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.)