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Rev. J. Thompson Peerey, our newly appointed missionary, moved into the parsonage. In the evening by invitation Mrs Williams and Mrs Hunt spent the evening with us.
Wednesday, 29.--Fury and daggers! Snowing at Jehu's gait. Storm and tempest. Attended the session of the legislative committee. Adjourned at four o'clock, came home.
Thursday, 30.--Clear and cold morning. Attended the session of the legislative committee. Mrs W. and Harriet went on a friendly visit to the E. T. P's and staid all night. To-night will be held the first official meeting of the Church South under the administration of Rev. J. T. Peerey.DECEMBER, 1848. Friday, 1.--Called upon Mr Peerey and presiding elder Stateler. Cut and hauled wood. Mrs W. and Harriet returned from their visit.
Mr James Gurley, the preacher sent by the Ohio annual conference to preach abolitionism to the Wyandotts, has just arrived. So I suppose we are to have religious dissensions in full fruition.
Saturday, 2.--Mr Gurley called upon us and defended his position. If he follows the instructions received from Bishop Morris we shall not have much trouble, for he will "gather up his awls" and pull out.
Mr Graham and Joel came and staid till bed time.
Sunday, 3.--Cloudy morning, prospect of snow. Must go to the synagogue and hear Mr Gurley "hold forth." He held forth. Went to Church at early candle-lighting and heard the preacher in charge, J. T. Peerey.
Monday, 4.--At daylight, Great Caesar! What a snow storm. The elements in the wildest commotion. Flakes of snow whirling as large as leather aprons. Stormed all day and snow and sleet. Kept close quarters all day.
Tuesday, 5.--Sleet, sleet. Cloudy and dreary, Surely
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winter is now upon us. At 1 o'clock the misty sleet continues. No mail. My maledictions upon the mail contractors.
Wednesday, 6.--Cold, cloudy morning. Attended the session of the legislative committee. Sleet all day. Came home after nightfall.
Thursday, 7.--Fury and snakes! At daylight, snow, sleet and rain! When is this horrible tempest to come to an end. The sun has fled, and blackness, darkness, and storms are running their wild career to the utter dismay of all upper Missouri. Attended the session of the legislative committee. In the evening the weather cleared up and at night the moon shone with unusual brilliancy. Clear and very cold.
Friday, 8.--At daylight the thermometer stood 5o below zero. Cut and hauled wood all day, being clear and pleasant, though cold.
Saturday, 9.--Storm, storm again. Snow and sleet. Went to town, and called upon Dr. H. Came home. Chopped wood for Sunday. Sleet again.
Sunday, 10.--Staid at home. Wrote for Dr. H. a reply to Dr. Simpson's editorial. Went down in the evening. Came home at 10 o'clock at night. A severe night. Every creek or spring run frozen up.
Monday, 11.--At daylight thermometer 18o below "0" zero. Sophia set out for Independence. A cold ride. Staid at home all day and made fires. That and chopping kept me constantly employed.
Tuesday, 12.--At daylight thermometer 10o below zero. Went to F. A. Hicks and had a chat. Selected Little Chief as my adjunct voter, this being the day appointed by law for the election of ferryman. At 2 o'clock the joint meeting proceeded to ballot for a ferryman. After several ballots all the candidates were dropped except D. Young and Tall Charles and the final ballot on these two stood thus: D. Young, 16; Tall Charles, 7. Majority 9 votes. Adjourned.
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Wednesday, 13.--Weather moderated. Mrs W. and Harriet gone to Kansas on foot. Little Thunder chopping wood for me. C. B. G. slaughtering hogs to-day. Bought a hog from him, and at candle-lighting I cut it up and salted it away.
Thursday, 14.--At daylight thermometer 10o above "0" zero. Staid at home. Wrote a long letter for Adam Brown to Col. Prince, M. P., Canada.
Friday, 15.--At daylight thermometer 10o above "0." Prospect of a pleasant day. This evening quarterly meeting commences in Wyandott. Staid at home all day.
Saturday, 16.--Weather moderating. Went to Church and heard Mr Stateler preach. Attended Church at night.
Sunday, 17.--Went to Church again. At night E. T. P. and Mr Russell came home [with me] and staid all night.
Monday, 18.--Settled with E. T. P. and gave him an order on J. W. and Co. Warm day and a general thaw. Attended Church after night.
Tuesday, 19.--Cut and hauled wood. Went to the Council. Dr. H. recommended to the President for an appointment in California. Came home. The trustees of the Church meet to-night in the basement story.
Wednesday, 20.--Thermometer 10o above "0." Cloudy and prospect of more snow. Cold, cold winter. At 3 o'clock P. M. it commenced sleeting and continued all night mixed with snow.
Thursday, 21.--Horrible! Sleet and snow in all its fury. Thermometer 2o below "0." 8 o'clock snowing with an horrible tempest. During the whole of this day the snowstorm continued in all its fury without abatement. Legislative committee in session.
Friday, 22.--At daylight thermometer 20o below zero. Clear, cold all day. Staid at home.
Saturday, 23.--At daylight thermometer stood 29o below zero!19
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Sunday, 24.--Cold and freezing weather.
Monday, 25.--A merry Christmas! Off in a tangent.
Hiatus. Holiday week, close of the year. Mean time, horrible weather.JANUARY, 1849. Monday, 1.--A happy new year to ye all!
Tuesday, 2.--Stormy weather, horrible!
Wednesday, 3.--Cold. Put up hogs to fatten. Then went over the Missouri to buy some pork, but found [it] frozen, [and] took none.
Thursday, 4.--Staid at home all day. Made fires, etc.
Friday, 5.--Thermometer 8o below "0." Clear but cold all day. Staid at home all day and attended to my stock. My horse Dragon gave me the slip and ran off.
Saturday, 6.--Thermometer 6o below "0." Cloudy all day. At 1 o'clock [the] mercury rose to 15o. At four commenced snowing and continued till 10 at night.
Sunday, 7.--Snowing still. Mercury 25o. 11 o'clock, growing warm, rain perhaps. Went to Church and heard a sermon from Rev. Mr Hurlburt. A good one. Mr Peerey then by request announced an appointment for Rev. Mr Gurley for 3 o'clock. Well, he preached about Moses in the bulrushes.
Monday, 8.--Thermometer "0." Cloudy. Such a winter for Missouri! In north latitude 39o, and west longitude 17o. Snow and sleet for a month. The snow now on the ground though solid and compact, is two feet deep. At 3 o'clock P. M. snow again and continued till 9 o'clock.
Tuesday, 9.--Clear, thermometer "0." The sun has shown his face once more. Attended the National meeting. Read and proclaimed the new code of laws. Then proceeded to the election of a sheriff, in the place of I. P. Long,1 resigned. Thomas Pipe elected.
I Irvin P. Long was the son of Alexander Long, who was an American officer in the
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Wednesday, 10.--At daylight thermometer 22o below "0"! Hauled wood and pottered about the house. Clear and cold all day. Thermometer standing all day at zero.
Thursday, 11.--Thermometer 10o below "0." At sunrise the wind from S. E. At 12 o'clock the weather began to moderate, and continued warm all the afternoon and thawed during the night.
Friday, 12.--Thermometer 38o. Cloudy. A thaw. In the afternoon rain. Rained till late in the night. Went to Kansas and mailed one letter to Col. M. H. Kirby and one to the P. M. at Branch.
Saturday, 13.--Thermometer "0" and snowing. Well, well. This is wild winter. Cloudy all day and thermometer "0." To-day Mr. Jackson of Kansas, who died yesterday, was buried with masonic honors. In the evening Mr G. of Independence came. A meeting of the officiary of the Church South met at Mr P's after candle-light. This
war of 1812, and who married Catherine Zane. There is an amusing account of Alexander Long's conversion, at a camp meeting, in Finley's "Western Methodism." I have not been able to procure material for even a short sketch of Irvin P. Long. For his maternal ancestry see note on the Zane family. He was a soldier in the Mexican War and his commanding officer, the late Major W. P. Overton, has often said to me that Irvin P. Long was the bravest soldier he ever saw. He said that he had seen Long charge with others upon a battery; every other man was either killed or forced back, but Long made his horse leap in amongst the gunners, and he cut down the last man with his sword. "This," said he, "I have seen him do more than once; and in battle he constantly yelled the Wyandot war-whoop, a peculiar sound that almost curdled my blood and made my flesh creep." Hon. Silas Armstrong, of the Indian Territory, has described to me Mr. Long's death. He knew he must soon die, but he faced death with the bravery of an Indian. He refused to lie down, even when he was assured he would live but a few minutes. He maintained his position in his easy chair and gave directions about his affairs, and conversed on other matters in a manner that convinced all present that he was entirely devoid of any fear of death. When the fatal moment came he rested his head on the back of his chair and died without a gasp or struggle. How vastly superior to that of the white man is the view of death held by the Indian! He is educated to have no fear of death; to face it bravely; and to glory in triumphing over it even at the stake.
Irvin P. Long was one of the company made up by Charles B. Garrett and other Wyandots to go to California in 1849. This company crossed the plains and mined on the North Fork of the Feather River. See Governor Walker's Journal and the sketch of Charles B. Garrett.
He was a member of Wyandotte Lodge No. 3, A. F. & A. M., and Wyandotte Chapter No. 6, R. A. M.
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morning Dan Punch was found frozen to death near the grave yard.
Sunday, 14.--Thermometer 100 below "0." Cloudy. Thermometer stood at zero all day. Harriet and Mr G. went to church. I staid at home. At one o'clock sleet, horrid. This weather will kill our live stock. Thermometer at "0" still.
There will be an eclipse of the moon on the 8th of March and an eclipse of the sun on the 17th of August.
At 3 o'clock P. M. sleet again and continued till late in the night.
Monday, 15.--Thermometer 5o below "0." Clear. Cut and hauled some wood. Clear all day, but cold. Mrs W. went to Kansas. Mr Ross came and spent the evening.
Tuesday, 16.--Thermometer 10o below "0." Cloudy. Have a severe pain under my left shoulder. Something like pleurisy. Attended the National meeting. Gave notice of a meeting next Friday; of a meeting of such Wyandotts as are not members of the Church. Hired John Big-Sinew and came home.
Wednesday, 17.--Thermometer 5o below "0." Clear. Pleasant and clear but rather cold all day. John Big-Sinew and I cut and hauled wood and [hauled] corn fodder.
Thursday, 18.--At daylight, 11o below "0." Clear. Went to Kansas and got a pile of newspapers. Came home and perused them.
Friday, 19.--At daylight, thermometer 7o below "0."
Saturday, 20.--Went to Kansas. Came home at 1 o'clock P. M. A general thaw. Mr Porter and Sophia called at our house. She staid, and he went "te hum."
Sunday, 21.--Thermometer 5o below "0." Clear. Some prospect of a warm day, but [it] proved rather cold. In the afternoon Sophia returned with Mr J. Porter to Independence.
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Monday, 22.--Thermometer 5o below "0." Have taken a most villainous cold. Sick, sick! Rev. John T. Peery and lady dined with us to-day.
Tuesday, 23.--Thermometer "0." Cloudy. In regard to the weather "we know not what a day may bring forth." Dreary winter continues to sway his frigid and chilling scepter over us poor Missourians. Council meets to-day, but thank my stars I have nothing to do with it. They may hold a court of inquiry over George Coke and wife, charged with the murder of the late Daniel Punch. In the afternoon John Big-Sinew, and John Coon-Cripple came to work. In the evening, rain-rained all night.
Wednesday, 24.--Rain; a general thaw. I am sick. Sent for Matthew R. W. to ascertain whether he had any medicines, having none myself. He went home and sent me some croup syrup.
Thursday, 25.--Snow nearly gone. Foggy and warm. Rested better last night. [I] Begin to expectorate. My boys left this morning. At 11 o'clock the wind from the N. W., and getting colder and spitting snow again. Well, well, what weather."Arriere ceux dont Ia bouche
Souffic le froid et le chaud!"Sent Theodore to Kansas for our mail. No mail came to Kansas, because as usual the "Blue is up." The contractor ought to be drowned in the Blue! Turning cold.
Friday, 26.--Thermometer 8o. Clear. Mrs W. gone to S. A.'s. His wife being very sick. Wrote a long epistle to Esau at Cincinnati and dated it the 25th through mistake. Moderately warm through the day.
Saturday, 27.--Thermometer 10o. Cloudy. Sent Esau's letter. Went over to C. B. Garrett's and got my pup "Carlo," Junior, and brought him home. Cloudy and warm. I want my mail. I hope "the Blue" is not "up again." Mrs Armstrong, it is said, is still very sick.
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Thawed all night. Warm this morning and cloudy. Looks very much like rain. Cloudy and wet all day.
Sunday, 28.--Went to Church. Came home and found Dr. Hewitt in possession of the house, waiting our return. We chatted about various matters. Dined and he went home. Cloudy and misting all day.
Monday, 29.--Cloudy and wet. Sleet, sleet, is there to be no end to sleet. Went over to M. R. W.'s and spent the afternoon. At night it snowed.
Tuesday, 30.--Thermometer 10o above zero. Snow on the ground. Sleet again. Went to attend the session of the Council in order to report the result of the meeting on the 19th of the non-professing members, who decided that both missionaries should be expelled from the nation. Made my report, and closed with a speech, defining our position, and closed with a solemn warning to the northern faction.1 Came home. Found John Big-Sinew and Smith Nichols had returned to go to work.
Wednesday, 31.--Sleet, sleet!! Oh, glorious weather! Maria Monk had a calf last night, but it was frozen to death. Nine o'clock, sleet, sleet, sleet. Go it. Ten o'clock. Getting warmer. Raining, raining. At 7 o'clock at night it cleared up and the moon and stars shone as brilliant as gems.FEBRUARY, 1849. Thursday, 1.--Clear and cold. Thermometer 10o above "0." Prospect of a pleasant day, but how long. Went to Kansas. The mail came in but the papers were all "a dog's age old." Done some shopping and came home. Discharged my hands.
Friday, 2.--Clear. Thermometer 10o above "0." At 8 o'clock cloudy. Mrs W. and Martha went to Kansas to stay
1 This action resulted in the expulsion of the Missionary of the M. E. Church. The Missionary of the M. E. Church, South, was not molested.
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all night. Went to town and found it deserted. All gone to K. Heard that James Monture had murdered his wife. Pleasant day.
Saturday, 3.--Thermometer "0." Clear and beautiful morning. Finished a document for Deacon E. T. P. Warm and pleasant day. Mrs W. and Martha returned.
Sunday 4.--Cloudy morning. Thermometer 20o above "0." More snow or sleet perhaps. Went to Church. More depredations committed upon it by the disciples of the Northern Church. Warm and pleasant all day.
Monday, 5.--At sunrise thermometer 5o below "0." Clear. Pleasant day. Went to Kansas and settled up various accounts. Paid off some of my bills.
Tuesday, 6.--Came home. At night guarded the "synagogue" till midnight from the incendiaries's brand. After we came away the work of destruction was renewed.
Wednesday, 7.--Thermometer 5o below "0." Warm and pleasant.
Thursday, 8.--Thermometer 10o above "0."
Friday, 9.--Wrote a com. from Mrs N. G. to A. G. and after that, glad to get rid of her.
Saturday, 10.--Warm and pleasant day, a general thaw. In the evening, Rev. Mr Russell called and staid till bedtime. To-day is the time appointed for the Northern Q. M. But will it be held?
Sunday, 11.--Thermometer 8o above "0." Went to Church and heard Mr Russell preach. Came home, then went to Dr. Hewitt's and staid an hour. Then called on Mr Cotter.
Monday, 12.--Thermoneter "0." At daylight cloudy. Went to town. Little or no news. Got my iron kettle home and prepared for butchering my swine. Employed John Big-Sinew and John Coon, jr.
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Tuesday, 13.--Thermometer 10o above "0." Commenced operations on my swine. Raw and cold all day.
Wednesday, 14.--Thermometer 3o below "0." Cloudy. Cut up and salted away my pork, then rested the remainder of the day. Cloudy and cold all day. Killed a crow with 'my "double barrel," by way of variety.
Thursday, 15.--Thermometer 5o below "0." Clear. Clear, but cold all day. Sent by J. T. Peerey for my mail. Peter Warpole1 died last night.
Friday, 16.--Thermometer "0." Went in company with Dr. Hewitt and paid a visit to Deacon Peerey. Came home in the evening.
Saturday, 17.--Phoebus! Wind blowing and snow flying! Thermometer at "0." At sunrise a large luminary appeared near the sun, called a sun-dog. Cold, cloudy, and windy all day. Severe weather.
Sunday, 18.--Thermometer 10o below "0." Clear. Went to Church and heard a sermon from J. T. Peerey. Came home and took my seat by a comfortable family fire. Felicitatusl Cold, cold, horrid cold. But look out to-night. Whew!
Monday, 19.--Thermometer 10o below "0." Clear. Sky red at sunrise. Prospect of a warm and pleasant day. Went to town. J. W. removing his goods to Kansas. Dr. H. absent. Came home. Wind from the south, warm.
Tuesday, 20.--Thermometer "freezing point," Cloudy. Two o'clock P. M., a general thaw. Came home from town.
Wednesday, 21.--Raining at daylight. It is probable we shall have a general break up and a deluge. 3 o'clock. Cloudy, hazy, and misting. Our sleighing is now over, and I am not sorry.
Thursday, 22.--Cloudy and still thawing. This is Wash-
1 Son of Rohn'-tohn-deh, generally written Rontondee, who died November 17, 1843, aged 68 years, and was buried in Huron Place Cemetary. Rohn'-tohn-deh signifies "Warpole." He was known as Warpole.© 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 for the NEGenWeb Project by Pam Rietsch, Ted & Carole Miller