out forty sweet potato plants -- replants. Eleanor Martin spent the afternoon. Wrote to Mattie today and received a letter from her.

June

June 1, 1882. Clear this morning, cool, mercury 50° in morning. Painters putting on second coat on brick of new house. A little sunshine is a great relief. Had green peas for dinner today. This has been a tolerably good day. My wife put things in order in room today and we go back to it. Looks very nice.

June 2, 1882. Rain again last night and this morning, not so cool. This is a damper on all farm work. Set out about 60 cabbages plants, flat Dutch. Still cloudy and threatening this evening.

June 3, 1882. Very heavy rain during the night, cool and clearing this morning -- west wind. This wet, cool weather is a matter to the crops, corn especially. The army worm is ruining the meadows and threatening the corn crop. I had some timothy in the rye last fall and it was fine, but they have eaten it up. The painters commenced putting on the last coat on the brick and outside wood work today, gray on brick and olive green on wood, it is a new and beautiful combination. Eleanor Martin spent the afternoon. I went out to Lindenwood to the Art Exhibition in afternoon. Rain again, -- cool. A letter from Fred today. He is in fine health and spirits.

June 4, 1882, Sabbath. Clear and cold, mercury 50° early morning. Wind storm from northwest. Before noon clouds flying and light showers, still cool Most remarkable weather. No service at our church, the Baccalaureate at Jefferson Street Chruch.

June 5, 1882. Clear and cool in morning. This is a very fine day, moderating -- a few such days should be invaluable to the crops. The army worm is on my corn in garden -- replanted blackeyed peas the third time. Cutting the rye and part of the meadow east of house, the army worm has eaten blades and heart of the timothy. Five painters at work today outside and inside. Cutting meadow and rye. My pastures very much injured by army worm.

June 6, 1882. This is a lovely day, such days will revive the spirits of everybody and everything, that grows. How grateful we ought to be to a merciful God for his good Providence as well as for grace in Christ. Lindenwood commencement today. Twelve young ladies graduated and each read an essay -- too much entirely. The Salutation and Valedictory would have been enough. The college seems to be very prosperous. I labored very hard years ago to build it up. Dr. James Doublas called on us this afternoon. He lives at Florisant, St. Louis County. Beginning to get gray. Got my hay and rye in house, all dry.

June 8, 1882. Clear and warm, the very weather we want. Cloudy tonight.

June 9, 1882. Cloudy and warm this morning. I went to the prairie this morning with Robert Pourle. The crops generally look well especially wheat. The army worms stripped the blades and eat the small low heads. The farmers are working hard to keep them off the corn by ditching. Corn is backward. We came up by schoolhouse near Jame Lindsay's, where they had a picnic for the school chirldren. We rode out the lane between Mrs. Durfee's and Lindsay's. Her wheat looks good, the corn is small from too much water and cold. The meadow has escaped the army worm. Showers passed over and around during the day, very hot, mercury 90°. Stopped at the free school picnic in R. H. Park's grove. Saw a new iron fence on Mr. Haigler's lot -- from posts and barbed wire. It costs only a little more -- ceder posts and wire. This is good growing weather. Set out sixty cabbage plants from Cruse's.

June 10, 1882. Clear and warm in morning. Hoed cow beets and sweet potatoes. Gathering some Spanish yellow cherries. Feeding my cow on green oats. Painters finishing up today. Meeting in church at four o'clock p.m. preparatory service to communion tomorrow. Heavy rain about 5 o'cl. p.m.

June 11, 1882, Sabbath. Cloudy and cool. This has been a damp, cool day, cloudy all through, light rain in afternoon.

June 12, 1882. Cloudy and rain, some rain in the night, very wet, hard spell on farmers.

June 13, 1882. Heavy rain this morning, cloudy, warm, sultry all day. Everything gowing fast and too wet.

June 14, 1882. Clear, windy and warm. My wife, George and Shirley went to St Louis this morning to buy some furniture for the new rooms. This is a splendid day for the farmers, hot and drying. John Pearce went up to Wentzville to his grandpa Pearce to spend the summer working on his farm.

June 15, 1882. Clear and warm this morning. Last night about 8 o'cl. a heavy cloud passed over with good deal of thunder and lightning but not much rain. This has been a warm sultry day, very growing weather though. We are using red raspberries now.

June 16, 1882. Clear, not so sultry as yesterday. Nearly all of our yellow cherries have rotted, too much dampness. The furniture wagon from St. Louis came with our furniture, the carpet and furniture very pretty. I went out to E. C. Cunningham's in afternoon. The boys go out to pond in his field to swim.

June 17, 1882. Cloudy and everything drenched with water. Last night about 11 o'cl. we had a terrible storm, rain and wind. It was a deluge of water, the thunder and lightning were terrible and then about 4 o'cl we had another storm. The oats are down flat. Some trees down, a fine damson plum tree in our chicken yard is down. I expect we will hear of considerable damage in the country. Had the carpet laid in the new parlor and put in the furniture. Doug Martin took dinner with us.

June 18, 1882, Sabbath. Cloudy and warm, windy, heavy clouds south and west. Dr. Brank of St. Louis preached for us this morning, on the passage in Acts where certain women resorted for prayer and Lydia was one of the ones converted. This was the beginning of the Gospel in Europe. It began in prayer, the influence of woman in spreading the Gospel, they have always been the most faithful helpers to all ministers of the Gospel and the present associated efforts of women are powerful aids in extending the Gospel in all lands. at night he preached his sermon on The sins of the tongues, a very practical and powerful sermon.

June 19, 1882. Very cool and cloudy morning. The wheat harvest is fairly begun, the wheat if fine, the ground is still quite wet from the recent heavy rains. Having my corn hoed today and plowed all my garden today. Expect Mattie and Lizzie to come on Wednesday.

June 20, 1882. Cold and raining this morning, very bad for the wheat harvest, most of the forenoon, rainy, cloudy, damp and cool all day. Called on Mrs. Ross in afternoon. Very cool in evening, had fires, mercury 58°.

June 21, 1882. Clear this morning and very warm, mercury 72°, very damp, our house is damp, water stands on the walls. A few clear days and dry now would be a great thing for the wheat crop. We expect Mattie and Shirley Borden in a few minutes. The corn is full of shoots. Gathered potatoes for dinner, some volunteers from those left in ground last fall - Burbank. Mattie and Shirley came at 11 o'cl. a.m. This is a most oppressive day, mercury 86°. About 6 o'cl. in evening a cloud arose in south but passed around and cooled some.

June 22, 1882. Clear and more plesant but very warm, mercury 90°. Having my corn and cabbage hoed. Very hot in midday.

June 23, 1882. Clear and hot. Lizzie and her children came from Sedalia last night. George and Shirley Borden went with a company of ladies and gentlemen on camp, fishing and hunting on the Femme Osage. Heavy cloud passed north of us last night. This is great weather for the harvesting. Mercury went up to 90°. Had my sweet potatoes hoed.

June 24, 1882. Clear and hot this morning. Settled with Speiker in full for building the addition to the house, $1,388.40. He is an honest, faithful workman. At 2 o'cl. p.m., mercury 92°, accounts of terrible tornadoes in Iowa, one at Grinnel and one at Independence. Many lives lost and great destruction of property. These terrible cyclones are either more frequent now or they are more felt as the country is more settled. They are a terror to the whole country. Good deal of breeze today.

June 25, 1882, Sabbath. Clear and warm. Arthur came yesterday evening. In afternoon a cloud passed north and it got cool and very pleasant.

June 26, 1882. Cloudy this morning, heavy clouds passed in the night north, heavy clouds west and north this morning, thunder. The farmers in in the height of harvest. About 11 o'cl. a.m. heavy rain, it has continued cloudy and rainy all day. I planted several rows of Egyptian sugar corn where I had early peas. George returned from the camp late this evening. Had a fine time. Shirley Borden will come down with the rest of the party tomorrow. The papers report very heavy storms of rain, hail and wind in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas and Illinois, great damage to crops and houses.

June 27, 1882. Clear and hot this morning, heavy clouds in the west and north and thunder. As the day advanced the clouds disappeared and a good deal of air stirring, very hot, mercury 90°. About 3 o'cl. p.m. heavy cloud in northwest and north and by 9 o'cl. a strong wind with rain. Shirley Borden came back from the camp with McDearmons about 11 o'cl. tonight.

June 28, 1882. Cloudy and warm this morning, looks like clearing up, these big storms come every day now in the west, very injuious to the wheat harvest and hard on the corn crop. In evening, heavy clouds in west and northwest, great deal of lightning.

June 29, 1882. Cloudy and warm. We had some rain in the night and some wind. These storms keep us uneasy and wakeful at night as so many terrible tornadoes have occurred in the west. This evening I took Shirley Borden and the children to the country in a two horse surrey. Went to my farm on the Marias Coche and round by Mrs. Durfee's farm home. The harvesting has been over on my place for some days. The wheat crop is very good, the corn on my place is about 5 fee high and in very fine condition. The oat crop is very heavy. The wheat crop on Mrs. Durfee's place is good, particularly on the hill, corn looks badly. Deiker will take two days to finish cutting wheat. Clearing in afternoon.

June 30, 1882. Clear early but clouded up in west but passed off by noon, fine breeze in afternoon. Plowed my sweet potatoes and late corn in orchard.

July

July 1, 1882. Clear and hot. Mattie and Lizzie went to St. Louis this morning. This has been a hot day though a good deal of breeze. Mattie and Lizzie returned from St. Louis on the late train. I got some Burbank potatoes from my garden under the straw, the most beautiful I ever saw, very large, white and smooth. Cool this evening.

July 2, 1882, Sabbath. Clear and cool, we had cool, delightful night for sleep, wind north. Arthur came in forenoon. This has been a most delightful day and quiet tonight.

July 3, 1882. Cool, but dark clouds in west and north and by 7 o'cl. this morning wind and rain. How changeable the weather. Both rivers very high and still rising and overflowing the banks. How destructive these high waters. Arthur left early this morning. The rivers still rising. Cleared before noon. I sent Fred a draft for $900.00.

July 4, 1882. The Methodist Church invited the other churches to join them in a children's picnic in Redman's Grove. This day has been delightful if anything too cool. Quite a large number of people and children spent the day in a most delightful manner, the long tables groaned with the choicest viands, both for dinner and supper. Very cool this evening. The Missouri River falling this day.

July 5, 1882. Clear and cool. This has been a delightful day. Several members of the family troubled with diarrhea caused by the cold weather. Mrs. Ross called in afternoon.

July 6, 1882. Clear and cool in morning, cloudy by noon, milder today. Potatoes very fine this season. The Burbanks are splendid and seem to be as early as the early Rose. Some of my early corn has been in silk and tassel from some days, my oats are ripening fast. This is the greatest oat season I ever saw.

July 7, 1882. Cloudy and light sprinkle of rain, cloudy most of the day. Plowed my garden, mowing the fallen oats and cradling those standing.

July 8, 1882. Clear and warmer, though very pleasant summer weather. Had my oats bound up and shocked. Several of us sick with diarrhea. Had Fred's surrey buggy brought up this evening.

July 9, 1882, Sabbath. Clear and warmer, mercury 90° in afternoon, good deal of breeze, signs of rain in west.

July 10, 1882. Cloudy, rain last night, clearing before noon. Wind west in evening, delightful.

July 11, 1882. Clear, fine morning. Farmers are threshing wheat rapidly and selling at $1.00 per bushel, it yields from 30 to 35 bushels per acre. War begins between England and Egypt at Alexandria. Rode down to Marias Croche with the boys. Cruse has threshed 1,000 bu. wheat and sold it for $1.00 per bushel and stacked the rest about one-half. Rheaker has sold all his wheat and will thresh all this week.

July 12, 1882. Clear and delightful day, cool Put my oats in barn. Sam Alderson is in town. Getting dry. Got a postal from Calvin Johns.

July 13, 1882. Clear and cool. This is a very remarkably coolJuly. Windy and light shower from northwest in afternoon. Letter from Mary Pearce today.

July 14, 1882. Clear and pleasant day. Called on William Parks in afternoon.

July 15, 1882. Clear and weather delightful, cool nights, threatened rain in afternoon, had a very light shower, rain very much needed. Daisy Martin returned from Mobile. Moehlencamp loaned me his man for a week. Arthur came to supper. The English bombarded Alexandria, Egypt, demolished the forts and Arabi Pasha and his army retreated after pillaging and looting the city.

July 16, 1882, Sabbath. Clear and pleasant, some clouds, in afternoon threatened rain but passed by. Sam Alderson preached in our church at night.

July 17, 1882. Clear this morning, warmer. Arthur left on early train. George missed his chill yesterday and went to Prtage and Elm Point this afternoon, very dry.

July 18, 1882. Clear and warmer, mighty cool, some mosquitoes. Gathered corn for dinner. Started a box of goods and clothing for Mary Pearce. George returned in evening from Portage. He drove a mare of Moelenchamp's which he offers to me for $25.00. She stood it finely. Ellen Cowan came in evening.

July 19, 1882. Clear, very pleasant, cool nights. Miss Lou Elgin was married this evening. Very dry. I bought the mare of Moellenchamp, she is ten years old.

July 20, 1882. Light rain for several hours. clear in evening. Henry Gauss came this forenoon. Weather cool.

July 21, 1882. Clear and cool, mercury 68° in morning early. We all took a ride in afternoon to cemetery. We stood around the graves of our loved ones and shed tears of grief, -- Mattie, Lizzie, Henry Gauss and their children and our dear afflicted Eleanor Martin. How vividly was brought to our mind the dying scenes of our dear Glover at their house. French Strother called today.

July 22, 1882. Clear and cool, mercury 66° early in morning. We sleep under blankets every night during this month. George went to the Democratic convention at St. Peters. The weather is delightful but too dry. My early sweet corn is very fine.

July 23, 1882, Sabbath. Clear and cool, warmer during day, mercury 82° at 2 o'cl. p.m. Arthur came this morning. All the children with us today except Fred, Lou and Mary. All Mr. Gauss's children with them except Robert. These are delightful interviews though very rare. We received a letter from Fred today, he is well and about to make a settlement about 20 miles from Dr. Johnston's ranch in Uvalde County, Texas. I received a letter from cousin Thomas Johns's daughter, Fannie, Appomattox, Co. Va. Very dry, no signs of rain.

July 24, 1882. Mattie and Shirley Borden, Lizzie, Henry Gauss and their children left this afternoon. We will be very lonely now. They are good, dear daughters. May the Lord bless them.

July 25, 1882. Clear and warm. In afternoon, my wife, Shirley and I rode down about three miles on the bottom road to Achopohl's to my land on that side of the lake. Achepohl rented it this year and raised a fine crop of wheat on it. The part next the lake is in corn, it is wet land and the corn is poor and needs rain badly. The wheat crop in the bottom is very heavy. Some corn crops look very good, and others poor. All need rain very much. Good deal of sickness, bowel diseases.

July 26, 1882. Clear and hotter. Our peaches are beginning to ripen. I pulled a few ripe tomatoes today. Quite hot in afternoon, mercury 90° in afternoon.

July 27, 1882. Clear and hot, some clouds. Called to see old Mrs. McAfee and her daughter-in-law. In the afternoon I called on Mrs. Robert Parks who has been absent at Eureka Springs for some months. About 6 o'cl. p.m. we had a shower. We are getting some ripe peaches, very red freestone, very good, too.

July 28, 1882. Clear and warm, about noon a cloud passed over, some thunder but no rain. The early sugar corn we are eating is very large and fine, red cob. The worms are eating up the late cabbage.

July 29, 1882. Cloudy and cooler. Yesterday about 8 o'cl. it commenced raining and continued for about two and one-half hours, a good steady rain. What a blessing, we need three times as much. Some appearance of rain at noon. I tried putting dry sulphur on my cabbage to kill the worms. About half past one o'clock p.m. we had a very good rain, the rain last night didn't amount to much in the prairie. Mary, our servant, went to see her family in the Prairie in afternoon.

July 30, 1882, Sabbath. Raining hard this morning. About 8 o'cl. last night it rained very heavily several hours and very heavy rain this morning, no wind. This is a glorious rain, ground soaked, a good corn crop is insured now.

July 31, 1882. Cloudy and everything wet, light rain in the night, warm. Everything will grow rapidly now, George went up to Troy this evening to attend the congressional convention tomorrow. Judge Buckner has no opposition.

August

Aug. 1, 1882. Clear and warmer, about 9 o'cl. a.m. mercury 83°, at 3 o'cl. p.m. 89°. Fine weather for corn. I called this morning in buggy and took Colonel Cunningham out riding. He is now 83 years old and is very vigorous.

Aug. 2, 1882. Cloudy, cooler. Last night between eight and nine o'clock a heavy rain from northwest. Half past eleven o'clock a heavy storm passed south of us. George returned from Troy. Judge Buckner was nominated for congress.

Aug. 3, 1882 Clear and pleasant. The cabbage worm is eating up my late cabbage. The weather has been very delightful today, mercury 82° at the highest.

Aug. 4, 1882. Clear in morning, cool, heavy clouds in forenoon and afternoon, passed off with little rain. Called on Mr. Potser, Miss Elgin's husband, and also on Professor Watkins at Mr. Alderson's.

Aug. 5, 1882. Clear, foggy, warmer. John Pearce came down from Wentzville this morning. Cut the end of his finger with the sickle two weeks ago. Warmer, heavy clouds in west about 5 o'cl. but no rain. Eleanor Martin was here, in afternoon. Called on Mr. Watkins.

Aug. 6, 1882, Sabbath. Clear and warm. Arthur came on the morning train. Children's missionary meeting in afternoon. Dr. Lucius Walton called after supper. About 7 o'cl. had a shower.

Aug. 7, 1882. Clear and warm this morning. Everything wet and growing. Arthur left on early train. We get an abundance of tomatoes now. My French corn is ripe. Light rain about noon. I rode out to Mrs. Durfee's place in afternoon with John and Shirley. The fall apple trees are loaded down, Rainbows especially. The corn on the back of lower field is poor, too wet in spring.

Aug. 8, 1882. Clear and delightful, northwest wind. A storm passed around us during the night. We had a light shower.

Aug. 9, 1882. Very cool, mercury 65° in morning, wind northwest all day, delightful weather, nights too cold. I went to the Prairie (my farm) in afternoon with John and Shirley. Rahker has all his stubble land plowed. Cruse more than half done. corn is very fine, except that through it in spots the stalks have fallen down, supposed to be caused by a large white worm eating the roots. Four or five years ago nearly all the corn down there was ruined in th esame way. Both of my tenants have raised nearly enough wheat to pay their off out of 1/3 of it. The lake is very full. No sickness, no mosquitoes.

Aug. 10, 1882. Clear and very cool, mercury 62° in morning. The days are delightful, nights too cool for health or corn. Went with my wife to see Mrs. Watson in afternoon.

Aug. 11, 1882. Clear and cool, mercury 64°. George went to St. Louis this morning and returned on late train. Called at William Parks in afternoon.

Aug. 12, 1882. Clear and cool in morning, mercury 68° at 6 o'cl a.m. Nights still quite cool. John Pearce started this morning for Wentzville, riding on bay mare I bought of Mellenchamp. She is a strong gentle animal and he is to put in 10 or 15 acres of wheat on Mr. Pearce's land. Wind south today and warmer, a rain would help now. Mr. Alkire and family are up today visiting Mrs. Sheppard and called here in afternoon.

Aug. 13, 1882, Sabbath. Clear and warmer, some clouds in afternoon. Blanche came back from Dardenne yesterday evening.

Aug. 14, 1882. Clear and warmer, it felt very hot during the day, no air, became cloudy and looks like rain. In the evening I went out with Shirley and Blanche to the negro camp meeting in Nature Park. Quite a crowd of negroes and a good many whites. The preacher had a stentorian voice, his text: "Why halt ye between two opinions". He had a crude style of eloquence, calculated to excite and arouse the negro audience to a high pitch. Their singing was very animated and many of the audience, especially women were demonstrative and joyous. Their religion is very much a matter offeeling though no doubt some of them are truly pious -- but their ideas on truth, chastity and honesty are very loose. They need good, plain preachers who would instruct them in their doctrines and duties of christianity. Rain tonight at 9 o'clock.

Aug. 15, 1882. Cloudy and warm this morning, had a rain about 4 o'cl. this morning. It will refresh things a good deal but we need a good heavy rain. Heavy clouds about noon. They had a heavy rain in the lower prairie. George went to St. Louis this afternoon.

Aug. 16, 1882. Shower early this morning, cleared in forenoon and cooler. I have had a serious time with a back tax case against the church, it had reached with cost and handling, and penalties to over $300.00. We were sued in the Circuit Court and Judge Edwards decided against us -- that while churches are exempt, parsonages are taxable. The County Court took off one-half. George returned from St. Louis this morning. Eleanor Martin was out this afternoon.

Aug. 17, 1882. Clear and very pleasant, wind west. Sold a bushel of pears to Martin for $1.00.

Aug. 18, 1882. Clear and cool. I gathered corn for dinner from the Egyptian sweet corn planted on the 25th May. It is very large and fine. Went out to E. C. Cunningham's in afternoon to look at milk cow.

Aug. 19, 1882. Clear and warmer, getting dry. I received a letter a few days ago from Mrs. Edmund Johns of Springfield, Illinois, enclosing a letter from a Mrs. Morriss of -- ---- Texas, asking her for money as she is in need, says she is 86 years old and sick. I suppose she must be an older sister of Edmund Johns. We got a letter from Fred yesterday, giving an account of his part of Texas, Rio Frio, Uvalde County, Texas. He is doing well practicing medicine.

Aug. 20, 1882, Sabbath. Clear and warm although the mercury only gets to 85° in middle of day. George went to St. Louis this morning on early train to see his sweetheart, returned on late train.

Aug. 21, 1882. Clear and warmer. Mery Gerhart, our old servant, called, selling some pears.

Aug. 22, 1882. Clear and warm. I went down to the bottom with Muegge to sell him some rails that are not needed on my bottom place. Joe Carter is plowing with five horses, ground very hard. These riding plows are a great thing. Saw some fine corn in the bottom. Heavy cloud and thunder south of us about 2 o'cl p.m. and a cloud passed north. Went out to Stonebraker and Kirkpatrick fam near Dardenne to look at a milk cow. They have 150 head of cattle grazing. Rain needed. George went after dinner to St. Peters with Logan to picnic. Hot day.

Aug. 23, 1882. Clar and warm, mercury went up to 90° today. Some signs of rain in afternoon. Gathered and sold three bushels tomatoes today. Got cow on trial from E. C. Cunningham. Signs of rain all around.

Aug. 24, 1882. Clear and warm. We have had three hot days, mercury about 90° in middle of day, seems to rain around us nearly every day or night.

Aug. 25, 1882. Cloudy and rain in morning, light showers in night equal to heavy dew. Returned the cow to Mr. Cunningham, poor milker. Heavy clouds with rain passed around on south and north about noon.

Aug. 26, 1882. Clear and cooler, threatened rain but passed around. Went out to E. C. Cunningham's in afternoon to look at a cow.

Aug. 27, 1882, Sabbath. Cloudy and cooler. Arthur and his friend, Mr. Chapman, came up in morning and returned in afternoon to St. Louis. Very cool, pleasant day. We are having some very fine peaches now.

Aug. 28, 1882. Clear and cool. Having a piece of ground plowed for rye and timothy. Called on Mrs. Ross in aftgernoon. We are having some very fine peaches now, both cling and free stones. My wife is making sweet pickle of a large cling white which I suppose is the Mixon cling.

Aug. 29, 1882. Cloudy this morning, had a moderate rain during the night.

Aug. 30, 1882. Cloudy, about 11 o'cl. a.m. we had a heavy rain and in afternoon another shower. Received letters from Lizzie and answered it. Eleanor Martin came out in afternoon.

Aug. 31, 1882. Cloudy and cool. Gathered a great many pears and peaches today. Sent a box of pears to Mrs. Judge Buckner at Mexico, Missouri. Shirley and Blanche went to a children's party at Mr. Robert Parks given by little Mary King.

September

Sept. 1, 1882. Raining this morning, a real dripping, wetting rain, cool too. It has rained freely all day.

Sept. 2, 1882. Clear and cool. This has been a delightful day. Gathered some very fine peaches for the McDearmon's. I saw the machine for drying fruit by evaporation.

Sept. 3, 1882. Norville Rives and Rine Smith had an altercation in a saloon, afterwards Rives went to his store, loaded a pistol and returned and shot Rine Smith in the thigh. It was only a flesh wound. Too much whiskey.

Sept. 4, 1882, Sabbath. Clear and cool, delightful day. In afternoon, I went to Robert Pourie's to see Dr. Hostetter from St. Louis who professes to cure a great many diseases by animal magnetism or mesmerism.

Sept. 5, 1882. Clear and warm. I sowed three pecks of rye this morning, - the ground in fine order. Gathered a lot of very fine pears for preserving this morning.

Sept. 6, 1882. Some clouds, a dappled sky indicates rain. Saw Reverend Thomas Watson in town today. He and Dr. Martin exchange pulpits next Sunday. George went to St. Louis today. Out Cirduit Court is in session now. More cloudiness in evening. From the accounts from all sections, the crops, wheat and corn are large. Cloudy all day. George returned from St. Louis on the late train last night. Mr. Ben Pearce took dinner with us.

Sept. 7, 1882. Clear and warmer. Got 400 strawberry plants from Mallinchrodt -- 200 Crescent seeing and 200 Cumberland Triumph. Set out 250 this afternoon. This has been a bright, warm day.

Sept. 8, 1882. Cloudy. I sowed Timothy seed on the piece of ground in meadow where I sowed rye. George stayed all night with Ed Gill and Ed Robert. Rained about 10 o'cl. Mr. Ed. Robert, a young lawyer of St. Louis, took dinner, supper and remained all night. Returned in forenoon.

Sept. 9, 1882. Clear and cool. This has been a fine day. Big managerie and circus in town today and crowds of people from the country. Set out 150 stawberry plants (Cumberland Triumph). Heard today that Henry Gauss sold out in Sedalia. Eleanor Martin is here this evening.

Sept. 10, 1882, Sabbath. Clear and delightful day. Reverend Thomas Watson preached for us in mroning and in Methodist church at night, very able sermons.

Sept. 11, 1882. Clear and cool in morning. Henry Gauss has sold out in Sedalia. This is fine weather to ripen the corn, which keeps very green.

Sept. 12, 1882. Clear and cool. I am greatly exercised about Mary Pearce and her family in Arkansas. They are so poor and sickly. Tom is utterly worthless. Mr. Pearce and I are thinking of moving them up to Wentzville. What a terrible misfortune for a girl to marry a lazy, ignorant man. Saw Ed Pearce in afternoon. The wind blows like rain. Mr. Goodlet, the principal of the Public Schools, called this afternoon. He is related to the Whartons.

Sept. 13, 1882. Clear and windy. gathered the last of the peaches this morning. Gathered a lot of Sockel pears and put them in cellar. The papers today report a very hot wave over Kansas, the mercury going up to 109° very suddenly. We feel it here today, this is one of the hottest days of the summer, mercury 90°.

Sept. 14, 1882. Clear and hot, we have had a strong, hot wind for two days, mercury 92° today at 2 o'cl p.m. Getting very dry. The English Army gained a great victory yesterday in Egypt.

Sept. 15, 1882. Cloudy in morning, warm, need rain but fine weather to ripen the corn. We heard today of the death of Mrs. Fant very suddenly at Trenton, Illinois. Called at Mrs. Frayser's in afternoon. Clouded up in the evening.

Sept. 16, 1882. Clear and warm. I attended the funeral as pall-bearer for Mrs. Fant from the house of Mr. C. M. Johnson to the City Cemetery. Very hot and dusty today. Arthur came this evening.

Sept. 17, 1882, Sabbath. Clear, hot and dry.

Sept. 18, 1882. Clear and hot. Arthur left this morning. Very hot day and very dry. Fixing up my cow house, old man Perean helping. Professor Goodlet took tea with us.

Sept. 19, 1882. Cloudy and cooler. Had a strong blow in night and some clouds, wind in west.

Sept. 20, 1882. Cloudy, cool, merecury 64° in morning. The Fireman's Tournament comes off today. Fine day for it, cloudy and cool all day. Main Street is decorated with flags and green boughs, great crowd in town, five companies from other towns. This change is a great relief.

Sept. 21, 1882. Cloudy and very cool, mercury 52°, in morning. Ed Stonebraker stayed all night with George.

Sept. 22, 1882,. Clear and cool, light frost in low places. Dr. Martin and Mr. J. H. Alexander went to Presbytery at Crystal City. Miss Naomi Barron and Miss Mariette Garvin called in afternoon. I dug some of my Burbank potatoes this afternoon, under straw. They are very large and fine.

Sept. 23, 1882. Clear and cool. George and Minnie McDearmon went to Hamburg to a picnic today. In afternoon I rode out to Mrs. Durfee's place with Jane and Shirley. Great crop of fall apples, selling some at 50¢ per bushel. Mrs. Durfee's late corn on the black land is very good, stalks very small, and ears large.

Sept. 24, 1882, Sabbath. Clear, cool in morning, mercury 54°. Mr. Ed McCluer, a native of Dardenne Prairie in this county, is expected to preach for us this morning. Mr. McCluer and Will Garvin took tea with us. He is a very promising young preacher.

Sept. 25, 1882. Clear and cool, mercury 52°. Digging my sweet potatoes today. How uniform the weather keeps from day to day.

Sept. 26, 1882. Clear and cool, mercury 52° in morning. Digging my Irish potatoes, very large and fine, under straw.

Sept. 27, 1882. Clear, warmer, some little clouds in afternoon. Called at Robert Parks in afternoon. Mrs. Parks looks badly. Mamie goes to St. Louis next week to live. She has a healthy child, Mary Kind, grows fast and looks very healthy. Met on street Mrs. Dr. Pendleton, formerly Ida Cunningham. We felt shock of earthquake last night at about 4 o'cl.

Sept. 28, 1882. Cloudy and light rain in the night. Rain in middle of day. George went to Portage to picnic with Charlie Johan. Warmer.

Sept. 29, 1882. Cloudy, but clearing, warmer. Had a heavy shower about 10 o'cl. last night and about 3 o'cl a.m. We had a thunder shower, wet this morning. This has been a pleasant, fine day after the rain. I rode out to Dr. Furgerson's this afternoon with Mr. Alderson to see the pulverizer operate and to see a crop of corn raised with it. It is certainly a very heavy crop of corn, looks like a 100 bushels to the acre. It is drille, the ears are very large and often 2 ears on a stalk. The great virtue of the pulverizer is that it makes the ground so fine and it receives and retains moisture so well.

Sept. 30, 1882. Clear and warmer. Eleanor Martin came in afternoon. Got 4 bu. corn from Dierker for my pigs.

October

Oct. 1, 1882, Sabbath. Cloudy and warm, rain with thunder about 10 o'cl in morning.

Oct. 2, 1882. Cloudy and foggy in morning, very warm, mercury 80° in middle of day, clear and very hot in sun at noon. The great Fair in St. Louis commenced today.

Oct. 3, 1882. Foggy and cloudy this morning and very warm. George went to St. Louis this morning on the accomodation train. He goes to see Veiled Prophets tonight. Had a letter from Annie today.

Oct. 4, 1882. Cloudy and foggy this morning, warm. I went on the early train this morning to the St. Louis Fair with Mary (our servant) Shirley and Louise Martin. We had to walk out from Gamble's Station , the street cars were so crowded. Thousands of people at the Fair. There is everything there of the finest that the art of man can devise, machinery, all sorts for everything, the finest of every breed of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs. You grow weary looking. Very hot day, we came back on the early train.

Oct. 5, 1882. Clear and warm, this is a very hot spell for the season, no frost yet. I set out 400 strawberry plants 3 weeks ago and half of them dead, too dry. Mercury 82° at noon today. James Lindsay called this morning.

Oct. 6, 1882. Clear and still warm. Saw the comet this morning at 5 o'cl. It is very large and in the east. Albert Gauss came over before breakfast to tell us that Miss Virginia Fawcett, old Aunt Geeny was dead, she died suddenly at Mr. Sam McCluer's on Dardenne Prairie. She is nearly 76 years old. One of the best old ladies I every new, she has lived to do all she could to make those around her comfortable and happy. Funeral tomorrow at 11 o'cl at Mr. Gauss' house.

Oct. 7, 1882. Clear and warm. At 11 o'cl this morning the funeral of Miss Virginia Fawcett took place at Mr. Gauss' house. Reverend Thomas Watson preached and Reverend Rutherford Douglas prayed. A good woman is gone from earth. George went up to o'Fallon to Democratic County Converntion to nominate a candidate for legislature. Rutherford Douglas is staying with us. Henry Lackland was nominated for the legislature.

Oct. 8, 1882, Sabbath. Cloudy, cooler. Rutherford Doublas preached today. He will preach every night during the week at our church. About 1 o'cl this afternoon we had a heavy shower of rain. Rain much needed. Henry Gauss and Eugeen [sic] came down yesterday.

Oct. 9, 1882. Clear and cooler. I went up to Wentsville today to see Mr. Pearce about arranging for Mary and Tome coming up from Arkansas. They can get Ed Pearce's place They are in extreme poverty in Arkansas. We have preaching every night by Rutherford Douglas.

Oct. 10, 1882. Clear and ooler. Got a load of corn from Dierker. George went to St. Louis on evening train, and returned at 10 o'cl p.m. They commenced Monday to repair the church.

Oct. 11, 1882. Cloudy, cool, very dark and cloudy all day and quite cool. Saw Dr. George Johnston today. Just came from San Antonio, Texas. Annie and children got to his house last Thursday night. He gives a very favorable account of Fred's propects in Uvalde County, Texas.

Oct. 12, 1882. Clear, bright, cool morning, mercury 55°. very windy and very hot during day, appearance of rain. Called with Mr. Martin at John McDearmon's. Commenced raining at half past 7 o'cl p.m.

Oct. 13, 1882. Clear and cooler this morning, had a good rain last night. This has been a delightful day, cool. George went up to Wentzville this morning and then on to St. Louis in evening and returned on late train. A terrible tragedy occurred in St. Louis yesterday evening, Colonal Slaybeck was killed by Cockrell, Editor, Post Dispatch.

Oct. 14, 1882. Clear and very pleasant. Rutherford Douglas left this morning. He has spent a week with us and we have enjoyed it very much. Preached with great acceptance every night.

Oct. 15, 1882, Sabbath. Clear and pleasant. Arthur came last night. reverend C. E. Cunningham of Elizabeth, N. J., preached for us. He is a young man, an acquaintance of Mr. Alf Stonebraker and his mother, Mrs. Watson. Cloudy in evening.

Oct. 16, 1882. Raining this morning. Arthur left on early train. Continued to rain all day. Reverend C. E. Cunningham of Elizabeth, New Jersey took tea with us.

Oct. 17, 1882. Cloudy and cool. I attended by invitation the centenniel birthday of William and Robert Parks' father and mother at William Parks. We had a fine dinner. There were present, Wm. C. Clark and his wife and three daughters, Robert Parks, wife, two daughters and two grandchildren, Mrs. James Dougherty and children, Joseph M. Alexander and wife, Dr. Ed Martin and myself. I had known the father and mother 46 years ago at Oxford, Ohio. They were eminently pious people, the mother a woman of great strength of character. It was a very pleasant affair. George went to St. Louis this afternoon.

Oct. 18, 1882. Partly clear, cool, light white frost this morning. I expect to go to Fulton today to attend the meeting of the Synod of Missouri. The semi-centennial is to be celebrated at this meeting.

Oct. 24, 1882. Clear and cool. I returned yesterday evening from Fulton. We have had ten days of the most lovely weather, clear, bright autumn days and frosty nights. I attended the semi-centennial meeting of the Synod of Missouri. It was a most glorious meeting from beginning to the end. The memorial services occupied all of Thursday. The history of the college by President Hersmantt was a noble effort and he is a grand man. He has grown up with the college. The history of the Synod by Dr. Robinson who is an old pioneer and very vigorous for a man of seventy-six. History of the old pioneer elders by Dr. Lacy. The memorial sermon by Reverend Thomas Watson of the Dardenne, this county, who has been forty years in the ministry in the same church, a man of great modesty and great intellectual power. Also a speech by Dr. John Montgomery in his own peculiar masterly manner on the old pioneers of the synod. He is one of the fathers, feeble in body, a very small person but a giant in intellect, the eye of an eagle and a voice of great power. We were all stirred up to the depths of our souls by the wonderful things we heard. Westminster College is in a very prosperous condition, full of students, with a noble faculty and out of debt. Steps were taken to increase the number of professors. The Female College is very full. Fulton is our Presbyterian Jerusalem. The people crowded the services of the synod and did all that was needed to make the members of the synod welcome and comfortable. This meeting of the Synbod will be long remembered by all who enjoyed it and I hope will be the beginning of a new and more glorious era of prosperity to our churches and colleges. On my return I found all my family well. May the Lord enable me to be more faithful in all my religious duties in view of the great privilege I enjoyed in attending this precious meeting of synod.

Oct. 25, 1882. Some clouds, warmer, warm day, cloudy, gathering my apples here, two trees, one Newton Pippin and the Gonitan.

Oct. 26, 1882. Clear and warm, this is a most delightful spell of weather. Got a young cow from E. C. Cunningham (loaned). Put seven bushels of winterapples in the cellar, made some cider from Genitan apples. Dierker brought me seven bushels apples and ten bushels corn.

Oct. 27, 1882. Clear and mild. Had my Mangel-Wertzel beets put up, very fine, about 15 bushels. Sent John Pearce his winter clothes by Mr. Alderson.

Oct. 28, 1882. Cloudy. Georgbe went to St. Louis on the accommodation train. Had a heavy rain by 9 o'cl this morning, a thunder storm. The rain continued till after 1 o'cl. We received a very satisfactory letter from Fred today. Most of the church ceiling is on.

Oct. 29, 1882, Sabbath. Clear and cooler, mercury 46° this morning, very pleasant day. Learned today that old Mrs. McAfee, an Irish lady member of our church, was very ill. I called on her at her daughter's in afternoon, read Bible and prayed with her, she is perfectly willing to die. Heard Dr. Thomas Gallaher preach in Jefferson Street church at night.

Oct. 30, 1882. Cloudy and warm. George came home on the late train last night. Thunder storm passed west and north of us this morning. Hot warm wind, very strong, has been blowing all day from south.

Oct. 31, 1882. Cloudy and cooler this morning, had a rain with thunder and lightning in south and east tonight.

November

Nov. 1, 1882. Dark, cloudy morning, thunder and rain, cloudy all day, cooler in evening. Letter from Mary today, saying they are getting ready to come up. Political meeting at the Court House (democratic) Cam Clark spoke and H. C. Lackland.

Nov. 2, 1882. Clear and cooler, cloudy on afternoon. Called on Mrs. Ross.

Nov. 3, 1882. Cloudy and cool, no frost. Having my garden manured. Ladies Sewing Society met here this afternoon. They have made $60 in seven months and propose to put a new portico on parsonage.

Nov. 4, 1882. Clear and mild. George went to St. Louis in afternoon and returned on late train. Arthur came.

Nov. 5, 1882, Sabbath. Cloudy and wet, rain last night, mild and clearing in forenoon. How very mild the weather continues, bright afternoon. Mr. Goodlet, principal of Public Schools, took dinner with us. Missionary meeting in afternoon. It is the great work of the Christian church to spread the Gospel over the earth. Arthur returned to St. Louis this afternoon. In a week he goes to New Orleans to be married to Miss Laura Tutt. I pray it may be a happy and useful marriage.

Nov. 6, 1882. Clear and cooler this morning, cloudy through the day and cool. Spading garden.

Nov. 7, 1882. Clear and cool, white frost, mercury 42° early this morning. This election day and I have to act as Judge of election. The prospect is that the Democrats will carry the states of New York and Pennsylvania.

Nov. 8, 1882. Cloudy and warmer. Still counting votes. The news from New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and other places is a tremendous Democratic majority. We finished counting tonight. Raining hard tonight. Eleanor Martin stayed with us tonight.

Nov. 9, 1882. Cloudy but clearing, warm. This is a remarkable fall, breat deal of rain and very warm, tomato vines still green.

Nov. 10, 1882. Cloudy and wet, warm, good deal of rain, thunder, lightning during the night, cleared up during day, very warm, like summer. Covering my raspberry bushes.

Nov. 11, 1882. Clearing, very warm, mercury 90° this morning. George went to St. Louis this morning to buy presents for Arthur's wedding. He (Arthur) expects to leave St. Louis tonight for New Orleans to be married next Wednesday to Miss Laura Tutt. This has been a summer day, mercury up to near 80°. Called on old Mrs. Sheppard in afternoon, she thinks her trials greater than anybody else's. I she only knew how to do good to others with her money she would be happier. Letters from Fred and Mary. Commenced raining before night and has rained heavily ever since.

Nov. 12, 1882, Sabbath. Yesterday was summer and today winter, mercury 80°, today 40°, heavy rain last night. Cloudy today, wind west. George came on late train last night. Dr. Martin preached old Mrs. McAfee's funeral sermon today.

Nov. 13, 1882. Clear and cold, mercury 30°, hard freeze this morning. This is a genuine touch of winter suddenly, heavy snows in the northwest. What extremes, Saturday, summer, today, winter. My cabbages are out. Covered my cabbages today. Finished covering raspberries.

Nov. 14, 1882. Clear and cold, mercury 33°, three degrees higher than yesterday, will moderate today, wind south. Got booler in afternoon, wind strong from west. Called on Mrs. Wilkie.

Nov. 15, 1882. Mr. Ben Pearce took dinner with us. Ed Pearce was to come today from Texas. Clear and cool.

Nov. 16, 1882. Cloudy and warmer. Gorden and Ida McDearmon to be married today. Raining now at noon. Attended the wedding at the church and reception at John McDearmon's. Rain most of day and rain still at bedtime, warm.

Nov. 17, 1882. Cloudy and drizzling, cold mercury 40°. Doug Martin stayed all night with us. Damp, unpleasant day. Letter from Arthur in New Orleans day before his marriage.

Nov. 18, 1882. Clear and bright in morning, cool, mercury 38°, soon clouded up. George is seriously considering selling out the Journal and going to St. Louis, the field is too small here, no room for expansion, poor location for a young American, too much German.

Nov. 19, 1882, Sabbath. Cloudy day, cool and damp. Called yesterday evening on Mrs. Alf Stonebraker and her sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Taylor of New York. Called this afternoon on Mrs. Page at Robert Pourie's. She and Ed Pearce's wife on the way to Texas.

Nov. 20, 1882. Partly cloudy, afternoon clear and pleasant. Called in afternoon at Mr. Salvete and Mr. Higginson's.

Nov. 21, 1882. Clear, fine, cool day. We look for Arthur and his bride this eveing.

Nov. 22, 1882. Partly cloudy, milder, circle around the moon last night, delightful day.

Nov. 23, 1882. Cloudy and colder this morning, wind west and clearing. Nothing from Arthur yet. Called this afternoon at Mrs. Parks. Will is sick.

Nov. 24, 1882. Clear and coldest morning we have had, mercury 28°. Expecting Arthur and his bride this morning, they reached St. Louis yesterday. Arthur and his bride came this forenoon. She is a very fine looking, very fine person, above the medium size, sweet expression, gentle and sprightly in manner, winning ways, a very sensible and good woman. We think Arthur has been very fortunate. Mr. Martin, Doug, Nellie and Minnie McDearmon called after tea.

Nov. 25, 1882. Cloudy and cool this morning, not so cold as yesterday. In afternoon, cold rain.

Nov. 26, 1882, Sabbath. Rained a good deal last night, cloudy and colder this morning and clearing. Arthur and wife still with us, we like her very much, she is a sweet woman. Letters from Fred and Mattie today. Fred seems to be getting along finely. Clear and bright most of day.

Nov. 27, 1882. Cloudy and cool, mercury 27°, Arthur and wife left and my wife left early this morning. My wife goes to Sedalia to be with Lizzie in her confinement.

Nov. 28, 1882. Cloudy and cool, mercury 26°, white frost. Feel lonely in the absence of my wife. What an inestimable blessing is the good wife and mother in a household. May the Lord bless her in her mission of love. Every day I realize more and more the value of my good, sensible, kind, industrious, neat, careful, loving wife. Commenced snowing late this evening.

Nov. 29, 1882. About four inches of snow on the ground this morning and still snowing some, not very cold, the ground isn't frozen, some appearance of clearing, sun shone most of the day, snow melted some, wind in north.

Nov. 30, 1882. Clear and cold, mercury 24°. Got a cow from Mr. J. E. Stonebraker today. This is Thanksgiving Day. How great has been the goodness of the Lord to me and mine, his benfits are more than I can account. Service in the Jefferson Street Church, Reverend Marshall.

December

Dec. 1, 1882. Clear and warmer, mercury 38° this morning. Received letter from my wife today in Sedalia -- Lizzie has a fine boy. Warm day.

Dec. 2, 1882. Cloudy and cold this morning, strong west wind, in afternoon, clear and more pleasant. We had a letter today from Annie, giving her account of that part of Texas (Uvalde County, Rio Frio). Climate delightful, pretty country, people very ignorant and very lazy and dirty.

Dec. 3, 1882, Sabbath. Clear and col, moderated during day, wind south. Succeeded Saturday night in getting the City Council to remit back taxes on our church parsonage lot. Reverend Mr. Steen of the Northern church preached our union services at our church last night. George went to St. Louis in afternoon and returned on late train.

Dec. 5, 1882. Rain this morning and last night, mild, got cooler during the day.

Dec. 6, 1882. Cloudy, damp, chilly morning, wind east. This is the day of the transit of Venus across the sun but cloudy day has prevented its observation in this region. About half past two this afternoon, the wind shifted suddenly to the northwest and commenced snowing, wind blowing very strong and very cold. More like winter than anything we have had.

Dec. 7, 1882. We are in Greenland this morning, one of those tremendous changes that occur in this climate, yesterday at noon, mercury 36° and this morning 6° below ZERO. Clear this morning, light snow on the ground. Some of the flowers froze in the parlor.

Dec. 8, 1882. Cloudy and cold, mercury 4° below ZERO, wind changed to east, cleared during day and moderated a good deal. This cold wave has been general over the country. The ground is covered with a light snow.

Dec. 9, 1882. Cloudy, chilly, damp day, some drizzling in afternoon.

Dec. 10, 1882, Sabbath. Clear and cool. Mr. Franz, who was killed at car shops was buried today. George went to St. Louis this afternoon, returned on late train. Letter from Jane, Lizzie not very well.

Dec. 11, 1882. Clear, fine, frosty morning, mercury 25°. Called at Mrs. Frayzer's in afternoon.

Dec. 12, 1882. Cloudy and warmer today. Killed three hogs today, they are very fat, though young. Rather warm and very cloudy in afternoon. Served on grand jury today, indicted two boys for stealing and two other desperate men for burglary and larceny at New Melle. They bound the clerk, and and foot and gagged him and left him in that condition. Had a shed built for my buggy. Succeeded in settling the church back tax case by which we saved over $200.00.

Dec. 13, 1882. Clear, cold, frosty morning. Hogs in fine condition for cutting, very fat. Eleanor Martin came out in afternoon.

Dec. 14, 1882. Clear and cool, in afternoon got much colder and cloudy. Finishing up the church.

Dec. 15, 1882. Clear and cold, mercury 16° early in morning, continued very cold all day, wind northwest.

Dec. 16, 1882. Cloudy and cold. We are cleaning up the church so as to have services in it on Sunday.

Dec. 17, 1882, Sabbath. Cloudy morning, milder, before noon cleared and bright. The church looks very fine and greatly improved in appearance and comfort. We received a postal from Henry Gauss saying that little Mattie was seriously ill, dangerously ill.

Dec. 18, 1882. Clear, frosty morning. Had a dispatch this morning that little Mattie died yesterday. This is a great affliction. How many of their children have died. She was a very bright, sweet child. Only about a year ago our dear Glover died there and not long before they lost their little boy.

Dec. 19, 1882. Cloudy and mild. George went to St. Louis this morning. Mary and her children came from Arkansas. They have been there four years, living in miserable cabins and very poor and yet they are strong and healthy while Henry Gauss's children and Louisa Morgan's who had every comfort have died. Strange Providence. A letter from Jane today giving an account of little Mattie's sickness and death. She died in the third chill of congestion of liver and kidneys. The doctors mistook her disease.

Dec. 20, 1882. Steady rain all day. George returned from St. Louis on the late train last night. He had an interview with Colonel Cockerel of the Post Dispatch and he gave him great encouragement and promised to give him a situation by the middle of January. Mary has a very fine set of children.

Dec. 21, 1882. Cloudy and mild, mercury 42°, some cooler during the day. Got a postal from Henry Gauss today saying that my wife would come down today. She has been absent nearly four weeks.

Dec. 22, 1882. Cloudy and cool. My wife came from Sedalia last night. She left them better. Lizzie feels deeply the loss of little Mattie. John Pearce came down from Wentzville this evening. He hadn't seen his mother and the other children for more than a year.

Dec. 23, 1882. Clear, bright, frosty morning. This has been a real October day, most delightful. Getting Christmas gifts has been the absorbing talk for several days. Children and old people too enjoy the giving and receiving of gifts. What joyful times! among poor and rich. What happy times in the households of the land Christmas brings but how few realize that all that is good in this life comes from the birth, death and resurrection of Christ. We received a box of Christmas presents today from Mattie in Philadelphia. What a thoughtful, kind-hearted girl -- something beautiful or useful for everybody in the house; also a box of nuts and candy from Arthur. All these things make sunshine in this dark world.

Dec. 24, 1882, Sabbath. Clear, bright morning, heavy, white frost. We had a large congregation at church this morning. Cloudy in afternoon, rain tonight. This is certainly very soft weather.

Dec. 25, 1882. Cloudy and warm. This is Christmas and how excited the children are. Mary's children are here and they have had no Christmas for years. After breakfast and prayers we all went to the parlor, where the presents were all spread out and George distributed them to each one. All the family had something, many of them came from Mattie. These things cheer and brighten the life of old and young. My earnest prayer is all may have the greatest of all gifts, the gift of eternal life through our Lord, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Dec. 26, 1882. Cloudy and chilly, sent off some furniture for Mary.

Dec. 27, 1882. Cloudy and cool, no freezing. Mary and her children go up to Wentzville today.

Dec. 28, 1882. Cloudy and colder, mercury 30°. We have had a long speel of cloudy, damp, chilly weather. This closes the career of the Journal. George sold out to the Cosmos. It has been a success as a country paper, it has done good service to the city and county. It has been bold and outspoken agains official wrongs and encouraged all measures for the public good. Its subscription list has increased steadily and has grown in favor with the public but there is no money in the newspaper business in this town and a young man who has any ability and ambition in that line must go to better fields.

Dec. 29, 1882. Clear, frosty morning. Went with Mr. Alderson down to Mrs. Shafer's and spent day. Called at Charlesworth's on way back. A very bright day.

Dec. 30, 1882. Clear, bright frosty morning, mercury 26°. George went to St. Louis this morning. My wife and I called at J. K. McDearmon's in afternoon. Eleanor Martin was out to see us. They day is lovely.

Dec. 31, 1882, Sabbath., and the last day of the year 1882. Cloudy and chilly, a light drizzle falling fells like snow, in afternoon some snow and cooler. The sands of the old year are nearly run out, three more hours and it is gone. How the years fly, the faster, the older we get. But for the precious hope of an eternal life of joy what would this world be for its joys are so fleeting and so unsatisfying and its troubles so many and so great. Now in a retrospect of the past year I have much regret in neglect and unprofitableness in God's service but how much I have to be thankful for in the unnumbered blessings I have received from the hand of my Heavenly Father. As a family we have had uninterrupted health, we haven't had a doctor in the house during the year. Our gardens, orchards and fields have yielded the greatest abundance. The only death in any branch of the family was that of little Mattie Gauss, Lizzie's child. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives and we shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. The Lord's name be praised.

NOTE: This completes eighteen months of daily living as recorded by John Jay Johns. 
It should show during the period the hazards of life in those days. Starting with 1883
we will copy the important items and probably extremes in termperature and anything
that might interest the readers. --Florence Johns

Source:

Source: Location of handwritten original unknown. Typed by Florence Johns, San Antonio, Texas, 1960s. Transcribed to softcopy by Susan D. Chambless, 2001.