The Diary Entries of John Geddes of Washtenaw County, MI - 1846

1846

Jan 1^st – 33 degrees in the morning and 46 degrees at noon.  A drizzling.  Roads good.  some snow.  Huron low.  I was at home.  Cut loose and sawed some Oak lumber is $6 per thousand. Rail Road rails $8.00  Poplar Siding $6.50 Pop. flooring $7.50 Pop Boards $7.  Shoots or Bran $8.00 per ton.  Flour $4.50 bu. 

5^th – Collins B. Cook commenced teaching in School District (8) eight.

21^st – Five inches of snow fell last night & this morning.

25^th – Thermometer 16 degrees below zero.  24^th 5 degrees below.  25^th 32 degrees above.

26^th – 36 degrees above all morning.  Water scarce yet

31^st – Last night the weather changed from raining to freezing and broke my thermometer by freezing the water

Feb 10^th – A party of neighbors at John Geddes’ last night.

15^th – My son John was bit by a Dog on the finder He was alone in the Road and Dickinson’s dog was coming up the road and bit the boy.

21^st – Good sleighing.  The best this winter.

24^th – Julia Etta Savage left for home (Mother a bad cold)

March 2^nd – Last day of good Sleighing this winter.

3^rd – Wm Parker the Evangelist came to Ypsilanti to preach.

19^th – This is John Geddes birth day.  The thermometer is 46 degrees in the morning and 59 degrees at noon.  In the forenoon,

it rained a little: in the afternoon the day was very pleasant

April 6^th – Township Election John Geddes elected Supervisor

John Geddes has 319 votes

Orin White (Loco) has 263 votes for Supervisor and Horace Coy (Native) has 69 votes for Supervisor.  George W. Jewett (Abol) has 69 votes for Supervisor

17^th – Jacob Bacon, P. W. Sage, John Geddes, Wm. - - - - -, Isaiah Norris, John Howland & George Skinner signed a litter directed to the Rev. Ira M. Wead inviting him to resign the Pastor in charge of Ypsilanti Congregational Society.

May 2^nd – Wheat .80 pr Bu at Geddes Mill

9^th – Wheat .62 ½ pr Bu in Ann Arbor

19^th – Thermometer 28 degrees in the morning.  Did not do much however.

21^st – Mr. Wead refuses to resign hi pastoral charge in Ypsilanti for the present.

May 16^th – River Raisen Bank Broke.  I lost nothing by it.

25^th – Henry Savage (my wife’s father) died about seven o’clock A. M. He would have been 70 years old if he had lived to the 11^th of June 1846

25^th – Thermometer 96 degrees

June 6^th – R. Geddes got .65 pr bu for Wheat at Geddes Mill

12^th – William Geddes wife brought him a son.

20^th – Wheat .56 pr bu in Ypsilanti

18^th – Thermometer 100 degrees

24^th – A Camp Meeting commenced on Ne of NW part of Sec 36 and ended 29^th.  It was a rainy time.  four converts and eight sanctified.

July 4^th – A warm day with some rain.  Mr. Wolf, wife and family visited.  Mr. John Powell, Mr. Perry wife & girls.  Mother Savage & Julia Etta Savage.  William Allen + wife + their son.  Allens were there.

6^th – Robert Geddes began cutting Wheat.  An abundant crop but some shrunk this year.  Harvest hands scores and wages $1.75 per day.  Wheat .50 pr Bu.

10^th – Thermometer 72 degrees in the morning.  102 degrees a little after one O’clock

11^th – Thermometer 75 degrees in the morning, 95 degrees warmest

16^th – Thermometer 40 degrees in the morning  John Geddes worked 6½ days raking & binding Wheat this harvest.

July 12^th – Julius Foster and Maria White were married.  It was Sunday evening.  Aaron Lawrence Esqr Loses on 1000 barrels of Flour.  Bought Hunter $1711.9  It was a disastrous and foolish speculation.

29^th – Thermometer 102 degrees at one O’clock

August 1^st – Wheat is .50 pr Bu.  The Wheat crop is abundant.

3^rd – Bought a horse of Partridge for $65

7^th – Thermometer 103 at 2 O’clock.  Wheat .56

8^th – Pettibone moved into the Board kiln house.  They are to have it one year for 10 dollars

Sept. 1^st – Mrs. Pettibone died about eight O’Clock P.M.

4^th – A rainy day.  Water enough now to Saw

7^th – Thermometer 93 degrees.  Wheat .56 This has been a warm summer and sickly this fall.

14^th – Wheat .60 pr Bu in Ann Arbor

18^th – Robert Geddes sold his crop of Wheat to Norris for 62 ½ pr bu and the rise

19^th – Wheat .65 pr bu in Ypsilanti

24^th – This day the Central Rail Road was sold

Sept 26^th – Wheat .70 in Ann Arbor.  Sept 30^th .70 at Geddes Mill

Sept 28^th – Thermometer 39 degrees

28 & 29^th – Went and returned from Detroit

29^th – Wheat 73 pr Bu in Ypsilanti

30^th – Bought 15 acres of land in Sec 23 for $300.  Paid for it. (All but $17.28) by $180 let Morgan have Aug 5, 1838

Oct 3^rd – Thermometer 32 degrees.  The coldest this season yet.

13^th – Thermometer 30 degrees at 9 O’clock P.M.

14^th – Thermometer 30 degrees at 2 O’clock A.M. Coldest this season.

14^th – James Lawrence + Mary Rogers were married at his fathers.  They had considerable of a party.  It was Mary’s birth day.  She is nineteen today.

15^th – William Palmer + Mary Drake were married.  Aaron Lawrence Esqr settled his Flour + Wheat speculation with Hunter.  Lawrence paid $750 in Cash and gave his note for $350

24^th – Wheat 62 ½  in Ann Arbor + at Geddes Mill and buyers scarce.  More wheat than nomey

24^th – The Rail Road more business than it can do.

19^th – Thermometer 22 degrees this morning.  The coldest this season.

31^st – Wheat no sale viz  more persons to buy.  Flour .64

Nov 21^st – Wheat about 60 pr Bu or no sale  Bought 17 Bu Wheat at .65 for my own use

Nov – Had my buggy overhauled.  It cost $37.50

26^th – Thermometer  this morning13 degrees  After a warm muddy November.  The weather changed yesterday and winter set in.  Wheat .56 in Ann Arbor + 62 ½ in Ypsilanti.  Bran 4.00 per ton.

28^th – William DeWaters moved into the boarding house At ½ day work per week.  Rent

Dec 7^th – James M. Wing commenced teaching school School District No Eight at $15.00 pr month

23^rd – Rev. Mr. Ira M. Wead Donation party

27^th – John Geddes (my son) is four years old today. Weighed 26 lbs.

31^st – My ------ this year is $458.40