A Glimpse Into the Past

The Journal you are about to read was written during a ten year period from 1836 to 1846. Many years later, a typed copy was made and Beverly Prud’homme put it on a diskette which has been posted on this site.  George’s earlier journals were destroyed when the Copping family lost everything in a fire, including his books, diaries and presumably their linens and furniture, almost everything that they brought from England.  The journals for 1839, 1841, 1842 and any written in the four years prior to his death are missing.  Miss Mabel Mitchell, a Copping great grandchild, who created a Tree of Copping Descendants in1904, may have played a part in the salvation of the remaining diaries.  It is unclear if the original journal is still extant.  We would be grateful for any information concerning its fate.

The Journal records the daily events of George Copping, his family and their interaction with their neighbours after settling at Rawdon some time between the fall of 1821 and September of 1823.   It naturally focuses on his own family and his nearest neighbours who were the Browns, Marlins, Laws, Petries and Asbils.  Other families who were near and often mentioned include the Hobbs, Dunns, Reids and Boyces but many others are also named.

George lived for a time in the Quebec City region where they had arrived and two more children were born. 

Four years later they continued up the St. Lawrence to Montreal and while resident there, three children were born.  Then, the final move to Rawdonin the the fall of September of 1821.  It was here in the Church of England and Ireland that the youngest two children were baptized.

When the Journal opens, January 1st, 1836, George Copping was settled on lot 26 of Range 6, that became know as St. Alphonse Road.

The five oldest offspring were married or living in their own places, the six youngest children still at home with their parents. The family was living in the new house, as yet unfinished, built to replace the original cabin that had been destroyed by fire.

This new house is still standing and lovingly being renovated after many years of neglect and wilful damage.

The Coppings were hard working, good and intelligent people. Exactly the kind of immigrants authorities hoped to attract, and have settle in Canada. George Copping appears to have been a much-respected and trusted member of his community and was often called upon to mediate in disputes between neighbours.

Wandering sheep, pigs, cattle and horses caused a great deal of loss and damage to crops and so keeping fences mended was a constant pre-occupation for George. The old adage “Good fences make good neighbours” was constantly tried.  From early spring until late fall, keeping their animals in and their neighbours’ animals out was a hard fought battle with many skirmishes lost. This caused no little amount of hard feelings and George was often called for ‘consultations’, as he referred to them, to settle damages.   This required several community members to arbitrate, assessing damages and recommending retribution.  Occasionally he had harsh words for those whose lack of fences or exaggerated demands for retribution caused problems among the neighbours.

George served as a trustee of the school and as a member of the board for the Church of England. He was an advocate for schooling and when the boys were in their teens, long past the age of regular schooling for working folk of that time, they sometimes attended night school.  At one point George mentions that Thomas, who is 20 years old, is at school because his finger is too sore and he is unable to work.  For many people at that time school was not an option.

As many of the settlers were illiterate or not comfortable writing letters, George would be called upon to assist when they received a letter or wanted to send a written message. Because of their literacy, the Coppings attracted neighbours who came to borrow books or procure paper and ink.

It is shocking to read how often men and especially the young men were seriously injured or killed while using axes, scythes or by falling trees. There are frequent references to rabid dogs, bears, wild cats, smallpox, measles, whooping cough, toothaches, fever, arthritic joints and bad backs.  You had to be tough as nails to survive in Canada in those days because it was survival of the fittest for animals and people.

The loss of children was as deeply felt then as it is today and although the loss of a child was an emotional trauma, it was the loss of a helping hand in its youth and an expected asset for the parents’ old age.  Parents were forced to rely on their children when they could no longer function independently as homes for seniors and pensions were not known.

Few couples successfully raised to adulthood all the children born to them. The Copping family was an exception in that every one of their eleven children not only survived but also all lived to a good old age.  Nine died in their seventies and eighties, one in her late sixties and Charles’ date of death is not known.

The death of a working adult and the loss of crops or beasts could mean the difference between life and starvation but were anticipated due to disease and accidents.  The lack of a social safety net meant that the community was obliged to furnish from their own meager supplies for the less fortunate.  Neighbours contributed and collected for those who had fallen on hard times. The Journal records George’s contributions to these collections.  He also writes of neighbours taking refuge at his home during times of stress until other arrangements were made.

The people of the settlement were interdependent because the skills and trades of the community were needed in order for the whole to survive and live well. The blacksmith, miller, store owner, tanner and lumber mill owner were all extremely important members of their society.

The Copping homestead was a gathering place; neighbours used their potash plant and their barn for threshing of grain. George’s sons regularly delivered potash and sometimes wooden lath for building to Montreal. It was not unusual to deliver goods for a neighbour as well as their own produce. The Coppings produced pearlash, a purified form of potash, used in the production of finer soaps and in glass making.

The Coppings made repairs to their own carts, wagons and sleighs, as well as doing barrel repairs and making furniture etc. All family members planted, weeded, cultivated and harvested crops of all types for their own use and for barter or sale.

Elizabeth did nursing and midwifery for the family as well as for community members.  She was often away for days at a time when someone was giving birth, was ill or suffered a severe injury. Doubtless, when a case ended in death, Elizabeth would be pressed to stay on to comfort the family and assist with laying out of the body.

Despite seeming to be very capable in many ways, Elizabeth did not do the family tailoring. This was done by a neighbour, often Mrs. Petrie or Mrs. Brown, in exchange for work done by “the Boys” or Mary.  They came over to measure and cut the required item and then took it off home to sew, coming back for further fittings as needed. Interestingly, both men and women chose and brought home yard goods for pants and jacket making and on at least one occasion a son cobbled his own moccasins from leather he got from the community’s leather tanner.

Elizabeth and her daughters worked long hours at farm chores and gardening as well taking care of the large household – washing, cooking, sewing and cleaning, all done by hand. These regular household duties are rarely mentioned, possibly because they were not income producing but more likely, because they were part of routine and not worthy of note just as he does not mention his own repetitive chores.

As well as household duties, the women worked in the fields and gardens without regard to their gender. As early as the age of eleven, the girls planted, seeded, weeded and hoed. They pulled weeds and cut thistles.  They reaped, bundled and hauled in the hay and grain. Neither were they excused from the dirty, backbreaking task of digging potatoes and hauling them in to the root cellar. Apparently neither long skirts nor fourteen pounds of clothing hampered the women’s work.  At sugaring time, they were in the bush to gather and boil sap and to help with the potash letching when needed. No delicate ladies, these!

Frequent overnight guests must have added considerably to their work. George often mentions that people passing by were bedded down for the night as they paused in their journey to and from Montreal. As well, he reports children staying to attend the nearby school.

Although it was only in the most severe weather, or extremely poor road conditions that none of the Copping family attended church, it was rare for all to go at the same time. Sometimes they attended services at different churches, or sometimes at both the Protestant churches.  At this time, in addition to the Church of England, to which the Coppings were attached, there appears to have been a Presbyterian congregation as well as visits from itinerant Methodist preachers who eventually established a church in the community.

Church and businesses were meeting places where news was exchanged, as well as to repay and receive payment of debts owed.  Arrangements for an exchange of labour or the borrowing equipment or materials were also made when neighbours met.

There were frequent references to sons, daughters, wives and husbands travelling to someone else’s property to borrow or return items, to deliver barter items of payment, perform services or hours of work or come together to help get a big job done. All this travelling back and forth is surprising.  A person might assume that people attended to their own work all week and would rarely see others during that time but this is proven totally incorrect as you read through the journals.

George, with few exceptions, wrote daily in his journal.  He used the journal to keep a record of debts owed to him and by him.  He sometimes repaid debts by barter, as in one instance “over eleven pounds of butter”.  He kept meticulous records of how much sap was collected and how much maple sugar was produced. He recorded exactly how much he paid for meat per pound, how much he charged others for meat from his animals and how many pounds his own butchered animals produced for the family’s use.  He kept track of planting and harvest dates, the production of his fields, how much wood was cut, firewood split, wooden lath made, furniture built, sleighs, wagons and carts made and loaned along with oxen or horses to pull them, as well as the potash produced.  Possibly he wrote down the loan of equipment and tools so he would know where to look for them if they weren’t returned.

It is clear that he is not recording events for a reader or writing a social history.  There is no follow up on items of interest to us and supporting evidence is seldom provided. In fact, he would be astonished that we are interested in reading the Journal today.  His references to political events (1837 Rebellion), family scandal (Clara leaving her marriage) or murder are oblique and often puzzling and frustrating.

For instance in 1838, there are four entries referring to the murder of a young man surnamed Steven (or Stephen or Stephens). 
June 12  – Mr. Dugas, Daniel Truesdell and John Smiley called in here on their way from an inquest on Mr. Stevens, killed by three McDon . . . 
June 13 – James has gone to the funeral of the young man Mr. Stephens that was killed the day before yesterday. 
June 22 – Thomas has gone to the inquest of poor Mr. Stephen, they took open the coffin and looked at him and they went to Mr. Truesdell’s and established the verdict of willful murder against John and Alexander McDonald. 
 July 1 – in the afternoon William Eveleigh, John Eveleigh, Mr. Rourke, William Sinclair and the two Stephen’s came to take Edward McDonald and they took James and Henry with them and their muskets and ball cartridges. 
Further, on Sept 1, he reports “old John McDonald” is in gaol.  Possibly, this is the Jack McDonald who is reported as dying on 15, April 1840.

For George these were important events that were mentioned in his daily input.  He leaves us to wonder how the young man was killed, did they really open the coffin nine days after burial, did they actually arrest Edward and why did this take two weeks to occur?  Were the accused hanged?  We may make a story of it if we wish; however, we cannot be sure we are getting it correctly. 

So, read and enjoy these remarkable background glimpses remembering that the full story lies elsewhere.

The Copping Children in the Journal

The descendants of the children of George and Elizabeth Copping are now spread across North America and to many places beyond.  The Coppings had a unique approach in the naming of their sons as will be seen in the following description of their lives in 1836 when the Journal commences.

George William

The oldest son, George, was married to Mary Gray and in 1836 they were living with their three little boys on Lot 20 North on the 4th Range.  A ticket of location had been issued to the Coppings for this lot in 1824.  George Jr. would have been about an hour’s travel from his father’s home farm (6 / N 24), and yet, there was much coming and going between the two places.

The brothers and sisters who were still living at home frequently went  “down to George’s” to lend a hand, borrow a piece of equipment, or to join in festivities. His mother, Elizabeth, also went to give a hand in the house or garden or help with a sick child. His sister, Mary, went to spin, baby sit and visit.  George’s place was also a stop on the way home from John’s mill in what is now St-Ligouri.

George was appointed as one of the first three “road and bridge inspectors” for the Township of Rawdon on November 13, 1845 along with Antoine Dandurand and John Daly.

William George

The second son, William, and his wife, Margaret Gray, (Peggy) with their first son, were settled at 6 / N 23 next to the family homestead. Margaret was a sister to George’s wife, Mary.  They were from a large Irish Protestant family from County Sligo.  William and Mary later moved to 8 / S 24, formerly owned by George Keo, but we find this move was not without its trials and tribulations as we read through the Journal.   The “Boys” often gave William a hand and they worked the potash together. At times, Old George and even Elizabeth and Mary boiled potash for William as well as for themselves.  Joseph, once he passed his thirteenth birthday, which would seem to be the coming of age, frequently hauled and chopped wood, or took grain to the mill for his brother.

William did quite well for himself and there is regular mention in the Journal of Peggy’s maid servant and a cook is mentioned, as well.  William became a councillor for the Municipality of Rawdon, and a Justice of the Peace.

Tragedy hits the households of the two eldest sons shortly after the Journal opens. They each lose a son within hours of each other. Both babies are waked at George’s and a procession leaves from there to go to the church for burial.

Charles John

Charles, who would have been about 25 years old at the time of the Journal, did not live in the Rawdon area. He was apprenticed to a leather dealer, Eveleigh in Montreal. Me Married

A look at the 1825 census seems to indicate that George and Elizabeth and all ten children were at Rawdon in 1825. He was apprenticed at a very early age to a friend, John Eveleigh, in Montreal who had a leather trade in Montreal. 

Charles later married Emma Bennett of New York State and they had 5 children all born in New York.  In the Journal, Old George mentions receiving letters from Charles and sending letters to him. Charles sent him a pair of boots, as well.

John Charles

John operated and later owned a flour mill on what was then the first range in Rawdon, now a part of St-Ligouri more than an hour’s ride from the home farm.

Young George’s farm on the 4th Range would have been about halfway from the home farm to John’s.

George mentions going down to John’s for meal and flour.  He also refers to James going down to work for John. 

Did John actually own the mill at this time and was it part of the family property?  It would appear that he was apprenticed to or working for Philomen Dugas, a well-known and successful miller, merchant and entrepreneur. 

In support of this idea is a list of students who were attending the School at the Forks, very close to the Dugas establishment, in 1826.  John Copping is one of only eight scholars and the only one whose family did not live with a half mile of the school and the only Copping.

In 1837, John married Julie Dugas, Philomen’s daughter; she was another of the students at the School at the Forks in 1826.  She, as were her parents, was born in the United States.  Although this was a mixed marriage – she had converted to Roman Catholic –there does not seem to have been any alienation between the families. 

John converted to the Catholic faith shortly before the marriage and the young Dugas-Coppings were brought Catholic.  Admittedly old George seemed a little uptight at first, but things were soon smoothed over.  He often went down to the mill and when Julie was having difficulltied in her firdt pregnancy, Elizabeth went down to stay with her. 

Julie and John also came up to visit regularly at the homestead.

Clarinda

It is easy to imagine Clarinda being the apple of her father’s eye, and the darling of her big brothers.  She was the first girl and remained the only one for another nine years until Elizabeth was born. 

Clarinda is said to have been particularly pretty and have had a lovely singing voice. That she was very attractive is evident in photos of her that have survived from later years.  Her brother, William, was remembered as an accomplished violinist, and would accompany her. The older folk used to say that on a beautiful evening in spring or summer neighbours would gather for an impromptu concert given by the pair. 

When the Journal opens, Clarinda had recently married Edward Reinhardt and they settled on his farm nearby her parents home farm.

James & Thomas Henry

The oldest of the six children still at home, James 22, and Thomas 20, were already looking around for their own sections of land. James was covertly courting his future wife, Florella Wright, in Montreal – it is always James who makes the deliveries of potash to Montreal.

Thomas already seemed to have his eye on a girl from “up the township”, Bessie Sharp, and was also interested in finding his own place.  Their search and settling is detailed, as much as George details, in the pages of the Journal.

Henry

Henry, 19 at the time the Journal opens, is the youngest of ‘the boys’ referred to in the daily account. Once his two older brothers were settled he acquired a lot directly behind the homestead. He was also married to the first of his three wives and settled before the end of the Journal. The first two wives bore him 14 children and the third raised them.

Mary, Joseph, Eliza

Then there were the three youngest children – Mary, Joseph and the baby of the family, Eliza.   Mary and Joseph as the names imply were a pair, often working together in the fields and garden.  At the beginning of 1836 they were about 14 and 12, respectively. Mary had the unenviable position of being the oldest girl at home and as such shouldered much responsibility.  She helped out at home, where she had her own crop, calf, pig and sheep to look after and worked in the fields and garden. 

She was frequently sent to help aiing neighbours or to her brothers George or William to help in the home or to nurse an injured or sick child.

Eliza was almost ten when the Journal opens and is seldom mentioned except when she is ill or sent on an errand to purchase a an item from a store or deliver a message. It is hard to imagine this ten year old walking alone for several miles on difficult roads diring extreme cod or heat!

It is interesting that while the first son was given his father’s name, it was the last child who was named for her mother.

Eliza also helped with household tasks or even outside chores, but there is little mention of her contributions.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS, PEOPLE AND THEIR TRADES

Heather Craik Moser of Dunrobin, Ontario and Sharon Craik Kenney of Tswassen, British Columbia have written this Glossary of Terms, People and Their Trades.  They are sisters, descendants of James Brown (1813-1882) who was granted a ticket of location for the NW 1/2 of lot 25 of the 7^th Range in 1826.  He was a son of Robert Brown (born 1783 at County Antrim, Ireland, died at Rawdon 1831) and his wife Margaret McMullan (1776-1846).  They were the parents of seven children who are each mentioned in the Copping Journal.  The Browns appear to have arrived in Canada about 1824 and were settled at Rawdon in the fall of 1825.

Beverly Prud’homme has made additions to the glossary whenever local usage of a term (or custom) differed from that of other communities or the meaning today.  Daniel Parkinson has added additional information especially about the settlers named in the journal .

Allen, Mr. – John Allen, was a native of Scotland, a cobbler or shoemaker/repairer.  He and his wife arrived in Montreal in 1820 and had a ticket of Location at Rawdon in 1823.

Archambault / Arshambo, Monsieur – Miller 

Arshambo / Archambault, Monsieur – Miller. Possibly this is François Archambault who received Letters Patent in 1855.

Awl – Tool for making holes in leather so it can more easily be sewn.  Used in cobbling (shoemaking) and harness making.

Barrelmaker – Needed to produce storage containers for foodstuffs etc.  Barrels were needed to transport the potash, butter, etc., to Montreal as well. William was the barrel maker in the Copping family. 

Bee – It is a calling together of many people to work at a large, heavy task in order to complete the task more quickly.  It was hard work, but considered a party and social occasion as well.  The person holding the bee provided the food and drink, which was often supplemented by neighbouring women. The men had ploughing, mowing, pulling of stumps, logging and harvesting bees as well as bees for ‘raising’ the walls and roof trusses of buildings.  The women might have bees for quilting, and preparing wool or flax for spinning etc. These bees ended in a party with music, song and dance far into the night. Sometimes liquor was present, particularly for the men. 

At many places there was a whiskey jar passed around rather frequently among the men as they laboured. The result was sometimes serious accidents, brawls and even murder.  As a result, not all settlers approved of them and the more serious-minded considered them the work of the devil because of the evening shenanigans. 

Blacksmith – Old Mr. Norrish – He produced nails, bolts, harness parts, axes, scythes, awls, hammers, horseshoes, pots and chains etc.  He also shod the horses with the shoes he made in his forge.  The Coppings used Mr. Norrish but there were other blacksmiths in the community at this time. (See: Norrish.)

Blistered or blistering – This was an old time remedy for toothache, boils and infection, for people and livestock.  Nursing was women’s work, so one of the womenfolk in a house would make a scalding hot poultice of some organic substance such as flour, meal, grain (sometimes even stale bread) and boiling water.  In the case of a boil or infection, it would be put into a cloth square and tied in place until it cooled.  The heat would help to draw the infection out. 

George mentions using such a poultice on the back of his neck to cure toothache!  Perhaps the pain of that burned and blistered skin would make you forget your tooth pain. Apparently it was not particularly effective as two days later George is still complaining of a toothache.  In the case of colds, chest congestion and coughs, the preferred poultice would contain hot mustard too.  This mustard ‘plaster’ was prepared by spreading the boiling hot mixture on a cloth and laying it, mustard side down, on the patient’s chest until it cooled.  The heat of the plaster and burn irritation to the skin caused blood to rush to that part of the body and helped to break up the congestion or infection.  It sounds painful and dangerous, but it was all they had to combat serious illnesses such as pneumonia and whooping cough etc.  It was better to be alive with a burned chest than dead and buried.  (See ‘Pitch Plaster’)

Boiling – As in, “He is boiling today”.  This refers to boiling the lye solution to remove the water, thereby concentrating and drying it to form the white powder of refined potash.  Care had to be taken at all stages of the process before it was dry.  Any liquid splashed or spilled on skin would burn it and if some splashed into eyes, it could blind.  The resulting powder was then packed in barrels to keep it dry during storage and for easy, safe handling during shipping.

Boiling in reference to the making of maple sugar meant boiling the sap of the maple trees in a large black pot until they reached the consistency required to make sugar. The last sap, which was not good for sugar, was boiled to make vinegar.

Booth, Mr. – Plasterer. This was either John or James Booth; both were natives of County Leitrim and in arrived with their families at Rawdon about 1830.  Their relationship to each other is not clear. 

Bourne, Rev. R.H – Rowland HillBourne replaced the Reverend C. P. Reid (1834 – 1836) and was the incumbent minister at Christ Church, Anglican from 1837 – 1846.  He was a missionary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel.  He married and was widowed while at Rawdon.  In the early days the parish was jointly Church of England and Church of Ireland.

Bow or Ox Bow – this is a wooden collar (single or double) made to yoke an ox or oxen to farm equipment for pulling.  A heavy, curved piece goes over the top of the neck and a lighter-weight, steam-bent (bowed) piece extends from the collar, under the neck and up to the collar again.  The Ox’s head is locked in with a wooden pin.  Chains are attached to a circular ring on the bow and that chain attaches to whatever is to be pulled or drawn by the ox. The French Canadian style of ox-bow went over the animal’s horns instead of his neck. This gave it much less pull power.

 A different arrangement (made of wood covered in leather) is made for a horse to 

pull something heavy and is naturally called a horse collar.

Breaking Roads – Pushing through the woods with oxen and a weighted sledge or sleigh in order to break the brush and small saplings down.  If this was done annually, then the roads remained open and trees could not grow up to clog them.  Breaking roads was maintenance to ensure you didn’t have to clear them again one day.

The term used in winter meant slogging through the snow in the bush or on the road with horse or oxen and sleigh to pack and track the road. 

Calf – A newborn or young of the bovine family.

Calf Bed – When it ‘comes down’ during or after a heifer or cow gives birth, it means a prolapsed uterus.  Unless the uterus is put back in again, the animal will die.  This is extremely hard work to accomplish and requires technique, patience and a lot of arm and shoulder strength. 

Canadian – Referred only to French-Canadians and not English-speaking people or any others of the time.

Carpenters – The Misters Genenerux (sic. Genereaux?) were father and son.  This industrious pair clapboarded George Copping’s house, made door and window frames, and laid floors for him. The first dwelling was usually a rude hut, even, made of rough hewn logs and built hastily to shelter the family the first years. Once the family was established and time allowed for it, a better dwelling was erected and this one would have had wood siding unless it was made of stone. The Copping home was being rebuilt after a fire destroyed their first home.

Genereaux was not issued a Crown Grant at Rawdon and may have been from St-Jacques as George refers to their leaving, being gone, returning, etc.

Chopping – This refers to the very hard work of cutting brush and small saplings to clear land once the trees have been removed Often chopped areas were burned to discourage re-growth of scrub, and encourage the growth of grass for grazing. This grass was often very lush as a result of the fire releasing growth-promoting minerals from the burnt grass and brush. Actually here, chopping meant felling trees which was done with an axe, if you can imagine what a task that was!

Clockman – Mr. Fairbank, a repairer of clocks.  There are two references in the Journal the first is on Friday, 6th. April, 1838 . . . “and Mr. Fairbank, the clockman left his horse here tonight” and on Wednesday, 5th Feby, 1840,  “The clockman called for the remainder due.”

Beverley Prud’homme has the Copping family clock and it was manufactured by the Twiss family, a father and five sons all in the clock business, who were from Connecticut but were established in Montreal. One brother, Russell lived at St-Jacques and is buried in the Methodist Cemetery at Rawdon.  He died on May 14, 1851 in a hunting accident at age 43.  Possibly Mr. Fairbank was an employee, the name does not appear in church, census or other contemporary documents.  He may have been adjusting the clocks and / or collecting payments.

Clog – George says he made “a clog” for the black horse because they couldn’t keep it in the pasture and out of the crops.   A clog is a heavy, short length of log tied in the middle and attached to the horse by a rope.  It was intended to make it difficult for an animal to go far and impossible to jump the fences.  The animal would be reluctant to drag the log as it would catch in brush, on tree trunks, among rocks and in the rail fencing.

Cooper – Maker of wooden barrels for storage and shipping of goods, both liquid and 

solid.

Copping, Elizabeth – (Mrs. George Copping, senior) Nurse/Midwife, farmwife. She was 

born on February 10,1782 at Chigwell, Essex and died at Rawdon  February 8, 1852.

Cradled Oats – harvested oats that were placed in a crib (cradle) for storage in a barn.

Cut – As in ‘We got the hog cut today’ – The castration of a male animal.  A hog is a castrated boar but sometimes hog is used as a generic term for pig. A steer is a castrated bull calf and an ox a fully grown steer used for draught purposes.  In the case of a stallion, castration makes it a gelding or gelded horse.  Castration renders male animals more docile and thus safer and easier to handle. Steers and castrated hogs gained weight faster and the meat that not as strong-flavoured as that from fully fledged males.

Cutting Potatoes – Cutting potatoes, which have been saved as ‘seed’ [called sets], into pieces which are planted for a new crop in the spring.  Each piece of seed potato or set should have at least 3 or more ‘eyes’ in it to ensure a plant results.   The ‘eye’ is one of many dimples in the potato surface where a sprout will appear, either before or after planting.

Draw – To draw means to carry, move or convey a load of anything from one place to the other.

Drill, Potato – A drill is a row of earth raised with a horse and plow in which holes were made to plant the potato “eyes.  One was making or drilling holes in the row of earth.

Dugas, Mr. – Miller, entrepreneur.  He was born in the USA but was probably of Canadian or Acadian origin.  He was known as Philémon or Philemon and as Firmin.  He was one of the earliest settlers and investors in the Rawdon area.  He was also land agent at one point and owned two mills, a sawmill and a gristmill as well as a general store.  He was the enumerator for the 1825 and 1831 census and one of the earliest school commissioners.  His daughter Julie was married to John Copping.

&c. – Old way of writing etcetera or etc.

Fan – Sieve for winnowing grain from chaff.

Fit – When used in reference to a crop, means fit – ready for harvesting now, or unfit – not ready to be harvested yet.

Flax / Linen Making Terms:

This was considered women’s work, even though it was hard, heavy work.  It was women’s work because women were responsible for making clothing and all the processes from start to finish.  The fibers were rough, tough and often cut hands and fingers. They must have had impressive biceps and heavily calloused hands in those days! There are several references in the Diary to “the women having very sore hands” from working with the flax.

Stripping – To strip or tear off the outer covering or tough sheath of the flax stems.

Beetling – To beat with a heavy wooden mallet or beetle to release long fibbers from an organic material such as flax stems.  This flattens the stems prior to scutching.  

Scutching & Hackling – This breaks the flax to release the long strong linen fibers from the beetled or beaten stems. Elizabeth Copping assembled 10 to 12 women to help her with this chore, according to her husband.  George Copping spelled it ‘scuthing’, but spelling was notoriously ‘flexible’ in his time and place. Actually, a grammar had not been defined, as yet.

Spinning – A spinning wheel would be used to twist the fibers into a fine thread or yarn.  This thread would be used for sewing, to weave into cloth on a loom or less often, it was used to knit the thread or linen yarn to make clothing. Newly woven linen was very picky and scratchy so was often used on beds for sheets for a while before being made into clothing. A few washings helped soften the fabric. Naturally, the spinning wheel was also used to make yarn from sheep’s wool or fleece.  If they wanted coloured yarn or thread, rather than the natural cream colour of both wool and linen, vegetable dyes were used to colour both fibers, prior to spinning it into thread or yarn.  Most liked to have at least one black sheep in order to produce black yarn for weaving into cloth or for knitting.

Floor – sometimes refers to the clean wooden floor of a barn or outbuilding where grain is flailed or threshed to separate it from the straw prior to being taken to a mill to be ground for flour between granite millstones. It would be known as the threshing floor and would usually be between the two lofts. It was also where the team was driven into the barn to unload the hay or grain.

Grain or Hay Harvesting – The grain is cut down, or reaped with a scythe, racked up and bound (tied) into bundles or sheaves.  Sheaves are then stacked together in the field to form a teepee shape, called a stook.  The stook is an efficient stacking method because it sheds rain and allows the grain or hay to dry in the sunlight and air before storage.  If it were stored wet or even damp it might sour or rot.  This would make it unfit for feeding livestock. It was also extremely dangerous at it would heat and cause a fire, burning the barn and possibly the stable, even the house. Salt could be spread on the hay/straw if it was slightly damp, but even that was risky as well as being an added expense.

Gaol – The Old English spelling for jail

Grass seed – In this instance it means hayseed and not the type we use today to make a fine lawn.

Heifer – a female calf or young female which has not yet given birth.

Hobbs, Mr. – Miller.  George Hobs or Hobbs, as it was usually spelled, was a Loyalist born in New York State possibly of German origin and came to Rawdon from Prince Edward Island.  

Hooey, Mr.  – Shoemaker.  Possibly John Hoey who received his Letters Patent in 1836. 

Jeffries, Col. – Correctly spelled Jefferies.  Lt. Colonel John Jefferies owned about 1000 acres on the First and Second Ranges and lived on lot 20 South of the 2^nd Range.  He was Justice of the Peace at the time of the Diary. He campaigned to have a church built in Rawdon Village to supplement or replace the earlier one on the 2^nd range.  Old George and “the Boys” supported this project and a wooden structure was built on the corner of Church and Third Avenue facing onto Church Street. This structure was replaced as a church in 1857 by the present stone building.

Keo’s, Mr. – Schoolhouse – It was used as a schoolhouse through the week and on Sundays, it was used for Sunday school which was attended by adults as well as children.  This is George Keo or Keogh whose Ticket of Location dates from 1821.  He lived at 8^th Range, the South half of Lot 24 and was a near neighbour of the Coppings.

Law, Mr. – Henry Law was a neighbour, a native of County Down. Hugh and William Law are also members of this family who were first noted at Rawdon in 1822 and are mentioned in the Diary.  Henry was recognized for his knowledge of animal illness and problems and was called to put back the “calf bed” or uterus of a cow which “came down” when giving birth.  In the absence of a veterinarian, the settlers depended on the skills of such amateur practitioners. Henry was also called upon to make wooden coffins on one occasion.

Letching Potash – This refers to leaching the lye from the ashes.  (See Potash Making Terms).

Lime – Lime is prepared by heating limestone to a high temperature in a kiln so that it disintegrates into a powder. Lime was needed for agricultural purposes and was sprinkled onto fields or garden plots to ‘sweeten’ the soil and promote better plant growth.  Lime was also needed to make mortar and plaster.   In colonial times it would have been mixed to make a mortar mixture to fill in the spaces or chinks between logs in a log cabin or out building.  The interior walls of the houses were finished with lath and plaster. This kept cold and wind out and made the buildings easier to heat with a fireplace or to retain the body heat of animals kept in a stable.  This chemical was and is still used today to disinfect animals, their pens, and farm buildings.  A hydrated lime mixture (lime and water) kills the germs that cause disease. It is also used to disinfect outhouses.  Being able to purchase lime was important for human and animal health.  Lime (probably from St Jacques de Montcalm) was used to refine the potash to make pearlash, a higher grade of potash, which fetched a better price on the market. 

Meal – Grain, which has been coarsely, crushed (usually corn and oats) for animal and 

poultry feed and to make porridge for people.  The crushed meal might be sieved to 

ensure it was of even texture and without too many larger pieces of grain, which 

would take longer to cook and be too hard to chew.

Millers – Hobbs, Dugas, and Archambo (sic. Archambault) are those mentioned.  There were others in the community at this time.

Melting – Boiling water and animal fats together to render or clean and purify it. Fat from cattle and sheep was called tallow and fat from pigs as called lard. Once the water boiled and the fat was rendered or melted, the kettle would have been removed from the fire. When the solution cooled, the re-solidified fat could be skimmed off for use in cooking, soap making and candle making. The rendering of animal fat creates an awful stench and was done outside over an open fire. 

Melting wood – Firewood types which burn especially hot to burn under a rendering kettle to boil. Melting in the Diary refers to ashes in the making of potash.

Minister – Rev. R. H. Bourne was the Anglican incumbent when most of the remaining diary was written.  (See Bourne)

“Moulding” up Potatoes – Mounding or hilling the plants up with earth to encourage rooting from the buried stem, thus producing more tubers.  Often, when livestock had gotten into the garden and potato plants, they had to be replanted and hilled or moulded up again, in the hope that they would take root and live on to produce a crop of mature tubers.

Necessary – A polite word for outhouse at the time.

Norrish, Old Mister – Blacksmith. William Norrish, a military pensioner, was a native of Devonshire, England.  He was born in 1779 and only a year older than Mr. Copping.  He immigrated to Rawdon with his family in 1832.  He was also a gunsmith.

Nurse / Midwife – Elizabeth, Mrs. George Copping, senior was called out at all hours of the night or day to attend sick people and births.  George carefully recorded when his wife was away helping people.  It seems reasonable that she would receive some recompense for her assistance although this is not known.  Neighbours would not want to “impose” or “be beholden” and would find a way to thank her for her kindness and assistance.

Peas – Likely refers to peas as well as all types of beans.  Interesting to note that Mr. Copping seems to have prized ‘Mrs. Allen peas’.  Each person would save seeds and people would vie for any extras of a variety deemed to grow or store better, have special properties or a better flavour.  Understandably, such seeds would come to carry the name of the person who originally shared them with other people in the community.  These names were used to describe which type of pea or bean had been planted, harvested, stored for eating and saved for next year’s seed.

Pitch Plaster – George mentions getting a pitch plaster from someone to help his sore shoulder.  It would seem that plasters were made from pitch too.  Pitch is the sap or resin exuded by trees and usually refers to that from evergreens such as pine or spruce.  The a fuller account of plasters).

Plane – As in, “James took a plane up to his place”.  Amusing to read today, but this does 

not mean he flew home.  James borrowed one of his father’s wood planes.  A plane is an 

instrument for shaving off thin pieces of wood in long strips, to smooth lumber or to 

reduce the thickness.  There is a sharp chisel-like blade embedded on the bottom of the 

wooden plane.   It is pushed; blade down, over the wood’s surface, using both hands and 

produces long, thin ringlets of shaved-off wood.

Plasterer – Mr. Booth. The interior walls of the houses were sometimes finished in plaster made from a lime mixture. This was the usual finish for ‘the second house’. 

Potash Making Terms

The trees were chopped and piled to be burnt. When ready to burn, the piles were tended day and night until they had burnt out as it was essential not only to have fresh ashes but that the ashes not be rained on. These ashes were carefully collected, sifted, moistened  and placed in leaching vats or tubs, the bottom being slanted, perforated and lined with straw and lime. Lime was not an essential item in the process, but produced a much better 

product. The Coppings seemed always to use it. Boiling water was poured over the ashes and leached into letching pans placed under the vats. This residue was then evaporated over an open fire leaving the potash salts in the pan.  Great care had to be taken to keep the ashes dry from the time they were burnt until they were finally packed into the barrel. The potash was put in barrels and taken on the two days journey by horse and wagon for delivery and sale in Montreal.

“Save his ashes.”  This referred to the need to protect wood ashes whenever it rained.  If the ashes were left out in the rain, all the lye would be leached out into the soil and lost.  This term has come down to the modern business world in a slightly different form, but meaning about the same thing.

Letches – Refers to leaching vats where hot water was slowly poured through the wood ashes to ‘leach’ out the potash or lye solution. 

Potato Growing & Harvesting – (See also: “Cutting, Potatoes” and “Drill, Potato” “Moulding” for descriptions.)

Hard frost, which kills the potato plant, is the signal that it is time to harvest the tubers and the potatoes are dug and stored underground. Farmers sometimes cut earth storage places in the side of a small hill to protect stored food from freezing through the winter or stored their root vegetables in a dirt or sand-floored cellar, if they had one. 

Richard, Clemmer (Monsieur) – George spells this man’s name as Reshaw.  A Canadian (Fr. Canadian) and maker of cedar shingles.  The man’s given name is written variously as Clemour and Clemmer possibly it was Clement.  There were several  property owners with the surname Richard on the Township map drawn in the late 1840s.

Riddled – To pass material (meal) through a sieve or mesh to separate coarser material from a finer one.

Robinson’s – In Rawdon, it appears that Robinson’s was a drygoods store providing soap, candles, cloth etc.  Everything that people couldn’t make for themselves and needed brought in from Montreal or imported from England.  It was also a place to sell the excess production of some to those who didn’t or couldn’t make their own.

There were several Robinson families in Rawdon at this time but not all were related.  This is probably a branch of the family from County Fermanagh which in later times owned a departmental store (or possibly a chain) in Ontario (and maybe elsewhere). 

Rope – “Temporary” ones were made from bark and not bought pre-made.  Likely they

 used the inner, pinkish-brown cambium layer of tree bark, as this is very pliable and 

could be twisted and braided into a rope which was not long lasting.

Salt – It isn’t mentioned where they obtained their supply of salt, but its very weight 

would have made it an expensive commodity.  At times, in the journals, George speaks of 

people going to the store and other community members to get some.  These trips were 

not always successful.  In the prairie areas of Canada it was easier to find deposits of salt 

which had been formed by the drying up of sloughs or small ponds with no water inlet 

our outlet.

Sawmill – Mr. Truesdelle’s, Monsieur LeMarle’s and Archambault’s are mentioned.  There were many sawmills at Rawdon at this time.  The name LeMarle does not appear in the listing of those receiving Letters Patent and so may have been a short term resident. (See Truesdell.)

Scythe – It has a very sharp, long, curved blade attached to a long handle meant to reap or 

cut grain with a wide, side-to-side swinging motion with both arms extended and hands 

on each of two handholds.

Sharp / Sharpe, Mr. –  Sheep shearer.  George Sharp (the family added an “e” in later 

generations) and his family were from Kilglass, Sligo, Ireland and arrived at Rawdon 

between 1832 and 1838.

Sheep Shearer – Mr. Sharp/Sharpe

Shoemaker – Mr. Hooey (John Hoey) made shoes and boots.

Sleigh – This is a winter conveyance for goods and people.  When George speaks of a 

sleigh being shod, he means having the blacksmith form metal runners to be attached to 

the runners of the sleigh so it would glide more easily over the snow and ice.  Without 

this metal sheathing, the runners would wear out very quickly. 

Sledge – a very low, sleigh type vehicle used to move heavy or bulky items such as 

huge rocks or boulders. It was pulled by beasts of burden (horses or oxen). A sledge was 

sometimes called a stone boat.

Soap making – Colonists would have made soft, brown, jelly-like soap, kept in a barrel and ladled out as needed.  They would not want to waste valuable salt just to make hard soap, which could be cut in bars, stored and shipped more easily.  Instead they would use the salt saved, for livestock health, table use and preserving meats and other foods.

Spinner 

Wives and daughters spun yarn from the wool and flax that was produced on the farms and from this cloth was woven and garments were made. Those who could afford it also purchased cotton and higher quality wool, linen and silk cloth. George and Elizabeth Copping’s daughter, Mary, is mentioned as spinning at home and at her brother George’s.

Splitting out some Rails – Splitting (usually cedar) logs into rails to make fences for fields and pastures so that animals do not get into crops.

Splitting Shakes – Splitting off wooden shakes (shingles) for roofing or siding, which are usually made from cedar because cedar splits easily and is weather resistant. They were also very flammable and a spark from a chimney could spell disaster in a very short period. Snow on the roof helped prevent fires. A ladder was kept at the ready to allow access to the roof in case of fire. Many houses had a ladder permanently installed on the roof.  George, junior, seemed to be the shingle maker in the family as there are references to his making shingles and family members getting shingles from him.

Sugaring Off Terms: 

Sugar Kettle – Kettle used to boil off the excess water in the sap in order to make maple sugar.  The sap was boiled until it reached the right temperature and then the kettle was quickly removed from the fire and the contents poured into moulds to harden. Most families used maple sugar almost exclusively. The sugar was shaved off with a knife or grater as needed to sweeten drinks, and baked goods.  In areas where there were walnut trees and no sugar maples, walnut sap was collected and boiled to make sugar, or the birch tree could also be used. In the Rawdon area there were always sufficient maples to use for tapping. Later on syrup was made as well as sugar. To make syrup the sap was boiled to a lesser temperature. Taffy on the snow would also have been a treat enjoyed in a later period. Taffy is formed by boiling the syrup a little longer, but not long enough to make sugar. The thick, hot syrup is poured on the snow where it quickly hardens.

Hand carved wooden paddles were used to scoop up the sweet, sticky, treat. The Copping family made very little syrup, some vinegar with the last runs but mostly produced sugar.

Sugary – George Copping uses the phrases “at the sugary” and “in the sugary” to refer to both the sugar bush or woods where the trees were and the cabin (from the French cabane) or shanty (from the French chantier) where the syrup and sugar were refined.

The Copping farm had a large percentage of sugar maples on it. When they actually built a sugar cabin, or shack as it is called in some areas, it was within a few feet of the house, right by the roadside. Neighbours going to and from the village stopped by for a visit and a drink of hot sap.

In some areas the sugar bush was quite a distance from the house and the family members involved in sugar production would move to the sugar cabin for the duration of the run. In Rawdon, because the sugar bushes were relatively close to home, this was not done.

Tanner or tannery owner – He bought raw hides from the settlers and sold them leather to make shoes, moccasins, crude machine belts, and harness-making etc.  He would use potash or lye in his tanning process.

Threshing – The grain stems with the ‘ears’ of seeds intact, were trampled and beaten to release the individual seeds from the ears or seed heads.   Next the husks or shells (now called chaff) and seeds were winnowed in order to separate one from the other.  A large, flat basket would be filled with the threshed grain on a breezy day.  The person would toss the contents of the basket lightly into the air, where the breeze would blow the very light chaff away and the grain would fall back into the basket.  George called this winnowing process “cleaning grain”.  The grain was now ready to be fed to animals as is, or taken to the miller to be crushed into meal or flour.  The chaff was used to feed or amuse the poultry and the straw for bedding animals in the stable. During hard winters if there was not sufficient hay to last the winter, straw could be fed to the animals to supplement the meager or dwindling supply of hay, otherwise it was used for bedding for the animals, and to stuff mattresses, particularly for the children’s beds.

Tough – Strong cord or thread, possibly made from linen fibers 

Train – To train or draw along.  In this case to pull a heavy load, sometimes joined 

together with chains like cars pulled by a locomotive or train. In the Diary a train refers to 

what was later called a bobsled. This was a sleigh with two sets of runners or “bunks”.

These bunks were held together with a long pole and chains which allowed the length of

the sleigh to be adjusted depending on whether it was used to haul firewood or logs.  

Whether or not it was fitted with a box also depended on what it was used for. Logs or 

lumber did  not require a box. This type of sled was very useful in the bush as its body 

was flexible and it was easier to get around what were sometimes steep and sharp curves, 

as well as trees that were fallen, or even those still standing.

Troughs – Wooden troughs or channels to direct the flow of the sap. Troughs were also used in the making of potash.

Truesdell, Mr. – Daniel Truesdell was of Loyalist origin although possibly born in Quebec.  He married a Dugas daughter.  The surname has many variations but his descendants are mostly known as Trudel. 

George Copping purchased a ¼ pound of tobacco from him on May 18, 1840.  Truesdell may have kept a small shop at the mill or possibly grown the tobacco himself.  

Up the township – this refers to the higher ranges, George’s farm was on the sixth range and so higher ranges would be “up the Township”. George actually referred to going ‘up the township to Johnston’s”  and Sharp’s who were on the 10^th Range. 

Water Furrows – channels dug to divert and drain waters which otherwise would flood a field, road or building.  Low-lying fields were also ‘ditched’ for drainage. These ditches or furrows were dug by hand.

The Journal

DIARY OF GEORGE COPPING

Friday, January 1st, 1836

to

Thursday, July 3rd, 1845

---

GEORGE COPPING

Born

11th June, 1780 in Hatfield Broad Oak, Essex Co., England

Married

ELIZABETH SAGGERS, in London, 5th June, 1806

Sailed for Canada on the SS “Lively”, 5th May, 1811

Landed in Quebec 2nd July, 1811

---

---

Friday, 1st January, 1836. This is a fine ….(original partially destroyed)…we were down at George’s place……..

day the boys were up at Mrs. Bo…….

Saturday, 2nd January, 1836. This is a fine day and the boys James, Thomas and Henry were at work for Ed. McGee. I was threashing some oats and cleaned up 6 bushells and my wife was over to Mr. Oneals paying him for…… £2.5.0 A most beautiful night.

Sunday, 3rd January, 1836. This is a fine day and I am very sick with a cold. 5 of the children were at church. Mr. Law was here and dined with us.

Monday, 4th January, 1836. This is a dull day rather ……….. James is gone down to Mr.Dugas to work and Thomas & Henry are over at Mr. Petrie’s with the oxen drawing wood &c. work we are due to them. I have been threashing some oats. Joseph is over at the Norish’s for part of a day. Mary & Eliza are at school. James came up again …… was here and got ½ bushell of Salt ½ lb. coffee 2/6.

Tuesday, 5th January, 1836. This is a fine day and we have James B…. and his oxen helping to draw firewood. Mary, Joseph and Eliza are at school. George was up today and took his fan down.

Wednesday, 6th January, 1836. Blows fresh from the northward. Had a fall of snow. James and Thomas are at work at James B….. Henry aboout home. My wife at Mr. Lowler’s as his wife is sick. I have been threashing some oats. Mr. Boice called and gave me a Direction to Ireland and I was over at Mr. Law’s taken up note between us for Hay.

Thursday, 7th January, 1836. This is a fine day and the boys are gone to the Meadow drawing Hay. My wife came home early this morning from Mr. Dowler’s and our Mary is gone over to help them a while. I have threashed a few oats &c. 5 loads myself 5 loads Wm. 5 loads George.

Friday, 8th January, 1836. This is a fine day and Thomas and Henry are over at Mr. Dowler’s cutting wood for him. James and I fetched out the last of the hay out of the meadow. I have threashed out some oats. John Booth borrowed my long saw to-night.

—————————

Wednesday, 20th January, 1836. This is a fine day and the boys have drawn some firewood and I have been threashing some wheat &c. Petrie is away to QUEBEC I believe, George was up to-night.

Thursday, 21st January, 1836. This ia s fine day but cold and I have been threashing a while at some wheat and …. it comes on to snow. Thomas and the …. fetching hay for Wm.

Friday, 22nd January, 1836. This is a blowing ….. day and I have been cleaning oats for Mr.Petrie and the boys have been fetching oats down to Wm’s. and 2 loads of straw for ourselves.

Saturday, 23rd January, 1836. This is a blowing drifting day and Thomas has fetched some chaff from Petrie’s and then cut some firewood. Henry at work for Mr. Dwoler. I have been threashing some wheat &c. Petrie was here on his way down to Mr. Holmes. James came home to-night.

Sunday, 24th January, 1836. This is a dull day and James and Mary are over at the Village at Church if Mr. Reid is come home. Joseph and Eliza are gone over to Mr. Dowler’s.

Monday, 25th January, 1836. I have been over to Petrie’s and have threashed a few oats and the boys fetched some chaff and straw and cut some firewood.

Tuesday, 26th January, 1836. This ia a cold day and I have been threashing some wheat &c. Boys are cutting a little firewood &c.

Wednesday, 27th January, 1836. This is a cold day with a little snow and I have been busy cleaning up 9 bushells of wheat and the boys Thos. and Henry are gone down to Mr. Dugas’ Mill with 10½ to make flour for Town. Molly Dunn came here today. Wind from the Northward. Henry came up with some oats.

Thursday, 28th January, 1836. This is a cold day and I have ben cleaning up a few peas for Mr. Petrie and Henry is cutting some firewood for them. I began to threash some oats and Thos. came up from the Mill this morning.

Friday, 29th January, 1836. This is a cold day with a little snow and I have been over to Mr.Reid’s and Thomas is at school as his finger is sore. Henry is at Mr. Dowler’s cutting and drawing wood and I have cleaned up 3 3/4 of oats.

Saturday, 30th January, 1836. This is a fine mild day with a little snow and Henry and Joseph are down at the mill at Mr. Dugas’ for some flour and seed. Thomas has been helping Wm. draw some wood and then he went over to Mr. Norish’s to get his gun lock fixed. Henry & Joseph came up about the middle of the day. Molly Dunn came here tonight. George was here a while and James came up this evening. Wm. Marlin was here a while.

Sunday, 31st January, 1836. This is a mild day with a little snow and James and Thos. are gone to church at Kildare and Molly Dunn is starting for Home and Mary is gone …. young Robert Pollock was over here for Henry ….

Monday, 1st February, 1836. ….. day and I have been threashing a while. James is gone down to Mr. Dugas. Thomas is in the house with a sore finger. Henry has been getting some wood for shafts &c.

Tuesday, 2nd February, 1836. This is a very cold day. We can do but little, we are obliged to keep the cattle in today. Mr. Reid the minister called in.

Wednesday, 3rd February, 1836. This is a very cold day and my back is so bad I am scarcely able to do anything. The boys have got a little wood and they are able to do but little. Mrs.Petrie was here a while. Thos. was down at Mr. Robinson’s for some tea.

Thursday, 4th February, 1836. This is a cold day and my back is something better. Thomas and Henry are about the house most of this day. I was helving a fork or two that wanted helving this some time.

Friday, 5th February, 1836. This is a cold day and the boys are cutting a little wood &c. I am better with my back but not able to do much. I have attended the cattle &c. and made a wooden rake. Mrs. Petrie was here and Wm. Brown.

Saturday, 6th February, 1836. This is a fine day not quite so cold as yesterday was and the boys are getting some wood and they are getting some oak bark for Mr. Dowler’s sore leg as he is not able to get it himself. I have cleaned up 6½ bushells of oats.

Sunday, 7th February, 1836. This is a fine day and my wife and myself, Thomas and Eliza were at church and called in at Mr. Truesdell’s and went down to George’s place. James came up this morning and George brought us up in his sleigh tonight.

Monday, 8th February, 1836. This is a very heavy fall of snow. Henry is at Mr. Law’s today as he is sick. Wm. and Thos. made a travoy for the train. I am terribly bad with the toothache this 4 nights.

Tuesday, 9th February, 1836. This is a stormy day and the boys can do but little as the snow is very deep and Thos. and Joseph went down to school. I blistered the back part of my neck for the toothache.

Wednesday, 10th February, 1836. Blows very hard at times from the Southwest. Thos. and Henry are getting some firewood down, the roads are very badly drifted up. I am in the house today as I am able to do nothing out.

Thursday, 11th February, 1836. This is a fine day and I have got rid of the toothache and I have done but little today. The boys are getting down a little firewood. Petrie and his wife were here this evening.

Friday, 12th February, 1836. A little fall of snow and my wife is down at George’s as his son George is sick and Thomas is …. Henry is gone down to the Mill to take a load ……. Petrie was here a while tonight and my wife came up …… late in the night.

Saturday, 13th February, 1836. This is a fall of snow which gets deep now and young Petrie was here and Thomas and he are gone down to George’s place and I am better but I am very sore as yet, I can do but little. Henry came up from the Mill this evening.

Sunday, 14th February, 1836. This is a fine day but cold and my wife and Henry are gone down to George’s place and John Pollock is here and Dowler was here a while.

Monday, 15th February, 1836. This is a fine day but cold and I have been threashing oats a while. The boys are getting a little wood and Jospeh is down at George’s taking Mary down and David Petrie came with James from St. Rocks.

Tuesday, 16th February, 1836. This is a fine day but cold and I have been down to Geroge’s, Mr. Reid’s and up to Brown’s and I have been up to Mr. Reid’s this evening. I cleaned up 2½ bushells of black oats this morning.

Wednesday, 17th February, 1836. This is a fine day but very cold and Wm. and Thos. started for MONTREAL about 4 o’clock this morning and I have begun to threash a little wheat. Henry drew down a little dry wood for the Fire &c.

Thursday, 18th February, 1836. This is a fine day but very cold and I have cleaned up 1½ bushells of wheat and sent Henry down to Mr. Dugas with it to be ground and my wife is gone to George’s and Truesdell’s &c. Mr. McGee was here.

Friday, 19th February, 1836. This is a fine day but cold and Henry came up from the Mill with the flour and some stuff for the cattle. My wife and Joseph are down at Mr. Robinson’s getting shirting and different things. I have the toothache. Henry fetched up a load or two of dry wood &c. Mrs. Petrie was here.

Saturday, 20th February, 1836. This is a fine mild day to what it has been this week past and Henry is drawing some firewood. I am but poorly; I can do but little, attend the cattle &c. Henry has been up to Petrie’s for sundries. This evening snowed a little.

Sunday, 21st February, 1836. ………. my wife was down at George’s place and then she went …….. John Pollock was here most of the day and David Petrie was here …….. thawed today some. Mary is still at George’s since Monday last. Wm. and Thom. came home tonight.

Monday, 22nd February, 1836. This is a fine day and thaws and the boys are getting a little dry wood down, they are doing but little today as Thomas is tired coming from MONTREAL. Henry was down at Mr. Dugas with some things for James and came up about 11 o’clock tonight and we find by him that Patty Dugas child is dead.

Tuesday, 23rd February, 1836. This is a mild day with snow and my wife has been down to George’s to see the child and Thomas and Henry are chopping for Mr. Dowler. I have been threashing wheat a little. Comes onto rain tonight.

Wednesday, 24th February, 1836. This is a mild day with rain and Thomas and Henry are about all day today and I have cleaned up ½ bushell of seed wheat &c. and it comes on a very heavy snow storm with the wind from the Northward and it blew our barn down. Mr. Gray was here tonight, all of us middling.

Thursday, 25th February, , 1836. This is a terribly stormy day and we had Mr. Gray and Wm bargaining for a horse and cow and different things and we spend the day in a very rough way but we must put it all by. Henry was down at George’s place. John Pollock was here tonight. I have done wong this time, rather too much so.

Friday, 26th February, 1836. This is a fine day but cold and I am but very poorly. The boys began to clear some of the barn away and I have been picking a little wheat out of the snow but I am poorly with boils.

Saturday, 27th February, 1836. This is a fine day but cold and Thomas is at Mr. Edward McGee’s at work for David Petrie. I have cleaned up 3/4 of a bushell of seed wheat and ½ bushell of grass seed. Henry is cutting a little firewood then went down to George’s for the horse &c.

Sunday, 28th February, 1836. This is a fine day but cold and I am very bad with a boil still and James came up this forenoon and Mr. Dowler and Mr. Marlin were here and George came up as his child is very poorly as yet.

Monday, 29th February, 1836. This is a fine day but cold till the evening then it comes on to snow and the boys are cutting a little firewood about the house &c and at ……. James went down to Mr. Dugas this morning.

Tuesday, 1st March, 1836 This is a milder morning with a fall of snow and my wife and Joseph are gone up to James Brown’s to get a jacket and trousers cut out for Joseph. Thomas and Henry are about the house cutting firewood &c. Little Thomas Boice came here today and Wm. Thos. and Henry measured off 1 acre of wood.

Wednesday, 2nd March, 1836. This is a cold day and drifts so that the boys are doing but little out and I am so bad with my back it is so sore I am able to do nothing at all. Little Boice is here today.

Thursday, 3rd March, 1836. This is a cold blowing drifting day and Thos. & Henry are cutting a little firewood and my wife is gone over to Mr. Edward McGee’s respecting my deed Money. Thos. Boice is here today.

Friday, 4th March, 1836. This is a mild day to what it has been for some time past and the boys are getting a little wood down. George was up for Mary and she is gone down to his place and the others are at school. Little Boice is here at school with the Children. The cattle have pulled some of the wheat out of the side of the barn &c. Mr. Petrie was here tonight.

Saturday, 5th March, 1836. This is a rather blowing and drifty day and Henry has been over to Mr. Norish’s to take a couple of ploughs to be repaired and an axe to be laid &c. Thomas is chopping a while and then he is cleaning out the Cows &c. My back is something better but very sore as yet. Freezes very sharp tonight.

Sunday, 6th March, 1836. This is a very stormy cold day and my wife, Henry, Joseph and Eliza are at Church and John and James came up shortly after as he is 25 years old today. My back is getting better thank God.

Monday, 7th March, 1836. This is a fine day and Thomas and Henry have been threashing a little wheat and I have cleaned up 1½ bushells and the boys have been fixing their axes for chopping.

Tuesday, 8th March, 1836. This is a fine day but cold and the Boys are chopping for Mr. Dowler and Thos. & Joseph went down to Mr. Dugas with 1½ bushells of Wheat.George’s child is very sick. I have been to Mr. McGee’s and to the school house &c., then I threashed out a little wheat for seed &c.

Wednesday, 9th March, 1836. ……….. is a fine day and the boys are chopping for ……. Pollock is with them today. Thomas came up from the Mill. Lost his horse and came up without him. Joseph found him and came up with him. My wife is down at George’s as his child is very sick and Wm’s. wife and one of the children are sick. Thos. was over at Mr. Law’s and Henry was at Mr. Lindseys for castor oil for Peggy but could get none.

Thursday, 10th March, 1836. This is a fine mild day with a fall of small snow and Thomas is at Mr. McGee’s chopping and Henry is gone for a load of Ashes for Wm. Children are at school. My wife was down at George’s seeing the child, it is very sick yesterday and Joseph is with her I Bo’d &c. This should have been in yesterday. Mrs. Gray brought two Turkeys down today. Comes on to rain heavy tonight.

Friday, 11th March, 1836. This is a terribly windy day and freezes sharp and Henry is gone down to the mill for the flour that was left and took a Bushell of wheat for Vetrie’s and brought the flour up. I was threashing a while. Thos. is in the house. Young Petrie was here. I cleaned up 1½ Bushells of the seed wheat.

Saturday, 12th March, 1836. This is a fine day but cold and the Boys are chopping for Mr. Dowler and John Pollock is with them. I have been threashing a little wheat. Henry is gone over to Mr. Norish’s with an axe to be laid. David Petrie came for his flour this evening &c.

Sunday, 13th March, 1836. This is a fine day but cold and James came up this morning and we hear that George’s child is very poorly indeed. George was up here. My wife has a swollen face from the Cold. James and Susan Brown were here getting Ink and paper. Comes on to snow to night.

Monday, 14th March, 1836. There is a fall of snow and James is gone down to Mr. Dugas to work and Henry is cutting firewood a while. Geroge brought me a Bushell of Peas at 3/6 yesterday. My wife’s face is swollen still. Her eye is nearly closed.

Tuesday, 15th March, 1836. This is a cold day but fine and the Boys are chopping for Mr. Dowler. I have threashed a little wheat. My wife has her face swollen and Wm’s. little Boy Wm. is very sick and George’s little George is very sick as yet. I sent a letter to Charles.

Wednesday, 16th March, 1836. This is a fine day and the Boys are chopping at Home today and Wm. ……….. to fetch a load of ashes. I am threashing a ……….. My wife is poorly with her face and Wm’s child is very ill and Thos. is gone down to George’s this evening. Sharp night.

Thursday, 17th March, 1836. This is a very stormy day with snow and sleet and rain &c. Boys were chopping a little while at home. My wife has been up to Mrs. Brown’s to get a little BLOOD took from her and she finds herself something better tonight and the two children are very bad. I put by 2 Bushells of seed wheat.

Friday, 18th March, 1836. This is a stormy day at times it blows hard and snowstorms. Henry is gone for ashes for Wm. Thomas chopping at Mr. Dowler’s and Joseph have the Ox down for a load of Potatotes for Mr. Dowler. George and Wm’s. children are very sick and my wife is rather better, thank God for it and hear that Clara has gone off somewhere but we do not know where.

Saturday, 19th March, 1836. This is a fine day but cold and the Boys are chopping for Mr. Dowler and finished one Acre for him and my wife and Joseph are down at George’s place and the child is very bad and Wm’s. are both sick today. I have been threashing a little wheat.

Sunday, 20th March, 1836. This is a fine day and I and some of the children were at Church and behold I saw my Daughter which surprised me that she should have a face to be in Church where she is known and knows the state she lives in. I have been down to George’s and the child is very ill and James is come up this afternoon.

Monday, 21st March, 1836. This is a sharp morning but is a fine day and the boys are chopping at home today and I have threshed some wheat a little while. William’s children are very ill indeed. My wife and James were down at George’s and the chld is very sick. Old Mr. Rogers was here tonight and about three or four more besides our own family.

Tuesday, 22nd March, 1836. This is a fine day and James is at work at Mr. Petrie’s today and Thomas and Henry are at home. My wife sat up with Wm’s child last night and it is very bad and George was up for our Ox as his horse is very sick and his child and Joseph is gone down with him to draw wood &c. WILLIAM’s child died tonight at 25 minutes after 8 o’clock and we were there till about 2 o’clock. We has our old horse to …… Mrs. John Robertson.

Wednesday, 23rd March, 1836. ………. and my wife is gone down to George’s place and …… and the child George died about 12 o’clock. I have been threshing awhile and Joseph came up from George’s place with the Ox and George was here looking for some boards to make a coffin. This is a sharp night.

Thursday, 24th March, 1836. This is a fine day and my wife came up from George’s this morning early and James is gone down to the mill with 5 bushells of wheat and Thomas and Henry are cutting some wood for the fire and I am threshing awhile. Eliza was down to George’s this forenoon and Henry Law is here making the two coffins. Rebecca Petrie is at work here a while today.

Friday, 25th March, 1836. This is a fine day but the wind is cold and we are starting to the 4th Range to George’s place to bury the two little babies and did meet with a pretty good Assembly and about 12 o’clock we proceeded on in good order and everything quiet and we returned to George’s place a while then came home and our Boys are gone to the wake of Mr. Carr’s as his Daughter is dead.

Saturday, 26th March, 1836. This is a fine day and four of the Boys are gone to

Mr. Carr’s Daughter’s burying and I have been threshing awhile and my wife is very poorly.

Sunday, 27th March, 1836. This is a mild morning and James is gone over to Ramsey and Henry is over to Mr. Pollock’s. George and his wife and Wm. and his wife and sister and young Boice came and stopped here. My wife is very poorly &c.

Monday, 28th March 1836. This is a fine day and Henry is at work at Mr. Pollcok at Wm. Marlin’s and Joseph is fetching Ashes for Wm. with the Ox and the Horse and James came home from Ramsey about the middle of the day. I have threshed some wheat and Mrs. Petrie was here on her way to Mr. Robinson’s. Mr. Edward McGee was here a while.

Tuesday, 29th March, 1836. This is a fine day and Thomas and Henry are at work for Mr. Pollock. James is at home and Joseph is fetching a load of ashes for Wm. with the Horse.

Wednesday, 30th March, 1836. This is a fine day and my wife is over at Mr. Law’s as his wife is sick and put to Bed with a Boy about 12 o’clock and James has bought a Load of Lime at what we may call 8/- and the Boys are ……. fetched 10 bushells of potatoes from Mr. Pollock’s ….. for a sleigh and chopping. I have been over to Mr. McGee’s this morning and evening, about some Rails splitting &c. Davide Petrie has our sleigh to go to St. Jacque’s.

Thursday, 31st March, 1836. This is a fine day and the Boys are at the Sugary and D. Petrie helping them. I have threshed a little grass seed and put up ½ bushell of wheat.

Friday, 1st April, 1836. This is a fine day and the Boys are at the Sugary and I have been threshing some Black Oats and cleaned up 4½ bushells and Joseph and the Horse are gone down to St. Paul’s for a load of Lime for Wm. Thaws fast this day.

Saturday, 2nd April, 1836. This is a fine day and Joseph and the Horse are here, came up about 9 o’clock this morning and the Boys are at the Sugary and I have been threshing Black Oats and cleaned up 3½ bushells. James was up to Le Marles to speak for 2 buckets and 1 washtub.

Sunday, 3rd April, 1836. This is a fine morning and Henry is down at George’s for a sap barrel and myself, James, Mary and Eliza were over at the Church. The rest of the Family were at Home and the roads are very soft as it thaws fast today. Mrs. Nancy has been in our house today, she has not been in for this 3 YEARS before I believe as she has been unbearable an a bad neighbour but she must comply or keep her own side.

Monday, 4th April, 1836. This is a cold morning but a fine day with a strong breeze from the Northeast and the Boys, James, Thomas and David Petrie are over at Mr. McGie’s. Henry is at the Sugary and Joseph and I have threashed some Black Oats and cleaned up 4½ bushells and our cow Jersey calved this afternoon a Heifer Calf.

Tuesday, 5th April, 1836. This is a sharp cold morning and the wind from the Northward. James, Thomas and David Petrie are at Mr. McGie’s splitting rails again today and I have been sugaring off 9½ of sugar. Henry was after a bucket for the sap.

Wednesday, 6th April, 1836. This is a cold day and the sap don’t run today and Henry and Joseph are in the sugary a while and I have been threashing the last of the Oats and cleaned up 3 bushells and I am very poorly with a cold and we hear of Mr. Rob’s dieing today.

Thursday, 7th April, 1836. Henry and Mary and Joseph are gone over one way and the other. Henry is at Mr. Norish’s, Mary and Joseph up to Mr. Ty …… of 2½ bushell of seed wheat &c. Our Nanny calved this afternoon a Heifer Calf Nan and James and David Petrie came home from Mr. McGie’s. Old Mr. Rogers was here and I gave him a Peck of seed wheat. I am very poorly with a cold.

Friday, 8th April, 1836. This is a fine day and my wife and myself and James were over to Mr. Hob’s to follow him to be buried and a great many people were there and we stopped a while at Mr. Truesdels and Thomas is at work at Mr. McGie’s and I am something better today and my wife is poorly with her hands and arms. Comes on to rain tonight. Thomas came home tonight. Henry and Joseph at the Sugary.

Saturday, 9th April, 1836. This is a rainy and cold day with the wind from the Northward. James is down at Mr. Dugas Mill with 3 bushells of wheat and my wife sugared off 8 lbs of sugar.

Sunday, 10th April, 1836. This is a terrible stormy day and it storms from the Northward with high wind and snow. Petrie was in a while.

Monday, 11th April, 1836. This is a fine day and James and Thomas are at work at Vetrie’s and Henry and Joseph are in the sugary emptying the Troughs & made a few and Petrie and his wife were in a while and my wife has made a little sugar and a little syrup and I have been about the barn throwing out the dung &c. and cut a few potatoes. Sugared off 11½ and Joseph has cut his back with the round axe and I have been down to Mr. Robinson’s and got some Tea and cord for Reins &c.

Tuesday, 12th April, 1836. I have been down to Mr. Robinson’s with 2½ bushells of Oats and brought up 6 Bushells of Potatoes from George’s and he had a cow died this morning and James and Thomas and David Petrie are chopping for us. It is a cold day. My wife’s hands are very bad indeed.

Wednesday, 13th April, 1836. This is a fine morning and Thomas and David Petrie are chopping for William and James and Henry are chopping half a day each makes 3 days. I have fetched up 6 bushells of Potaotes from GEORGE’s place and Mary is over at Mr. Truesdells as she is sick. It comes on to snow this evening. Wm’s. old black cow calved today. We got the Hog cut today.

Thursday, 14th April, 1836. This is a snowy day till the evening then it comes on fine and the Boys have been grinding their axes and this evening they ….. the snow out of the sugar troughs.

Friday, 15th April, 1836. This is a fine day after the snow and James, Thomas and David Petrie are chopping for Wm. today and Henry and Joseph are in the sugary. I have cut a little firewood and attended the cattle and so forth. Petrie has our train and harness to go to Mr. Dugas.

Saturday, 16th April, 1836. This is a fine day and James, Thomas and David Petrie are chopping for Wm. I have been cutting firewood and have drawn some down. They got about 40 pails of sap today. Drew 5 loads of firewood.

Sunday, 17th April, 1836. This is a fine day and the snow wastes fast and James and Thomas are gone up the Township and I have been to church and my wife is very poorly as she has caught a fresh cold. George his wife and family, Wm., his wife and family were here this evening.

Monday, 18th April, 1836. This is a dull day with a strong breeze from the Southwest. James and Thomas are chopping at Petrie’s and Henry is gone down to the Mill with Mr. Law and some wheat and I have cut a little firewood and it comes on to rain a pretty good shower. Sugared off 14½ lbs. of sugar.

Tuesday, 19th April, 1836. This is a fine day and James and Thomas are at Petrie’s and Henry and Jospeh are fireing their sugar troughs and we cut a little firewood and drew down 8 loads and the snow wastes very fast now. My wife is very poorly.

Wednesday, 20th April, 1836. This is a very fine day and James and Thomas are at Petrie’s chopping and Henry is in the sugary and Jospeh and I have drawn down 6 loads of firewood and cut a little. The snow is going very fast again today and my wife is very poorly still. Mr. Law was here grinding his axe this morning. James and Thomas came home tonight.

Thursday, 21st April, 1836. This is a fine day with the wind from the Southward and James and Thomas and David Petrie are chopping for William, and Henry and Joseph are in the sugary and I have drawn two loads of chips &c. down. The sap don’t run much today and I have been to Mr. Brace’s and heard from LONDON and I hear of my Uncle Malgon being dead this 7 year and of my sister Martha living in the Borough and doing well and I have been to the Post Office and to the Blacksmith’s and to Mr. Truesdell’s and our Thomas has cut his foot tonight and it comes on rain. My wife is poorly.

Friday, 22nd April, 1836. This is a cold wind from the Northward and James and David Petrie and Henry are chopping for ourselves today and Thomas is lame and not able to walk much with his foot and they sugared off 7 lbs. sugar today. My wife quite poorly.

Saturday, 23rd April, 1836. This is a middling mild day but it snows a little. James Henry and David Petrie are chopping for …. lame in the house and our Cow the name of May calved a Heifer calf this morning and we left her a while and her calf bed came down and the Cow was very cold when we looked at her and they have been begging for Paddy McCabe and I gave him 1 bushell of Oats. I have been cutting firewood and Joseph has been drawing with the horse and Henry Law came out and put the cow calf bed up and she is middling this afternoon. We drew a little wodd with the Ox this afternoon. 10 small loads in all today.

Sunday, 24th April, 1836. This is a very fine day but very cold and James is down at Mr. Allen’s and Mary and myself at church and our cow is much better today. Thomas and Henry are at home. We hear of a great many cattle dying about the settlement and some in the Township as we hear of Mr. Jefferies having 14 head of cattle dying this winter, I called in at Mr. Truesdell’s on my way home. The boys got but very little sap these two days and my wife is a little better today, thank God for it.

Monday, 25th April, 1836. This is a cold day and James, Wm., Thomas, G. Johnson, Wm. Dulahunt and Wm. Kirkley are chopping for George one acre we were due for four dollars worth of Patatoes we received. Henry and Joseph in the sugary. I have cut a little firewood and drew 5 small loads. Our cow is but poorly the name of May. Comes on to snow tonight.

Tuesday, 26th April, 1836. Rain and thunder this morning and then our Boys, James, Thomas, Henry and David Petrie were chopping for ourselves today and the Cow May is sickly today. I have been about the barn and house and cut some Potatoes &c.

Wednesday, 27th April, 1836. This is a fine day but blows hard from the Northward and James, Thomas and David Petrie are chopping for Wm. Henry and Joseph are busy in the Sugary as the sap runs well today.

Thursday, 28th April, 1836. This is a fine day and James, Thomas and David Petrie are chopping at Wm. Holtby’s Bee and Henry and Joseph are at the Sugary. The sap runs middling. Mrs. Carney was here for some of the Boys, there has been some wrangling with Wm. Miller as he is a complete wretch among some of the rest of Irishmen he was one as helped to get our Clara away to ruin. Sugared off a little today. I have cut a little firewood.

Friday, 29th April, 1836. This is a wet day, they are not able to chop today. Henry and Joseph are boiling sugar off a little today. Something was ailing one of our little calves and I was obliged to cut of his head last night.

Saturday, 30th April, 1836. This is a fine spring morning, clear weather at the first then a little overcast. I was over at the Church and the Boys are somewhere up the Township. Jos. Marlin was here a while.

Sunday is missing.

Monday, 2nd May, 1836. This is a wet day and I have been down at the school house as we had an Examination of the Children and the Boys are getting the Letches out of the Potato house &c. George Johnson and Jas. Marlin had a treat over their cow &c.

Tuesday, 3rd May, 1836. This is a fine growing morning and the River is overflowed and I have been over to Mr. Norish’s for two ploughs …… and the roads are terrible bad especially up COOK’s hill and I …. to George’s and the other I took home. It rains the most of this day and the Boys are about home. We hear of Armstrong being very badly hurt.

Wednesday, 4th May, 1836. This is a fine day and I have been over to Mr. Norish’s to get an orger mended and I paid Mr. Norish 3/6 on account. The Boys, James, Thomas and Henry are splitting rails for Petrie.
 

Thursday, 5th May, 1836. This is a sharp frost but comes on a fine day with the wind from the Northward and James and Thomas are making a dung cart. Henry and Joseph are at plough. I have been turning over some Potatoes as they have grown considerably. James was over with a cow hide to Mr. Bateman and to the Village.

Friday, 6th May, 1836. This is a fine day and James and Thomas are carrying ashes. Henry and Joseph are at plough a little while and I have written a letter to CHARLES. George is covering in the milk house, putting the roof on &c. Mary and Eliza were over at the Village with Charles’ letter.

Saturday, 7th May, 1836. This is a fine mild day and James is over at Petrie’s getting his traces fixed. Thomas and Henry are chopping at George’s place. Joseph and Eliza are boiling some sap they gathered last night and I have sown a little Barley and James harrowed in and I hoed round the stumps then James drew on some ashes.

Sunday, 8th May, 1836. This is a cold morning but a fine day and I have been to church and the Boys are at different places. Mary and Eliza were at Dowler’s and Mrs. Black’s &c. and old Mrs. Petrie was here a while and most of her Grandchildren with her and we have a number of people here tonight. George Johnson’s cow died this morning.

Monday, 9th May, 1836. This is a frosty morning and a fine day and James and Henry have ploughed in a Bushell of Peas and then they harrowed in some oats. Thomas has been pilling brush and burning some and I have boarded up one end of the Milk house and my wife is over at Mr. Dowler’s and elsewhere this afternoon. Eliza has been to Dowler’s and to Margret Brown’s &c. Petrie was here for one thing or the other, he got a chisel.

Tuesday, 10th May, 1836. James, Thomas and Henry were ploughing and harrowing in Peas and carrying off stone &c. I have carried in some ashes in the garden and dug some ground and sowed some cabbage and onions and Henry and Joseph planted 3/4 of a Bushell of Potatoes.

Wednesday, 11th May, 1836. This is a fine day and James and Thomas are logging a while and Henry and Joseph are at plough and I have been in the garden a while putting in a few onions then hoeing the borders the foot of the Big Mountain.

Thursday, 12th May, 1836. This is a fine day and James is down at the Mill and Marlin’s wife with him. Henry ploughing in Peas and I have sown some wheat and Thomas is harrowing it in and James came up and the Boys put in some Barley and John came and my wife … with him and in the afternoon I went over to Mr. Norish’s and got … and called at Mr. Truesdell’s and I and my wife came away together tonight about half past seven o’clock. Comes on to blow very hard from the Northward with rain. A MAD DOG IN THE VILLAGE has bitten I believe 4 or 5 people at the Merryment and Post Office Jovel boys.

Friday, 13th May, 1836. This is a very cold morning with a fall of snow from the Northward and the Boys are carrying on dung and ashes on the land for wheat and James is at ploughing and sowing Peas for Mr. Dowler and Thos. & Henry are harrowing in wheat and Joseph is chopping with Wm. Mary, George’s wife was up here.

Saturday, 14th May, 1836. This is a frosty morning but a fine day and I let Mr. Rogers have 2 bushells of oats and Wm. 1 Peck of Grass seed and James is at plough for Mr. Dowler and Thomas and Henry are drawing dung in the Land by the House. Joseph, Mary and myself were hoeing in a few potatoes, oats and grass seed then the Boys James and Henry were at plough by the House.

Sunday, 15th May, 1836. This is a dull morning with a rain shower for a while and a little Thunder and soon cleared up again and John came up and James and Thomas were at Church and John Pollock and Robert Pollock, Mr. Dowler, Mr. Petrie and his wife and Mrs. Gray and James Brown and his two sisters and John and James went to Mr. McGie’s. A fine growiing evening.

Monday, 16th May, 1836 This is a fine hot day and James and Thomas are taking out stumps and Henry is over at Mr. Law’s with the Horse and Ox at plough. Mary and Joseph are planting potatoes. I have been raking off rubbish and sowed some wheat by the house and there came on a tewrrible strong wind with thunder and rain. James and Thomas ploughed a small piece tonight by the cellar .

Tuesday, 17th May, 1836 This is a fine day after the rain and James was harrowing in wheat a little whole and Thomas is over at Mr. Dowler’s and Henry is gone down to George’s with the horse to plough and Mary and Joseph are planting potatoes. James at Mr. Dowler’s Bee. I have been over to Mr. Bateman and sold him a cow hide at 8/6. It was dry and weighrd but light.

Wednesday, 18th May, 1836 This is a fine day and the boys have been at dung cart and carrying off stumps and ploughing for wheat and harrowing some in. Mary & Joseph were planting potatoes.

Thursday, 19th May, 1836 This is a fine day and the boys are ploughing up some grass seed by the old Barn and carrying out some dung and I have sowed some wheat and we got 3 pigs of George. Mary and Joseph planted potatoes. Thomas was piling Brush &c.

Friday, 20th May, 1836 This is a dull day with some rain and I have been down to Mr. Robinson’s and got some things and came home and the Boys, James and Henry were at plough and Joseph planted potatoes. Thomas is piling up Brush and I have been down to the Village to Colonel Griffith’s and it came on to rain a fine growing shower tonight.

Saturday, 21st May, 1836 This is a fine day and we have sown some wheat and finished and we have sown some Barley and some Oats. Joseph driving plough at William’s today. Mrs. Petrie is working at some trousers for James. We have planted 8 1/2 Bushells of Potatoes this night.

Sunday, 22nd May, 1836 This is a dull morning and it comes on to rain about 11 o’clock and the Boys were in the Bush up at some of the Lakes. Comes on heavy rain tonight. George was up for the cart this afternoon.

Monday, 23rd May, 1836 This has been a very heavy rain with the wind from the Northward and continued raining the most of this day more or less. The boys have been ploughing awhile, and I have been draining the water off the wheat by the old Barn place &c. and Mrs Petrie came and finished James’ trousers.Mr. Petrie took the dung cart away Saturday last. James got his boots mended by Mr. Dowler.

Tuesday, 24th May, 1836 This is a dull morning and James has gone down to Mr. Dugas’ and Thomas and Henry and Joseph are at plough and finished and Thomas sowed a Bushell of Oats up the top of the Line Hill and it came on so wet he could not finish harrowing them in and we began to put in some potatoes in the drills by the house. It is a very heavy rain the land is overflown.

Wednesday, 25th May, 1836 This has been a terrible wet night …………cattle are punished very much indeed. We cannot get out to do anything scarce at all during the middle of the day, then Thomas and Henry were logging awhile. I have levelled a place where the old shanty stood and sowed it with Barley and Grass seed. Eliza came up from George’s place this afternoon. Petrie’s got the dung cart.

Thursday,26th May, 1836 This is a dull cold morning and so continues with the wind from the Northward. Thomas, Henry and Joseph are loging awhile and Mary and Eliza have been down to Mr. Rodger’s and got on account 2/10 and came up by Mr. Robinson’s and got some things of him. I have been about the house and ground an axe for Mr. Dowler and filling in a drain, &c.

Friday, 27th May, 1836 This is a dull morning and Thomas and Henry began to plant a few potatoes in the drills but it came on a terrible wet day . We sowed some Oats on the Island but could not get them harrowed in all together as it was so wet.

Saturday,28th May, 1836 This is a fine day but dull and a very little rain this evening and we have sown some Oats by Wm’s house and I have covered in the drain in front of the house and sown with Barley and Grass seed and I have sown grass in different places, &c. Joseph has been planting potatoes in the drills.

Sunday, 29th May, 1836 This is a fine drying day and Thomas and I was at church and I was over to Mr. McGie’s on my way home and George’s wife and some of the Boy’s were up and the Petrie’s were here, 4 or 6 of them. Mr. & Mrs. Dowler were here. Wm., his wife and child and sister also were here.

Monday, 30th May, 1836 This is a fine day and the Boys are at their loging heaps and drawing dung &c. Joseph and Mary are planting potatoes in drills by the house. I have been in the garden and planted some carrots and have been to Mr. Truesdell’s, Mr. Norrish’s and have settled with Mr. Dowler, paid him 6/6, remains due to him 9/-.

Tuesday, 31st May, 1836 This is a fine day and I have been in the garden digging and sowed some and the Boy’s have been drawing dung and Mary and Joseph planting potatoes. Thomas and Henry drawwing dung and making a fence and tending their log heaps and Starry calved a Bull calf and Gowan is two years old today.

Wednesday, 1st June, 1836 This is a fine day and the Boys are at their log heaps and clearing for potatoes and Mary and Joseph are planting and I am cutting some. Mrs. C…. was here for sugar,&c. Henry has cut Thomas’s hand by some means or other by accident.

Thursday, 2nd June, 1836 This is a fine day and the Boys are cleaning and planting. Henry is over at Mr. Law’s at plough, &c. Thomas has set fire to the chopping and it has burned pretty well. We have sowed 23 Bushells of potatoes tonight.

Friday, 3rd June, 1836 This is a fine day and they are clearing and planting and they have planted some small beans today. I have been cutting potatoes. Dowler’s cow was here.

Saturday, 4th June, 1836 This is a fine day and the Boys are loging, it is very hot and they are not able to do much. Mr. Dowler had a 1/2 Bushell of Oats at 1/3. I have been cutting some potatoes.

Sunday, 5th June, 1836 …………day and I am terribly bad with the toothache. My wife and Henry wer down at George’s place. Dowler’s cow and pigg were here and Petrie and his wife and some of the children were here. John Pollock and Wm. Marlin, James McCurdy and George were up here this evening. Henry went over to the Village to get me something for my tooth late tonight. All the rest are well, thank God for it.

Monday, 6th June, 1836 This is a fine day and Dowler’s cow and pig is here again today, running through the Crop and Henry and Mary and Joseph are clearing and planting a few potaoes. Thomas is at Marlin’s loging Bee and I have a toothache most terrible bad again today and I have a blister on for it. We were obliged to kill one of our little calves this morning as we let it run and hurt itself.

Tuesday, 7th, June, 1836 This is a dull morning and Thomas is at Mr. Petrie’s Bee. Henry and Joseph have been sowing a little Barley in front of the door and my toothache is a little better although very bad as yet and Henry has been down to Mr. Rodger’s with a bushell of oats and down to Mr. Dugas with a Line to QUEBEC &c. It comes on a fine shower tonight.

Wednesday, 8th, June, 1836 This is a very hot day and the Boys, Thomas, Henry and Joseph are loging and I have been making a gate for the Line side and cut some potatoes. My teeth are somewhat better, thank God for it.

Thursday, 9th June, 1836 This is a fine hot day and Henry and the Oxen are over at Mr. Pollock’s Bee Loging and Thomas and Joseph and Mary are planting a few and clearing up ground and I put in a little grain of Barley upon the new Land and just for trial first, I think it is too scummy.

Friday, 10th June, 1836 This is a fine hot day and Thomas, Henry, Joseph and Mary are planting and clearing up ground &c. I have been cutting up potatoes.

Saturday, 11th June, 1836 This is a fine morning and the Boys are planting potatoes and about the middle of the day it comes on a fine shower with very heavy thunder and soon cleared off and in the evening came on two more showers with thunder. I am, as near as I can tell,56 YEARS this day.

Sunday, 12th June, 1836 This is a beautiful fine day after the showers and Henry, myself and Eliza were over at the church and I received a letter from Charles and we had several people in here on their way home from Church and old Mr. Holiday and his grandson were here and got a fish hook. Petrie, his wife and his Mother were here on account of a letter about their land and I hope it is n greatly in their favour. My face is very sore as yet.

Monday, 13th June, 1836 This is a cold morning, frosty and Thomas and Henry are at Mr. Law’s Bee. Mary and Joseph are planting for Mr. Petrie for Breeches making, &c. I have been harrowing in Barley about the barn and then I went down to the Mill with 2 Bushells of Wheat and got it ground there and then I went down to Mr. Jeffries respecting my deeds &c. and then I came up as far as George’s place and stopped there.

Tuesday, 14th June, 1836 This is a fine but cool morning and I came up ……..with my flour and a Bushell of Apple Potatoes I got of George and Thomas, Henry, Mary and Joseph are planting and cleaning off rubbish &c. and they have finished planting tonight. We had a thunder storm tonight.

Wednesday, 15th June, 1836 This is a blowing cold morning and Thomas, Henry and myself have been fencing round the wheat over the river and began to build a fence between Mr. Dowler’s and ourselves as his cow and pig are in our crop every day almost. Joseph was ploughing at Petrie’s today. Mary Dunn went away this forenoon and we put the cows in the lower pasture today and Dowler’s cow and pig plagues us a good deal.

Thursday, 16th June, 1836 This is a fine day and we have been fencing in the Enterville and Henry got his hand cut so that he is not able to work and he has been up at the Augmentation and Mary is down at George’s planting and Joseph is at Wm.’s planting. The black and sand flies are very bad.

Friday, 17th June, 1836 This is a fine day and Thomas, Mary and Joseph are down at George’s place planting &c. Henry is out with the gun as he is lame. I was round the fence a little and my wife was in the garden.

Saturday, 18th June, 1836 This is a fine growing rain and Thomas, Mary, and Joseph are down at George’s place but I believe they are able to but little out this morning. Petrie was here this morning. Dowler’s cow and pig came into our place this morning and I have been over to her about it. I have been trying to fence in our small pigs. Henry has been down to the mill for a kettle of Meal of JOHN.

Sunday, 19th June, 1836 This is the Third Sunday after Trinity and I and Thomas have been to CHURCH. George’s wife and the oldest boy were up. Mrs. Rodgers and her son, Brown’s people, Lindsey, young Petrie were here for a while. Robert Johnson was here. James came home from QUEBEC this morning. All is well, thank God for it and I saw John at the Village and he is well.

Monday, 20th June, 1836 This is a fine day and Thomas and Joseph are gone down to George’s to work and James is gone down to Mr. Dugas’. Wm. Marlin got the cart to fetch up potatoesand then David Petrie got the cart to fetch up a load of Lime and I have been round the fences &c. My wife and Mary were weeding and they have young turkeys this morning. My wife was over to see Mrs. Pollock as she is sick. The flies are terribly bad.

Tuesday, 21st June, 1836 This is a wet day and Thomas and Joseph are down at George’s place and D Petrie came up with the cart. We can do nothing out today scarce. Henry is lame with his hand as yet.

Wednesday, 22nd June, 1836 This is a fine day with a cool wind from the Northward and James and Thomas are cutting for ashes. I have been over to Mr. Dowler’s and I have been digging some post holes for fencing. Henry was weeding a little while and Mary was weeding in the garden a while. Joseph was planting at
George’s. The cattle broke into the barley.

Thursday, 23rd June, 1836 This is a fine day and I have been over to the Village and put in a letter to go to Charles and settled with Mr. Griffith. Thomas and Henry are at Wm.’s today and James is chopping. My wife is weeding and Mary with her. Joseph is planting for George. I have been digging some picket holes. Dowler’s cow was in our pasture.

Friday, 24th June, 1836 This is a fine day and James, Thomas and Henry are loging a while and Joseph is at George’s and he came up home tonight. My wife is terribly lame with her foot , she cnnot stand on it at all.

Saturday, 25th June, 1836 This is a fine day. James is at the log heaps. Thomas and Joseph are at Mr. Pollock’s. Henry at ….to go to Mr. Pickett to get some plums, &c. this morning. Mary is at Wm.’s planting. I have been at the fence and watching the cattle, &c. A small shower tonight.

Sunday, 26th June, 1836 This is a fine day indeed and Henry and I was at church at the Village and I sent a line to Mr. Pollock for his son John to take to Mrs. Henley in Montreal.

Monday, 27th June, 1836 This is a very hot day and the Boys are looking out some land for themselves. I have been at the fence but the cattle are always in mischief some of them. Wm. Marlin had our cart to the Mill. The Bailliff was down with young Hall to see Mr. Petrie today.

Tuesday, 28th June, 1836 This has been a hot day and James has been to St. Jacques and Thomas has been drawing out some Cedars from the bush and helping me with the fence. Lion got in the Barley twice today before he went to work. Petrie took Wm’s saddle from here.

Wednesday,29th June, 1836 This is a fine hot day and James is attending the Militia. Thomas and Henry are loging and getting out some fencing stuff and Joseph and Mary are weeding, &c. I have been helping the Boys awhile &c. and I have laid up some rails in the fence between Dowlers and me.

Thursday, 30th June, 1836 This is a very fine hot day and the Boys are loging and Mary and Joseph have been finishing planting a half Bushell of Potatoes for himself &c. then they were weeding a little while and I have been fencing and fencing the little pigs place. It came on a fine thunder shower. William has our cart to take some of Alex Gray’s

people away.

Friday, 1st July, 1836 This is a fine cool groing morning after the shower and the Boys are at their log heaps and their ashes &c. Mary and Joseph have been weeding a while and I have been hoeing weeds out of the potatoes, and Mary and Eliza have been over to Mr. Pollock’s for a letter from Mr. Handley. The flies are terribly bad indeed. Dowler’s cow was in our place twice today.

Saturday, 2nd July, 1836 This is a very hot day and this DAY 25 YEARS we arrived in QUEBEC from ENGLAND. James, thomas and Henry are at their log heaps & loging &c. Mary and Joseph are planting for Wm. today for an oil cake. I have been hoeing at the potato drills.

Sunday, 3rd July, 1836 There has been very heavy thunder and lightening with a little rain about midnight last and it is a very fine hot day and I was over at Church and this is the 5th Sunday after Trinity. George was here for our cart. Mrs. O’Neal and Mrs. Petrie was here. Old Dowler was here and our Barley begins to head out.

Monday, 4th July, 1836 This is a fine day with a fine growing rain and the Boys have been gathering ashes together and then they got Mr. Law to help them hoop the Letches &c. I have been finishing a gate at the Line and been at the pig fence &c.

Tuesday, 5th July, 1836 This is a fine growing day and they have been at the pot ash house and James and Wm. were down at Truedell’s for a Dollars worth of 1 1/2 inch Boards and we were hoeing up potatoes. Then Thomas and Henry began to cut some logs for the Barn. I worked at the pig fence again. Mrs. Petrie was here finishing a jacket for Joseph &c. Dowler brought home some shoes at 3 shillings mending. Blows hard from the Southward.

Wednesday, 6th July, 1836 This is a fine day and James and Wm. are at the Potash house. Thomas, Henry , Joseph and Mary are at the potatoes hoeing them up and gathering up and covering their ashes as it comes a fine shower. I have been striving to stop out Dowler’s cow out of his meadow.

Thursday, 7th July, 1836 This is a fine growing day and James, Thomas and Henry are getting out Receivers for the Letches &c. Mary, Joseph and myself were weeding a while, cutting thistles out of the wheat, &c. Petrie has been drawing some wood for melting.

Friday, 8th July, 1836 This is a very fine hot day and James is helpping Wm. at the Potash house, putting spouts up, &c. and the two Petries are Melting. Thomas is clearing at the Ground for turnips and Henry is mowing a little of Clover at the bottom of the Garden. I have been mending a rake or two and then I went down to the Mill and got half a Kettle of Meal of John. Mary and Joseph were cutting thistles in the wheat.

Saturday, 9th July, 1836 This is a fine hot day and James is over at Mr. Pollock’s and got two bushells of Potatoes. James and Thomas are cutting logs for the Barn. Henry is harrowing ground for turnips and sowed a few. Joseph, Mary and Myself have been cutting thistles in the wheat and we carried in a few bundles of hay. Come on a fine thunder shower this afternoon and another in the evening. John has our bull away.

Sunday, 10th July, 1836 This is a fine day and James and Me was at Church and this is the 6th Sunday after Trinity. Mary is down at George’s place where there is a WEDDING there today and sure enough it is PADDY’S WEDDING where they thought to get married without a Ring. Dowler and Mrs. Petrie were here and Jane, our Wm.’s housekeeper, was here at the time.

Monday, 11th July, 1836 This is a fine cool day with a breeze from the Northward and the boys are cutting logs and drawing a few &c. and Thomas has cut his leg very bad. Joseph is weeding and my Wife and Mary is weeding in the garden. I have been down to the schoolhouse on account of electing Trustees and myself, Mr. McGie and Mr. Pollock are the three.

Tuesday, 12th July, 1836 This is a fine hot day and James and Thomas are loging with Wm., and Mary and Joseph are weeding and my wife and myself in the garden. Thomas is laying by with his sore leg. The flies are terrible bad. Dowler’s cow was in our potatoes twice today. We got 2 Bushells of Potatoes of Mr. Dowler.

Wednesday 13th July, 1836 This is a fine day with a cool breeze from the Southward and cloudy weather. James is about home. Henry is at Mr. Pollock’s. Mary and Joseph are weeding the grain. My wife and myself in the garden a little while today. It comes on rain this afternoon Francis Morgan and his wife were here a while this afternoon. Thomas’ leg is very sore. He complains with it a great deal.

Thursday, 14th July, 1836 This is a fine cool morning and James and Henry have been ploughing up potato drills.James sowed some turnips last evening, then they were getting some logs out of the bush for the barn.Joseph and Mary and myself hoeing up potatoes and the I went down to the Mill and got 1/2 bushell of Oatmeal and John’s………..but saw and came home about dark tonight.

Friday, 15th July, 1836 This is a fine day with a cool breeze from the Northward and I am hoeing up potatoes for a while. Mary weeding, Joseph down at Mr. Wallace’s for cabbage plants. James and Henry are at George’s place getting out shingles and stuff. James was helping William a while at his Letches this morning.

Saturday, 16th July, 1836 This is a fine day and James and Henry are getting out logs out of the Bush.Joseph and Mary are weeding a little while. My wife planted some EARL OF YORK we got of Mrs. Wallace and I have been getting the bark of some of the logs. Mr. Fisher and his son from St. Rock’s came here tonight. Our Thomas has been too much on his leg and he made it swell.

Sunday, 17th July, 1836 This is a fine day and our Minister is out, there is no Prayers at the Parsonage House today and this is the 7th Sunday after Trinity and I have had a journey as far as Mr. Cook’s after Mr. Fisher’s mare as she ran off and Henry was after her too. George’s pony broke out several times. George’s wife and two sons were up here and my wife was over at Petrie’s and Dowler was here a while. Mr. Fisher went off home this afternoon. The flies are very bad.

Monday, 18th July, 1836 This is a fine morning and I have begun to reap a little grass among the Rocks. james has been up to Brown’s about some lime they are due us. Thomas is very lame with his leg. Our cattle broke into the grain today. Henry has been up to Mr. Haliday for two potash barrells then he was drawiong logs. James mowing on the hill by the garden a while.

Tuesday, 19th July, 1836 This is a fine hot day, cloudy at times, symptoms of rain. James is over getting the horses shod. Henry is cutting rafters. Joseph and myself barking logs and carried in some hay. Henry down to Mr. Dugas’ for the BULL. James and Henry are melting for Wm.

Wednesday, 20th July, 1836 This is a fine dry day with a good breeze from the Northwest. Henry is helping cut some wood at the Potash for Wm. as he is not well. James is over at Mr. Law’s buying some meadow grass and up at Petrie’s and they headed up a barrell of Potash and started for MONTREAL. Joseph and I have been barking some logs and then we carried in some hay. Henry drew a log or two, then he went through the TOWNSHIP with James and came home in the night. LION has been in the wheat and barley and did some damage. Thomas’ foot is getting better.

Thursday, 21st July, 1836 This is a fine hot day and Henry is mowing a little while. Then he drew out some rafters. Joseph and I have been barking some logs &c.and I carried in a little hay this evening. My wife and the girls have sore hands and fingers.

Friday, 22nd July, 1836 This is a very dry hot day with a good breeze from the Northwest and Henry was mowing a little while this morning then drawing out some Ribs for the Barn. i was at the fence a while stoping in the Hogs &c. then shaking out some grass and carried in a few bundles of hay. Henry was barking some rafters.

Saturday, 23rd July, 1836 This is a fine day and Henry is mowing a little but cannot get on very well and I have been carrying in some hay and mending up an old sleigh. James came home from MONTREAL Joseph is poorly and Thomas is lame as yet but is getting better. My wife’s hands are sore.

Sunday, 24th July, 1836 This is a fine rainy shower this morning and we have Mr. Dowler here a while and Wm., his wife and child and her Maid Servant and George was here for the cart &c.

Monday, 25th July, 1836 This is a fine day and the Boys are Mowing and I have been down to Mr. Robinson’s and paid him £3.12.6 on account. Henry drew up some logs to the Building place . Paid George on account 1/3. Paid Mr. Pollock 3/- on account of Spirits and candles.

Tuesday 26th July, 1836 This is rather cloudy the first of the morning but turns out fine. Henry at Mr. Pollock’s for potatoes. James over at Mr. Petrie’s a while and emptying some Letches and got down a few ashes and began to fill one or two then laid the Foundation for the Barn. I have been inthe hay and carried in a little.

Wednesday, 27th July, 1836 This is a fine day and we have some Hands to Lay the Barn up. Hugh Law, Wm. Marlin, James & Wm. Brown, Thos. Hamilton, David Petrie, Jr., and George, Wm., Thomas, and Henry and Mr. Pollock’s oxen and we put in a little Hay.

Thursday, 28th July, 1836 This is a fine day and the Boys are getting ashes in the Letches and carried in some hay. Mrs. Petrie was here cutting Joseph some trousers &c.

Friday, 29th July, 1836 This is a dull morning and the wind from the Nortward and Mr. Rourke came home with our cart. The Boys are at the Potash house at their Letches and it comes on a fine rain all day. We have been making a shaving horse &c. Our hogs have spoiled some potatoes.

Saturday, 30th July, 1836 This is a fine morning after the rain and our hogs have been spoiling more potatoes and James and them have begun to Boil this morning. I have begun to turn the dung over about the old Barn. Thomas and Henry are mowing for John Booth, the schoolmaster.

Sunday, 31st July, 1836 This is a fine growing day with the wind from the Southward and James and Henry are at Mr. Jeffries Church as this is the first day of Preaching in it.My head has been very dizzy the first of the morning. Our Bull has been through the crop this forenoon, we had some trouble to get him out.

Monday, 1st Augt, 1836 Cloudy morning then comes on a fine shower then it soon clears up and we have bween at the Potash and James and Thomas and Henry have been getting some Poles for the Barn and fixing some Beams. i have been at the fences in places as the cattle break through in the grain &c.

Tuesday, 2nd Augt, 1836 This is a cool morning but fine and the Boys have been boiling all night and my wife and Henry have been down to George’s and brought up some shingles and some flour makes us 139 1/2 flour in all. I have been raking up some shaving shingles. Thomas mowing and they have drawn up some Poles for the Barn loft. James melted tonight.

Wednesday,3rd Augt, 1836 This is a dull morning and James and Wllm are getting ribs on the barn and began to shingle a small piece and they are getting ready to start for Montreal but it comes on to rain this afternoon. i have been shaking out. Thos. has been mowing awhile. Henry down at George’s for his horse. Our hogs have been in the potatoes.

Thursday, 4th Augt, 1836 This is a fine day after the shower and my wife, Wllm and Joseph started for MONTREAL with a barrell of potash and butter. I have been mending the pig fence. James and Thos. have been at the barn. Henry out to St Jacques. I have been turning hay and we got in one load and our cow Jasper got in the oat’s this two days. The flies are bad. George’s Mary was here.

Friday, 5th Augt, 1836 This is a fine day and Jas., Thos., and Henry are down at George’s mowing awhile then they came home and carried in some hay. I have been mending the fences &c. and raking hay.

Saturday, 6th Augt, 1836 This is a fine day and the Boys are mowing at home a while this morning and Henry has cut his finger not able to do anything. I have been over to Mr. O’Neal’s to judge between him and Mr. Scally respecting some damage done in his oats by Scalley’s cow and Mr. Petrie was for Mr. O’Neal and we brought in damage against Scalley for 5 1/2 Bushells of Oats. We began to reap some BARLEY, then we carried some hay.

Sunday, 7th Augt, 1836 This is a fine day we took up some new potatoes for the first meal this season. Lion has broken out of the Pasture into the Barley 3 days running. He has gotten into mischief. Dowler was here awhile this morning. This is the 10th Sunday after Trinity.

Monday 8th Augt, 1836 This is a fine rain ever since day Light this morning and lasted a little while and the Boys are mowing up the Big Mountain and my wife and Joseph came home from Montreal about breakfast time.

Tuesday, 9th Augt, 1836 This is a fine day but there has been a frost this morning and lasted a little while and the Boys are Mowing a while then reaping Barley by the MOUNTAIN . I have been over to the Village to see Mr. Jeffries ( the minister)and to the Blacksmiths.

Wednesday, 10th Augt, 1836 This is a fine day and they have been mowing awhile then they were covering a piece of the barn in and Henry has been to George’s for some shingles and Wm at work for us today. Thos. and Henry were mowing for him awhile and we have been carrying in hay and Barley. Mare, cows and pig have got into mischief today. William was shingling half a day.

Thursday, 11th Augt, 1836 Dull morning with a little fall of rain and the Boys have been at the barn some of them. Henry mowing for George. Thos. mowing for William and James and Joseph have been mowing a little Barley and in the afternoon we got in some hay. John Pollock has our sleigh at the Meadow. Henry brought up some shingles tonight. Old Jane is helping us this two days. The hogs were in the potatoes.

Friday, 12th Augt, 1836 This is a fine day and the Boys are mowing in the Meadow and I have carried in some Barley.

Saturday, 13th Augt, 1836 This is a very fine morning then it comes over cloudy and the Boys are in the Meadow stuking up the Hay and I have got in some Barley and was helping Wm. get in some hay. We began to take up some potatoes by the Big Mountain. Henry mowed the last of our Grass by the Line side on the top of the Hill towards Mr. Reid’s.

Sunday, 14th Augt, 1836 This is a fine shower this morning and my (wife is over at James) Marlins and almost every day as the Child is very bad from the scald she got. This is the 11th Sunday after Trinity. My wife and I were down at George’s place awhile.

Monday, 15th Augt, 1836 This is a fine day and James is at Petrie’s. Thos. & Henry at George’s mowing and I have been at the fence over the river by the wheat.

Tuesday, 16th Augt, 1836 This is a very fine hot day and James is chopping at Marlin’s. Thomas and Henry are chopping for ourselves. I have threashed some Barley and we have some Indians come here tonight.

Wednesday, 17th Augt, 1836 Thomas and Henry are helping William mow a while in the Meadow this morning and I have cleaned up some barley and the Indians are still here, they have been loging this afternoon and I have been threashing Barley a while. My wife has gone down to Mr. Dugas.Petrie got our cart to go for lime.

Thursday, 18th Augt, 1836 This is a very fine day and the Boys are at work at the barn awhile. Henry is over helping saw off some bolts and afterwards they are of no use then Henry went down to the Mill with two Bushells of Barley and my wife came up. I have a very sore foot this afternoon. Comes on to rain tonight. Boys are at the threashing.

Friday, 19th Augt, 1836 This has been a fine rain all night and our Boys James and Thos. are drawing in a few ashes as the morning is wet and Henry came home from the Mill and then they went to chopping.

Saturday, 20th Augt, 1836 This is a fine day after the rain and James is at Mr. Pollock’s Bee. Thos. and Henry are chopping. Joseph is down at the Lime Kiln for a load of Lime and I have cleaned up some Barley and Wm. has 1 Bushell and I began to cut the Barley by the Big Mountain.

Sunday, 21st Augt, 1836 There was a white frost this morning and showers most of the day and at night came on athunder storm. George was here for the cart and he had Mary down with him and the Petrie boy was here for flour &c. This is the 12th Sunday after Trinity.

Monday, 22nd Augt, 1836 There is a white frost and little showers at times all day. Boys are loging. I have reaped a little Barley. David Petrie has been helping the Boys today. Mary is down at George’s place.

Tuesday, 23rd Augt, 1836 There is a white frost and the Boys are loging and David Petrie is along with them. I have been getting in a little barley. Thomas is at Mr. Holtby’s Bee. Wm. Brown was here tonight.

Wednesday, 24th Augt, 1836 This is a fine day and we have got in a few Sheaves of Barley and James is at Wm. Brown’s Bee and Thomas and Henry are chopping. Petrie got a Bushell of Barley.

Thursday, 25th Augt, 1836 This is a fine drying day and we have got in a little Barley and James, Wm., and Henry are loging for ashes and I have been reaping a little Barley and we were obliged to shut up our fowl last night. We hear of Mr. Rodgers being dead. Wm.’s hog was in our Peas. Thomas is mowing at Petrie’s.

Friday 26th Augt, 1836 This is fine hot day and James and Henry are at thier log heaps and Thos. is loging with Wm. and my wife and Joseph are at Mr. Rodger’s funeral. I have threashed a little Barley and carried in a little.

Saturday, 27th Augt, 1836 ……….hot day and the Boys are at thier log heaps and I have reaped a little Barley. It comes on a little rain but a very little indeed.

Sunday, 28th Augt, 1836 This is a fine day. George came up here early and took Mary and Eliza down with him to keep house while they go to the Township to Mrs. Coultra. John Pollock was here awhile. My wife was over at James Marlin’s seeing the child and at old Mrs. Petrie’s as she is poorly from a hurt she got.

Monday, 29th Augt, 1836 This is a very hot day till the afternoon then it came on a thunder storm. The boys are loging &c. I have reaped a little barley and Mr. Truesdell came here and he and I went up the Mountain a little way.

Tuesday, 30th Augt, 1836 Rained mostly all night and all day nearly from the Northward and the Boys have great work to save thier ashes &c. They are getting some down into the Letches. One of our cows got through the fence into Mr. Marlin’s side but did not do much miscief as it happened.

Wednesday, 31st Augt, 1836 This is a fine day and I have got in a few sheaves of Barley and the Boys have been loging &c. and at thier ashes and emptying some Letches and Marlin and Petrie melted here tonight. I began to cut a few oats.

Thursday, 1st Sept., 1836 This is a wet morning and the Boys are taking care of thier ashes as well as they can and I have been at the Barley.James and Joseph went down to Mr. Lindsay’s child Funeral.The Pollock girls were here and the boys have begun to boil some potash.

Friday, 2nd Sept., 1836 This is a fine morning and there came on a shower about the middle of the day and I have been turning some barley and sent 2 Bushells to the Mill and the Boys are at thier Potash &c. Mr. Mack was here this evening. I have reaped some grass seed.

Saturday, 3rd Sept., 1836 This is a fine day but dull and I have got in a little barley and the boys are at their potash and they have been looking out some shingle wood and it comes on to rain tonight.

Sunday, 4th Sept., 1836 This is a wet day and the boys were boiling all night at their Potash. 14th Sunday after Trinity. James is gone up to Mr. Holliday’s &c.

Monday, 5th Sept., 1836 This is a frosty morning and Marlins are started to Montreal and James is getting ready to go. I have been at different things. My wife was down at George’s. I carried in oats and grass seed.

Tuesday, 6th Sept., 1836 This is a frosty morning and James has started for MONTREAL with a barrell of Potash and I have threashed some oats for the horse. George, Thomas and Henry are getting shingles.

Wednesday, 7th, Sept., 1836 This is a sharp frost for the first time and Thomas and Henry are getting shingle bolts over from James Marlin’s. I have been reaping Oats. My wife at Petrie’s.

Thursday, 8th Sept., 1836 This is a frosty morning but fine. The boys are after bolts and slayed a small sow of Mary’s.

Friday, 9th Sept., 1836 This is a fine day and the boys are after shingles, wood, &c. George is splitting some. I have been reaping oats and carried in some. (18, 42, 43)

sheaves of Black Oats.

Saturday, 10th Sept., 1836 This is a fine morning and the boys have been fixing a cow pen as they are getting in mischief all the time and the boys have been sawing off shingle bolts. I have been reaping and carried in 12 sheaves of English Oats and 6 of Barley, &c. James came home from Montreal. Comes on to rain.

Sunday, 11th Sept., 1836 This is a wet morning and it rained all last night and it comes on a fine day and we went to church 5 of us and our John came up a while and J Pollock was here and my wife and the children were over to Mrs. Petrie’s. This is the 15th Sunday after Trinity.

Monday, 12th Sept., 1836 This is a very fine morning and the boys are helping Wm. in the road a while and getting shingles over the river and I have been reaping oats and the children Mary and Joseph began to reap wheat.

Tuesday, 13th Sept., 1836 This is a frosty morning and it turns out a fine day but very hot for the time. James, George, Henry and Joseph at work at the barn. Mary and myself reaping wheat and got in a few English oats. Thomas is mowing peas. We had a consulting matter respecting old Dowler’s peas. He is very BLACKHEARTED.

Wednesday, 14th Sept., 1836 This is a very fne hot day and James, George, Joseph and Henry are at the barn and finished shingling of it. Myself and Mary reaping wheat and Thomas mowing peas and we put in some oats and wheat, 33 sheaves of Oats and 24 sheaves of Wheat.

Thursday, 15th Sept., 1836 This is a fine day and the boys are mowing peas and at work at the barn and carried in some peas and wheat and a few oats. We reaped wheat and oats and barley. James has been to Langan’s and bought 30 bushells of potatoes at 10d per bushell.

Friday, 16th Sept., 1836 This is a fine day and James and the oxen are at James Marlin’s. The rest of us were reaping oats and carrying in peas, wheat and oats. My wife is down at George’s and at the village.

Saturday 17th Sept., 1836 This is a wet morning and we can do but little out. Marlin and Hugh Law were here this morning and I have been mending the fence up the hill as the cows got in the oats. I sent Henry down to the Mill with 2 bushells of barley and 1 bushell of rye for Mr. Law and some for James Marlin and Mr. Dunn. I have been over to Mr. Truesdell looking out some boards. Pigs are in the oats.

Sunday, 18th Sept., 1836 This is a fine day after the rain and the pigs and the cattle are troublesome. H.Law,, J.Marlin and Mr. Dunn were here for the flour and my wife and some of the boys and the girls are at Church and young Petrie started with them and old Dowler was in here and paid me a plug of tobacco he was due to me. This is the 16th Sunday after Trinity.

Monday, 19th Sept., 1836 This is a fine hot day with one small thunder shower and I have been down to Mr. Dugas and to Mr. jeffries and to a meeting at the Village respecting SCHOOLS &c. Boys reaping wheat over the river and got in some oats from by the garden cellar &c.

Tuesday, 20th Sept., 1836 There was a very heavy shower in the night but a fine day and the boys are loging and I have taken in 77 sheaves of oats. Adeline Truesdell was here today.

Wednesday, 21st Sept., 1836 This is a fine day and James is at James Gray’s Bee and Thomas is reaping wheat and Henry is over at the Village helping raise the ENGLISH CHURCH and I have been binding wheat and put in some. The cows have destroyed a small field of oats.

Thursday, 22nd Sept., 1836 There was a very small shower this morning and turned out a fine day and the Boys are loging for Wm. Mary and Joseph are reaping wheat and we have carried in all from over the river.

Friday, 23rd Sept., 1836 This is a dull morning with the wind from the Northwest and Joseph is gone down with George’s horse as he took ours away last night. I have been binding a little wheat and oats &c. Boys are over at Petrie’s putting a roof on their shantee. Mr. Lawwas here this morning and we have been reaping some wheat and carried in 62 sheaves of oats. Come on to rain tonight.

Saturday, 24th Sept., 1836 This is a fine morning after the rain. A Mr. Skelly came here with the cart at 2/6 and the boys have been loging a while and I have been reaping oats and it comes on to rain and our cattle have been in Marlin’s oats, etc.

Sunday, 25th Sept., 1836 This is a fine day and Brown’s girls called in on their way to Church and two of our boys and two of the girls went to Mr. Jeffries church and I was there. The bears are plentiful in people’s oats and our cattle have been troublesome. 17th Sunday after Trinity.

Monday, 26th Sept., 1836 It has been rather inclined to be wet and I was obliged to take in a little wheat but it is not in good order. The cattle are so very troublesome. Mr Law and our boys are loging and then went over to Mr Dunn’s to under brush a little. The cows were in Marlin’s oats as he will not mend his fence. Petrie was here tonight and James was over at the blacksmith getting the loging chain mended and Petrie was here tonight as they had been after bears &c.

Tuesday, 27th Sept., 1836 This is a very wet morning and the Boys, James & Henry are at Mr. Dunn’s chopping Bee and Thomas is at the log heaps. Joseph is minding the cattle every day at times we have too many as are not belonging to ourselves and they have done a good deal of mischief in the grain and it comes on to snow a while tonight.

Wednesday, 28th Sept., 1836 This is a fine day after the snow and rain and we have been reaping oats all hands today and put in a few. It was a sharp frost this morning.

Thursday, 29th Sept., 1836 This is a little frost and the boys are at their loging and Mr. Dunn’s and reaping oats and we have put in some of the Island. George fetched away his onions and cabbage.

Friday, 30th Sept., 1836 This is a fine day but cold and our boys and John Pollock are loging at Mr. Dunn’s. I have been reaping oats and put in some of the Hill by the Line side.

Saturday, 1st Octr. 1836 This is a cold morning with the wind from the Northward and the Boys and John Pollock are loging and Joseph and I have got in the last of our oats. It comes on to rain very heavy tonight.

Sunday, 2nd Octr. 1836 This is a very wet morning and I was at Church. The rest of the family did not go. It cleared up about the middle of the day. Blows hard from the Southwest. This is the 18th Sunday after Trinity. The cattle are in mischief.

Monday, 3rd Octr. 1836 This is a fine day and we have been reaping barley by the old barn and the boys have been drawing ashes from Mr. Dunn’s and emptying letches and filling them with fresh ashes &c. and we have finished our harvest this night.

Tuesday, 4th Octr. 1836 This is a fine day but very cold wind and I have been reaping for William and Mary and Joseph are reaping for George and they have filled their letches and begun to boil. Henry has been to the Mill with 1 1/2 bushell of barley.

Wednesday, 5th Octr. 1836 This is a fine morning but cold and James and Henry are at James Brown’s Bee. Thomas is boiling at the potsh and Helping William get in his wheat. I have been down to Mr. Dugas and Mr Jeffries and brought up two of Mrs Dugas daughters to Truesdells and it is a very wet night, very bad for the cattle.

Thursday, 6th Octr. 1836 This is a wet morning and they are at the potash and they have begun to take up the potatoes and I have been firing up the stove &c. as times are getting cold. Rained a ittle most of this day. The cows have destoyed some potatoes under the Mountain.

Friday, 7th Octr. 1836 This is at times a little showery with hail and rain at times, and James, Thomas and Henry are loging at Mr Law’s and Mary, Joseph and Eliza are taking up some potatoes and I am BOILING at the Potash house.

Saturday, 8th Octr. 1836 This is a fine day but cold and James is at the Potash and Melted tonight and the others have been digging potatoes.

Sunday, 9th Octr. 1836 This is a fine day and we were at Church, 3 of us and called in at Mr Truesdell’s. Gowan (Gaun ) Brown’s wife and her sister, Petrie’s wife and George’s wife were here and old Mr Dowler was in.

Monday, 10th Octr. 1836 This is a fine day and James and Thomas are at Marlin’s chopping Bee. I sent up 2 1/2 Bushells of Potatoes to Mr. Truesdells at 1/- per bushell and brought ……………back. Mary and Joseph are diging potatoes and I am threashing barley.

Tuesday, 11th Octr., 1836 This is a fine day and James is helping Wm. with potash barrel. Thomas and the others are taking up potatoes. I have been threashing oats for the horse.

Wednesday, 12th Octr., 1836 This is a dull cold day with the wind from the Northward. Thomas, Mary and Joseph are taking up potatoes. James and Henry are starting for Montreal but it comes in a snow storm and they did not start.

Thursday, 13th Octr., 1836 This is a fine day after the snow and the Boys, James and Henry started with 2 barrels of Potash to MONTREAL and Thomas and Joseph have been over to Mr. Hobbs with a Bushell of Barley to be ground and I have taken up a few potatoes and they drew a little wood.

Friday, 14th Octr., 1836 This is a dull day part of it with showers then comes on quite hot then changed cold and dull and comes on to rain tonight.
We have taken up a few potatoes today.

Saturday, 15th Octr., 1836 This is a dull morning but warm weather and Mary and Joseph are at Petrie’s taking up potatoes. Thomas and Eliza and myself took some up at home.

Sunday, 16th Octr., 1836 This was a wet day and I was over at the village at the Church house and Thomas was up the Township seeing Wm. Tye as his arm is very bad. I subscribed 5/- towards the English Church.

Monday, 17th Octr., 1836 This is a snowy morning and comes on to blow very hard from the S’west and cold storms and we have been digging at our potato drills, we ploughed the last part of them out.

Tuesday, 18th Octr., 1836 This is a fine day and we have finished our drills and have taken up under the Mountain. Mr. James Marlin has been helping us. I am threashing some barley.

Wednesday, 19th Octr., 1836 This is a snowy day and James and Henry came home from MONTREAL and we could do nothing at the potatoes today. Thomas Mitchell came.

Thursday, 20th Octr., 1836 This is a stormy day and I have been down to Mr. Robinson’s and paid him 10 dollars on account and the boys have been at work at the cow house &c. and Mr Mitchell has begun to lay the upper floor. James brought home a horse yesterday. 1 1/2 bushells barley to Mr. Hobbs.

Friday, 21st Octr., 1836 This is a stormy day and I have been down to Mr. Robinson’s and bought a side of beef at 2d per lb. weight 117lbs. 19/6. George and the boys are at the cow house and took up some potatoes. Mr. Mitchell at the floor.

Saturday, 22nd Octr., 1836 This is a sharp frost but a fine day and the boys are at the cow house floor and took up some potatoes. I have threashed some barley.

Sunday, 23rd Octr., 1836 This is a fine day and we have been over to the Village and we had our John up a while, George and several other people.

Monday, 24th Octr., 1836 This is a fine morning and the boys are at the potatoes and I have begun to boil for Wm. at the potash.. Comes on to blow and freeze very hard tonight. Mr. Mitchell is at the floor.

Tuesday, 25th Octr., 1836 This is a cold day and the boys are trying to take up the potatoes but it is hard frost. I am boiling for Wm. and they are getting ready for a Bee. Henry over to Mr. Hobbs with 1 1/2 bushells of barley.

Wednesday, 26th Octr., 1836 This is a fine day but cold and we have some hands and carts, horses and oxen drawing wood and ashes. I was boiling awhile and we have bought Mr Reid’s Lot of Land at 65 dollars and I let him have Cowen ( the ox) for 10 dollars in part payment.

Thursday, 27th Octr., 1836 This is a fine day but it is hard frost and the boys are fixing the cow bails and I am boiling for Wm.

Friday, 28th Octr., 1836 This is a sharp frosty morning but a fine day and the boys James and Thomas are fixing the Cow Bails. Henry was at Mr. Bateman’s Bee and I am boiling for Wm. &c. It comes on a snow storm tonight.

Saturday, 29th Octr., 1836 This is a dull morning rather inclined to snow and Thomas and James are putting in the stove pipes through the roof and fixing the stable for the horses and henry is at Mr. Bateman’s and I am boiling poash for Wm.

Sunday, 30th Octr., 1836 This is a frosty morning but a fine day and …………..was here to get a line written and James is gone up the township and Nancy Brown was at our house this forenoon a while and Miss Joole (Poole?) was here with her. Nancy Brown has six BOOKS of ours and we had several people call in the afternoon.

Monday, 31st Octr., 1836 This is a fine day and James and Thomas have been down for Lime. Henry has been about home. I have been boiling Wm.’s potash and the boys are all up at Has. (Jas?) Brown’s tonight. Henry drew in a bit of Potatoes. I am very poorly with a bad cold.

Tuesday, 1st Novr., 1836 This is a fine clear day and I have been boiling and the boys are at the barn and George has our horse up the Township. mary was down at George’s for the horse but he had not come home. John Pollock was here tonight.

Wednesday, 2nd Novr., 1836 This is a fine clear frosty day and I am boiling and Thomas and Henry are loging for James Marlin and James is at work at the barn and Wm. and he have bought all James Marlin’s hay and straw at 15 dollars L3.15. 0. Thomas Mitchell is at work at the floor.

Thursday, 3rd. Novr.,1836 This is a cold day with the wind from the Northward and James and I have been at the barn, and in the afternoon James and Joseph set fire to some log piles at Mr. Dunn’s Thomas and Henry are at Mr. Pollock’s. Mr. Mitchell is at work at the floor. James Marlin emptied some letches.

Friday, 4th., Novr.,1836 This is a dull cold morning with the wind from the Northward and our boys and John Pollock are getting up firewood, setting up sugar troughs &c. and attending the log heaps at Mr. Dunn’s. I have been about the house and barn.

Saturday, 5th., Novr.,1836 This is a clear frosty morning and the boys are at their log heaps at Mr. Dunn’s and Wm. has the old horse to fetch a load of ashes from James Marlin’s. James and Thomas are making a log heap or two and then Thomas was drawing wood to the potash house for James Marlin. I have cleaned up a bushell of barley at Wm.’s place and sent it to Mr. Hobbs and James drew a few bushells of ashes for Jas. (Jos?) Marlin.

Sunday, 6th., Novr.,1836 This is a fine day and Thomas & myself were about home awhile then my wife & me & Joseph were over at Mr. Reid’s lot that I bought the other day. We had several people in today and Joseph has been down to George’s. Mary went down to George’s this evening.

Monday, 7th., Novr.,1836 This is a dull morning and James, Thomas and John Pollock are over at their new Lots chopping and Henry drawing wood for Wm. Marlin and I got a pair of boots from my son Charles by George, Joseph and me drawing some firewood.

Tuesday, 8th., Novr.,1836 This is a fine day and James, Thomas and Henry and Edward Greening were choppong and loging at their lots over by James Marlin’s and Joseph and myself were down at George’s place for the cart and fetched up 8 planks from Mr. Truesdells at 3/9.

Wednesday, 9th., Novr.,1836 This is a fine day and James, Thomas and David Petrie are chopping over by James marlin’s and Henry has drawn a load of ashes from Mr. Dunn’s and then he was helping James Marlin with his ashes &c. I have been over to Mr. Pollock’s and got 31 lbs. of beef at 2d. equalling 5/2. Joseph went over to Mr. Hobb’s Mill with a bushell of barley for William and we have bought a pig of Mr. Law at 3 dollars.

Thursday, 10th., Novr.,1836 This is a fine day and James, Thomas, Henry and David Petrie and John Pollock are loging. Joseph up the Township with a potash barrel for Francis Morgan and I have a temporary floor fixed and began to threash in the new BARN.

Friday, 11th., Novr.,1836 This is a dull morning and the boys are over at the log heaps &c. Joseph is out to St. Jacques with Wm. on their way to Montreal. Comes on a very wet day. I have begun to threash some whaet and Petrie’s old brown oxen came.

Saturday, 12th., Novr.,1836 This is a wet day and I have been threashing some wheat and cleaned up 1 bushell and a quart and sent it to Mr. Dugas to be ground and the boys have been after their ashes as they have some few bushells spoiled.

Sunday, 13th., Novr.,1836 This is a fine day after the rain and Henry came up from the Mill as he stopped at George’s last night. Some of the Brown girls were here and John Pollock was here and our boys some of them were up there a while tonight.

Monday, 14th., Novr.,1836 This is a fine morning and the boys and John Pollock were chopping at their own lots and Joseph has been drawing some wood to Wm.’s place and cutting it. I have cleaned up a bushell of oats and threashed some. Comes on to snow tonight, wind from the Northward.

Tuesday, 15th., Novr.,1836 This is a fine mild morning and James, Henry, John Pollock and David Petrie were chopping and loging at their own lots and I have been threashing some oats and Mr. Conley Casidy got my crowbar.

Wednesday, 16th. Novr.,1836 This is a mild day with some snow and James and David Petrie were chopping for ourselves and Thomas and Henry were chopping for Mr. Pollock and I have been threashing a few oats and cleaned up 3 1/2 bushells and then I began threashing out some wheat. Florella Mitchell was here about her bag and her Father’s plane.

Thursday, 17th., Novr.,1836 This is a fine day and James and Joseph are gathering in some ashes and Thomas and Henry with the oxen are loging for Mr. Pollock. I have cleaned up 1 3/4 bushells of wheat and 1 bushell of barley. Mrs. Petrei, old Petrie, and young Petrie were here this evening. Wm. came home from MONTREAL.

Saturday, 19th., Novr.,1836 This is a fine morning but sharp frost and the boys have killed a sow Cutha and I have been to Mr. Dugas mill with 1 3/4 bushells of wheat and 1 bushell of barley. James, Thomas and Henry are at their log heaps and their ashes.

Sunday, 20th.,Novr.,1836 This is a fine day and James, Mary,Joseph and myself were at church and our John came up and John Pollock was here awhile.

Monday 21st., Novr.,1836 There has been some rain in the night and early this morning and then it came on a heavy snow storm from the Northward and James, Thomas, Henry and Joseph are emptying letches and done as far as they could. It is a terrible wet day. I have been threashing a little wet barley.

Tuesday, 22nd., Novr.,1836 This is a fine mild morning after the rain and the boys are after ashes and they broke down their train. Roads are bad and slippery. Cattle cannot stand. They are helping James Marlin melt tonight. I have been threashing some of the green barley.

Wednesday, 23rd., Novr.,1836 This is a fine day but froze hard this morning and Henry is now at Mr. Norris’s and james and Thomas are drawing up some ashes. I have cleaned up a bushell of barley.

Thursday, 24th., Novr.,1836 This is a fine day and the boys are at their potash and drawing wood &C. I have been threashing some green barley and cleaned up 1 1/2 bushell and George was up here tonight.

Friday, 25th., Novr.,1836 This is a fine but cold morning and my wife, Thomas and Henry are down at George’s place killing pigs &c. James is at the potash. I have threashed a few oats. George came up with his Mother.

Saturday, 26th., Novr.,1836 This is a fine day but very cold and James, Thomas and Joseph are at the potash. Henry over at Mr. Holtby’s and I have been threashing some oats. William fetched some hay fron Jas. Marlin’s. I cleaned up 4 1/2 bushells of oats.

Sunday, 27th., Novr.,1836 This is a fine day but cold……………..James and Joseph and myself were over at church.

Monday, 28th., Novr.,1836 This is a fine day but sharp frost and the boys James and Henry were at the potash and Thomas is at Mr. McGee’s. i threashed some wheat at Edward Greening’s commenced his potash. Mary is gone down to George’s place to spin some wool &c.

Tuesday, 29th., Novr.,1836 This is a fine day and James fetched a load of ashes for Edward Greening then James, Thomas and Henry were chopping their lots. Joseph and I fetched down a little firewood then I cleaned up a bushell of wheat.

Wednesday, 30th., Novr.,1836 This is a snowy morning and James has fetched a load of ashes for Edward Greening. Boys Thomas and Henry grinding their axes. I was threashing some English oats. Snowed all day. The boys began to make a sleigh. Joseph was boiling a few salts.

Thursday, 1st., Decr., 1836. This is a fine but cold day with the wind from the Northward and I have sent 1 Bushell of barley to Mr. Rodgers, 1 1/2 bushell of oats and 1 bushell of barley to Mr. Dugas Mill. The boys Thomas, Henry and Joseph are chopping for ashes and James has fetched up a load of lime and I have cleaned up 1 1/2 bushell of English and Canadian oats mixed. Very cold tonight. I gave Jas. Marlin an order for 7/6.

Friday, 2nd., Decr.,1836 This is a fine day but cold and I have been threashing some wheat and James is over at the Blacksmith. Thomas was helping Wm. kill his hog and Henry is drawing some firewood. George’s wife and our mary came up today. boys are at work at a sleigh a while tonight. Had a fall of snow.

Saturday, 3rd., Decr.,1836 This is a fine day but cold with some small snow and james and Thomas are at Edward Greening’s Bee and Henry is over at the Blacksmith getting the old horse shod and I have cleaned up 1 1/4 bushell of wheat and let Jas. Marlin have 1 bushell. Joseph cut firewood.

Sunday, 4th., Decr.,1836 This is a fine day with a little snow and all were about the house today. John Pollock was here most of the day.

Monday, 5th., Decr.,1836 This was a mild day with snow and some little rain. I have been down to Mr. Robinson’s and got some stuff for trousers and different things and the boys were chopping and John Pollock with them. James drew some straw and hay from Jas. Marlin’s.

Tuesday, 6th., Decr.,1836 This was a fine day but very cold and James has finished drawing hay and then I weighed it and they were loging and John Pollock with them. Edward Greening and Wm.’s people were here tonight.Still very cold.

Wednesday, 7th., Decr.,1836 This is a dull day but not quite so cold as yesterday was. Some of the boys were chopping and loging and one is drawing wood for Edward Greening and I have been threashing some wheat and Joseph and me cut some firewood and John Pollock was with the boys today at their loging &c. and James Marlin is with them. Edward Greening had the horse to draw a load of ashes.

Thursday, 8th., Decr.,1836 This is a fine morning and Henry is away down to Mr. Bateman’s for Morgarson’s Tap &c. and James is away down at their log heaps and their ashes with Thomas and John Pollock. Edward Greening is at his potash. I have cleaned up 1 1/2 Bushell of wheat.

Friday, 9th., Decr.,1836 This is a fine day and James, Thomas, Henry, John Pollock and James Marlin are loging. Joseph and I drew a little firewood and then I began to threash a few peas.

Saturday, 10th., Decr.,1836 This was a mild day with rain and James has been to Archambeault’s Mill with 1 1/2 bushell of wheat. Thomas and Henry were at their log heaps and I have cleaned up a bushell of peas and they have been repairing trains tonight.

Sunday, 11th., Decr.,1836 This was a fine morning and I and my wife James and Henry and Mary were at church and I gave Mr. Reid one dollar towards the church and gave Daniel Truesdell 5 shillings on account and George, his wife and family and Wm. his wife and family, John Pollock, Edward Greening were here. Our stove pipes took fire and set fire to the roof of the house.

Monday, 12th., Decr.,1836 This is a fine day and James is packing some potash Thomas, Henry and John Pollock were over chopping and mending up their log heaps &c. and George was chopping along with him and James drew some ashes. Joseph and I drew a little firewood and Joseph went down with George tonight.

Tuesday, 13th., Decr.,1836 This is a mild day and James, Thomas, Henry, John Pollock and George are loging. Joseph came up with George this morning and I have begun to threash a few and cleaned up 1 bushell of peas. Blows and snowed all day from the Northeast.

Wednesday, 14th., Decr.,1836 This is a mild day and blows hard from the Northward and James and Joseph are drawing wood for Edward Greening to the potash.
Thomas and Henry are at their log heaps &c. James drew over one small load of ashes. I have threashed a few oats. Snowed and blows all day. Very rough tonight.

Thursday, 15th., Decr.,1836 This is a cold morning with the wind from the Northward and James, Thomas and Henry are loging and I have cleaned up 3 bushells of oats.

Friday, 16th., Decr.,1836 This is a fine day and very cold and the boys Thomas, Henry and George and James are at their ashes and fetched home 2 loads and they mended a Berl…… and drew some wood for Edward Greening and the house &c.

Saturday, 17th., Decr.,1836 This is a terrible snowing and blowing and drifting day and the boys have been over to their ashes and brought a load home and they have drawn a load or two of wood to the Potash House for Edward Greening and we cut up our Pigs. They weight 236 1/2 the two for they did do very well some how or the other. it comes on to blow very hard this night.

Sunday, 18th., Decr.,1836 This is a fine day but cold wind from the northward and the roads are all drifted up.

Monday, 19th., Decr.,1836 This is a fine day but cold and james is drawing firewood to the Potash House for Edward Greening and drew some to the house then he drew some ashes. Henry was at the log heaps a while. Thomas is at Mr. McGee’s. I have been threashing some wheat. There was a great noise about a cat being killed.

Tuesday, 20th., Decr.,1836 This is a fine day and James has gone for lime and Henry has gone to D’Ashambo’s Mill with 1 bushell of wheat and a bushell of peas. Thomas has been over at the log heaps. i have been threashing wheat a little while and they are killing 4 turkeys. Thomas has gone to Robert Johnson’s to the raffle. George and his wife and family were up tonight and Henry and James came in from below at the Mill and Lime Kiln.

Wednesday, 21st., Decr.,1836 There was a very heavy rain, the places are overflown but it came on to blow and freeze and the boys were at their potash. I have been threashing some wheat.

Thursday, 22nd., Decr.,1836 This is a very cold day and I have been cleaning up 2 1/2 bushells of wheat and the boys James and Henry were filling letches. Thomas is sick in the house. Then we had a poor old man come in almost frozen. Terrible sharp tonight.

Friday, 23rd., Decr.,1836 Snowed most of the day and I have threashed and cleaned up 2 1/2 bushells of oats and the boys were at their potash. They drew some wood and they melted Greening’s potash last night and he has gone away this morning, he and his dogs &c. Eliza has been down to Mr. Robinson’s for Tea, soap and candles.

Saturday, 24th., Decr.,1836 This is a fine day but cold & the boys are getting wood & boiling their potash & Joseph & I were down at the Mill with 2 1/2 Bushells of wheat and paid George 46 lbs. of flour on account. Was down at Mr. jeffrie’s.

Sunday, 25th., Decr.,1836 This is a snowy day and James, Thomas, Henry, Joseph and Mary are at church, my wife, myself and Eliza are at home. George his wife and family were here and Wm. and his wife and family were here according to Custom at this season of the year.

Monday, 26th., Decr.,1836 This is a mild morning and the boys, Thomas and Henry are at the potash and drawing wood. James is sick in the house. I have threashed a few oats. Come on very cold tonight.

Tuesday, 27th., Decr.,1836 This was a very sharp morning and Henry and joseph were at the potash the most part of the night and James and Thomas are getting ready to go to MONTREAL and I have cleaned up 2 1/2 bushells of oats and the boys James and Thomas started this evening.

Wednesday, 28th., Decr.,1836 This has been a terrible sharp night and this morning then it got milder. I began to threash a little wheat. Joseph and Henry are drawing wood to the Potash and thawing the letches. We have a Canadian stopping here tonight on his way up the Township. Snows a little.

Thursday, 29th., Decr.,1836 This is a middling mild day with a little snow and Henry and Joseph are at the Potash and drawing wood &c. I have threashed a little wheat. Blows hard tonight.

Friday, 30th., Decr.,1836 This is a very cold day and Henry and Joseph were drawing and cutting firewood and I have been plastering a little while and attending the cattle &c.

Saturday, 31st., Decr.,1836 This is a cold day and the boys Henry and Joseph are at the potash and melted tonight. James and Thomas came home from MONTREAL. I sent a bushell of wheat to Aschambo’s (Archambault) Mill by William.

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The Archambault Mill

Year 1837

(The first month of the Journal for this year is missing)

Tuesday, 7th. Feby., 1837 This is a snowy day and James is drawing hay for George to Mr. Scalley’s and then drew some ashes from George’s place as we have 40 Bushells of his. Henry is getting some lath wood and I have been threashing some wheat and my wife is very ill with a bad cold and a pain in the side. Petrie’s and Scalley were here tonight.

Wednesday, 8th. Feby., 1837 Yhis is a fine day and James is gone down to the mill with 2 3/4 bushells of wheat I have cleaned up this morning, and Henry and Joseph are drawing firewood and my wife put a blister on her side last night and she is better today thank God for it. Petrie is threashing wheat in our Barn today.

Thursday, 9th. Feby., 1837 This is a fine day and James has been down for lime and Henry is getting some Lathwood and Joseph has been taking some oats to the Mill for Mr. Dowler. I have been tying up some laths &c. Petrie is threashing in the barn again today.

Friday, 10th. Feby., 1837 This is a dull day with a prime frost and James is cutting firewood and Henry and Joseph are after some Lathwood.

Saturday, 11th. Feby., 1837 This was a rather snowy day at times and James, George, Henry and Joseph were drawing hay out of the meadow and I am binding up Laths. Thomas came up tonight.

Sunday, 12th., Feby., 1837 This was a snowy day and my wife and myself and George and his wife and family went up to Robt. Johnson’s tonight to see Mrs. McCleary as she is very poorly.

Monday, 13th. Feby., 1837 This has been a very stormy blowy day, blowing very hard and continues blowing, was very cold all day. The boys were scarcely able ……..to cut a little firewood. Thomas has gone down to his…………I have been binding up Laths.

Tuesday, 14th. Feby., 1837 This is a fine day but rather sharp and James ……drawing a little firewood to the Potash house and I have been binding up Laths. A little snow tonight.

Wednesday, 15th. Feby., 1837 This is a mild day with a little snow and James and Henry left for MONTREAL with 5000 Laths and Joseph is drawing Mr. Dowler’s oatmeal home and I am………..

Thursday, 16th. Feby., 1837 This was a terribly sharp day.Joseph fetched a little firewood and I have cut a little and tied a few laths. Very cold tonight. A COMPLETE ROGUE LEFT THE TOWNSHIP TODAY. James Marlin.

Friday, 17th. Feby., 1837 This was a terribly stormy sharp cold day from the Northward so we were not able to do anything out. Thomas came up from Mr. Dugas as they were not able to work.

Saturday, 18th. Feby., 1837 This was a fine clear day but very cold and Thomas and Joseph are getting some firewood &c.

Sunday, 19th., . Feby., 1837 This is a fine mild day to what it has been all week past and James and Nancy Brown and John and Robert Pollock and Wm.’s wife and child and Wm.’s Maid were here awhile. A little snow tonight.

Monday, 20th., . Feby., 1837 This is a mild day with a fall of snow and Scalley was here with an Orger and sive he had borrowed and Petrie was here clearing up wheat they have been threashing in our barn. Wm., James and Henry came home from MONTREAL and they had bad roads and bad luck only 12/6 for 5000 Laths and lost George’s Bell and expenses were besides 12 4 1/2. John Pollock was here tonight for his harnesses &c. Mr Bateman due five dollars for bringing down two loads.

Tuesday, 21st., . Feby., 1837 This is a fine day with a strong breeze from the S.East and the boys are at work at the potash house making ready &c.

Wednesday, 22nd., . Feby., 1837 This is a mild day and the boys are at the potash house.

I have threashed a few peas.

Thursday, 23rd., . Feby., 1837 The boys are at the potash house and drawing wood &c. I have threashed a few peas……..it comes on a terrible snowstorm from the Westward blowing much indeed all night.

Friday, 24th., . Feby., 1837 This was a fine mild day quite a change …..Henry and Joseph at the potash. James is at Sam…. I have been cleaning wheat out of the oats. Part of the……

Saturday, 25th . Feby., 1837 This was a fine mild day and ……….is cutting firewood and I have ……..able. Joseph is cutting firewood… Mr. Dowler respecting some little affair but the Dear Country was brought in question. James is up at Mrs. Brown’s &c. Thomas came up tonight from below.

Sunday, 26th., . Feby., 1837 This is a very sharp morning but a fine clear day and the air keen. My wife and Joseph are down at George’s. David Petrie and John Pollock were here a while.

Monday, 27th., . Feby., 1837 This is a snowy day and stormy. Henry is at the potash and Thomas has gone down to his lumbering. James is in the house with his Lame Hand.

Tuesday, 28th., . Feby., 1837 This was a fine day but terribly sharp and cold. Henry has been cutting a little firewood. Petrie came here and got a bag and had one before. Wind from the Northward.

Wednesday, 1st., March, 1837 This is a fine day but very cold and Henry and Joseph are emptying the Letches and a very bad cold job it is.

Thursday, 2nd., March, 1837 This is a sharp morning but a fine day and James and Henry are getting Melting wood and are Melting their Potash. Our cow we call May got her horn knocked off by some means.

Friday, 3rd., March, 1837 This is a fine day but very cold and Mrs Rodgers came here yesterday and I was over at Mr. Mcgie’s the Agents and Mr. Norrish’s the Blacksmith’s yesterday. The boy James is down to Mr. Allen about his shoes and Henry and Joseph are cutting and drawing firewood and young Petrie. Two of the young Pollocks were here tonight.

Saturday, 4th., March, 1837 This is a cold morning but a fine day and James and Henry are at the potash, began to set the Letches and going for a Barrell for Wm. and Joseph is cutting some firewood and I have cleaned up 2 Bushewlls of English Oats and gave to Mr
Rodgers 1/2 bushell for Petrie and myself. James Brown and his two sisters were here tonight and our Thomas came up from his lumbering.

Sunday, 5th., March, 1837 This is a fine morning not quite so sharp as it has been all week and James, Thomas, Henry and Mary are over at Church. My wife, myself and Eliza are at home and Mr Dowler was here awhile this forenoon and George, his wife and family, Wm, his wife, child and Maid, four of Petrie’s, Wm Marlin, John Pollock, Mrs. Law, Mrs. Asbell were all here this evening, a pretty full house for this Day.

Monday, 6th., March, 1837 This is a fine mild day and James started off for MONTREAL and Thomas is down at his lumbering, Henry is chopping at Mr. Pollocks, Joseph, myself and Mary heating water and filling the Letches. Mrs. Petrie was here awhile doing Joseph’s jacket.

Tuesday, 7th., March, 1837 This is a fine mild day but dull weather and we are at the Pot Ash again today and Henry is chopping at Mr. Pollock’s.

Wednesday, 8th., March, 1837 This is a blowing rainy day and Joseph and I are at the Pot Ash house boiling. Henry at Mr. Pollock’s and the snow has run off the house and a fine lot of it there was. George was up tonight.

Thursday, 9th., March, 1837 This is a fine mild day and the roads are very soft, bad travelling. Joseph and I were at the Potash house boiling and Henry is over at Mr. Pollock’s. The snow fell off the barn sometime last night and hurt some of them. Gowan Brown has been ill using a Canadian at Marlin’s this morning the name of Laziness (Lajeunesse?)

Friday, 10th., March, 1837 This is a fine day and Joseph and I were at the Potash house and James came home from MONTREAL. Henry at Mr. Pollock’s. James has paid Mr. Finley 15/1 on account of ashes.

Saturday, 11th., March, 1837 This is a sharp morning but a fine day and James is awhile at thew Pot Ash and Joseph, Henry cutting firewood, I have been down to Mr. Robinson’s and paid him on account £1/0/0 and got on account 13/8 and I was at George’s a while. Thomas came up tonight. Henry was at the Mill with a Bushell of Peas.

Sunday, 12th., March, 1837 This is a fine day until the afternoon then it came on to snow and myself and Thomas and Mary were over to Church and our John came up and George was here and Wm.’s family was here and I had a fall on the side of the Carryall and hurt my side a little as it is sore. Paid John 6d for the horseshoe.

Monday, 13th., March, 1837 This is a snowy day and Thomas has gone down to his lumbering and James and Henry are at Wm.’s Potash and Joseph cut a little firewood at the door. NINE WEEKS lumbering to the 11th. of March only take off 3 days lost time. It came on to rain all this afternoon. James has been to Bateman’s for Moccasins &c.&c.

Tuesday, 14th., March, 1837 This is a stormy day at times and the afternoon is fine but cold and Joseph has been boiling a while at the Potash and Jame’s has been over to Mr. keo’s with the Horse and Carryall and been with him to Mr. Cockvanes and Henry has been getting in a small pit of potatoes and then cut some firewood. There was a Canadian stopped here last night on his way to Mr. Brown’s and Henry got a small log ready to take over to the Mill at Mr. Truesdell’s &c.

Wednesday, 15th., March, 1837 This is a fine day but very cold morning and Henry is down to the Mill for some Hulls and James is down for 1 1/2 barrick of Lime. I have been threashing a few peas and cleaned up a bushell or so. David Petrie is threashing in our barn this afternoon. Mrs. Petrie was here a while. George Johnson, our George, John Pollock was here and they and the Boys James and Henry Melted Wm.’s Potash.

Thursday, 16th., March, 1837 This is a blowing day from the Southwest and James has drawn a load of wood and a load of Oats for Petrie’s and Henry took a log over to Mr. Truesdell’s to be sawn and Joseph was over with Dandy with Wm. for a load of ashes from Mr. Pollocks. I have been cleaning up some wheat for Wm.

Friday, 17th., March, 1837 This is PADDY’S day and a fine day it is and James is chopping a little. Henry over to Mr. Truesdell’s with a Pine Log 12 feet long and I have been cleaning a little more wheat for Wm. and Joseph has been drawing 2 loads of ashes with old Bob and James, Henry and Mary are gone up to Robt. Johnson’s to meet ST. PATRICK and we had two beggars here tonight and their horse. Mr. Petrie lost our Bells, that is the second set of bells lost within 3 weeks.

Saturday, 18th., March, 1837 This is a fine mild day and the Boys and girls came home a little before daylight and I have finished cleaning Wm.’s wheat about 12 bushells of it.Henry and Joseph are raising sugar troughs James is chopping a while on 24 on the 7th Range. Thomas came up tonight. This makes 10 weeks all but 3 days. I have been poorly all this last week.

Sunday, 19th., March, 1837 This is a cold stormy day with snow and I am very poorly with my sore side and a bad cold and none of our boy’s were at church and John Pollock and David Petrie were here tonight. We hear of Walter Hunter being dead.

Monday, 20th., March, 1837 This is a fine day but very cold and Thomas has gone down to his Lumbering and Henry has gone over to Mr. Pollock’s to chop. James has been getting 25 bundles of HAY off William which he was due to us then we received 30 bundles of straw off Mr, Petrie. My side is very sore and Joseph is cutting some firewood. James is over at Mr. Pollock’s chopping this afternoon.

Tuesday, 21st., March, 1837 This is a stormy day it blows and snows all day and James has been fetching a load of potatoes from Kildare for Gowan Brown and Henry is at Mr. Pollock’s and Joseph is cutting some firewood. I have threashed a few peas and am very poorly with a bad cold and my side is very sore.

Wednesday, 22nd., March, 1837 This is a stormy day blows strong from the East North East with snow and sleet and James is about home today at one thing or another and Henry is at Mr. Pollocks as he did not come home last night. My side is sore, I am able to do but little with it.

Thursday, 23rd., March, 1837 This is a wet morning with the wind from the Northward. James and Henry are chopping at Mr. Pollock’s and I have finished threashing our peas. Joseph cut firewood.

Friday, 24th., March, 1837 This is a fine day and James and Henry and John Pollock are chopping at James Brown’s and Robert Pollock and Joseph are cutting firewood at the door.

Saturday, 25th., March, 1837 This is a fine mild day and James, Henry and John Pollock are chopping for George time we owe him. Joseph and Robert Pollock are cutting firewood. Thomas came up from the Mill.

Sunday, 26th., March, 1837 This is a sharp frost but a very fine day and my wife, James, Henry, Mary and Eliza were at Church and Myself, Thomas and Joseph stopped at home. My wife was down at George’s as his wife is poorly and George brought up his Mother tonight. George is 30 years old.

Monday, 27th., March, 1837 This is a sharp morning but a very fine day and Thomas is at home helping Henry with some sugar troughs &c. and my wife, myself and James were over at the Church and I was chosen as Church Warden and we were at Mr. Truesdells a while and our Boys and Girls were at a Grand Ball at Gowan Brown’s. I have cleaned up 1 1/2 bushell of English oats.

Tuesday, 28th., March, 1837 This was a mild day and henry is at his sugar and James is chopping a while and I have been threashing some grass seed and it comes on to rain tonight. We have a cow called May and she is very sick and Henry has been down to John Burn’s on her account.

Wednesday, 29th., March, 1837 This is a sharp morning with a fall of snow but a fine day and the wind is cold from the Northward. they tapped a few trees but they do not run much this day. James is chopping a while and our cow is better thank God for it.

Thursday, 30th., March, 1837 This is a frosty morning but a fine day and I have been down to the Mill with 2 1/2 Bushells of wheat 1 1/2 for Wm. 1 for ourselves and henry and James are in the sugary and chopping and Joseph has gone off with Wm. to MONTREAL. Henry fetched up some boards from Truesdells.

Friday, 31st., March, 1837 This is a cxold wind frost and James is chopping and Henry is making some troughs and I have made a temporary floor in the cow house and it comes on to hail tonight.

Saturday, 1st ., April, 1837 This is a snowy day and I have been threashing some grass seed and the boys are about the house. James making a stool &c. Mr. Henry Reid was here tonight.

Sunday, 2nd., April, 1837 This is a fine day but cold wind and myself and Mary were at Church and the rest of them were at home and Mr. H. Reid was here tonight.

Monday, 3rd., April, 1837 A little fall of snow this morning and William and Joseph came home from MONTREAL about 4 or 5 o’clock this morning and I went to Mr. Brown’s and gave a Note for 2/6/3 in behalf of Mr. Henry Reid and got a receipt for same as acknowledgement for 2/6/3 payment towards the land I bought of him in the fall. James has gone over with a load of potatoes for Mr. Hy. Reid at 4/2 and now I am due to William on a note for the same to be paid in July 1837. My wife and Joseph are down at George’s place. It thaws some this afternoon. Henry gathered 5 pails of sap and boiled it down.

Tuesday, 4th. April 1837 This is a fine day and William has our black horse to go to Le Asomption and James has come home from Ramsey with the old horse Bob and Henry and Joseph are in the sugary and my wife has been over to Mr. Petrie’s. Old Dowler came and borrowed our axe and John Smiley borrowed the round adze.

Wednesday, 5th. April 1837 Thios is a fine day and Henry and Joseph are in the sugary and James is tapping some trees for Mr. Pollock as his son John is quite lame. I have threashed out a half bushell of baerley & cleaned it up. The lumbermen have our crow bar. Sugared off 8 1/2 lbs.

Thursday, 6th.April 1837 This is a fine day and James is helping Henry tap and they are gathering and boiling. I have been down to Mr. Dugas and got one kettle of Meal at £1/5/11 a wonderful high price. Thomas came home from his lumbering. Mrs. LAW making a noise about a sugar kettle.

Friday, 7th. April 1837 This is a fine day and I have been cutting firewood and Thomas, Henry and Joseph are in the sugary and James and James Brown are chopping on 24 on the 7th. Range and my wife boiling off sugar and Mr. Law says he will summonsa for the kettle and William bought it a month or six weeks ago so I do not know how it will be. My wife sugared off 17 lbs.

Saturday, 8th. April 1837 This is a snowy and rainy day and Joseph and Henry are boiling down some sap. I have been threashing a little wheat. James is getting some axes helv’d &c.

Sunday, 9th April 1837. Snows and rains most of this day and Mary and I were at church and Wm. and his family were here today and Brown’s people called in coming home from Church and our Starry calved tonight.

Monday, 10th. April 1837 This is a fine day and James, Thomas and James Brown are chopping and Henry and Joseph are at the sugary and Wm has begun to move his house and things over to Mr. Keo’s place ( 24S on the 8th range ) and the boys took some loads over. Sugared off 16 3/4 lbs.

Tuesday, 11th. April 1837 This is a fine day and James, Thomas and James Brown are chopping. henry and Joseph are at the sugary and they have drawn some loads over for William.

Wednesday, 12th. April 1837 This is a sharp morning and they are helping Wm. draw some more of his house away. James and Thomas are chopping for James Brown. Henry and Joseph at the sugary, and my wife sugared off 20 3/4 lbs. Wm.’s wife and family moved away this evening.

Thursday, 13th. April 1837 This is a sharp frosty morning but a fine day and James has been to Mr. Bateman’s ( the tanner) getting some moccasin leather and Thomas, Henry and Joseph are in the sugary. I have cut a little firewood &c. and my wife sugared off 38 lbs.

Friday, 14th. April 1837 This is a snowy morning and the Boys James, Thomas and James Brown are chopping. Henry in the sugary . Joseph down at George’s getting a pair of Moccasins made.I have taken down 6 bushells of wheat down to Mr. Dugas’ Mill for William. Comes on to rain and the roads are very bad indeed. Sugared off 22 1/2 lbs.

Saturday, 15th. April 1837 This is a fine mild day with some showers of rain and James , Thomas, Henry and james Brown are chopping 24th. on the 7th. Range and I have been regulating my potato sets &c. and we have a sow pigged 2 pigs and the snow is wasting very fast. My wife sugared off 9 1/2 lbs.. Joseph cut a little firewood. The sap ran but little today. I believe our William has got the most of his things over today.

Sunday, 16th. April 1837 This is a fine mild day and Myself and Thomas were at Church and the rest of them are at home. The sap ran, a little today.

Monday, 17th. April 1837 This is a fine mild day and James is chopping and Thomas is sick in the house. Henry and Joseph are in the sugary and my wife sugared off 9 lbs. I have been cutting some firewood.

Tuesday, 18th. April 1837 Sharp frost but a fine day and the sap runs today. James is chopping and Thomas has got some blood took from him. Henry and Joseph in the sugary. I have been down to Robinson’s cut some wood &c. Threashed out a few Oats for Petrie. Sugared off 6 lbs.

Wednesday, 19th. April 1837 This is a fine sap day and we have some little showers of snow and they have sugared off 36 lbs. Our Wm. was here.

Thursday, 20th. April 1837 This is a fine sap day and we have some little snow and hail storms and they have sugared off 25 lbs. Thomas is very poorly.

Friday, 21st. April 1837 This is a fine day and the sap runs well today and Henry and Joseph are in the sugary and James has taken Thomas down to George’s place for John Burns to see him and it is the Measles he has. I have sent 1/2 peck of grass seed to John McCurdy and 1/2 peck to James McCurdy. Eliza was at George’s and Mary was at Wm.’s and they have sugared off 29 lbs.

Saturday, 22nd. April 1837 This is a fine day and James and David Petrie are chopping. Henry is in the sugary. Joseph is poorly at home and Thomas is very poorly and I have been after sap &c. Sugared off 31 lbs.

Sunday, 23rd. April 1837 This is a snowstorm this morning but a fine day and James and Henry are at Church. I am very sore and poorly so I stopped at home. Wm., his wife and Maid were over James Brown and John Pollock and David Petrie were here and D. Petrie got a pair of shoes and a pair of trousers and a waistcoat &c to go to Kildare. Thomas is better.

Monday, 24th. April 1837 This is a frosty morning but a fine day and James and David Petrie are chopping. Joseph and Henry are at the Sugary. My wife was down at George’s place.

Tuesday, 25th. April 1837 This is a frosty morning but a fine day and James, David Petrie and John Pollock are chopping and Henry helping them a while. Joseph and I have been down to Mr. Truesdell’s getting up a load of boards and Thomas is getting the better of the Measels and we have done sugaring off for this year and we have about 297 1/2 lbs. of sugar, besides syrup.

Wednesday, 26th. April 1837 This is a frosty morning but a fine day and I have been with Joseph down to Mr. Truesdell’s for a few boards and James, Henry, John Pollock & David Petrie are chopping and I have written a letter for Mr. Petrie. The snow wastes fast today and they have a little sap for vinegar &c. Thomas is better.

Thursday, 27th. April 1837 This is a frosty morning but a very fine day and the snow is wasting fast and James and Henry are over at William’s place helping him split some rails &c.

Friday, 28th. April 1837 This is a frosty morning but a fine day and the snow is wasting fast and James is chopping at Petrie’s and Thomas is over at Wm.’s place & George was here and got our old Bob and Henry is sick in bed and myself and Mary & joseph have gathered a little sap and boiled down.

Saturday, 29th. April 1837 This is a fine mild day and a little rain at times. James is chopping at Mr. Pollock’s. Edward and Owen Greening are chopping for us and Joseph is along with them. Henry is sick in bed most of the day. Thomas is getting well again now, thank God for it.

Sunday, 30th. April 1837 This is a fine day but dull weather and rather cold and I have been at Church and the rest of them are about home. Pollock’s boy was here a while. William’s Maid and Eliza are over to William’s this forenoon.

Monday, 1st. May, 1837 This is a very cold day with some snow and blows hard and very cold from the Northwest and the boys are able to do but little today and Henry is very sick. Mary is porly and William’s boy is poorly and our cow May calved this morning a fine heifer calf and is well thank God for it.

Tuesday, 2nd. May, 1837 This is a sharp frosty morning but a fine day and Thomas is over at Petrie’s chopping and James is over at Mr. Pollock’s for a small load of straw. Joseph and myself got a little firewood. Eliza came home this forenoon and William’s wife with her and she returned home this evening and Henry, Mary and little Henry are very ill with the measels. Come on to rain a little tonight.

Wednesday, 3rd. May, 1837 Rains a little this morning and the snow wastes fast and our Henry, William’s Henry and Mary are very sick and Mrs. Petrie was here a while this morning and James has been making a whiple tree. Thomas is cobbling his moccasins &c. I have cut some potatoes.

Thursday, 4th. May, 1837 This is a fine day and James and Thomas are down at George’s place and Joseph and me got some firewood and Henry is getting better of the Measels and William’s little boy is better. Mary is very sick.

Friday, 5th. May, 1837 This is a wet forenoon and I and Joseph and Eliza are gathering some sap but we could not gather it all, it is too wet and James came home from George’s and brought up some molasses they made there.

Saturday, 6th. May, 1837 This is a fine day and Joseph and Eliza are boiling their sap down and they are all getting somewhat better of the measels, thank God, and Mrs. Petrie was in here on her way to MONTREAL.

Sunday, 7th. May, 1837 This is a fine day but frosty in the morning and several people called in. James Brown, David Petrie and George was up a while and our children are all getting pretty well of the measels, thank God for it.

Monday, 8th. May, 1837 This is a frosty morning but a fine day and James and Joseph are down with the two horses at plough for George and after a while James came up and Thomas has been emptying some Letches and been filling them again. James got some Lime of Mrs. Brown. Henry has been down to Mr. Hoy’s with his shoes, and I have been gathering some sap and they have been boiling it down.

Tuesday, 9th. May, 1837 This was a frosty morning but has been mild all day and comes on to rain this afternoon. The boys are getting wood at the Potash and began to boil. I have been turning over some potato sets &c. and we hear of James Sheilds being killed with a tree. I sowed some cabbage seed.

Wednesday, 10th. May, 1837 This is a wet day most part of it and our boys are at plough, George and Thomas at the plough, James drawing some wood to the Potash. I am boiling. Wm. and Peggy were here awhile. Henry and Joseph are sick.

Thursday, 11th. May, 1837 This is a frosty morning but a fine day and James drew some wood to the Potash then he and Thomas drew some dung on the land. George and Henry are at plough up by the Big Mountain. I am boiling at the Potash. Joseph has begun to plant some potatoes. I sowed a little cabbage seed.

Friday, 12th. May, 1837 This has been a little frosty and Thomas and Henry are harrowing in oats by the Mountain and James at Plough for barley at the old barn place. i am boiling potash and Joseph planting potatoes and we are obliged to go over to the Village respecting William and Mr. Keo. William, myself, James, Thomas, and Mr. Marlin, Mr. Norris and Mr. James Gray.

Saturday, 13th. May, 1837 This is a wet morning and Henry is poorly been down to John Brown’s and had a little blood taken from him. Joseph is ill with the Measels. James and Thomas have put in a bushell of wheat and melted a barrel of potash.

Sunday, 14th. May, 1837 This is a fine hot day and my wife, myself and James were over at church but Mr. reid the minister did not come so we went over to the other church and heard Mr. Miller then on our return wqe called in at mr. Truesdell’s. Molly Dunn and her Intended came here today the two Miss Brown’s, James Brown and John Pollock were here this afternoon and we hear that the drownwd men have not been found. Thomas and Henry have gomne down to George’s tonight. joseph is very full of the measels.

Monday, 15th. May, 1837 This is a fine drying day with a strong breeze from the S West and I was in the garden a while digging and James spread ashes at some of the borders by the Big Mountain. Thomas and Henry are harrowing for George.

Tuesday, 16th. May, 1837 This is a wet day and the boys came up from George’s and they have ploughed in some peas and hoed the stumps &c. I have been sowing a little grass seed. Mary planted a few potatoes and Joseph is pretty well of the measels and Liza is getting sick rather, since last Sunday.

Wednesday, 17th. May, 1837 This is a very wet morning and it clears off about the middle of the day. The boys are ploughing and harrowing in peas and wheat and the ground is very wet. I have been sowiing some grass seed about the borders and hoed it in. Eliza is poorly with the measels as they are coming out on her today.

Thursday, 18th. May, 1837 This is a fine day after the rain and James is getting ready to go to Montreal. Thomas and Henry are harrowing peas and wheat. I have been over to Mr. Norrish’s to get a plough screw made. Mr. Law and David Petrie were here tonight. Mr. Dooley left here this morning. Eliza has the measels out very fully.

Friday, 19th. May, 1837 This is a wet morning and James and Henry are at plough by the house for potatoes. Thomas is taking out some stumps. i have been raking some wheat. I sowed some parsnips yesterday, the ground is very wet as yet, it comes on to rain very heavy storm this afternoon, great floods all the time, we hear of Mr. Braces place part of it goes away and the timber gone.

Saturday, 20th. May, 1837 Thios was a very wet day so we could do nothing on the land. I have sowed a little grass seed.

Sunday, 21st. May, 1837 This is a fine morning and my wife, James and myself were at church and it came on a shower or two and we went down to Mr. Braces and the river has been broke through and done a good deal of damage, carried away the Blacksmiths shop and Bateman’s tannery and I put in the hand of Mr. Reid to publish the Banns between Mr. Mark Cooley and Mary Dunn, then my wife and I went down to George’s place. Mr. Cooley came here tonight.

Monday, 22nd. May, 1837 This is a fine day and James is gone to Montreal with a barrell of potash but the roads are very bad. I have been sowing a little parsnip seed. Thomas has been harrowing in some oats and barley.

Tuesday, 23rd. May, 1837 This is a fine day and Thomas and Henry are over at Wm.’s place helping him.Mary and Joseph are planting potatoes. I have been hoeing in a few oats and grass seed. Mr. Cooley came here to-night.

Wednesday, 24th. May, 1837 This is a fine day and Joseph and myself have been hoeing in English oats and grass seed in between the rocks near the big mountain. My wife and Eliza are at Mr, Truesdell’s, George’s &c. Mr. Cooley wenr away this morning and he and Molly came here to-night. We are all well thank God for it.

Thursday, 25th. May, 1837 This is a fine hot day and Thomas and Henry and Joseph have been at the plough and I have been hoeing in a few black oats. We have Mr. Dowler, Jane Brown, Mr. Petire and two Canadians here on their way from MONTREAL Mr. Cooley and Molly Dunn were here today.

Friday, 26th. May, 1837 This is a fine day and the boys are at plough and harrowing in oats &c. Mr. Dowler and the rest have been getting up their loads. Thomas and Henry have been harrowing in oats over the river. James came home from MONTREAL . We have begun to put some potatoes in the drills tonight. I have been hoeing in some black oats and grass seed at the fartest end of the potash gulley, &c. Mr. Cooley and Molly Dunn were here this day. Comes on a little rain.

Saturday, 27th. May, 1837 This is a cold morning but a fine day and we have been putting some potatoes in the drills and sowed 2 bushells of oats and I have been in the garden a while. I put in a few broad beans. Mr. Cooley and Mary Dunn are here.

Sunday, 28th. May, 1837 This is a rather frosty morning but a very fine day and my wife, James and I were over at the Church and we had a great many callers in today, 5 of the Brown’s, D. Petrie, J.Pollock and his wife, R.Pollock, Dorcus Pollock, Florilla Mitchell and Mary Dunn and Mr. Cooley are still here.

Monday, 29th. May, 1837 This is a sharp frosty morning but a fine day. Our cabbage plants are some of them killed with the frost last night. Boys are carrying ashes on the land and Henry and Joseph are at plough up the top of the Hill by the Line side. I have been making a drain between the rocks by the Big Mountain and hoed in a few English Oats and we have planted 2 1/2 Bushells of Potatoes, we have in now 12 bushells. Mrs. Petrie was here cutting out some clothes for the Boys. We hear of Mr. Pollock having had one of his cows killed by a BEAR.

Tuesday, 30th. May, 1837 This is a fine day and the boys, James, Thomas and Henry have been harrowing in a few English Oats between the rocks and Joseph and Mary are planting for Mr. Petrie. I have been hoeing in a few English Oats where the barley has been drowned.

Wednesday, 31st. May, 1837 This is a fine hot day and the boys have been ploughing, harrowing, loging, Dung carting, &c. I have been down to Mr. Robinson’s and got some trousers for Joseph, also some shirting &c. I wrote a letter for Mrs. Petrie to her husband.

Thursday, 1st. June, 1837 This is a fine day and it thundered and lightened early this morning and the boys have been over to Wm.’s place loging and harrowing in a few oats upon half then we are getting in a few English Oats &c. and began to fix the fence &c. George was at plough a while at William’s place. Thomas is at Mr. Pollock’s

Friday, 2nd. June, 1837 This is a fine hot day and our boys and John Pollock are loging and Mary planted 1/2 bushell of potatoes. I have hoed in a few English oats. The black flies are terrible bad today and it comes on a little shower of rain.

Saturday, 3rd. June, 1837 This is a fine rain the forepart of the day and the boys are planting potatoes a while today. Mary down at George’s. I have sowed a few small beans and it comes on a heavy thunderstorm this evening and we have 17 BUSHELLS of potatoes in and finished oats today.

Sunday, 4th. June, 1837 This is a fine day after the rain and my wife and myself and 4 of the boys were at Church hearing Mr. Reid’s farewell sermon and a fine one he made and after he married Mr. Cooley and Mary Dunn down at George’s place then in the evening we came home.

Monday, 5th. June, 1837 This is a fine day and the boy’s Thomas and James are fencing at the Line side between Marlin’s and ourselves. Henry and Mary are planting potatoes. My wife is over at Mrs. Pollock”s as she scalded her foot on Saturday. Last this day 35 YEARS my wife and I were MARRIED and we are all well thank God for it. Joseph is driving the plough at George’s with our two horses &c. Blows fresh from the Northward and this night we were all of us over at Mrs. Dunn’s place on account of Mr. Cooley and Molly Dunn’s wedding. We passed the night with them.

Tuesday, 6th. June, 1837 This is a fine day and James, Thomas and Henry are loging on 24 on the 7th. Range and I have been about the house all day and Mrs. barber came here for protection from Gowan Brown as she says her life is in damger. Mr. McGie was here awhile on his way up the Township. Mary and Joseph were helping George hoeing stumps &c. Eliza is down at George’s nursing for his wife.

Wednesday, 7th. June, 1837 This is a fine day and Thomas, Henry and the oxen are loging for Mr. Pollock and James is clearing on his own place for potatoes and Mery is planting. Joseph and I have been putting some dung on the garden &c. and then they planted some in the garde . I have fixed the gate at the Line side. Flies are terrible. Mary’s sow pigged 6 pigs.

Thursday, 8th. June, 1837 This is a fine hot day and the flies are terribly bad and I began a gate and have been about the house and James, Thomas, Henry, Mary and Joseph are planting on the 7th Range and Mrs. Barber is at our place as yet.

Friday, 9th. June, 1837 This was a fine hot day and the boys cleared and planted up on the upper lot and I have been about the house getting wood &c. and I began a Necessary &c. Flies are very bad.

Saturday, 10th. June, 1837 This is a fine hot day and the boys have been loging, clearing and planting &c. on the upper lot and I have been to Mr. Truesdell’s to meet Mr. Dugas with Mrs. Barber as she wishes to state her sad condition to him but he says he can do nothing in her affair so she came back to our place again this evening.

Sunday, 11th. June, 1837 This is a very fine day and as this is my birthday I am about 57 years old this day. Mrs. Barber is still with us and my wife and myself were over at William’s place this afternoon and James was at the Presbyterian Church as we have no minister at our own Church this day. Flies are terrible bad.

Monday, 12th. June, 1837 This is a fine day and the boys are clearing off and planting. I have sent a letter to Mr. Handley by David Petrie to get some meal &c. I have been a little while by the fence at the old chop.

Tuesday, 13th. June, 1837 This is a fine hot day and the boys are loging clearing and planting and the old Lady Barber is gone off. I have been fencing by the shop and different places. Flies are very bad.

Wednesday, 14th. June, 1837 This is a fine hot day and James has been over to Wm.’s for his bull and I believe Starry has the bull today and Thomas, Henry and the oxen are down at George’s loging and I have been at the fence and James, Mary and Joseph have finished the potatoes today. Flies are very bad.

Thursday, 15th. June, 1837 Thomas has been down to George’s and got a bushell of potatoes to plant on half. James has 1/2 bushell to plant for himself and joseph has been with Nann to the Bull to Mr. SMILEY’S then Joseph went to William’s with his saddle. I have set fire to rubbish over Jame’s shoot.

Friday, 16th. June, 1837 This is a dull morning with a very little rain and the boys are at the road leading to the Line and in the afternoon they were loging a while at Mr. Dunn’s. I have been fixing pickets by the garden cellar. Joseph down at George’s planting and our boys planted 1 1/2 bushells from George’s. My wife over at the village. Flies bad.

Saturday, 17th. June, 1837 This is a fine hot day and James and Thomas are at the Road and Henry and Joseph are down at George’s planting. I have been fencing by the garden cellar. Had a small shower about the middle of the day. Mr. and Mrs. Cooley were here these two days. Flies are bad.

Sunday, 18th. June, 1837 This is a fine hot day with a breeze from the Northward, the wind has been from the Northward most part of the week. Myself, James, Thomas and joseph were at the Presbyterian Church and David came from Montreal and brought us 1/2 kettle of meal at 11/4. Mrs. Petrie and one of her childen were here a while.

Monday, 19th. June, 1837 This is a fine hot day and Henry and Joseph are down at Mr. McCurdy’s with March to the Bull and James, Thomas and the oxen are on the road from Wm”s B—- Shantee downwards. George was up, and got the black horse and cart. Henry and Joseph cleaned the ditch from the potash house to Wm.’s Barn. Mr. Carr, his son, Mr. Law, Wm. Marlin, Mr. Lindsey, G. Brown, D. Petrie, Wm. Brown, A. McAuley were on the road and they have young turkeys out today &c.

Tuesday, 20th. June, 1837 This is a fine rainy day and Mary and Joseph went down to George’s but they could not plant any. Boy’s in the house most of this day. Joseph came up with the horse and cart from George’s &c.

Wednesday, 21st. June, 1837 This is a fine growing day after the rain and Henry is down at Mr. Hay’s and Joseph is down at George’s. James and Thomas and the others are on the road by the Hang over Rock. I am fixing the fence in places for Lion breaks down it every day. Wm. and his wife were here.

Thursday, 22nd. June, 1837 This is a fine growing day and James, Thomas and Henry are loging. Mary, Joseph and Eliza are planting a bushell of potatoes, George sent up. I have been at the fence the bottom of the hill in the interval William’s wife was took sick here last night, she was not able to go home till to-day. Comes on a fine thunder shower to-night. Flies are bad.

Friday, 23rd. June, 1837 This is a fine growing day after the rain and James, Thomas and Henry are loging. Joseph and Eliza are cutting some thistles a while then my wife Joseph and Eliza went over to William’s place to carry their wheel home. I am about the fence and different things about the house &c.

Saturday, 24th. June, 1837 This is a fine rain. The boys were obliged to rise just after daylight in order to save their ashes and in te afternoon James, Thomas and Henry were loging and Joseph and I got a little firewood down and I was working a little while at the Necessary.

Sunday, 25th. June, 1837 This is a dull fine growing day and James, Thomas and Henry were at Church but no minister was there, so Mr. Parkinson preached a little &c.

Monday, 26th. June, 1837 This is a fine day and James and Thomas on the Road. Henry has been down for Lime for William. My wife and Mary were in the garden weeding. Joseph and Eliza cutting thistles in the barley. I have been fixing a gateway at the top of the Line Hill then I began to hoe the weeds out of the potatoes &c. Flies are very bad. Wm.’s wife is very sick.

Tuesday, 27th. June, 1837 This is a fine growing day and the boy’s are splitting 100 rails for Wm. Marlin, then they were after their ashes &c. Henry cutting thistles. I have been hoeing some potatoes. Comes on a heavy shower with a little thunder. Wm. came here to empty the letches.

Wednesday, 28th. June, 1837 This is a fine growing day and James, Thomas and Henry are drawing down ashes and William, my wife, Joseph and Eliza are over at Keo’s place with the Bull and the two heifers. I have been hoeing potatoes &c. The flies are terribly bad and Molly Dunn and her husband went off today. William’s wife is very sick.

Thursday, 29th. June, 1837 This is a full but fine growing weather and the boy’s are drawing down ashes then James and Thomas were attending the Militia. I have been hoeing potatoes a while. Henry fetched a load of ashes from old Libby’s. Joseph and Eliza weeding thistles out of the oats &c. My wife over at Mr. Petrie’s. The flies are worse today than they ever were.

Friday, 30th. June, 1837 This is a most blessed growing day as we had a fine shower some time in the night. Boy’s drew some ashes then they drew some rails for George then te afternoon Joseph and Eliza were cutting thistles. My wife and Mary were in the garden. I hoed at the potatoes.

Saturday, 1st. July, 1837 This was a fine growing day w thunder storms & james, Thomas and Henry are at the potash, drawing wood, putting up the spouts & starting the letches and began to boil a barrel for William. I have been hoeing potatoes. Joseph & Eliza weeded oats a while and then potatoes.

Sunday, 2nd. July, 1837 This is a fine day after the showers and this day 26 years we arrived in QUEBEC from LONDON.The boys were boiling all last night and Henry, Joseph and myself was at the Church but we had no minister so we stopped at the Sunday School.

Monday, 3rd. July, 1837 This iboy’s at the potash and I have been to Mr. Robinson’s and Dugas for flour but could get none so on my way home I got 30 lbs. from George. Quite a wet evening but cleared up later.

Tuesday, 4th. July, 1837 Had a fine thunder shower or two today and the boy’s are at the potash and in the afternoon they were loging and I hoed potatoes and my wife has set out some cabbage plants &c. Mr. Bateman was here a while. Cows in the oats by the Line Hill.

Wednesday, 5th. July, 1837 This is a fine day and Henry has gone with the horse and cart to take a load of hides out to St. Rock’s for Mr. Bateman and James and Thomas are getting melting wood and I hoed some potatoes and melted William’s potash and I have hoed potatoes a while. Flies are bad.

Thursday, 6th. July, 1837 This was a wet morning but cleared off and the boy’s James and Thomas, are at Dowler’s Bee. Henry came home from St. Rock’s and Wm. and Joseph have started for Montreal with a barrel of potash and butter. Our barley began to ear out today, the first sown. George got the black horse to go to Mr. Jeffries. i sent a letter to Charles.

Friday, 7th. July, 1837 This was fine hot day and Henry and Thomas chopped and the oxen were down at George’s place and my wife is over at Wm.’s place as his wife is very ill as yet, and Mary and Eliza are weeding in the garden. I have been at the fence a while and hoed potatoes,&c.

Saturday, 8th. July, 1837 This was a fine hot day and James, Thomas, Henry and George are loging. Mary, Eliza and myself hoed potatoes and I mended the fence Lion knocked down. The flies are terribly bad every day and we hear of the new minister having come.

Sunday, 9th. July, 1837 This was a very fine day and myself and James and Thomas were at church hearing Mr. Rowlin Hill Bourne and a fine semon he preached. My wife, Mery and George’s Mary went up to see Wm.’s wife as she is very ill. This is the seventh Sunday after Trinity. Mr. Eveleigh’s hogs are in William’s crop today.

Monday, 10th. July, 1837 This is a fine day and James, Thomas and Henry are at their log heaps &c. &c. I have been at the potatoes a while and William and Joseph came home from MONTREAL. My wife is at Wm.’s place.

Tuesday, 11th. July, 1837 This was a very fine day and the boy’s are after their ashes and chopping and loging. James is down at Mr. Dugas Mill to fetch up some flour and I and the children have been moulding up some potatoes. Mr. Bourne the Minister was here a while this evening. Flies are very bad. Marlin is filling the letches &c.

Wednesday, 12th. July, 1837 This was a very fine hot day and the boys are loging and chopping and they have David Petrie helping. Joseph and Eliza are cutting thistles in the oats &c. I have been at the potatoes and have been mending the gate at the back of the barn. My wife over at Mr. Pollock’s paying them 30 shillings for William £1/10/0 Marlin getting us some ashes in the letches.

Thursday, 13th. July, 1837 This is a fine growing day with a fine breeze from the S West and a small shower. James, Thomas, Henry and John Pollock are chopping and loging and drew down some ashes &c. Joseph has been over to
William’s place with our horse and cart to take him some salt and flour over and brought some ashes back. Mr. Marlin is boiling today and I have been at the potatoes weeding and at the fence &c, &c.

Friday, 14th. July, 1837 James and Henrey are chopping a little and at their log heaps and Thomas is at Mr. Pollock’s. Joseph and Eliza are weeding &c. William has the oxen at his place today and my wife is over there as his wife is put to bed with a boy, very sick and it died in the evening.

Saturday, 15th. July, 1837 We had a fine thunder shower and the boys are drawing ashes and chopping and John Pollock is at work with them. I have been about the Fence over the river &c. Sinclair’s cattle were in the grass today. My wife came home from William’s and he and Henry were over at the Village to bury the Child and Henry was obliged to go to William’s for the oxen &c. Joseph weeding for William.

Sunday, 16th. July, 1837 This is a fine warm day and myself, James, Henry, Mary and Joseph were at Church and Mrs. Petrie was in here on her way to MONTREAL and John Pollock and Mr. Dowler was here and in the evening our JOHN came up to see us.

Monday, 17th. July, 1837 This is a fine day and George came up and had breakfast. John and he went away. Mr. Dowler was over grinding an axe. John Pollock was over. James, Thomas and Henry are chopping and loging, drawing ashes, &c. Joseph hoeing potatoes for William. I have made a clog for the black horse as we cannot keep him in the pasture. He broke over into William Marlin’s.

Tuesday, 18th. July, 1837 This is a fine day and the Boy’s are chopping and loging &c. John Pollock is with them and my wife is over at Williams seeing his wife as she is sick. I have been about the house. Joseph and Eliza are weeding William’s potatoes. Mr. Scalley has our cart today.

Wednesday, 19th. July, 1837 We had a fine rain today and in the afternoon it cleared up fine. James is down for lime and Thomas is at Mr. Pollock’s and Henry is about home and I have been at the Village on a Vestry and Joseph and Mary and Eliza were about the house &c. and it is a most beautiful growing day.

Thursday, 20th. July, 1837 This is a dull day for the most part but a fine growing day and the boy’s James, Thomas and Henry are filling Letches and began to boil then Thomas went in the morning to work at clearing up the Church yard. I have been pulling weeds out of the oats over the River. Mr. Marlin melted last night.

Friday, 21st. July, 1837 This is a fine growing day with a fine shower and James and Thomas are at James Brown’s. Henry and Joseph are at the potash. I have been mending the gate at the barn &c. and drying a little grass, then Henry and I got a little firewood to the potash.

Saturday, 22nd. July, 1837 This was a fine day. James is at the potash and moulding up the potatoes and I have been at the potash a while. Thomas and Henry piling brush &c. Mary, eliza and myself carried in the grass &c. below the cellar.

Sunday, 23rd. July, 1837 A fine day and James, Thomas, Mary, Joseph and I were at church and the news of Petrie’s land is come to be sold. Wm. over this afternoon with our harness &c.

Monday, 24th. July, 1837 A fine shower early this morning and the boy’s are at the potash and drawing wood the first part of the morning then James worked at repairing the cart. George came up to get the cart and the two horses to draw . July, 1837 . July, 1837 . July, 1837 ashes.Henry at the potash. Thomas mowing s little while and we got a piece of Ash for Barrel heads &c. Thomas and I sawed it and they have been getting some melting wood and they melted tonight.

Tuesday, 25th. July, 1837 This is a fine day with wind from the Northward and James is at work at the cart and Thomas is helping Mr. Law with the two oxen draw some ashes over as he is filling the letches today and Henry is over to William’s place with some heading and is to bring a barrel home with him. Myself, Mary, Joseph and Eliza hoed potatoes and my wife is weeding in the garden. David Petrie has our cart to draw two loads of ashes for Mr. Law. James was over to the Blacksmiths getting some screws made for the cart.

Wednesday, 26th. July, 1837 This is a fine warm day and in the afternoon we had a fine shower and I have been pulling some weeds out of the oats and James has been with Mr. norrish to look at some grass of Mr. Hall’s they say and then he went over with the screws to get them altered as they are too long. Henry came home from Wm’s with a potash barrel. Thomas has been mowing a little while then he and some children from above and our children have beeb hoeing up William’s potatoes. Wife weeded garden.

Thursday, 27th. July, 1837 This was a very warm day at times and at other times overcast and cool, rather inclined to rain a little and James started for MONTREAL with a barrel of potash and henry helped him down as far as Mr. Jeffries and came home. Thomas and he are down at George’s place chopping and our children finished up William’s potatoes. My wife weeded in the garden. I have been turning over some grass that has been mowed and pulled some weeds out of the oats. Old Mr. Keo is acting very unjust with our William.

Friday, 28th. July, 1837 This was a fine warm morning and Mr. Marlin came and paid us £1/0/0 for the potash work &c.&c. Mr. Sculley was here grinding his axe. Joseph is hoeing up some potatoes and we took up some POTATOES for dinner yesterday so we commenced early this year. I have been pulling some weeds out of the oats over the river. Thomas and Henry are chopping at George’s. We received a letter from CHARLES and he is well and bad times in New York. Joseph was over at the Village at Mr. Robinson’s, Mr. Norrish’s Post Office and at Mr. Truesdell’s &c. Had a little shower this evening.

Saturday, 29th. July, 1837 This was a very fine growing morning and I have been a little while hoeing up potatoes and Joseph was a while at them then he had to go after our old JERSEY and I have been turning a little hay.

Thomas and Henry are chopping at George’s and we hear of the death of his MAJESTY KING WILLIAM THE FOURTH.

Sunday, 30th. July, 1837 This was a wet day all day and James arrived home from MONTREAL about 7 o’clock this morning and myself, Henry and Joseph went to Church and George was up after church and we had a thunder storm tonight.

Monday, 31st. July, 1837 This is a fine day after the rain and the rivers are overflown and James has been mowing a while and David Petrie was helping him and Thomas and Henry are chopping at George’s and finished. I have been down to Mr. Robinson’s and paid him £1/0/0 on account due to him 3/ 14/ 11 1/2 . My wife has been over at the Vilage with some fruit to the Minister and she was at Mr. Norrish’s. Joseph was over with some meal to William.

Tuesday, 1st. Augt., 1837 This was a fine morning and James, Thomas and David Petrie were mowing. John Pollock was here grinding his axe and we had a small shower and we got in a little hay that we have mowed this some time past and it is not very good. Our oxen have been in theoats twice today and once yesterday. George’s wife and family were here today getting currents.

Wednesday, 2nd. Augt., 1837 This is a fine hot morning but it comes in a little shower and we have been turning over the hay but we could but little in as it is not fit. The boy’s are chopping and David Petrie is helping them. I have mended up a rake or two today. George was up with our cart. It comes on a small shower or two and we cannot get any hay in. My wife was at Mr. O’Neils and Currens &c. Mr. Hoey was here for some money &c. for shoe mending.

Thursday, 3rd. Augt., 1837 This is a fine cool morning with the wind from the Northward and we had fine showers in the night or early in the morning. Henry is at Mr. Pollock’s and James and Thomas are mowing. I have been at the fence by the barn a little while and we were turning the hay and raking and carried in some &c.

Friday, 4th. Augt., 1837 This is a very fine day. James and Thomas are at William Marlin”s Bee and Henry is mowing and I am attending the hay shaking out and raking and in the afternoon Henry, Joseph and myself carried in a little load of hay.

Saturday, 5th. Augt., 1837 This is a fine hay day and James is at Mr. Brown’s and Thomas and Henry are mowing and then we raked up some hay and carried in 4 loads of hay this evening and the flies are very bad to-night.

Sunday, 6th. Augt., 1837 This is a fine day and myself and James and Thomas, Mary and Joseph were at Church and in the evening my wife, James, Thomas and Joseph and Eliza were at Church at Mr. Keo’s place.

Monday, 7th. Augt., 1837 This is a fine day and we have been over to the Village to the sale of Mr. Petrie’s land then we came back and carried in 4 loads of hay and then the boy’s mowed a little.

Tuesday, 8th. Augt., 1837 This is a very fine morning and the Boy’s are mowing a while by the Big Mountain then they were mowing in the meadow by Petrie’s and I have been over to William’s place to copy off an agreement on him. They took in one load of hay.

Wednesday, 9th. Augt., 1837 This is a wet day and the Boy’s have been mowing &c. Mr. Law melted today.

Thursday, 10th. Augt., 1837 Small rain the forepart of this day. Thomas and Henry are mowing. James mended a sleigh of Mr. Law’s and I and Joseph and Eliza were over at the Church this evening but the minister Mr. Bourne is sick, he did not preach. We changed Jersey away for a cow of Mr. Law’s.

Friday, 11th. Augt., 1837 Small rain this morning and James has been and fetched home the cow as she ran off home yesterday evening and Henry is over at Mr. Cochrane’s place mowing for Mr. Norrish’s people.

Saturday, 12th. Augt., 1837 This is a fine day and James, Thomas and Mary are in the meadow turning the hay & likewise at home.Henry is over at Mr. Cochrane’s mowing for Mr. Norrish as they did not mow yesterday. Joseph was down to Mr. Hoey’s for his shoes but did not get them. I have been over to Mr. Dunn’s Sam Asbell’s & Henry Law’s for the cow & I have been getting bark to make ropes to tigh out the horse, oxen, &c. Looks like rain.

Sunday, 13th. Augt., 1837 This was a wet morning but cleared up and myself, my wife, Henry, Joseph and Mary were at Church and then called at George’s a while and Mrs. Sharp, and Mr. Sharp, William and his wife were over here and old Mr. Petrie and several people called in a heavy shower with thunder to-night.

Monday, 14th. Augt., 1837 This is a dull morning but fine day and in the early part of the morning James and Mrs. Law started for Montreal and Henry and the old horse are helping them out of the Township. Thomas and Joseph are about home. Mr. Law is boiling down some …. and we have turned over the hay but it is in bad order.

Tuesday, 15th. Augt., 1837 TRhis is a dull morning but turnrd to rain and we have been getting out some cedars and in the afternoon it came on a heavy thunder shower, we cannot do anything in the hay today.

Wednesday, 16th. Augt., 1837 This is a dull morning and it is dull most of the day and we have been drawing ceaders and fencing down by the garden &c. &c. and there came on a thunder storm this evening.

Thursday, 17th. Augt., 1837 This is a fine day and Thomas, Henry and Joseph are chopping a while and Mr. Hall”s people and Mr. (?lbon) the Baillif came and put PetrieS people out of their house and they and their things are at our place and James and Mrs. Law came home late to-night from MONTREAL.

Friday, 18th. Augt., 1837 This is a fine day and the Boy’s, Thomas, Henry, Joseph are turning over the hay and got in two loads. James is over at William’s place for the old mare to go to L’Assumption for the minister. I have begun to reap a little barley today for the first time this year.

Saturday, 19th. Augt., 1837 This is a fine day and Thomas, Henry and Joseph are at the hay in the meadow and at home and got in 5 small loads and James came home from L’Assumption. Flies are terribly bad. I reaped a little barley again today.

Sunday, 20th. Augt., 1837 This is a fine day and my wife and I, James, Thomas, Mary and Joseph were at Church and old Mrs. Petrie is still at our place and David Petrie and his Mother were here a while this afternoon.

Monday, 21st. Augt., 1837 This is a very fine day and we carried in some hay and carried some together in the meadow and made a stack of it and I was raking some hay over the river and Mary and Eliza were carrying it over the bridge and at night we carried it in and I took a little barley in. It comes on a heavy thunder storm. The boy’s mowed a little today.

Tuesday, 22nd. Augt., 1837 Rather inclined to be showery and the boy’s are mowing at home and my wife has been down to Mr. Robinson’s and I have sent a letter to CHARLES by one Miss Braydon. James took it down to George Robinson’s.

Wednesday, 23rd. Augt., 1837 Showery weater at times and the boy’s are finishing mowing at home today and we were mowing in the meadow a little while. We could not get in any hay today. I have reaped a little barley and begun to threash a little.

Thursday, 24th. Augt., 1837 This is a drying day more than usual and we got in a little load of hay but not very fit and William and his man came here to his place to mow & the Notary came and he has to leave Mr. Keo’s place on terms. I have threashed a little while. Boy’s mowed in the meadow.

Friday, 25th. Augt., 1837 This was a dull morning and I was over to Mr. Keo’s with Gowan Brown to see how William and they agreed and then I came home and the sun is very hot. I set out some barley to dry and in a little while it came on a shower and I had scarcely hads time to getr it in before the rain. Boy’s are in the meadow and they have been chopping a while.

Saturday, 26th. Augt., 1837 This is a fine day till the afternoon and the boy’s got in one load of hay. I have threashed a little barley and cleaned up two bushells and carried in a little and it comes on to rain and Henry has taken a pig to Mr. Hay’s and there came on a heavy thunder storm to night.

Sunday, 27th. Augt., 1837 This was a fine day and 3 of the children were at Sunday school as there was no service in the Church as the minister is away and Gowan Brown, William Tigh, William and his wife were here looking over some accounts against Mr. Keo &c.&c.

Monday, 28th. Augt., 1837 This is a very fine day and the boy’s are carrying in hay and I have been reaping some barley and carried in some. Mary was over at the Village.

Tuesday, 29th. Augt., 1837 This is a fine day and Thomas, Henry and Joseph are cocking up some hay in the meadow. James and Mary are keeping William Brown’s WEDDING.I have been reaping some barley and carried in a little. Started to rain tonight. Eliza is over to the Village with some butter to Mr. Norrish &c.

Wednesday, 30th. Augt., 1837 This was a wet morning but it cleared off after a while and James and Mary came home from the wedding and Henry is down at the Mill with 2 bushells of barley. Thomas and Joseph are in the meadow getting hay out of the alders. I have been to William’s place at Keo’s as there is an arbitration respecting the crop &c. between William and he. Mr. Dugas, Mr. Blair and Mr. Cook.

Thursday, 31st. Augt., 1837 This is a fine day and the boy’s are stacking up some hay in the meadow. I have reaped a little barley. Mary raked for William a while and there came on a little shower.

Friday, 1st. Sept., 1837 This was a fine morning and James, Thomas, George are mowing in the big meadow. Henry is down to Mr. hoey’s, Robinson’s &c. I have been reaping barley a little while and doing one little job or the other about the place.

Saturday, 2nd. Sept., 1837 This was a dull morning and came on to rain and the boy’s James and Thomas and Joseph are piling brush a while and Henry with the oxen are down at George’s. Rained heavy tonight. I have threashed a little barley.

Sunday,3rd. Sept., 1837 This was a fine day and James, Henry, Mary, Eliza Joseph and myself were at Church and George’s wife was up here a while and we were up at James.

Monday, 4th. Sept., 1837 This was a fine day and the boy’s have been stacking hay in Mr. Law’s meadow. I have carried in some barley.

Tuesaday, 5th. Sept., 1837 This was a fine day and Thomas and Henry are fencing in William’s clearance and James and Mary are down with William Browns Weddingers and Thomas and Henry went in the afternoon. I have reaped some barley and carried in a little &c. My wife has been over to Mr. O’Neal’s and put his wife to bed with a daughter.

Wednesday, 6th. Sept., 1837 This was a fine day and the Weddingers came home this morning and the boy’s are fencing a little while in William’s clearance and I have been reaping a while &c.&c. My wife at O’Neal’s today.

Thursday, 7th. Sept., 1837 This was a fine day and we had a small shower very early this morning and James, Thomas have been cutting some Grass seed and Henry is down at the Mill with 3 1/2 bushells of barley and the girls are down at Mr. Robinson’s for some shirting.

Friday, 8th. Sept., 1837 This was a fine hot day and James is at the Village for some things for his Bee. Thomas is doing a little at the fence and then we got in some grass seed. Henry is helping Mr. Law stack his hay in the meadow. I put in a little barley.

Saturday, 9th. Sept., 1837 This was a dull morning but it turnred out a fine hot day and James has Mr. Law, John and William Marlin, Mr. Lindsey, two Sharps, George, William, Thomas and Henry loging up on the Hill at his own clearance. I have threashed a little barley.

Sunday, 10th. Sept., 1837 This was a dull morning rather inclined to rain but turned out fine after, and myself, Henry, Mary, Joseph and Eliza were at Church and William’s wife was here a while and my wife was down to see Mrs. Petrie, she is sick.

Monday, 11th. Sept., 1837 This was a wet morning and then it blows off and then in the afternoon came on to rain and blows hard from the Northward. The two Brown girls went home this morning and we have been reaping someoats and barley. William and his wife were here a while after their flax &c. We put a cow over to Mr. LAW’S.

Wednesday, 13th. Sept., 1837 This was a fine morning and the boy’s were reaping a little while and I have been over to the Village to a Vestry held at the Parsonage House and William, James, Thomas and Henry have been loging all afternoon.

Thursday, 14th. Sept., 1837 This was a fine day and James and Thomas are at their log heaps and chopping &c. Henry over helping William and Joseph and I finished reaping the barley except a little that is green around the edges in places. My wife is down at Mr. Dugas, &c. &c. I carried in a few sheaves of barley.

Friday, 15th. Sept., 1837 This was a fine day and James and Henry are at James Brown’s Bee. Thomas is at the log heaps and I have been binding a few oats and carried in 45 sheaves and carried in some barley. Joseph is down at Mr. Dugas’ to fetch up his Mother.

Saturday, 16th. Sept., 1837 This was a fine day and James is up at the augmentation and Thomas and Henry are at the log heaps. I have been binding some oats and put in 28 sheaves and carried in some barley.

Sunday, 17th. Sept., 1837 This was a fine day and the children Mary, Joseph and Eliza were at Sunday School then at Church and myself and James and Thomas.

Monday, 18th. Sept., 1837 This was a dull day and looked very heavy for rain but we had only two small showers. James is down for Lime. Thomas is at John Marlin’s Bee. Henry, Mary, Joseph and Eliza are reaping oats under the Big Mountain. I have reaped some by the barn &c. We carried in the sheaves. Comes on a very fine clear night. Henry started for the Mill but looked so much like rain he returned to save his ashes but it did not rain thank God. Henry & Thomas out tonight.

Tuesday, 19th. Sept., 1837 This was a fine day and James squared some sleigh runners and Thomas & Henry were at William Marlin’s Bee. Mary, Joseph and myself reaping some oats and I carried in 4 sheaves. Wind northwest.

Wednesday, 20th. Sept., 1837 This is a fine day. James, Thomas and Henry are loging a while. Mary and Joseph are down at George’s reaping for him. I have been binding 4 bushell barley and reaping a few oats and carried in 5 sheaves. Henry is down at the Mill with 4 bushells of barley.

Thursday, 21st. Sept., 1837 This is a sharp frost, it has killed the potatoes and

Henry came up from the Mill then James, Thomas and Henry are at their ashes and drawing some down and I have been reaping a few oats in places where they are ripe and I have ben binding and we have carried in 136 sheaves. Mary and Joseph are reaping for George and came home to-night.

Friday, 22nd. Sept., 1837 This was a fine day and the boy’s are at their ashes and Joseph is mowing peas and I have been reaping a few oats and carried in 4 sheaves. Sharp frost for thepotatoes.

Saturday, 23rd. Sept., 1837 It was a little frosty this morning but the wind blows very hard and Thomas, James and Henry are mowing peas and reaping some oats and began to reap the wheat and I have reaped a few oats and carried in 3 sheaves. The hogs and pigs are in mischief.

Sunday, 24th. Sept., 1837 This is a fine day and myself, James, Henry, Mary, joseph and Eliza were at Church and William and his wife and maid and George were here this afternoon a while.

Monday, 25th. Sept., 1837 This is a fine morning and James, Thomas, Henry and Joseph were reaping oats on the Island then they were at their ashes a while , then thewy were carrying in 3 loads of Peas and 102 sheaves of Oats and 42 sheaves of wheat and Mary and Joseph were reaping wheat at the foot of the Big Mountain. I was binding oats and wheat.

Tuesday, 26th. Sept., 1837 This morning is dull and we have had a little shower and the boy’s James, Thos. and Henry are all chopping and drawing some ashes &c. Mary and Joseph are reaping oats. I am storing away in the barn one thing and another. Lion has done some mischief and damage with the oats and Barley at the Barn. Eliza minded the cattle &c. Thomas and Henry are mowing peas this afternoon. James has gone down for lime. I have reaped some oats and carried in 6 sheaves.

Wednesday, 27th. Sept., 1837 This is a fine morning and I have been in the barn a little while and Thomas and Henry are at their ashes then we bound up some wheat and carried in 57 sheaves and bound oats and carried in 138 sheaves. Comes on to rain tonight. James came up with the lime.

Thursday, 28th. Sept., 1837 This is a dull morning with a little rain tonight, and the boy’s have begun to boil the potash and got so wet we could do little out.

Friday, 29th. Sept., 1837 This was a fine day and James has gone to MONTREAL with Mrs. Sinclair, and Thomas, Mary and Joseph are reaping wheat. Henry is boiling potash. I have turned oats and reaped a while, carried in 5 sheaves.

Saturday, 30th. Sept., 1837 This is a dull morning and I have been turning oats. Henry and Joseph are reaping wheat a little while. Thomas is at the potash and it appears heavy for rain, then we bound 66 sheaves of wheat and 41 of oats and it comes on a heavy rain all evening and most of the night.

Sunday, 1st. Octr., 1837 This is a dull morning but drys after and we were at Church 5 of us at the village and then 3 of them went to Keo’s Schoolhouse and heard the Minister there.

Monday, 2nd. Octr., 1837 This is a dull day and we have been tuirning wheat and oats but it came on a little rain. We got in 4 sheaves of oats only. Thomas at the potash. Henry has been down and got George’s cart. My wife down at Mr. Truesdell’s &c. Henry and Joseph are reaping a while this evening.

Tuesday, 3rd. Octr., 1837 This is a frosty morning with a little sleet or snow then it clears off. My back is very sore someway or other. Thomas is at the potash and I have been turning oats and peas and then we carried in 1 load of peas and 64 sheaves of oats and 36 of wheat and our John came up today and James came home from MONTREAL. Henry burnt his eye with the potash.

Wednesday, 4th. Octr., 1837 This is a sharp frost and it is a fine drying day and James, Henry, Joseph and Mary are reaping wheat and oats. Thomas is reaping at Wades as they are sick and then we carried in 1 load of peas and 240 sheaves of wheat and 5 sheaves of oats and dug a few potatoes.

Thursday, 5th. Octr., 1837 This is a frosty morning and clear but comes on dull, looks much for rain and the boy’s are digging potatoes a while they then reaped oats by the shop and I have been binding wheat but could not finish as it started to snow and covered the ground very quickly. We took in 96 sheaves of wheat and 2 of oats. Quite a wintry looking night. We put in all the cattle. My wife has gone down to Mr. Dugas.

Friday, 6th. Octr., 1837 This is a fine day after the snow and the boy’s are digging potatoes and reaping oats. I am very poorly with a cold and I have been putting potatoes in the cellar. Lion let the cattle in among the stooks of oats and destroyed a good many of them.

Saturday, 7th. Octr., 1837 Had a little fall of snow this morning then it got fine and the boy’s and Eliza and Mary are digging potatoes, we might sat ploughing them out of the drills.Then we put in 92 sheaves of oats and 8 sheaves of wheat and some potatoes from the back of the rocks by the Mountain.

Sunday 8th Octr., 1837 This is a fine morning after the snow and Joseph was at the Sunday School, there was none of the rest of us at the Village as there was no service at our Church. I am very poorly with a cold.

Monday, 9th Octr., 1837 This is a sharp frosty morning but a very fine day and James, Thomas & Joseph are taking up a few potatoes. Henry has been to Mr. Finley’s for ashes. We got 12 bushells and now 7 bushells makes 19 at 4/6/4. I am clearing up the barn, we have all our wheat in for this Season, 548 sheaves and this afternoon they are reaping oats over the river then we carried in 180 sheaves and Henry has been to Mr. Hobb’s Mill with 1 bushel of barley.

Tuesday, 10th Octr., 1837. This is a dull morning and the boys are reaping over the river and it comes on to rain and Mary and I went down to Mr. Dugas to our John’s WEDDING.

Wednesday, 11th. Octr., 1837. This is a fine day and the boy’s have Mr. Asbell at work with them today and they are reaping and taking up some potatoes and my wife, Mary and myself came up from Mr. Dugas and we brought up the 2 bushels of flour.

Thursday, 12th Octr., 1837. This is a wet morning for a while then it cleared up and I have been helping William fence his oats in behind the barn as the cattle are destroying them.

Friday, 13th Octr., 1837. This is a cold morning but very fine and Mr. Asbell and our boys are reaping oats and I have been carrying in some 300 and bound some over the river and they have been taking some potatoes out of the drills.

Saturday, 14th Octr., 1837. This is a sharp morning but a fine day and Sam’l Asbell and our boys are taking potatoes up out of the drills and finished them and then we carried in the last of our oats 759 sheaves this day and I am very happy to think they are in.

Sunday, 15th Octr., 1837. This is a fine day and myself, James, Mary, Joseph and Eliza were at Church.

Monday, 16th Octr., 1837. This is a sharp frost and a fine day and Mr. Wm Marlin and our boy’s are raising potatoes up on James’ lot and I have been taking up some parsnips and cabbage in the garden.

Tuesday, 17th Octr., 1837. This is a fine day and Samuel Asbell and our boy’s are raising potatoes on the hill and I have sent a letter to Charles by the Rev. Mr. Bourne’s brother. Henry helping William at his potatoes to-day. I have been taking in cabbage and parsnips &c.

Mr. Bourne sends me word that he has the fever.

Wednesday, 18th Octr., 1837. This is a fine morning but it comes on to rain. James started off for MONTREAL with a barrel of potash. Thomas, Joseph, Mary and Sam’l Asbell and Wm. Marlin are at the potatoes and Henry was there in the afternoon as he was fetching up his oats from William’s place. I have been about the house and in the garden a while.

Wednesday, 18th Octr., 1837. This is a fine morning but it comes on to rain. James started off for MONTREAL with a barrel of potash. Thomas, Joseph, Mary and Sam’l Asbell and Wm. Marlin are at the potatoes and Henry was there in the afternoon as he was fetching up his oats from William’s place. I have been about the house and in the garden a while.

Thursday, 19th Octr., 1837. This is a fine day byt very cold and I have been taking up a few drills of potatoes in the first planted over among the rocks and now I believe they are finished for this season. There is a very cold wind. William is drawing grain from his clearence. George is at his potash. Thomas and Joseph are taking up potatoes at Mr. Wades as they are sick.

Friday, 20th Octr. 1837. This is a wet cold morning and my wife has gone up to John Marlin’s as his wife is sick. We can do nothing out for a while. It is a cold morning for the cattle. James came home from MONTREAL some time in the night.

Saturday, 21th Octr., 1837. This is a fine day but cold and the boys have been about home and killed a cow and I have been down to Mr. Robinson’s and paid him 5 dollars on account. Joseph reaping oats for William. Henry has been to Mr. Norish’s to get the old horse shod.

Sunday, 22nd. Octr., 1837. This is a fine day but cool and our Minister is very sick and there is no church service to-day. Our John and his wife and two sisters came up to-day. Henry went down to the Mill with 4 bushells of Barley.

Monday, 23rd. Octr., 1837. This is a fine day and James and Joseph are at George’s potash and Thomas is at Mr. Norish’s and Henry came up from the Mill and I have been over to the Village and counted out 200 boards at Mr. Truesdells. Henry fetched out a load of oats for William to-night.

Tuesday, 24th. Octr., 1837. This is a fine day but cold and the boy’s are at Sam’l Asbells with the oxen loging for him. Myself and Joseph are at the potash. George came up and got the old horse and cart.

Wednesday, 25th. Octr., 1837. This is a terribly snowy day the whole day and the boys are at the potash and been at work at an ox sleigh. I have been threashing some barley.

Thursday, 26th. Octr., 1837. Rains this morning and some boy’s are at the potash and some at the ox sleigh. I am threashing some barley a little while and it continues wet all day.

Friday, 27th. Octr., 1837. This is rather a dry day and Thomas and James are chopping some wood for ashes. Herny and Joseph are fetching up some boards. I have been threashing barley &c.

Saturday, 28th. Octr., 1837. This is a fine day, and Thomas, James and Henry are chopping a while and in the morning Henry and Joseph fetched up a load or two of boards. I have been threashing some barley and William got the last of his oats home.

Sunday, 29th. Octr., 1837. This is a sharp frost at first but a fine day and our Minister is sick so some of the boys went one way and some another. Our pigs were put up yesterday. William Brown and we are clear of account he took his salt away &c. Mrs. Petrie and Nancy Brown and Mrs. Marlin were here.

Monday, 30th. Octr., 1837. This is a fine day and we have a Bee carrying out ashes on the land and some are stumping up by Mr. Marlin’s at the Line.

Tueday, 31st. Octr., 1837. This is a fine day and I have been to see the Minister Mr. Bourne and been looking our some quartering at Mr. Truesdelle and my wife has been down to see old Mrs. Petrie. James and Henry are at Mr. Laws Bee. Thomas is plastering at the cow house. Joseph begun to boil some lye for George.

Wedneday, 1st, Novr., 1837. Comes on to snow a little and Thomas, James and Henry are loging and I have threashed a few oats and my wife and I have been at Gawn Brown’s. Joseph has been boiling lye for George. I have bought an old loging chain off David Petrie.

Thursday, 2nd. Novr., 1837. This is a fine morning and James and Thomas are at the log heaps and Henry is emptying some letches &c. I am threashing.

Friday, 3rd. Novr., 1837. Boys are at their log heaps and drawing ashes from Asbells and we have had a fall of snow. I am threashing oats. George melted last night.

Saturday, 4th. Novr., 1837. This is a dull day and the boys’s are loging a while at Mrs. Dunn’s then drew some ashes.

Sunday, 5th. Novr., 1837. Snowed and rained most of the day with the wind form the Northward and William was over for a while, Mrs. Dunn, S. Asbell &c.

Monday, 6th. Novr., 1837. This is a fine day with a little frost and Thomas and Henry are drawing ashes and some potatoes. Joseph is drawing firewood. James is gone over to Mr.Reed’s in Ramsay. I have been threashing some oats &c. James Norrish was here this morning and his mare stopped here. Mary and Eliza were down at George’s place.

Tuesday, 7th. Novr., 1837. This is a fine frosty morning and Henry is over at Mrs. Dunn’s for a few ashes and Thomas is gone down to Mr. Hooey’s with some shoes &c. and James has paid Mr. Reid 10 dollars in cash and old Bob the horse for 13.50 makes account 23.50 15/17/6. Henry has gone down to the mill with 5 1/2 bushells of barley & the stove front to be mended. James came home to-night.

Wedneday, 8th. Novr., 1837. This is a fine day and the boy’s are all at the Potash and I am threashing some oats. Henry came up with the flour this forenoon. James Norrish borrowed our cart. Mr. Brace borrowed my saw.

Thursday, 9th. Novr., 1837. This is a dull morning and James is at the Potash. Thomas and Henry are at Henry Law’s loging and Joseph is down at the Blacksmiths for the stove front and to get the horse shod. It comes on a heavy fall of snow. I have cleared up some of the oats and we hear of war in Montreal or near there by the Canadians against government by Mr. Papineau.

Friday, 10th. Novr., 1837. This is a fine day and James and Thomas are at the Potash and Henry is over to Mr. Norish’s getting a chain mended and brought a load of boards from Mr.Truesdells and I have been threashing some oats and cleaned up 11 bushells. Joseph has been drawing wood for George with the horse, &c.

Saturday, 11th. Novr., 1837. This is a fine morning and James is at the potash and Thomas is over at Mr. Norish’s and Henry is at Mr. Dowler’s Bee. I have been threashing oats and cleaned up 1 bushell. Joseph has been drawing firewood. It comes on to snow this afternoon.

Sunday, 12th. Novr., 1837. This is a very fine morning after the snow and James and Henry were over at the Presbyterian Church and Mr. Tye, Mr. Jos.Norish were here in the afternoon.

Monday, 13th.Novr., 1837. This is a fine day and James started for Montreal with a barrel of potash &c. Henry has been to the Mill for a load of boards. Thomas gathering some sugar throughs &c.

Tuesday, 14th. Novr., 1837. This is a fine day but cold. Henry at the Mill with 12 bushells of oats. Thomas & Joseph drawing firewood and I have let Mr. Bourne have 1 bushell of oats and William came here to-night and his wife took the child away.

Wedneday, 15th Novr. 1837. This is a fine day and Thomas and Joseph are drawing some firewood a while then Thomas fetched some battens &c. from Mr. Truesdells and I have been to the Village to see Mr. Bourne the Minister. The man begun work at the clapboarding of the house.

Thursday, 16th Novr., 1837. This is a fine morning and Henry came home from the Mill and then we went down to George’s to help him kill a couple of hogs. Thomas at work at Mr. Law’s and I have been threashing some oats. Mary is down at George’s today. Mr. Genenerux and his son are at work at the clapboarding. It comes on to snow this afternoon. Mr. Hooey got a kentle of meal at 12/6.

Friday, 17th. Novr., 1837. This is a snowy day most part of it small snow and cold and Thomas is at Mr. Asbell’s and Henry about home and Joseph is at George’s with the oxen drawing wood for him and I am threashing oats and Mr.Genenerux and his son are at the clapboarding. James arrived home from Montreal.

Saturday, 18th. Novr., 1837. This is a fine day and James and Thomas are threshing wheat and Henry is at Mr. Braces at their raising of the Mill. I have cleaned up 4 1/2 bushells of wheat. Mr. Genenerux and his son still at the clapboarding. Joseph drew a little firewood and fetched the fan and riddle from William’s. Eliza came home from Mr. Lindsey’s.

Sunday, 19th. Novr., 1837. This is a fine day but we had a long shower of rain in the night or early this morning and Mrs. Dunn and Wm. Sinclair, James Norish and then George his wife and one child came up.

Monday, 20th. Novr., 1837. This is a snowy day and James is away to Le Assumption with 5 bushells of wheat and Thomas and Henry are at Wm. Marlin’s chopping and loging &c. I have been clearing up the barn.

Tuesday, 21st. Novr., 1837. This is a rainy day all day and Thomas and Henry are working at the cow bails a while as they could do nothing out. I have been threashing some oats. My wife is down at John Smiley’s, and James came home from L’Assupmtion tonight. Mr. Law commenced his potash.

Wednesday, 22nd. Novr., 1837. It has rained all night and still rains this morning. The boys are at the cow bails &c. Joseph cutting a little firewood. I was in the barn threashing and cleaning up some oats and have cleaned up 5 bushells. James has been getting some trousers cut out &c. Monsieur Genenerux and his son are at the clapboarding of the house.

Thursday, 23rd. Novr., 1837. This is a snowy morning with the wind from the S.West and it comes on cold. James has been up to Monsieur LeMarles and Thomas, Henry and Joseph getting wood a while and then they fetched down some potatoes &c. Monsieur Genenerux and his son clapboarding, &c.

Friday, 24th. Novr., 1837. This is a fine day but cold and James and Thomas are up at LeMarles drawing some logs to the saw mill and Henry has been to Mr. Hob’s with two bushells of barley and 5 bushells of oats. I threashed a while.

Saturday, 25th. Novr., 1837. This is a fine day and James and Thomas are at LeMarles and Henry at William’s drawing dung &c. I have been cleaning up some barley and threashed a few oats and cleaned them up. Mr. Genenerux at the clapboarding &c.

Sunday, 26th. Novr., 1837. This is a fine day and a lot of the Browns people were here this afternoon and Monsieur Genenerux stopped here today.

Monday, 27th. Novr. , 1837. This is a dull morning but cold and Henry at Mr. Truesdell’s Mill for some battens but did not get any. James and Thomas are drawing some potatoes down from 24 on the 7th range. Mg. G. clapboarding.

Tuesday, 28th. Novr., 1837. This is a fine day and James and Thomas are drawing down some more potatoes. Henry over at William’s place loging. Joseph and I were over at Mr.Bourne’s with a bushell of oats and at Mr. Truesdels for battens but got none. Mr.Genenerux at the windows.

Wedneday, 29th. Novr., 1837. Ths is rather inclined to rain and they are at the Militia and I have been to the barn. My wife is down at Truesdels. Henry and John Sharp are chopping on the Mountain. Mr. Genenerux at the windows and there is great talk of war and trouble.

Thursday, 30th. Novr., 1837. This is a fine day and James, Thomas and Henry are chopping on the Mountain. Joseph and I have been down to Mr. Truesdell’s and got 50 battens and some studding. Mr. Genenerux at the clapboarding &c.

Friday, 1st. Decr., 1837. This is a fine mild day with some rain inclined very dull and James is helping Mr. Law melt his potash and Thomas and Henry are chopping and I have cleaned up 2 bushells of oats. Clapboarding finished.

Saturday, 2nd. Decr., 1837. This is a fine mild day and James, Thomas, Henry, Mr. Law, Mr.Asbel are chopping and Joseph and I have been down to Mr.Truesdells and got 6 planks and some studding and I have cleaned up 3 bushells oats and we hear of great trouble with the people being at war in this Lower Province. MonsieurGenenerux at work for doors &c.

Sunday, 3rd. Decr., 1837. It rained all last night and some little showers this morning and blows fresh from the S West and my wife and I were over at Williams and the roads are very slippery indeed. Still bad news in the war line.

Monday, 4th Decr., 1837. This is a fine day but dull weather and the boy’s are loging up on the Mountain. Mr. Law and Mr. Asbell with them and Mr. McGee was here preventing on the lot and our old Tom is ordering the men to be ready for Montreal.

Tuesday, 5th Decr., 1837. This is a fine day and the boys are attending their log heaps &c. and the people are very discouraged about the people being routed in such a way. I have been threashing peas for the hogs and Joseph has been to the Mill with Mr.Bowler’s grain. My wife has been down to Mr. Truesdell’s and George’s place.

Wednesday, 6th. Decr., 1837. This is a little fall of snow and the boys are loging on the Mountain and I have been threashing some peas. Mr. Bowler, William and George were here to-night and some ??re and Mr. Genenenrux and his son are laying the floor these two days and the people are stopped by Col. Jullet from going to Montreal. Our old Tom has not got it his own way altogether.

Thursday, 7th. Decr., 1837. The boys are at their log heaps &c. and I have been threashing some peas and Mr. Genenerux and son are laying the floor.

Friday, 8th. Decr., 1837. This is a cold day and the boys are loging and George and William are helping them a little while. Henry Law and Sam Asbell are with them all day. Peggy and I were at Church and there was Proclamation out against PAPINEAU and others.

Saturday, 9th . Decr., 1837. This is a fine day but a cold morning and the boys Thomas and Henry are at their log heaps &c. James is at LeMarles and I have been threashing some peas and cleaned ? bushells for the hogs. Mr. Genenerux and his son are at the floors.

Sunday, 10th. Decr., 1837. This is a dull cold morning with the wind from the Northward and Mary, Joseph, Eliza and I were at Church and about the middle of the Prayers Mr. Griffiths and his soldiers came home form Sorel and Mr. Law, Mr. Asbell, Mr. Dowler and George, his wife and 3 children were here and Mr. Wm. Marlin so our place is middling well filled at times.

Monday, 11th. Decr., 1837. This is a milder day than yesterday was but is is still dull weather and James and Henry are at their log heaps and ashes. Thomas is at Mr. McGie’s. Joseph at Mr.Hob’s mill. Eliza at Mr. O’Neals and then to Williams for one thing and another. I threashed peas.

Tuesday, 12h. Decr., 1837. They are emptying letches and killed a pig we called Henry. I have been threashing some peas and cleaned up 2 bushells and Monsieur Genenerux and his son have finished the floor today. Joseph is chopping some wood for Mr.Bourne the Minister and the boys, Thomas and Henry have put their names in to Volunteer to the Rawdon care &c.

Wednesday, 13th. Decr., 1837. This is a fine day but quite cold and Thomas and Henry have joined the Soldiers this morning and got ONE DOLLAR a piece and I have begun to threash some wheat &c. Joseph over to Mr. Hob’s. The girls are down to Mr. Robinsons for 300 nails. James has been cutting up the hog and he weighed 147 1/2 lbs. and drew some stuff for train bottoms for Mr. Truesdells &c. George and his wife were up.

Thursday, 14th Decr., 1837. This is a fine day but cold and James and Joseph are on the Mountain chopping a while. Monsieur Genenerux and his son are at the door cappings and the stairs &c. Thomas and Henry are soldiering.

Friday, 15th Decr., 1837. This is a very fine day but cold in the morning and James, George, Mr. Law and William Marlin are loging up on the Mountain and Monsieur Genenerux and his son are at work at studding and the stairs &c. and Thomas and Henry are soldiering at the Village and we are obliged to carry them victuals or they would want. I have been threashing some oats and cleaned up 1 1/2 bushells and 1 1/2 bushells of wheat, nothing but war here now.

Saturday, 16th. Decr., 1837. This is a cold morning but a fine day and James is at his log heaps and Joseph with the oxen are at Mr. Law’s. I have been threashing a few peas and cleaned up 1 bushell and our folks killed 4 turkeys this morning and the girls, Mary and Eliza were over at the Village with some victuals for the boys &c. and took a turkey to Mrs. Truesdell.

Sunday, 17th. Decr., 1837. This is a fine day but cold and I am but poorly and James and Mary were at Church and Thomas and Henry came up form their barracks this evening and George and William, John Pollock and William Marlin were here.

Monday, 18th. Decr., 1837. This is a snowy day and Thomas and Henry are gone to their duty and Mr. Law and James are killing 3 hogs, Jack, Terry and Mary’s.

Tuesday, 19th. Decr., 1837. This is a fine day but not quite as cold as yesterday and James is over at the Village and fetched up some train bottoms &c. and Mr. Genenerux and his son came and began to work at the door.

Wedneday, 20th. Decr., 1837. This is a fine day but very cold and James is at Wm. Marlins and Joseph at Mr. Hob’s Mill with a bushell of wheat. James joined the Militia to-night and Henry came home.

Thursday, 21th Decr., 1837. This is a fine day but very cold and James is cutting wood for Mr. Dowler and Joseph has been to Mr. Hob’s and fetched home the flour. It is so cold I am not able to do anything out scarce. The carpenters are at the doors and building a box train.

Friday, 22nd. Decr., 1837. This is a cold day but fine and James has begun to cut a road to draw some ashes and I am very poorly.

Saturday, 23rd. Decr., 1837. This is a fine day not quite so cold and William has our horse to fetch up soke lime and took 2½ bushells of wheat to the mill for us. James has been finishing out the Road for the ashes. Monsieur Genenerux and his son went home. The boy’s were home from the Barracks to-night.

Sunday, 24th. Decr., 1837. This is a mild day and my wife, myself, James. Thomas and Henry and Joseph were at Church. Snowed a little.

Monday, 25th. Decr., 1837. This is a fine day and the boys are at Church and afterwards they and George, his wife and family and William, his wife and son were here and several people called in &c.

Tuesday, 26th. Decr., 1837. James is over at the Village getting the train shod then James finished up some firewood and Henry and Joseph have been cutting and drawing, it is a fine mild day but had a snow storm.

Wednesday, 27th., 1837. This is a fine day but cold and James and Thomas are gone to the Barracks and Henry has been fetching a load of ashes down. I have been threashing a little wheat and some oats. Joseph has cut some firewood an dhe has a sore hand.

Thursday, 28th. Decr., 1837. This is a dull cold morning and Henry has started for MONTREAL with two hogs for our own selves and one for William and a tub of butter for Wm. and I have threashed a few oats and cleaned up 1½ bushell. James and Thomas soldiering.

Friday, 29th. Decr., 1837. This is a fine mild day and I and my wife were at Church and Eliza at George’s. Mary and Joseph are at home. James and Thomas are at the Barracks. Aliitle snow.

Saturday, 30th. Decr., 1837. This is a mild day and I have been threashing some oats and Joseph is cutting firewood. James got leave to do some melting for Marlin. Thomas at the Barracks.

Sunday, 31th. Decr., 1837. This is a fine mild day and myself and Mary and Joseph were at church and James and Thomas at the barracks and Henry came home from MONTREAL and Col.Griffiths new house was burned down this forenoon and they have been gathering for the missions at the Church today.

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1840

The first few pages are missing.

Wednesday 16th of January 1839… been getting a log to the mill and Thomas has been helping out …. and Joseph has been drawing oats to the mill for Mrs. Dowler. I have been thrashing wheat a while and attending the cattle etc. Mrs. Cooley started for the states.

Thursday 17th of January 1839 this was a fine day and the boys were drawing hay from Henry’s place an our John came up and his wife and child, all is well thank God.

Friday 18 January 1839 this is a dull day with a little fall of snow. James is at Mr. Law’s and Thomas is at Mr. Pollock’s. He and myself are down to the village taking the horse down and got him blood as he is lame. Joseph is getting some firewood etc.

Saturday 19th January 1839 this is a very cold day with the wind from the southwest and Thomas and Henry are breaking the wood road and fetched out one load. James is at the house mending the harness etc. and I have been attending the cattle etc. Very cold tonight.

Sunday 20th of January 1839 this was a dull day and very cold and James, Thomas, and Henry, were at the church parade. I stopped at home as it is so very cold and Joseph is down at Sinclair’s and in the afternoon Thomas and the girls went over to William’s place. I got my ….  off  Mr. Allen.

Monday 21st January 1839 this was a fine day but very cold and it blew very hard in the night and we were all at the village getting our names signed for the month, Joseph, Thomas, and Henry, are down at the barracks below. I got my boots off Mr. Allen yesterday.

Tuesday 22nd of January 1839 this was a dull and very cold day and I have been down to Mr. Eveleigh’s at a meeting respecting the school. James has gone to Montreal for Mrs. Truesdell. The other boys are down at the barracks. Joseph was about the house cutting firewood.

Wednesday 23rd of January 1839 this was a very cold day, drifted and blows all day, we could do nothing cut today, very sharp tonight. Henry was off guard tonight.

Thursday 24th of January 1839 this was a dull and very cold day and Henry and Joseph got down a little firewood and I thrashed a little while and cleared up 2 1/2 bushels of wheat and attended the cattle etc. William came off guard tonight.

Friday 25 January 1839 this was a fine day and not quite so cold and Henry is over at the village and I have been thrashing some out and cleaned up three bushels. James came home from Montreal. George was up for some brine for her bed his mare as she is very lame.

 Saturday 26th of January 1839  There was a heavy snowfall this morning afterwards turning to rain and then thawed very fast and we have paid away 12 bushels of potatoes for a bedstead and I have begun to thrash barley for James and the boys Henry and Joseph are cutting firewood.

Sunday 27th of January 1839 this was a cold day with the wind from the northward and the boys Thomas, Henry, and Joseph, were at church and William and his wife and one child were here a while today and John Pollock was here.

Monday 28th of January 1839  This was a sharp, cold day, with wind from the northward and I have been to the village and got two months paid and the boys are down below getting theirs. My pay is 3/16/10.

Tuesday 29 January 1839 this was a fine but cold day and my wife is down at Mr. Robinson’s and paid him $10 on account and the boys are drawing firewood today and I cleaned up some barley. Joseph is down with the horse to Georges. 

Wednesday 30th of January 1839 this is a fine day but cold. James and Thomas are trashing James’ barley. Henry is cutting firewood for Mr. Dowler, and I was around getting the census of the school district. My wife and Mary are over at the village. Paid Mr. Dowler 10 pounds for pine.

Thursday, 31 January 1839 this was a fine day but cold and we were all at the village as it is General Muster Day. Mr. Allen got 12/6. Mr. Booth got 10/cleaned up barley for James 15 bushels in all.

Friday 1st February 1839   This was a very cold morning but a fine day and James is off to Montreal. Thomas and Henry and Joseph are getting down firewood. My wife is down at Mrs. Sinclair’s, Mr. O’Neill’s looking for bags etc. I have been trashing some of James results etc. and cleaned up 2 1/2 bushels.

Saturday 2nd February 1839  This is a fine day but cold and Thomas is cutting firewood at the door. Henry is down at the mill with 14 bushels of oats to be made into meal. Joseph is down at George’s with one of the oxen drawing wood for him. I have been trashing some oats for James etc. 

Saturday 3rd February 1839 this day there was a little fall of snow with the wind from the northwest and my wife is gone down to the doctors with Williams wife and child as the child is sick in the head. Thomas and Henry our church parade and I stopped at home. Mr. William Marlin took them down as we have no horse at home.

Monday, 4 February 1839 this was a fine day but very cold with the wind from the north word and I have done but little today but attend the catalyst Cetera and thrashed a few oats this afternoon. Our James and John Pollock came home from Montreal tonight about 12 o’clock and brought with them John Handley, Mary Ann Clemmer and John Pollock, and his sister stopped here. The boys Thomas and Henry came up off guard tonight after taking a prisoner to the barracks.

There is no entry for 5 February 1839

Wednesday, February 6, 1839 this was a dull but cold day and after breakfast John Pollock and his sister went off home and I’ve been thrashing a few oats and cleaned up 5 1/2 bushels. The boys did but little today as their relations are here and with the child again today. Joseph cut some wood. I have 8 bushels of Jame’s oats cleaned up.

Thursday, February 7, 1839 this was a dull day but very cold and the boys are all down at the lower barracks and Henry took down to the mill on his way  2 1/2 bushels of wheat to be ground at Mr. Dugas’ mill. I thrashed a few oats etc. We had several people here tonight and the boys are getting their moccasins from government.

Friday, February 8, 1839 this was a mild day with the fall of snow and the boys are all at the village as there is inspection and I’ve been trashing out a little while. Got very cold tonight. The boys got their moccasins. They are down at George’s.

Saturday, February 9, 1839. This was a fine day but very cold. James is on guard. Thomas is cutting wood at the door. Henry is drawing wood for Mr. Dowler with the oxen. I thrashed some oats for James. It is so cold I can do but little. Joseph went home with William’s wife and child.

Sunday, February 10, 1839. This was a fine day but cold and James, Thomas, Henry, John Hanley, Marianne, Mary and myself were at church and in the afternoon George’s wife came in and our guest just went over to Mr. Pollock’s.

Monday, February 11, 1839 this was a fine but cold day and I have been cleaning up some oats and the boys are about home today and in the evening the people came to the amount of 30 of us all together and we had a pretty good night of it but John Hanley feel sick in the evening but all the rest are pretty well but James is very poorly all day. Mr. Allen came up with some shoes etc. etc. and stopped with us.

Tuesday, February 12, 1839. This was a very sharp morning indeed and Mr. Thomas Robinson the drummer, his wife and Mitchell’s, Pollock and all the other all of them started off home about 7 or 8 o’clock. James is at home sick. Thomas and one of the oxen are at Mr. Law’s. Henry and the horse at the village I’m at the blacksmith and I have finished cleaning up Jame’s oats etc. eight bushels cleanup.

Wednesday, February 13, 1839. This was a milder day and about 9 o’clock Henry, John Hanley, May Ann Clemmer and our Mary started for Montreal at the hour of about 9 o’clock and our George is away with them. James and Thomas have begun to chop for Mr. Hall at Petrie’s old place.

Thursday, February 14, 1839 this was a fine mild day and James and Thomas are chopping again today and I have been thrashing some black oats and cleaned up 2 1/2 bushels.

Friday, February 15, 1839. This was a mild day and James and Thomas are chopping again today and I cleaned up and thrashed some oats and cleaned up 3 bushels. Had a little snow fall. My wife and Joseph are down at the village.

Saturday, 16 February 1839. This was a find mile day and James, Thomas, William, and John Pollock are chopping. I have thrashed a few oats and cleaned up 2 1/2 bushels.

Sunday, 17 February 1839. This was a mild day with a little fall of snow from the 

northward and Henry came home from Montreal. James and Thomas are gone on parade.

Monday 18th of February 1839 this was a find mile day and the boys are chopping and I’ve been thrashing a little seed barley and I have attended the cattle.

Tuesday 19th of February 1839. This was a fine day and the boys are all on parade and I have cleaned up 2 1/2 bushels of barley and begun to thrash a little grass seed.

Wednesday, February 20, 1839. This was a fine mild day and the boys are still down all down on guard and I have been thrashing a few English oats and cleaned up 1 bushel and Joseph and Eliza have been down to the blacksmith for a small pot but did not get it.

Thursday, February 21, 1839. This was a fine mild day and James and myself have been over to the village to be attested and I took a small parcel to Mr. Norrish and in the afternoon I thrashed a little wheat. Joseph has been cutting firewood at the door and been up to John Findlays this morning for him to go to the village.

Friday, February 22, 1839. This was a fine mild day with a little rain and snow. James and Thomas are chopping a while and I thrashed some wheat. Joseph and Eliza are down at Mr. Truesdel’s for a pot from the blacksmith.

Saturday, February 23, 1839. This was a fine mild day and date James is over at the blacksmith’s getting chains and the grindstone handle mended etc. Thomas getting some stuff ready for a log sleigh and I have been thrashing some wheat and cleaned up 1 3/4 bushels. Henry at Mr. McGee’s chopping firewood etc.

Sunday, February 24, 1839. This was a fine day and very mild and the boys are on parade and my wife and I went over to William’s place and after parade the boys all came over.

Monday, February 25, 1839. This was a fine mild day but there was a fall of snow early in the morning and the boys are making a timber sleigh and I have been thrashing and cleaning up a bushel of seed wheat.

Tuesday, February 26, 1839. This is a very fine day and the boys are all on parade and I have been thrashing some weed for James etc.

Wednesday, February 27, 1839. This was a very snowy blowing day and the wind from the northward. The boys are about the house and breaking roads etc. I thrashed a little while.

Thursday February 28, 1839. This was a very fine day and we have all been at the village on parade etc. and Mr. Annon, the tailor came here tonight to make James a pair of trousers etc.

March

Friday 1st March 1839. This was a fine mild day and the boys and John Mitchell are chopping and Mr. Annan is tailoring for James and I cleaned up some wheat for James. William has the oxen and Joseph drawing hay. 

Saturday 2nd March 1839 There was a little fall of snow and blows hard from the northward. North west and the boys and John Mitchell are chopping and I have been thrashing some peas and we have bought a carryall for 10 bushels of potatoes and two bushels of peas. Came on very cold and blows hard tonight.

Sunday, March 3, 1839 it was a very cold day with the wind from the northward and the boys are at church parade etc.

Monday, March 4, 1839. This was a very cold wind from the southwest, blows hard and James is down at the blacksmith’s and Thomas and Henry are getting some firewood down and then Henry was down at Mr. Truesdel’s with a pine log and I have been cleaning up 2 bushels of peas and George was here grinding etc. and brought up William’s boy.

Tuesday  March 5 1839. This was a fine day but very cold wind from the southwest and the boys are all down on guard and I sent down 2 bushels of peas and 4 1/2 bushels of potatoes which was still due on the carryall and I was at Mr. McGee’s but he was not at home.

Wednesday  March 6, 1839  This was a fine day and I have been thrashing some peas and cleaned up 1 1/2 bushels. Joseph and Eliza are up at LeMarle’s taking some yarn for William, and James came off guard and went up to LeMarles for a load of boards and our John is 28 years old today as he was born in 1811.

Thursday, 7th March 7, 1839. This was a fine mild day and Thomas and Henry came off guard and have been to the village on parade and Thomas has gone down on guard and William came off tonight. James drew 3 loads of boards from LeMarle’s. Henry has been underbrushing a little while this afternoon. Joseph and Thomas Sinclair have been cutting some firewood at the door.

 Friday, 8th March, 1839. This was a fine day and James is up for boards again and Henry is chopping at his own place and I am thrashing some peas. Thomas came off guard. He and Henry up at William’s and Sharpe’s.