Josephus Gregory's Farm Journal 1873

Josephus Gregory's Farm Journal 1873 until his death

This is a small 1865 calendar book apparently owned by a Union Soldier. There are only two entries on the pages with printed dates in the book. Was it lost or was the soldier KIA?

Monday, February 27, 1865

"Spring Campaign commenced Boots & saddle at 4.am. Left our snug winter quarters & marched through Winchester forded Cedar Creek & halted for the night at Woodstock."

Tuesday, February 28, 1865

"Marched as far as Lacy Springs, this is the place we were hurried from by the rebels last December."

Below those entries are Gregory farm entries.

On the end page written in pencil is "E. J. Gregory Lieut Co 'G' 46th Va.Infty"

E. J. Gregory was the son of Josephus Gregory, the latter who used the book for a farm journal beginning 1873. The pages have his own dates added, throughout.

Other than excerpts above, the journal is entirely farm matters. There are many references to his sons Wirt and Cass and to his son-in-law Phil Duke.

In 1873 Josephus began entering neighborhood deaths. Some are marked "col" indicating African American, but I believe more refer to non-whites. The only census I have seen "Dennis Gregory" on is over the line in Mecklenburg. The Gregory farm was near both Charlotte and Mecklenburg counties, so some of these individuals could be found on those censuses.

Mills Mentioned:

Mill Grove
Rocky Mill
Lee's Mill
L. Tuckers Mill

Nov 18, 1873 Nancy Elams child died last night; Dr. G. Burwell's sale today
Dec 10, 1873 Cass Commenced raising his house [note 1]
Dec 12, 1873 Hauling rock for well at Casses
Jan 5, 1874 Died Abednego Elam, col.
Jan 8, 1874 Wirt moved down to his house today. [note 2]
Jan 12, 1874 We have been expecting Mrs Ed Smithson to die for the last 9 days.
Jan 14, 1874 Finished Cass's well
Jan 15, 1874 Died Mrs. Edwin Smithson between 10 & 12 a.m.
Feb 13, 1874 Died Nancy Elam (col)
Mar 17, 1874 Died Wm P. Williams
Apr 11, 1874 Cass moved in his new house
Aug 16, 1874 Died G. T. Knight; on 6 died Sherwood Knight
Aug 17, 1874 Commenced well for Laura
Sep 7, 1874 Commenced on Laura's house [note 3]
Sep 15, 1874 Raised the house
Nov 9, 1874 Buck Burwell commenced on well to finish digging to wall it
Nov 16, 1874 Died John Thompson
Nov 22, 1874 Hester left us for poor house
Nov 31, 1874 Miss Jane left for Dr. Saunders at 2 p.m.
Jan 13, 1875 Accident by fire under the floor in Laura's room
Jan 15, 1875 Grandison Thompson and Billy working
Feb 9, 1875 Cassie left sick
Feb 14, 1875 Cassie pd up and dissatisfied
Feb 15, 1875 Ellen Thompson engaged for [illegible]
Feb 17, 1875 Miss Jane returned
Feb 19, 1875 Billy Eubank sick
May 12, 1875 Employed Ellen for 1 month
May 13, 1875 This is the first year I have known the wild pigeons to lay & hatch here
June 5, 1875 Miss Jane Dodd sick
June 18, 1875 Miss Jane trying to attend to business
July 29, 875 Let Dennis have 3 lbs bacon
Aug 11, 1875 The Strange Phenomenon
Aug 16, 1875 Let Dennis have flour
Sep 21, 1875 Raised Wirt's barn
Oct 12 1875 John Bacon ditching
Oct 18, 1878 Dennis, Gray and Spencer M. at work
Oct 19, 1875 Susan Williams at work; Spencer's daughter at work
Oct 28, 1875 Died Tanner Hazelwood
Dec 15, 1875 Died Mrs. B. B. Boswell
Dec 22, 1875 The Earthquake severest shock I ever felt nearly midnight
Dec 24, 1875 Employed Granderson Thompson
Jan 24, 1876 Died on night of 24 Mrs. Narcissa Taylor
Feb 12, 1876 Died Miss Frances Knight
Mar 25 1876 Died Spencer Marables son Jeff. at night
Apr 2, 1876 While at pray. meeting today about 12 m. oclock suddenly Mrs. Lucy A. Couch was paralized [sic] and was carried to her buggy and at 2 o'clock at night expired. A good woman truly gone.Apr 18, 1876 At night Emily left
May 13, 1876 Dog bit the cow. we fear Hy.
May 16, 1876 At night Milly Thompson came over to help us
May 21, 1876 Died A. Maxey 2 a.m.
June 6, 1876 Roberta came here
July 5, 1876 Mariah Marable
Aug 26, 1876 Something about "Giles"
Oct 18, 1876 Sale at Mrs. Couch's place
Oct 23, 1876 John Burwell at work
Oct 25, 1876 Milly Saunders employed to work for Laura and my family
Jan 1, 1877 I have employed Wilson Burwell or this year
Jan 1, 1877 I have employed Billy Eubank on farm for this years except Saturdays [Billy out sick much of the time]
Jan 5, 1877 Ellie Bigger commenced work
Jan 8, 1877 E. B. White commenced work
Jan 16, 1877 Died Mr. David Williams
Mar 1, 1877 Died Wm. Pearson
Mar 2, 1877 Laura commenced coughing
Mar 22, 1877 Laura had quite a chill about 11 a.m.. Coughed all day badly.
Mar 24, 1877 the meteor seen by Cass about 1/2 after 11 or 12 p.m.
Apr 7, 1877 Miss Jane Dodd left
Apr 12, 1877 Dr. Saunders to 1 bshl lime. Fear the hooping [sic] cough
May 1, 1877 Engaged Henry S. to build me a privy 8 by 6 ft
May 7, 1877 Miss Mary Webb commenced _______illegible
May 23, 1877 Ephraim commenced work
May 26, 1877 Mary Bigger 6 lbs flour
June 1, 1877 Cullin Neal assessor says my Tax will be this year $56.73
June 23, 1877 Loaned Dennis 20 pounds family flour
June 23, 1877 About the 18 inst the 17 year Locust ceased their singling, have nearly died out.
Aug 21, 1877 My Dear Laura died in evening 5 p.m. [his daughter Laura Stokes Gregory-Duke]
Sep 23, 1877 Funeral of Laura preached by J. H. Newbill [a month later? - maybe entered out of order]
Nov 15, 1877 Contracted with J. L. Watkins to take my flock of sheep and pasture them
Nov 20, 1877 Just as the sun disappeared in West (one of Negroes D_?_ndy??) came in and reported a big star had bursted, a large blaze of fire she stated she saw in South West. I stept out and saw the strangest sight I have ever seen in South West in a cloudless sky shown a bright the shape of our crooked fence for some 70 or 80 panels and about 8 or 10 minutes after a heavy roaring as if distant thunder.
Nov 23, 1877 Susan Williams at work
Nov 23, 1877 Cinda Eubank col. confined with her 4th child
Jan 6, 1878 Died H. Spencer oldest son of J. A Spencer of consumption
Jan 11, 1878 About midday Ephraim cut his foot
Jan 28, 1878 Dismissed Robert Bigger
Feb 24, 1878 Died John Hazelwood pleurisy
Mar 13, 1878 Died Wirt Eubank of apoplexy
Apr 23, 1878 Died Sherwood Knight [See 1874]
May 30, 1878 Mr Potter cutting my orchard grass
June 10, 1878 The election for clerk in county

For Webb	votes 667
For Yates	votes 828
	667
Majority for Yates	161 votes
Yates votes in his own township votes	151
In Courthouse	143
Mr Webb in Yates township	66
In his own township	61

June 24, 1878 Jordan Tisdale at work
July 23, 1878 Billy Eubank quit business
July 29, 1878 Midday Anderson Boswell at work
August 16, 1878 Died John Williams
Sep 3 1878 Edward's finger cut off nearly
Oct 2, 1878 Charles Saunders paid
Oct 21, 1878 Loaned John Williamson 2 bsh wheat
Jan 21 1879 Billy Eubank came back, I fear to die soon
Mar 12 1879 Let Nancy Lipscomb have 1/2 ____?
Apr 9, 1879 Sent Mr. C. J. Thompson 7 lb clover seed
Apr 19, 1879 Mr. P. Wallace (overseer of Poor) authorized on this day to employ a Doctor to see Billy Eubank and that I must continue to take care of him as best I could and report to overseer of poor.
Apr 24, 1879 Died Billy Eubank (col) half after 1 p.m.
May 29, 1879 Loaned D. J. Bigger flour
Aug 15, 1879 Charles Saunders and Mike Farrar charged with grain
Aug 25, 1879 Employed George Knight one month
Sep 28, 1879 Died Mrs. E or C T Ellis
Oct 29 1879 My Dear Little boy E.L.D,[Duke] left me 9:20 this morning.
Nov 10, 1879 Laura Stokes [Duke] came to see me
Feb 18, 1880 Died the great and good J. B. Jeter of Richmond
Mar 3, 1880 Ed Newcomb hanged himself - Pattie Bigger married C. (or O.) Clemens
Mar 9, 1880 Died Mel Hardy in Miss.
Apr 12, 1880 John Evans left to have the measles
Apr 17, 1880 loaned Billy Robertson young red cow and her first calf
Apr 19, 1880 loaned E. B. Barnes the buffalo cow and calf
May 11, 1880 John Evans cannot work
May 24, 1880 Died R. M. Garland

That was the last entry made by Josephus Gregory who died 6 Jun 1880. His obituary and that of R. M. Garland appeared on the same page of the Religious Herald.
Further in the little book are separate pages of accounts of those in his employ:

Jan 1 1876
1876 Spencer Marable
Dec 1874 Granderson Marable
May 1877 Employed Mary Webb for one month
Dec 1875 I have this day engaged with Mr Eakes for the coming year
Jan 1875 I have employed "Billy Eubank (Col man)" for the year 1875
Jan 1875 Employed Tom Bacon (col boy) for one month
Jan 1874 D. J. Gregory employed for one year. ["David" James Gregory, his nephew from MO.}
1874 Harriet Thompson employed
1874 Miss Jane Dodd
1875 Dennis Gregory for time worked

The little book also includes Josephus Gregory's 1873 trip to visit his
brothers in Mo & GA.

Notes

The house Cass built for his family later burned. It was located where the Ward place is, near Mt. Zion Church
There has been some confusion about Wirt's first house, whether it was the house down from the Gregory place that is known as the Knott house (not now occupied/2003, see photo) or a house back further that does not exist anymore. Needs research.
The Laura (Gregory) Duke house built by Cass Gregory was later owned by Dr. Marable and is now owned in 2003 by Pop Bailey (See photo