---

Sunday, January 1, 1893

<-Van Slyke home, neighbor.

Today was a stormy and bad day. After chores were done, we put the end spring buggy and platform wagon down to the lower barn. Then Mother, Carrie, Cora, and I got ready and went down to Uncle Will's with two single rigs. Frank Pickert and his wife, Uncle Joel, and Harry Pickert got there about the same time as we did, noon. We all stayed until about 5 o'clock, had a very nice dinner, and a nice visit.

Mike Kaine did not come up to help do chores, so John Elmer did them all alone. J. W. T. came here to spend the evening with Carrie.

Monday, January 2, 1893

The weather was stormy. All did chores in the morning. I helped get hay and straw down. Then Carrie, Cora, and I got ready and went up to Crofoot's with the bay team and the box sleigh. We took 25# of cheese along at 10 cents and Henry paid for it. Carrie had some things for them which amounted to $2.00. Henry and I settled up on the draft and the note, leaving Henry a balance of $24.53, which I paid. I let Carrie have 50 cents as she was staying with Crofoot's til Sunday. Cora and I stayed til 4 o'clock. We took our old Ben dog along and gave him to them. All were well at Ettie's. We had-a nice dinner and a nice visit.

Kaine's boy came here and he and Mike and John sawed wood. They did not quite finish the pile.

Tuesday, January 3, 1893

It was blustery today and cold in the afternoon. All did up chores in the morning. We got a lot of hay and straw down, harnessed the black team, then finished sawing all of the logs on the lower skidway. We finished up the chores, had dinner, and put up the cows. Then all three of us went down in Hoover's woods. We cut and piled 9 logs and finished trimming some tops of John's wood. We brought some top wood up to the sap hut in the afternoon.

A. Sayles came here and gave Cora a check of Stahl's for $25.00 to be endorsed on his note. He said that he had seen Congdon and he said it was all right and he was willing to extend time and wave the protest.

Wednesday, January 4, 1893

Today was a pleasant day. All did chores. Then we went in the woods and cut and skidded logs til night. We brought up two loads, one top wood and one logs.

Old Tom Burns and another young man, living on Eaton's farm, came to hire our machine.

In the evening, I took Cora down home with Lill and Jumper. Cora expects to stay there until Sunday to help her mother. Will Bellinger and I went to the Falls to see Sullivan. I took McGuire 12 1/2# of butter.

Thursday, January 5, 1893

The weather was pleasant today. All did chores. Then we all went in the woods with two teams. We cut and skidded logs till night. We brought up a load of top wood and a load of logs.

Mr. O'Donald came here to trade horses with me for the Nelson colt. He saw the colt, then drove over in Hoover's woods to see me. I did not like his mare very well.

Silas Thompson came here and engaged a sage cheese. Alice and Zenas Eades came here but they did not stay long. I filed the saw at night.

Mike drove down and had his people send for the mail. His boy brought a letter from the Loan Office wanting an appraisal of the property. There was also a check from Mrs. Feeter for two sales of cheese, $103.61, leaving a balance of 129# at 9 ½ cents unpaid.

Friday, January 6, 1893

It was windy and cold today. All did chores in the morning. Then after breakfast, Kaine took the black team and went in Keller's woods and got some wood for himself. John and I had chores most all done when he got back. Then we took our dinner & c. and all went in Hoover's woods. We cut 2 trees, trimmed them out and skidded the logs. We skidded some birch logs from John's trees. At night we brought one load of top wood and one load of logs home.

Hannah Kaine was at Keller's today. Mike took the cutter and went after her at night.

Saturday, January 7, 1893

The weather was fair. All did chores in the morning. Then John and I got hay and straw down for the cows and c. Then we loaded on all of the orts on the north side and put them in the hog pen. We cleaned the stable, let the cows out and the colts, and then put them all up. Then we three took both teams and went in Hoover's woods and cut and skidded logs. We brought up one load of top wood and one load of logs.

Hannah helped here today and they got 2 1/4# of butter. Will Congdon was here to see me but as I was not at home, he left no money or word.

Sunday, January 8, 1893

It was stormy part of the day. All did chores in the morning but Kaine. He did not come up. After chores were all done, I got ready and drove down to Gage's. I drove Black Fan and the new cutter. I got Cora and we had a nice time. Ed Goodell and Maude were there also. We came away about 8 o'clock.

I paid Hannah Kaine $2 in full for her labor and Mike Jr. 25 cents in full.

Monday, January 9, 1893

The weather was cold and stormy. John and I did chores. Then after breakfast, I got ready for the Falls. I drove old Lill and the old cutter, and took 5 1/2# of butter to Edic at 21 cents $1.05, no pay.

John finished up the chores, then took the black team and went in Hoover's woods and drew out a load of top wood. He got another load and came on home.

Kaine came up in the morning, filed the saw and gave me $10 to buy goods (flour $5.00, coffee 30 cents, & rubber boots $1.87) with. I paid for all of them and returned the change to him of $2.83.

I went to Herkimer to see the Loan Commissioner, saw him and got off on making the appraisal. I came back on the early train. I paid Goetchuis $1.52 to balance the account, paid Taylor 35 cents for plain cabbage, paid Oppel 15 cents to repair Carrie's ring, 10 cents for my horse bill, and 10 cents to treat Dutch John who I hired. I paid the P. 0. Box rent. I paid W. A. Robinson, tax collector, the tax of Herman's and Mother's - $57.79. 1 paid 40 cents to the Grange store for a lantern, and 12 cents for a file. I paid 32 cents car fare to Herkimer and back and 24 cents for tobacco for John Elmer. I paid 15 cents for a tin can at the Co-Op store and also $2.10 for bbl. of siscoes. I received a check of Stinson to balance his account, $17.25 and paid him 64 cents for coffee. I received $10 cash of Fitzgerald on his account. I drew the money of Stahl's check, $25.00 and on Feeter's check of $103.61.

Kaine worked for himself today.

Tuesday, January 10, 1893

Today was stormy and bad all day. John & I did chores then I backed the manure sleigh to the shed door & we cleaned that stable. After breakfast, John drew it out in the field & went down to VanSlykes after Keller's boar. I helped put him in the pen & then took Bay Fan & the cutter & went to Fairfield to the Auction of Reese's. He sold 20 heifers, cows, & old ones for less than $14.00 each. I also saw a man who wants to work next year but he wanted too much. I came home by way of Thompson's & got a pup. He would not take pay for it. John did up the chores & split a little wood & c. Kaine worked for himself.

Wednesday, January 11, 1893

The weather was very stormy and very cold. John Elmer & I did chores. Then I did some writing. He split wood & took the fence down. Kaine was working for himself.

Thursday, January 12, 1893

Today was cold, windy, and clear. John Elmer & I did chores in the morning. Then I took the bay team & the new sleighs & went in Hoover's woods & got the balance of the top wood & brought it to the sap hut, (a large load). Elmer finished the chores. Then I took the rack off & we both got two loads of logs apiece. I broke the new sleigh's short tongue in turning around empty but toggled it up with a chain. Kaine worked for himself.

Friday, January 13, 1893

Today was fair but cold. Elmer & I did chores & c. I got hay down then we both went in Hoover's woods & each got one load of logs, came back, had dinner, and took the sleighs apart.

Cora & I got ready & went to the Grange meeting. I took the sleigh iron & the cant hook iron & had them fixed & paid Tefft 40 cents for same. I had a hair cut & a shave & paid 30 cents. I took the insertion for the Herkimer Co. History, paid Miller 30 cents for stove irons, and paid the Grange $1.40 for a pair of mittens for self. I got a coat & vest from Wineburgh, and paid the Co-Op store 39 cents for cough bolsam. I paid VanAlstine 60 cents for vanilla & corn starch. I paid the Grange 30 cents for 1 dozen oranges & 10 cents for the horse bill.

Saturday, January 14, 1893

Today was fair but cold. John & I did chores in the morning. After breakfast, I settled the J. Jennings account with Katie Jennings & found $13.85 our due which she settled with a check from W. Keller for $56.00. 1 gave her the difference or $42.15 in money. She came here & stayed here all night.

When chores were done, we fed the horses, had lunch, and then went in Hoover's woods with both teams. We got up some logs with the boat & brought 4 loads to the house. We did chores up, and began feeding the cows hay. J. Keller went through here both ways & J. W. Windecker & wife went down. Kaine's boy came up & got his mail, two letters & his father's change, $2.83. I wrote Congdon another letter.

Sunday, January 15, 1893

Today was cold and clear. John Elmer and I did the chores. Kaine helped clean the cow stable. Then I went down, and helped him load the stove of John Cashmer's. I got one wagon tongue, and broke the road where it aught to be over the plowed ground & through the stone wall. Mr. Barney Abel & wife came here & spent the day. John Cashmer came here & got 9# of sage cheese at 14 cents & paid $1.

John Elmer finished one month's work today at $10.00 & has had mittens $1.60, tobacco 28 cents, a pair of glasses $4, cash $3, a pair of overshoes $1.50 = $10.38, which leaves him 38 cents in debt.

Tuesday, January 17, 1893

The weather is cold and clear. John Elmer & I did chores, then went in Hoover's woods with both teams & got the balance of the logs for wood & the log sleigh also. We came home & unloaded the logs, and put the teams in.

I got ready & Cora & I went to the Falls by way of Cook's. I bought a cow & paid $18 for her. We drove down to Father Bellinger's & stopped just a minute, then to Edic's & left him 9 3/4# of butter at 21 cents = $2.04. Then we went to the Post Office, then to Girvan's & got Ada Bellinger & all three of us went to Schell's bush to a Grange Party. There were 46 Numbers. Carrie, Maude & Ed Goodell, & J. W. Thompson all went.

John shoveled snow & worked at the ice bin. I let Cora have $5.

Wednesday, January 18, 1893

Today was cold and clear with an east wind. Cora, Ada Bellinger, Carrie, & I got home from the party about 6 o'clock. I did not go out till nearly breakfast time. Then after breakfast, I took old Lill & the cutter, went down to Hoover's & paid him $25 for the heifer & 2 hemlock trees. S. W. Thompson came there while I was there. I came home, took the black team & the new sleigh & took a large maple log to the Falls. It measured about 28 inches & scale but Cooper would not allow but about 24 or 25 inches. I mailed some letters, got 1# of tea at the Grange & paid 40 cents. I got our soapstone in the Freight Office. I came home early & John & I went to Hoover's to get the heifer & then finished up the chores. John was cleaning out the ice bin, and taking the fence down today & c. I saw Begley & he wants to buy some beef. Kaine worked for himself.

Thursday, January 19, 1893

The weather was pleasant. John Elmer & I did chores early, then went over to Hoover's woods & drew 2 loads each of logs to the Falls. We fed the horses at Broat's. It was late when we got around at night, about 9:30 & had all the chores to do. I paid 20 cents for lunch for Elmer & I.

Friday, January 20, 1893

Today was cold and windy. Elmer & I did chores up early & each drew two loads of logs to Cooper's Mill. It was late, about 10 o'clock when we got around & had all of the night chores to do. Carrie went to the Falls with old Lill & the cutter. I let her have $5 & paid her horse bill 10 cents & our expense for John Elmer and self 20 cents. We drew 10 logs yesterday & 7 today, some to be sawed for ourselves & some to sell at scale measure.

Saturday, January 21, 1893

Today was cold but pleasant. Elmer & I did chores in the morning & put on one maple & one bass wood log, then I went to the Falls with the bay team & scaled all the logs we drew but two birches & one hemlock. I brought up one load of elm plank. I paid 20 cents for the Saturday Globe & the horse bill, and paid the Co-Op 64 cents for oysters & crackers. I received cash of J. P. Harvey for 125# of beef, $7.50 in full & a check of J. W. Windecker for our share of the cheese, $39.05. 1 contracted 3 beefs to Begley at 51 cents per pound. I got our cant hook & ax & hand spakes.

Elmer did chores & moved 2 loads for Kaine. Mike leaves the house today.

Sunday, January 22, 1893

The weather today was very pleasant. Elmer & I did chores & c. Cora & Mother went to church with old Lill & the cutter & stopped at Uncle Joel's for awhile. Carrie was late for supper. J. W. T. was here.

Monday, January 23, 1893

It was warm and it snowed some. Kaine, John & I did chores. Then after breakfast, I unloaded a load of lumber in the yard. Then Kaine & I went to the Falls with both teams & put them in Mr. Ingham's shed. Then Kaine & I walked up to C. Cook's & got the red cow which I purchased of him & drove her to Zoller's to be killed. Then we brought up a load of elm each & all he had sawed. We came home & killed 2 heifers. John did chores at night. Kaine got 1 broom & is not coming to work tomorrow.

Tuesday, January 24, 1893

The weather was very pleasant. Elmer & I did chores & put up 10 bags of oats & 5 bags of barley & weighed up the two heifers & C. Then I went to the Falls with the bay team & new bobs & took the grist & the 2 year old heifer, 249# to Begley & one fore quarter to Father Bellinger, 96# at 5 cents = $4.80 paid, & one hind quarter to J. E. Gage, 85# at 6 cents = $5.10 paid. We left 1 hind quarter here for our own use & a fore quarter for Crofoot 93#. 1 also got the Cook cow from Zoller's, 435# & took it to Begley, no pay for any of it. I let Zoller have all the hides, 156# at 3 cents & 31# of tallow at 2 1/2 cents = 77 cents & 3 tongues 50 cents in all $5.95. I paid Zoller for killing the cow, 75 cents. I paid 99 cents, for the grist, and paid 24 cents to the Grange for Elmer's tobacco. I paid $2 to the T. M. to have the "N.Y. World" & the "Utica Weekly observer", paid 10 cents for lunch, & 18 cents to Casler's for goods for Carrie & paid Gage $6.30 for feed. A young man by the name of Backus came here to hire out to make our cheese & would not close the bargain. The beef to Begley was at 5 ½ cents per pound. Kaine lost one day.

Wednesday, January 25, 1893

Today was very stormy but not cold. John Elmer & I did chores & emptied the load of feed in the barn for fatting cows, for the calves & for the pigs, in all 17 bags of oats & barley & 400 pounds of midds & 600# of meal. After chores were done, we split wood, and swept cobwebs down in the cow barn. Then in the afternoon, I went to Salisbury Corners to see W. Congdon on the settlement. I got his note for the full amount due or $68.00 with interest. I got 1 dozen salmon of Stahl for $1.80 & charged it against my account. I made arrangement with Zlo Brockett to train the Nelson colt & agreed to pay him $25 to do it & furnish half the grain. Miss Julia Mullen is here making Carrie a party dress. Kaine lost 1 day.

Thursday, January 26, 1893

The weather was pleasant til night. Elmer & I did chores. Then we dug for the foundation & began piling elm plank. I cleaned the Nelson colt & then got ready & took Miss Mullen to the Falls with Bay Fan & the cutter. She finished making Carrie's party dress. I let Carrie have $3 at home to pay her & $1 at the Falls. I went over to Venas Eysaman's on Fall Hill to buy some dry cattle but he had none to sell. I came back, put my horse in, got the balance in full of the Co-Op $7.78 & the balance in full of Mrs. Bucklin $7.68 for 128# of beef at 61 cents & $24.40 on the account of Fitzgerald, balance due $24.40. I sent $2.55 to Homestead Paper to stop it. I paid 25 cents for a bunch of lath, and 10 cents for the horse bill. Zlo Brockett took the Nelson colt to train. Harry Goodell rode up with me. John cleaned the colts' stable, took fence down & c. Carrie went with J. W. Thompson to Kaps' party at Herkimer. Kaine lost 1 day.

Friday, January 27, 1893

Today was pleasant but windy. J. Elmer & I did chores. I fixed the bucksaw, and cleaned the lower house a little, looked after the water & c. I did some writing. John drew the horse manure.

In the evening, Cora, Carrie, & I took Nell & the old cutter & went to the church sociable. My bill was 50 cents. We got home about 2 o'clock. There were about 75 there. We had a good time. A. VanSlyke said he had some cows for sale.

Saturday, January 28, 1893

Today was windy and chilly with an east wind. I got out about 4:15, got the bay team & the new sleighs ready & went to the Falls & got a load of sawdust from Cooper's mill, charged $1 against our log account. I had to wait for them to make it. It was after noon when I started for home. I went down to the Paper Mill & got a cloth belt 8 x 3l feet & paid $2.50 for it. I put $128.00 in the bank. I paid 13 cents for horse feed & 20 cents for diamond dyes & 5 cents for the Saturday Globe. I received $1.15 for butter in full of E. A. Seymours on his account. J. Elmer did chores & cut wood with the bucksaw, and finished chores & c.

I got home about 4 o'clock & took Black Fan & the cutter & went over to Addison VanSlyke's to look at his stock & offered him $100 for 1 bull & 4 cows. a few days. We had a slinker.

Sunday, January 29, 1893

Today was rainy & windy. J. Elmer and I did most of the chores & logged the road to VanSlykes & back. He went down to Brockett's in the afternoon. I did most of spend the evening. J. W. T. came here to spend the evening. J. Keller & his wife went through here.

Monday, January 30, 1893

Today was very pleasant. Elmer & I did chores. Then I took Black Fan & the cutter & went up to C. G. Carpenter's & got him to renew his note for $75.00. He said he did not have any money to pay on the note so I took his note & paid the interest & protest on it from Nov. 18, 1892 to date & for three months in advance which amounts to $3.06. 1 had breakfast with him, came back, took the bay team & new bobs & John & I got the box stove up from the lower house. Then I got ready & went to the Falls, took 49# of lard to F. Wildner at 14 cents & took 12 1/2# of sausage to Mrs. Bucklin at 14 cents, no pay either place. I exchanged some goods for Mother at Brown's & got 12 spools of thread, 25 cents paid. I got 20 yards of binding at Pepper's for 50 cents & 6 spools of thread, all worth 74 cents. I loaned $10 to Reverend Young for a few weeks. I saw John Cashmer & paid him in full $1.85. I paid 20 cents for dyes, 15 cents for the horse bill, 5 cents for cough drops, and 36 cents for a knife for self. I brought 10 cakes of ice home & paid 30 cents. John shoveled snow, worked at the wood, & c. Walrath put in his account for $17.00 loaned to Herman. I received $10.00 on the Weatherwax account. Kaine lost one day.

Tuesday, January 31, 1893

Today was cool but pleasant. In the morning, John & I did chores. Then we unloaded the load of ice. Then I took the fat cow to the Falls, and had Zoller kill her. John got the bay team hitched & Cora and Brockett drove them to the Falls. Cora rode down with him & she went up home with her Father. I took the bays & moved a load in our lower house for John Grainer & Davis did also. Carrie went down to J. Petrie's & got Hadcock the piano tuner. In the evening, I took him to the Falls & got 1 dozen lamp chimneys & brought Cora home. John packed the ice good, shoveled snow, finished chores, & c. We gave Hadcock some potatoes & syrup. He did not charge.

Return to the Opening Page of Willard Kilts' Diary

Copyright © 1998, 1999, 2000. Nancy Cioch, Berry Enterprises. All rights reserved. All items on the site are copyrighted. While we welcome you to use the information provided on this web site by copying it, or downloading it; this information is copyrighted and not to be reproduced for distribution, sale, or profit.