Diary of John Arch Collins
July to December, 1920
July 1, 1920. Went to Statesville with the intention of going over into Catawba County, but it rained us out. Mr. Maness, Reuben, Conway, and Homer was along, but we come back home after noon awhile.
Jul 2. Plowed in the peas all day. Webb Mills and Willie Summers helped me.
Jul 3. I was at Troutman and on the road, was hauling to and from the polls, as this was primary day for Governer Morrison and O. Max Gardner, and the ticket for other things.
Jul 4. Sunday. We all went up to J. M. Cartwright's, and we was at church most of the day. It was about night when we got home.
Jul 5. I went over and helped Mother and Conway thrash wheat, then come on home late this evening. C. A. Kyles was here and family, but never got to see them.
Jul 6. Plowed cotton till late this evening, then went and helped T. O. Henson thrash wheat.
Jul 7. I plowed cotton till a while after noon. It rained. I then went to town, got some sugar and coffee.
Jul 8. Plowed in the newground till noon, and this evening I plowed cotton till night.
Jul 9. Plowed cotton till about nine or ten o'clock when the wheat thrashers come and thrashed my wheat. I made 42 1/2 bushels, and after they had gone I plowed cotton and got over all.
Jul 10. I planted my late potatoes, and Webb helped me, and then I let Webb have 1/2 bushel and helped him plant his, and this evening Grace and I went to Statesville. Ernest was with me. Nellie Blanche and Hazel went to Tom Harvell's and spent the night.
Jul 11. Sunday. Went to Sunday School this morning, and this evening we all went to Mr. Troutman's and stayed awhile.
Jul 12. Plowed corn on yon side of the creek. Plowed by myself, and the children hoed this evening, and they picked berries this morning.
Jul 13. Plowed in the corn in the creek bottoms. Homer helped me.
Jul 14. Plowed in the corn. Finished running around the corn and then run out the middles. Webb Mills helped me.
Jul 15. Went over into Catawba County on a picnic and visited some of the best farms and other places. We sure had a fine time.
Jul 16. Plowed corn till noon, and some late corn, and this evening I went to Troutman and on to Mooresville and got some meal for the cows.
Jul 17. I went to Statesville to see about a paper I had and on some other business, and after noon the girls went to church to practice for Children's Day, and Grace and I went up to Perth Church to a picnic.
Jul 18. Sunday. We all went to preaching at Rocky Mount and back tonight. Old hog found pigs.
Jul 19. Went to church this morning, and this evening I went to mill at Troutman, and it come a hard rain last night, and this evening we are going to church tonight.
Jul 20. Went to church this morning, and I went to Mooresville this evening, and tonight we went to church.
Jul 21. Went to preaching this morning. This evening we all went up to Mr. Troutman's, and while we were up there, it rained awfully hard, and the creek was all over the bottoms.
Went to church this morning and this evening I raked and hauled some leaves for the stables and went to church tonight.
Jul 22. Went to preaching this morning, and this evening I have been around the house. Was up at the store late this evening.
Jul 23. Went to meeting this morning. I first helped Webb Mills peel some ties and load them, and this evening I helped him load some more, and then was at the store and on to Troutman.
Jul 24. Plowed cotton. Ostwalt come and put an axle in my car, and then I plowed cotton till noon. I then taken Mrs. Campbell and family to Mooresville, and come back and plowed till night.
Jul 25. Sunday. Went to Sunday School this morning, and was home till late this evening. We all went over to Mother's and stayed awhile.
Jul 26. Plowed cotton all day and got along fine, and started to plow peas late this evening.
Jul 27. Plowed peas till noon, and this evening plowed the late corn.
Jul 28. This morning I helped Webb put on a load of lumber and then I dug my potatoes. Brinkley Mills helped me, and this evening Grace and I went up to Mr. Troutman's and made a barrel of cider for vinegar.
Jul 29. We all went to the State Farm for a picnic and spent the day. There was a large crowd, and it was about night when we got home.
Jul 30. This morning I plowed my late potatoes and sweet potatoes, and this evening I was over at Ostwalt's looking after some hands.
Jul 31. This morning I went to town as part of Papa's land was sold, and I went and bid on it, and this evening I was about home, only was at Troutman awhile this evening.
August 1, 1920. Sunday. We all went to Sunday School and preaching this morning and was around home awhile this evening, only went over to Carrie's awhile late this evening.
Aug 2. This morning I went to the mill, but could not saw, so I went to town and got some things,and attended court, and it was about night when I got home.
Aug 3. Sawed at the mill all day. Webb Mills fired the boiler, Elliott and Brinkley offbarrowed lumber, and hauled dump, and Will Summers turned logs.
Aug 4. Sawed a while and then dug in the sawmill well. All hands helped till noon, and we got off this evening. Elliott and Brinkley and Will Summers helped all day.
Aug 5. This morning I went to town and stayed at court all day.
Aug 6. This morning I fixed up my phone line, and then went to mill, but it looked like rain, so I went to town and attended court.
Aug 7. Sawed at the mill all day. Made ten hours. Webb Mills fired, Elliott and Brinkley offbarrowed, and Will Summers turned logs, and I paid all off at six o'clock.
Aug 8. Sunday. We all went up to Mr. Jake Troutman's and spent the day.
Aug 9. This morning I went to court. Grace and Ernest went up to Adelia's and spent the day. It was about night when we got home. Nellie Blanche and Hazel went over to Mother's and stayed till we come home.
Aug 10. This morning I went to Webb Mills as his hog is sick. After I went up there, I come home and went to court and spent the day.
Aug 11. I went to court and was there all day, and it was about night when I got home.
Aug 12. Sawed at the mill all day. Webb Mills fired, Brinkley and Elliott turned logs and offbarrowed.
Aug 13. This morning we all went to the Reunion, Troutman Reunion, and was there all day. Webb Mills hauled a load of lumber to A. S. McCoy. I paid Sam Younmg $30, E. W. Mills $10, A. B. ............$2.
Aug 14. This morning we all went to Rocky Mount and was there most all day for the Children's Day.
Aug 15. Sunday. We stayed at home this morning, and after noon we all went over to Fed Nesbitt's.
Aug 16. Sawed all day. Webb fired, James offbarrowed. This is his first day. I sawed and turned logs, and Brinkley come at nine o'clock, and he made nine hours.
Aug 17. Sawed at the mill all day. Webb Mills fired, and Elliott and Brinkley offbarrowed, and James Summers turned logs.
Aug `18. Sawed at the mill all day. Webb fired. Elliott Mills and James Summers offbarrowed, and Brinkley turned logs, and I sawed.
Aug 19. Sawed at the mill till noon, and tried it a little while after noon, and we could not keep up steam, so we stopped, and I went to town to see someone about it.
Aug 20. This morning I fired up and tried to saw, but could not keep up steam. Taken my engine head out, and taken it to town, and had new rings made, and after I got home, I went over to Conway's mill and tried to get his saw to saw right, but failed.
Aug 21. This morning I and Webb Mills put new rings in my engine and done some other work, and after noon Webb went to Mooresville, and I worked on the engine. Got it fixed and sawed a little.
Aug 22. Sunday. Grace, Ernest and I went to Camp Meeting at Ball's Creek Campground, and got home a while before night.
Aug 23. Sawed at the mill all day. Webb fired, Elliott Mills and James Summers offbarrowed, and Brinkley turned logs.
Aug 24. Sawed at the mill all day and made ten hours. Webb Mills fired, Elliott and Brinkley worked, and James Summers.
Aug 25. Sawed at the mill all day. Webb Mills fired. Brinkley and Elliott offbarrowed, James Summers turned logs. Robert Edwards finished plowing for me today, and I paid him this morning.
Aug 26. This morning we all went to mill and got ready to saw, and it started to rain, and I've been around the house all day.
Aug 27. This morning it is still raining. I went over to Mother's and got a ham of meat for C. A. Kyles, and taken a bag of sweet potatoes up to Mr. Sherrill, and this evening we went to Statesville. Went to C. A. Kyles, and worked on my car, and spent the night.
Aug 28. This morning I am at C. A. Kyles. Stayed there till after noon, and worked on corn. Got home about 4 o'clock.
Aug 29. Sunday. We all went to Vanderburg Church to a Children's Day. Was there a while after noon. Come by B. P. Smith's and stopped awhile and on home, and then went over to Mother's awhile.
Aug 30. Sawed at the mill all day. Webb Mills fired. James offbarrowed and I sawed. This evening Ernest Moore helped me.
Aug 31. Sawed at the mill all day and got along fine. Webb Mills fired,
James offbarrowed, and Ernest Moore and Rob Edwards offbarrowed.
September 1, 1920. Sawed at the mill. Sawed all day and got along very well till this evening some of the water valves give out, and the water got hot, and we had to work on them awhile. Webb Mills fired, Ernest Moore and Rob Edwards offbarrowed, James Summers turned logs for me.
Sep 2. Sawed at the mill, or a part of the day, and went to town and got some repairs for the mill, some paint, boards, and check, and one globe valve and box of saw bits.
Sep 3. Sawed at the mill till 2 o'clock, and it rained, and we stopped and came to the house. Made six hours. I went over to J. K. Ostwalt's. He had sent me a check for $150.
Sep 4. I worked around the house, mowed the yard and done some other work around the house. James Summers cut wood till noon, and this evening I let him off. I went to town. I paid all my hands off this evening.
Sep 5. Sunday. I went to preaching this morning, and this evening we stayed at home as our baby was sick, had light fever and seemed to have cold.
Sep 6. This morning I went over to Mother's and got the mowing machine, and cut some clover, and then taken it home, and brought the disk harrow home with me. James disked some land this evening. I went to Troutman late this evening and got some mixing for the hogs.
Sep 7. I have been working in my wheat land and doing some other work on the place. Just had James Summers helping me.
Sep 8. Sawed at the mill a part of the day. Webb fired and James offbarrowed and Will Summers turned logs. Six hours. It stopped raining, and I went and got the hay rake and put some hay up. Webb and James helped me.
Sep 9. Sawed at the mill all day. Webb Mills fired. W. F. Bass offbarrowed, and James turned logs, and we got along very well.
Sep 10. Sawed at the mill till five o'clock. The well went dry and we got all the water out of it. Webb Mills fired, W. F. Bass offbarrowed, and James Summers turned logs.
Sep 11. This morning I fixed a turnip patch and sowed it. James Summers helped me, and this evening I went to Statesville.
Sep 12. Sunday. Was at home all day, only T. E. Ervin went over to East Monbo. W. A. Simms and family was here all day.
Sep 14. Today Barron Smith and I was out all day looking for stills, but failed to find any.
Sep 15. Went up to Troutman to something doing at the church. Grace and Ernest, our baby, was with me, and it was about night when we got home, but we went to Doolie to church tonight. Mr. and Mrs. Sherrill went along.
Sep 16. Helped Webb Mills pull fodder and cut tops all day. James Summers helped me too.
Sep 17. Pulled fodder on yon side of the creek. Webb Mills and James Summers helped me.
Sep 18. Pulled fodder five hours this morning. Webb Mills and James Summers helped me, and this evening I went up to Troutman to see F. K. Ostwalt, and he paid me $50 on sawing.
Sep 19. Sunday. Went up to Mr. Cartwright's after the children, and it was about five o'clock when we got home. Turned Jesse, Conway's bull.
Sep 20. Pulled fodder for Webb till noon, and this evening I went and got some repairs for the enspirator(?) and some cans to put some corn in. James hauled up some stove wood.
Sep 21. Today I worked on the enspirator(?) and then I helped James get out some slabs for wood, and he hauled wood all day, and I helped Grace with some beans as she was canning some.
Sep 22. I picked peas all days and the children helped me, and James pulled a piece of fodder this morning in the bottoms, and this evening he helped pick peas after he got the fodder done.
Sep 23. Today has been rainy all day and the wind blowed all day too. I have been around the house all day.
Sep 24. This morning I taken my car up to the garage to have it fixed (after we got the motor out). I taken the pan on to town and had the hangar braced. I taken Waugh & Brown's truck, and brought a load of goods for them.
Sep 25. This morning I worked around the house till about nine o'clock, when Grace and I went up to David Overcash's and went with Mrs. S.... to town in her car as mine is in the shop.
Sep 26. Sunday. We all went to Sunday School, and this evening we went up to Mr. Troutman's.
Sep 27. I harrowed wheat land till about 3 o'clock while Webb Mills and James Summers was pulling fodder, and helped them till night. It has rained all around us this evening, and rained here tonight.
Sep 28. This morning James and I helped get up some corn to can, and this evening we made fodder. Webb Mills and James helped me.
Sep 29. Pulled fodder. James and Webb Mills helped me this morning, and we got done. Worked in the fodder three hours, and this evening pulled up peanuts and pulled them off. Four hours, and James and I helped Webb Mills.
Sep 30. James helped Webb Mills pull off peanuts most all day. I helped Webb some.
October 1, 1920. Sawed wood 5 1/2 hours this morning. Webb and James helped me, and D. L. Overcash sawed wood for me, and this evening we picked peas.
Oct 2. Sawed wood a while this morning, and the rest of the day we picked peas and cotton and tied up some fodder later this evening. David Overcash sawed it. Webb Mills and James Summers helped me.
Oct 3. We all went to preaching this morning, and this evening we was at Homer Collins' and went on to T. O. Ervin's and was working my missionary list some.
Oct 4. Sawed wood two hours this morning and then picked peas till noon, and this evening we picked cotton. I went to Troutman at noon, and then on down to Mr. A. S. Alley's place to see him about making my molasses, and I picked cotton till night.
Oct 5. Picked peas a while this morning and got done, and then we picked cotton the rest of the day.
Oct 6. Picked cotton this morning. We all picked this morning, and this evening I plowed with the two-horse plow.
Oct 7. Picked cotton till noon, and this evening James and I cut corn. Grace and the children washed and picked beans.
Oct 8. I hauled two loads of lime from Troutman, and James cut and pulled and cut cane, and this evening James plowed, and we all went to Troutman to the fair.
Oct 9. This morning I went to arrest Homer Ellis and taken him to town. He give bond. I also was there for the land sale, a part of Father's place, and after I got home I helped James haul up some corn to feed, and tonight I went to Mooresville to a speaking. James plowed most all day.
Oct 10. Sunday. We all went to Sunday School. And this afternoon we all went over to Lydie Ervin's and spent the evening.
Oct 11. This morning I harrowed some and went over to Mother's and got the drill and cleaned it up, and this evening I drilled lime all evening. Grace and the children and James Summers stripped some fodder all day.
Oct 12. I put out lime this morning, and after noon James and I hauled out manure. Grace, James and the children pulled corn fodder this morning.
Oct 13. Hauled manure till awhile this afternoon, and got done, and fixed up the disk harrow and put James to disking some land, and I and W. J. Ervin went after some oats, and it was about night when I got back home.
Oct 14. This morning I taken some wheat to get ground and on to get some clover seed, and James cut with the disk harrow all day.
Oct 15. This morning James finished disking, and I fixed up the drill, and we drilled the rest of the day.
Oct 16. Sowed rye awhile and went to Statesville. Grace and Ernest went with me, and we went to the county singing and speaking. James hauled corn somewhere and cane seed.
Oct 17. Sunday. I was around getting up some money for the church, and this evening we all went to preaching, and it was about night when we got home.
Oct 18. I attended court today. James plowed, and Grace and the children picked cotton.
Oct 19. I went to court in Statesville. James plowed, and Grace and the children picked cotton.
Oct 20. I went to court. James plowed, and Grace and the children picked cotton. Tonight I went to Mother's and helped her shuck corn.
Oct 21. I went to court and was there all day. James hauled cane to A. S. Alley's mill today. We got the word that Will Westmoreland had killed Jim Nance and throwed him in a well near Mooresville. He was found, and Westmoreland was caught.
Oct 22. I went to court this morning and was there most all day. Court closed today. James hauled a load of cane and done some other work, hauled some corn, and went for some fertilizer this evening. Got four bags.
Oct 23. Drilled four acres of oats this morning, and this evening we haven't done anything. Nellie Blanche had a birthday party, and I have been around the house. James went home.
Oct 24. Sunday. Went to Sunday School and preaching, and this evening we all went up to Mr. Troutman's and spent the evening.
Oct 25. This morning we dug our potatoes, both Irish and sweet potatoes, and this evening James and I pulled corn on yon side of the creek. Grace and the girls picked cotton.
Oct 26. Pulled and hauled corn all day. James Summers helped me.
Oct 27. This morning we hauled up two loads of tops. The rain got most too hard, so we hauled up some wood, and James went after the molasses, as they are done, made by A. S. Alley, and Grace and I went to Mr. C. H. Cornelius' burying at Rocky Mount. He died at nine o'clock last night. He had been in bad health for a long time.
Oct 28. Pulled and hauled corn. James and I. We got along fine, I guess.
Oct 29. Pulled corn and hauled all day. I went to the mill about five o'clock, and James went to Ray Mills' corn shucking. This morning we had the first killing frost.
Oct 30. Hauled up a load of corn this morning and two loads of tops, and this evening we went to town, and James wasn't home. Mr. John Overcash died this morning sometime before day. He had cancer, and had been bad for a long time.
Oct 31. Sunday. We was at home this morning. Mr. and Mrs. Cartwright and sons was here today, and this evening we all went to Mr. John Overcash's burying at Perth Church.
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