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[18 |, The South Marysburgh Mirror] Life in the Past From the daily journals of Nelson Hicks, great grandfather of Vicki Emlaw, at Hix Holme, South Bay September 1897 Sept. 4 I have been over to the States working threw harvest. Got home today. I had a splendid place to work. Worked for a young man about 25 years old that worked Fox Island about 300 achers of land. Got 30 Dollars a month for 1 month and 12 days for the time I have been away it has been a very disagreeable time for harvesting rained most every week. And around here most all the fall wheat growed in the field on account of so much rainy weather. Crops are pretty good over in the States where I was working and times are looking a little better. I was down to Jakes last night and stayed all night. I got down there about nine o‘clock found Mary Ellen , Sarah Eliza Rorke and Byron there went in the bed room where Mary Ellen and Sarah Eliza were sleeping scared them most to death Jake and Lib were out home here. So to- day I was to Picton and got a chance home with George Collier. I got me a new pair of fine boots, Cuff Buttons, fine shirt. Neck ties. Jake and Lib were here when I got home and they had a new baby girl which I never seen before. Everybody was well and able to eat their allow- ance. Sept. 5 Sunday Arthur Farrington come home with me from Picton Stayed all night with me and to day we went out to his home till after Dinner then we went down to the Union to meeting. Sept 6 Jake and Lib were here for Dinner. After dinner they went home. I went back with them to help Jake pull some peas. 7 I was back to Jakes it rained all day long very hard. Sarah Eliza and Mary Ellen where there Mary Ellen was picking hops. 8 I helped Jake pull peas and after Tea I come home Sa- rah Eliza come home with me. 9 Archie and I cut up some wood for the machine. Paw went up to Nelson Hudgins after some timothy seed and got 8 bus of Rye from John Long. 10 I drilled 5 bus of Rye in down in the Point field after dinner Paw and I painted the barn doors. 11 Paw and Maw went over to Picton alone about 10 oclock we had a little shower of rain. I went down to Dan's and stayed all night. 12 Sunday I went back to Jakes. Myrtle Spafford went back with me. the roads were fine. 13 I was back to Jakes it rained most of the am. Jake helped Dave Clark thrash. 14 The thrashing Machine come to Jakes. 15 Finished thrashing at Jakes at noon. In the after noon I come home Mary Ellen come home with me she has been back there with Lib over two weeks. some of the time picking hops. 16 Paw reaped the first field of Buckwheat. Archie ploughed for wheat on the flats. The machine come and set ready for thrashing tomarrow. 17 We thrashed had a head wind very dirty all day. Bushels of grain we thrash are machine measure. Rye70, Wheat 84, Oats 180, Peas 47, Barley 45 Total 426 bus. 18 Archie finished ploughing for wheat. I draged it over. We are having nice weather. 19 Sunday Paw and Maw were up to Mrs Ostrander visting. 20 Paw reaped the third field of Buckwheat. Archie helped John Loney thrash. I dug nine bags of Potatoes and Mary Ellen picked them up. It has been quite cold today. 21 Archie helped Wesley Wattam thrash. Paw Reaped the fifth field of Buck wheat. 22 Archie and I cut the first field of Corn on the flats. Paw went down to Dans to reap his Buckwheat. 23 Archie and I finished diging the potatoes they are not avery good crop this year with us. There were about 25 bushel in the swamp. After supper I took Archie up to Milford. He is going up to work for George Andrew Welbanks. 24 Paw and I bound the first piece of corn and stouted it up. We are having very fine weather. A nice rain would be very nice for the fall grain. 25 Paw took the Peas over to Picton there was 36 bus of them from 18 bus sown. Mary Ellen and I went over. I went on down to Jakes. 26 Sunday come home from Jake's. Myrtle Spafford was down there and I fetched her home. Ezra Lighthall and a Miss Kenaley where here visting. 27 Paw and I drew 5 loads of Buckwheat in. 28 We drew 6 loads of buckwheat in. 29 Paw and Maw went down to Jakes. Dan come up and we tumed the Bwheat in the fifth field. 30 I cut Beans in the swamp. After dinner Dan come up and we drew 4 loads of B wheat in. This is the last day of Picton Fair. I did not go. Paw and Maw are there I suppose.