Horses I Have Known

It’s the Chinese New Year – the Year of the Horse.  I was a horse-crazy kid and I still remember from 1950s TV that the Cisco Kid’s horse was Diablo, and Hopalong Cassidy rode Topper.

Christmas Day 1955. That’s me on Buck (where I spent most of the day). That’s the car that was Tom’s big present.

There were four horses in my life.  The first came as the classic Christmas dream present.  This was the Big Christmas in our lives.  I was 9 years old.  Mom wrote a verse on a card referring to the rabbits I was raising:  “You have a doe, you wanted a buck, go outside and try your luck.”  We went out before the sun was up (that was how we did Christmas morning – quite early).  When I got to the rabbit cage, the door was open, the rabbit was gone.  So we searched the area.  I shone the flashlight on the ground and when I got the board fence, I just saw two front hoofs.  I looked up and saw the most beautiful buckskin horse peering down at me.  This is Buck.

In the 1970s I lived in Swaziland.  My neighbors were the Williams of Nyanza Stables.  Wandy from a very early age was a serious rider.  They had a foal born that just wasn’t dressage material.  They gave Fury to me.  Fury was not an appropriate name – he was a sweet little horse.  With a spine-jolting trot.

A young Fury (and young me!).

My other neighbor, Isa Dempsey, wanted us to buy another horse so we could ride together.  She and I chose Harry, a beautiful chestnut gelding.  We didn’t know that his full name was Harry Houdini – he could get out of most corrals!  But he was a gutsy horse; he would try anything asked of him.

Fury and Harry in Swaziland.

And my last horse was Sadat.  He was raised by J.D. Glover in Watsonville.  When J.D. returned to Louisiana, he left Sadat with me and I later bought this magnificent horse.
I will celebrate the Year of the Horse and remember how much pleasure I was given by these souls.

Amos Claycomb’s September 1911 Diary

Two events of note this month:  On the 5th Amarillo citizens voted to go dry.  And on the 17th we get the first entry mentioning the sale of Amos’ land.  I’m sure these two things are not related.  It’s more likely that Ruth was not impressed with farming in Wildorado.  She may have wanted to live where there was more soil and rain.

Friday, September 1, 1911
Arthur started to plow the old land again this p.m.

Saturday, September 2, 1911
Finished cutting and shocking sorghum today.

Sunday, September 3, 1911
Drove pony to Wil- after the mail this p.m.   Potter came out from Amarillo on his bicycle just before dark.

Monday, September 4, 1911
Drove Potter around today and up to Goodman’s tonight.  Norman plowed all day.

Tuesday, September 5, 1911
Potter went back this a.m. and I took the train to Am- and staid all night with Dr. Hanson.  Amarillo went dry by 28 votes today.

Wednesday, September 6, 1911
Came back tonight on the train.

Thursday, September 7, 1911
Started to cut maize today but only cut about four acres.  Used the row binder which works fine in the tall feed this year.

Friday, September 8, 1911
Norman and I went over to Ballew’s this a.m. and helped him mark his calves and staid there for dinner.  Came home after dinner and shocked maize for a while.

Saturday, September 9, 1911
Cut maize this a.m. and this p.m. until a shower of rain made it too wet to cut.  Arabel and Lucile G. and Rob out for a while this p.m.

Sunday, September 10, 1911
Rode pony up after the mail this a.m. and staid home the rest of the day.

Monday, September 11, 1911
Cut maize all day while Norman shocked.

Tuesday, September 12, 1911
Ditto.  Am working on 15 acres of late stuff which I intend to use for horse feed and so want the fodder cut green.

Wednesday, September 13, 1911
Cut maize all day.  Am using both the broadcast and the row binder according to the height of the maize.  The latter handles the tall stuff best but the former is faster.

Thursday, September 14, 1911
Helped Norman shock for about an hour this a.m. and then cut the rest of the day.

Friday, September 15, 1911
Cut maize this a.m. and about an hour after dinner when a small rain stopped us.  Arthur found two rattlesnakes under some bundles and I killed them with a maize stalk.  Each had 8 rattles and one was very vicious.

Saturday, September 16, 1911
Went up town this a.m.  Cut maize after dinner while Arthur shocked.

Sunday, September 17, 1911
Drove pony to Wil- after the mail this a.m. and brought Mr. Starr back here who was sent to look over this place by a land company up north with whom I may make a trade.  Drove him to Amarillo this p.m.

Monday, September 18, 1911
Staid with Dr. Hanson last night and drove home this p.m.  Arthur cut maize all day.

Tuesday, September 19, 1911
Cut and shocked maize all day.

Wednesday, September 20, 1911
Ditto.

Thursday, September 21, 1911
Ditto.

Friday, September 22, 1911
Cut and shocked maize all day.

Saturday, September 23, 1911
Cut maize with the broadcast binder all day.   Have about 100 acres cut.

Sunday, September 24, 1911
Staid around the house all day except that I went up after the mail this p.m.

Monday, September 25, 1911
Started to cut kaffir with the row binder but broke down and then tried it with the broadcast but the kaffir was too heavy and I had trouble all day.

Tuesday, September 26, 1911
Cut maize with the broadcast all day.  Drove pony up town after supper after some repairs.

Wednesday, September 27, 1911
Cut maize until 2:30 p.m. and then cut kaffir with the row binder till night.

Thursday, September 28, 1911
Cut kaffir today but had some trouble with the binder.  Shocked for a little while before quitting time.

Friday, September 29, 1911
Cut kaffir all day.

Saturday, September 30, 1911
Cut kaffir until noon when I went up town after some new packer arms.  Arthur and I shocked all the kaffir that was down before quitting.

Amos Claycomb’s August 1911 Diary

On the 25th Amos’ prospective father-in-law visits.  Probably just checking out this young man.

Tuesday, August 1, 1911
Came out to Bush- this p.m. with John Arnot in his machine.  Drove pony home from there.

Wednesday, August 2, 1911
Rained a little last night.  Norman drove wagon up town this a.m. after a barrel of lime.

Thursday, August 3, 1911
Sprinkled a little last night.  Went over to the spring two miles north of the house today with the Harker family after wild grapes and got quite a few.  Cut some green maize stalks today for the hogs.

Friday, August 4, 1911
Little fat sow brought six pigs last night but lost one.  Drove pony up town after dinner and had some plow points sharpened.

Saturday, August 5, 1911
Drove pony over to Bush- tonight to an ice cream social.

Sunday, August 6, 1911
Staid home all day except for driving up after the mail and right back tonight.  Very warm today with a hot south wind.

Monday, August 7, 1911
Arthur plowed all day.  Looked over my row crop this a.m.   The maize is nearly all headed, the kaffir has started to shoot and the broadcast sorghum is almost ready to cut as I want it only for roughness.

Tuesday, August 8, 1911
Arthur plowed all day.  I sharpened some plow points this p.m. and then rode the pony up town.

Wednesday, August 9, 1911
Hauled some feed up to the corral this p.m. and then drove the wagon up town after a load of coal for Norman.

Amos’ photo from 1910.

Thursday, August 10, 1911
Sharpened some plow-points this a.m.  Buck Putman brought the header back this p.m. and I helped him put it under the shed.  Ballew and Burks cut 448 acres with it at 25 cents per acre to me.  Rode pony up town after the mail this p.m.

Friday, August 11, 1911
Had to quit plowing this a.m. as it was too dry to do good work.  Drove pony up town after the mail this p.m.  Very warm today with variable wind from south and south-east.

Saturday, August 12, 1911
Nothing doing.  Very warm.

Sunday, August 13, 1911
Very warm with a hot southerly wind blowing and all row stuff is firing badly.   Went to church tonight at Wil-.

Monday, August 14, 1911
103° above this p.m.  Rode pony over to Bush- this p.m. to see Harker about renting his broadcast binder.

Tuesday, August 15, 1911
Nothing doing.

Wednesday, August 16, 1911
Rode pony up town this p.m. and rented a broadcast binder of Mitchell.  Drove team up after supper and brought it home.

Another of Amos’ 1910 photos. This is Nicholson’s binder.

Thursday, August 17, 1911
Started to cut sorghum all day but had trouble with the machine and didn’t do much.  Drove pony up to Wil- after supper for some repairs.

Friday, August 18, 1911
Cut sorghum all day.  Changed off with Norman and shocked part of the time.

Saturday, August 19, 1911
Cut feed.  Stopped machine about 4 p.m. and helped Norman finish the shocking.

Sunday, August 20, 1911
Rode pony up thru the maize and kaffir this a.m.  The maize is badly burned but the kaffir is not suffering much yet.  Eleanor is 27 today.  Took the Victor up to Northcott’s this p.m. and then played up at the hotel at Wil- after eating supper there.

Monday, August 21, 1911
Cut sorghum all day while Norman shocked.  It started to rain about 5:30 p.m. and stopped us but the rain did not amount to anything.  One of the young sows brought five pigs this p.m. but lost one.

Tuesday, August 22, 1911
Cold north wind blowing all day so we did not try to cut feed.  Drove pony up town after the mail this p.m.

Wednesday, August 23, 1911
Rained from eleven last night until noon today and showered a little this p.m.  Staid in the house most of the day.

Thursday, August 24, 1911
Rode pony up town after the mail this a.m. and got some green maize for hog feed when I got back.

Friday, August 25, 1911
Arthur and I set up some shocks of sorghum that had fallen over, after dinner.  The Harkers with Mr. Bressler came along and I went up to the house with them.

Saturday, August 26, 1911
Still too wet to cut feed this a.m. and the wind was blowing too hard after dinner.  Rode pony up after the mail this p.m.  Norman killed a rattler this p.m. just as it was going under the front porch – 7 rattles.

Sunday, August 27, 1911
Drove pony over to Harker’s for dinner.  A hard rain with a little hail started soon after dinner and lasted a couple of hours.  A hard north wind with a little rain is blowing tonight.

Monday, August 28, 1911
Rained most of last night and has been cloudy all day.  Rode pony to Wil- this p.m. and bought a 2nd hand 7 ft McCormick broadcast binder of Nicolson.

Tuesday, August 29, 1911
Took the rented binder back to Mitchell this p.m. and brought mine home.

Wednesday, August 30, 1911
Took train to Amarillo this a.m., got some things and came home tonight.

Thursday, August 31, 1911
Worked on binder a little today but had to order a new canvas before cutting any more.

T. C. Duncan’s Silver Napkin Ring

I was so inspired by Susan Wennerstrom’s post about napkin rings, that I found this one that my grandfather’s widow sent to me several years ago.

.

It has the “D” monogram that let’s us know it’s a Duncan artifact.  And it has a date engraved on it, May 24, 1866.  That’s the date Thomas Cation Duncan married Emma Osborne.  T.C. is my great-grandfather’s brother.

Here’s my theory about this napkin ring.  When T.C. and Emma married, they didn’t have much money, so I’m fairly sure this doesn’t date from 1866.  Celebrating the 25th wedding anniversary with silver dates back to the Holy Roman Empire.  The Duncans would have celebrated 25 years in 1891 – this is a time when T.C. was doing very well as a homeopathic doctor and author.  My guess is that it was a gift at that time to commemorate their marriage.

 

Amos Claycomb’s July 1911 Diary

Saturday, July 1, 1911
In Am- all day.  Went fishing to a place near Hereford tonight in a machine with McKnight and two others.  Started about 5:30 and got there about 7:30.

Sunday, July 2, 1911
Fished a while this a.m. and then started back to Am-.  First we took a fellow to Hereford and then we drove the 52 miles in less than an hour and 45 minutes.

Monday, July 3, 1911
Took 4:20 train home and staid at Harker’s all night.

Tuesday, July 4, 1911
Harker drove me part way home this a.m. and Norman met me on the road.  Staid home all day.

Wednesday, July 5, 1911
Drove over to Renison’s after dinner with Arthur and bought two steer calves – mixed Hereford and Durham.  Paid Richards to give my header back and rented it to Ballow and Burks which will give me more money as they have more to cut.

Thursday, July 6, 1911
Brought the calves home from Renison’s with Arthur this a.m.  Went up after the mail this p.m.  Sprinkled a little this p.m.

Friday, July 7, 1911
Rained a little last night and a gentle rain started about sundown tonight.  Fixed some fence this a.m. and went up after the mail this p.m.  Rented my header to Mr. Ballew.

Saturday, July 8, 1911
Took train to Amarillo today.  Saw Amarillo beat the Sioux Indians 5 – 1 this p.m.  Staid with Dr. Hanson tonight.

Sunday, July 9, 1911
In town all day.  Saw Sioux Indians beat Amarillo 9 – 5 this p.m.

Monday, July 10, 1911
Registered my brand – C bar – today with no ear marks and had two sets of irons made.  Came home tonite and stayed all night at Harker’s.

C  right hip or side

Tuesday, July 11, 1911
Drove home this a.m.  Drove team up to Wil- after some homco this p.m.

Wednesday, July 12, 1911
It rained from about six a.m. till ten but it was very light.  A good rain fell this p.m. between five and six o’clock.  Looked over my row crop this forenoon.  It was needing rain badly and the green bugs were working on the kaffir corn.

Thursday, July 13, 1911
Cloudy all day and drizzling part of the time.  Norman drove “Blanche” over to Womble’s this p.m.   Rode the pony up town after the mail.

Friday, July 14, 1911
Branded my yearlings and calves this a.m. with the C on the right hip or side.  Was helped by Mr. Allred, B. Allred, Small and Daniels.  Hitched both my mules to a wagon after dinner and drove to Wil-.  One had never had a bridle on before but they went along pretty well.

Saturday, July 15, 1911
Drove the mules up town this p.m. with Arthur.

Sunday, July 16, 1911
Staid home all day.  Mr. Parker and Bill Topp out for a short time this p.m.

Monday, July 17, 1911
Staid home all day.

Tuesday, July 18, 1911
Drove the mules up town this p.m. after the mail.  Saddled and rode the filly around the barnyard this a.m.

Wednesday, July 19, 1911
Had a little rain last night and a good one before supper this p.m.  Rode pony over to Bush- this a.m. and Harker came back to look at a hog.  Rode pony up after the mail after supper.

Thursday, July 20, 1911
Rained again last night.

Friday, July 21, 1911
Cloudy and sultry all day.  Staid home all day.

Saturday, July 22, 1911
Took train to Amarillo this a.m.  Saw scrub ball-game this p.m.  Election, state-wide, today on the liquor question which went wet.  Rain again last night.

Sunday, July 23, 1911
In Amarillo all day.

Monday, July 24, 1911
Came home tonight on the train.

Tuesday, July 25, 1911
Rode pony over to the Gray ranch this morning and helped them round up the West pasture this noon and brand this p.m.  Staid at the stone house all night.

Wednesday, July 26, 1911
Helped round up the North pasture this a.m. and rode from six till 2 p.m.  Branded 162 calves in less than two hours this p.m. with two ropers  and one set of men to each roper.  I worked on the hind end of the calves with Bodeman.

Thursday, July 27, 1911
Finished branding the north pasture calves by noon.  After dinner we took them back to the north pasture and held them till the cows found their calves.   While heading a cow on the dead run the pony fell with me but only hurt my knee a little.

Friday, July 28, 1911
Rode the pony home this p.m. and sent Arthur over to the ranch to help them finish.

Saturday, July 29, 1911
Rode bay filly up town this p.m. for the first time but she did pretty well.

Sunday, July 30, 1911
Went into Amarillo on the train today.  Big sow had 9 pigs last night but killed 3 of them.

Monday, July 31, 1911
In town all day.

 

Cation & Duncan Emigration

Our immigrant Duncans came to the United States from Scotland in the early 1840s.  Their first child born in the US joined us in 1846 near Rochester, New York.  From this I guessed that they entered somewhere on the eastern seaboard.  Before the internet I searched everything available on passenger lists for Boston, New York and Philadelphia primarily.

On two different ships I found a Thomas Duncan about the right age – both times traveling on his own.  I learned from the Eliza Duncan English interview that he did come over on his own before the family came over.  So perhaps one or both of these voyages are his, but it’s impossible to verify without more information.

It was only after the internet gave access to so many more records that I made any breakthrough.  I found Eliza Cation (her maiden name) with her three sons, William, Thomas, and John Duncan, traveling with Eliza’s relatives, William and Margaret Cation, and their children, William, Ann, James, and Margaret.  Young William Cation had a twin sister, Isabella, who was left behind in Arngask working as a servant.  This is according to Isabella’s son who told his grandson the story of great-grandmother Barclay.

Passenger list from the ship Yorkshire, 1843.

The most amazing thing to me is that they sailed on the Ship Yorkshire from Liverpool to New Orleans.  Neither port was exprected.  A Scottish friend told me that Liverpool isn’t a convenient port now for travel from Scotland to the US.  And New Orleans is certainly a long way from Liverpool and from New York.

The Yorkshire sailed 8 March 1843 from Liverpool and arrived in New Orleans 10 May May 1843 – 63 days at sea.  There were problems and this is known because there was a group of Mormons on board who kept diaries.

Smith diary

Following are entries which were taken from a journal kept by Andrew Jenson who was also a passenger on the Yorkshire.  They were found at smithharper.org.

The Yorkshire is a splendid new vessel. The emigrants went aboard on the 6th and 7th of March 1843, and sailed from Liverpool. On the 9th, nearly all the passengers were seasick, which lasted for several days, as the winds were very contrary, and several days were spent in the Irish Sea. Once a terrible wave struck the vessel and water ran down the hatchway. April 4th, they caught the trade wind, going south and they rejoiced at having more favorable winds. After that the people began holding meetings, which however, were opposed by non-Mormon passengers on board. At length the heat became oppressive. They passed the West Indies between Cuba and Jamaica.

On May 3rd, early in the morning, the vessel was struck by a terrible squall, breaking off all the upper parts of the mast. All hands were called up and they raised the sails as best they could. This was off Cape Antonio. As soon as the sails were set, there was a good wind. On May 8th they met the pilot boat and were piloted over the Balize to New Orleans. It was a grand sight along the shores of the Mississippi, but Negro slavery disgusted the British. On the 10th they landed at New Orleans, being nine weeks on the voyage. The heat in New Orleans was intense. On the 13th of May the Claybourne [docked] in New Orleans, which had sailed from Liverpool later than the Yorkshire.

At New Orleans the Yorkshire passengers took passage up the Mississippi River on board the steamboat Dove, for Nauvoo, paying $3.50 per adult passenger. They left New Orleans on the 16th of May.

I left the parts in about the Mormons’ travel north to Nauvoo (Illinois) because it’s likely that the Cations also traveled by river – The Mississippi and maybe up the Ohio River to get to Rochester.

The following is from the History of Joseph Smith, under the date of May 2nd, 1843:

Between one and two o’clock next morning, when off Cape St. Antonio, Cuba, there was much vivid lightning, when a white squall caught the foretop royal sail, which careened the vessel, when the foremast, mainmast and mizenmast snapped asunder with an awful crash; the whole of the masts above, with the job and spanker, and sixteen sails and studding poles, were carried overboard with a tremendous splash and surge, when the vessel right.  At daybreak all on deck was in confusion and a complete wreck.  During the day a sail was hoisted from the stump of the main mast to the bow of the vessel, thus leaving nothing but the hull of the vessel to carry the Saints into New Orleans.

There’s more about this journey on the BYU Mormon Migration site.  I’ve never found a photograph of their ship Yorkshire.  Perhaps this voyage did it in, but in 1844 there was a new ship Yorkshire – and many photos of it!

This was a difficult journey for all, and Eliza traveled with three children, ages 4, 2, and 1.

The story of Thomas Duncan and Eliza Cation began here.

Cation & Duncan – Part I

There is so much to write about our Scottish immigrant couple, Eliza Cation and Thomas Duncan, that it’s a bit overwhelming.  This is the book I wanted to write at one time.  Now it will be a series of blog posts (more manageable) – starting with this bare-bones outline of the early years of their marriage and the births of their children.

Thomas Duncan was born 2 July 1815 in Orwell, Kinross, Scotland.  His parents were William Duncan (1789 – 1851) and Jean Carmichael.
Eliza Cation was born 11 May 1817 in Arngask, Fife, Scotland.  Her parents were Thomas Cation (1786 – 1859) and Janet Forrester.
They married 30 December 1836 – the marriage was registered in Arngask and Strathmiglo, their hometowns at the time.

Strathmiglo Parish Register showing the marriage of Thomas Duncan and Eliza Cation, 30 December 1836.

Their first child, a girl, died in infancy, probably in 1837.  On 29 September 1838 a son, William, was born in Strathmiglo and christened 7 October 1838.

A second son, Thomas Cation, was born 18 August 1840 in Dam Head, Kinross, Fife.

A third son, John, was born in March 1842 probably in the same general area in Scotland.

The family emigrated to the United States in the early 1840s.  That story will be my next post.

David was born 10 April 1846 in Rochester, New York.  A later county history (Illinois) says the family lived in Peoria, Wyoming county, NY – southwest of Rochester.

Plat map of Eagle/Ottawa, Wisconsin showing land owned by Duncans and Cations.

The family moved to Ottawa, Waukesha county, Wisconsin where Frank (Francis) was born 25 July 1848, about two months after Wisconsin became a state.  The family stayed there until after the Civil War.  They lived near the border of Eagle and Ottawa, Wisconsin and both names show up on records.

The 1850 Federal Census showing the family in Eagle, Wisconsin.

 James Cation, my great-grandfather, was born 3 March 1851 in Ottawa.  George Baxter was born 26 October 1854 in nearby Fox Lake, Dodge county, Wisconsin.  Thomas Duncan’s brother, William, lived in Fox Lake.

Eliza Jane (Janie) was born 27 Jun 1856 and died 14 December 1857.  She was 17 months old.

On 10 December 1858 another daughter was born in Ottawa and named Eliza Jane.  This Eliza lived well into old age – the only daughter to survive infancy.

I’m going to jump ahead – about 74 years – to March 1932.  The youngest child,Eliza Duncan English (she married Frank English), was interviewed by her grandson, Myron Smith, who was about 25 years old then.  I would award Myron every genealogy prize there is.  And I would wish for all of you genealogists to find a family member who interviewed his grandmother 80 years ago.  It solved several mysteries for me.

Here is what Eliza D. English had to say about her father Thomas Duncan.

“Born at Edinborough, Scotland.  Tailor by trade.  Learned trade in Arcade in Glascow [sic], Scot.  Came to America in a sailing vessel.  11 or 14 weeks.  Located at Rochester, N.Y.  Later his wife Eliza Cation and 3 children, Wm, Thomas, and John came over in a sailing vessel.  After several years in Rochester where he farmed and tailored, moved to Ottawa, Wis.  At close of Civil War moved to Fox Lake, Wis.  Lived there 3 yrs.  Then moved to Rock Prarie [sic], Wis., near Janesville.  Lived there about 3 years then moved near Plymouth, Iowa.  Eliza  married while near Plymouth.  Marriage at Osage [Iowa].  Only Thomas & wife & Eliza at Plymouth.”

I will quote from Myron’s interview with Eliza often during the telling of the Duncan story.

Amos Claycomb’s June 1911 Diary

Amos took his horse “Prince” to be doctored; the only costs I see are a few dollars for livery.  It’s a month for animal problems – besides Prince, there are runaway mules.

Thursday, June 1, 1911
Hitched horse mule and Belle to wagon and put a gate in south fence after dinner.  Then drove “Blanche” over to Womble’s.

Friday, June 2, 1911
Drove pony to Amarillo and took “Prince” along.  Went to dance at Elk’s with Miss Dunlap and staid at Arthur Mc’s.

Saturday, June 3, 1911
“Prince” doctored today.  Staid in town until six o’clock and then drove home.

Sunday, June 4, 1911
Staid home all day except for going after the mail this a.m.  Very warm and sultry.  Looked over my row crop which is doing very well altho it is pretty weedy.  The wheat is coming fine since the rain.

Monday, June 5, 1911
I planted maize this a.m. and rolled sod most of the p.m.  Norman finished plowing this p.m.

Tuesday, June 6, 1911
Norman finished planting maize this p.m.  It sprinkled for a few minutes after dinner.

Wednesday, June 7, 1911
Norman and I headed maize all day.

Thursday, June 8, 1911
Hauled feed most of the a.m. and fixed fence this p.m.  Rode pony over to Harker’s after supper and played chess.

Friday, June 9, 1911
Arthur and I hoed Russian thistle out of the east forty this a.m.  Arthur took “Blanche” over to Womble’s this p.m.  It rained for 20 or 30 minutes just before sunset, with a good deal of hail.
[Russian thistle is better known today as tumbleweed.  It was introduced to the US in the Dakotas in 1870s in flaxseed from Russia.  By 1911 it had become a problem in Texas for Amos and other farmers, and today is a noxious weed.]

Saturday, June 10, 1911
Drove pony to Amarillo this a.m.  Staid with Arthur Mc- all night.

Sunday, June 11, 1911
In town all day.  Started home about 8:30 tonight and stopped at Bush- for a short time.

Monday, June 12, 1911
Drove pony up town after the mail this a.m.  Very warm all day and almost no wind.

Tuesday, June 13, 1911
Sold 10 young shoats to Potter Co. poor farm at 6 cents a lb. but one died from the heat while we were penning them.

Wednesday, June 14, 1911
Got up early and delivered shoats to Poor Farm this a.m.  Arthur drove the wagon while I went in the buggy to get Prince in Amarillo but he is still in too bad shape to bring out here.  9 shoats weighed 940 lbs.

Thursday, June 15, 1911
Nothing doing.

Friday, June 16, 1911
Drove to Am- this a.m. and went to Elk dance tonight.

Saturday, June 17, 1911
In town all day.  Played cards tonight.

Sunday, June 18, 1911
In town all day.  “Prince” has contracted blood poisoning in one of his hind legs and is in bad shape.  Have not much hope now of his living much longer.

Monday, June 19, 1911
Drove home this forenoon.  Norman drove team up town this p.m. after some homco and freight.

Tuesday, June 20, 1911
Nothing doing.

Wednesday, June 21, 1911
Rode pony over to the Gray ranch this p.m. to look at some pigs but didn’t buy.

Thursday, June 22, 1911
Rented my header to Richards for the season and we have been trying to set it up today.
Drove up town after supper.

Friday, June 23, 1911
Finished setting up header this p.m. and Richards took it home.  He had a run-away about 1\4 mile up the road and went thru my fence into the pasture.  The header was hardly hurt at all but one mule was cut pretty badly.

Saturday, June 24, 1911
Hauled 5 barrows and one stag up to yards today to be shipped to Fort Worth.  Barrows averaged 281 lbs and stag 535.  Hot wind blowing all day and very warm.

Sunday, June 25, 1911
Took train to Amarillo today and found that my horse had died of blood poisoning.  Came back on the 4:20 this p.m.  Very hot with hot wind still blowing and burning the crops up.

Monday, June 26, 1911
Took “Blanche” and “Belle” over to Womble’s this a.m. and came right back.  Ralph Gray was over for dinner.

Tuesday, June 27, 1911
Staid home all day.  Sprinkled a little just after dark.

Wednesday, June 28, 1911
Turned cattle in on my wheat this a.m. as it would not pay to cut it.  Rode pony up town after the mail this p.m.

Thursday, June 29, 1911
Walked thru the row crop on Sec. 11 this a.m. and it still looks fine altho a little too thick.  Rode pony up town after the mail this p.m.

Friday, June 30, 1911
Took train to Amarillo today.