1952

January

1. Cloudy early. New Year’s Day. I washed up all dirty clothes and Dad & I went to town for milk and Ennis and kids came over and had dinner with us. Sun out. Hot. Temp went to 70 at 2:30. Took Ennis and kids home at 2:30. Elsie Beckett’s father died suddenly last night.

2. Another fine day. Warm. Worked hard all day. Temp 68 today. Really warm. 7 Eggs. At 6:00 Dad and I went up to Roy Beckett’s. They brought Elsie’s Daddy to her home at 6:30 & I worked on his income tax report till 7:45. Home and raining at bedtime.

3. Cloudy. Temp 32. Snowing when I started to work. Cleared up some. No rain. No snow. 7 Eggs. Called Neta at Sanitarium to see how Quincy was. Better. Mr. St. Clair’s funeral in Baptist Church. Burial at Brown Cemetery on Black Lick. Temp. 30 at 7.

4. Sleeting rain. A bad morning. Dr. Lilly did not go to McComas. Dad and I went to town early to get milk & mail and home. Dad’s birthday. We had a good dinner. We ate our last tomato that we raised last summer for dinner. At 8:30 Rufus, Aunt Emma, Hobart, Verena, Randy, Margaret, Scotty, Jamie & her beau came over to see television. Was very good. Left at 11:30. It rained all afternoon and night. Temp up.

5. Very nice day. Worked hard all day. Mrs. Bengert’s mother died this morning. At 8:45 tonight, Rufus, Ethel, Hense Wiley & wife came to see the wrestling match at 10:30. Left at 12:15. Television was real good. Blaine & Dorsey Martin came to see TV.

6. Snowing. Temperature 26. Went to SS. Fern & Kay came home with us so Ennis could go see Quincy. Snowed all day. Cold all day. Temp 20. Mrs. Bengert’s mother buried in Athens Cemetery this afternoon. 8 Eggs.

7. Temp. 20. Real cold. Cloudy all day. Snowed some. Geo Frazier came very near dying this morning. 8 Eggs. Quincy came from hospital at 7 tonight. Much better they say. Temp at 8:30- 18.

8. Temp 24 and sleeting early. Neta called for us to come over and we did. Quincy seems so much better, Home, covered strawberries w/pine needles and straw, cleaned barn ,chicken house and cleaned and waxed Dad’s room. Tired at 6. Cloudy most all day. 9 Eggs, most yet all winter,

9. A fine day.

10. Snowing today. Cloudy and colder. Slick all day.

11. Cold & ground covered with snow. Dad down with a stiff neck. I had to do everything all day. Geo Frazier died today. Went to Basketball Athens High vs Williamson.

12. A very nice day. Worked hard all day. At 7 tonight, Harry Wiley & Eula came over, found we had a TV, went and got the kids and came back and stayed for wrestling bouts and were they good. Over at 12:15.

13. Cloudy and cold. Went to SS and down to see Quincy a few minutes. On up to cemetery to Geo Frazier’s burial and home. Raining and cold today.

14. Went to see Ennis. She is sick. No one to look after her. 

15. Temp 50. Raining some. I washed & went to see how Ennis was. She was better. I ironed part of clothes. At 6:30, we went to gym. Tazewell beat Joe’s team.

16. A fine day. Worked all day.

17. Temp 22. Cloudy and cool. Dr. Lilly went to Princeton to see Dr. Ben Bird & Scott about his headaches. Dr. Ben washed out his sinus & antrum hoping his head will be better. Raining today. At 6:30, we went to gym to see Pineville beat Joe’s High school team. Stars shining.

18. Temp 32. Cloudy. We really had a windstorm at 1:30 this morning. Rain, wind, hail, Lightning, Thunder. A real storm. Dad & I did not hear it. We went to Princeton for crack corn & mash for chickens. Went to see Quincy awhile after dinner and home and finished ironing.

19. Cool but cloudy. Rained some. Worked hard. Dr. Vermillion fell on steps at Mick or Mack store at noon today and skinned his knees and hands. For wrestling bouts, Harry Wiley & Eula came at 7:15. Then Jessie Whirt’s wife and 2 boys came, then Ethel & Rufus, then later Hense Wiley, wife & daughter, husband & 2 kids and Ralph Bauguess’s girl. 14 in all- a room full.

20. Clear and very nice. Wind high. Went to SS & home. After dinner, we went up to Uncle Doc’s awhile, then to see Ethel & Roof and their new home. It is real nice. Temp 34 at bedtime.

21. A very nice day. Ora Peters entered Bluefield Sanitarium. Real sick. Rev. Mayberry is real sick- cancer so I hear. Rev. Moore fell last week and broke his hip in Grace Hospital in Welch. Cloudy tonight. Daddy has a cold.

22. Temp 24. Woke up at 1 AM. Sleeting against the window. I looked out of window and a big snow on. Raining when we got up. Had snowed, sleeted froze and pouring rain most of day. Dad got an awful cold. I went and got him med and gave him all day. Snow all gone by night. Went to gym to see Joe’s High beat Northfork. A real good game. Bill Jennings & Hight on bench- never got in game.

23. Cold. Temp 20. Cloudy most of day. Well pump burned out and no water in town. Snowing as I came home= just a little.

24. Temp 16. Cold & Cloudy. No water in office all day. Dr. Lilly’s head is really hurting him today. Grover White & Nida & kids & Aunt Flora came over and stayed until 9:30. They enjoyed our tv very much.

25. Temp 26. Cloudy. I cleaned house and at 12:30, we went over to see Quincy. He is not doing well emotionally. Cried several times while we were there. Dr. Lilly did not go to McComas but to Bluefield Sanitarium instead. His head bothered bad last night.

26. Blank

27. Went to SS & down to see Quincy. He is so sick.

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29. Blank

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February

1. A clear day. Sun out.

2. Blank

3. Went to SS & on to see Quincy. He is so sick and blue. Sicker than they think he is.

4. Quincy not so well.

5. Cold. Went over to see Quincy. He was so sick. I called Dr. Vermillion and he said hospital. So we got him ready. Left at 12:00. Sis was sick in bed so Dad & I had to stay with her all day till Sampson came from work. Then we went to see Athens beat Big Creek.

6. Snowing. Cold. I have the flu. So sick. Quinzetta called and Dr. Vermillion & I went to Bluefield to see Quincy. He was so sick. I had a special nurse put on to make him comfortable. The end is near now. 

7. Quincy worse . Had to put him in oxygen tent. I could not work. Flu, so sick. Dad also.

8. QD called for Jessie to hurry over there. Dad & I went at 11:00. Left hospital at 12:30. Quincy just there. I know we won’t see him again alive.

9. 5:30 Alfred & Edna came to tell us that Quincy went away at 12:15 AM. At 8:00, Glen came to tell us also. We dressed and went up to QD’s. They all left for Princeton at 10:00. We came home. Dad is sick. Bill & Lizzie came down after Murial Pettrey ‘s funeral. Arion Pettrey’s boy shot himself Thursday.

10. A fine day. Windy. We got ready & went up to QD’s. Undertaker brought Quincy down at 10:00. We stayed there till 5:00. Lots & lots of people came. I brought Dad home and put him to bed sick & a temperature. I went back to QD’s and came home at 9:00 and was up all night giving Dad flu medicine. Mary Pettrey died.

11. A fine day. Rained, thundered, lightning from 12:30 til 3:30 AM. Fount Wiley died this morning. This morning I called Dr. Vermillion out to see Dad. He said to keep him in bed and he could not go to the funeral & burial of Quincy. I stayed with him till funeral time. QD came to see what was wrong that we had not come over. Glen and Everett also came. Preacher came. Ethel came to stay with Dad but Dad said that he would stay alone. So Ethel took me at 5 to 1 just in time for funeral. A large crowd there. I came straight back as soon as funeral was over. After supper, Ethel & Rufus came. Later Neta, Quinzetta and Sampson came. I gave Dad med. most of night. Alfred & Bernice came to see about Dad.

12. Up early. Got breakfast and had to go to bed. Dr. Vermillion came out to see about us & brought mail. Neta, Sis, & QD came over and stayed awhile. Oh I got sicker & sicker all morning. Started vomiting at noon- just fluid- Called Dr. Vermillion at 2:30. Boy oh boy, was I sick when Dr. got here. After supper, QD & family came. Glen, Lacy, Neta, Sis, and Dillon came. They had been up to undertaker Seaver’s to see Fount Wiley.

13. Still sick in bed most of day. Too sick and weak to go to work today. Neta brought up some of Quincy’s flowers. They were beautiful. Fount Wiley burial today. We could not go to it. QD & family came over and stayed until 10:30.

14. A very nice day. I went to work. Still so weak, can hardly go. Neta sick in bed yesterday all day & Sis brought her up to QD’s and she went to bed. Went to gym to see ballgame. Took Fern & Kay with us. Hinton- we won.

15. Cold temp. Cloudy. Went up and worked at office. Dr. & I posted up his books & write ins. I burnt trash. Ate dinner. Daddy and I laid down and slept till 3:00. So much flu.

16. Clear. A very nice day. At 6:30 Blaine J. came to check TV. Then Harry Wiley & Eula came at 9:00. Ethel, Rufus, Aunt Emma Frazier, Henderson Wiley Came. Harry went to town to get Maxine & Ruth. All stayed for wrestling match at 10:30.

17. Up. Raining. Dad went to SS. I did not. I went up to see Mastin a few minutes. We cane home, went to bed and slept until 2:30. Got dinner and just stayed home. Snowing when we woke up and on till bedtime. Colder a lot.

18. Temp 15. Really cold. Sun up but still cold. Dr. Lilly gone all day to Bluefield to Dental Meeting. Mrs. R.L. Davis died during the night in Memorial Hospital. Found dead by the nurse.

19. Temp 15. Up early. Washed and dad & I went to Princeton for chicken feed. Home, ate dinner & I ironed all of the clothes. I stopped at Davis in Princeton as we came home. Della Blankenship Akers buried at Elgood. Went to college to see High School beat Big Creek by 12 points. Lloyd Oxley burnt off his pasture field and it got away from him.

20. Temp 32. Clear and nice day til late afternoon. Cloudy & raining a little.

21. Cloudy. Snowed during night- just a little. Joe’s High School beat Greenbrier Military School by 12 points. Boy oh Boy, what a game. Large crowd there.

22. Cold early. Went to town and Mitzi came home with us and stayed until 1:15 and we took her back over to the store. I went to the office and wrote insurance. Snowed just a little.

23. A very nice day. Dad & I set up. Nobody here for wrestling match- first time since we have had TV. Snowing late in evening at 11:30 when we went to bed.

24. Cloudy & cool. Went to SS & up to see Uncle Doc’s and home at 11:45 and laid down and slept till 2;30. Up and got dinner and stayed home. Snowing most of afternoon and on into the night.

25. Temp 22. Clear most of day. Worked hard all day. Neta, Sis & Dillon came over at 8:00 tonight. TV not so good.

26. Cloudy early. Cleared up later in the morning. Dad & I cleaned chicken house and put in new straw. I waxed dad’s room. After dinner, Dad & I went up to see Geo Alvis and back to store. Dad & I went to see Kay, she is sick, and down to see Luther Martin, he is right sick. Snowing at noon today- just a little- a still is. News on TV: Commercial Hotel in Bluefield is on fire.

27. A very nice day. Worked hard all day.

28. A fine day.

29. A fine day. I washed early and cleaned & waxed kitchen floor. Went up for milk & mail . Loafed at the store awhile and home & ironed everything. Dr. Lilly went to McComas Clinic. Mrs. Caldwell very sick. Boy, What a day- just like a summer day. At 8:00, Lodema called saying they were coming over to see boxing bout at 10:00- Came at 8:30 and left at 11:00. Thundered, Lightning & raining at 9:30. A real storm. 

March

1. A very nice day. Cold tho, snowing some. For the wrestling we had Harry Wiley, Eula, Maxine, Ruth, Roof, Ethel & Randy & Margaret. Neta, Sis, & Dillon came but went home at 9:00.

2. Cloudy & cold. 22 temp. Went to SS & home. Laid down at 11:30, went to sleep and we slept till 3:15. Up and got dinner. Snowing when we woke up. Snowing for a while , then went to raining. Temp 28. Mrs. Lilly took her “bed” today.

3. Snowed a little. Early cold.

4. Cloudy. I went to McComas with Dr. Lilly today. Mrs. Lilly real sick also Mrs. Caldwell. I took 2 pair of my shoes to have heels put on. Rained today.

5. Cold- 22. Cloudy early. Dad & I went to gym to see Princeton High & Bluefield Hi playoff basketball Tournament. Princeton won by 12 points. A big crowd. Cheerleaders had fights.

6. Cloudy. Snowed a little. Temp 18. Cold.

7. Cloudy. Snowed a little most of day. Temp 18. I went to McComas again today.

8. Cold. Temp 18. Warmed up a lot. Roof Martin , Hense Wiley & Son-in-law came to see wrestling at 10:30. Got to bed at 12:30.

9. Cloudy early. Cleared up. Went to SS and home. Neta & Sis & Mitzi came over a little while. We watched fire over on Missionary Ridge on Frank Martin’s farm burn. At 2:15, fire whistle blew and it went up back of Chap Underwood’s home and houses over there. We went up to Uncle Doc’s - could not see from there.

10. Cloudy and cold early. We worked hard. Dad’s name on jury list for April court- criminal court. Raining around 3:30.Wind high and raining hard at bedtime.

11. Temp 46. Rained all night. Wind blew, oh so hard. Loosened the roof on my room and it just poured in, from 10:30 on all night. Took me most of the night, getting pans to catch the water in. After dinner, we went over town. Jessie went to Bluefield Sanitarium for examination. They said to come back in a week. No appendicitis, no operation- just a case of nerves.

12. Clear some. Cloudy some. Worked hard all day. A big frost. Temp 18. Glen Alvis bought Pruett Home Place from Manta Pennington.

13. Clear. A nice day. Lacy Keatley got Dad off jury duty. A big dust storm coming - a big one.

14. Cloudy, I went to McComas with Dr. Lilly. Mrs. Lilly still not able to go. Dr. got 5 baby chicks this morning. Ethel, Verena, & Frazier left for Cleveland to be present when Aunt Emma is operated on Monday.

15. Cloudy. Snowed a little during morning in Princeton- ground covered. Hense, Roof, & Mr. Reed came over at 9:30 to see wrestling matches. TV was bad. Wrestling was good.

16. Up at 7:15. Just pouring the snow- ground white & wind high all day. Temp 18. Went to SS and home. Laid down, slept until 3:15, also Dad. Wind still high at 8:30, not snowing.

17. A clear day. Snow went away. Warmer a lot.

18. Cloudy early. I washed early, put clothes out. Wind got up and most dry at 10:00. I started ironing till noon. Got dinner and Dad & I went up town and home. Went to raining around 2:30. Temp down to 28. Snowing, sleeting, hailing - just did everything - even sun shining today. I ironed some more later but I gave out so I quit. Wind high- just pouring the rain - my room leaking.

19. A high wind. No rain much today. Frogs hollowing a lot. First time I have heard them. Dad and I saw a fight at 10:00. A real bout, believe me, they were rough.

20. Warmer a lot. First day of spring at 11:20 this morning. Warmed up to 72, Dad said. Neta, Sis & Mr. Dillon came over at 7:45. Stayed until 9:00.

21. Temp 46. Up at 6:30. Finished ironing at 9:00.Dad & I went up on top of my room and we tried to fix it so it won’t leak. Also fixed top of coal house- put on roofing. In, got dinner and raked and cleaned front yard. Went to garden and worked awhile and in, washed my hair. And at 5:00 we went for milk and home. TV no good today. Temp went to 74 at 11:00.

22. A fine day. Rufus & Mr. Reed, Harry & Eula & Maxine & Ruth were here for wrestling.

23. A cold day. Went to SS. I stayed for church. Rev. Cutlip’s last sermon as he is leaving for Parkersburg. After dinner, Dad & I went over to Jessie’s. First time I had been over there. Then up to cemetery and stopped at QD’s awhile. Then they came over to our house.

24. Cloudy & cold. Started snowing at 10:00 and just poured for about 1 hour. Stuck to trees and cars and it was so pretty. Then sun came out and all gone. QDs came over at 5:45. I took 7 doz. Eggs to Mason’s for supper at Lodge Hall.

25. Cold early. Dad & I went to Princeton to see if we could get some baby chicks and home. Sally Oxley came down awhile. Dad & I went out to get feed out of car and Dad’s knee popped and did it hurt him. I got him in house so at bedtime he could not walk on it.

26. A fine day. Up early. I had to do everything, even dress Dad. Knee really hurts bad. I came home 3 times during the day to see about him and Dr. Vermillion came over to see him. A bad sprain maybe. Neta let me have her crutches for him. Jessie came over. QDs came over also to see Dad. Also, Neta & Sis.

27. A fine day. No news.

28. Cloudy some. Dad doing very well. Still on crutches- can get into kitchen now. Dad & I saw fight at 10:00 on TV. Good.

29. A fine day. Worked hard all day. QD’s came at 6:30 at 8. Harry & Eula, Ethel, Rufus, Randy, Margaret, Scotty and Mr. Reed came for wrestling at 10:30 tonight.

30. A fine day. Went to SS & church. Dad had to miss SS first time because if sickness. Neta & Sis came at 12:00. Jessie & Lodema came at 2:00. QD & family came about 3:30 to 4:30. Fred Rogers family came. A full house- tired- all came to see Dad.

31. Raining early and cloudy most of day.

April

1. A beautiful morning. I washed early, ironed until 11:30 and took Dad over to get a haircut and up to store to loaf a few minutes. Home finished ironing. Aunt Emma left hospital today. Went to Dee. After supper QD’s came. Ethel, Rufus, & Mrs. Hense Wiley. Ethel wanted eggs. A real storm came up at 8:30. Thunder, Lightning, Wind, hail. A real storm for 30 minutes.

2. Still lots of hail in town from last night. Clear and cold. Jane Jennings in bed with rheumatic fever. Rev. Geo. Cutlip & family left today for Parkersburg, We are without a preacher now. QDs came over. Kay sick. Temp 101 2/5. Fern went home with Andrew White’s girl. QDs stayed till after fight at 10:00. Left at 11:00.

3. Cold but a nice day. Cold. Wind high. Perry Bird died yesterday. Mrs. Jennings real sick with flu. Temp 102 ½.

4. Cloudy but a very nice day. Cleaned back yard and burnt trash. At 11:30 Dr. Vermillion called me saying my 50 chicks were at post office. Then Brenneman called me. I dressed and went and got feed from Neta. Got chicks and home. Fixed them and put them in their home. Nice ones. Cloudy, wind high all afternoon. Baked a cake. Temp 53.

5. Cloudy all day & cold. 2 chicks dead. Rest OK. Snowing at 4:00. Fine snow. Harry & Eula came at 7:30 for wrestling. Harry went at 9:00 for girls. No one else came. Eula took my quilt to finish for me.

6. A little snow. Temp 27. I went to SS. Dad did not go. I stayed for church. Fred Rogers had charge of services. Boys from his class at college. Large crowd there. Dad & I was fixing the baby chicks. Jessie came and went home for a large bulb which will keep them warm & Lodema and Mitzi came. Everything fixed. I fixed dinner at 3;30 for them. Stayed until 5:00. Snowing all day off & on.

7. Clear but cold today. Vernie White got burned from waist down & 1 arm & hand on State Road job with gasoline. In Memorial Hospital - real bad- 24 to 48 hours before they know if he will live. Chicks are fine. Have 50.

8. Clear. A big frost. Temp 28. Dad & I made a wire bottom for chicks & put them on it. They are fine. Cleaned chicken house & cleaned around the chicken house. Forsythia in full bloom, also peaches. I went to town for milk and voted for teacher’s raise- more money.

9. A fine day. Teachers vote & election went over – 91%. 

10. Snowed a little.

11. Blank

12. Rylee sent Dad a box of candy for Easter and a card. Harry, Eula & kids came also Rufus, Ethel & Mr. Reed for wrestling match.

13. Raining- Easter- Went to SS & church. Dr. Harmon preached. A nice crowd there. We went up to see Uncle Doc’s awhile.

14. Rained today. Strong Southern’s wife died at 1:30 AM. Dr. Vermillion was there. QD’s came over at 6:30. Stayed until 9:30.

15. Cloudy and snowed some off and on all day. I washed and put clothes on lines in house. They dried and I ironed everything by 4:30. Henry Wyrick’s boy was hit by a car at Speedway and died before they could get him to hospital.

16. Clear & cool. QDs came at 7:30. Stayed till after the fight. Jessie came at 9:45 to see fight. A real good one. Sugar Ray Robinson won - a negro.

17. A very nice day. Worked hard. QDs came back to watch television. Left at 9:30.

18. Warmer. We had 15 chicks with tail feathers plucked out and bleeding this morning. Went to see Dr. V. - got some salve, greased them and kept them in the old chicken house - 2 days & 1 night. QDs & Neta came at 8:00 for fight at 10:00.

19. Warm all day/ Harry & Eula came. Rufus, Ethel & QD for wrestling. It was a honey. Worse we have seen.

20. Hot, clear. Went to SS & church. College choir had the service. It was good. I “sun tanned my back” saw a “towie” - yellow as gold- shot at it – missed. QDs came stayed all afternoon. At 5:30 Randy, Margaret, & Scotty came hunting for Aunt Emma & Ethel. They were gone. In bed at 8:45. *Note: Research shows that a towie is a cat. CKM.

21. A fine day. Hot. Temp 78. Doc Jennings plowed our garden.

22. Up early. A fine day. Doc Jennings came and disked & drug our garden so Dad and I planted potatoes, 3 rows corn, 2 rows beans, 3 onions, beets & carrots. My back is burnt red. Went to town got milk and home. Dad is so tired and so am I. My back is burnt. QDs came awhile till 9:30.

23. Hot. Clear. A nice day. Mrs. Ben Caldwell’s mother died yesterday at Union. Jade Crockett died yesterday & P. D. Bratton. Dr. Lilly left and did not come back to office. Raining at 6:30. QD came over. Went back home and got Ennis & kids and stayed till after the fight. Rained hard.

24. Cloudy today. Rain. Dr. Lilly went to McComas to Dental Clinic. Got back at 2:00. Ethel & Rufus came over after supper. Stayed till 9:00.

25. Raining yet today. I went to Princeton at 9:30. Went to hospital to see Vernie White and to sale at Peggy’s Shop first. Crowded. Got 4 prs. Panties, 2 slips & a hat. Back at house at 12:00. After dinner, I made 2 sun back halters. Still raining. QD’s came over to see TV & fight at 10:00. It was good.

26. Raining yet. Never stopped yet since Thursday. Just a steady rain. For the wrestling match tonight Harry’s 4, QD’s 4, Ethel, Rufus & Aunt Emma. 11 in all were here till 12:15. Midgets wrestling. Oh it was so good, so clear and good. Been raining steady.

27. Temp 46. Raining yet. Went to SS & down to see Neta. She is feeling bad. Home, ate dinner and laid down and we slept till 6:00. Up and it just pouring rain. TV good, real good. Raining hard at 9:30.

28. Cleared up and no rain today.

29. Very nice day. I washed and scrubbed floor of porch & cleaned furniture on porch. Went uptown for milk & home & ironed till I got so tired. Quit till another day. QD came over all by himself. Ennis & kids went to show. Neta, Quinzetta and Dillon came. Stayed till 9:30.

30. A fine day. Dr. Lilly left and did not come back. QD’s, Ethel, & Rufus came for fight and Jimmie Nestor also.

May

1. A fine day. Aunt Ida Hanks died. Nobody came to see TV tonight.

2. A fine day. We went to Paul Broyles to get tomatoes {10), 6 pepper plants & 24 cabbage plants and we made hills and put them out and hauled dirt from barn and covered ground. Took corn out for Jennings to grind for us and came home and our calf was out in Lloyd Oxley’s field. Had to put it back. Nobody came tonight. We worked till 8:00 before we got supper. Dead tired.

3. A fine day. Those who came to see TV wrestling was Harry Wiley 4, Jessie’s girl & Aunt Pearl. Randy White, Margaret & Scotty & Jessie, Lodema & Mitzi & Roof Martin- 13 in all. A real big time. Aunt Pearl’s first time to see TV.

4. A fine day. Wind high. Went to SS. Home and ate dinner & went to Elgood to Aunt Ida Hanks funeral. Large crowd was there. Saw so many old timers. Nobody came tonight. Hot today.

5. A fine day. Cloudy early but cleared and got hot before the day was over. Worked hard. 80- some temperature. Alice Lee said Lizzie was bad in Pearisburg Hospital- in an oxygen tent. Earl stopped and told them. Dr. Lilly sick and had to go home at 4:00. Nobody came tonight.

6. A fine day. Clear & warm. Near 80. I cleaned Dad’s room- moved his bed into the other room to give room for TV audience which comes each Saturday night. Waxed floor. Worked hard till 2:00 and went up to Uncle Doc’s & home and worked some more. Ethel & Jimmie Nestor came for dirt. Stayed till 9:30. Gussie called said she went to see Lizzie in hosp in Pearisburg, She is still in oxygen tent.

7. A fine day. Fred Coburn hauled me a load of straw from Jessie’s farm. Dad & I saw a fight by ourselves. 

8. Cloudy may rain. Looks like it. We need some.

9. Clear & warm early. We fixed and put baby cks out. At 11:30 it went to raining & just poured for awhile. Raining late, just pouring. Jessie, Lodema & Mitzi came out for fight. Was real good. TV good.

10. Raining today also. We had 23 for wrestling at 10:00 tonight. Harry Wiley 4, QD’s 4 Aunt Emma 4, Hense Wiley 3, Jessie Wiley 6 & Aunt Pearl & Jessie came at 10:30. TV good too. Coy Conner & Jimmy Alvis & Jimmy Clemons had a wreck. Conner bad in Bluefield hospital.

11. Cloudy, raining most all day. We went to SS & home. Laid down at 11:15 and slept till 2:30. Up and got dinner & did up work. Harry & Eula came at 6:30. Stayed till 8:30. Raining. Temp 38 at 8:30. Cold.

12. Cloudy. Temp 34. Snowing at 7:00. Dad & I covered up tomatoes, peppers & beans. Snowed & sleeted & hailed 6 times during the day. Stockholders meeting of Bank of Athens. Drs gone all morning. QD’s came. Stayed till 9:30. Raining. Temp 40 at bedtime.

13. Raining today. Election Day. Went uptown afternoon for milk & to vote. Mowed lawn.

14. Very nice day. Ethel, Rufus & Jimmy & Harry Wileys & QDs & Jessie for fight. It was a honey.

15. A very nice day. Raining and thunder & lightning today and night. We did not have TV on all day and night.

16. A very nice day. Washed and ironed by noon all but 2 pieces. Dr. & Mrs. Lilly went to Charleston to visit Doc & wife and on to Huntington to see Ora Peters. Went uptown. Took Daddy up to Dr. V. to check him over. Not feeling so good. Jessies came for fight. Very good. TV extra good.

17. A very nice day. May “Day” - I did not go. Harry Wiley’s 4, QD’s 4, Ethel, Rufus & Jimmy & Jessie came for wrestling. It was very good. TV extra good. John Powell died today in Princeton.

18. Cloudy early. Went to SS & stayed for church. Home and stayed there. Harry & Eula came and stayed till 5:15. Then we went up to QD’s awhile. Home. TV good. Rained at bedtime.

19. Raining today.

20. Raining some early this morning. Went to Princeton to see Ray Bailey to survey off some lots on Broadway. Got 12 tomato plants. Put them out and it started raining. We stopped at Toots Shepherd’s and asked about Lizzie. Raining hard all afternoon.

21. Temp 54. Cold & clear most of day. Ethel, Rufus & I cleaned our part of cemetery at Tip’s after supper. QDs came but left. Jessie Wiley’s 6 Harry Wiley’s 3, Ethel, Rufus & Jessie was here for fight. No good. Trouble in the “cable” in Detroit. Cleared up in 8th round – very good after that.

22. Temp 44. Cold. Dr. Vermillion went to see Mitzi at 3:30 AM this morning. Really sick with measles. Dr. Vermillion & Dr. Elbert left for Charleston to Shrine Meeting. At 8:05 we went to see Mitzi. She has measles bad and only stayed a few minutes. Came home and Uncle Hade, Marylee & Harold Williams from Mullens was here. Uncle Hade had a key and they went in and was waiting for us. Stayed till 10:00.

23. A fine day. Hot. Went to garden at 7:30 till 11:45. Temp went to 82. After dinner I washed my hair and cleaned house while Dad slept on porch. Mowed yard all around inside & out. Limbs in the way. Kay has measles. At 6:00 Ray Bailey came to survey our lots for us. 4 on top of Broadway, 2 out near Lloyd Oxley. Rufus & Ethel & Jessie came for fight. It was very good. TV good.

24. A fine morning early. Warm today. Ray Bailey here to survey this afternoon. Raining today, just poured. Mr. Shrewsbury came up at 12:30 and I sold back lot at Gas House to him. QD’s came for a little while. Left at 8:30. Aunt Emma came at 9:30. Harry’s 4 came at 9:45. Neta’s 3 came at 11:15. Rufus & Ethel came. TV good. Raining, just pouring.

25. Cloudy & warm. Took flowers up to cemetery. Went to SS at 9:45. No church. College commencement sermon. Ate dinner early and went up to Tootsie Shepherd’s on Athens Road. Lizzie, Bill, Mrs. Shepherd, & “Delva”, Jack & girl was there. Lizzie is fine. Home & ate supper and went down to see Dr. Lilly’s chickens and garden. Stopped at Roof Martin- gone. Ed Wirtz- gone. Went to Dr. Holdren’s and home “late”. Went to bed at 8:30. Raining some.

26. Raining early. Cooler today. Worked hard. Jessie’s came over yesterday and we were gone. Cleared up but cool. After supper I sprayed my tomatoes & staked first row we put out. Buds in three ready to bloom. Temp 60 at 8:00.

27. A fine day. Up early. Put my washing and done by 9:00. Ray bailey came and Dad and I helped him survey off land over at gas house and 4 lots on knoll of Broadway and 2 below the road to house. Finished at 4:15. Shrewsbury came out awhile and Harry Finkleman & wife came out and asked for first lot on Broadway on left coming out. I took Ray to town to catch bus.

28. A very nice day. Worked hard. Dr. Lilly left and went to Bluefield shopping and dental meeting tonight at 6:00. Dr. Vermillion left at 3:00 going to alumni tea & meeting. After supper, QD came. Rufus came. Harry Wiley came- 3 of them. Jessie, Lodema, & Mitzi came for fight. TV no good. Worse we have had. 11 in all.

29. Raining today. Cloudy all day. Concord Commencement today at 10:00. Closed deal to Shrewsbury on 3 acres at gas house and got check. Temp 57 at bedtime. TV best yet. Clear as a picture. Dad & I took flowers out to Tip cemetery after supper.

30. Up early and it was raining. I ironed all of my clothes I washed Tuesday and Ethel came and left and Dad & I got flowers to take up to cemetery. Decoration Day. All stores closed in town. *Note: This is a Friday- observance on May 30.

31. A fine day. Worked till noon. Harry & Eula, Ethel & Rufus, Jean & Walter & baby, Randy & Margaret, & Jessie came to wrestling- 11 in all. Wrestling was a honey- really mean. Farmer Brown was in it. TV good.

June

1. A fine day. Went to SS & church. Rev. Harmon preached. We rested after dinner. At 4:00, Mr. & Mrs. Harry Finkleman came down to talk about lot on hill. Went over to see Neta and they were gone. Calf in Lloyd’s field. We could not get it out. Dr. & Mrs. Lilly left for Morgantown.

2. A fine day. Warm. I cleaned & waxed floors- all of Dr. Lilly’s & Dr. Vermillion’s and hall. Tired when night came. Gene Hobart graduates law school today. Dr. & Mrs. Lilly were there. Lloyd Oxley & Sally & Dad & I got our calf out of their field and came on down to our house, looked garden over and saw our TV and was it good. Lloyd said better than his.

3. A fine day. Up early. Dad & I got ready and went to Princeton to the ½ million Ritz will contest in court by heirs. Stayed all day. Real hot. Alice Lee & Florence Grimm was at court & came home with us. Home at 5:00. Done up work and ate supper and just rested rest of evening.

4. A fine day. Hot. Harrys and Jessie came for fight. Also Rufus and Ethel.

5. A fine day. Temp 84. Jessie Wiley, Aunt Pearl, & Ras, Harry’s 3, Alfred & Bernice, Randy & Margaret, Ethel & Rufus, Jessies & QDs - 23 in all to see Jersey Joe Walcot defeat Ezra Charles for World Championship.

6. A fine day. Hot. Planted late corn and beans. Mowed grass in orchard with scythe. Mowed all of yard. Worked hard all day. A real fight tonight. Jessie came.

7. A fine day. Only 13 for wrestling. Harry’s. Jessie & Ethel & Rufus- A good match.

8. A fine day. Hot. We did not go to SS or church. At 4:30 Dr. & Mrs. Lilly & Ann came over a while. We went up to Uncle Doc’s awhile after supper.

9. Raining a little early. Lloyd & Sally came down awhile after supper.

10. A cloudy & rainy morning. I washed, put clothes out and it started to rain so I brought them in and went to town. Got back and put clothes out on line. Ate dinner, picked 2 ½ gal strawberries. Took them to Dr. Vermillion and came home and ironed. Got done by 6:00. Cleaned up everything and Neta & QD came stayed till 9:00 and I forgot to eat supper.

11. A fine day. Cool & windy all day. Eula brought my quilt that she had quilted for me. Real nice. Harry, Eula, & Maxine, QD’s 4 came & Jessie’s 3 for fight at 9:00.

12. A fine day. Cloudy & cool. Had to turn on heat for a few minutes at office. Reverend Mayberry died at 5:30 at his home in Princeton.

13. A fine day. Went to garden & staked rest of tomatoes & picked 10 qts. strawberries. Gas men came and we located gas line up in fields where we laid off lots. Took Dr. Vermillion berries. Loafed awhile, home and cleaned chicken coop. QD’s & Jessie’s came for fight.

14. Hot. 88 Harrys & QD’s 4, Ethel, Rufus & Gary & Jessie came for wrestling at 10:00 and TV bad. Worse yet.

15. A hot day. Up and went to Princeton to Mayberry and back to SS & home. QD’s 4 came over to get away from heat wave. Temp to 91. Boy it was hot. Picked 2 gal strawberries & took to Harry & Eula. Home at 9:00 and to bed.

16. Temp 68. Clear & hot. Temp went to 90 at 11:00. 94 at 3:00 in our office and stayed there till we left at 5:15.

17. Hot. We went to Princeton to Southern States for spray & dust material. Ennis went with us. Got home at 12:15. At 1:30 just poured the rain. A real good one. Temp 90.

18. Clear & warm. Hot again. Harry 4 & Jessie & Lodema & Mitzi were here for fight.

19. A hot day again.

20. Hot. 89. Up early and worked the garden & covered late corn & late beans. Picked strawberries & cherries. Made a pie. Got dinner and went to town and home. Hot - Boy it is hot. Jessie’s came over for fight.

21. Hot. Went up to 90 today. Harry’s 4 & Randy’s 3 was here for wrestling.

22. A fine, hot day. Went to SS & church. New man- Byrnside preached- was good. Dr. Lilly left for West Liberty with Bobby Caldwell for St. Board examination.

23. I cleaned office. Hot- went to 90 again. Harry’s came up. We picked raspberries. They helped.

24. Hot. Washed & ironed. QDs came. 

25. Hot. Temp 90 in office. QDs came.

26. Hot. 92 in office.

27. Went to Princeton to see about oil lease that Lawyer Day found while checking records for Finkleman on lot he bought. Harrys & Jessie came for fight.

28. A fine day. Hot tho. Harry’s 3 came & Jessie’s 3 for fight. Ethel & Rufus & Gary

29. Hot. Did not go to SS. Dad did. I went up to Doc’s and Dad came up after SS and we ate dinner with them. Home at 1:30. Temp went to 90 at 3:00. We laid down on concrete porch to keep cool.

30. Raining early today and a nice rain. Harrys came – helped pick raspberries and I gave them a lot.

July

1. Cold. Temp 58. Chilly most of day. I worked in garden till noon. Went to town got milk and home. QDs came for a while. Mr. & Mrs. Calfee came. Stayed till 10:00.

2. Hot. Worked hard. Ambrose child was brought in to Dr. V. in a convulsion...a real one too. Harry’s came for fight. Jessie & Rufus Martin came.

3. Hot and dry. QDs came. Picked raspberries. We gave them what they picked.

4. A clear dry fourth. We went up and got milk and home. For dinner we had out of our garden, green beans, potatoes, cabbage for slaw, butter beets, cucumbers, and onions. All good. We laid on porch from 1:30 till 4. Temp 89. Harrys came and QDs. No fight. Sprinkled just a little about dark.

5. Cloudy. Rained some off and on most of day. Thundered and lightning. Jessie took Mitzi to hospital in Bluefield early this morning. Temp 103 ½. Strep throat, they say. Dr. kept her overnight. Harrys came at 6:30 & took Dad & I Bluefield to wrestling match. Packed house. Just a fake. Our TV went bad. I went and got Blaine at 11:00 tonight.

6. Cool and clear. Went to SS & was secretary. Stayed for church and meeting afterwards. Our new preacher is coming August 1-

7. Rained just a little during the day. Jessie & QDs, Harry’s 3 & Scott Rogers was here to see Republican Convention- McArthur talking.

8. Cloudy. Sprinkled rain a little. Washed and ironed today.

9. Cold. Temp early 60. Car hit Kanode at 12:00 today. Dr. Lilly left at noon. QD’s 4, Jessie’s 3 here. Fern had temp of 104 2/5 

10. Temp 62. Dr. Vermillion went to see Fern. QD & Jessie was here tonight for convention. TV was so good.

11. Temp 58. Up early. Went to Princeton for feed. No rain. Oh how dry. Ike Eisenhower nominated for president by Republicans today on first ballot. Nixon for vice from California. Jessie was here for balloting then after supper QDs came. Then Rufus & Ethel. Then Harry’s 3, Jessie & Harry boy & “Paul” St. Clair on Jimmy’s motorcycle.

12. Hot today. Dr. Lilly left at noon and went to Bluefield for Phyllis & Libby Ann from Iowa. Harry’s 3, Ethel & Rufus, Randy’s 3 & Jessie were here for wrestling. Got it from Cincinnati on channel 4. Was real good.

13. Clear & cool. Went to Methodist church to hear their new preacher. He was fine. Rev. Lynch. Went up to Uncle Doc’s awhile. Came home at 3:15 & Uncle Hade & Marylee & Mrs. Williams & Howard Williams was here at 6:00. We went to Harry Wiley’s for a while to see their new painted house. Home and QD’s came. Got 7 old hens.

14. Cloudy some but hot. 90 in our office. Dr. Lilly left for White Sulfur Springs to State Dental Meeting. I cleaned cabinet and instruments today. Rained a good rain in town and only sprinkled for us. QD’s came over for a while.

15. Up early. Got my beets put on to cook and went to town for milk & can rubbers (seal) to pickles beets. Home and we worked hard fixing chickens up. Got all old ones moved to old coop and turned over new coop to young pullets. At 2:30 it rained q good hard shower for about 30 minutes. Set out cabbage plants QD gave me today. After supper QDs came over and later Jessies came. Sold Jessie 7 old hens today.

16. Hot today. Rained some again today. Dr. Lilly came in from Dental Meeting at White Sulfur Springs. Harry’s 3 came and Jessie for fight. Raining at 9:00. Jessie got 7 hens tonight.

17. Hot. Rained again today. A nice shower. QDs came over for 2 more hens. Makes 16 I have sold for 1.00 each.

18. Hot. Planted 2 rows pole beans that the groundhog eat up of my first planting & covered them. Went to town got milk & home. Temp went to 89 and heat set down on you. We laid on cement porch to keep cool. Nobody came tonight.

19. Hot today. Temp 70 early this morning. Rained late in evening. Rufus, Ethel, Hense Wiley, Jimmie Nestor, Randy, Margaret & Scotty came at 9:30 for wrestling.

20. Temp 70 at 6:00. Went to SS & home to rest today. Temp went to 92. Boy we stayed on porch to try to keep cool. Tom, Pauline & Libby & June came to see our garden. Tom says his is ruined.

21. Hot today. Temperature to 90. Democrat Convention started today. No rain. QDs came over for a little while for convention.

22. Hot. I washed & ironed before 12:00. No rain. Everybody’s garden ruined- burnt up. Temp up to 92. We laid on porch – too hot in house. QDs came again for convention.

23. Hot, boy, and dry. Harry & Eula came & QDs were here. 

24. Hot. No rain. Temp went to 92 today. Red Martin, Hazel, Claude Martin, Bee & Joan came for convention. Stayed till 11:30. I stayed alone till 1:45 then I went to bed. Convention Hall caught on fire at 1:20.

25. Hot. Went to town early and back for to see convention. It is hot today. Dr. Lilly came over after supper to show me how to trim my tomatoes. Jessie came at 8:30. Ethel & Rufus was here and left at 11:30. Jessie stayed with me till 12:30. I stayed alone till 3:00 in the morning.

26. Hot today. Got hose from Lloyd Oxley and watered my garden tonight. Stevenson & Sparkman nominated for president & vice on Democrat Party. Harrys & Randy’s 3, Margaret, Rufus & Ethel came for wrestling tonight.

27. Hot. We went to SS & home. Went to bed at 11:15. Got up at 3:00. Temp went to 95 at 3:30. After supper we went over to see Dr. Lilly’s garden and up to Doc’s and home.

28. Hot. 90 in the office at 10:00. A lot of appointments. Too hot to work. Temp went to 99 in Bluefield. Highest since 1898- 54 years. Temp to 95 in office today. Alfred Alvis & Jerry came at 8:30 to see television.

29. Hot. Cloudy early. Temp 72 at 5:30 AM. Cleaned house. Went to town for milk & home. At 11:30, took Dr. Vermillion beans, corn, cucumbers, & tomatoes- Mastin- beans & cucumbers. Laid on porch from noon till around 2:30 on our porch - temp went to 95 at 2:30. At 3:00 a good rain came. Hail beat my tomatoes, corn & cucumbers all to pieces. Thunder, lightning- a real hard storm. Our new pastor Rev. O.J. Byrnside moved in today & brought us rain.

30. Cloudy most of day. My back has nearly got me down. One spot low down on spine really hurts. He- Men’s Party at Mercer Healing Springs. Cloudy. Looks like rain. We had a nice rain & lightning struck Sara Holroyd’s house and did around $1000.00 damage. None of the Elmore family hurt, just house. Harry& Eula came for fight. Also, Jessie, Lodema & Mitzi. TV very good.

31. Cloudy some but nice day. Dr. Lily gone all day to Dunns to Baptist Convention. Our new preacher Rev. Byrnside went along. Insurance adjustor and we fixed up papers to report loss & wrote ins. Loafed the rest of the day. QD’s were home when I got in. Stayed till 8:00.

August

1. A fine day. Warmed up some. Dad& I went to Princeton to see Lowery G. Bowling about oil lese on farm to “assure” gas company. He was too busy to see us. Will check it later. Cloudy at 1:15. May rain. Did rain.

2. A very nice day. Harry’s 4 came for wrestling & Roof & Ethel, Varena, Hobart, Jimmie, Randy, Margaret & Scotty.

3. A very nice day. Went to SS & church. Our preacher preached his first sermon.

4. Rained just a little. 

5. Rained today. I washed and ironed today. Hot in afternoon. TV best ever tonight.

6. A very nice day. Cloudy & rained some. At 6:00 I took Dr. Vermillion 12 of his pullets. Eula went with me. Worked for Lillyan Lilly this afternoon. Harry & Eula & Rufus came for fight. No good TV.

7. Cloudy. Rained a little. QD’s came over for a little while.

8. Cool & cloudy. Rained 2 hard rains today. I baked a cake & killed a young rooster & cooked it. Took Dr. Vermillion the rest of his pullets this morning. 24 in all and 1 rooster.

9. A fine day. At 4:00, Lizzie & Bill came to spend the night with us and go to Elgood tomorrow to homecoming. Harry 4, Rufus, Ethel & Aunt Emma came for wrestling midgets on tonight. Not much good. 

10. Up early and left at 9:30 for Elgood. Not so many there but it was nice & cool and saw so many old timers even from Flat Top & Ernest Blankenship. Had not seen him for 35 years & Geo. Shumate. Got home at 5:00. Went up for milk & up to see Uncle Doc & home and to bed at 8:20.

11. A fine day. Phyllis left with Libby for Iowa this afternoon. Dr. Lilly did not work. Lillian Burch, Gerda Persinger & Sara Lu came out to see us a few minutes at 5:00. Blaine and Loraine came to see TV. Then preacher & wife came for a while.

12. Cloudy all day. Rained some early. I canned 2 qt. tomatoes & made 2qt. 1 pt. kraut today. Mowed all of the lawn all around and am tired. Went over to QD’s at 6:00 and a rain was coming so hurried home to close windows & they came with us to see Western Hayride on TV. Was good, only lightning bad. Took them home at 7:45 & it was really getting set for a downpour and it really did for over an hour.

13. A fine day. Not too hot. Miss Faunkerhouser is dead so paper said yesterday. Dr. Lilly left and did not come back. I went to prayer meeting at 8:00. Got home at 9:00 and Jessie, Lodema & Mitzi & Rufus, Hense & a Mr. Pennington were here to see fight. Very good.

14. Worked hard. Very nice day. Hot tho. Nobody came. Went to bed early.

15. A fine day. Up early. Canned tomatoes. 3 qts. 1 pt. and 3 qts. 1 pt. cucumber pickles and Ennis & I went to Princeton to Baums Sale and on to Bluefield to 1:00. Day no good. Bluefield full of people. Got home at 3:30 and after supper it rained a little. We went over to QD’s awhile and home and to bed at 8:30. Alice Ferrell got married today in Princeton.

16. A fine day. Hot. Rained at 10:30. Heavy lightning & thunder. At 5:00. A real storm. Wind hail rain & lightning & thunder. Ethel, Rufus, Jimmy, Randy, Margaret, & Scotty came for wrestling at 9:30. TV not too good.

17. Cloudy early. Sprinkled rain a little. Went to SS. 117 present- 33 women, 28 men. Church nearly full at 11:00 services. Stayed home all afternoon. Uncle Hade, Marylee & Howard Williams came and we all went up to Uncle Doc’s awhile. I then went to church at 8:00 - 87 present.

18. A fine day. Parker Alvis turned his car over Saturday and did $500.00 damage to it.

19. Cloudy. I washed and put clothes out and it just poured the rain. I made tomato juice. After dinner Dad & I went over town and got milk. Home at 3:30. I got the clothes in and ironed all the clothes. After supper, preacher & wife came over for a few minutes... Ten minutes after they left a real storm- lots of lightning and thunder. Blue Blaze came through our radio cracked like a bomb 2 times. We were scared pink & just poured the rain. Sam Holroyd called me in regard to his house.

20. Rained some today. Report Mrs. Bengart is home from hospital. Cancer her trouble. Bessie Ball had cancer her trouble. We worked all day. Harry, Eula, & Maxine came for fight at 9. I had to miss prayer meeting.

21. Cloudy all day. Rained off & on all day. Beckie Jennings gave me a kitten. SS men invited to Glenwood Park tonight to a get-together of Baptist men. Dad did not want me to go to choir practice so I stayed home. Raining.

22. Rained a lot today & cold too. Bessie Ball died yesterday from cancer. Canned 5 qts. tomatoes. Cold today. Went over to Jessie’s to see his how his new TV was- It was only fair. Stopped at Lloyd’s. His is just like ours.

23. Temp 58. Cloudy early. Cleared up & cool all day. Dad drove our heifer to bull today. Harry 4 came over to see TV wrestling tonight. That was all. Cool.

24. Cold & clear, Went to SS & church. Home and at 2:00 went over and got Hense Wiley & Glady and went over to Ball cemetery to burial of Bessie Ball age 44. Large crowd there. Home and went to church at 8:00.

25. Cold. Temp 49. Clear, wind high. Dr. Lilly told me about Edgar P. Bengert going in his home while he was at church last night and lowering all window shades and starting upstairs. He finally left. Mrs. Lilly scared pink. Bengert was caught driving a stolen car in Bluefield today. Fined $50.00 - 60 days in jail.

26. Cold 54. I washed my blankets, bed spread & sheets and ready for winter, Went and got my milk. Ironed in the afternoon and took a nap. Went to high school to Parker Bros. Hot Point Party – several there. Cold.

27. Temp 62. Clear & cold all day. East wind. Getting cloudy. Harry, Eula & Maxine came for fight as I was starting to prayer meeting. Women furnished the special music. Elsie B, Pauline B, Julia Wiley, Mrs. Cook, Mrs. Vermillion, Margaret, Mrs. Wells, Preacher’s wife. Charlotte Scott played. Dr. Lilly in charge.

28. Raining at 3:30 this morning. Rained a lot during day. TV good all but voice.

29. Clear & nice. Took Dr. Vermillion ½ bushel tomatoes. Got milk & mail & home. At 12:00 Ennis & kids & I went to Princeton shopping. Got home at 3:30. After supper Dad & I went over to QD’s awhile. Jessie came down and loafed with us all. Home. Sprinkled rain a little.

30. Clear, nice this morning. Dick Lilly comes in at 4:00 this afternoon. Dr. Lilly left at 2:30. Harry 4, Ethel, Rufus, & Randy’s 3 was here for wrestling. TV only fair.

31. Raining this morning. Went to SS & church. After dinner we laid down and I slept till 6:00. I went to church at 8:00. Still raining.

September

1. A fine day. I cleaned & waxed floors at office. Labor Day. Dr. Lilly did not work today. Came up a while and said he didn’t expect me to come to the office. Got a birthday card from Betty Ball DeJarnette & “Hanky”. At 6:00 we went over to Jessie’s & on down to see his cattle.

2. Cloudy but I washed anyway. Sprinkled rain around 11:00. I helped Dad cut apple limbs off around coal house. Made a big opening. Went to town, wrote 2 policies and home & Dad & I moved apple limbs out of yard. I started ironing at 7:00, finished at 8:45. Raining & cool. Wind high.

3. Temp 52. A fine day. Worked hard till noon. Mrs. Vermillion baked me a birthday cake today. Dr. brought it to office. Wrote insurance – 5 policies- so I can take my vacation beginning in the morning. Harry’s came over for wrestling.

4. Temp 42. Up early. Took Pearl Cooper 5 old hens. Home and washed walls and ceiling of pantry and I quit at 4:45 and am not done yet. It was really dirty.

5. I cleaned house today in pantry. My Birthday. Mrs. Vermillion & Mabel Oxley gave me a big cake. It is really good.

6. A fine day. Cool& clear. At 7:00 PM Guy Scyphers & Frances & Ginny came. Randy’s 3, Rufus & Ethel & Harry’s 4 came for wrestling.

7. A fine day. Went to SS & church and home. After dinner we went out to see Watson & Lizzie. A good road all the way. Went to church at 7:30. Not so many present.

8. Up early. Canned 4 qts. 1 pt. peaches Watson gave me and 5 qts. apples. Went up to Uncle Doc’s awhile after supper.

9. A fine day. Washed walls of kitchen, finishing up late in the afternoon. Tired too, believe me. Dad helping Zinna & Richard Martin put up line fence between us & Lloyd Oxley. Went for milk at 6:30. Preacher & wife came at 6:45. Stayed 1 ½ hours.

10. A fine day. Still working. Cleaned living room, washed windows, cleaned floor & waxed. Also the dining room, waxed floors. Went up to where the men were working and looked up and saw a silver disc high in the sky. All 4 of us saw it. I go the field glasses and looked at it. It resembled a jack rock to all 4 of us- Zinna, Boy, Dad & I. Harry’s 4 came for fight.

11. A fine day. Not a cloud in the sky. Hot. Cleaned on hall and washed all walls & ceiling, moving everything as I went. Did not get done. Tired a lot. Finished line fence this morning. A good fence.

12. A fine day. Still working on hallway, moving all furniture as I go. Dad helped me some. Hot & dry. Noah’s Seal’s boy shot Noah to scare him on a family row. Noah is crazy so goes the news. Went & got milk. Lloyd & Sally came down to settle for fence and Dad & Lloyd saw a long red thing in sky sparks flying 7:00.

13. A fine day. Went back to work today. Everybody over state saw the object in the sky last night at 7:00- a meteor from the sky. Randy’s 3, Rufus & Ethel came for wrestling at 9:30. Dad had gone to bed when they came. Harry’s did not come.

14. Clear & warm. Went to SS & church. Church full. Ate dinner and left at 1:15 to Aunt Pearl & Uncle Rass. Home at 3:45. Uncle Hade & Marylee were here. Stayed till 7:15/ Just before they left, Harry, Eula & Maxine came. So we really talked. Had to miss church. Preacher sermon was “meanest” people in Athens. Tired when we went to bed.

15. Raining this morning. A good rain till up in the afternoon. At Sutton Friday night a big Phantom was seen by 1 lady & 6 boys- 10 to 17 ft. tall. Red ball for head & eye without pupils. Some story for WVa. QD came out awhile.

16. A fine day. Up early and took Pearl Cooper 5 hens. Home and put out a big washing. Washed my hair and ironed all afternoon till 4:00. At 4:30, QDs came. Stayed till 8:00. I fixed Dad’s pants & heard & saw Amateur hour. Went to bed at 10:00. TV not too good. Court gave Edgar Bengert a sanity hearing this morning. Several were there. Don’t know about the ruling.

17. Clear & a nice day. Worked hard all day. Harry’s came. QD for a little while- they went to Jessie’s to watch the fight on TV so we only had Harry’s 4. TV not too good.

18. A fine day all day. Cloudy looks like rain - lightning a lot at bedtime.

19. Raining a lot. Ennis & I went to Bluefield shopping. I got myself a new beige winter coat, a rose coral dress & a beautiful hat. Just pouring the rain from 1:00 to near 3:00 when we got home, Picked Dad up at Jessie’s store. A good fight at 9:00- a real knockout.

20. Clear & cool. Temp 50. Cool all day. Worked hard till noon. Lacy Alvis & Jessie came over at 6:00. Lacy has poison oak. He wanted my kind that Dr. Shanklin gave me. I gave him what I had. Harry’s 4, Randy’s 3, Rufus & Ethel was here for wrestling.

21. A fine day. Went to SS & church & home. After dinner we went to Graham’s Chapel to hear Linden McKinney preach in afternoon. Home at 4:00. After supper we went up to Uncle Doc’s awhile.

22. Raining hard all day. Just poured down & cold. We had to turn on the gas at office.

23. Cool Temp 40. Washed & ironed today.

24. Temp 36. Frost some around. Harry’s came for fight.

25. A fine but cool day.

26. Cleaned my room good. Got some cold in my nose. Mrs. Sara Holroyd died yesterday.

27. A fine day- warmer. Harry’s 4 came & Rufus for wrestling.

28. A fine day. Went to SS & church. Home and Marylee & Uncle Hade & Ruben came up for a while & left. We went to Mrs. Holroyd’s funeral at the Methodist church. Stopped at Uncle Doc’s & home. My cold is worse. Went to hear “Prince” Thornton at Baptist Church.

29. A fine day. My cold is worse. 

30. Up early. Washed and that was all I got done. Went to bed at 11:15 and got up at 12:15. Got Dad’s dinner. Went back to bed. Stayed there till 3:30. Up, went & got milk and home. QD was in a wreck down near Oakvale. Not hurt much. He was in a fellow worker’s car coming from work.

October

1. A fine day. Sick today. Worse in afternoon. Temp up to 102 at 7:30 and so sick. Harry & Eula came for fight and fight not til 10:00 from now on so guess we won’t see much of fights.

2. A fine morning. I just did not sleep any last night. Pain in my side and I just had to get up and walk at times. Worse night I ever spent. Dr. Lilly down with a cold. Could not come to office. I did stay at office but that was all. Raining a lot this afternoon.

3. A fine day. I as in bed most of the day. Sick with a cold. QDs came over and helped pick all tomatoes & peppers & beans- 2 bu. It is going to frost tonight.

4. Temp 30. A big frost & ice. Everything froze stiff. Nobody came wrestling. It is at 10:30 now. Too late. Ora Peters came home today from Morris Memorial Hospital.

5. A fine day. Went to SS & church and home and stayed home for World Series game then we went over to Jessie’s for a while & home. Cold tonight.

6. Cool but nice. Cold is no better. Dad had company today for World Series. Carl Whittaker & girl, QD & Clayton Thomas. They say TV was good.

7. A very nice day but cold. Dad & I went to Princeton for feed & groceries & home. Blaine came and put up a 3 channel antenna and here came QD, Chippy Ferguson & 3 kids, & Whittaker & Thomas to see the last game of the World Series. Yanks won 4 to 2. TV was really good. At 4:00. all left. At 5:30 QD’s 4 was here & at 6 Thomas came back and stayed till 9:30. I baked a custard pie between 4:00 & 6:00.

8. A fine day. Very nice all day. I went to Fellowship supper at 6:00 QD’s 4 & Harry & Eula came for fight at 10:00. Ezra Charles knocked out Reynolds in 1 round, 1 minute & 40 seconds in second round.

9. Raining early in morning before we got up and on all day, sometimes hard. Temp in 50’s.

10. A very nice day. Sick with a cold. Trees are so beautiful.

11. A fine day. Only QD came for wrestling, we only watched 1 match and he left. We went to bed.

12. A fine day. Went to SS & church. Home & ate dinner, laid down and slept till 3:30. Dr. Vermillion left for wheeling to Grand Lodge for 3 days.

13. A fine day. Cool tho.

14. A fine day. Up early. Washed & went up & cleaned & waxed Dr. Vermillion’s floors. Home & after dinner I ironed all of my clothes & washed my hair. Laura Hall died at 3:00 this morning. QDs came over after supper awhile.

15. A fine day. My 3 front teeth are hurting me so bad. Abscessing. I wanted Dr. Lilly to pull them. He would not. Dr. Vermillion came in at 5:30.

16. A fine day. Worked hard tho I don’t feel good. My gum opened during the night and I am “taking it” easy today. Can’t shut my teeth together tho. Have to wear my bite opener. 

17. Cold. A big frost & ice this morning. I went for my milk at 11:15. Dr. Vermillion told me Davy Thompson had a stroke & was paralyzed in one side completely and was unconscious. At 4:10, Mrs. Mastin called & told me that Davy Thompson was dead. Fred Coburn brought us a load of coal- 6 tons 500 lbs. $62.50.

18. Cool today but a nice day. Concord Homecoming day. A parade at 1:00 up to bank by 2 bands & students. Roy Beckett riding his horse in front. I went down to game at ½ time & Dad & Jessie was there. We ate supper and then went up to Davy Thompson’s. Someone came while we were gone. Home at 7:10.

19. A fine day. Wind is icy tho. Went to SS & church. Home & ate dinner & went to Davy Thompson’s funeral at our church & on to cemetery. Stopped to see Uncle Doc’s awhile & on home. Cool and wind high.

20. Temp 27. Cloudy. Snowed a little off and on several times today. Put our potatoes in the basement. I gathered roses tonight. Jessie, Lodema, & Mitzi came at 7:30 & stayed till 9:00. Temp 27. Real cold.

21. Temp 18. A real freeze. Moved Dad’s bed back in front room. Went to town at 10:45 for milk and home. After dinner I laid down to watch TV & went to sleep till 3:15. Up and made a custard pie. Ate supper & went up to see Aunt Emma & on out to see Ethel & Rufus till 8:15. Home. Temp 38.

22. A fine day. Cold tho.

23. Blank

24. A very nice day. Cold tho. I cleaned yard some & chicken house. Sally Oxley came down at 11:00. Stayed till 12:00. Slept some, feeling bad. Went uptown for milk. Saw Geo “Everett” new TV. Oh it was good. Stopped saw Aunt Emma weave rugs awhile. Harry & Eula came up for fights at 10:00. Maxine has a new Ford.

25. Warmer a lot. Fires 240 all over the state. Hunters set them. Stopped hunting in state. Dad & I stayed up til 12:00 saw wrestling.

26. A fine day. Went to SS & church & home. After dinner we went over to Fred Ball’s awhile. Home and stayed in the rest of the night.

27. Clear most of day. Warm & nice. Fires still raging in W.Va. More than 350 fires.

28. Up early. Colder, Cloudy & smoky all day. Worked. Went & got milk, home , ate dinner & ironed. At 5:00 we went down to garden and put straw over our turnips. Temp 32. Snowing at 6:00. Just pouring on til 11:00.

29. Temp 25. About 2 inches of snow. Cloudy & cold.

30. Warmer but plenty of snow yet.

31. A fine day. Plenty of snow yet. Halloween Party in town tonight. I dressed up in grandma’s skirt & blouse & coat & big hat. Deep freezer drawing by Lion’s Club went to CS Butler of Pipestem & mixer to Stowers at Speedway. Home at 10:00.

November

1. Still here where it drifted. Warmer a lot. No rain. Fires in state are bad yet. State Road put rock on street from QD’s line down to Carson Thornton & from Bob Martin’s up to street. Harry’s 4 & several came for wrestling.

2. A fine day. Went to SS & church. QD’s street was in the paper . Picture where State Road spread rock. Dad & I was over in afternoon and cars & cars came in a stream all day just to see what was done. Went to church with Ennis & DC Pettrey joined the church.

3. Cloudy & warm Cars going yet to see road by QD’s. Raining at noon. Sleeted & snowed several times during afternoon. Fire whistle blew at 6:45. Claude Bird’s house - just a big fire in furnace from paper. We went to town for a few minutes.

4. A fine day. Chilly some but clear & sun. Election Day. Went up town this morning. Home at noon. Ate dinner, & at 1:30 we went back & loafed. Heavy voting. Home at 3:30. I baked an apple sauce cake and ready for election returns. Harry’s came at 7:00. Later QD came. At 9:00 TV took us to N. Y. Headquarters for the election returns. Jessie came at 11:30. We were having coffee & cake. Jessie said that he was beat on Justice so at 3:30 AM they left for Lerona & Pettrey to get Jessie’s votes. We went to bed.

5. At 4:15 Jessie & QD came & got us up. Jessie had won for Justice. Ike won for President by a landslide. Holt lost. Ike won all states but 9. West Va. Went for Stevenson.

6. A fine day. Dad called to tell me he was watching a big fire in downtown Huntington on TV. So we went over to Jennings Drug store and saw it- Kroger store and 7 other buildings. Ethel & Rufus came out- stayed til 9:00. Cold.

7. A chilly day. Some clouds. Dad & I went to Princeton for cr. Corn & coffee. I saw Geo. Seaver in A & P and he told me about G.J. Fink being found in his room in Pageton dead. Had been dead for several hours. We found another pullet dead. Makes 4- 3 for me and 1 for Dr. V.

8. A fine day. At 6:00 I went down to Mrs. G.J. Fink’s a while. Never saw so many flowers. At 9:30 Randy & Margaret & Scottie came for wrestling. This was all.

9. A fine morning. Went to SS & church. A big crowd there. At 1:30 we went to Methodist church to G. J. Fink’s funeral. A big funeral. Cars 5 abreast from “Everett’s” store to bank. Street blocked. Jessie called at 3:30 to come over. We fed chickens and went to Jessie’s awhile to see his calves.

10. Rained most all day. Cold too.

11. Raining. Temp 36. I could not wash. It rained all day. I went over to Ennis’s. She gave me a permanent & cut off my hair. Tennis Cheatwood’s sister died last night at 5:30- Athens Road. Heart attack. QDs came over after supper also Harry Wileys, All stayed til 9:00.

12. Cool but fair. All fires are out in W.Va. Rain was good. Over 500,000 acres burned- great damage. QDs came stayed til 9:00.

13. A fine day. Cool tho. Jessie came at 7:00. Stayed til 9:00.

14. A fine day. Warm & nice. I washed and went to town for milk. Home and ate dinner and ironed everything. Cloudy at 4:00. Looks like rain. Jessie came at 9:00 for fight. It was a good one.

15. A very nice day. Worked hard. Harry & Eula, Rufus & Ethel came for the wrestling. It was a honey. All 3 matches.

16. A fine day. Chilly some. Went to SS & church. Home & went up to Uncle Doc’s after dinner and to cemetery and home. I went to church at 8:00- Letha Ann Wiley, Judy & Susan Gautier & Ronny Jones came into the church. A large crowd was there.

17. Cloudy early today and warm. Just a fine day - so warm.

18. Clear and warm today. We cleaned the yard and fixed around cellar way on outside. I went & got milk and then at 1:30 watched Ike arrive in Washington to meet Truman for a conference. TV was good. One hundred thousand people to greet him. Wind high tonight and cloudy.

19. Cloudy. Wind high all night and yet this morning. Raining at noon and on till bedtime.

20. A very nice day.

21. Rained hard all day. We stayed home after we got milk. Cold. Nearly snow here It snowed in Bluefield and at McComas. Dr. said it snowed till 4:00. Only cold rain here. I baked a cake & iced it. I laid down at 1:30 and slept till 3:30- also Dad. Still just pouring the rain.

22. Cloudy, snowed a few sprinkles today. Mrs. Lilly left for Mary Ann’s. She has a baby girl. 7 ½ pounds. Harry’s came - all 4- Randy & Rufus for wrestling.

23. A very nice day. Went to SS & church & home. We laid down & slept I went to church at 8:00. Baptizing Mrs. Carl Bailey, Judy & Susan Gautier, Letha Ann, & Ronnie Jones. A big crowd & it was real nice.

24. A very nice day. Mr. Moye brought my last load of rock for our road- $18.00 worth. Now we are fixed up good. QDs came out till 9:00.

25. A fine day. I washed. Dad & I went up to town and home , ate dinner and I ironed everything. Wind high. After supper I baked a custard pie. Nobody came.

26. Wind blew hard all night and yet this morning. Dr. Lilly left on his way to Mary Ann’s at Ravenswood. The big day in 14 years it worked. 10 to 1:00 TV won’t work. Blaine & Via came over and a wire was broken on aerial. I went to our church to Union Thanksgiving services. Methodist preacher Lynch preached. Our choir sang. Very nice program. Church full.

27. Cloudy and cold. Temp 36. We went to Quinzetta’s for dinner, Jessie’s, then home at 3:00. At 5:30, we went over to QD’s. Blaine put him in a TV today. It was good. Blaine took down our 5 aerial & put up 3 while we were gone. Colder a lot.

28. Temp 18 and cloudy this morning. Went up town early & got milk. Home & ate dinner. I went over town and went with Neta, Ennis, Lodema & Quinzetta & kids to Princeton to Christmas Parade. Large crowd in town, but we froze. My feet ached till bedtime. Harry’s & Eula came. Only stayed till 9:00. We went to bed.

29. Temp 10 above. Boy, it is cold. Cloudy most of day. This is the day I got first note handed to me in P.O. by      . Harry, Eula, Ethel, Rufus, Frances, Dee & another girl , Hense Wiley & son-in-law came for wrestling. Started snowing at 6:00 and just poured till midnight. I sold Harry a rooster- $1.00.

30. Temp 18. Nice snow on. About 5 inches. We went to SS & church. Down to QD’s awhile & home and stayed there. Snowed a fine snow all day. Temp at 8:00 – 18 above. Dr. Lilly called in that they could not get home from Ravenswood. Roads too bad to travel. Did not go to church.

December

1. Temp 10 above. Clear & cold. I wrote insurance and worked all day. Melting , roads slick, but I got out ok. Dr. Lilly has not come yet as I know of. Harry & Rufus came awhile. Kids are at the show. Left at 9:00. Cloudy & cold. Temp 26.

2. Temp 26. Snowed during night. Sleeting & raining all day. I cleaned & waxed Dad’s room & kitchen. Dr. Lilly did not go to McComas. Dad & I went to town for milk. Thawed enough so we could get out with car.

3. Clear, some sleet all over everything. Temp 24 early. Jean Hoback has pneumonia in Parkersburg hospital so Mrs. Lilly told Dr. on our phone this afternoon. 1:15 Another nice visit from ___ also a nice letter this morning in mail. Went to High School basketball game. Alumni won over Hi School.

4. Temp 29. Cloudy. Lots of ice yet & snow. Rained some today. Grant Stevens boy beyond Elgood in negro flat shot a Medley boy & killed him. Dr. Vermillion was called, also state police.

5. Raining at 5:30 this morning. Temp 34. Rained mixed with snow for a while. We went uptown for milk & home. At 1:00 I laid down, slept awhile, up, got dinner and made curtains for window in pantry. Temp 34 at 6:00. Cloudy, a lot.

6. A fine day. Sun bright. Dr. Lilly had a wreck going to McComas. A negro Geo. Kenebrew hit his car. Ruined back bumper on car. A big write up in paper this morning. Nobody came for wrestling tonight. Dad & I stayed with it.

7. A fine day. Went to SS & church, home, ate dinner, and went calling on Boone Martin. Bill gave us some deer meat. On up to see Aunt Chris & Uncle Doc and on to see Arthur Martin and then home. Fixed back screen door to keep out cold. I went to church at 8:00. 5 came into our church at morning service. Carl Noble & wife, Aunt Emma, Mrs. Fudge & Jerry. Tonight.: 3 girls, including Ann Casey. 

8. Cloudy early. Warmed up. Sun out at noon. A fine day. At 1:30, Dr. Lilly went to Princeton to see State Police about his wreck last Friday. Got 1 letter this morning.

9. Up early. Went to Princeton shopping. Got most of my Christmas presents. Home by 1:15. Had x-ray of my chest made at clinic at courthouse. OK. Fixed back porch for the winter and hall window. Warm like spring. We took corn over to Jennings to crush for calf. 6 sacks.

10. Raining at 5:00 this morning. Just poured all day. Never stopped.

11. Cold. Snowed last night. Slick today. I went to Bradley’s to Tea for Miss Sarvey. It was nice. Laura Ann leaving next week for good. Went to gym to see high school play Spanishburg. Athens High beat. Slick- solid sheet of ice at parking ground at gym.

12. Cold. Warmed up some. Addressed Xmas cards this morning. Went over town and got milk and home. Cleaned house and wrapped packages and wrote my love a long letter. At 5:00 we went uptown for mail and down to QD’s a while. Snowing and cold. Temp 24.

13. Cold today. Snowing on till nearly midnight. Neta, Dillon, Quinzetta, Harry, Eula, Max & Ruth came for wrestling.

14. Cold & slick today. Went to SS & church and home. Slept all afternoon. Went to Xmas program at church at 7:00 BYF & church at 8:00.

15. Cold today. Got a letter today. A good one. Still slick.

16. Baked a cake – applesauce- this morning. After dinner went & got milk. Dr. V Birthday- 73. Still snow on ground.

17. Clear but colder. Andy came and brought me a box of candy. Good candy too. 1:15 A visitor again- nice to see him- only stayed 10 minutes. Went to ballgame- Shady Springs. Athens Hi won.

18. Cloudy some today. Still snow.

19. Cloudy. Up early. Put out my washing. Got ready, went to Princeton shopping. Got back at 1:00. Washed my hair and then done up my ironing. Got supper and went uptown, loafed after supper. A big day. Worked cleaning until 9:40 then waited for fight and went to sleep before it was over. 

20. Temp 30. Raining & sleeting at 7:30. Snowing at 9:00. Really bad day. Dick came in home. Harry’s came for wresting.

21. A rainy & cool & dreary day. Went to SS at 9:30 Xmas treat at SS, stayed for church and home. After dinner I baked a cake & 2 custard pies for Xmas. Dad slept most of afternoon. I went to church at 7:30.

22. A very nice day. Little Doc Lilly operated on for appendicitis in Charleston. Scott’s twins got mumps.1:15 - A real visit today. Filled a tooth.

23. Cold all day. Went up town for milk. Jimmy Wiley wrecked Maxine’s car. Hit Fred Parker in front of Lytton’s Barber Shop. Bad wreck. Got a letter & a package for Xmas- first one in 15 years. Went up town loafing this afternoon. QD came over for Xmas tree.

24. A fine day. Dr. Lilly left early for Charleston to see Doc. All set for Santa. Home at 4:45. Killed a chicken and dressed it & Wells came. Then QD’s came. Then we went to Ethel & Rufus to a party. Home and to bed at 10:30. Then at 1:30, Uncle Hade & Marylee & James came and stayed til 6:30 in the morning.

25. Temp 32. 6:30- Uncle Hade & Marylee left for home. Up all night and will be up all day. Santa real good to us. I got billfold & $50.00 & Drs.´gave me $50.00, Dad $20.00. A good Christmas. I got dinner for the family of 10. 5:00 Dinner- All came but Jessie’s family. After supper, Harry & Eula came. Stayed till 9:15. To bed at 10:15. A fine day. Sun warm.

26. Temp 26. Cold & clear. Went up town for a while and home & laid down for awhile. Up & ate dinner & wrote a while & went up to Uncle Doc’s for a visit. Home and stayed home. Went to bed early.

27. A very nice day, cold tho. $50.00 more for Christmas. Harry’s came for wrestling. It was a honey. Worst we have had.

28. Clear & cold. Went to SS & church & home. Laid down and slept til 3:30. Up, got dinner and went to church, Jessie came over at 7:00. I left him with Dad. Temp this morning 12.

29. Temp 14. Cold & clear. We worked today. First day for a week. 12:45 Got 6 letters in 6 weeks.

30. Cloudy & cold. Temp 27. I washed early. Went & got milk. Home & ate dinner & ironed everything. Went uptown & down to QD’s awhile to see his new television- not much good.

31. A fine day early. Goodby 1952- best year in 14- last quarter for me! Snowing biggest flakes Dr. Lilly & I ever saw. They were immense. Harry, Eula & Max came brought us beef roast & steak. Stayed till after the fight at 11:00.