Day Journals of James T. Redd - April 1857

W 1.
[bird sketch]

Rain showery Mr Harris came by I went with him to Hacketts sale all of the negroes soled etc I saw Cousin Stape Redd & Mr Grinter wer there I pd Wm C Gatewood $18.34 cts Lafong. note or Estate. Mr Gouldin at Ma, this evening went to Bro Saml I gave Mr Fountain my note for one hundred dollars for Mr R Taylor – I stoped at Ma, this evening spoke for 5 bushels oats of Mr Southworth – hird a whipporwill hollar this morning {finished ploughing cotton patch & sowed it in oats 5 bushels ploughed a patch for carriots ploughing for corn ditching burning brush halling rails malling etc etc

Th 2.
Mrs Terrells
$130.
Ma,\Howard & chimney
[black hand sketch]

Fair a very cold morning cold day 7 windy I went to Mrs Terells pd Wm & Mrs Terrell $130.00 intrust money dined there Joh Terrell was there I came by Mr Southwoth ditching by Rock Spring I went By Ma, this evening Miss B Hill at Ma, I went to plant bed & put on some brush met the girls by my Barn I went By Mr Addams, & Mr Wilson Davis & wife & gran Sun ar dead [Abraham Wilson Davis, 1782-1857, Caty Cormack Davis, 1787-1857, Spotsylvania County, Virginia]{ploughing by Hills shop for oats cut down the stalks ditching etc halled a lode straw malling etc at S,

Fr 3.
stall
fish net
(Eugene)
sowed 8 1/2
bu oats
85 bu in all.
mill

Fair a very cold morning & night last the ground froze. I fixed a stall for the cows under shelter put up the carvs [calves] put – my net in the river ditching by the Rock spring. Eugene came to night etc. {finished sowing oats by H shop got 5 bushels of Mr Southworth at 50 cts ploughing meadow ditching malling halling burning brush gardening etc shelled corn & sent to mill etc

Sat 4.
Carmel
$7.00
Ma,
[black hand sketch]
[white hand sketch]
ploughing
ditching
Depot.

Fair cold morning mild day I went to Carmel Bro Thomas preached I pd 7 dollars for preacher 2 quarters. Bro Saml at meeting went by L Cobbs. came – by Ma, turned out the cows in woods George Madison, funeral was preached this evening sent Lanzy to Depot Clarence Eugene & Llewellyn went fishing Terrells pond had my beard died Mrs Coleman is dead {ploughing on meadow finished the ditch by rock spring burning brush sent to mill for chop sent to Depot -

Sun 5.
Carmel
Providence
Mr Carter
Mr Southworth
cow fel in ditch

Cdy msot of the day cool a south win Thomasia & H & Lizzie went to Carmel Bro Thomas preached text John 3 ct 3 verse we went to Providence Miss B Hill & Miss Hency wer there Mr Carter came this evening going to spend the night my cows are missing – Bro T, appointed a meeting at Ma, next thursday Emily & Molly went from Ma, to meeting. Clarence & Eugene went home

M 6.
cows etc
sent Lanzy for wheels
[black hand sketch]
corn land

Rainy day showery Hailed a little I went to day to look for my cows & found them in Mr Harris, brought them home, had 3 hogs tuned out my oat patch. Sent Lanzy to Mr Lucks for my wagon wheels brought them home I took out my net & put it in to night (set a goose), hird that Judson Smith was dead 6th Hird to day he is live & very ill (died tuesday 7th) {Commenced rakg corn land to plant Corn sent for wheels putg up fence shelling corn etc ploughing etc

Tus 7.
Ma,
Girls
corn planting

Fair a very cold morning the ground frozen hard I went to Ma, & E Field for nails for Ma, Thomasia went to see Mrs Taylor John T Redd came over this evening & Molly & Bettie to night from Ma, I commenced slabing the shop. {sent corn to mill some for chop commenced planting corn to day out gate next to Ma,s halling out manure malling etc halling wood etc

W 8.
shop
Providence
for the Dr see Fanny
9 fish
[white hand sketch]
(corn planting.)

Fair cold morning cool day I worked on shop a little Fanny got choked to day I went for the Dr he came up Fanny got unchoked before he got hear, stayed to dinner. [Fanny was nearly 2.] John & Llewellyn went fishing Terrell sent me some fish 9 – Molly laid up to day in bead Fannie has a piece corn in the wind pipe {planting corn halling manure corn land rakg sent for chop etc etc

Th 9.
John R
Girls to Ma,
fish trap
spring.
(corn)

Fair cool morning frost mild day John Thomas Went home Llewellyn with him I carryed Molly & Betty down to Ma carryed her 2 fish Miss Addams, wer there the meting was disipointed at Ma,s. (Bro T. sick. I nailed in some slabs on shop moved my net to H creek cleaned out the spring Kitty S. came by {planting corn on red land no. 2 field H shoe hill halled a lode chaf from E Field

Fr 10.
shop etc
Girls,
(corn)

Rainy day most of day I finished covering one side of shop with slabs – the girls at Ma, Llew came to night – S. Gouldin at Ma, & Clarence Red at Ma, & J. Talley. {planting corn by rock spring & barn halling wood straw etc ploughing

Sat 11.
(net)
Ma, girls
Taylor
Quarles,s\Providence
Ma,
$50.
(corn)
sent to mill.

Rain a little this evening I took out my net went to Ma,s & to Providence for medicine went to J Qualres, & Wm, mill, Jas T Redd at Ma, Molly & Bet went home to day I walked to see Mr Wiltshire went to Ma, borrowed $50. of Ma, Bro Thomas at Providence this morning. {Planting corn fiinished the ground that was prepaired shelled corn for Mr Taylor & self sent to mill for meal – chop etc

Sun 12.
Cty Line [black hand sketch]
Dr L B Anderson

Cdy day cool H & I went to Cty Line Bro Allen preached Mrs Dawson is dead & Old Mr Eliott Cammel is dead Judson Smith died last tuesday 7th. Sent for Dr Linnaeus to see Fannie quite sick the dedication of Taylorsville church takes place to day [Daily Dispatch. Vol 11, No. 86, 9 April 1857. consecration of church]

M 13.
(Snow)
Bartlett work on wagon wheels.
Dr L B Anderson
B isleand

Snowy most of the day melting a good deel it is 1 or 2 on dep in places. Bartlett came to work ironing my wagon wheels makg the tires Robert helped this evening. Dr L B Anderson came to see Fannie to day went to Providence I have been helping Bartlitt about tires & Llewellyn went to Bair isleand [Bear Island in Hanover County near Doswell] for Miss B Hill & Hency drove 2 horses to barouch

Tus 14.
Bartlett ironing up wagon – wheels

Cdy most of the day cool & windy – Bartlett finished the wagon wheels baning & tireing, Bob helping. I turned out my hogs 21 in woods 3 at barn Llewellyn got back to day from Bair isleand I pd Bartlett 77 cts to night part for work sent for the Dr, he is sick with cole etc {cutting & halling wood halled a lode straw ditching Bob workg in shop ploughing etc

W 15.
Dr Anderson
Letters
Likeness etc
John Dickinsons
$49.25
shoes etc

Fair cold & very windy day blew down the fences etc I started to Providence met the Dr coming up hear he went back I told him Fannie was better he gave me a letter from Harriet Ann & likeness of Thomasia & children that came from Texas I went to Mt Airy pd John Dickinson $49.25 for children, scooling & guano etc stoped at Ma, Bob cut out a pair shoes for John {fallowing for corn ditching fencing etc halling rails wood etc

Th 16.
Ma,
Collins.
Store
$1.35
25 cts
fish 4.
[black hand sketch]

Fair a cool day saw ice on water this morning I put my net in the river to day I went to Ma, this evening she pd me $6. to get her a spade etc the amount of her bill was $1.35 cts I bought a bottle of Jamacia ginger 25 cts. saw L Terrell & others at store Llewellyn went to Dickinson Pond for fish got 4. sent Jessey to Collins shop with a plough Owen Buttler is dead. {ploughing fincing ditching halling halled a lode straw or chalf etc

Fr 17.
Ma,
Bro Saml,
Mr Buttlers
[black hand sketch]

Fair, Frost, a very cold morning, cold d, the ground had frozen this morning I went to Bro Saml, carryed Lizzie to stay stoped at Ma, & Dr Lins left word for Lin to come to see Fannie carryed Harriet Ann, letters over Mr Smith & Edmon caught a runaway a few nights ago Sister Conelia came with me to Mr Buttlers left some cloth to make a waist coat etc brought the cloth back for Valentine to cut Mr Lambert at the mill is very sick – hird that Mr Wood Garnet is dead. {shelled a turn corn 4 bu & sent to mill halling out manure etc ploughing the meadow by meadow spring below ditching etc

S 18.
Tax Man came to day –
Ma, to put on some locks
Dr Anderson.

Rain most of the day I met with Mr  Tax Man getting the – list of my property carryed tools to Ma to put on locks etc gave Ma, list in Miss B Hill at Ma, I put on 2 locks one on the barn oiled 3 I rote a letter to Mr Gouldin about going to Texas Dr A came to Ma, on his way here {ploughing ditching halling straw wood etc shelled corn etc etc etc

Sun 19.

Rainy day cool damp day I spent the day in house mostly. Fannie complains of her breast or stomack -

M 20.
Providence
Chesterfield
Depot
letters etc
store
35 cts
left a coat to cut.
Eva
$1.40
Dr An

Fair a very windy & cool day I went to Providence carryed some letters for the Dr to reed from Texas I went to Chesterfield to get Valentine to cut a cote, went to Depot spoke for a car, sent a letter to Wm Dandridge by Bro Luck. bought 2 fish 25 cts one quire paper 10 cts. Saw L Terrell & G Southworth at Depot or store he brought up my fish. Llewellyn commenced triming my apple trees. I stoped at Ma, borrowed $1.15 cts to pay Eva pd one dollar & forty cts. for Bartlett D Lin Anderson came to see Fannie {malling rails throughing up manure in cow pen halling wood etc

Tus 21.
Dr A,
Mrs Southworth
[black hand sketch]
store etc
ploughing
ditching –
shoes

Fair cold day saw ice 1/16 thick the ground had a crust on it, very windy day it looks like snow to night, Dr Lin came to see Fannie dined hear etc Mrs Southworth & girls came this evening, hird Mr Lambert at the mill is dead Davy L. I carryed a letter to store for Mr Hancock looked at tobacco plants are scarce sent to get Mr Southworth wagon to go to Depot. {ploughing by rock spring & peach orchard halling straw chaff etc ditching etc blineing a ditch [blinding a ditch: using a thin layer of soil to cover tile that has been laid] by rock spring above the rode with rocks etc Jessey had 1/2 soles. 

W 22.
Depot
2 veals
7 lambs

Snow hail Rain etc cool & disagreeible day blining a ditch on the path R.S. Sent 2 veals 7 lams to Depot to go to Richmond borrowed Mr Southworth, wagon brought up a bl plaster – Mr Harrises hands ploughing by old Mr Southworth, {sent to Depot veals & lambs halling wood rocks blineing ditch etc

Th 23.
Charles
Bro Saml
Dr Lin
Edmond
Miss Hency

Rain a little milder day Charles Harris came over, Bro Saml & Cary came, & Dr Lin & Edmond came, Edmond & Llewellyn went to L Terrells. went to Old W. to nit etc Bro Saml went back to Ma, Sister Conelia at Ma, to day Miss Hency & Columbia came this evening & returned {ploughing halling rocks blineing a ditch etc halled a lode Cedar brush

Fr 24.
Pat cow & calf
[cow sketch]
Bro Saml,
Clarence
plaster
mill

Fair mild day I worked on shop a little finished blineing ditch etc Pat cow had her 2nd calf female I went to Bro S., for Lizzie Joh Taylor was there Bro Saml at Mrs Mathews, I got 1 bu of potatoes of Bro Saml Old Bro Gregery at the mill again Clarence came over with me Sally S is hear I sowed plaster in several places {Sent corn to mill for Mr Taylor and self sent 3 bu rye for chop ploughing in the meadow above rock spring and finished blineing the ditch ditching halling rocks brush etc

Sat 25.
S Swann,
Terrells
Ma,s
Roxella had a male calf
[calf sketch]

Fair a large frost mild day I went to Saml Swann, to see Mr Martin saw Saml S & Tom there stoped at Terrells pond saw Bro Saml John Lewis & others Saml & Joh Taylor dined at Ma,s, I went to Ma,s this evening & to look at my wheet. Jimy & I finished covering shop etc Clarrence & Llewellyn caught some fish {ploughing on the meadow uncovered plant bed etc Jessey ploughed Mr Taylors garden etc ploughed Julia Ann, patch went for chop

S. 26.

Fair mild day cdy to night I went to Cty Line Bro Allen preached Bro Judson's funeral. J Smith, Bro Baptismas there Llewellyn went with Clarence home

M 27.
shop
Log to mill
Ma,
broom straw
Depot
[bird sketch]

Fair, mild day, very windy, I worked on shop, went to Hills shop & put a log in cart & sent it to mill. stoped at Ma, went to burn broom straw at Ma, this evening Susan Southworth came over with H Jimy has year ache sent to Depot for coat I saw the martins & ground robin to day {ditching below hog pen blineing it ploughing rakg etc halled a lode or log to mill sent to Chesterfield for my coat that Valentine cut

Tus 28.
Dr Lins

Fair cool morning a frost, I set Ma, field a fire to burn broom straw, I went to Dr Lins to get him to right an advertizment of my land went to Mr Buttlers left my coat for Miss Eliza Edmond & Llewellyn came to night. John was at Lins – went to Bro Saml {rakg the meadow ditching finished the bline ditch halling brush straw etc etc

W 29.
Edmond & Lewis
log etc
Carmel

Fair cool day saw several fires one in Ma, pasture, I cut Edmonds hair Lewis came up & borrowed some shot I went to Hills shop & put a log in cart sent it to mill and went  by Ma, pasture I went to Carmel to prayer meeting Bro Anderson spoke etc Sam was there {finished planting the meadow in corn ploughed a part over etc halled a log to mill & brought some plank home 10 in number halling straw & chop ditching etc

Th 30.
advertizement –
Charles Harris
owls etc

Fair a large frost quite cool evening Llewellyn went to Dr Lins for the advertizment for land Charles Harris came went crow hunting & fishing Llewellyn got 2 owls to day old one & young one, John brought Southworth, horse over this evening I workg on shop some have a pain in my nee {rakg corn land, plantg this evening ditching throughing up manure etc halling wood etc