1848
Feb. 9th - Wm. McCollum commenced boarding after dinner at $1.00 per week.
18th - One horse and three cows will eat $500.00 of hay, eight bu of shorts in a week.
March 19th 1848 - I am forty seven years of age to day (Sunday) The sun did not shine nor it did not rain out. Cloudy day. Thermometer 31 degrees in the morning and 42 degrees at noon. Road good. March had been a cold + dry month. My health had been good the last year. My eyesight begins to fail me at night. Wheat is .87 ½ to .90 in Ypsilanti + 85 in Ann Arbor. The past Winter no sledding. Poplar logs 60 per hundred at Geddes Mill. Siding $8.00 Flooring $10.00 Oak $7.00
March 30th - Amlin(?) McCartney died of the epidemic.
April 18th - Sarah McCartney died of the epidemic. Was sick 14 days was attended by Doctor.
13th - Mrs. Jane McCartney died of epidemic sick 16 days.
22nd - Attana McCartney died of epidemic, sick 25 days in her fourth year.
20th - Agrippa Geddes left Ypsilanti for Pennsylvania. He has a bad cough.
29th - Wheat is .87 ½ in Ypsilanti + .80 in Ann Arbor. Ohio White plaster is 9.50 per ton.
26th - Thermometer 18 degrees + 20 degrees
24th - Miss Eliza Copeland commenced teaching school in District No 8 at $1.50 per week.
May 5th - Mary Lawrence died this day at one of the clock P. M. Her maiden name was Rogers. She left a son two weeks old.
May 2nd - Bought Mrs. Van Sickle Black -------- cherry tree and planted it near the --- south of it's the same day (it died)
9th - Mr. Davis Leavenworth and his wife, wife's mother + wifes sister + daughter left boarding with me and went to Ann Arbor village.
13th - Ellen McCartney died this day between 8 + 9 Oclock P.M. It was the forty third day of her sickness. Mrs. Jane McCartney was buried in the Whitmore burial ground and four of her daughters two on each side of her all having died in six weeks.
May 26 + 27 - Went and returned from Detroit. 21 degrees F. Mrs. Henry Van Sickle and family left here for Canada (two sons + one daughter)
25th - exchanged horses even with Mr. Vaughan.
June 1st - Myself, wife + children visited Wm Geddes' folks
2nd - Myself, wife + children visited Nathaniel H. Terry.
6th - I bought a pair silver case + spectacles and a German silver case. The spectacles cost two dollars + the case .50 I date from this day my use of spectacles. I am in my 48th year.
July 17th - It rained the 4th of July considerable and every day since more or less. It has not rained any since the 14th when we had a smart shower. Some grain grew in the ground before it was out. Some was cut before the rain began. It was about lost. The less amounts to at least a ---- of half a crop by the rain. If the rainy time had been one week later, the damage would have been considerable more. This is the twenty fourth harvest I have seen in Michigan and I never saw grain grow before it was cut before. Robert Geddes wheat crop is very good for this year and not injured much if any by the rain. It has not rained since the 14th and the weather appears settled. Myself, wife + family all do north to Grandmothers to day.
15th - Paid Stephen Ails Fifteen dollars for the use of Hor-d Patent water wheel for Flouring + plaster Mills. The deeds were dated July 10th 1848.
17th - Robert Geddes brought his daughter home from Ypsilanti where she has been at school.
23rd - Commenced on new Potatoes and will use every day. They are good size but scarce.
26th - Quite a rain to night. For a week past the weather had been rainy and but little wheat hauled in.
27th - This day, Leavenworth + us signed a Lease for the Grist mill. This pays seven cents per bushel
Aug 5th - The same kind of rainy weather still continues. The North water wheel when screwed up without the arms, weighs 1027 # Cost 4 ½ cents per #
10th - A heavy rain in the afternoon.
15th + 16th - A very heavy rain in the night + morning. Brook and Huron high. Roads much was here. Very bad hay weather. The worst harvest and Hay weather I ever saw by considerable. Wheat .90 pr bu.
Aug 18th - Finished the gate for the North water wheel of the Flouring Mill. Put in a new water wheel. It weighs 1057. the cost 4 ½ cents per Hr. Wheel with trimmings cost $52.25 The gate around it cost $30.46.
Aug 18th - Wife weighed 92 #. Wife's mother weighed 103 #. I weighed 148 #. Rachel weighed 23 #.
31st - Wheat .86 Brought from here to Detroit .16 per Barrel
Sept 1st - Wheat ----- is slowly. The first flour sent from Geddes mill this season.
Sept 18th - The new route of the Central Trail Road was first run over. The Meteor with the passengers was the first Locomotive
Sept 21 - Wheat .87 ½
October 9th - The new side track in Geddes burg first used.
11th - Both ends of Geddes Mills side track finished.
18th - I received $13.62 Rent of Geddes Flouring mill being the first payment of Cash I received from Mill.
18th - Wheat .85 in Ypsilanti.
Oct 26th - Ezra W. Whitmore and wife ------- Sandford were married. Wheat .75 in Ypsilanti.
27th - Samuel P. Dunham died at Grass lake of the Bloody Flux. Was sick Six weeks.
Nov 9th - Thermometer 04 degrees morning 28 degrees at Noon.
10th - Mary Ann Hart was married to Wm. Webb of the township York.
14th - Amos Hicks moved from Sawmill house to thi sown house in Geddesburgh.
26th - Finished reading the Bible in course the seventh time since I was married.
27th - Commenced reading the Bible in course the eighth time. Wheat is .75 pr bu.
28th - The Central Railroad finished the crossings in Geddes Mills. The Highway is not well done.
Dec 4th - Henry DeGarmo moved into School District No. eight (8). Having bought Dwight Hawks farm of 160 acres for $2000.
Dec 5th - Yesterday afternoon and last night it snowed 12 inches of Snow. Thermom 32 degrees. This is the greatest fall of snow at one time in some years.
Dec 8th - This day at 12 o'clock The Huron river high. It has not been as high since April 1836. The water took another start and was the highest at dark. It then fell about a foot the next day. It then rained again the night of the 9th and rose next day Six inches. It fell about 12 inches night following.
Dec11th - This freshet(?) must pass as the highest rise of water. This twenty three years. The Ann Arbor the Kellogg + the Chubb Dams were broken. They two first badly and all the Dams above Chubbs to Dexter more or less injured.
Dec 11th - This day Robert Geddes is Fifty-one years old. His health is middling now but was quite poor for some time in the summer.
Dec 13th - At a meeting of the First Presbyterian Church (Ypsilanti) It was voted unanimously that the Elders should hold their office for a stated time and not for life. The four Elders then resigned. The Church then elected Six Elders, three of the former ones James Loomis, Jacob Bacon + John Geddes and three new ones. John Howland Thomas S. Hill + Calvin P. Frost. There was Twenty-one voters. Geddes had 21 votes Bacon 19 + Loomis 16 each. Howland 17 + Hill 13 votes. Frost 10 votes, Sage (one of the former Elders) had six votes. A motion was then made that Wm. Frost be one of the Elders which was carried. It was voted that the Elders have lots for the length of time they are to remain in office until reelected. Two of the Elders to be in office three years two two years + five one year. And hereafter the elections of Elders is to held on the Friday immediately preceeding the first communion Sabbath of the year and to hold their office for three years. But eligible on accepting for an indeffinate period per drawing Dec 20th. Wm. Loomis + Geddes drew for three years. Bacon + Frost two years + Howland + Hill for one year. Though particular matters were given that the drawing should take place after a prayer meeting that was held at Mr. Marsh, but three of the Elders were there (Howland, Frost + Geddes) and but five other persons besides the family. Rexford, A. Hill Copeland, G. N. Skinner + Pippins.
Dec 22nd - It has been snowing two days and has made out one foot of snow. Thermometer 18 degrees this morning and 26 degrees this noon.
Dec 25th - Christmas Day. Thermometer 29 degrees in the morn 30 degrees at noon + 16 degrees at nine O clock P.M. One foot of snow. Roads out
27th - My son John is Six years old to day and weighs 34 ¼ lbs. Gained 3 1.2 lbs the last year. His health has been middling good for the past year. Sarah weighs 54 ½ lbs. Gained 5 lbs. In a year. Rachel weighs 27 ¼ lbs. Her health middling. My own weight 165 lbs. My Health middling in the year. Salome Coburn weighs 127 ½ # who is 17 next April. Delia Alexander weighs 132 #s who is 18 next May 12th.