1872
Wednesday
February 28

Well Norman stayed with us all night. Had breakfast at 8:30 and then at about 1:30 Norman and I went down town. Think we found a job for him. So we came back home around 4 & played checkers. Recd. letter from A. Clark, says he will pay for 1/2 of the derrick.

1872
Thursday
February 29

Norman Allen stayed here last night and he and Clayton went down town. Norman hired out to Lockhart and Russell & then went home on 10:54 train.
   Some cool. Ella went down town, put on more style than a country stud horse.

1872
Tuesday
February 27

Run four as usual and fixed the no. 1. Put on long ..?.. Norman Allen came here from ..?.. Nellie & Mrs. Benton came down. Nellie stayed to supper, we played eucher & checkers. I beat her some.
   Had a Mass meeting in Titusville.

1872
Monday
February 26

Clayton and I brought some water for Ella to wash with then we played eucher and checkers for a while.
   Very pleasant all day. Cap. Denney & Smiley came down here to look at a gas pumps.

1872
Sunday
February 25

Rained some last night but turned around cold about noon. At 1:30 I went up to see Suel and Grey. Had a very good visit came home at 4. Had supper at 5. Clayton and I played a few games of checkers.

1872
Saturday
February 24

Oh well it has been some cloudy today. Clayton and I played cards checkers some today then about 6:30 Ella & I took a walk down to the post office. I recd. letter from A. Roberts from Limestone. Prospects are fair. I bought a book of American games. $2.00. Came home at 8:15.

1872
Friday
February 23

Stillings came up and run oil about 10:30. We got through about 11:15. Run about 35.53 Bbls net. Clayton & I played eucher and checkers P.M. It has been awful pleasant all day.

1872
Thursday
February 22

Clayton went down town today. I pumped the wells as usual today. Can step on my foot or on the heel some.
   Thawed and was very warm and nice. They had about 60 couples to the dance last night.

1872
Wednesday
February 21

Oh hum my foot is sore today so I can't walk on it any so guess I can't go to the dance tonight. Ella went up to Benton's today. Ella was rather cross today because I stuck the nail in my foot just as though I done it a purpose.

1872
Tuesday
February 20

It was rather hard for me to get around to pup the wells today but I made out. Clayton went down town this morn and this P.M. at 5 too.
   Ella went up to Benton's today.

!872
Monday
February 19

After pumping the well I went up town and got Cap. Denny to come down and draw rods out of old well. He came down at 1:30. I stuck a nail into my foot about 10. Pained me very bad this eve.
   Been very pleasant all day. Ella washed today.

1872
Sunday
February 18

Oh hum, well we were up at the usual time and pumped the wells and then shaved and dressed up some and then Clayton & I played dominoes until about quarter to 3.
   Mrs. Lovell came down here, has been rather lonesome all day. I wrote letter to ma and A. Clark. I brought some water from spring this eve to wash with.

1872
Saturday
February 17

I stayed around the wells until about 3 then Ella & I went down to ..?.. Nichols and stayed some time and then we done some trading at the stores. I recd. letter from Excelsior Insurance Co. We came home about 4:30. Booth finished derrick today.

1872
Friday
February 16

Oh well we blowed the boiler off and cleaned it all one clean.
   Booth came down and commenced on the derrick. Sam came over today. He has quit over on the Porter farm. Bronson payed some today. Not very cold. Sam paid me $5. borrowed.

1872
Thursday
February 15

Pumped as usual then P.M. went down town and around. Came back to T. Tayton and bought me a pair of boots gave $17.00. Paid Mrs. Lovell for Milk to date including $1.50.

1872
Wednesday
February 14

Well I pumped the wells as of old and then at 12 Clayton & I set valves to old engine. Had an awful time. Awful cold all day and snowed & blowed some too.

1872
Tuesday
February 13

After I pumped the wells at 12 I got ready and went down town & drew $20.00. Then I went up to Titusville & got Ella 2 Calico dresses for the 22nd and got colored T. cloth. Came home at 9. Clayton run oil this P.M. Total at station with the other run is 64.64 Bbls. I Recd. letter from A. Roberts with lease and note signed by Dills ..?.. ..?.. and one from Dilia Waterman asking for $10.00.

1872
Monday
February 12

I went down town today and sent another letter to A. Roberts. Clayton came on 1 oclock train. I did not do much today. Mrs. ..?eoffman came down here this eve. about 6 to arrange about the dance 22nd. I did not come home from down town until about 5.

1872
Sunday
February 11

I pumped the wells at 4 & then came to house & and went to bed and slept until most 8. Had a good sleep too. We had breakfast about 9:15. Wrote another letter to A. Roberts. Have not heard from the last one yet.

1872
Saturday
February 10

I have got along very well so far after I pumped the wells at 12.Went down town and got papers & then came up to grocery then came home at 3. Clayton did not come as he expected. Very pleasant all day. Thawed some too.

1872
Friday
February 9

I pumped the wells regular today. I went down town to P. office and around. Recd. letter from L. Oatman & Son.
   Ella went down town. Mrs. Benton and Georgie came down a few minutes. Thawed some today.

1872
February
Thursday 8

I pumped the wells at 6 & 7 & then got ready & Ella and I pulled the snow pump out & ..?.. Dykens came over and helped me put it in . It works nice. Gains on the water some now.

1872
Wednesday
February 7

I woke Clayton up at 2 and he got up and started for ..?.. about 6. I pumped the wells and put in some snow pump & then it would not pump any. So I had to draw 2 Bbls from the pole ..?.. Wells worked until 9 in eve.

1872
Monday
February 5
Pumped the wells as usual and at abou 10 Clayton went up to Titusville. ..?.. came and run oil at 10:30. Amount run from both wells net is 33.29 Bbls. Clayton got a suit-clothes. Came home at 2. I worked all P.M. on well benzineing & gave Clayton check for $40.00. Recd. of Clayton $111.00. So he ..?.. 1/2 interest in note ..?.. to me by ..?.. of $100.00.

1872
Tuesday
February 6
Oh hum, it rained a little last night and then this morn it snowed hard. I paid Vandergrift for benzine $11.25. M.W. for coal $21.93. Sent draft to L. A. & Son for $66.65. Lent Clayton $10.00. Gave Ella $5.00. Paid for going to dance $2.00 Neilburg. 

1872
Sunday
February 4

Oh hum, you bet I slept some but came around on time every time. While I was a changing clothes my & ..?.. & ..?.. ..?.. came we had supper about 3:30 or so and then went down to C. Nichols then to livery & got horses. I paid for them $1.00 & they went home. Gave Clayton $1.00.

1872
Saturday
February 3

Oh hum P.M. I went up to ..?.. and then down town then back to ..?.. & Recd check on ..?.. in Titusville for 90 Bbls oil @ $2.60 of ..?.. ..?.. then borrowed $5.00 of ..?.. to go to the dance to Neilburg. So team came over and 2 loads went to G. Thompsons ..?.. Took oysters & had a good time. Ate supper at Thompsons.
(This date's entry and the previous one are confusing, sorry about that. Avery ran out of room and wrote on top of this entry perpendicular to the horizontal lines. It is extremely difficult to read.)

1872
Friday
February 2

Cap. Denny came down and we pulled rods at No. 2 & I went to hardware A.M. & then P.M. I went down town and around. Recd. check of Johnson & Co. $324. for 90 BBls oil sold yesterday and then went and borrowed $5.00 of to go to dance to Neilburg. So team came & we went 2 loads of us. Took oysters & had a big time. Danced until 3:45 then came home at 5:15 and went to bed and slept until 9 then pumped wells at 11. Then went down to law suit between Dale Bros. & Clark but Dale Bros. had to take a non suit and pay cost. I paid T. Morrison hi fees $10. Paid ..?.. money. Borrowed $5.00. Paid bill $3.22. Paid Denny for drawing rods. $1.00 eve. I went down to post office and got a premium for home ..?..

1872
Thursday
February 1
After I pumped the wells at 8 I went up and engaged a horse at about 1. They sent one down and Ela and I went down to Titusville to engage a lawyer but Guthrie was not at home. So I drove to Pleasantville and got T. A. Morrison. Came home at about 7:30. Paid for horse $3.00 and toll .30. Horse in barn .25.
(Avery actually has the horse fee and toll written like this, 25. and 30. I am guessing he means cents as he usually uses dollar signs. I can't imagine housing a horse costing $25 dollars at that time. But hey, this is just my very uneducated guess.)