Dec 1 – Took Sarah over to Lois. Oscar and Mary[98] came here. Hannah came home. Cool damp day.
Dec 2 – Mercury 34. Oscars folks went up to Mrs Bateys.[99] Lois came over. No snow.
Dec 3 – Mercury 30. Sawed out door stops for Mrs Browns doors. Oscar called here. Mrs Brown came up.
Dec 4 – Mercury 34. Hannah & Lois went down to Mrs Browns. I put sawdust in well. Mrs Bradshaw came down. Snowed just at night. Hannah went to M. O. Streators.
Dec 5 – Made table for Mr Caywood and chored round. Snowed and blowed like fun all night.
Dec 6 – Mercury 5 Abz at 5. At home. Very blustring. Snowed and blowed all day.
Dec 7 – Mercury 9 Below zero. At home. Snowed and blowed some not much. Hannah went to Kaywood.
Dec 8 – Mercury 13 Abz. Snowed very little. Will Clark came over. Rainy afternoon and Evening. Wm Vanderbilt died.[100]
Dec 9 – Mercury 43 in morning. Cold windy day. Went down to Mrs Browns. Put on door stops. Filed saw for Gallusha[?]. Cold night. Jim drew 5/8 cord wood.
Dec 10 – Mercury 18 Abz. Turned Plunger for Charley Towns cistern pump. Dell came over made some pie lifters.
Dec 11 – Mercury 10 Abz. Worked on pie lifters some. Cut out axhelve for Walter Thomson.
Dec 12 – Mercury 12 Abz. Cold day. Skinner came over in morning got his lifters. Two wagons broke down on hill in afternoon.
Dec 13 – Mercury 17. At home. Hannah sick. Cold some sleighing.
Dec 14 – Mercury 2__ Abz. Worked in shop. Made axhelve for Walt Thompson.
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[98] His nephew and his wife, James “Oscar” & Mary Ann (Batey) Keith
[99] Mary Ann’s mother, Eliza “Betsey” (Olds) Batey
[100] The American railroad magnate and philanthropist who nearly doubled the Vanderbilt family fortune
Letters & Diary Entries From the 1860s through the 1890s 