May 1 – Not mutch work to day. Rainy some. Went over to burg in afternoon.
May 2 – Nice day. Jim, Mrs Brown and Hannah went down to Nancys.
May 3 – Took Edna Allens trunk over to the Depo at noon. Got a draft cashed for her $50.22 cts. She went on the 9.20 train Evening.
May 4 – Went up to Mr Flanders[58] got ½ bushel potatoes 25 cts. Rained quite hard. Sarah went down to Mr Randals a dance to Mike Maloneys new barn.
May 5 – Went up to mill. Turned rooler for Mr Beals of Climax. Went over to Burg got Sarahs Dress and ticking.
May 6 – Husked corn in afternoon. Nice day.
May 7 – Finished husking corn. Mrs Brown and Bessie came up here. Bes stayed all night. Show at the burg I went saw murmaid.
May 8 – At home. Mended wire fence on East road spliced one wire. Rainy night. Hannah over to Nells.
May 9 – Went down to Katharines. Rained some not vey cold.
May 10 – At home. Worked round house and garden.
May 11 – Went over to burg in afternoon to the Band Torniment. Received postal from George.[59]
May 12 – Worked round choring. Went over to burg. Shelled corn in afternoon. Nancy and Mrs Wagner came up in afternoon.
May 13 – Mercury 81 warm day. Sarah went over to Hoags.[60] Ina went to Shelby Ville. I went to Milhams to mill.
May 14 – Mercury. Worked in garden some. Went over to burg. Bes here.
May 15 – Went over to Forbush in afternoon. Rainy.
May 16 – At home all day. Nice day.
May 17 – Went over got the Buggy thill[61] iron mended 85 cts. Lois came home from Shelby.
May 18 – Took Sarah over to Lois. I cut and drew one load wood plowed out corn in the garden went after Sara.
May 19 – Pleasant morning. At home working round house and garden. Jim plowed the corn ground.
May 20 – Went down to Mrs Browns got drag. Draged corn ground and floated it. Very warm day. Lois came over.
May 21 – Very warm day. Marked my corn ground. Went down to M. O. Streators got seed corn.
May 22 – Hot as blazes. Planted corn. Mr & Mrs Streato[62] and Mrs Brown here in Evening. Expected Forbush & Blakes folks here dey no came.
May 23 – Mercury 90 in shade. At home all day. No one here. Ethan took Lois and Ina home in morning.
May 24 – Planted potatoes covered them with straw. Nice day.
May 25 – Planted potatoes. Cool day north wind. Set hen to night in Bills west feed box.
May 26 – Not mutch done. Went over to burg. Nancy and girls came up this morning.
May 27 – Went over to burg in morning. Jesse Earls gray Horse died this morning. Ob Evens and Maty Carson married this Evening.[63]
May 28 – Went over to burg in morn sold 1400 & 60 lbs Hay to Met Thomas 50 cts pr 100. Took some things up to Wm Ralphs to go to Lous. Mr Williams of Berry died.
May 29 – Went over to burg twice. Worked in garden some cultivated corn and potatoes.
May 30 – Went up to Mr Levi woods. Syrus and Moridz Streator went had a good time. Nice day. Very dry.
May 31 – Worked in garden planted beans hoed corn plastered corn.
[58] His neighbor, Joseph Flanders
[59] George Tomlinson
[60] Neighbors, Abel & Sarah “Jane” (Mason) Hoag
[61] The long shafts between which an animal is fastened when pulling a wagon
[62] Marius O. & Laura Ann (Rawson) Streator
[63] Michigan marriage records show that Oliver Evans and Mary Carson were married in Richmond, Michigan on May 27, 1886
Letters & Diary Entries From the 1860s through the 1890s 