Apr 1 – Snowed and blowed to day. Nans I went to the Burg this even’g.
Apr 2 – Charley and Carrie Barber[49] were over this A.M. Edgar Galusha has bought the farm of Mr Wesley Damerell. Damerell is moving to the Burg.
Apr 3 – Town meeting. Mr and Mrs Pease were here to day. Went over and voted this P.M. Went up to the foundry. Took Ettie Tompkins to the train, she went to Kal- to work for Mrs Comstock.
Apr 4 – Loyd S. Higgins 48th birthday. Pleasant. Tapped the maple tree west of the house for the first time. Grandpa Keith[50] and I set it out 35 years ago this spring.
Apr 5 – Tapped the soft maple in the road by the large cherry tree. The first time it ever was tapped. Pleasant. Had some maple syrup for dinner from the maple tree west of the house.
Apr 6 – Mr Galushas folks stay at their new home to night for the first (The Brown fam). Geo Whiting brought Cora Harris and Leone[51] here this A.M. I went over and got 178 lbs of mill feed of Dell. Went up to Mr Schrams then to the Burg after Lou and Mildred.[52]
Apr 7 – Hannah, Lois, Leone Harris and I went over to the L.L.A. entertainment at the Masonic hall “The Watermelon Case.”
Apr 8 – Made two qts of syrup to day. Went to the Burg this P.M. and had some work done on the pump at the foundry. Went up to Mr Ralphs spoke to him about working the east lot. He rode to the Burg with me. Hannah and I went over to the Burg this evening. She took her carpet rags over to Joe Neffs to be woven.
Apr 9 – Lou and children[53] went up to Mr Ralphs this P.M. Ettie Ralph was down to have a jacket fitted this P.M. Pleasant. Sap has run first rate to day. I syruped down some soft maple sap to day. Want to sugar it off if it will grain.
Apr 10 – Worked at the pump got it in the well room. Took Lou and children to the train 5.00. She went home. Boiled sap to day. Sap has run first rate to day.
Apr 11 – I quit boiling sap to day. Syruped down what I had boiled. Have made about six qts of syrup. I sugared off the soft maple syrup and found that it will grain as well as hard maple syrup. Finished the pump job. Works all right. Mrs Galusha[54] is here this evening.
Apr 12 – Lou’s and Dee’s wedding anniversary, (17th). Rec’d two letters from Henry[55] he was at Auburn Cal- dead broke. Got the turnips, beets and parsnips out of the hole. Warm.
Apr 13 – Went to the Burg this A.M. Took a couple bushels of corn to Geo Youmans to grind by wind power. Fitted a sash in the kitchen window this P.M. Warm. Sent Henry’s two letters to Nancy.
Apr 14 – Sowed some tomato and cabbage seed. Cleaned the back yard where Mr Cravins pigs rooted it up.
Apr 15 – Went to the Burg this P.M. to take Hannah and Gertrude to the Maccabee lodge. Went up to the foundry and got my grist. Davis Stafford was there moulding. Went to the Burg after Hannah and Gertrude this even’g. Have got a cold.
Apr 16 – Am about sick with a cold my eyes are all blood shot. Ettie Ralph[56] was down a little while.
Apr 17 – About sick to day. Very strong wind all day.
Apr 18 – Mr Hawks went by with the new boat this morning on his way to Elkhart. Quite windy. Wrote some to Nancy and sent in Ma’s letter.
Apr 19 – My throat is very sore. Am about sick.
Apr 20 – Throat is no better. Went to the Burg this evening to see Dr Burdick but he was not at the store. Hannah wint over to Matie Evans and Mrs Merrimans. Dell gave me some Witch Hazel.
Apr 21 – Throat about the same. Longest spell of severe sore throat I ever had.
Apr 22 – Went to the Burg this evening and got a gargle of Dr Burdick for my throat. Could hardly swallow to day. Hannah went to the Burg with me.
Apr 23 – Lois and Dell were here to dinner to day. Dell and Chauncey Brown went down to Walter Coe’s to see a horse.
Apr 24 – Went to the Burg this P.M. after Dr McBeth[57] for Hannah her lungs are bad. Rec’d a letter from Henry he is at Placerville. Cora Bera sewed for Hannah to day for the first as Mrs Bera.[58]
Apr 25 – Will Ridler began plowing in the east lot for potatoes to day. Wrote to Henry Keith. War with Spain was declared to day. A year [ago]. Warm for this time of year. McBeth was over to see Hannah. Ettie Tompkins was here this P.M. staid to tea.
Apr 26 – Went to the Burg this A.M. Bought 6 bunches of shingles for $3.75 brought three of them home. Went and got the other three this evening. Dr. McBeth was over to day.
Apr 27 – Shingled the well room to day. Will Ridler plowed our garden to day. Hannah is not so well to night. Dr McBeth was over.
Apr 28 – Shingled some to day. Quite a strong wind. Hannah is a little better. Went to the Burg this evening.
Apr 29 – Went to the Burg this morning. Came home and helped Will Ridler plant ½ acre of Beauty Hebrons for early potatoes. Went to the Burg this evening. Ettie Ralph has an exhibition at her school house to night Dean district. Sold Daisys calf to Mr Freeman for $2.75.
Apr 30 – Good rain last night and quite a hard electric storm. Frank Crossfield brought us a nice mess of fish this morning that he picked out of the creek.
——-
[49] Neighbors, twins Carrie and Charles Barber
[50] Charles Luke Keith Sr.
[51] His sister Louese’s daughter, Leone Harris
[52] His sister Louese’s daughter, Mildred Harris
[53] LaVerne, Floyd, Leone & Mildred Harris
[54] Neighbor, Sarah (Chase) Galusha
[55] His half-brother, Henry L. Keith
[56] Elsie “Ettie” Ralph was a neighbor, the daughter of William & Emeline (Stone) Ralph
[57] William F. McBeth
[58] See February 5th entry
Letters & Diary Entries From the 1860s through the 1890s 