Apr 1 – Chored round in forenoon. Grubed out Sassafras along the road West of garden. Ayres Raymond paid me 1.25 cts.
Apr 2 – Very warm day mercury 76 in shade at one o clock P.M.
Apr 3 – Went to Kalamazoo on Biz Niz. Fine Day. Jesse James the Train and Bank Robber Killed to day By Robert and Charles Ford[48] at St Joseph Missouri.
Apr 4 – Went over to burg to see D. Lamkin. Hen commenced setting on the Taylor Eggs. Will Brown commenced plowing for Oats.[49] Rained all the afternoon and night.
Apr 5 – Rainy morning. Hannah Comfort went over to Nancys stayed all night. Dee Harris[50] came to day.
Apr 6 – Hannah Comfort started for home[51] this morning.
Apr 7 – Worked on box some. Ethan went over to burg. Charles P. Galligan Brot up to Galesburg and Buried.[52]
Apr 8 – Worked on Box put some Irons on side boards. Rainy.
Apr 9 – Jim went over brot Emma Allen[53] over. I went down to Mrs Browns. Mrs Albert Chase buried to day.
Apr 10 – Worked in west garden raked up weeds and leaves burnt up the weeds and leaves.
Apr 11 – Worked in garden cleaned out sage roots.
Apr 12 – Worked in shop some on Box. Louese Married to day.[54] Fine day. Mr Van Blake came over in Evening. Carried Sarah over to Law Suit.
Apr 13 – Went over to Burg in morning. Worked in shop on Box. Will Brown plowing south lot for Oats.
Apr 14 – Worked on wagon Box some. Very nice day.
Apr 15 – Finished Box. Will Sowed the Oats. Lois and Ina[55] came on the noon train.
Apr 16 – Lois came over this morning. Fine day.
Apr 17 – Went down to Caywoods with Lois. Went up to Mr Flanders got some potatoes. Jim came home in Evening to see Lou and D.D.
Apr 18 – Went over to burg in morning with Trunk. D.D. and Lou started for Phoenix Northern Michigan in the copper mines.[56]
Apr 19 – Worked round some in shop in garden. Rainy and very windy.
Apr 20 – Some cold rainy and very windy some not much. Painted wagon box.
Apr 21 – Finished Wills Box. Fine pleasant day. Will plowed some. Lois went over to Nancys. Found calf in Barn this morning.
Apr 22 – Went over to Burg in morning carried Mrs Betts over. Will plowing. Very windy. Will got his Box. Cold bad day to be out. Lois went home[57] to day.
Apr 23 – At home all day. Went over to burg at night after Mrs Betts. Got 4 four bushels clover Seed of Mr Flanders.
Apr 24 – Dick Lamkins came over. Got out manure. Went over at noon with Hannah. She went to Vicksburg. Mrs Mary Crawford Died to day.[58] Dick had one bag corn.
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[48] Jesse James was shot to death by Robert Ford, a member of his gang who hoped to collect the bounty on Jesse’s head. Charley was Robert’s younger brother and also a member of the James Gang
[49] Believe this was one of his neighbors
[50] Neighbor, Daniel D. Harris Jr. He was referred to as D.D. or D.
[51] Ontario, Canada
[52] Michigan death records show that he died in Waverly, Michigan on September 13, 1880; FindAGrave.com shows he is buried in the Galesburg City Cemetery in Galesburg, Michigan.
[53] Neighbor Emeretta Allen
[54] His daughter, Louese, married Daniel D. Harris Jr. (see footnote to April 5th entry)
[55] His granddaughter (Lois’ daughter), Ina Skinner
[56] D.D.’s family had a general store in Phoenix and he and Louese were moving there to work the store
[57] Ceresco, Michigan which was about 25 miles from Comstock/Galesburg
[58] Mary was the widow of Edwin Crawford who was the brother of Luke’s wife Sarah. FindAGrave.com shows she is buried in Riverside Cemetery, Dowagiac, Michigan
Letters & Diary Entries From the 1860s through the 1890s 