1878

John Becker

Indian River

Lewis County, New York

January           Tuesday, 8            1878

Worked for Strife, N. breaking roads all day.  Christ was driving the oxen.  I have been shoveling snow at the end of skid ways.  Pleasant all day.

Sept.      Monday, 30                1878

Have been working on the road for Mr. Rice.  I am to work a part of his tax.  He is to pay me for it.  Worked today ten hours.  Has been pleasant all day.  

Oct.             Tuesday, 1              1878
Mr. M. Binkey has worked on the road with me for his tax. We had my team.  Worked ten hours which counts 3 & 3/4 days.  It has been pleasant.

Oct.           Wednesday, 2            1878
I began digging my potatoes.  Binkey sent a man to help me dig potatoes.  
I am to work on the road in his stead.  It rained this afternoon.

Oct.                    Thursday, 3                1878
Yesterday we worked 3/4 of a day and today I sent 
Mr. Binkey's man home at three o'clock which makes his time full on the road.  Rained a little today again.

Nov.      Thursday, 28                 1878
I was sick this morning.  Was at Rice's Store.  Received of Rice $6.50 for highway labor performed this fall.  Worked this afternoon.  Snowing and raining.  Skidded 70 logs today.

Nov.          Friday, 29      1878

It has been storming all day snowing a part of the time.  We have been skidding logs. Sixty some logs.  

I got my back hurt this afternoon.  I can hardly bent over tonight.  

Nov.            Sat., 30           1878

I went out to skid logs this morning.  Skidded 20 logs until ten o'clock when I had to give up.  I went to Jordan from there I could hardly walk.

December     Sunday, 1            1878

I was home all day  can hardly stir  put a plaster on my back  

took a sweat this evening with hemlock boughs.  I am very weak tonight. 

December           Monday, 2         1878

My back is not any better.  I can hardly stir.  I do not know what to do.  Time is going very slow.  It has been raining hard all day without cessation.  Colder tonight.  

December   Tuesday, 3          1878

It is growing colder today trying to snow all day but it did not make out to snow a great deal.  

It is freezing a very little.  Johny was out last Sunday.

December      Wednesday, 4        1878

I am getting a little better at present.

 Nicholas has been here he has gone home with the horse team.

He took my sleigh along with him.

December     Thursday, 5              1878

I went to Jordan to help scale logs but they did not scale any so I came home again at one pm.  

Claude Diecup left the shanty today. We have a little snow at present.