July 1, 1906. Sunday. I went to Sunday School and after noon went to Uncle Jim Ervin's and J.D. Collins.
Jul 4. Ernest, Conway and myself plowed in the river bottoms. Frank Young plowed in his corn. There was so much rain, we was so far behind, we could not go to the picnic. The girls picked blackberries.
John Arch Collins (center) with his brothers Reuben (left) and
Conway (right), Collins family reunion ca. 1950.
Jul 6. Plowing the river bottoms for George. Ernest and I helped finish his corn, and after the children got our corn done, they helped finish George's. We got through about 3 o'clock, came home and plowed the garden, and the rest hoed cotton. Miss Mary Honeycutt and John Young helped hoe it.
Jul 7. Ernest, Conway, and myself laid by some corn over at Grandpaw's place. After noon Ernest and I went to Mooresville. Ernest went home with Pink Mills to spend the night.
Jul 8. Sunday. I taken Nada Collins to Troutman to preaching and we went home with Mrs. Troutman and spent the evening. It rained some all day, and about six o'clock we got ready to come home, but it rained so hard we had to stay all night. We sure had some fun.
Jul 19. I taken the girls and went to Mooresville. They got some hats and things, and Papa and Ernest taken some lumber. It rained some this evening. We stopped at Mr. Lipe's until the rain was over.
Jul 21. Went to Bethel to a picnic and taken the girls. We sure had a fine time. There was a ball game between Langford and Sherrill's Ford-- seven to four, favor of Sherrill's Ford.
Jul 24. Went to Mooresville to take some butter, and came back to Mr. Jones and taken dinner, and attended a meeting of the Democrats at the Brawley Schoolhouse. Papa, Conway, and Ernest went to the State Farm, to a picnic.
Jul 25. This morning Katie and I went to preaching at Rocky Mount, and after noon we did not do anything. Milas Clodfelter and I and Will Sims spent the evening here.
Jul 26. We went to Mooresville to a picnic. There was a large crowd and everybody seemed to enjoy themselves.
August 2, 1906. Sawed at the mill until 5 o'clock. We broke the guide and had to stop. All made 8 hours. Papa hauled lumber to Troutman.
Aug 4. Went to Statesville to get a new saw guide, but didn't get it-- ordered it. I got a lumber rule and some saw handles.
Aug 6. We hauled lumber to Troutman, and I drove George's team and he worked at the mill in my place, and after noon Papa and George helped cut logs. Ernest hauled logs. A lynching taken place in Salisbury. Two Negroes, for killing the Litz family.
Aug 9. Ephraim Ervin and Nada Collins got married today. Thrashed wheat today. Got 111 1/2 bushels.
Aug 10. This morning we put up some chaff, and after noon we sawed and Papa and George hauled lumber. A Negro, Eugne, came down to the mill and I hired him. Give him $11.00 per month. We all went to Mrs. Cline's for an ice cream supper.
Aug 13. We hauled up a load of watermelons and put up our farming tools, and after noon we sawed at the mill.
Aug 23. Today we have been fixing to go to Camp Meeting. Uncle and I made a wagon bed. Ernest went to Mooresville after some things, and Papa hauled a load of lumber to Troutman. Mr. A.L. Kennedy hauled some lumber --265 planks, 3/4 x 6 x 12 feet.
Aug 24. We went to Camp Meeting at Rock Springs. Started about 7 o'clock. Went by way of Sherrill's Ferry. Got over there about 1 o'clock.
Aug 25. We are at Camp Meeting. Having a fine time.
Aug 26. Sunday. We are at Camp Meeting. It is rainy. There is a large crowd.
Aug 27. This morning we came home. We started about 6 o'clock and got home about noon.
Aug 28. This morning we sawed until noon and it come up a rain and the branch got muddy, and we cut down a tree and sawed it up, and by the time the branch got clean, we went back to sawing at the mill. Papa hauled lumber to Troutman.
Aug 29. This morning we can't do anything. Ernest, Will Sims and Will Bass and myself went to the river after noon. The back water is up.
Aug 30. It is still raining this morning. It cleared off in the morning and we worked 2 hours, and it commenced raining again. The water is awful high. The river is still up. It fell about 4 feet this morning, and then come back up. It commenced falling again about night, but it is raining tonight.
September 2, 1906. Sunday. Went to preaching at Vanderburg and went down to Cousin John Collins and spent the evening. Got home about dark.
Pulling fodder on Grandpaw's place, and the children and Mrs. Honeycutt picked peas. Papa is mowing.
Sep 7. I made a set of rake staves and Ernest cut some pea vines and George and Papa moved some pea vines, and we had fourteen hands picking peas by the hundred weight at 40 cents.
Sep 8. Will Collins and Hester are here tonight, and we all went to an ice cream supper at Mrs. J.A. Davidson's.
Sep 9. Sunday. We all went to preaching at Rocky Mount. Bessie and ...Ervin came home. Also Will and Clyde Bass. We sure had a time. James Rankin and sister came over after noon and several others.
Sep 12. Loaded furniture lumber to go to Statesville, to Kincaid Furniture Co. After noon put up hay and fodder. Papa and Mother went to Mooresville to the mill.
Sep 15. Fixed a turnip patch and raked hay and shocked it up. Katie and I went over to Mr. Lee Rankin's and spent the night. Paid Cash Huston $1.00 in cash for work.
Sep 25. Went to Mooresville to take butter, and I bought a pair of shoes, gave $2.25 for everyday shoes and a pair of gloves for $1.15.
Sep 27. Papa and Ernest sawed shingles for W.J. Wyatt. They got done, and Mr. Wyatt got 7500 at $3.15 per thousand. Paid $20.00. I have been sick and did not work. I went over to Mr. A.S. Alley's and got a sack of roasting ears, and Mr. Banks came over to take a fox hunt, and Ernest and I went over, but we could not get up any chase.
Sep 29. We cut up some cockleburrs and hauled them off, and after noon Papa went to the mill, and we picked cotton. It cleared up at noon. Ernest and I went to Mrs. Lee Cloninger's to a box party, and had a fine time.
Sep 30. Sunday. The girls and George and Levada and I went to McKendrees' Chapel to preaching. We got back about 4 o'clock, and Aunt Cindy Mills and Pink was here.
The children are picking cotton. The others are harrowing, hauling logs, putting up pea hay.
October 6, 1906. This morning it is drizzling rain, but we went to the mill and sawed some lumber for W.J. Wyatt. Got done at 3 o'clock. Papa went over to Grandpaw's place. All the children are going to meet to decide what they are going to do with the estate.
Oct 7. Sunday. Pink Mills spent the night, and he and I went to Rocky Mount to preaching. Osborne Ervin was preaching. It was his first sermon at Rocky Mount, and after noon, a crowd of our boys went over to Sherrill's Ford to preaching and stayed for prayer meeting.
Oct 10. This morning we hauled up two loads of tops and then I harrowed until noon, and after noon I plowed. Ernest plowed at George's. We went to a corn shucking at Mr. George Bass' and he had a cotton-picking.
Oct 11. This morning we hauled up two loads of tops and then I plowed the rest of the day. After noon Papa and Ernest went to cut the meadows at Mr. A.S. Alley's and the girls picked cotton at Grandpaw's old place.
Oct 14. Sunday. I went to Rocky Mount to preaching, and after preaching, went with James Rankin. He and I went to Vanderburg to preaching. We did not stay until preaching was over for Jim Kennedy and Cara Ervin was to get married. We wanted to get back. We got to Uncle Jim's about 5 o'clock, and we girls and boys taken a buggy ride, come back, and the couple was married, and we ate supper and stayed around until about 9 o'clock, and we all went home. Gussie Ervin and I was first waiters, and Florida Collins and William Kennedy was second waiters. We sure all had a fine time.
Oct 16. Hauling hay and picking cotton. Papa went to Mooresville to take butter. Ernest has gone to Troutman to a shop. He taken Carrie Wyatt with him.
Oct 17. The girls and I went to Grandpaw's old place to pick cotton. We picked until about 10 o'clock, when a mist of rain got so heavy we had to stop. Ernest went to Mooresville to take a bale of cotton for Frank Young. It was raised on our place. Got $11.08 and he brought home a smoothing harrow. It cost $13.00. Bought it from W.C. Johnson. We went to a show at Troutman in a two-horse wagon.
Oct 19. This morning it was raining and rained all day, but not so hard. After noon I went with David Nesbitt to Clarence Cornelius' to a rabbit hunt. We hunted over there and back, and killed four rabbits.
Oct 20. Went to Mooresville to mill. Papa and I drove four horse team. brought a ton of fertilizer home with us. It was late when we got home.
Oct 21. Sunday. James Rankin came over here, and he and I went down to Mr. Jack Ervin's to see Miss Gussie Ervin about a box party, and after noon, William Kennedy and I went over the river to preaching. We got home about 12 o'clock. We sure had a fine preaching and a good time.
Oct 24. Pulling and hauling corn and got done here at home and Ernest hauled a bale of cotton down to Mr. O.O. Harwell's. Jim and Andy Young and his crowd helped us pick cotton. I went to Sherrill's School House to preaching. They sure had a good meeting. Papa is over at Grandpaw's place. They are dividing it.
Oct 25. Pulling and hauling corn from the river. Hauled 3 loads of corn and a load of tops. Ernest and I went to Sherrill's School to preaching. Papa went to Statesville after some money, but they was strained up so bad they asked him to let them keep it a while longer. This money is due us for lumber.
Oct 27. Went to Mooresville to a Democrat parade. Went in a buggy and David Nesbitt went with me, and after we got down there, I rode horseback in the parade. There was about 300 horseback riders and Senator Simmons spoke, and we had a dinner picnic. I got home about dusk, and taken the girls to Mr. Lee Rankin's to a box party. We sure had a fine time, and Hamp and Ether are here tonight.
Oct 30. Went to Pink Ervin's to a corn shucking tonight.
Oct 31. Fixing and sowing wheat. Sowed some. After noon Ernest and I killed a hog.
November 3, 1906. Picked cotton until noon. Papa helped George and Ernest drill wheat before noon. After noon I went over to Catawba to a cotton picking. William Kennedy went with me, and Papa and the children dug the sweet potatoes, and Ernest went over to stay with Pink Mills. He is going to get married tomorrow.
Nov 4. Sunday. I went to Vanderburg to preaching and came back to Walter Clodfelter's and ate dinner. Milas went over to Sherrill's School House to preaching and stayed and went to preaching that night. Pink Mills got married today.
Nov 5. I asked hands to a corn shucking and a cotton picking, and after noon went to Mr. Tom Ervin's to a corn shucking, and that night Lonnie and I went to Put Neil's to a corn shucking. Papa and Uncle Davis went to Statesville to see about Grandpaw's and Grandmother's monuments and to get our money that was due us-- $445.00
Nov 6. Papa and I went to the elections and Ernest went by Mooresville, and came back by and voted. We had a cotton picking and a corn shucking today. Got done shucking about 2 o'clock.
Nov 7. Cribbed corn all day. Frank Young helped us. We heard from the election. All went Democrats.
Nov 11. Sunday. I taken the girls to Rocky Mount to preaching and A.J. Bass preached his last sermon. He has been with us for four years. And after noon we went to Uncle Jim Ervin's to a singing. Some of the Catawba people was over at the singing, and we had a good time.
Nov 12. Hauling cotton to the gin and shucking corn.
Nov 15. Hauling cotton to O.O. Harville's gin and about 5 o'clock went over to Hamp's and stayed all night, and was in a fox race the next morning, about 3 hours.
Nov 16. I came home from Hamp's this morning and Ernest and Papa was hauling cotton and seed from Mr. Harville's, and after noon Ernest and I plowed in the six-acre tract of ground for wheat. This morning before I came home, I was in a fox race. We had about 20 hounds run it about three hours and called them off.
Nov 17. Conway and I plowed and Ernest and George went to Statesville after Ernest's license. Papa went to the mill this evening and I am doing nothing. Tonight Will Kennedy and I went over the river to a musical, but it looked so much like rain, the musical did not come, but we had a good time.
Nov 18. Sunday. It is drizzling rain and I did not go anywhere until about 4 o'clock when time come for Ernest and Carrie Wyatt to be married. We hitched up and drove up to W.J. Wyatt's and he performed the ceremony. After it was over we drove home and taken supper, and everybody seemed to enjoy themselves.
Nov 19. Cutting logs. Ernest, Frank and I cut logs. They are about 30 feet long. I went to A.L.Kennedy's to a corn shucking.
Nov 21. Papa and Ernest, Mother and I went to Mr. W.J. Wyatt's to a house covering. We got a lot of work done.
Nov 25. Sunday. I went to Doolie to preaching. Ernest and I and the girls also went. After noon a crowd of us boys went over the river. We sure had a fine time.
Nov 29. Today is Thanksgiving. Hamp and Ernest Abernathy are over here to go hunting, and we all went hunting until noon. Caught eight rabbits and some birds. Papa hauled a load of lumber to Troutman this morning.
Nov 30. This morning Andy Young turned over his horse and cow to me, for which I had a mortgage for $40.00.
December 1, 1906. Went to Mooresville to the mill. George Putnam and Conway went with us, and we taken some cotton for George. Ernest taken some lumber to Mr. Ostwalt. Plans to get it dressed. Papa stayed at home. They are dividing the Bass land and after noon, he and E. Mills went to Statesville. Will Sims came down here and he and I went to Eli Hartzell's to a party. Today I paid W.C. Johnson $40 on my buggy and paid W.W. Rankin balance due on fertilizer $15.90 and bought a lap robe from W.C Johnson $4.50 and a pair of pants from Rankin $3.75. Paid cash for them.
Dec 2. Sunday. I stayed home until noon. Will Kennedy and George and E. Ervin were here after noon. Will Kennedy and I went over the river to preaching. Went in my buggy. Got back about 11 o'clock.
Dec 8. Killing hogs. Killed two for ourselves and George's and Frank's. Papa and Mother went to Uncle Alf Sherrill's to stay all night, and I went to a party. Sure had some fun.
Dec 10. Went to the mill to haul logs and hauled until about 11 o'clock when it commenced raining. Then we came home, and it rained all day. I went over to Ephraim Ervin's and bought his dog. I give him $7.50 for him. Papa and Pink Mills went to Statesville with Robert to fix up his.....
Dec 13. Will Sims and I hauled logs and Ernest, Frank, and Whitt helped bore the well. Papa went over to Rocky Mount to put up Grandpaw's and Grandmother's monument. Will Sims and I went to Troutman after some bananas for a fruit party.
Dec 17. Today it has rained all day, but not hard. Will Sims and I went hunting this morning, and after noon went to the store. I bought a lamp. Paid $.65 for it.
Dec 21. Will Sims and I hauled wood until noon, and after noon we haven't done anything. I swapped horses with George. Swapped him a cow and a gray mare for a 5-year old horse, and then I sold the one he got to Mr. O.O. Harwell for $16.00.
Dec 22. C.L. Kennedy and I went to Statesville, and he paid the $116.27 for lumber, which we sold Lee Kennedy. Then I paid D.... Thompson $16.61 for ...Mr. Kennedy and I went to Salisbury on the train for some whiskey. Left Statesville at 11:56 o'clock and got back at 5 o'clock.
Dec 24. Went to Mooresville. David Nesbitt went with me. We went in a buggy and went below... to see a wreck on the railroad. There was about 16 cars wrecked. About 13 horses on the train and 4 was killed. Nobody was hurt. We got home about 9 o'clock.
Dec 25. Stayed at home until noon. Mr. W.J. Wyatt and Mrs. Alley spent the day here. We had a big turkey dinner. After noon I went to Uncle Jim Ervin's and stayed a while, then went over to the Presbyterian Church to a Christmas tree. Taken a girl with me. After the tree was over, I came back to Mr. O.O. Harwell's to a fruit supper.
Dec 26. Stayed at home until late in the evening, and Florida and I went over to Mr. Lee Cline's. John Sherrill was over here and spent last night with me. Milas Clodfelter came up here, and we went over to Lee Cline's. Stayed a while and came home. Papa taken Mother over to Hamp's and stayed all night.
Dec 29. I went to Ostwalt to the mill. Papa and the little boy hauled pine leaves and sand. Ernest and George worked on his house. And Carrie and the girls scoured it out.
