1872 Diary
Monday
May 27

Well it rained some this morn but Ella run engine & we pulled rods out of No 2 A.M. Ella went over to Mrs. Smallshaw & then they came over & played eucher until 10. Some cold.

1872 Diary
Sunday
May 26

Oh um, well I dressed up this P.M. & Ella & Mrs. Smallshaw went to church & Arthur & Clayton & I played croquet & chess. Noman Allen came over we all played croquet. Mr. Grey & Mr. Smallshaw too until 10:30.

1872 Diary
Saturday
May 25

I pumped the wells as usual & Clayton went to Titusville to horse races & Stiltings came & run oil. I cut wood & picked up wood & until 4 pumped at 3 for C. Mr. Smallshaw worked around the house all day. Clayton came home at 9.

1872 Diary
Friday
May 24

Ella washed colored clothes today. Clayton went down town. I cut wood A.M. & he cut wood P.M. Johny Smallshaw took some pipe & nipples & unions from engine house this P.M. Played croquet some this eve. Clara & Arthur came over & Mrs. Smallshaw too. Wrote letter to A. Clark today.

1872 Diary
Thursday
May 23

Well it rained some today but Ella washed some white clothes & I brought water. Cut wood Clayton & I P.M.

1872 Diary
Thursday
May 22

I went down and over to see Irwin & Bob Sherman. Bought shoes $4.75, boot jack $1.50. Came home in rain about 6. Clayton went down town A.M. & in eve.

1872 Diary
Tuesday
May 21

I pumped the wells at 11 & put 2 Bbls. benzine in wells and then walked to Miller and went to Titusville got pants $9, hose $135. and supper for 2, $1.50. Came home at 6 with Pierce & then went down town & Clayton & I bought ice cream for the whole lodge of Good Templers $3. Came with Ella & Mrs. Smallshaw at 11:20. Sold oil 155.65 @ $3.75, net $583.68.

1872 Diary
Monday
May 20

I worked around picking up wood and cutting some. I went up town to grocery. Rained some today and has been rather cool.

1872 Diary
Sunday
May 19

Well it rained some last night. We did not get up until 8:20. Clayton & Arthur went out in woods. After 12:30 Arthur & Clara & Clayton & I played croquet. Ella and I went over to Johny Dingman's came home at dark. Pleasant.

1872 Diary
Saturday
May 18

Pumped the wells & then cut some wood & packed the stuffing box. Then at 2 went up town to grocery came home at 3. Arthur came over & we played eucher. Mr. & Mrs. Smallshaw came home at 9. Warm & pleasant.

1872 Diary
Friday
May 17

After 8, Stittings came up & we run oil 30.96 Bbls & then Clayton & I fixed No 1 tank. Drove hoops down & also No 2 & ..?.. tank. I milked Mrs. Lovell's cows for the milk this morn & eve. Ella went down town & C. too. Paid ice man $1.27 bal. for ice.

1872 Diary
Thursday
May 16

I fussed around the wells all day most, went up to the grocery then came home and in evening Nellie & ..?.. Benton came down & we played croquet until 10:20. Awful warm all day & cool in eve.

1872 Diary
Wednesday
May 15

Oh hum well I pumped the wells and then at 8 we blowed the boiler off & then at 3 I went down town & rode over to Titusville with Russ & Davidson team. Ordered pants $14 paid $5 & bought Ella a silk dress, black $19.50. Came home at 9 walked up bought drum, $3,000. Mrs. Smallshaw went to Titusville.

1872 Diary
Tuesday
May 14

I worked around the wells & house A.M. & then I went down town & Clayton too. Ella & Mrs. Smallshaw went to the Lodge. I came home at 10. Awful warm.

1872 Diary
Monday
May 13

I was up at 3 & pumped as usual. Clayton went down town & I worked around the wells all day most & fixed gas light for croquet ground. Clara B. & Mrs. Smallshaw & Arthur came over & played croquet. Awful chilly this eve.

1872 Diary
Sunday
May 12

Did not get up until about 4:30 to pump. I planted some potatoes this morn. Dora Dingman came down P.M. a little while. Some cool all day. Things won't grow today. Mr. & Mrs. Smallshaw & Ella & I went down to church this eve. Mrs. Smallshaw fell off side today.

1872 Diary
Saturday
May 11

Oh hum well I was our at the usual hour & I went up & had stage come for Ella to go to Titusville at 3. I bought 800 cups for ..?.. then I went down town & in eve C.S. & I bought some linen pants. Ella came home at 10. Some warm.

1872 Diary
Friday
May 10

I was up at 3 & pumped the wells until 5:30. No 2 pumped fresh water. C. L. & I drew rods from pump today. In eve C. L. Arthur & I went down town & Ella & Mrs. Smallshaw went too. I wrote letter to ..?.. Hawely. Very warm We made ice cream today.

1872 Diary
Thursday
May 9

Benton brought our freezer home this morn. Went down town came home at 3:30. Awful warm. Ella & Mrs. Smallshaw went down town & C. L. & Arthur & I went out too.

1872 Diary
Wednesday
May 8

Oh hum I pumped & then went down town & read letter from Lush recd. for money.(..?..) Came home at 4 supper at 6. We all went down to see a ..?.. comic actor. Came home at 10:30. $1.00.

1872 Diary
Tuesday
May 7
Oh hum, I am tired today. I pumped the wells & then went down town and walked to Miller& went to Titusville on train & stayed until 6 & then rode home with M. Grey. Ella went to Good Templers. Awful hot. Run oil today.

1872 Diary
Monday
May 6

I stayed around the wells A.M. & then P.M. I down & sent S. & S. R. Blackney $66.65 & drew $13.. Came home at 5 & played croquet some with Arthur. Awful warm most all day. Clayton went down town.

1872 Diary
Sunday
May 5

I pumped the wells & then C. & I went & got 3 pine trees & set them out by house. Ella went over to Smallshaw's. P.M. & eve. they went a walking. I retired at 8:15.

1872 Diary
Saturday
May 4

I was up and pumped the wells as usual. Some cold this morn. Then at 2 I walked down to Miller farm & took train & went to Titusville & got clothes $26 & plug hat $8. Met Grey & took supper with him & came home at 9:15. Rained some A.M. Paid CHS. $5 in full.

1872 Diary
Friday
May 3

Clayton & Arthur went up to Pleasantville to a circus and then was none. I worked on Bbls on No. 1. Rained some. In eve I went down town to Oil Mens League. Ella & C. went over to Smallshaws & played eucher. I came home at 9 and went to bed.

1872 Diary
Thursday
May 2

I pumped the wells & then & then went up to Oil Exchange & got hair cut & paid $6 to D. ..?.. $20.25 & drew for ..?.. Rained some today.

1872 Diary
Wednesday
May 1

Rained some last night. I run the wells as usual. Rained all A.M. & P.M. I went down town, came home at 5 & then at 6:30 Clayton & I played croquet. I paid T. Thorn for coal. $6.

1872 Diary
Tuesday
April 30

I pumped the wells as usual & then after 12 I got ready and went down town & drew $50 & then walked to Mitter  then went up to Titusville & got Ella a dress, $11, a corset, $2.25. Left measure for suit clothes & gave them $20 balance to pay $26. Came home at 9. Ella went down to Good Templars.