1872
Sunday
March 31

Well it rained most all night last night and some today.Norman came up today & so did Mr. Grey. Snowed some this P.M. ..?.. froze up this eve. But got it to work all night before dark. Wind blowed  awlful hard.

1872
Saturday
March 30

No. 2 did not act very nice today so this P.M. Clayton & I & Ella drawed rods in P.M. Clayton went down town this morn. Very pleasant and nice all day. Ella and Frank started to go down town but rained.

1872
Friday
March 29

Well I pumped the wells as usual then after 2 I went down town & bought dress for Ella. Pleasant all day.

1872
Thursday
March 28

I got up this morn at 7:20 & and pumped the wells then after breakfast Clayton went down town & came back at 1. I sent letter to Austin Roberts, played dominoes and eucher some. Frankie went to sleep on the lounge. I went down to Oil Men's League. Came home at 11.

1872
Wednesday
March 27

Oh how pleasant today. Clayton went down town and so did Ella & ..?.. I went down town drawed $20 from bank, went down bought pair of overalls. Pleasant all day. I went up & got Mr. Gray and he came down & played eucher all evening. Run oil this A.M. 31 Bbls.

1872
Tuesday
March 26

Well I went up town this morning after some meal & Clayton went down town & I went down town after 1 oclock. Recd. letter from Austin Roberts. I came home about 4. Mandville want to hire me today to keep books. Offers me $100. per month. Ella went down town.

1872
Sunday
March 24

I was on time today to pump the wells and after 12 I went up to Bronson's Boiler House. Came home at 4 and played checkers with Clayton. Pleasant all day.

1872
Saturday
March 23

Did not get up until after 8 this morn and about noon it blowed & snowed awful. Clayton went up & got Cap. Denny & he came down at 1 & we changed the valves in no. 2.

Snowed some & blowed. Clayton went down town.

1872
Friday
March 22

Well we did not get home until about 1 this morning & I sat up until 2 & then pumped the wells & came & went to bed. Clayton went down town this morn & I went up to see Cap. Denny. Came home & oil was running on the ground at no.1. Ella went over to Dingmans. I went down to oil men's ..?.. & Ella went to a temperance lecture.

(The Temperance Movement was a movement to reduce or restrict the use of alcohol.)

1872
Thursday
March 21

After I pumped the well at 12, Wood came up & I settled with him. Paid him $21 to ..?.. for drawing coal for January, February & March. Then I went down town & subscribed for 2 shares in Producers  R. R. $100 also 2 shares for Clayton & then Ella & I went to Donation at Hall. $2.25.

1872
Wednesday
March 20

Clayton & I blowed the boiler off after breakfast. Got to pumping the wells about 11:15 & then I went down town & then up to Sanders & paid him for groceries $4.15. Came home at 3.

1872
Tuesday
March 19

I went down town and got check cashed $54.16 & then went down & bought a C dress for Ella & paid Hammond for scales $3.00. Camr home at 4.

1872
Monday
March 18

Well I have been some lazy & I went down town & around & then came home after I went up to Sanders after groceries.

1872
Sunday
March 17

Oh hum, was up at the usual time & I pumped the wells as usual and then I played checkers with Arthur Dickens about one hour. Then I washed up & stayed around the house until about 7 & then Ella & I went down town came back at 8. I wrote letter to Ma.

1872
Saturday
March 16

Clayton went down town this morn & he and I went up town and got ..?.. after 12. I stopped and got check of Mrs. Benton for $54.16 for on house up to Feb. 27, 1872. Ella and I went up to Benton's and I played chess with ..?.. until 8:30 & then went down and joined the Oil Mens League. $5.00. Came home at 11. Stopped to Benton's and got Ella.

1872
Friday
March 15

Well I went down town today and voted for town officers. I was down to A. J. Salsbury after groceries. I came home at about 5. Snowed some today.

1872
Thursday
March 14

Pumped the wells at 7 as usual & then came to house & fussed with the chess and Clayton went down town with Ella came back at 8:30. I gave Clayton a check to balance our ..?.. to March 1st. $27.00.

1872
Wednesday
March 13

After I pumped the wells I got ready and then played eucher with Clayton until 2:30 & then went down to the producers meeting at ..?.. Hall. Elected Mr. Brouson & Garfield Hammond & Shamburg & Lehandler to sell our oil to or through. Rec'd letter from L. O. Alman & Son. Pleasant all day. I bought some chess. Gave $3.50. Came home at 6:30.

1872
Tuesday
March 12

I pumped the wells & took a sleep until 7 & pumped the wells at 12. Then went down town and came back to Benton's about 2:30 & played one game of chess. Ella & Clayton came back at about 3. I came home at about 3:15.

1872
Sunday
March 10

I was very lazy this morning getting up. Did not get until about quarter to 8. Well Taylor came over & so did Norman & Dora Dingman all to dinner. Thawed some today.

1872
Monday
March 11

We were all up at 9. Clayton and Ella went to ..?.. Started about 10:30. I gave C.D.S. $7.00. I went down town & sent ..?.. & Son draft for $36.68 & sold T. E. Hammon 25 Bbls. oil at 3.82 1/2 28 off. Total 89.34 & drew $25.00. Producer had a meeting this A.M. Mr. Merrick & I went up to Titusville to an oil meeting. Came home at 12:30.

1872
Saturday
March 9

Well Clayton went downtown this morning and Stilling came to run oil. Total run net, 27.79 Bbls. I went down town this P.M. Rec'd letter from Ma. They are well.

Everything is alright.

1872
Friday
March 8

I did not get up at 3 to pump the wells. I took a good sweat last night and I feel better today. I went down town to bank and around. Paid Nash and Mauderville $11.64 for coal last month. I ..?.. some casing in one of his wells. Snowed some this eve.

1872
Thursday
March 7
Oh well I layed around the house all day after I pumped the wells. Did not feel very well.
Have an awful cold. Ella went down town & Clayton too. Rec'd a letter from A. Roberts & I sent him 3 papers. Clayton saw Norman Allen down town today or this eve.

1872
Wednesday
March 6

After I pumped the wells at 12 I played a few games with Clayton & then I went down town. Saw Norman for the first time since he came back. Came home at 4. Very cold.

1872
Tuesday
March 5

Oh hum, it was very cold last night and snowed some too. Clayton went down town A.M. & I went down after 1. I got a set of dominoes & checkers, $1.15. Came home at 3 after getting meat & milk & Clayton and I played checkers. He went down town in eve.

1872
Monday
March 4

After breakfast Clayton went down town. I stayed around the house until about 5 then went up & got slipper mended & paid ..?.. Bill $17.85. Gave Clayton $111. Now I owe him $40 for the month of February. We made some molasses candy for colds. Norman Allen came to work for Lockhart & Russell in ..?.. store today at $6.11 dollars & ..?.. himself.

(It's so frustrating not being able to make out some of Avery's handwriting. Also in the very beginning I thought that Clayton was Avery's son possibly. However he could also be live-in help. I don't know what the norm would be in this situation back then. I wonder if molasses candy actually does anything for colds.)

1872
Sunday
March 3

Oh Hum, it has been awful lonesome today. I have layed around the house all day & played checkers & read some & went after some milk. Not very cold today.

1872
Saturday
March 2

Pumped the wells as usual and about 9:30 Stillings came and run oil for me. Amount run 29.36 Bbls. net. I went down town paid insurance due 7th of March. $11.18 dividend recd. .95 cents balance paid. Paid $10.23. Paid A. P. Booth $25.00 for building derrick.

1872
Friday
March 1

Well I fixed the balance on no. 2 and emptied the Bbl of oil into no. 1 tank. Then at 2 Wood's team drawed 30.50 # of coal. Clayton & I built fence around the house. Another load of coal at 5.29 " " # coal. Very nice and warm all day. Ella went up to grocery this eve.

(I have no idea what he means when he uses " " and # referring to the coal.)