1890s Yount Diary, Vernon, Yuma County, Colorado http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/yuma/history/yount1890.txt From the Yuma County Historical Society collection. Donated by Lee Zion Sept 19, 2004 ===================================== USGenWeb Copyright Notice Donated for the exclusive use of the USGenWeb Archives Project. The Yount family retains publishing rights for the original document and must approve further publication of this transcription. ===================================== Excerpts Lee Yount 1890s Diaries Originally transcribed by Hazel Yount Classen and sent to Bell Yount in 1961. Bell Yount donated the excerpts to the Yuma County Historical Society. -------------------------------- Notes: The Jacob and Margaret (Homan) Yount family settled southwest of Vernon in 1888. The "home place" was 1 mile west and 4 miles south of Vernon. The Yount "camp" was on the Arikaree River extending up the Copper Kettle. About 1905 the Yount family gave up on sheep and switched to cattle ranching. The Lee Yount home was on the South Fork of the Republican. ----------------------------------------- The Yount Family mentioned in this diary. Jacob and Margaret (Homan) Yount. Jacob was born 1836 in Virginia. He served in Stonewall Jackson's Brigade of the 5th Virginia, CSA. He died in 1927. Their children: 1. "Ida" - Mary Isodora (1859-1922), married Charles Willmarth. Homestead on the Copper Kettle. 2. Melcenie Ironette (1861-1922), married John Payne. They stayed in Virginia. 3. Edgar William (1862-1938) married Cora Squires. Homestead on the Arikaree. 4. "Lee" - John Martin Lee, (1864-1951) married Elizabeth ("Beth", "Lizzy") Winkler. Homestead on the South Fork. 5. Maude Virginia (1866-1922) married Harry Boyes. Homestead on the Dry Willow. 6. Rose Ella (1870-1895) married Charles W. Wingfield. Homestead across the road from the "home place" south of Vernon. 7. Howard Jacob (1873-1946) married Edith Hadlock. Homestead on the Copper Kettle. 8. Bell Homan (1877-1972) married Bessie Jane Montgomery. -------------------------------------------------- Early Settlements (by Lee Yount) The County was well settled up to 1894. In the 1890s, due to continued droughts, the early settlers in our community left. Burlington was established in 1889. I bought a premption from Wm Rowert with improvements for $25. The house on the land at that time was shipped from Wisconsin to Minnesota and from there to within 3 miles of its present site. I abandoned my homestead south of the -T ranch (now the Chas With farm). The land had previously been filed on by a man and wife who was afraid of the cowboys. I went to Akron to file and the whole of Town 5 (South) had been thrown off the market, couldn't file until a survey was finished - cost of filing was $30. At the time a man named Waggoner had a shack where our present orchard is located. He was working on the B&M R.R. ditch, his wife refused to live on the homestead so I offered him $25 for his land, provided I didn't have to pay for refiling. Those days I could have got land on the Copper Kettle, lots of it. I dug wells for the homesteaders from 1891 into the 1900s. The Hale Post Office was named for an old man from Kansas. The mail carrier found the postmaster dead (1894). He didn't know just what to do, but decided to take the P.O. equipment to Benkelman, Nebr. We established a Post Office (Landsman) out (of) our place the latter part of 1896. Old man McCrillis had it first there on his homestead on the Landsman. After his death it was moved to the -T ranch (Frank & Francis Ireland) and from there to Mrs. Slusser's and then from her place to us. That was in 1896. Newton Postmaster was J.E. Cook before it was moved to the Wm. P. Bailey place. Patrons at that time were - Joe Rowlo, Wm Clausen, Henry Armknect and Homms. Newton P.O. 1899 Wm. Bailey Postmaster, patrons - Fred Weyerman, Joe Pfiler, Louis Fleer, Russian Kuk, Chas Stumpy, Jake Lengels, Homms, McKenzie, Zicks. Patrons at Landsman - Wm Richards, -T Ranch, Wm Banes, Brunke Boden, John Fleer, John Lengel, Wally Barnes, Everett Harris. Mail carrier routes 1899: Hale to Newton to Landsman. Landsman to Burlington. =========================================== 1895 Diary Extracts Sat Jan 19 - Warm all day. We all got up at 3 A.M. Ed and Bell went to Wray after the coal but it was not there. All went to the Literary - everyone spoke. Our question was resolved "The U.S. Govt should own all of the land." Lucian (Allison) is getting ready for all the school marms to eat dinner tomorrow. Very near had a fight at the Literary, Abe and the Weaver boys. Jan 21 - School dispute. Old Lang won't hire Rose to teach. Mrs. Munsinger is back from Denver. The coroner will come from Denver and examine Munsinger's body again. She is getting $8 per month aid from the county. Jan 22 - The school directors visited Miss Ashley's school today. She is doing fine. We will plaster the school house next Friday. Jan 25 - Blizzard all day long. Bell and Ida made a Bass fiddle out of a box. He did not go to school today. Mrs. Pile (Pyle) has a school up north. Rofa is boarding at Brokaws. Jan 26 - Cold and snowing. Awful cold. I froze my near side coming home from the lyceum. Hired Rofa to teach our school for a term of 4 months, more or less, at $30 per mo. to begin Feb 4th. Jan 27 - Gosh it is cold, 4 below zero. Wind. Ed is herding. Pap went to S.S. - Too cold for the rest of us. Chas. Sweazy has a little boy a week old. Mrs. Butler did not preach. Jan 28 - I came down home. River froze about 5 in thick. Had a time to cross. Everybody is doing well on Govt beans again. Feb 4 - Rofa started school in Paul Delto's dug out. Had a fuss with Hankey about it not being a fit place to hold school. Lange agreed to put in a window and fix the well. Feb 5 - I bought Rowert out; land, house and stable for $25. Feb 8 - Went up home. Got to the camp. Ed & Bell were there at the camp. 25 head got smothered in the shed during the storm. Have had lots of lambs freeze in this storm. It beats all that we have to have such hard luck with the lambs. Feb 9 - 20 below zero. I herded so Bell & Ed could go up home. Mrs. Nevins got sick after dinner. Ed got a Dr. for her. Feb 10 - Cold and snowing - snow ending nite. Mrs. Nevins died this morning. Bell brought me some grub. We went to Ashley's in the old stone boat. Feb 11 - 12 Still cold - just about freeze every nite. Bell is here with me. Mrs. Nevins was buried at Glendale. So cold not many people came to the funeral. Maud made the dress for her burial. Feb 15 - Bell went up home to get ready to go to school down at my place. Feb 16 - Warm and pleasant Bell went down home to go to school. Ed went with him and took a load of hay & Charlie's Jim horse for Bell to drive to school. He will go to the Rofa's school. I am alone here at camp. I put up Sharps old stove & melted the ice off the walls. It is 1/2 inch thick. (Sharps Stove was a hay burner.) Feb ? Snowing again & cold. Had an Aid meeting in Vernon, everybody there. They all want aid. Mar 3 - Blizzard all forenoon - Pap went up to Cookin's. Mrs. Cookin died at 3 oclock this A.M. She died a terrible death. Rose and Bell to S.S. Mar 7 - Congress passed the seed bill. Each farmer will get $50 worth of seed, but if we get anything I will be surprised. Mar 13 - Zero Foggy [Bell Yount entry] Ed herded & lost the sheep. Found them S.W. of Wm Brooks place. Got back at 2 A.M. Lost 4 head. Talked to Murrow about a well. Ed gave Murrow 50 cents to come and tell us where he and the sheep were. Mar 14 - Stayed all nite at camp. Went to Fords to spend the evening. Mar 15 - Bell and I brought 2 loads of hay, arrived at 4:30 P.M. Got along all right until we crossed the river. The reach on my wagon broke & the horses had a round without any wagon, only the front wheels. They went until Munch fell down & that stopped the whole shooting match. Nothing serious. I run a board (a flat one) in me as I came off the load, but was so scared I did not know it until the next morning. Gosh they went like the train. I stopped in town and got a pair of jeans $1.25. Mar 16 - [BHY] 10 above zero. Got the hay & the wagons straightened up A.M. Bell wrote to Altan. Lee says these bronks are making life miserable for him - they salute you with their heels instead of doffing hats. Mar 17 - I got up early & put on my new pants and strutted around like a peacock. Been making ditch. Mr. Winkler, Wm Shafroth, John Jacober helping. Apr 9 - Water in the ditch. Planted garden. May 29 - We got home from Akron. Lizzie proved up on her claim. We were gone 3 3/4 days. Drove 58 mi per day. Coaly was tired, but she still wanted to kick me. Jun 1 & 2 - Hard rains. Flood tore out all of the dam. Bell helping me. We have been listing corn. Jun 3 - Planted cane - dropped it in the furrow. Mrs. Kennedy & Miss Roice (Royce) stopped here for the night - of all the outfits for a horse - buggy & wire harness, no bridle, rope lines, a rickety old buggy - had no seat on it. Jun 4 - Bell and I planted squash, pumpkins and pulled weeds out of the garden. We got the gypsy outfit started on their way. We planted 32 lbs of cane seed today. Jun 5 - Bell & I took the horses all up to camp, then plowed corn with 3 teams. Jun 6 - Plowed corn on Ed's claim. Jun 8 - Mauds baby was born. She is at Idas. Jun 10 - Big flood on the river. Whole bottom under water. Jun 11-12-13-14-17. We are plowing corn & shearing sheep up home. I had 45 head. Pap 231. Jun 18-19-20-21-22-23-24 Shearing. Jun 24 - Got done shearing. Got the wagon ready to haul the wool. Used Weaver's wagon too. Jun 25 - Shipped the wool 17 sacks. About 50 pelts. I had 4 sacks of wool. We shipped to Adler Goldman & Co. St Louis, Mo. Jun 26 - Howard came home. Jul 13 - Baby Howard died today - 1 year, 7 mo old. Jul 15 - Bell & I went over & got Heddinger and Hanke to dig the grave. Sermon in German language. Aug 28 - Up home helping thresh wheat. Pap had 973 1/2 bu. Johny is doing the threshing. Aug 30 - Lizzy, Mama, Ed, Bell, Laura Muller & I went to Harvys to get wild fruit. Aug 31 - Conrad bought Thurber out. Sept 4 - Miss Roice came to see about the school. Hired her for 3 mo & rented her my house. 2 rooms for $2.00 per mo, if she stays 4 mo, she can have the last mo free. Keep horse & cow here. Sept 7 - Bell and I hauled hay until it got too windy. Beth raked. Bell got Ashley's mower - we run 2 mowers all afternoon. The Presbyterian preacher, Lonsdale, was here gabbing & fighting fleas. Bell stays at the camp to herd the horses. Sept 8 Sunday - Mr. Lonsdale preached at the school house. Lizzy joined the church. Mr. Joe had 3 children sprinkled. 13 joined at Wray. Sept 9 - Beth herding also Bell & I. We are also cutting hay south of the river on (section) 17. Ed came with the sheep. He has Art Graham to herd them $10 per mo. Sept 10-11-12-13 Haying at the camp. Sept 14 - Bell, Beth and I down to my place to mow hay. Lots of melons to eat. Sept 15-16-17-18 Haying. Sept 19 - Snowed. Up to camp haying again. The Fackler ewes are lambing again. Sept 23 - Ed took a load of Paps wheat to Wray. 25 cents per bu. Oats is 10 & 11 cents per bu. Got 25 lb of sugar & 48 lb of flour $1.50. Went down home, cut cane for molasses. Bell cut Ed's cane. Sept 28 - Beth got done canning tomatoes & making chow-chow, etc. George Allison & sister came out to the Lucien's - George got married on the way out here. Beth has no stockings on so she took off her gloves & put them in the crack of her shoes. Sept 30 - up home. We all got at the chips early - but Ed soon left & Pap didn't like the smell - so Bell & I had it all alone till dark. Oct 2 - Hauling in hay at camp. - 2 teams. Harve is supposed to help us. Oct 3 - Hauled hay 3 loads. Oct 4 - Got 8 big loads till noon, then Johny came with Pickels rack, got 15 loads today. Oct 5 - 8 loads, 33 loads so far this week. Harve & Johny helping us. Oct 6 - Bell & I broke Pead to drive to the east. Oct 10 - Ed & Bell are helping Weaver thresh. Bell took Roses old cow up home (from Mertgeus). Oct 15 - Mr. Winkler came up, he & Ed got to talking fish & in a few minutes we all got busy & made a seine. Used 2 horse covers, a lap robe & all the gunny bags on the place. Also all the chains, old irons, ropes and lines off the harness. With our home made outfit we went fishing up to the Spring Hole. First haul no good but she done better next time. Got 105 suckers, blue & camel backs from 1 lb to an oz. Cleaned fish until bed time. Nov 1 - Mama is getting things ready for Pap to start west. He went down to Web's after supper so they could get an early start in the morning. Drove. Rob & Jim Chapin was here this P.M. Old man Dilka here to see about getting sod. Nov 2 - We have 1025 head of sheep, 23 horses, 3 cows. Bell is herding all of this stock. Nov 3 - We had fun riding the broncos - Fly, Fannie & Buckskin. Bell done the riding, me the leading. We had Weaver's saddles. Ort & Chas will start out for Denver in the morning. Nov 6 - Bell & I snapping corn up home. Ed took the preacher around to see about organizing a church out here at Vernon. Nov 8 - Bell & I have snapped 118 loads of corn. Hard picking in the snow & weeds. Beth herding. They got away from her & got into Piles corn. She couldn't get them out alone so Bell helped her. Nov 9 - Finished the corn. Am worn out. Been on the go from early till late all this week. Nov 10 - Pap got home from his trip west. He did not buy any sheep. It is too late in the season. Johny Wingfield had an oyster supper - all the youngsters & school marms in the country there. Nov 11 - Sister Rose passed away. Nov 14 - Bell and Charlie Pickel came to tell us about Rose's death. We went up home. Mrs. Weaver is helping Mama. Ed, Bell & I met Charlie in Wray. Nov 15 - We got here with Rose at 5 A.M. Had prayer by Mr. Grifith - then to Glendale - sermon by Rev. Longsdale & prayer by Mr. Burbank. Rose was 25 years old. Nov 16 - S.S. convention in Vernon. Basket dinner. Pap, Bell & I went. Ed is well enough to herd afternoons. Sun Nov 17 - Preaching at Vernon by Rev. Lonsdale & from Prairie Ridge - Mr. Burbank. To Sweazy's to prayer meeting, good size crowd. Will Wise is going to stay down at my place for a while. Nov 28 - Chas Wingfield here - wants me to take him to Burlington. He is going to Cripple Creek. Roice took him in. Dec 25 - Up home visiting. Lucien, Pile, Fred Weaver, Johny W. here. Had Turkey dinner. Bell got fine overcoat for $10. Pap got a cart for Bell. =============================================== 1899 Diary Extracts Jan 1 1899 - Hody do Diary. I am alive and well to meet you face to face, hoping to be with you to the end and you cost me 25 cents. Everett and Clara (Harris) here for dinner today. Jan 4 - Charlie Zion and I started a well here at the house. Ed is hunting wells to drill. Jan 5 - Ed and Charlie began a well for Martgen. Ida is here, she cut off my coat tail for some reason or other. Jan 6 - Ida & I painted the P.O. cabinet. Jan 7 - Mrs. Dan Mansfield carried the mail today. Jan 9 - I painted and put ornamental trim on the P.O. cabinet. Jan 10 - Baby Walter born. Jan 16 - Received a notice from P.O. Dept. Washington D.C. They have changed our route schedule as follows: Carrier from Hale, Newton to Landsman changed to Mon, Wed, Fri - to leave Landsman at 10 A.M. and return at 3 P.M. Also meet the Burlington carrier here at Landsman. Jan 17 - I showed Mrs. Mansfield the notice we got from P.O. Dept. She doesn't like it at all. Jan 18 - Mrs. Mansfield did come on the route today. Jan 19 - Dan Mansfield came up to talk to us about this new time schedule. He refuses to carry the mail according to this new schedule. All of the neighbors are up in arms about it. Jan 20 - Sent Newton mail and also wrote to P.O. Dept. telling them this new schedule is impractical and asked them to send one that suited the Newton, Hale carrier. Jan 21 - I got the mail sack at the Newton P.O. and brought it up here. Its' impossible to get anyone to carry the mail to Newton & Hale. Ida went home today. She has been here 7 weeks helping us out. Jan 22 - Ed and Charlie here. Ed is doing the cooking. Al is helping him. Jan 25 - The baby is real sick. Maud and Bessie came to help for several days. Jan 26 - Mrs. Mansfield came to get the mail. Jan 27 - Mr. Wm Hallowell came to get his mail and also mail for J.E. Cook. He brought the Newton mail up here - carried it in a gunny sack. We are in a desperate situation. Jan 31 - Received a new route schedule from P.O. Dept Wash DC. The Hale, Newton carrier to meet the carrier from Burlington here at 12 o'clock noon Mon, Wed, and Fri. Roscoe Yarnell is the carrier from Burlington. On his first trip on the new set up he brought Everett Harris 1/2 ton of coal. Cost 53 cents per 100#. We are having a siege of cold weather. Feb 11 - This day is the coldest day I ever saw in this country. I just about froze doing the chores. Mace came at dark - just about froze - it is 30 below zero tonight. Feb 12 - Last night was the coldest night we ever had in this country - 2 good sheep froze to death in the shed. I carried water to the sheep and watered them in a tub. The river is froze over. Feb 13 - Burt Ragan here to get his mail. He got a telegram from the Republican Cattle Co to take charge of the -T ranch at once. Feb 18 - Counted the sheep 449 in the big herd, 18 in the little herd. Feb 21 - Mac Brevier caried the mail from Burlington. He will eat dinner here. Feb 26 - Big mail day. Bill Mace, Hews, Mrs. Milhoan, Burt Ragan, Garf Scherrer & Everetts here to get their mail. Mar 4 - An eventful day. Everett & Clara's little girl born. Mar 13 - Our baby Walter, age 2 months 3 days old, died. Mama & Howard & Ed & Charlie are here. Al and Gust Wall dug the grave. Everett & I made the coffin. Howard went up home to get Ida. Mar 14 - Regular dirt storm - the roof of the house started to blow off - Ed & I put some sod on to stop it. Lots of my hay blew away. We did not bury little Walter today. Mar 15 - Buried the baby today at 9 o'clock A.M. No one there but our family & Gust Wall. Ed & Howard went to dig Weyerman's well. Folks went home. Apr 29 - Up home. Ida herded, the rest of us fixed Mama's garden fence & then went to work on the shed roof. Bell came - he doesn't like to work for Pile. Apr 30 - Bell & Ida here. Bad snow storm & high wind. Blew the shed roof off, caught lots of sheep, but did not hurt any of them. May 1 - Got all the neighbors here to put the shed roof on. Pap was elected School Sec. Cleopatra Hadlock started to work here today. We are lambing. May 7 - Bell quit Pile and came home, so Ida went home. He will help with the lambing. May 8 - Chas Zion herded the big herd. Howard & Bell went to make the Scott's well. May 13 - Howard & Chas got Scotts well done. Had 25 lambs today. Maud brought the lister home, Ida let the little herds get mixed up. Pap & Maud to Vernon to church. May 17 - Bell came home, he has been at Rosencrans. Mr. Allen will herd the sheep. May 18 - Terrible hail storm - it killed one of Howard's lambs, busted its head wide open. I was out in it. Roy Cox got 2 teeth knocked out by hail stones. May 30 - Started to shear. Got out 66 head. Bell, Jim Allen & I sheared. Howard & Charlie came home & brought the cow from Davises. Web was here today. June 5 - I went to Vernon to put water on the lime for the church. Went over to Nevins. We sure have a tough looking little herd of lambs, all robbers. June 6 - Got all the dry herd sheared. Tom Nevels, Charlie Weaver, Fred Montgomery helped us. Charlie Willmarth took a load of wheat to Wray. Bell is knocked out. June 8 - First rain since Apr 5th. Mr. Tippen's all here. Bell went to Rosencrans to shear. Ed went to Harry's after posts. June 14 - Hot. Worked in the garden until noon setting plants. Then went up home. Saw Mrs. Web, she told me all about Thomas beating his wife nearly to death & having him arrested & sent to Denver. Gave mama some tomato plants. June 15 - I herded on foot. Plenty tired. Ida & Mrs. Hadlock went to see Mrs. Thomas. She is pretty sore from the thrashing she got. Pete Wise got a load of hay. Crops are sure getting dried up. June 16 - I herded & cultivated corn. Mama went after the girl, but Mrs. Pile had got her and gone. June 17 - Pap and Mama took Annie to Wray to have her teeth pulled. Ed fixed a cultivator for John Nevins. June 21 - Tom and Fred helped shear. Worked for board. June 22 - Tom and Fred helped us shear. June 23 - Got done shearing. I had 182 head all told, bottle herd and all. Pap 294, Charlie 62, Howard 15, Ed 2, W 13. Had a big party at Hadlocks. June ? - Ed, Harry, Bell, Fred & I sheared for Web, 100 sheep. June 27 - Bell & Tom went to pacerd(?) to get a job shearing. June 28 - Mowing Alfalfa. Bell & Tom did not get a job. They got here for breakfast. Tom went home. Bell will stay here a while. June 29 - Bell run the mower. Harm Boden's buried one more of their children. They have lost 3 children from diptheria, all of the family is sick. July 4 - Bell has been helping me. He went up home today. He will celebrate in Idalia. Got the new ditch done. July 14 - Sprinkles every day. July 15 - Rain at dark. Bell brought us some butter from up home. July 17 - Pap, Bell & I started to build Everetts house. July 18 - Everett went to Burlington after the rest of the lumber for his house. Bell shocked his wheat. I hauled over 2 loads of lumber. July 21 - Got Evertts house done and they moved in P.M. July 22 - Pap and Bell went home. July 27 - Storm, Hot, ants are bad (underlined) Helped Evertt stack his wheat, got one stack up and another started. Cyclone at dark. Moved Everetts new house and just tore up things. Sand Creek flooded. July 28 - Hot after the hard storm till P.M. Then set in to rain & the way it looks it will rain all night. Everetts moved back to Dad Winkler's. Aug 2 - Howard and Bell came down to make Wall a well. They had a fuss about the pay when they got it done. Aug 4 - Moved Everetts house back in place. Howard & Bell moved up to make a well for Nash. Aug 9 - Mr. Puderbaugh from Kans' here to stay all night. Pace & Kizer sold their sheep for $2.35 per head, 1927 head. Aug 28 - Up home - haying. Bell had a party. Hubler was here to buy our wethers & old ewes. Aug 29 - Took Bell's trunk to Wray. Couldn't send it by freight so expressed it to him. Bell started to Mo. to school on his bike. (Bell Yount added - Rode it to Lenara, Kansas. Too hot. Took train from there. Got board and tuition for $1.85 per week, room rent was 2.00 for week.) Sept 1 - Pap & I started to Akron to look at a herd of lambs. Went west thru the sand hills & then north to Yuma. Stayed all night with Mr. Boatwright at Platner. Had a slim supper. Sept 2 - Eat breakfast in Akron - looked at several herds of lambs. Sept 3 - Started early, got to Steven's sheep camp. No luck. Went over to Churchs', he doesn't know if he wants to sell his lambs. Stopped at Nikirks for the night. Sept 4 - Got home at noon. Then we went down in the creek to start haying. Sept 5 - Everett & Chas. Zion helping us hay. Oct 2 - Cold wind. I came up home to help build the rock house. Everett came along. Ed went to Denver to the Convention. Howard and Chas Zion went down to make a well for Leonard. Oct 3 - Pap and I hauled rocks - got 4 loads. Oct 4 - Harve Zion came to help us on the house. We went down got the lumber from Scott's house. Pap got it for $20.00. Oct 5 - Got the rest of the lumber - 2 loads. Then started the wall & hauled 2 loads of dirt & one load of ashes for mortar. Oct 6 - Pap & I had a time setting a tire for Altig - Worked on the house. Oct 7 - Pap, Harve & I worked on the house all day. Hubler brought 73 head of sheep to put with the herd. Murrow was here & got his wheels. Oct 8 - I herded. Ida went to Vernon to S.S. Everett came up to see Ed, but he is not home yet from the Convention. Pap & Everett went up to Yorks to see about him. Oct 9 - Ed got home. Sold my cow to Jim Hadlock for $35.00. Worked on the house. Oct 14 - Laid up rock until 11 A.M. then all of us went to Vernon to the bean dinner and reception given for Ort Weaver. Ed went to Wray after Miss Williams, the School Ma'm. Bessie came home for a while. Oct 22 - Started on the house again. Chas. Wingfield will help us. Oct 23 - Put rafters up. Oct 26 - Just about finished putting on the shingles. Oct 28 - Chas. Zion and I went to Wray after the rest of the lumber. Cost $62.35. W.J. Bryan spoke at Benkelman. Oct 30 - Went down home. Nov 2 - Went up home & worked on the house. Ed & Chas made a well for Charley Crouse. Nov 15 - I cut out my sheep & started them for home. Pap counted 450 head. Ida took them to the camp. I helped plaster and then I went down to the camp. Nov 16 - Ida & I started early and got down home here before sun down. I owe Pap $107.60. Nov 17 - Ida went home. Nov 19 - Howard came to tell us Ed had over 700 head of Mexican ewes & for us to come up & get what we wanted. Nov 22 - Everett & I went up home. I bought 7 bucks from Pap for $56.00, 100 ewes at $3.75 per head. I owe him $72.83 next July. Everett did not get any sheep. Nov 25 - I have my sheep here at home now. Wm Milhoan had a sale, he wanted me to auctioneer for him. Dec 8 - Got a load of sod & put it on our house roof. Then helped Beth sew a comfort on the sewing machine - it was a terror of a job & looked like the mischief - all wrinkles. Dec 9 - Everett brought 104 ewes from Pap for $3.75 per head. Dec 11 - Kept sheep in all day, Cold (underlined). Art Decker is working for -T. He traded his claim for 14 good cows & 1 bull. Everett & Clara went up home. Dec 21 - Ida and Beth cut kraut & Ida went and caught a mess of fish. Dec 25 - Had ice cream. Everett & Clara here. Ida & I both sent for new diarys. ============================================================