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Nov 1 – Cloudy warm 45 Abz. Worked in shop some. Sent 3 letters G.T. C.R.C. M.K. Bronson. Sherman & J. Flanders here in Evening. P. Johnson & wife here. Rainy night. Lasher Brot Eleven bushels corn.
Nov 2 – Rainy 50 Abz. Worked in shop some. Went to Election. Very Rainy day mid day. Edwin Flanders got home.
Nov 3 – Cloudy 45 Abz. Worked in shop on Fathers sleigh. Patty came over & Henry came home. Rained some.
Nov 4 – Cloudy 45 Abz. Worked in shop. Killed chicken. Patty went down to Catharines. Henry here. Rained some. Mark came after Patty.
Nov 5 – Cloudy 42 Abz. Went over the river. Lasher Brot 14 bushels corn and ½ cord wood from Yorks. Rainy. A. Blakeslee Brot my stove home one lb & half candles 25~.
Nov 6 – Cloudy 42 Abz. Worked in shop. Rained some. Hunter Walker Buried to day.
Nov 7 – Cloudy 41 Abz. At home all day. Rainy. Sarah went to church.
Nov 8 – Cloudy 37 Abz. Tinkered round Barn. Hawver Brot his Buckskin. Made glove for Frank Cle_____. Rained some & snowed. Father got his lime.
Nov 9 – Cloudy 31 Abz. Went over to Fathers and set up corn fodder. Got teapot mended. Snowed some in the Evening. Porpoise of the track.
Nov 10 – Cloudy 30 Abz. Dug some potatoes. Toot & Lois came over. Mr Wiseman here. Bot canton flannel 1/- Bot steak 1/-.
Nov 11 – Cloudy 30 Abz. Lasher came and dug potatoes. Father got stove.
Nov 12 – Cloudy 33 Abz. Lasher drawed two loads corn fodder. Rained towards night snowed in the Evening.
Nov 13 – Cloudy 31 Abz snow on the ground. Bot ½ lb Tea 31~. Bot ½ Bushel salt 28~. Bot Ethen Boots 1.50~. Father Brot ½ Ransom pig 65 lbs.
Nov 14 – Snows 27 Abz. Stayed at home. Sarah went to church.
Nov 15 – Pleasant sun came out 21 Abz 2 inches snow. Worked in Barn moved corn. Put up the cow the first time.
Nov 16 – Cloudy 23 Abz. Cut gloves & mittens for Hawver McLary & Baxter. Bot pr taps for my Boots 25~.
Nov 17 – Pleasant 22 Abz. Went over and got my last load stalks. Mr Lasher drawed them. Patty came over. Snowed in the Evening.
Nov 18 – Snowey & misty 24 Abz. Worked in shop cut out battens[61] for Barn. Patty here.
Nov 19 – Cloudy 23 Abz. Went over to Lashers got him to draw ½ cord wood from Yorks. Patty & Lois went home with him. Flanders called here.
Nov 20 – Cloudy 12 Abz. Set shoes on one bob. Bot Flanders paint. Snowed some. Got corn ground.
Nov 21 – Cloudy 28 Abz snow 2 inches deep. Mark & Lois here. Sarah went to church.
Nov 22 – Cloudy 29 Abz. Mark & Toot & Catharine here. Sarah went home with them. Going to Kalamazoo. Flanders Brot me two bushels flour. Patty left to night 12.40.
Nov 23 – Cloudy 33 Abz. Sarah gone. Tapt my Boots. Had Loucks up for sealing. Sarah Bot Shawl & Dress &c.
Nov 24 – Pleasant 27 Abz. Painted Bobs. Sarah got home. Uncle Chichester here.
Nov 25 – Snows Some 32 Abz. Worked in shop on Ex for Beach. Stanley here in the Evening from Lacrosse.
Nov 26 – Cloudy 32 Abz. Finished Beaches Ex. Old cow out to night. Bot one lb candles 15~.
Nov 27 – Snows some 32 Abz. Worked in shop some. Put fenders on Fathers Sleigh. Snowed all day and all night. Enos Smith came here stayed all night.
Nov 28 – Snows 31 Abz snow some six inches deep. Enos left for home. Went over to Fathers. Very snowey.
Nov 29 – Cold 10 Abz snow some eight inches deep. Cleared out the shop. Deyo moved his tools. Bot 10 lbs shugar one lb saleratas two books.
Nov 30 – Pleasant 19 Abz. Worked in shop. Flanders Brot his timber for rack to his bobs.
Dec 1 – Cloudy 25 Abz. Worked on Flanders bob rack. Father got his Sash. Deyoes here to supper.
Dec 2 – Cloudy 34 Abz. Finished Flanders bobs. Flanders got his mittens. Sarah went down to Barbers. Snowed in the night.
Dec 3 – Snows 24 Abz. Put battens on East side of shop. Snowed and blowed _____ Mrs Corys here & Mrs Rogers. Lasher Brot load wood.
Dec 4 – Cloudy 30 Abz. Painted Flanders bobs. D. Smith here. Sawed out bob runners for Mose. Bot 50 lbs bran 25~. Rainy night. Father Brot Boards for bottom.
Dec 5 – Cloudy & windy 32 Abz. At home all day. Sarah went to church.
Dec 6 – Cloudy 22 Abz. Stoped the cracks in shop floor. Put up stove.
Dec 7 – Cloudy 24 Abz. Worked in shop some. Put on some battens. Very little snow.
Dec 8 – Blustering 12 Abz. Went over to Fathers got the old deed[?]. Put _____ under the doors. Howell here to night concert. Very cold.
Dec 9 – Cloudy 12 Abz. Lasher drawed ½ cord green wood. Put on battens East west side shop. Got letter from J. S. King.
Dec 10 – Pleasant 20 Abz. Flanders got his Bobs. McLary brot load wood. Bot Eye water two bushels Buckwheat of Lasher at Flanders Brot Rooster.
Dec 11 – Cloudy 24 Abz. Put battens on Ends of Shop. Bot gloves for Sarah. Wes brot Rooster. J. York got home.
Dec 12 – Cloudy 29 Abz some Rainy. Lois at home in Evening. By paid me. Rainy night.
Dec 13 – Cloudy & misty 48 Abz. Commenced smoothing my slead put on some battens. Got out all of them.
Dec 14 – Cloudy 28]?] Abz. Worked on _____ slead. Wesley brot Henrys coat. Snowed in the Evening. Bot one lb _____ of Mead 12~.
Dec 15 – Cloudy 30 Abz. Worked in shop on slead violin accordion. Flanders here Mrs Wiseman & family here to tea. James H. Crawford[62] Died to day.
Dec 16 – Pleasant 25 Abz. Put thills together then painted slead & thills. No snow _____ ground froze hard.
Dec 17 – Cloudy 22 Abz. Mended accordion & violin. Martin Turner here. Oscar Keith here.
Dec 18 – Cloudy 26 Abz. Ethen & I went down to Catharines. Caty & Jef came over.
Dec 19 – Cloudy 30 Abz. All came up to Fathers. Brot the rifle home.
Dec 20 – Smoky 32 Abz. Sawed out bob runners. Snowed in the night. Mr Deyo here. Barlow first violin school.
Dec 21 – Snows some 33 Abz. Went over to Fathers. Saw J. York. Sold Milham 12½ bushels corn 4/- pr bushel. Bot violin string 18~.
Dec 22 – Pleasant 25 Abz. Worked in shop mended violin bow. Barbers folks here to tea. Very _____. Sawed out knees for bobs.
Dec 23 – Cloudy 32 Abz. Worked in shop some. Lasher drawed load wood. York brot stove. Bot one lb candles 17~.
Dec 24 – Cloudy 24 Abz. Worked on shop floor. Got Fathers sleigh from shop. Bot broom.
Dec 25 – Pleasant 18 Abz. Tinkered round shop. Mr Huchison here to look at farm. Bot 50 lbs bran 25~.
Dec 26 – Rainy 33 Abz. At home. Sarah went to teacher meeting.
Dec 27 – Cloudy & muddy 35 Abz. Went up to Yorks & Wesleys.
Dec 28 – Cloudy 39 Abz. Wes came & helped me fix the well. Rained in the night.
Dec 29 – Cloudy 34 Abz. Finished the well. Moved my currant bushes. Snowed some. Ed Wilcut[63] here.
Dec 30 – Rains some 33 Abz. Sawed out two sets Bob runners for Milford Matthews.
Dec 31 – Cold 28 Abz froze some. Worked on Barbers violin.
[61] Roofing lathes, used to provide the fixing point for roofing materials such as shingles or tiles
[62] His wife’s brother; see February 22, 1859 letter
[63] Edward G. Wolcott, his maternal first cousin, the son of Warren and Electa (Damon) Willcutt
Letters to and from the Keith and Related Families 