F 23Q .S47 Copy 2 Vol. VI, No. 4 July, 1921 Smith College Studies in History JOHN SPENCER BASSETT SIDNEY BRADSHAW FAY Editors THE WESTOVER JOURNAL OF JOHN A. SELDEN, Esqr. 1858-1862 WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND NOTES Sj'JOHN SPENCER BASSETT, Ph.D.,LL.D. NORTHAMPTON, MASS. Published Quarterly by the Department of History of Smith College Entered as second class matter December 14, 1915, at the postoffice at Northampton, Mass., under the act of August 24, 1912 ponograph SMITH COLLEGE STUDIES IN HISTORY JOHN SPENCER BASSETT SIDNEY BRADSHAW FAY EDITORS The Smith College Studies in History is published quarterly, in October, January, April and July, by the Department of History and Government of Smith College. The subscription price is seventy-five cents for single numbers, two dollars for the year. Subscriptions and requests for exchanges should be addressed to Professor Sidney B. Fay, Northampton, Mass. The Smith College Studies in History aims primarily to afford a medium for the publication of studies in History and Government by investigators who have Borne relation to the College, either as faculty, alumnae, students or friends. It aims also to publish from time to time brief notes on the field of History and Gov- ernment which may be of special interest to alumnae of Smith College and to others interested in the higher education of women. Contributions of studies or notes which promise to further either of these aims will be welcomed, and should be addressed to Professor John S. Bassett, Northampton, Mass. SMITH COLLEGE STUDIES IN HISTORY VOLUME I No. 1. "An Introduction of the History of Connecticut as a Manufacturing State" Grace Pierpont Fuller Nos. 2, 3. "The Operation of the Freedmen's Bureau in South Carolina" Laura Josephine Webster No. 4. "Women's Suffrage in New Jersey, 1790-1807" E. R. Turner "The Cherokee Negotiations of 1822-1823" Annie Heloise Abel VOLUME II No. 1. "The Hohenzollern Household and Administration in the Sixteenth Century" Sidney Bradshaw Fay No. 2. "Correspondence of George Bancroft and Jared Sparks 1823-1832" Edited by John Spencer Basset, No. 3. "The Development of the Powers of the State Executive in New York" Margaret C. Alexander No. 4. "Trade of the Delaware District Before the Revolution" Mary Alice Hann& VOLUME III No. 1. "Joseph Hawley's Criticism of the Constitution of Massachusetts" Mary Catherine Chine No. 2. "Finances of Edwapd VI and Mary" Frederick Charles Diets No. 3. "The Ministry of Stephen of Perche During the Minority of William II of Sicily" John C. Hildt No. 4. "Northern Opinion of Approaching Secession" L. T. Lowrey VOLUME IV No. 1. "The Problem of Administrative Areas" Harold J. Laski No. 2. "In the Time of Sir John Eliot" M. B. Fuller No. 3. "A Study of the Life of Hadrian Prior to His Accession" William Dodge Gray No. 4. "The Hayes-Con kling Controversy, 1877-1879" Venila L. Shores VOLUME V Nos. 1, 2. "Public Opinion in Philadelphia, 1789-1801" Margaret Woodbury No. 3. "Development of History and Government in Smith College, 1875-1920, With a List of Publications of the Faculty and Alumnae" Mary Brcese Fuller No. 4. "Influences Toward Radicalism in Connecticut, 1754-1775" Edith Anna Bailey VOLUME VI Nos. 1,2. "Le Dernier Sejour de J. -J. Kousseau a Paris, 1770-1778" Elisabeth A. Foster No. 3. "Letters of Ann Gillam Storrow to Jared Sparks" Frances Bradshaw Blanshard HE SEEMAN PRINTERY. DURHAM, N. C. Vol. VI, No. 4 July, 1921 Smith College Studies in History JOHN SPENCER BASSETT SIDNEY BRADSHAW FAY Editors THE WESTOVER JOURNAL OF JOHN A. SELDEN, Esqr. 1858-1862 WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND NOTES By JOHN SPENCER BASSETT, Ph.D., LL.D. NORTHAMPTON, MASS. Published Quarterly by the Department of History of Smith College A3 *r"\ CONTENTS Chapter I Introduction Chapter II Journal, July 1, 1858-June 3, 1859 Chaptfr III Abridged Journal, July 1, 1859-May, 24, 1864. PAGE 257 265 298 The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. CHAPTER I Introduction The history of social life in the ante-bellum South is em- bodied to a large extent in the history of the Southern planta- tion. To know what the persons did who lived on such an estate, to see how they conducted their labors and spent their leisure, to understand their ideals and their aspirations, is to know what the old Southern life was like. In the Journal here published all these things are reflected with a degree of accuracy that challenges dispute. It is the record of a man who had a strong sense of detail and who wrote for the purpose of express- ing the thoughts and interests that occupied his daily life. Most probably he never thought that the work would be published. It has every indication of being an unconscious witness of what he did and thought. It speaks for itself to him who would know the character of a phase of life that is irrevocably past, a life that has often been described under the influence of romantic motives, a life that will never be better portrayed than in the candid pages of such men as Mr. Selden. The Westover estate, on the James River, is itself one of the best known of all the historic estates of this country. It is situated on the James River, about twenty miles east of Rich- mond, at a place where the rich low-grounds are broad and in- viting. One of the early proprietors described it as lying two miles above where the great ships rode ; and from this fact it undoubtedly derived some of its early importance. Adjoining it on the east was the estate of Berkley, the home of one branch of the Harrison family. A few miles to the west was Shirley, the home of the James River branch of the Carters. A few miles below it was the famous Brandon estate, and not much further away was Green Springs, the fine estate of the famous royalist governor, Sir William Berkley, long the centre of fashion and 258 Smith College Studies in History authority in colonial Virginia. The neighborhood was the best in the colony, at a time when Virginia was in the lead in all the English king's colonial possessions in America. Most of the historic Virginia estates emerged from a maze of early land speculation about the middle of the seventeenth cen- tury — that is, when the colony was about half-a-century old. In this early phase of its history Westover was granted, in 1619, to Lord Delaware, whose family name was West. The title seems to have lapsed through failure to settle the place, and in 1638 it was re-granted, this time to Captain Thomas Pawlett, a kins- man of Governor Berkley. A few years later it passed to Sir John Pawlett, a brother of the second patentee, who sold the larger part of it (1200 acres) to Theoderick Bland for one hun- dred seventy pounds. In 1668 it passed by purchase to Captain William Byrd, in whose family it remained for one hundred and forty-six years. It was the Byrd family that made Westover the most noted estate in Virginia. Captain William Byrd made his fortune in farming, Indian trade, and general development of the then frontier, at what is now the city of Richmond. His removal to Westover was due to two causes : he had become auditor of the colony and felt that he should live nearer the centre of settlements than the falls of the James, and having become one of the leading men in Vir- ginia he wished to give his family the advantages of residence in a better-developed part of the colony. He bought Westover and lived there until his death in 1704. His last days were spent in widowed loneliness, attended only by his faithful housekeeper, Joanna Jarratt, 1 and his man, Jean Marat. The estate devolved by his will to his one son, William Byrd, the second of the name, whom he had sent to England to be educated. This young man was already a well known figure in a fashionable group in London. He had won the good will of men of distinction, his fashionable bearing and ready purse made him a marked figure in society, and his solid intellectual 1 The overseer on the estate in Mr. Selden's time was named Jarratt. He remained there while the place was occupied by the Union Army. The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 259 qualities enabled him to hold his own among men prominent in literary and scientific matters. Returning to Virginia he took a leading part in the affairs of the colony, and a few years later went back to London, accompanied by his handsome daughter, Evelyn Byrd, who became at once a reigning belle. Colonel William Byrd, as he is called in contra-distinction from his father, Captain Byrd, spent much of the middle period of his life in England. His later years were passed in Virginia. Here he built (probably some time before 1737) the handsome home that still survives. He collected a large library for the times — in 1777 it contained nearly four thousand volumes. He enter- tained handsomely, and through his own distinction and ability he rose to the position of president of the council, next to the gover- nor, the highest official in Virginia. He added to his other achieve- ments the writing of three charming books, the style of which entitles him to the rank of the sprightliest writer in the colonies before Franklin. He died at Westover in 1744 and left the estate to his son, the third William Byrd of Westover. The student of French history notes that Louis XIII built up the great French monarchy, Louis XIV made it famous and grand by his magnificent style of life and his ambition, and Louis XV wasted it by sensuous and uncontrolled appetites. In nearly the same way, the first William Byrd built up the Westover fortune, the second of the name made it brilliant by his magnifi- cent talents, and the third of the name wasted it by his weakness. Under this man ill-fortune hovered over Westover. Gambling brought a load of debts, and finally the spendthrift took his own life in a fit of despair, on January 1, 1777. He left a strong- willed widow, Mary Willing, of the Philadelphia family of that name, who conducted the property with such ability that she managed to save the Westover estate for her own home and to keep it until she died there in 1814. 2 After her death it was thrown on the market. It was pur- chased by William Carter, who soon became involved in debt 1 In the Editor's Edition of The Writings of Colonel William Byrd of Virginia, Esqr., 1902, is an ample sketch of the Byrd family. 260 Smith College Studies in History through indorsing for a friend, when it passed into the hands of a Mr. Douthall, who had won a large sum of money in a lottery. When he died, a short time later, it was sold to George E. Har- rison, of Brandon, who intended to conduct the plantation in connection with his operations at his own place. He found that Brandon was too far from Westover for such plans, and in 1829 he sold Westover to John A. Selden for $18,000. It was not again in the market until 1862, when it passed into the hands of Ellett and Drury, and later into the possession of Major Au- gustus Drury, the price being $50,000. Here again it remained for many years and was sold in 1898 to Mrs. Charles Sears Ram- say, who remained the owner until 1920. It has just been an- nounced that the place has been purchased by Mr. Richard Teller Crane, Jr., of Chicago, the recently appointed minister to Czecho-Slovakia. Much has been written about the Westover estate and the people who lived on it. Perhaps it is the most famous of our colonial estates. But nearly all that has been said about it refers to the period during which it belonged to Colonel William Byrd. His brilliant figure in his time won the attention of posterity. His charming "Writings," which this editor edited twenty years ago, with a sketch of the Byrd family in Virginia, have served to endear the place to those who have the happy faculty of wishing to read the good books of our early literature. It is the Westover of the second William Byrd that is best known to the present generation. Of the Westover of the nineteenth century little has been written or known up to the present. But I have recently been allowed access to a very interesting journal kept by John A Selden, owner of the place from 1829 to 1862, which supplies much information on the subject. It is not only interesting because it relates to Westover, but because it presents an accurate picture of life on a Virginia estate just before and during the civil war. It begins abruptly with July 1, 1858, and ends abruptly May 31, 1864, a year and a half after the journalist had sold Westover; and there is a strong probability that it is not the only volume The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 261 of the kind that Mr. Selden prepared. It now belongs to Mr. Armistead Inge Selden, of "Contentment," Greensboro, Alabama, a grandson of John A. Selden, through whose courtesy I am able to give portions of it to the public. Of John A. Selden, who owned Westover from 1829 to 1862, his own Journal is his best witness. He was descended from Samuel Selden, who came from England to Elizabeth City County, Virginia, in 1690. His son Joseph married Mary Cary, and died at Hampton, Virginia, full of honors, in 1727. Joseph's son, Miles Cary Selden, became a clergyman and served St. John's Church in Richmond. He was strong for the revolution and was called the "Patriot Parson." His grandson, Colonel Miles Cary Selden, married Martha Allen. One of their sons was Miles, and another was John Armistead Selden. The latter, the owner of Westover and author of The Journal, married Maria Pemberton, of Goochland County, and had eighteen children — fifteen sons and three daughters. Seven of these sons served in Confederate armies ; six of them settled ultimately in Alabama, two of them (Miles and John) remained in Virginia, and one (James) settled in Georgia. Of the daughters, Martha (called "Kittie" by her father), married John D. Hobson, of Howard's Neck, Goochland County; his second daughter, Mary Ann (the "Mollie" of the Journal), did not marry; and the third, Maria, married Hugh Nelson, of Petersburg, Virginia, who settled in Alabama. John A. Selden, the father of this large family, moved to Westover soon after he bought it in 1829. During the period covered by the Journal he was a partner in the mercantile firm of Selden and Miller in Richmond. Mr. Selden was a man of great energy and business ability, as his own brief entries amply testify. He was a justice of the peace of Charles City County, at a time when to hold such an office was indicative of the highest rank among the county fam- ilies. He was a faithful member of the Episcopal Church in Westover Parish. His inventories show that he lived in ample comfort and the Journal itself mentions many handsome enter- tainments at Westover in his day. Among those who came and 262 Smith College Studies in History received hospitality were Lord Napier, the British minister in Washington, Mr. Corcoran, the eminent banker and patron of art, besides the leading men of Virginia. He was on intimate terms with the leading families of the neighborhood, and in every respect he kept the life at Westover up to the high standard set by its previous owners. Besides being a clear and accurate account of events on a Southern estate in the period before the Civil War, the Journal is a valuable correction of a popular representation of plantation life, for which some of our more fanciful novelists and diarists are responsible. Over such writers Mr. Selden had the great advantage of being on the spot and writing at the time. The tragedy of defeat had not supervened when he wrote. He had no other object than to put down in crisp sentences day by day what he did day by day. To him life was only what it was. He shows us a planter who never went fox-hunting, although he records once that the fox-hunters came to his place and had a good time. In fact, the Journal rarely mentions game of any time, and only twice alludes to hunting, once when the fox-hunters came and once when some friends of his son John came to Westover to go hunting. It is important to know that not all of the old Southern life was given up to pleasant dallying. . On the contrary, we do see a man very busy and practical. He gave the most careful attention to the seeding of wheat, oats, and clover, the dragging of the land after seeding, and its proper drainage, as well as to the harrowing and fallowing before planting. He tells us day by day how many acres were seeded and with how many bushels. With the harvest he is equally par- ticular. The wages of his hired gleaners and binders, the shock- ing, the threshing, and the loading of the schooners that carried the grain from his docks to the market in Richmond, — all these are set down with the most conscientious care. There is no month in the year whose routine is not here displayed to us. And the man who directed this piece of industrial machinery is as simple and honest as if he were the hero of a novel. He directed his own plantation, and saw that his orders were carried The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 263 out with the aid of his "son Edward." He bought and sold, he carried the purse of the family, he did all the things that any prosperous farmer in the United States or out of them has to do to carry his operations on successfully. When the wheat was harvested and at market, he drew on his sales account, paid the bills of the year, and then turned his steps, accompanied by "daughter Mollie," to the White Sulphur Springs for a fortnight of relaxation. The life he exhibits is perhaps the normal life of the well-to-do Virginia planter of his day. Those who believe that there is more truth in fiction than in history will be disap- pointed with the Wpstover Journal; but the reader who has a sense of reality in him must feel that it glows with candor and abounds in truth. While it is faithfulness to detail that gives the Journal its chief value, it is true that the book contains enough facts to make it tedious reading if printed in its entirety. With this in view, I have followed the plan of presenting one year in full — July 1, 1858, to June 30, 1859 — and of publishing the remainder of the Journal in an abridged form, omitting all that referred to the mere routine of the estate, which had been well illustrated in the unabridged year, and including all that is of unusual interest, and especially all that refers to the civil war crisis. This plan is justified by the nature of the material, and it is made acceptable by the narrow space that can be devoted to the subject in the series in which it appears. The reader is assured that I have omitted no reference to conditions arising out of the war. West- over was in the path of McClellan's army when he fell back from the Seven-Days'-Fight around Richmond and it formed a part of his camp at his new base at Harrison's Landing. Mr. Selden was not on the estate at the time, although his wife and son were there for eight weeks, surrounded by the soldiery. It seems strange that under such conditions the diary should have told us so little about the occupation. Mr. Selden never wrote for effect ; he probably never expected his record to be published. It is for this reason that we may value so highly the terse and brief entries he did make. 264 Smith College Studies in History In general the text has been reproduced with exactness ; when, however, an error seemed the result of a mere slip of the pen, I have taken the liberty of correcting it. Most of the contractions used by the diarist have been discarded for the ordinary forms, and the capitalization and punctuation have been made to con- form with modern usage. Mr. Selden was an intelligent man, and he was the associate of such men as General Wise, General Magruder, Mr. Wickham, and Colonel Hill Carter. He uses as good English as others around him. His diary rarely contains mistakes, and such as are found in it may fairly be assumed to be the result of ordinary frailities of the average man of affairs. There can be no object in reproducing these slips of the pen. The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 265 CHAPTER II Journal of John A. Selden, of Westover, July 1, 1858, to June 3, 1859 1858 July 1. Thursday. Having finished my Wheat Harvest on yester- day, we start 8 single plos. to ploughing over the first corn laid by, as it [is] getting grassy and baked. The corn generally looks backward and badly. Mrs. Quarles and daughter Anna came. Very warm. 2. Friday. Ran 10 plos. Very hot. Males gave out gleaning wheat field. Thinning corn, etc. 3. Saturday. Same work. Sent my wagon out in my outer woods for two oak posts for Barn machine [i. e., a threshing machine]. Very warm. Gus Crenshaw and wife came. 4. Sunday. Still very warm. Gave church $2.00. 5. Monday. When [sic] down with daughter Mollie to Old Point. Boat did not go by Old Point this evening in consequence of being very late and the heavy sea. Cutting oats with machine. 6. Tuesday. Went down to Old Point this morning in Glen Cove with daughter Mollie from Norfolk. Staid last night at National Hotel and paid for her $3.00. Cutting oats. Very warm. 7. Wednesday. Same work. Found the Point full. 8. Thursday. Rained a little. Same work. New machine came down yesterday for threshing from Smith's. 9. Friday. Same work. 10. Saturday. Paid Mr. Mott for repairing my old machine $10.00. Finished my harvest of oats (50 acres). 11. Sunday. Very warm day. 12. Monday. Finished laying by my corn, getting up gleaned wheat and oats. 13. Tuesday. Left Old Point for Norfolk. Paid my bill, 7 l / 2 266 Smith College Studies in History days $40.00. Remained all night with Captain Saunders. 1 Paid Captain Saunders in full interest to 1st July, $150.00. 14. Wednesday. Returned home in Custis Peck. Paid Custis Peck $3.00. Gave servants while away $2.50. Found we have had a severe drought : no rain since I left to do any good. Had a very pleasant visit to Old Point. 15. Thursday. Clearing up, etc., to thresh wheat. 16. Friday. Commenced threshing some gleaned wheat in evening with old machine. 17. Saturday. Dust so bad had to abandon the barn and put down new machine under my shelter. Son William returned from school. 18. Sunday. Attended church. Paid alms $1.00. 19. Monday. Threshed all day, but the machine was getting constantly out of order, so we did not do much. 20. Tuesday. The new machine broke this morning and had to send the piece up to Richmond to be repaired. Went on threshing with old machine in barn. Rained in evening, about half enough. Corn almost ruined for the want of rain. Paid Watt Onley's wife for loading carts 5 days $2.50. Ditto Joe Taylor for putting up wheat to machine $1.25. Mr. David Minge and wife and children dined here. 21. Wednesday. Mr. Shields left on yesterday. He carried up my machine wheel for me. Wheat too wet to thresh. Pre- paring Ruta Baga patch and thinning carrots, etc. Paid Lobi- dee [ ?] Taylor for 3 days work in picking up oats at 62^2 cts., $1.87>1 Paid Richard Taylor for ditto $2.28. Paid Lemuel and Ben Taylor for Z J / 2 days $4.50. 22. Thursday. Omitted to credit Selden & Miller of Rich- mond for $199.12 on an order of Legas [ ?] of Old Point he paid me on Tuesday 13th. Threshed all day with old machine. I went up to Richmond with daughter Mollie on her way to Springs. Paid her $3.00. 23. Friday. Received of Selden and Miller to pay my teacher Mr. Jones, etc., $500.00. Paid Price and Watkins for cloak for 1 Captain John L. Saunders married John A. Selden's sister Martha. The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 267 daughter Mollie $15.00. Gave Mollie to go to the springs and to pay her fare up to White Sulphur $20.00. Hack and half-soling shoes $2.25. My new machine broke again and had to send it up in my wagon to Smith. 24. Saturday. Returned home in Custis Peck. Threshed all day with old machine. My waggon returned by one o'cl. Still very dry and cool. Paid boy Archy for picking up oats $2.25. Paid Mager for 12 chickens $1.50. Paid Anderson for fish $.60. 25. Sunday. Very warm and dry. 26. Monday. Gave my son Edward $5.00. Paid Mr. Jesse Simpkins Jones, my teacher, in full ; paid him today $400.00. Gave my son Wille this sum to go to Goochland, $5.00. Sent hogs [head] bacon hams weighing 956 lbs. nett to Selden and Miller to sell. Threshed with old machine. Quite cool and dry. 27. Tuesday. Threshed with old machine in morning : started new after dinner. 28. Wednesday. New machine broke the 3rd time this morn- ing. Carried it to Richmond. 29. Thursday. Threshed with old barn machine. Went up to Richmond to have machine wheels repaired on yesterday. Spent today in Richmond, $10.00. 30. Friday. Insured my Barnes, Shed, etc., in Alexandria office, Mr. J. Thomas Budd, Agent, for $3,416, premium $34.16. Survey and policy $2. Paid Mr. Budd this date $36.16, and gave my note for $171 should it be required. This insures the prop- erty for three years from date. Threshed with old machine. 31. Saturday. Started new machine again but it broke two wheels in less than an hour. August 1. Sunday. Attended church. Mr. Bonsall and wife and Miss Neale arrived on yesterday. Paid at church $1.00 for Mr. Scott's work on Africa. Execessively dry and hot. 2. Monday. Sent new Machine up to Richmond in Custis Peck and sent Oliver up to get some Brass, etc., for old Machines. Gave him $1.00. Gave Mr. Maiser, our music teacher, 4 shirts, pr. pants, vest, 2 pr. socks, and handkerchief. Paid Mr. Maiser 268 Smith College Studies in History for 31 music lessons to children $31.00. $20 of this was paid in advance in April. Paid him today $11. 3. Tuesday. Worked old Barn Machine. Very hot and dry. 4. Wednesday. Same work, excessively hot. 5. Thursday. Moved old Pitts Machine in outer field near Flying Point and commenced Threshing. 6. Friday. Threshed today 240 bushels. My wife left for Howards Neck (my daughter's) with 3 children and Miss Neale. Gave her $15.00. Excessively hot and dry. 7. Saturday. Finished threshing all my white wheat (150 acres) by 12 o'cl. Vessel arrived for it. Commcd. cleaning in evening. Invited to Shirley but unwell, could not go. Mr. Bon- sall went in my carriage. 8. Sunday. Very warm day. 9. Monday. Cleaning and delivering wheat. Delivered today 1050 bushels white wheat. 10. Tuesday. Cleaned and delivered today 1010 bushels. 11. Wednesday. Finished delivering my white wheat this morning by breakfast time. In all delivered to schooner H. and J. Nichol, Captain John R. Jones, of Balto., 2313 bushels 20 lbs. of nice wheat weighing near 62 lbs. consigned to Hoxall, Crenshaw & Co., of Richmond. Excessively hot and dry. Never have known so severe a drought before. Corn almost entirely burnt up. Have had no rain now to do any good since the 17th June, two months. Preparing to start Pitts Machine to thresh my corn land purple straw. Paid Watt Onley for 18 dys work at 75 cts., $13.50. 12. Thursday. Threshing purple straw wheat on corn land. Went up to Richmond with Son James and woman Polly. Paid for their fares, etc., $3.00. 13. Friday. Received of Hoxall, Crenshaw and Co. this amount in part for wheat delivered them, $1500, $1000 of which I deposited in Va. Bank. Paid my bill at A. K. Parker & Co. in check in full for dry goods, $493.39. Paid Putney & Watts for shoes in check, $179.98. Paid Beers & Poindexter for suit clothes for self $51.00. Paid Price & Watkins for dresses for Mollie $61.63. Paid Miss Vernon, dress-maker, for making The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 269 Mollie's dresses, etc., $54.25. Paid for oranges to send to my daughter Kittie $2.00. Sent my wife to Howard's Neck by Jimmie $25.00. Gave to son Jimmie to buy socks $1.00 and to carry him and Polly up to Howard's Neck $3.50. Wrote to Mr. John B. Cary, of Hampton, accepting Mr. McCabe 2 as teacher at $350 and also Miss Spielman as teacher in my family of music, French, and German. There was an error in my insurance of my Barnes, etc., on the 30th July last. The offices would not insure for more than $3000; so gave my bond for $150 instead of $171, which was re- turned to me. Mr. Budd owes me $4.16, the difference in the two amounts. 14. Saturday. Returned home. Paid for hacks, etc., $5.00. Finished threshing all my wheat today. Threshed of purple straw from 50 acres of corn land 1320 bushels, an average of 26^ bushls. We estimate our crop of wheat including all at 4250 bushels, or an average of 21*4 bushels, which is the best average I have heard of. 15. Sunday. Attended church. Very warm. Mr. Bonsall and wife left us on yesterday for Shirley. They have been here just two weeks. Son John went up to Richmond yesterday to consult the doctors : fears he has gravel. 16. Monday. Sent son William down to Doctor George Wilson's for some seed wheat in steam boat : gave him $5.00. Moving machine to barn from field, etc. Cleaned wheat, etc. 17. Tuesday. Cleaned wheat. Hauling in oats and preparing turnip patch. Son William returned in steamboat : carried down 75 bags for 150 busl. seed wheat of Doctor Geo. Wilson of Surry. Captain John Davis of steamer Glen Cove died last night at 2 oc'l. in Richmond. He was a kind and particular friend of mine and greatly lamented by the whole community. 18. Wednesday. Vessel arrived for balance of my wheat: delivered this evening 500 bushels red wheat. Commenced raining about night. 2 This was W. Gordon McCabe, who later achieved distinguished suc- cess as head of the University School in Petersburg and Richmond. 270 Smith College Studies in History 19. Thursday. Had a very pretty rain last night, with a great deal of Lightning and Thunder. This is the first rain we have had to do any good since the 17th June, too late I fear to do the Corn much good. Finished delivering the balance of my wheat this morning by 12 o'cl. Delivered 104 42-60 lbs. [bushels] white and 1155 22-60 bushels red, making 1260 4-60 of wheat today or by the E. Miller, Wm, Allen's Lighter. In all delivered to Hoxall, Crenshaw & Co., 3593 23-60 bushels. Paid off rest of my hirelings for threshing wheat. Paid Lem- uel $16.50, Richard $18.74, Archer $13.62, Daniel $16.00, Ben $15.35, Harriet $13.00. Paid Watt Onley and wife for same before $16.00. Gave my son Edward today $50.00. Saved 250 bushels white wheat for seed, and 50 for flour, and 75 bushels red for seed, and 20 bushels for Mr. Carter. Paid Pompey for 6 chickens $.75. Paid Patrick for 8 ditto $1.00. 3 Went up to Richmond in Glen Cove, $1.50. 20. Friday. Remained in Richmond. 21. Saturday. Same. 22. Sunday. Same. 23. Monday. Received of Hoxall, Crenshaw & Co. toward my wheat $1500. Paid Robert M. Taylor the interest due him in full to 5th August, 1858, $557.52. Bought a thin overcoat for self $12.00. Gave Oliver, my servant, $5.00. Candy, etc., for daughter Kittie $.75. Hack, etc., $2.00. Paid Canal Boat, etc., $5.15. Paid to wife at Howard's Neck $25.00. Went up to Howard's Neck this evening. 24. Tuesday. Remained at Howard's Neck. 25. Wednesday. Same. 26. Thursday. Returned to Richmond. Paid P. Johnston & Brother for medicines in full in check $62.23. Paid J. D. Good- man for suit clothes for son William $27.75. Paid Keen & Co. for socks, etc., for Willie $3.50. Paid for cap self $.75, suspend- ers and gloves $1.50. Paid Mr. Brown in check for William's 3 The Journal contains many entries showing that Mr. Selden purchased various articles from his slaves. The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 271 board, tuition, etc., at his school in Albemarle $125.00. Check to self on Va. Bank to carry me to the Springs, etc., $500.00. Paid Bulkley for oil, lamps, etc., for son William $3.02. Paid to Wil- liam to pay his expenses up to Mr. Brown's school and for pocket money $16.00. Remained in Richmond. 27. Friday. Remained in Richmond. 28. Saturday. Started for the White Sulphur by Central Road: paid fare, etc., $19.50. Hack, $1.25. Night and break- fast at Calehans, $1.50. Dinner at Staunton, $.75. 29. Sunday. Arrived at White Sulphur to breakfast: found all my children were at Old Sweet. 30. Monday. Remained at White Sulphur until evening. Hired hack and went over to Old Sweet. Bill at White, $5.50. Hack, $5.00. 31. Tuesday. Arrived here last night at Old Sweet. Found son Joe and wife, son John and daughter Mollie here. Very crowded. Mr. Robbins, of Gloucester, gave me his bed. September 1. Wednesday. At Old Sweet; found everything burnt up in mountains as well as at home by drought. 2. Thursday. Paid for washing, etc., $3.50. Gave daughter Mollie to pay for washing, etc., $8.50. 3. Friday. Same at Old Sweet. 4. Saturday. Same. 5. Sunday. Same. 6. Monday. Same. 7. Tuesday. Same. 8. Wednesday. Same. 9. Thursday. Started for Alleghany Springs with daughter Mollie in stage. Paid daughter Mollie's and my bill ; mine $34.25, Mollie's $28.00. Arrived at Roanoke Red Springs tonight. Paid our fare to Salem, $15.00. Daughter Kittie had daughter born on 9th at nine o'cl. day. 10. Friday. Got to Salem to dinner where daughter Mollie was taken sick from eating too many apples, etc. 11. Saturday. Remained in Salem. 272 Smith College Studies in History 12. Sunday. Left for Alleghany. Bill at Salem, $5.00. Bought pr. overshoes for Mollie, $1.25. Paid Doctor Alexander for attending Mollie, $2.00. Railroad to Alleghany $375. Ar- rived at Alleghany Springs in evening: found Joe, and wife there. Rained two nights and one day. 13. Monday. Found it dry here also. 4 18. Saturday. Remained at Alleghany Springs one week and left here today for Lynchburg. Paid my bill at Alleghany $30.70. Paid for stage $4.50. Washing at Alleghany, $2.75. Gave daughter Mollie to buy sugar, etc., $3.75. Railroad to Lynchburg, $13.10. Two Carboys Alleghany water, $4.00. Gave Oliver, $2.50. 19. Sunday. Remained in Lynchburg. 20. Monday. Paid bill in Lynchburg, $12.75. Left in evening by way of Canal for Howard's Neck. Paid fare on Canal for Howard's Neck, $11.25, started at 7 o'cl. at night. Servants in Lynchburg and boat, $1.25. 21. Tuesday. Arrived at Howard's Neck this evening; found all well. 22. Wednesday. Dined at Martin Hobson's. 23. Thursday. Had large dinner party at John Hobson's. 5 24. Friday. Dined at Mary Pemberton's. 25. Saturday. Left at night with wife, Jimmy, Maria, Army, and 3 servants for Richmond. Gave daughter Mollie to come home on, $15.00. Paid to Canal Boat, fare, $11.00. Servants, John Hobson's, $1.50. Hack and baggage wagon, $1.95. Servants Canal Boat, $.95. 26. Sunday. Arrived in Richmond about 5 o'cl. in most tre- mendous rain. Commenced raining about 12 o'cl. and rained steadily until 10 o'cl. in day. 27. Monday. Settled with Hoxall, Crenshaw & Co., for my wheat as follows: 3,573 24-60 bushels wheat at $1.50 white and red, $5,360.10. Paid on August 13th, $1,500. Ditto on 23rd, 4 No entry for five days. 6 John D. Hobson, of Howard's Neck, Goochland County, married Kitty Selden, daughter of the diarist. The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 273 $1,500. Ditto on September 27, $2,360.10. Deposited the $2,360.10 with Selden and Miller. Paid Lindsey for Beef, $5.75. Paid today for 2 dozen Sora to send John Hobson by canal boat, $1.50. Paid for caps for children at Dickman's, $4.75. Gave Oliver to buy him a coat, $10.00. Gave Polly my servant, $2.00. Paid Moore for Hardware, etc., $8.62. Paid for stock for self, $1.25. 28. Tuesday. Paid Mitchell and Tyler for a tea set of silver, consisting of an Earn, Tea Pot, Sugar Dish, Slop bowl, and Tea Pot. Gave check, $320.00. Paid same for two ear rings for Daughter Maria, $7.00. Paid Hack and servants, $2.00. 29. Wednesday. Returned home in Glen Cove, leaving my wife and daughter Maria in Richmond. Found all well here. Not one soul has been sick this fall except Edward, my son, and that caused by his own imprudence in going into the marsh and exposing himself. Found, although they have had so dry a season, all the fallowing done and nearly the whole rolled two and three times and all dragged and drained ready to seed in wheat. They have had no rain from 17th June until the 12th this month to wet the land ! The Corn Crop is entirely ruined. Do not think I shall make 100 barrels of good corn on 125 acres of land : never have witnessed such destruction in my life. Have lost 8 or 10 hogs with the Colera, as it is called. Son Edwards thinks bleeding them in the tail the best remedy. He used coperas and alum also. Some call it the black tongue. There was much of it about Richmond in the cattle. In Curies Neck they lost 240 head on Wm. Allen's Estate. My son John and wife, who have been staying here all the summer, left about a week ago. 30. Thursday. Commenced cutting down corn and ploughing corn land next grove .and Flying Point pea-land. They scattered nearly half my straw this fall on Clover and field to go in corn land next year. October 1. Friday. My wife and daughter Maria came home today. Same work. Had appearance of rain but it passed off with only few showers. 274 Smith College Studies in History 2. Saturday. Very warm. Too warm to sow wheat. Plough- ing corn land and cutting down corn in old grove. 3. Sunday. Attended Church. Mr. McCabe and Miss Ma- thilde Spielmann, my teachers, arrived on yesterday. I am to give them $350 each for 10 months. Very warm. 4. Monday. Commenced seeding wheat this morning, next to the dividing fence between river field and Harrison's, with two drills. Seeded today 44 bushels in 25^2 acres. 5. Tuesday. I went to Richmond today to attend a meeting of the Executive Committee of the V. C. A. Society 6 tomorrow, and to meet my daughter Mollie. Seeded today 28y& acres, and put in 51^4 bushels. 6. Wednesday. Attended meeting V. C. A. S. Mollie did not come down. Paid Doctor O. A. Crenshaw his medical bill in full $33.00. Paid Mr. Jacob Felheimer for some copper plates for marking clothes, etc., $6.50. Paid Richmond Whist Club, $10.00. Paid membership V. C. A. Society, $2.00. Seeded today 19}4 acres and 35 bushels. 7. Thursday. Paid James Woodhouse for some schoolbooks, etc., $16.79. Seeded today 19^4 acres and 34^4 bushels. 8. Friday. My daughter Mollie came down from Howard's Neck : met her at boat. Paid for suit clothes for Saunders to Ira Smith, $8.00. Paid Mitchell and Taylor for locket for Mollie, $2.75. Paid Mrs. Barton for bonnet for Mollie, $8.00. Paid Hacks, $3.75. Paid for cravat for Mollie, to give Ned, $.75. Other expenses in Richmond, $8.00. Seeded today 8^ acres and 15 bushels. Finished fallow this morning early and have seeded 101% acres and 180 bushels white wheat. 9. Saturday. Ploughing and cutting down corn all the week : quite warm. Daughter Mollie, son Saunders, and myself came home. Paid fare for Mollie and Saunders, $2.25. Paid Tom Stewart for crabs last May, $1.25. Seeded 136 1-2 bushels of Dr. Runin Williams wheat and 43^2 of my own. 10. Sunday. Very cool day: remained at home. 11. Monday. Commenced seeding corn land. Seeded 6 acres The Virginia Central Agricultural Society. The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 275 in old grove and 10y 2 bushels. Quite warm again. Put up today 97 hogs to kill. 12. Tuesday. Rained very slightly last night, not enough to lay the dust well. Have to roll all our corn land once and twice. Seeded today 12 acres in which we put 19 bushels. 13. Wednesday. Finished right hand side of old grove next Flying Point. Seeded this morning by breakfast 2 l /% acres. Put in 3*4 bushels, making on that side of road, exclusive of four beds in which the corn is stacked, 20^ acres and 32J4 bushels wheat, — viz., 8^ acres of pea fallow, or old land, and 12 acres of Corn land. 14. Thursday. Harrowing and rolling corn land for seeding; quite warm and very dry. 15. Friday. Seeded 4^4 acres next lane this evening, on which we put 7 bushels. 16. Saturday. Seeded 12 acres today and 19^4 bushels, which makes 16*4 acres of land seeded on left hand side of road. Went down to son John's, Beachland. Win. A. Harrison lost his daughter Lotty this morning. My wife came home from there sick. 17. Sunday. Very warm and no appearance of rain. Attended church and funeral of Wm. A. Harrison's daughter. 18. Monday. Seeded today 6 acres and 9 I /> bushels wheat. John Saunders came and son Edward taken sick. Three ploughs running and 3 draggs. 19. Tuesday. Seeded no wheat today; plos., etc. 20. Wednesday. Seeded today 5^ acres and 7^2 bushels wheat. Seeded new ground and where old quarters were, and drained it all. 21. Thursday. Attended court. Pd Jas. Hubbard, deputy sheriff, my taxes in full, in check on Bank of Virginia, $244.51. Paid Morrison for painting a part of my house last spring, $21.50. Seeded today 6^4 acres, on which we put \0 J / 2 bushels wheat. Finished on that side ditch to its head, so that we have seeded on that side of road, next Grove, 27^4 acres and 44^4 bushels wheat. Clouded up and threatening rain from E. Paid Col. James 276 Smith College Studies in History M. Willcox, for a ram, $10.00. Paid for Horse feed, etc., $.50. We have now seeded 34^ acres of land on left hand side of lane leading to grove and 54J4 bushels wheat, and 20^ acres on right hand side of road next grove and 32^4 bushels wheat. In all of corn land seeded, 54^ acres and 863/2 bushels white wheat; and in all, 155^ acres of land and 266^ bushels of white wheat on fallow and corn land. 22. Friday. Ploughing and getting off corn. 23. Saturday. Went up to Richmond with daughter Mollie to attend the V. C. A. S., as one of the executive committee. Paid expenses up, $4.50. Same work at home. 24. Sunday. Remained in Richmond. 25. Monday. Went to fair ground to attend to arranging for fair, etc. Paid for membership to fair, $2.00. Sowed today about 12 acres red wheat and 18 bushels. Paid Robert for 10 dozen Sora, $2.50. 26. Tuesday. The fair of the United States and Va. Central Agri. Societies opened today with a large number of persons, probably the largest we have ever had in Richmond, except prob- ably the first State Fair. Sowed today Ay 2 acres and 6 bushels red wheat. Son Edward went up to Richmond today. 27. Wednesday. Attended fair and went out to races at Ashland. Paid $3.50. Mrs. Freeland, daughters, and Mollie went. Sowed no wheat. Ploughing and getting off corn. 28. Thursday. Great day at fair. General Caleb Cushing, of Massachusetts, speaker. Ploughing and getting land ready to sow wheat. 29. Friday. Edward returned home and sowed 8^4 acres and 12 bushels red wheat. Paid Doctor Wayt, dentist, $27.00. Had two teeth of Mollie's plugged. Paid Mitchel for putting coral in Mollie's ear rings and breast-pin, $3.50. Bought dozen lemons, $1.00, overshoes, $1.25. Gave son Edward, on Wednesday, $20.00. Paid Woodhouse for German books, $5.00. Went to large party at Mrs. Allan's at night. Rained nearly all day. 30. Saturday. Seeded 6^/4 acres and 10 bushels red wheat. The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 277 Returned home. Left Mollie in Richmond. Paid for Hacks and servants while away, $5.25. 31. Sunday. Remained at home. November 1. Monday. My daughter Kittie and family and Mollie came down. Sowed today 7% acres and 11 bushels red. Dined at Shirley with Lord Napier, the British minister. 2. Tuesday. Lord Napier and Lady, two Mr. Taylors, and the Shirley family took collation with me today. Had a beautiful entertainment. Sowed today 9%. acres and 14J4 bushels, which has finished to head of long ditch. Sowed on this side ditch 48^2 acres; altogether 204 acres and 338 bushels wheat — 266^2 bushels white and 7\y 2 bushels red. 3. Wednesday. Ploughing and getting up corn, etc., fine weather. 4. Thursday. Same. Sweet day. Mr. Volgar came to see Miss Spielman. 5. Friday. Commenced raining this morning and rained stead- ily all day from N. E. 6. Saturday. Rained nearly all last night and cleared off today. Hauled rails, etc., for farm pens. We have out 162 hogs. Pulled off some corn, etc. Let my man Miles go to Sussex to see his wife. Gave him $2.50. 7. Sunday. Fine day. We all attended church. 8. Monday. Ploughing and seeding wheat. Seeded today 9]/ 2 acres on which we put 18 bushels mixed [?] wheat. Fannie Allen and her children came. 9. Tuesday. Finished seeding all my wheat. Seeded today 6% acres and 10 bushels wheat, so that we have seeded 220% acres and 362 bushels wheat. We have saved out only corn stacked rows for oats. This is the largest and best crop wheat I think I ever seeded. 10. Wednesday. Fannie Allen left for Petersburg. Finished draining wheat, etc. My wife went down to son John's to see little Rannie, who has had a relapse of pleurisy. Gave her $5.00, and paid for oysters, $2.00. 278 Smith College Studies in History 11. Thursday. Cleaning up offal wheat. Put up in barn loft 279 bushels screenings and 50 bushels of nice white wheat for flour. Rained all day. 12. Friday. Rained all day yesterday and last night. Cleared off beautifully this morning. Pulling off and hauling in corn. Doctor Cole paid me $75.00 for son Miles, towards his bond on yesterday the 11th. 13. Saturday. My wife returned from son John's. Little Rannie somewhat better. Mr. Hobson taken very sick with colic. Gathered in some corn and hauled in rails from outer woods. Bought $2.00 worth oysters of Hartwell. 14. Sunday. John Hobson relieved of colic. Turned much colder. Lost another hog in pen from giving them salt ; two others sick. 15. Monday. Ploughing for corn with three plos. in Flying Point field. Gathered in some corn. Let Dr. Stark have 8 bushels of red seed wheat at $1.50 per bushel. Let him have it on 10th. 16. Tuesday. Same work. Quite cold. Had little sprinkling snow yesterday night : ground quite hard with ice. 17. Wednesday. Some work on farm: quite cold. 18. Thursday. Attended court. Paid Dr. Stark's taxes for him, $221.93. He gave me only $200.00. He owes me $21.93. Paid for my dinner at C. H., 50 cents. Same work on farm. Dr. Crenshaw, Col. August, Mr. L. Benbury and son John came home with me and staid all night. Selden and Miller paid Robert M. Taylor for me $5,000.00. 19. Friday. The gentlemen all left. Quite cold. Same work on farm. 20. Saturday. Hartwell commenced brickwork on Patrick's chimney back of garden. Same work. 21. Sunday. Rained. No church. 22. Monday. Rained nearly all day. 23. Tuesday. Ploughing and gathering in corn. 24. Wednesday. Dr. Minge's and Dr. Stark's families dined here. Same work. Bought 2 bushels Oysters, $2.00. The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 279 25. Thursday. Same work. Ned quite sick. 26. Friday. Quite cool. Same work. 27. Saturday. My daughter Mollie and myself went down to my brother William's in buggy. Quite cold. Same work. 28. Sunday. Snowed and rained last night and today. Re- turned home. Bad day. 29. Monday. Expected to kill some of my hogs but day too bad. Ploughing and gathering corn. 30. Tuesday. Cleared off. Ploughing and gathering corn. December 1. Wednesday. Large party of ladies and gentlemen went down to Claremont. Mollie did not go in consequence of the illness of John's son Rannie and son Ned. Killed today 60 hogs. Mr. Blake and John Hobson arrived. Lizzie Selden went down to son John's. Gave her $5.00. 2. Thursday. Weighed hogs. The 60 weighed 8,573 lbs., an average of 141 lbs. The one we killed before weighed 88 lbs., making 8,561 lbs. killed. Cut them out and salted them up. Com- menced raining in evening and rained all night. 3. Friday. Rained nearly all day. Plated shucks and drained some land. 4. Saturday. Rained again. Gathered some corn. Paid Hart- well for running new chimney to Patrick's house, sent in letter to his master, 10 days at $2.00, $20.00, and $1.50 to Hartwell, $21.50. 5. Sunday. Did not go to church. Rained a little. 6. Monday. Rained all day. Did nothing. 7. Tuesday. Same. 8. Wednesday. Same. 9. Thursday. Sent Oliver down again today to son John's to see how little Rannie is. Gave him $2.50. Cleared off cold and had very heavy frost and ice. Hauling out stable manure on Flying Point. 10. Friday. Son Miles and Lizzie came from John's. Quite cold. Same work. 280 Smith College Studies in History 11. Saturday. My daughter Kittie, husband and children left for Richmond in steam boat. Fine day. 12. Sunday. Rained. Did not attend church. Miles C. 7 and wife dined here. 13. Monday. Rained all day steadily. Gathered in some corn in morning. John came. 14. Tuesday. Cleared off but quite warm. Sent son William to Bloomfield Academy, $10.00 in letter. Gathering in corn, etc. 15. Wednesday. Rained. Gathered in some corn and hauled. Son Miles left. My son James broke his arm at the elbow joint today jumping over the railing of my wharf on the shore. Sent for Doctor Minge and Cole to set it. 16. Thursday. Doctor Crenshaw came down to steam boat on his way to court and stopped to assist in setting, etc., Jimmy's arm. Found it a bad fracture at the elbow joint. Sent Doctor C. down to court in my carriage. Gathering in corn, etc. 17. Friday. Doctors consulted and determined to send son James up to Richmond to consult and get the assistance of Doctor Gibson. My wife went up with him to have her teeth examined. Paid to her, $5.00. Sold to Mr. Blake for Wm. Allen 10 sows and 26 shoats, the 10 sows at $63.00, and the 26 shoats at $39.00— $102.00. 18. Saturday. Received of John N. Shields for board, tui- tion, etc., of his daughter, $100.00. Saved 6 shoats for Doctor Osborne. Have on hand now for the next year 99 shoats and 1 boar. 19. Sunday. Attended the church with [ ?] family. Quite cold and cloudy. 20. Monday. Rained all day moderately. Gathered in some corn, etc. 21. Tuesday. Rained all day in torrents, the whole plantation covered with water. Assorted some corn, etc. 22. Wednesday. Attended at son John's place, Beachland, to value Bradley's work there, etc. Fine day. Finished getting in ' Probably Miles Cary or Crenshaw. The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 281 my corn today. Will have but little, say 75 barrels. Supposed my hogs ate about 200 barrels. 23. Thursday. Paid Miss Mathilde Spielman, my teacher, this sum to go to Baltimore to see her mother — took her receipt — $100.00. Killed the balance of my hogs (37) this morning, mak- ing in all killed 98 hogs. Fine day. 24. Friday. Weighed the 37 hogs and cut out and salted the same. The 37 hogs weighed 4,121 lbs., an average of 111^2 lbs. The 98 hogs killed this year weighed 12,682 lbs., or an aver- age of 128% lbs. Salted them up, etc. Wm. Strange and mother came. Son John and his daughter Bessy left. Miss Spiel- man left for home. Paid to Fanny Shields $1.50 to go to Rich- mond with. 25. Saturday. Xmas day. Sweet, fine spring day. Gave my negroes 20 bushels flour and as much fresh meat as they wanted for their Xmas. Mr. E. Miller and Mr. Ginter from Richmond came, as also Mr. Warner, of the army. Mrs. Strange and Wil- liam her son came on yesterday. Killed fine mutton on yesterday. Bought oysters, 4 bushels, $3.00. 26. Sunday. All at home. Fine, sweet day. Had quite a dis- play last night of fire works, etc., brought down by Mr. Ginter. 27. Monday. Sweet, fine day. Had a dinner party of some twenty persons. 28. Tuesday. Mr. Ginter left. Fine day again. Some of the party dined at Berkley. 29. Wednesday. The gentlemen dined at Mr. Rowlands. Commenced raining. Son John and Mr. Cabiness came on yester- day from Surry. 30. Thursday. Mr. Miller and Lizzie Selden left for Rich- mond. Rained steadily all day. 31. Friday. Rained all day steadily. My negroes went to work to assorting corn. 1859 January 1. Saturday. Rained all day, a dreadful New Year. Assort- ing corn. 282 Smith College Studies in History 2. Sunday. Cleared off. Attended church. 3. Monday. Snowed very hard this morning, which is the first we have had. Assorting corn and getting wood, etc. 4. Tuesday. Snowed again last night about an inch. Getting wood, etc. 5. Wednesday. Rained today and very hard at night. Every- thing covered with water. 6. Thursday. Sent letter to Mrs. Saunders, my sister, enclos- ing an order on Selden and Miller for $150.00, the interest due them to January 1, 1859. Getting wood, etc. Qualified Mr. Hill Carter as Col. of this regiment and took his relinquishment to a deed. Let my man Robert go to Petersburg. 7. Friday. Reed, of Selden and Miller this sum, $100, to pay Mr. McCabe, my teacher, which I paid to him. Turned colder. Wind S. W. 8. Saturday. Let my man Miles go to Sussex. Gave him $1.00. 9. Sunday. Very cold day. Wind N. W. 10. Monday. Very cold. Preparing for ice, etc., by hauling pine boards, etc. 11. Tuesday. Put in ice house 7 wagon loads of ice, \y 2 inches thick from Mr. Rowland's pond. 12. Wednesday. The weather moderated very much. Haul- ing ice with wagons and two ox-carts. 13. Thursday. Filled ice-house to even with eaves — the one on the river. 14. Friday. Getting wood and grubbing in new ground next marsh. 15. Saturday. Grubbing and getting wood. 16. Sunday. Attended church. 17. Monday. Fine day. Grubbing with all hands but one wagoner and oxcarts. 18. Tuesday. Same work, fine day. 19. Wednesday. Same work. Hung up our bacon. Fine day. 20. Thursday. Clouded up. Same work on farm. Clearing, etc. Had thunder storm at night and very heavy rain. The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 283 22. Saturday. Cleared off in morning and turned cooler. Clearing, etc. 23. Sunday. Wind changed from S. W. to W. and N. in night, and blew very hard and turned very cold very suddenly. This morning ice everywhere. Very cold all day. 24. Monday. Quite cold. Getting ice one inch thick. 25. Tuesday. Hauled ice all day and half filled old ice house. Commenced thawing. 26. Wednesday. Rev. Mr. McCabe came. Grubbing. 27. Thursday. Rained steadily all day and night. Assorted corn. Measured up 72 barrels of good corn in all after fattening my hogs. We have nearly as much of the hog corn, very indiffer- ent. There never was a greater failure in corn crop before, I suppose, owing to the excessive drought and chinch bug. I sup- pose my entire crop from 130 acres could not have been over 200 barrels of good corn. 28. Friday. Rained all last night and all day today from S. W. Rev. Mr. McCabe left. 29. Saturday. Very thick fog. Close and cloudy. Went up to Richmond in steam boat. Quite a freshet in river. Did not get up till late. Rained quite hard. Paid to get up, $2.00. 30. Sunday. Remained in Richmond. 31. Monday. Attended meeting of the executive committee of the Central [Agricultural] Society to take into consideration the purchase of the Fair Grounds. It was postponed until this day two weeks. Paid at Exchange Hotel for night and breakfast, $1.50. Fine day. Grubbing, etc., at home. February 1. Tuesday. Sweet, fine weather. Paid for two novels, Wan- dering Seer and What Will He Do With It?, $2.00. Paid Mitchell and Tyler for repairing jewelry, $2.88. Paid for breakfast, etc., $1.00. Paid my subscription to Richmond Whist Club, $10.00. 2. Wednesday. Returned home in Custis Peck. Glen Cove laid up for good, never to run again in this river: to be sold 1st March. Bought a wheat sower coming down for $10.00. Paid 284 Smith College Studies in History freight on piano, hired at $3.00 per month, $1.00. Hack and servants, $1.50. Passage down, $1.50. Mr. Mays came down to tune my piano. Rained at night. 3. Thursday. Foggy and rainy all day. 4. Friday. Lent Mr. Mays my horse to go down to Brother William's. Grubbing, etc. 5. Saturday. Same work, grubbing, etc. 6. Sunday. Raining a little. Mr. Mays returned. 7. Monday. Mr. Mays here, laid up with neuralgia in his face. No boat up today. Grubbing and hauling out hog pen manure on light land in Flying Point. 8. Tuesday. Mr. Mays went up to Richmond. Commenced raining at eight and rained all night. Same work. 9. Wednesday. Rained all day and all night. Shelled some corn. Blew very hard in night. 10. Thursday. Clear and cold, wind North. Grubbing in new ground. Killed a very large fine beef. 11. Friday. Grubbing with all hands in new ground. Quite cold. 12. Saturday. Rained quite hard last night. Same work. Quite cold. 13. Sunday. Bought oysters to amount of $2.50. Quite cold today. Snowed a little. 14. Monday. Clear, fine day. All snow gone. 15. Tuesday. Grubbing, etc. Clear. Sent son William $5.00 at school, Bloomfield. 16. Wednesday. Went down to Norfolk with daughter Mollie to see Captain Saunders. Paid fare, hack, etc., $5.00. Same work. 17. Thursday. Remained in Norfolk. Paid pr. shoes for Mollie, $3.50. Paid for repairing watch for Ned, $2.00. Paid for tooth brushes and paper for children, $1.10. Paid Bloodgood for three dresses for Mollie, $8.56. Do. for two dresses for Miss Spielman, $2.75. Do. for daughter Maria scarf [?] $2.75. Total, $14.06. 18. Friday. Rained all day. We dined at Mr. Paul's. Paid for hacks, $1.75. Same work, grubbing, etc. The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 285 19. Saturday. Returned home in steam boat. Paid fare up, $4.00. Paid for barrel oysters, $3.00 ; fish, $2.50 ; hack, $1.50 ; ser- vants, $1.50. Doctor Nelson and wife, Josephine and Sarah Sei- dell came from Doctor Selden's here. Bettie Saunders and little Mary came up with me. Fine day. Same work. Doctor Starke and wife came. 20. Sunday. Roads too bad to go to church. All still here. Matilda had daughter today. 21. Monday. Grubbing, etc. Fine day. 22. Tuesday. Same. Doctor Starke left. I had a chill. 23. Wednesday. Gave Ned this sum to go to a party at Bush- wood in Chas. City, $5.00. Fine day. Grubbing, etc. 24. Thursday. Fine day. Same work. 25. Friday. Rained all day long and all night. Shelling some corn, etc. Son John and Wm. Willson came and went. 26. Saturday. Cleared off about 2 o'cl. Never saw more water than was on the land today. Grubbing, etc. 27. Sunday. Sweet, fine day. All walked over to Berkley. 28. Monday. Put all hands to cockling my wheat. Fine day. March 1. Tuesday. Same work. Doctor Nelson, wife, and Sarah Selden left for Richmond after having spent ten days with us. The old gentleman is very feeble. Fine, sweet day. 2. Wednesday. Sent my wagon for the corn bought of Mr. E. Ruffin, Jr., from Evelington. Brought home today 42 barrels. Quite cold. Had little ice. Cockling wheat. 3. Thursday. Brought 10 barrels corn home today, making 52 barrels, when it commenced raining from N. E. Paid Wm. Stagg this sum for shoeing my riding horse, $2.25. Rained all day, and at night in torrents. 4. Friday. Cleared off in night. Had thunder storm and very heavy rain. Land all flooded in water. Grubbing small ravine near Flying Point. Son John, Mr. Cabiness, and Mr. Rowland staid here last night. 5. Saturday. Cleared off. Hauled 42 barrels corn from Evel- 286 Smith College Studies in History ington today, making 94 barrels. Cockling wheat : finished fallow- field. 6. Sunday. Attended church with all my family. Roads al- most impassable. 7. Monday. Rained all day very hard. Cleaned our offal wheat. Sold to Mr. Rowland for $1.25 for white and $1.00 for red. John Harrison here. 8. Tuesday. Weighed and measured up our wheat. There is 200 bushels and 13 lbs of white and 37 bushels and 10 lbs of red. White, $250 9^ cts. ; red, $287 \9y 2 . Cloudy all day. Rained very hard from 1 o'cl. till night. 9. Wednesday. Clear, fine spring day. Trimming box in yard. Sent all my offal wheat to mill, 237 bushels 23 lbs. Putting up fence running to Berkley, dividing the fields. Paid Miss Spielman, my teacher, $30.00. 10. Thursday. Finished renewing fence between fields lead- ing to Berkley, with new stobs, etc. Fine day. Mollie and I spent day at Miles Crenshaw's. Examined Keinage's [?] Bridge. 8 11. Friday. Mending roads in plantation, etc., with all hands. Clouded up. Rained quite hard about day, and wind blew very hard during the night. 12. Saturday. Cleared off after sunrise and sweet, mild day. Altering fence near grove to large oak tree and mending road in lane. Mr. Warner of the army came. 13. Sunday. Sweet, fine day. 14. Monday. Clouded up and commenced raining at 3 o'cl. from S. E. Running fence near pump at grove. Finished all my roads and rolled them. 15. Tuesday. Rained all last night and blew very hard from S. and again this morning. Beating out some seed oats. 16. Wednesday. Clear, fine day. Sowing my plaster on field next house at 1 bushel to the acre. Burning brush on new ground, etc. Mr. Ben Harrison and wife came here from Berkley. See below, April 21, 1859. The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 287 17. Thursday. Weighed 113 bacon hams and sent them up by Schultz. They weighed 1,458 lbs. They averaged not quite 13 lbs. Settled with Mr. R. S. Rowland as follows: 200 bushels white wheat at $1.25, $250.00; 38 bushels and 23 lbs red at $1.00, $38.38. Total, $288.38. Mr. Rowland's bill rendered at this date for 6 barrels of flour, sawing timber, etc., $121.43, leaving $166.95. Forty-five fire proof bricks furnished Mr. R. at cost $2.70, total $169.65. Gave me an order on Selden and Miller for $169.65. I borrowed of John M. Ferguson of this county one thousand dollars at this date to be paid in September next with interest. Burning brush, etc. Hauled some logs from outer woods. 18. Friday. Sent up Mr. Ferguson's check for $1,000.00 by son John and deposited the money in Va. Bank to my credit. This money is to pay for the 150 bis. of corn purchased of Mr. Ruffin, etc. Collected of Selden and Miller the amount of Mr. Rowland's draft, $169.65. Burning brush, etc., in new ground. Son John went up and returned from Richmond today on my horse. Blew a storm all day and at night a perfect hurricane. Rained in evening and night. 19. Saturday. Blew a storm all day. Miss Patty Paul and her sister Nannie and Miss Mary Walters and Mr. Thomas Wil- liamson of the navy came from Norfolk. Rained at night. 20. Sunday. Attended church in wagons, the roads too bad for a carriage. Broke down in the mud. Paid the Rev. Doctor Wade my subscription toward additions to the parsonage, $30.00. Quite cool today. 21. Monday. Miss Spielman, my teacher, left for Baltimore to see her mother. Paid her in full to 1st March, $37.14, her wages being $35.00 a month. Mr. Williamson left for Norfolk. Worked on my roads, etc., on plantation. 22. Tuesday. Commenced ploughing for oats and digging up carrots, etc. Cloudy. Sent check to Messrs. Brown and Tebbs, of Bloomfield Academy, for board and tuition of son William till July, $133.00. Check dated 21st, yesterday. Sent check to 288 Smith College Studies in History Mr. E. Ruffin, Jr., for $600.00 for 150 barrels corn bought from him from Evelington at $4.00 per barrel. Check dated 21st also. 23. Wednesday. Rained again last night quite hard and clear- ed off today and had sweet, fine day. Could not plough ; too wet. Getting up new ground, etc. Went down to John's with girls. 24. Thursday. Cloudy — rain and thunder. Ploughed some in new ground. Miss Charlotte Wickham was married at Shirley on yesterday. 25. Friday. Cloudy and rainy, ploughing new ground. Sent check to Tupman and Hull, of Richmond, for $80.75 in full for clothes purchased of them by son Edward. Sent check to Wm. Ira Smith, of Richmond, for suit clothes for self, $30.00; and two suits for sons Saunders and Army, $20.00. Ploughing new ground, etc. 26. Saturday. Same work. Mrs. Taylor came. Fine day. Had quite a party to dinner, Mr. Wickham, etc. 27. Sunday. Had quite a party again to dinner, some 20. 28. Monday. Received letter from son Joseph announcing birth of another daughter. It was born on the 23rd at 5 o'clock in morning. Its name is to be Maria Langhorne. Commenced sewing clover seed. Sowed today next grove five bushels. Sowed to carrot patch by gum tree, about 40 acres. Sowed also 9 bushels oats in rows where the corn was stacked. Clouded up and threat- ening rain. 29. Tuesday. Commenced raining again from E. N. E. and rained quite hard until about 10 o'cl. Grubbing, etc. Received letter from son Joseph announcing the birth of another daughter the morning of the 23rd at 5 o'cl. All well. 30. Wednesday. Clear, fine day. My wife went down to Norfolk with Miss Paul, Miss Walters, and Mr. Warner. Gave my wife $30.00. Sowing clover seed with two hands. Getting up new ground, etc. 31. Friday. Phillis had daughter born. Ploughing for oats and getting up new ground. Sweet, fine day. Sent son John 15 bushels oats and 350 bricks. Finished seeding all my clover seed on wheat land, about 14 bushels. The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 289 April 1. Friday. Had white frost this morning. Sent wagon out with six mules for some fenders for my wharf. Ploughing and dragging for oats, etc. Sweet, fine day. 2. Saturday. Paid Doctor Jno. Minge his medical bill for last year in check, $62.00. Gave servant Miles this sum to go to see his wife in Sussex, $1.50. Finished ploughing oat-land (corn rows) and rolling and dragging. Finished seeding all my oats, about 20 bushels on about 20 acres. 3. Sunday. Rained in torrents from 12 o'cl. last night till day this morning. Cloudy nearly all day. 4. Monday. Rained again last night. Getting up Mullen out of clover field and cresses, etc. Son Edward went up to Rich- mond to have a fistula taken out. Gave him $20.00. 5. Tuesday. Finished getting up mullen out of clover, as like- wise cresses, etc., and started to hauling out hog pen manure for corn. Finished hauling 7 large white oak fenders from outer woods for my wharf. Turned quite cold. Wind N. W. 6. Wednesday. Had ice this morning l / 2 inch : quite cold. Hauling out manure on light land in Flying Point field. 7. Thursday. Had little ice again this morning. Wind shift- ed from N. W. to S. W. and turned warmer. My wife returned from Norfolk. She spent the $30.00 I gave her and $35.41 at J. I. Bloodgood's, making $65.41. Started wagons and 3 ox-carts to hauling out stable manure on light land. 8. Friday. Hauling manure on light land in Flying Point with 4 wagons and 3 ox-carts all day. Went over to son John's. Turned very cold about 3 o'cl. Wind shifted very suddenly from S. to N. and blew very hard. 9. Saturday. Had little ice this morning. Started 3 four- horse ploughs in light land in Flying Point. One wagon and 2 ox-carts hauling manure. Quite cold all day. 10. Sunday. Commenced raining last night from S. and rain- ed nearly all day today. 11. Monday. Rained little in morning and then cleared off beautifully. Ploughing light land, hauling out manure, etc. 290 Smith College Studies in History 12. Tuesday. Rained again last night. Cleared off, and had warm, fine day. Son John's family came. Finished light land ploughing and started on new ground, ploughing, hauling out manure, etc. 13. Wednesday. Had April showers most day. Ploughing new ground, hauling out hog-pen manure, etc. Mr. Wm. Thomas came to fix my wharf. 14. Thursday. Thomas driving fenders to my wharf. Har- rowing new ground with 5 horse harrows. Hauling and scattering farm pen manure on hillside back barn, etc. Son John's family left for home. 15. Friday. Wm. Thomas finished my wharf. Drove 7 new fenders and fixed wharf up, etc. Paid him for same in an order on Selden and Miller for $28.00. Dragging new ground and hauling out manure, etc. John H. Harrison died this morning from drink at his house Cedar Hill. 16. Saturday. Buried John H. Harrison at Berkley. Har- rowing corn land and hauling out manure, etc. Mr. Wm. A. Johnston, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, came to see me. Doctor Wm. Christian, John H. Harrison's brother-in-law, died today. Very pleasant day. 17. Sunday. Rained a little and hailed a little last night. Quite cold. Roads too bad to attend church. 18. Monday. Very cold and windy from North. Fear frost and freeze tonight. Harrowing corn land and hauling out manure, etc. Mr. Wm. A. Johnstone left for Shirley. 19. Tuesday. Had very heavy frost this morning which killed the potato vines, etc. Started to ploughing again for corn in Flying Point. Stopped hauling out manure on clover and put oxen to hauling trash, wood, etc., off new ground, preparatory to liming the land. Quite cool all day. 20. Wednesday. Ploughing all day with four four'-horse ploughs. Hauling out and scattering manure on new ground, etc. Turned milder. 21. Thursday. Attended court. Let out Keinenages [ ?] The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 291 Bridge 9 to Jas. W. Binford for $90.00 for seven years. Paid at C. H., $1.00. Same work. Fine day. 22. Friday. Paid Mr. McCabe, my teacher, this sum to go to Hampton to meet his father, etc., $20.00. Paid Jas. Thomas for ducks this winter past over my half $11.00. Finished hauling out all my lime, about 600 bushels. Mrs. Paxton came and went from son John's. Had awful storm of rain and wind in evening. Wm. Strange arrived from Richmond. 23. Saturday. Blew a storm all night and rained. Continued blowing and raining all day. Never saw a harder wind all day. Assorting and selecting seed corn, etc. A lighter sunk opposite house from the high wind. 24. Sunday. Wind blew all night : cleared off this evening and fine, windy day. The wheat, which was all prostrated by the storm of Friday, evening, has very much risen from the winds, etc. Feared my crop was ruined. 25. Monday. Easter Holiday. Went down to Brother Wil- liam's, Kittiewan. Fine day. 26. Tuesday. Started all my drags to dragging the last ploughing and rolling the same. Very cloudy. Hauling out some lime on light land, etc. Went up to John Harrison's to look for his will, but could not find it. Quite cold — frost. 27. Wednesday. Mrs. Wm. Green and daughter Pattie came. Cloudy all day and in evening had thunder and lightning and heavy rain. Harrowing in morning and commenced running fence across the marsh in Cameron field to shorten it, etc. 28. Thursday. Wind N. E. Cloudy and raining. Rained very hard last night. Land wetter than I have seen it this year. Run- ning fence around on marsh (house field) to keep my hogs in. Hauling rails from outer woods, etc. 29. Friday. Hauling out farm pen-manure on clover with ex-carts. Four wagons hauling rails from outer woods. Haul two loads each, 100 at a load, or 800 a day. Running fence, etc., See above, March 10, 1859. 292 Smith College Studies in History to enclose hogs. Taken off from clover field 30 acres for hogs. Mrs. Paxton and family came. 30. Saturday. Same work ; fine day. May 1. Sunday. Sweet, fine day. Church day. Gave out negroes' allowance. 2. Monday. Harrowing corn land with everything. Rolling ditto and marking off for corn rows, etc. Finished fence across clover for hogs, etc. Had frost this morning. Mrs. Paxton of N. C. left with her two daughters. 3. Tuesday. Quite cool this morning. Harrowing and laying off for corn, etc. My daughter Mollie and myself leave home today for Goochland (J. D. Hobson's.) Paid passage, etc., up to Richmond, $4.50. 4. Wednesday. Checked balance of money in Va. Bk., $74.25. Gave my daughter Mollie $5.00. Spent myself in fruit, candies, etc., for Kittie's children, $3.50. Gave daughter Lizzie a dress from Price's at $10.00, as likewise Mollie. Went up in evening in packet boat to daughter Kittie's in Goochland. Preparing for corn, etc. 5. Thursday. Arrived at Howard's Neck at 4:30 o'cl. Found all well. Commenced planting corn today. 6. Friday. Remained at Howard's Neck. Planting corn, etc., at home. 7. Saturday. Same. 8. Sunday. Remained at Howard's Neck. 9. Monday. Same. 10. Tuesday. Same. Planting corn, etc. Was to have gone down to Richmond, but was taken sick. 11. Wednesday. Took medicine. Rained last night and today a little. Same work. 12. Thursday. Left Howard's Neck for Richmond in even- ing. Same work at home. 13. Friday. Arrived at Richmond at 5 o'cl. Finished plant- The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 293 ing my corn late this evening. Planted about 2 or 3 acres in sugar cane. 14. Saturday. Remained in Richmond. Worked on main road. 15. Sunday. Same. Attended church twice. Heard young Mr. Wise preach. 16. Monday. Remained in Richmond to visit new fair grounds. Hauling out manure on clover. Sheared my sheep. Gave daughter Mollie this sum, $5.00. Paid Tupman and Hull for frock coat for Channing, $10.50. Paid Meade and Baker for medicines, $1.25. 17. Tuesday. Commenced raining last night from N. E. and rained all day today. I went out to Ashland races today. Haul- ing out manure on clover. 18. Wednesday. Returned home with Mollie. Rained hard all day. Paid fare on Glen Cove home, etc., $4.50. Gave servants at Miles's, $1.00. Ditto at Howard's Neck, $1.00. 19. Thursday. Attended court and sat on the bench all day. Rained very hard in evening. Returned home in rain. Hauling out manure. 20. Friday. Sent this sum in letter to son William, at Bloom- field Academy, for pocket money, $10.00. Gave to my wife for Miss Eissy Barnes, $5.00. Rained all day from S. W. 21. Saturday. John Hobson and his family arrived here. Rained again in morning. Cleared off about 1 o'cl. Mr. Hill Carter and Mr. John Wickham dined here. Hauling out ma- nure, etc. 22. Sunday. Still cloudy and raining. This may be put down as the rainy season. Arrena, Mary's daughter, had a daughter today. Wheat rusted on blades. 23. Monday. Cleared off, but quite cool. Hauling out farm pen-manure on clovered land in bottom between barn and house. 24. Tuesday. Hauling out farm pen-manure, etc. Quite cool. Spent day at son John's with Mr. Hobson, etc. Had little frost this morning. 25. Wednesday. Quite cool. Finished hauling out farm pen- manure on clover. Commenced hauling out kitchen-manure, 294 Smith College Studies in History ashes, etc., on corn next Flying Point. Coultering up cow-pens, etc. Frost again. 26. Thursday. Attended election at Ladd's Store. Voted for John Letcher for Governor, J. R. Tucker for attorney-general, and R. L. Montague for lieut.-governor. Commenced ploughing corn in light land, re-planting, etc. Army worms made their ap- pearance. Mr. Robt. B. Boiling came here on yesterday with his son John and left today. 27. Friday. Had large dinner party. Dined some 20 persons. Ploughing corn and re-planting, etc. Quite cool. Had rain and wind in evening and night. Blew the wheat down, etc. 28. Saturday. Ploughing and weeding corn, etc. 29. Sunday. Attended church. My wife was confirmed by Bishop Johns. Gave to domestic missions this sum, $1.00. 30. Monday. My daughter Kittie left us for Norfolk. My son Edward went up to Richmond to see Doctor Crenshaw about his fistula, etc. Gave him, $7.50. Mr. Hobson left for home. Ploughing and weeding corn. 31. Tuesday. Nannie Selden (my brother's wife), Teny Heath, and Lizzie Selden came from Norfolk here. Fine day. Army worm eating up my wheat : wherever fallen down, almost eaten up. June 1. Wednesday. Finished weeding out light land last evening and commenced in ditch by gate. Cloudy and much warmer. 2. Thursday. Ploughing and weeding corn. My daughter Kittie returned from Norfolk. Very warm day. 3. Friday. Had little rain this morning with lightning and thunder. Weeding corn, etc. At night we had a most terrific storm of lightning, thunder, hail, rain, etc., from S. W. Thought house and everything was gone. 4. Saturday. Wheat very much prostrated from storm, and trees blown down everywhere. Those in yard very much torn to pieces. Paid Polly for 17 chickens, $2.84. Thinned corn. The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 295 Land too wet to work. Mr. Hobson returned from his home. Cold. 5. Sunday. Turned very cold. Put on winter clothes and had fires. But for wind would have had frost. Had little frost in back country from river. Attended church again. 6. Monday. Ploughing and weeding corn. Quite cool. 7. Tuesday. Mr. Benyer Miller came. Same work. Had little rain. 8. Wednesday. Same work. Cloudy, etc. 9. Thursday. Mr. Miller, his daughter and son, left. Dined at Berkley with Mr. E. Miller. 10. Friday. Cloudy and threatening rain. Finished ploughing over my corn on yesterday. Mr. Wm. Boiling, of Petersburg, Mr. E. Miller, and Doctor Starke dined with us. Weeding corn, etc. 11. Saturday. Ploughing and weeding, etc. Gus Crenshaw and family came here. Received of Selden and Miller for har- vest, $100.00. 12. Sunday. Quite cool this morning. Discovered some rust on stalk of late wheat. 13. Monday. Enclosed this sum in letter to son William, at Tibbs and Brown's School, Albemarle County, Va., for him to return home with Whitsunday, $10.00. Did not give Whitsunday holiday today. Working my corn, etc. Wheat nearly ripe. Mr. A. Crenshaw and family came. 14. Tuesday. Working out my corn and ploughing ditto with one furrow thrown to it. Mr. Miller came. Laid by my light land corn (16 acres) with peas. 15. Wednesday. Same. Mrs. Crenshaw had baby here, a miscarriage : 8 months child, which lived only a few hours. 16. Thursday. Attended court. Sat on bench all day. County levy, $1.70. Paid at C. H. $1.00. Finished my corn weeding and ploughing for present. Cut little wheat in evening with cradles. 17. Friday. Cut some corn-land early-purple straw-wheat with reaper. Cut about 15 acres when we had a dreadful rain and 296 Smith College Studies in History wind from north. Blew down all the wheat and feared we were ruined in the wheat way. Doctor McCabe came. 18. Saturday. Cleared off beautifully and had fine day for cutting. Cut down a very heavy piece of wheat on river next Berkley (about 18 acres), and got most of it up. Have three hirelings. Mr. E. Miller left for Claremont. I was taken quite sick with disordered bowels from getting wet on yesterday and eating raspberries and milk. 19. Sunday. Quite sick today. Could not arrest my disease until I drank boiled milk and raspberry leaves in buds boiled in it. Have found it a sovereign remedy before. Rev. Doctor McCabe preached at our church. Cloudy. Mr. Crenshaw came and left. His wife here still. 20. Monday. Rained very hard from N. E. all the morning. Cut wheat through it. Gave Mr. W. G. McCabe, my teacher, this amount to go to Old Point with his father, $20.00. 21. Tuesday. Cut all day on piece next river, etc. Rained in evening threatened a severe storm. 22. Wednesday. Cut with two reapers nearly all day, one way, throwing machine out of gear and cutting only one way as wheat was so fallen down. Saved it much better. Rained again. Wheat about to sprout. 23. Thursday. Cut some corn land in morning and then moved into fallow. Threatening rain but did not have much. Wheat very heavy. 24. Friday. Finished hillside facing river and commenced after breakfast on fence running to Berkley, running two machines one way and dragging back. Threatening a storm from East, but passed off. Stopped about one hour (by sun) and shocked all up. Cut about 20 acres of my heavy, fallen-down wheat. 25. Saturday. Cut nearly all day with two machines one way and finished cutting and shocking my fallow, or all that is not in Stork's first cut. Had fine day, although the morning was very close and threatened rain and a storm. Have cut 100 acres of the heaviest fallow I ever saw. Most of it tumbled and had to cut with the machine only one way, and about 20 acres of corn The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 297 land. Have 100 acres now to cut. I believe but for the fallows tumbling and the army worm it would certainly have averaged 40 bushels to the acre. Have had 8 hirelings. 26. Sunday. Sweet, fine day. 27. Monday. Commenced cutting my purple-straw wheat on corn land. Cut all day well. Fine day. 28. Tuesday. Finished my purple-straw and cut in evening next well in old grove on land. Wheat equal to fallow. Fine day. 29. Wednesday. Cutting white wheat next grove. Cut up- wards of 25 acres. Fine day. 30. Thursday. Finished cutting all my wheat by 4 o'cl., and shocked it all up next grove. Had 8 of son John's hands on yesterday and today. We have cut 100 acres since Monday morn- ing averaging upwards of 25 acres with one machine. This is decidedly the best crop of wheat I have ever made or ever saw. But for its having tumbled, and the army worm, I do believe the crop would have averaged 35 bushels to the acre (220 acres). As it is I think it will average 30. The rust I think has injured my purple-straw wheat considerably. I got today this sum from Allen Bradley for draft on Selden and Miller, $50.00, and paid my hirelings. George, a cutter from Petersburg, at 9-2 10 per day $ 19.00 Woman picker-up at 7-6 per day 8.75 Daniel, picker at 4-6 per day 10.87*/2 Archer, ditto at do 10.87^ Willis Jackson, shocker at 7-6 per day 10.62 William or Billy, do at do 11.25 Walter, do at do 11.25 Joe, do at do 11.25 John, boy carrier at 2-3 per day 3.00 Archer's brother at do 2.63 Paid son John's men (4 cutters and 4 pickers for one day) 9.00 $108.50 10 I am unable to determine what Mr. Selden means by "9-2 per day." It is a form he uses nowhere else in the Journal, and no guess of mine fits the probabilities. — Editor. 298 Smith College Studies in History CHAPTER III Abridged Journal, July 1, 1859 to May 24, 1864 July 1. Friday. . . . Gave my man Miles this sum to go to see his wife in Sussex, $1.50. All hands shocking wheat, which will soon be finished, and then have promised them the rest of the week. . . . Finished shocking up all my wheat by 10 o'cl. 2. Saturday. My negroes have holiday. Was engaged nearly all day in trying Mary Slater for breaking open Joseph Camp's house. Acquitted her. Tried her at Rowland's Mill. Paid my negroes for work, $3.75. 3. Sunday. . . . Hired 5 of my negroes to glean wheat and plough yesterday. . . . 7. Thursday. Paid free woman, Indiana, for sewing, etc., for one month and 8 days work, $18.60. 8. Friday. Went down to Old Point with my daughter Mollie, Josephine Selden, and Miss Eliza Carter. Found Old Point very full. . . . 12. Tuesday. Dined with large party at Mr. Geo. Booker's on back river. Had magnificent entertainment. Very warm day. Hired an omnibus to go out. . . . 13. Wednesday. The same party dined with Doctor Semple, in Hampton. 16. Saturday. Returned home. [Bill for his, Mollie's, and Josephine Selden's expenses, including incidentals, is entered at $91.00]. 18. Monday. Paid my wife what she paid Miss Julia Craw- ford, who came here to be employed as a teacher in my family, $20.00. 21. Thursday. . . . Attended court. Was all day on bench, the trial of Col. Wilcox's house-servant for poisoning his son Lasuh [ ?] Wilcox with corrosive sublimate. He was con- demned, but by the dissent of one magistrate (Hubbard), to be transported. . . . The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 299 22. Friday. Paid Mr. W. Gordon McCabe in full for teach- ing my children the past year. Paid him today in order on Selden and Miller, $100.00. Ditto in order on John N. Shields, due me for his daughter Fannie, $100.00, cash $10.00, [Total], $210.00; which, with $140.00 previously paid him, makes the full sum of $350.00 Mr. McCabe left for home. Paid off four of my hirelings from Petersburg. . . [The entry showing that the rate was $4.00 for six and a half day's work.] 23. Saturday. I was all day attending a special court. Set on the bench 9 hours. Trial of John Walker's woman, Mary, for breaking open John Slater's house. Punished her with stripes. [From this time until August 25, Mr. Selden was busy thresh- ing wheat. He put his entire yield at 5,800 bushels. While the threshing was in progress a vessel arrived to take it to market. The greater part of the crop was sold at Hoxall, Crenshaw & Co., of Richmond at $1.50 a bushel.] August 22. Monday. Received of Messrs. Hoxall, Crenshaw & Co., this sum in part for wheat, $3,000, which, with draft in favor of Selden and Miller for $750, makes the sum of $3,750 drawn from them on wheat. The following sums were paid out of the above : Paid to Harriet Barbour, of Philadelphia, all interest money due her to 5th August, 1859; sent to her by Selden and Miller, $240; Paid to Robert M. Taylor this sum, being all interest due him to 5th Sept., 1859, and part principal, making the sum now due him on 5th Sept. next, $4,000, $506.28 ; paid John M. Fergusson this sum in check, it being $1,000 loaned me on 17th March last, and interest to 1st Sept., $1,027.25; paid John Dooley for hat for self, $4.00, and cap for son William, $5.50 [in all] ; paid Mitchell and Tyler for some plate given Betty Orgain when married, $50, and repairing pin, etc., $50.63 ; paid Saml. Price and Co. for dry goods in full to 1st July, $133.94; paid Putney and Watts in full for shoes to date, $188.75 ; paid Caldwell and Co., of Rich- 300 Smith College Studies in History mond, fof clod crusher, $135; paid P. Johnston and Bro. for medicine, $11.75; paid my wife, $50; paid son Edward in part of his wages, $150; paid Meade and Baker for some things for Mollie, $1; paid my daughter Mollie, in Richmond, $10; paid to servant Oliver for shoes, $2.50. 23. Tuesday. . . . Left Richmond for the White Sul- phur Springs with daughter Mollie and servant Oliver. . . . 24. Wednesday. . . . Arrived at White Sulphur to dinner. . . 27. Saturday. Fixing up all the fences so as to turn all my hogs and cattle in the two fields from which we have taken wheat. 28. Sunday. ... At White Sulphur Springs. Said to be 1,600 persons here. . . . September 8. Thursday. Left White Sulphur for a trip to the North with daughter Mollie. Paid bill at White Sulphur (15 days for Mollie, myself, and servant Oliver), $75. [This trip extended through Washington, Baltimore, Phila- delphia, New York, Albany, and as far as Niagara Falls, and lasted until October 1.] October 1. Saturday. . . . Arrived at home about 12 o'cl. and found all well. The fallow field of 125 acres was finished on the 17th, and they had nearly finished harrowing it all over. It was in beautiful order. I left home on the 20th August and returned today, just 6 weeks. There had been no sickness scarcely during my absence. My son Edward, my manager, took a trip to the mountains for a week and then went North as far as Niagara for two weeks. My wife and son Channing managed the farm dur- ing my absence. All went on well. The season for fallowing was the best I have ever known. It rained constantly during the whole time, so that the land was never too hard. . . 3. Monday. Commenced seeding wheat in house field next dividing fence at 10 o'cl. Seeded today \6 l /> acres and 29^ The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 301 bushels wheat. Ran two drills — white wheat. Finished harrow- ing. 11. Tuesday. . . . Settled with Hoxall, Crenshaw & Co. for my wheat as follows : 4,618 bushels, 50 lbs., at $1.50, $6,928.25 ; deduct freight and charges at 4 cts., $184.75, $6,743.50. . . . 17. Monday. Paid Jas. Hubbard my taxes for this year, $275.60. Credit by levy, $19.50 ; gave order on Selden and Miller for $256.10. . . . 19. Wednesday. . . . My nurse Mary returned from Rich- mond. Had 3 teeth extracted. Got account of the insurrection at Harper's Ferry. Cut down and stacked up corn rest of day. November 1. Tuesday. Attended sale at Cedar Hill, John H. Harrison's. Mr. Hill Carter purchased the estate, 522 acres, for $18,700, equal to cash. I purchased 6 single ploughs, 6 double shovels, and old harrow and reaper. . . . 6. Sunday. Had all twelve of my children here to dinner, with Miles Crenshaw and wife. Quite warm day. All attended church. 7. Monday. Had large dining party today. All my 12 chil- dren present. Dined some 30 persons. Ploughing and shocking up corn, etc. 17. Thursday. Attended court and dined at A. P. Crenshaw's. Got up a troop of cavalry. Elected Robt. Karothat [ ?] captain, Thos. Wilcox 1st and Archer Taylor 2nd Lieutenants. 19. Saturday. Paid my negroes this sum for 2,100 lbs. of fodder at 75 cents, $15.75. 1 . . . 21. Monday. . . . Hear dreadful accounts of the Harper's Ferry insurrection. The abolitionists about to rescue old John Brown. . . . 29. Tuesday. Miss Eliza Carter, of Shirley, was married at 1 This is the first mention of fodder, either the pulling or use of it. The small amount here mentioned seems to indicate that in general it was only saved with the stalks. The negroes seem to have had the privilege of gathering and selling fodder to the master. 302 Smith College Studies in History eight to Mr. John Wickham. I attended the wedding with some of my family and returned home about 2 o'cl. at night. Gave to servants there, 75 cents. Had a large company. I invited them all to dinner next Thursday. Gathering in corn and ploughing, etc. Fine weather. . . . December 1. Thursday. Had our dinner party given to Mr. John Wick- ham and Eliza Carter. Dined 52 persons. Had the most magni- ficent dinner I ever saw. I paid Captain Gifford of steamer Glen Cove this sum for fish, oysters, and crabs, $6.88. Gathered in corn, ploughed, etc. The party left us about 11 o'cl. at night in little steamer Cornet. 2. Friday. Old John Brown, the mover and head of the in- surrection at Harper's Ferry, was hung today. Paid George and Simon at Berkley for assisting us as servants at dinner party, $2.50. . . . 8. Thursday. Killed today 55 hogs. Very cold day. 9. Friday. Weighed, cut out and salted up our hogs. The 55 weighed 9,836 lbs., or an average of nearly 180 lbs. Have 26 more to kill. Turned out four sows that were very forward with pigs. . . . Weighed and cut up a hog I gave my man Dick. It weighed 178 lbs. It was a small pig I gave him last winter. 10. Saturday. Moved my hog pen across the road so that I might plough the lot all up, and thought it would be a benefit to change the rest of the killing hogs. Fixed a shelter against brick wall of grave yard for my pigs and gathered in some corn, etc. . . . 1860 January 5. Thursday. Getting ice. Wind shifted from S. W. to North last night and turned very cold. Ice today near six inches thick. . . . 6. Friday. Finished filling both my ice houses this morning The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 303 and filled Doctor Minge's. The ice put in new house on the river near 6 inches thick and very clear and solid. River completely blocked up. Could skate on the river. Turned warm in the evening. 7. Saturday. Much warmer ; ice melting ; cloudy. I went up to Wm. A. Harrison's and Hill Carter's to take their relinquish- ments to deeds for Cedar Hill estate. Very bad traveling. Dined at Wm. H.'s. Rained in evening. 9. Monday. . . . Punished Anthony and Thomas for stealing a sow. 11. Wednesday. Miss Pattie and Nannie Paul left us for Norfolk after having been here 14 days. Clear and quite mild. Gathered in corn and hauled logs to mill to be sawed up in pail- ings, plank for blacksmith shop, and for large double quarter. 12. Thursday. . . . Bettie and Mary Saunders came from Norfolk. . . . 16. Monday. Killed 8 hogs more today, which finishes our killing for this year, making 78 hogs killed. 17. Tuesday. Weighed and salted up the 8 hogs. They weighed 1,039 lbs., or an average of 130 lbs. The 78 hogs weighed 13,030 lbs., and an average of 167 lbs.,— 348 lbs. more than we killed last year, and just 20 hogs less than last year. 30. Monday. Took steamboat for Richmond with Mollie and servant Oliver on our way south. Got check of Selden and Miller to the amount of $1,000. Nat Cocke came here to school. [This visit to the South took Mr. Selden to the home of his son Joseph Selden, at Union Town, Alabama. Thence he went to Mobile and New Orleans and returned to Westover on April 9, by way of the Mississippi to Memphis, and thence by railroad to Richmond. Throughout the trip the Journal recounts the happen- ings at Westover day by day, as well as the things seen and done by the diarist on his travels.] February 1. Wednesday. Arrived at Charleston, S. C, about 10 o'cl. today and attended the races. Bad weather at W T estover : rained, 304 Smith College Studies in History hailed, and snowed. Could do no work out-doors except feed stock. . . . 6. Monday. . . . Left Charleston for Alabama. . . . Paid railroad fare from Charleston to Montgomery, Alabama, 2]/ 2 seats, $42.50. . . . 8. Wednesday. Arrived at Montgomery. . . . Paid fare on steamboat St. Charles to Selma, $6.50. . . . 9. Thursday. Arrived at Selma. Stayed all night in a miserable hotel. Paid $3.00. Paid railroad fare to son Joe's, $3.75. 10. Friday. . . . Found Joe and wife at home. He has a fine estate and beautiful dwelling not quite finished. . . . 11. Saturday. Paid for gloves in Union Town for self, $1.50. . . . 14. Tuesday. We went from son Joe's to Mr. Geo. Minge's. 21. Tuesday. Left Geo. Minge's for son Joe's. Paid Geo. Minge's servants, $4.25. . . . 23. Thursday. . . . Left son Joe's for Selma, on our way to Mobile in company with Joe and wife, Geo. Minge, and others. . . 25. Saturday. . . . Arrived in Mobile. . . . 27. Monday. Paid for silver egg-cup, spoon, etc., for son Joe's daughter Maria, as a present, $13.00. Paid for hack to ride on shell road, $5.00. . . . March 1. Thursday. Left Mobile for New Orleans in fine steamer Cuba. 2. Friday. Paid servants and railroad at New Orleans, $1.25. Paid omnibus to St. Charles Hotel, $1.25. . . . 3. Saturday. . . . Gave to servant Oliver, to go to Franklin on the Tash [Tech] to see his mother, in Attakapas, $10. 6. Tuesday. Paid for hack to Mr. Penn's party N. O., $4.00. The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 305 9. Friday. We left New Orleans for Mr. Burnside's, in the steamboat D. A. Kcnner, on the coast 75 miles above New Orleans. . . . Mr. Burnside would pay all our expenses up and down. . . . 16. Friday. Left Mr. Burnside's estate for New Orleans. Gave his servants, $5.00. . . . 21. Wednesday. Paid my bill at St. Charles Hotel to leave for Mr. Wilkins's, in the Attakapas country, $28. . . . Ar- rived at Mr. Wilkins's, on the Tash, about 4 o'cl. Found them all well and [received] a hearty welcome. . . . 22. Thursday. ... I was taken sick this evening at Mr. Wilkins's from eating too many oranges, etc. Had colera. 23. Friday. Very sick today. Nothing I could take would check the disease. . . . 24. Saturday. Doctor Lyman, of Franklin, attended me and checked my disease in a measure. . . . 27. Tuesday. Paid Doctor Lyman, for attending me three times at Mr. Wilkins's, $9. I was very sick. Took eight doses of calomel and blue mass with opium. The doctor salivated me and said I was very near dying. . . . Paid hack to St. Charles, $1.50. . . . 31. Saturday. We left New Orleans this evening at 5 o'cl. for Memphis in steamer John Raine. . . . April 2. Monday. Going up the Mississippi in the John Raine, with a nice party and fine band music. . . . 4. Wednesday. . . . We arrived at Memphis about 5 o'cl. in the evening, having been four days and four nights coming up the river to Memphis, a distance of 800 miles altogether. We had a nice time. Fine boat, and the most accommodating manager I have ever seen. The fare on board splendid. She was com- manded by Captain Goodman. We went to the Gayoso Hotel, a very good one. . . . 9. Monday. . . . Arrived at home about 10 o'cl. and found all well except Burwell my Smith. My entire expenses 306 Smith College Studies in History while away (2 mo., 12 dys.) were as above, $761.55 — $252.55 of which was for pin, dresses, etc., not necessary expenses. I started from home with 30 dollars, got of Selden and Miller, $1,000 and brought back $268.45. We had a charming trip and would not have missed it on any account. Our visit to Mr. Burnside's splendid estate of Horomas [?], 75 miles above the city of New Orleans, is probably the largest and most splendid sugar estate in the world. He has expended $2,000,000 in land and negroes. We were there eight days. He paid our expenses up and down from there and we were treated with more kindness and hospitality than I ever received in my life. We found all well at Westover, except my smith, Burwell, who has suffered very much with inflammatory rheumatism and is still confined with it. Harrowing corn land and preparing to lay off, etc. Fine weather. . . . 11. Wednesday. . . . Not being able to haul out our straw in time on clover, I set fire to the large rick in field so as plant the land in corn. I have found that unless straw is gotten out in the winter on clover it is injurious to the wheat. We burnt the straw from four or five thousand bushels wheat. . . . 24. Tuesday. Vessel arrived here last night for my corn. Put all hands to shelling it out today. Selden and Miller have sold it to Bevan and Bro., of Petersburg, at 75 cents per bushel at landing. . . . 27. Friday. Finished shelling our sale-corn, today by 12 o'cl., 500 barrels. We had 550 barrels measured up for sale, but some of it was mouldy and had to throw it one side for horse corn and hogs. Started three fans to getting it ready. Ran it over the board. . . . 30. Monday. Finished delivering my corn to schooner E. and M. G. Simpson, Captain Bailey Sperill, in all 2,663 38-56 bushels. . . . amounting to $1,997.25. We sold on Friday last 5 barrels corn to Doctor Wm. Cole, amount, $18.75 ; so that the amount of corn sold is $2,016. . . . May 8. Tuesday. Mr. Corcoran, of Washington (the banker), Mr. Sargent, of New York, and Mr. Fay, of Massachusetts, dined The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 307 with me. Came up in boat from Claremont and left in evening for Shirley. Had a magnificent dinner. . . . 16. Wednesday. Weighed 92 hams of bacon to be sent up to Selden and Miller to be sold. The 92 hams weighed 1,500 lbs., net. . . . 17. Thursday. Attended court, being my month to set on the bench. . . . 20. Sunday. Sweet, fine day. Paid Anthony for 15 chickens, $2.50, and Polly for 6 ditto, $1.00. 2 24. Thursday. Very warm. Attended election at Ladd's Store. Voted for Sewell as judge, Willcox as atty. for county, etc., in place of Isaac Christian. . . . July 13. Friday. . . . Man Edmund very sick. Died at night. Think it was from curing up a sore too suddenly. Very great loss to me, not less than $1,000. Son Willie and Jimmie left for Old Point. . . . 20. Friday. . . . Mr. J. L. Gordon McCabe, my teacher, left me this morning, after having been here in that capacity for two years. I have great admiration for him in every particular. A young man of extraordinary capacity, a hard student, strictly attentive to his duties, conscientious and moral, beyond anyone of his age I have ever known. Settled with Mr. McCabe as fol- lows: Paid him previously to this $100, cash today $10, gave him an order on Selden and Miller, of Richmond, for $390, [total] $500. Received of Mrs. Martha Cocke, of Prince George, this sum for the board and tuition of her son Nat from 1st Feby. to date, 5^4 months at $20 month, $113.33. . . . Received of Mr. N. C. Cocke this sum in full for his daughter Mary's board and tuition and books for the past year, $173.53. . . . August 1. Wednesday. . . . Finished in evening all my wheat. Threshed 138 bushels red wheat which finished the entire crop, a The book contains many entries like this. 308 Smith College Studies in History making 3,149 bushels as measured from machine. I do not believe this is one-half the crop that I should have made from the 222 acres. The entire crop averaged me rather over 14 bushels. . . . This crop, which promised to be the best I ever made, was de- stroyed by army worms, fly, joint worms, etc., none of which made their appearance until the wheat was all headed up. . . . 9. Thursday. ... I left home this day with my daughter Mollie, Willie, servant Oliver, and self for White Sulphur Springs, as also man Burwell for the Hot Springs. . . . 12. Sunday. . . . Arrived at White Sulphur to dinner and found great crowd, say 1,900. . . . 13. Monday. At White Sulphur. . . . My wife, sons Saunders and Jamy and Becky left for Richmond in Schultz on their way to Howard's Neck in Goochland. . . 31. Friday. . . . Paid Burwell, my blacksmith's expenses at Hot Springs, where he staid 20% days for the rheumatism: see bill, $31.25. . . . September. 7. Friday. Paid stage fare for Oliver to Hot Springs, $4.00. Paid for Oliver to spend a week at Hot Springs for the rheuma- tism, $20.00. . . . Son Miles, Wm. Allen, Mr. Howard, and Mr. Robertson came here to go sora-shooting. . . . 28. Friday. . . . Settled with Hoxall, Crenshaw & Co., the price of my wheat at 160 cts. per bushel, 3 Yi cash and the other half 1st of Jany., 1861. The 2,500 bushels amounted to exactly $4,000. 29. Saturday. . . . Returned home after an absence of seven weeks and three days. Left Mollie at Howard's Neck and my wife in Goochland. Found all well at home, and but one chill the entire summer. There are three rollers and four harrows going. I never had a field in such beautiful order for seeding before at this season. It all looked as if it was seeded. The earth very dry. . . . " But in final settlement 15 cents a bushel was deducted from the price of the red wheat (see Journal, October 24, 1860). The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 309 October 20. Saturday. . . . Gave out my negroes' shoes, bought of Putney and Watts, 46 pairs. . . . November 1. Thursday. . . . Miss Mary Rodney and her father ar- rived from Lewes, Deleware. Miss Rodney has come as teacher in my family at $60 per month. Very warm spring day. . . . 6. Tuesday. Day of the presidential election. Went up to Ladd's Store and voted for Brackenridge and Layne. . . . 7. Wednesday. Bo't 4 bushels oysters, $3.00. . . . 15. Thursday. . . . Finished seeding all my wheat. Seeded today S l / 2 acres and 8 bushels, making of red wheat Z7y 2 acres and 50^4 bushels, and all together 215^ acres and 359>4 bushels wheat. The wheat first seeded, and indeed all the fallow, is filled with the Hessian fly. The crop is very luxuriant and looks now like May. The most of the fallow covers the ground completely. Gathered in corn all the evening. 16. Friday. Delivered to Mr. A. C. and R. S. Rowland balance of my wheat as follows: 44 26-60 bushels white seed at $1.60, $71.10; 32 32-60 bushels red seed at $1.40, $45.50; 233 32-60 white screenings at $1.30, $305.55; [total] $420.15. Gather- ed in corn all day. A fine, sweet day. . . . 21. Wednesday. Quite cool this morning. Killed 40 hogs by breakfast time. They would have been very fine but for so many being with pig. Delivered to Captain Southgate, of Glen Cove, 27 turkeys at 75 cts. each, $20.25. . . . 22. Thursday. Weighed, cut out, and salted up the 40 hogs. They weighed 6,321 lbs., an average of 158 lbs. They would have gone to 175 lbs. but for so many being with pig. We had to destroy some 70 pigs. Finished salting up by 12 o'cl. and tried up all the lard by 4 o'cl. Gathered up corn all the evening. December 1. Saturday. Paid my taxes today to James Hubbard, sheriff of Charles City. Paid him cash $100 and an order on Selden 310 Smith College Studies in History and Miller for $153.50, [total] $253.50. Turned much cooler, wind N. W. Gathering in corn from lane, etc. Sent Oliver up to Richmond on Thursday to see the doctor about his arm. Gave him $5.00. . . . 12. Wednesday. Killed the balance of our pork, 54 hogs, mak- ing 94 killed this winter. Finished them all by 11 o'cl. Then went to gathering in corn, etc. 13. Thursday. Weighed, cut out, and salted up the 54 hogs by 12 o'cl. The 54 hogs weighed 7,671 lbs, an average of 142 lbs. The 94 hogs weighed 13,992 lbs., or an average of 148^ lbs. This is the largest killing I believe I have ever made. The hogs were more equal in size and quite fat. But for there being so many with pig it would have been a superb killing. Ploughed and gathered in corn all the evening. . . . 24. Monday. ... I went up to Shirley and spent the day. Visited the Virginia Dare laying at the Hundred, the ship my son Channing is going to sea in. Found her a very fine ship. Gathered in some corn. Got wood for Xmas, etc. Son Jimmie came home from school. 25. Tuesday. Xmas day opened by slight snow in morning. Cleared off quite cold. Gave my negroes many things for Xmas. Son John and Doctor Crenshaw here. Hunter Saunders and Palmer here, etc. Gave son Edward $2.00. 26. Wednesday. Clear and cold. Son Channing left for the ship Virginia Dare at the Hundred. Gave him $2.00. 27. Thursday. Quite cold. Threatening snow. Hunter, Palmer Saunders and Robert and Allen Selden here. 28. Friday. Very cold and threatening snow. Doctor Cren- shaw here. Ship Virginia Dare went down the river today. Son Channing on board, bound for Liverpool. . . . 29. Saturday. Cloudy and threatening rain. Went to work. 1861 January 19. Saturday. Gathered in corn. Fine day over head, but The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 311 the land very wet. Had fox hunt here. Caught two foxes, and great sport. 4 . . . 23. Wednesday. Finished getting in corn by 12 o'cl. . . . February 4. Monday. This was the day for electing a member to the convention to assemble in Richmond on the 18th to decide whether Virginia shall secede from the union or not. Already S. Caro- lina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana have seceded. Snowed very hard nearly all day, so did not go to the election. Mr. John M. Fergusson gave me his check on the 1st for $500 loaned me. . . . 20. Wednesday. Same work. Quite cold. Whipped Pom- pey. 5 21. Thursday. Attended court. Allowed $1,500 for clothing for the volunteer company of this county. Paid Mrs. Mary Mumford this sum through R. G. Waddill, constable, for the hire of her man Lewis as a carpenter for assisting in building negro quarters and barn, etc., $86.00. . . . March 4. Monday. This is the day of the inauguration of the vile Black Republican President, Abraham Lincoln, of Illinois. Great change in the weather: turned quite cold. Wind N. or N. W. 7. Thursday. . . . Sent 126 bacon hams up to Selden and Miller to be sold, weighing 1,685 lbs. net. Sent them in 8 barrels by Schultz. Commenced catching shad here on Monday last. 11. Monday. Delivered all my sale corn today, in all 1,660 bushels, to schooner Isabella Thompson, Captain Carson, of New Jersey. This corn is to be shipped to New York to C. M. Fry and Co., to be sold on my account by Selden and Miller. . . . 4 This is the only allusion to fox-hunting in Selden's Westover Journal. Whatever the condition elsewhere in Virginia, Westover, in Mr. Selden's day, was not the home of huntsmen. 5 This is the only mention in the Westover Journal of the whipping of a slave. 312 Smith College Studies in History April 12. Friday. The papers state that the freshet in the James and other rivers in Virginia is the highest by far since 1847. The water was all over the street at the market-house and filled all the cellars up to the old Bell tavern. Repairing my fence carried away by the water in Hillman's. Hauling logs to repair wharf, etc. Wind east and clouded up again. The South Carolinians commenced the attack on Fort Sumter this morning. 13. Saturday. Had hard rain all last night and nearly all day today. So much rain has turned the wheat yellow. Fencing on marsh in Hillman's, etc. 14. Sunday. Had tremendous blow and rain last night, and then cleared off. This is a sweet, fine day. 15. Monday. Very sweet, fine day. Harrowing corn land. Finished fence around Hillman's. My sister Martha and her family left for my brother's (Doctor Selden, Kittiewan), having been here four weeks and three days. Sent them down by land with carriage and wagon. 16. Tuesday. Rained all last night and mostly today. Mrs. Green and Georgia came today. Doing but little. Fort Sumter surrendered to the Confederate States on Saturday, 13th. 17. Wednesday. Virginia seceded on 17th. Sharpening stobs, etc. Virginia went out of the union today. . . . 19. Friday. Mrs. Green and her two daughters left today for New York. Harrowing corn with everything. Attended court again. We appropriated $5,500 to equip volunteer com- panies and the home guard with rifles, pistols, and carbines. 20. Saturday. Old Fort Norfolk, the arsenal, was taken by the citizens of Norfolk last night and all the powder sent up to Richmond that night. Today, about 1 o'cl., the Pawnee came into Norfolk Harbor and burnt the navy yard and sunk all the naval ships there and retired. I went up to Richmond today in the Glen Cove. She towed up the powder taken last night, 80,000 lbs. . . . 21. Sunday. Great excitement in Richmond, as it was re- The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esor. 313 ported that the Pawnee was coming up to Richmond to recapture the powder. Every company in the city and every man who could get a gun of any sort or kind was at Rockets to repel her. It was said she had 1,600 men on board. . . 23. Tuesday. Went down to John's, Gus. Crenshaw's, and Dr. Selden's to see my sister Martha 6 and to offer my services to take care of their families in the mountains. Commenced plant- ing corn in the house field. John M. Fergusson lent me this sum, $500. Heard today that Fort Pickens had been captured by the Southerners. . . . 26. Friday. Miss Mary B. Rodney, my teacher, left for home, Lewes, Delaware. ... A letter addressed to Miss Rodney to be directed to the care of father, Henry F. Rodney, Lewes, Delaware, or to D. Rodney King, Philadelphia. We part with Miss Rodney with many regrets as we consider her not only the most accomplished lady we have ever met, but the most agreeable and charming. . . 27. Saturday. Miss Rodney returned from Norfolk, not being able to get home from there. 7 All communication is cut off with the North from the war. Mr. Nathaniel Cocke, of P. George, came over for his daughter. He paid me $100 in cash and gave me his note for $76, amount due me for his daughter's board and tuition to this date. . . . 30. Tuesday. Found great excxitement in Richmond today 8 from the numerous troops arriving in Richmond and Washington. May 1. Wednesday. Same as yesterday, both at home and in Rich- mond. An awful civil war seems inevitable. 3. Friday. . . . Our ports were blockaded on yesterday. The Glen Cove could not get to Norfolk, there being two war 6 Mrs. Saunders, of Norfolk. Captain Saunders, her husband, had died a few months earlier. 7 Miss Rodney continued to teach in Mr. Selden's family after the war began. 8 Mr. Selden went to Richmond on the 29th. 314 Smith College Studies in History vessels in mouth of river, and three in Hampton Roads. White frost and very cold. Paid my son John this sum in part for seed wheat bought of Mr. White, of Surry, $80. Lincoln has taken possession of Maryland, divided it into 4 military districts, and declared martial law. Alexandria is threatened by the black repub- licans and the citizens all leaving. . . . 6. Monday. I carried Miss Mary B. Rodney, my teacher, up to Richmond with my daughter Maria, son Saunders and Army and girl Julia on their way to Goochland, to John Hobson's. . . 7. Tuesday. Remained in Richmond. Troops arriving con- stantly. Great excitement. . . . 9. Thursday. Sent Ned down with 8 of my men to assist in erecting the old fort Powhatan. . . . My sister Martha went up from Brother William's to Goochland. . . . 11. Friday. . . . My 8 men returned from old fort to- night having finished all the work now required of them. . . . 16. Saturday. . . . Get account sales of corn shipped to New York, nett, $1,001.98. . . . 18. Saturday. . . . My wife went to C. H. to work for troops. . . . 20. Monday. . . . Sent my house servant Robert up to wait on Mr. Hobson at Ashland. He is in the troop of cavalry and has written for him. . . . 23. Thursday. . . . Spent day with wife at the camp at Wilcox estate. . . . 27. Monday. Wind very high from S. W. and very warm. Ploughing and weeding corn, etc. Our troops left the county for York. . . . 30. Thursday. . . . Spent day at son John's. Great many troops going down the river in steamers to Williamsburg and York. . . . June 3. Monday. Went up to Eppes Island to try 3 negroes for plotting insurrection. Sent them on for further trial and had them committed to jail. Weeding corn with all hands, etc. The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 315 4. Tuesday. Same work. Packing up my books, etc. 5. Wednesday. Went down to C. H. with Mr. H. Carter and continued the trial of the negroes. The evidence not being sufficient to convict them of felony, had them whipped with 39 lashes each and discharged. . . . 11. Tuesday. Heard by steam boat that they had had a fight near Hampton. Our troop cavalry was in the engagement. The report was that 300 of the Yankees were killed and only one of our men, and he from N. Carolina. . . . 12. Wednesday. Account of the battle of Bethel Church, in Elizabeth City County, between our forces, 1,200 in all, and the Northern forces, 4,000 to 5,000 strong, was a complete victory and route of the Yankees. The Yankees lost 200 in killed and wounded and we only 1 man killed and 7 wounded. Such a vic- tory is scarcely upon record. Our troops were commanded by Gen. Magruder and the Northern by Gen. Butler. One Colonel and one major were killed on the Northern side. The battle was fought by only 800 of our men, the rest being cavalry held in reserve. One Richmond howitzer company, Major G. W. Ran- dolph and Col. Hill's N. C. regiment of infantry did the whole. The Yankees made three rallies and were repulsed each time, the last time a complete rout. The road was completely strewed with the dead and wounded all the way to Hampton. Our Charles City Cavalry, my son John in the company, was on the ground and pur- sued them in the rout. Bought a sturgeon for $1.25. . . . July 20. Saturday. . . . Paid 4 hirelings for threshing, $10. Very warm. Our troops defeated the North at Bull Run Creek three times on Thursday the 18th last, near Manassas : odds against us nearly 4 to 1. 21. Sunday. Had great fight today at the stone bridge, near Manassas, between the Confederates and Yankees. 50,000 on the Confederate side and 75,000 on the Yankee. The latter was completely whipped and routed. 15,000 men under Gen. Joe Johnston whipped 35,000 under Gen. Patterson, the latter taken 316 Smith College Studies in History prisoner. The loss of the Yankees estimated at 12,000 to 15,000 killed, and the Confederate loss some 2,000. This is the greatest battle ever fought on the American continent. Attended church. Fine day. . . . 25. Thursday. Sent 6 hired men down to Williamsburg to work on the fortification at 75 cts. a day. Gen. Magruder re- quired one half of all the men from those that had not worked on fortifications. As I worked 8 of my men 4 days on Fort Powhatan I sent only one- fourth of mine. Gave the men this sum to pay their fare down, $6.00. The men were Tom Hair, Joe Albert, Billy Harris, Sykes, Nicholas Jackson, and John Johns, from Petersburg. . . . August 8. Thursday. Finished threshing all my wheat by 11 o'cl. Threshed today of red 164 bushels, making in all 4,792. . . . 19. Monday. . . . Paid Joe Albert, a free man, for 20 days work at Williamsburg on the fortification there at 25 cts. He will be entitled to 50 cts. a day from the government when collected, say for 19 days. . . . 9 September 9. Monday. We shipped to Selden and Miller on the 28 last month 40 bbls. family flour, and on the 30th 19 bbls., making 59 bbls. family, and on the 30th 9 bbls, super-fine. This day we shipped 4 bbls. super-fine and 22 of fine flour. This winds up the 1,242 bushels white wheat delivered on the 10th August, which has made 189 barrels of family, 33 barrels of super-fine, and 22 barrels of fine flour. We have retained 10 barrels family and 100 lbs. super-fine, and 316 lbs. fine, given to negroes. 22. Sunday. Quite cool. Wind N. Acct. sales of 1,242 bushels white wheat ground for me by A. C. and R. S. Rowland and sold by Selden and Miller, Richmond : To 62 bbls. family flour at $8.50, $527.00; to 117 bbls. ditto at $8.00, $936.00; to 33 bbls. super-fine ditto at $6.00, $198.00; to 22 bbls. fine ditto at 9 This amount was paid later on. It seems that the men were free negroes. The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 317 $4.50, $99.00; to 15 lbs of loose family flour at $8.50, $.65; to 100 lbs. super-fine loose at $6.00, $3.00; to 316 lbs. fine given my negroes at $4.50 per bbl., $7.12; to 336 bushels bran at 12 1-2 cts., $42.00; to 65 ditto shorts at 15 cts., $9.75 ; to 154 bushels ship stuff at 30 cts., $46.20; to 10 bbls. family reserved for self at $8.50, $85.00. [Total receipts], $1,953.72. Expenses: By 5 per cent on $1,760 flour sold to S. and M., $88.00; by 244 bis. at 50 cts., $122; by freight on 234 bis. to Richmond, $29.25 ; by drayage on 35 loads at 36 cts., $12.60 — [total expenses] $251.85; net re- ceipts $1,701.87 — making the 1,242 bushels wheat nett me about $1.37, when wheat is only selling for one doll, in Richmond at this time. . . . 10 October 17. Thursday. Attended court. Appointed commsr. to at- tend election on the 6th Novr. to elect president, etc., of Southern Confederacy. Finished sowing Woodfin wheat up to grove fence. 19. Saturday. . . . Sold 1 bl. super-fine flour to my man Patrick for $5.50. . . . 26. Saturday. . . . The battle of Leesburg was fought on 21st by Gen. Evans in which we whipped four times our number. November 6. Wednesday. . . . Attended the Court House all day as commsr. to conduct the presidential election. Davis and Stevens was voted for as president and vice-president of the Confederate States and John Tyler for congress. . . . 11. Monday. Attended the Court House to compare the polls and to make proper returns of the election for president and vice- president and member of our first congress, etc. Davis and Stevens received a unanimous vote, 139; Tyler for congress 133. 10 Mr. Selden continued to send his wheat to Rowland's mill until he had sent 4,554 bushels, his entire crop of 1861. December 4 he entered in the Journal that the net receipts from the crop were $5,680.67, or $1.24 3-4 a bushel. 318 Smith College Studies in History December 6. Friday. I went up to Ladd's Store to give in my list of taxable property for carrying on the war, etc. Commissioner John Walker valued my land at $24,400, 63 negroes at $17,675 (or an average of $280}^), my other taxable property at $800; [total] $42,875, on which I shall have to pay a tax of 50 cts. in every $100 worth of property, or $214.37 next May. Gathering in corn with all hands all day. Very sweet, pleasant day. . . . 12. Thursday. Paid Bob, on board Schultz, this sum for 4 beef steaks and 4 shanks, $5.50. Sent son Edward up to Peters- burg to hire four free negroes to go to Williamsburg to work in place of my negroes as required by Gen. Magruder. . . . 16. Monday. Killed 35 hogs of my own and 2 of my negroes'. 17. Tuesday. Weighed my 35 hogs. They weighed 5,471 lbs., or an average of 156 lbs. My negroes' 2 hogs, just 12 months old, weighed 528 lbs. This makes 76 hogs killed and 12,550 lbs., or an average of 165 lbs. There are 32 yet to kill. Salted them all up. . . . 20. Friday. . . . Expected war with England by the Northern people in consequence of Mason and Slidell's seizure from a British vessel, the Trent. Very warm spring day. 21. Saturday. Dr. Crenshaw's man Isaac left. He has been here as a blacksmith not quite 4 months. Gave him $4.00. Had quite a dinner party today, and dance, etc.. at night in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Loyall. 23. Monday. Mr. and Mrs. Loyall and Miss Millie Maury left for Norfolk via Petersburg. . . . 24. Tuesday. My daughter Kittie and her children and Jimmie Crenshaw came in steam boat. . . . 25. Wednesday. Xmas day: fine day. Attended church, which was beautifully dressed up with evergreens. Had large congregation. Gave my negroes 350 lbs. of bacon and beef, 2 lbs. of super-fine flour, 1 pint of molasses each, lard, etc., for their Xmas. Had large dinner party of my neighbors. . . . The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 319 1862 January 27. Monday. Heard of the defeat of Gen. Crittenden in Kentucky. . . . February 10. Monday. Heard of the surrender of Roanoke Island to the Federals. It was bombarded on Friday and Saturday by about 50 odd vessels without success. They then landed 15,000 men. After a desperate fight we had to surrender to an overpowering force. Our hold [sic] number on the island was not more than 2,500, whereas the enemy had 50 odd vessels engaged in the fight and a land force of 15,000 men. O. G. Wise and my partner's son, Edgar Miller, 11 reported to have been mortally wounded. Only 50 men are said to have escaped. All the rest had to sur- render. The papers report from 3 to 400 of ours killed and from 1,000 to 1,500 of the Federals. . . . 18. Tuesday. . . . The wedding party 12 from Kittiewan came up in the steamboat, Mr. Strocher and wife. etc. Dined 26 persons. Had beautiful entertainment. . . . 19. Wednesday. All the party here. Rained nearly all day. In evening went over to Berkley to a party. Assorting corn, etc. 20. Thursday. Paid my daughter Kittie for a silver ladle, as a present to Sarah from my daughter Mollie, $10.00. Paid ditto for making a dress by Miss Vernon for Mollie, $5.00. . . . 22. Saturday. Inauguration of President Jefferson Davis. Large crowd, but a dreadful day. Rained in torrents all day. Did not attend in consequence of the rain. 13 . . . 28. Friday. Thanksgiving day throughout the Southern Con- federacy. Every store shut up in Richmond. Sent Oliver down home this morning for some clothes, etc. 11 Edgar Miller recovered from his injuries and spent some time at Westover in 1862. 12 Sarah Selden, niece of the diarist, was married on February 13. 13 Mr. Selden was in Richmond with his daughter Mollie and servant Oliver from February 20 to March 5, 1862. 320 Smith College Studies in History March 8. Saturday. . . . Today the naval engagement off New- port News between an ironclad steamer Merrimac (now the Virginia) and the Newport News battery and the frigates Cum- berland, Congress, Minnesota, and many gunboats. . . . 10. Monday. Had full accounts and confirmation of the fight off Newport News. The Virginia (ironclad steamer), Patrick Henry, and Jamestown (sidewheel steamers), the gunboats Teasel, Beaufort, and another, sunk the Cumberland, burnt the Congress and nearly destroyed the Minnesota (frigates of the enemy), be- sides destroying nearly all their gunboats and dismantling all their guns at Newport News and killing and otherwise destroying some 1,200 of the enemy. . . . 13. Thursday. Sent son Edward down to Jamestown to pre- pare for my negroes that are to be sent down there on Saturday next by the requisition of Gen. Magruder. Gave him this sum for expenses, $5.00. 15. Saturday. The West Point steamboat 14 went up today, having run the blockade at Newsport News in consequence of its being broken up by the ironclad steamer Virginia. About sunrise there set in a dense fog. I sent six of my negroes today to Jamestown to work on the fortifications by order of Gen. Magruder. Their names are James, Austin, Anderson, Thomas, Nathan, and Carter, all young and likely. I send them very re- luctantly; for I am not only very backward in my farming oper- ations, but they must be very much exposed and liable to be sick. I would greatly prefer paying money in their stead. . . . 28. Received of Selden and Miller this sum as part of my por- tion of the division of our funds on hand, making a just and equal distribution — viz., $5,000. Miles Selden received or takes out $30,000; E. Miller, his capital of $2,500 and $20,000 profits. $22,500; John A. Selden his capital $10,000 and $10,000 profits, $20,000; Wm. Allen, same— $20,000. [Total] $92,500. There will be about $72,500 left in concern to carry it on or to be dis- She entered the James River, where she was to run for some time. The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 321 tributed hereafter. Sent my man Oliver up to John D. Hobson's this evening to carry a check for the $5,000 to my sister Martha B. Saunders to pay my bond due her for this sum, — money I borrowed, etc., of Captain Saunders on the 1st February, 1835. This pays her in full. There is 3 months interest due her ($75), which is paid in the board and tuition of her daughter Pattie at my house from the 10th October, 1861, to this date. Vessel arrived here for my corn this evening. ... I went up with son Miles to Amelia Springs. 29. Saturday. Staid all night at Jetersville Station on the Dan- ville road. Hired a horse and buggy and went to Amelia Springs, 3 miles from there. Rented the hotel from Mr. Wilson at $200 for the month of April. It hailed and rained so there that we re- turned to Jetersville and came on down that evening to Rich- mond. . . . 31. Monday. Received of Selden and Miller this sum in full of my proportion of our dividend determined on, including the sales of my bacon, flour, and corn ($588.68), $4,654.26. Deposit- ed of this sum, $4,175.70 in Va. Bank at Richmond; so that I have in Bank of Va. now $4,470.58. Deposited also the $5,000 returned to me by my sister to be invested in stock for her, making $9,175.70 deposited today. Bought today $4,500 worth of N. C. State stock payable in '83 at 102 for my sister, M. B. Saunders. Bought do. $400 worth of Va. State at 93^ for ditto, $374; [total] $4,995, leaving a balance of $5.00. This stock (the N. C.) pays 8 per cent and the Va. 6 per cent. I bought also two $1,000 shares of N. C. State stock for myself at $102, making $2,053.77, for all of which I gave Miles a check for $7,048.77. This leaves me in Bank of Va. now, after deducting the $1.40 overdrawn, $2,416.81. . . . April 1. Tuesday. . . . Commenced delivering corn this morn- ing to schooner C. A. Finley, Captain B. Spruill. . . . 2. Wednesday. Finished delivering what corn the vessel would take by 10 o'cl. Delivered in all 1,264 bushels, sold by S. 322 Smith College Studies in History and M. to the Government at $4.00 [a barrel] or 80 cts. per bushels, delivered in Richmond. I pay 5 cts. freight. Started to shelling out more corn. . . . 3. Thursday. Edgar Miller went up to City Point in my row boat to see about chartering a car to carry my things up to Amelia Springs. He succeeded and returned home by 12 o'cl., bringing down Wm. A. Harrison's large boat to carry my things up to City Point. Shelling corn with all hands. 4. Friday. Edgar Miller went up last night at 3 o'cl. to City Point with both boats loaded with barrels, etc., of my things, to be shipped to Amelia Springs. . . . 5. Saturday. Weighed all my bacon on hand. Have now of sides, shoulders, and joles, 5,750 lbs., besides about 75 hams. Shall ship about 4 hogs [heads], or 3,000 lbs., to Amelia Springs. The battle on the Peninsular, below York Town commenced this morning. Started a plo' and cleaning corn. 6. Sunday. The battle still raging. Could hear the cannon very distinctly. Fine day. 7. Monday. Got the schooner Hope (pilot-boat), Captain Bully, to carry my things up to City Point to be carried by rail- road to the Amelia Springs, putting 4 hogs [heads] bacon, 3 [hogs- heads] hams, 250 bushels corn, 6 barrels bottled wine, 3 carboys — 1 wine, 1 brandy, and 1 whiskey, — half of all my groceries, 4 bbls. flour, drawingroom carpet, and many, many, other things of considerable value, all my silver, blankets and sheets, etc. Rained hard all day, and the fighting going on. 8. Tuesday. Rained incessantly all day. Finished loading the vessel. Cleaning corn, etc. My boy Robert gave me insults and ran away and I shot him in thigh. 15 9. Wednesday. Vessel left and took up Sugar Knox, her two children, and Pattie Saunders to City Point ; also Edgar Miller, who is to carry my things up to Amelia Springs. Gave Sugar Knox this sum to pay her expenses up to Kittie's, $10.00. 18 This "boy Robert" had been the servant of Mr. John D. Hobson, Mr. Selden's son-in-law, of the Confederate cavalry. The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 323 Gave Edgar Miller this sum to pay expenses of my things to Amelia Springs, $150.00. Rained incessantly all day. Cleaned corn, etc. Fighting at York Town still. 10. Thursday. Still fighting at York Town. Stopped raining today, but cloudy and quite cold. The poor soldiers must have had dreadful times. . . . 11. Friday. Clear, beautiful day, but quite cool. . . . Re- pairing fence running to Berkley, between fallow or clover and corn land. Mary Selden returned from Petersburg via Shirley. Came down from there in wagon. No boats have stopped on the river now for a week, all being employed in carrying troops down to the Peninsular. We got a paper today by Mary, which is the first we have seen for more than a week. It gives an account of the great victory at Corinth, and the death of General Albert Sidney Johnston. If the accounts are correct, the victory was complete. The Federals are reported to have lost in killed and wounded from 8 to 10,000 and 5,000 prisoners. Our reported loss, 3,000 in killed and wounded ; and we were in full pursuit. Their army completely demoralized. Thus says the Petersburg Express. Still repairing fences, etc. . . . 13. Sunday. Two of my boys from James Town returned — James and Thomas. They have been there just 4 weeks. There are 3 now remaining, Austin, Nathan, and Carter. They report the two latter sick. . . . 14. Monday. . . . More troops going down the river. Expect a great fight below York Town. . . 18. Friday. Started everything to harrowing and getting the land ploughed ready to plant in corn immediately, as I understand my horses will probably be pressed into the service of the army. Edgar Miller returned me $11.10 of the $150 I gave him on the 9th to pay expenses of things up to Amelia Springs. . . . Sending my negroes' hay over to Berkley to be pressed. Had two ox-carts and 9 men at it all day. Captain Wm. Green of the navy arrived by land. 19. Saturday. I have had 9 men two days bailing up my negroes' hay at Berkley. Delivered it this morning. Mager de- 324 Smith College Studies in History livered 527 lbs., Wm. and Carter, 851 ; Wm. himself, 656; Ander- son, 979; and Austin, 212; in all, 3,225 lbs. . . . Sent here again for my negroes, but would not send them to work on forti- fications. Have three there now, and understand two of them are sick. 21. Monday. Easter holiday. Wind E. and N. E. all day, and drizzling rain. Very bad weather. The Patrick Henry and James Town passed up the river, one on yesterday and the other today ; also a small gunboat. Suppose they ran the blockade or have driven them from Newport News. 24. Thursday. . . . Received of Captain H. C. Whiting, agent for the government, this sum for 3,225 lbs. of hay for my negroes, $48.37. Mager receives $7.90 1-2; Wm. and Carter, $12.76; William, $9.84; Anderson, $14.86; Austin, $3.18. . . . 29. Tuesday. Planting corn. Sent 3 mules down to C. H., bought by the government, pressed — Sam, Bet, and Rock. They are to be valued there. Mr. Bentley pressed them. Weighed balance of my negroes' hay, fodder, etc. William has 424 lbs. fodder at $1.50, $6.36; Austin, 956 lbs. do., $14.34; John Camel, 526 lbs. do., $8.19; Dick, 96 lbs. do., $1.44; George, 470 lbs. do., $7.05. Free man, Miles, carried up for me today 6 veals in Custis Peck to sell in Richmond. 30. Wednesday. Received of Robert Bentley, agent for the government, this sum for two mules— Lucy, $175, and Bet, $100. These mules were pressed by the government. . . . May 1. Thursday. . . . Received of Harris Miles this sum for 6 veals he sold for me in Richmond. I paid him % for sell- ing. He received $20 each, $120, less %, $100 nett. Paid my negroes for their hay. 5. Monday. Gen. John B. Magruder and staff arrived here tonight from below Grove Wharf to remain until he recovers from boils, etc. He came up in the Wm. Allison. Major Ma- gruder (his brother), Captain W T m. Allston, Captain Hugh The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 325 Stanard, Captain Brent, Captain , 16 and Doctor Mallen and others came, with horses, etc. 6. Tuesday. Preparing to leave home for Amelia Springs. Land too wet to work. Left home with my two daughters, Mollie and Maria, at half past 11 o'cl. today. Brought with me, of my servants: Oliver, Robert, Mager, James, William, Thomas, An- derson, George, Pompey, Miles, Nathan, and Carter — young men; also, Matilda, Arrena, Julia, Eliza and little Lizzie — women and girls, making 17. Gave my wife before leaving home, this sum, $120. . . . Brought along also 4 of my best cows. We started off with my buggy and my two carriage-horses, my rid- ing horse, 2 wagons, and 8 of my best mules. It was the gloomi- est and most heart-rending thing I ever did in my life, to leave my wife and a part of my family behind. But I did it advisedly, as every friend I had advised me that they should remain, or else lose all I had at Westover. Never shall I forget my sufferings on the occasion. Even my negroes that I left behind wept bitter- ly. General Magruder and his whole staff said I must leave as I did. We arrived safely in Richmond by sundown and stopped at Mr. Richard Wilkins's, on Church Hill. I could not get my horses or anything in at a livery stable, so had to stop in the street. 7. Wednesday. Remained in Richmond all day. ... I bought for my boy Nathan a coat, $5.00, pr. pants, $2.25, and a flannel shirt, $4.00. Gave to my negroes $1.00 each. . . . 8. Thursday. Left Richmond for the Amelia Springs about 8 o'cl. and got as far as the High Hills, Mr. Martin's, 20 miles, where we staid all night. Found the road very bad, and very much fatigued. We could have gone much farther but was wor- ried by the cows' slow gait, and the men could not keep up. 9. Friday. Left the High Hills and got to Mr. Holt's, where we fed. Paid Mr. Holt this sum for fodder, $1.25. We arrived at Amelia Springs about sundown after passing over the worst road I ever saw. I paid Mr. Martin at the High Hills this morn- ing this sum for lodging, $5.00, and his servants, 55 cts. 16 Name omitted. 326 Smith College Studies in History 10. Saturday. . . . Set my hands to fixing a stable for my mules, etc. Very warm day. We have fixed ourselves in two rooms in the cabin row. . . , 17 12. Monday. Unpacked all my meat at the Springs and found it would have injured very much, if not have spoilt. Very mouldy and splably. [ ?] Sunned it all and counted it. Had, in hogsheads, 79 middlings, 80 shoulders, and 11 joles — in all, 170 pieces, and 45 hams, put away in Mr. Willson's smoke house ; so that I brought away from home 215 pieces meat and about 3,700 lbs. bacon, and left about the same at home. My wagons hauling for Mr. Willson cotton from the depot. They made 6 loads today. The rest of my hands planting potatoes for Mr. Willson. 13. Tuesday. ... I received a letter from my wife today dated the 9th. No enemy had then come up the river. And one from E. Miller of yesterday's date — very despondent and gloomy letter. I received a letter from Mr. Miller saying that we had sold 1932 lbs. beef to Gen. Magruder at 20 cts., $386.50, and the money would not be paid in Richmond in consequence of some informality in the draft. . . . 15. Thursday. . . . Heard the federal gunboats were in 8 miles of Richmond and had had a slight fight. . . . 21. Wednesday. . . . Got a letter from my wife dated 16th. Federals had not stopped or interfered with us at home so far. . . . 31. Saturday. Hired Nathan to Mr. Willson on yesterday for dining-room servant. Seven men and both wagons working for Cottrell. Our forces fought nearly all day on Williamsburg road 9 miles from Richmond. Gen. Joe. Johnston wounded. Our loss very heavy, supposed from 2 to 3,000. We drove the federals back some 3 miles. June 1. Sunday. Had another fight near same place, but not so " Mr. Selden's first idea . of keeping house at the Springs did not materialize. He and his family boarded at the hotel. The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 327 severe a one as that on yesterday. Rained and hailed tremen- dously at night. . . . 9. Monday. Whitsunday holiday. Very cool. Mollie Orgain and my son James went down to Petersburg. Sent by her this sum to purchase two dresses, etc., for daughters Mollie and Maria, $50.00. Returned $22.47. 10. Tuesday. My three men, James, Anderson, and Carter, ran away from here and believed gone home by way of Peters- burg, and will make for the Yankees. They left last night. Rained all day incessantly. . . . 25. Wednesday. Edgar Miller arrived here (Amelia Springs) from home. He brought up 14 head horned cattle and 37 sheep and sold them in Richmond — cattle at 7 and sheep at 14 cts., gross. Very cool. Heavy skirmishing between the two armies on the Peninsular today. One man wed corn for Mr. Willson. Cutting clover hay. 26. Thursday. The fight between the two armies on the Pen- insular commenced today with great success on our part. Drove the enemy back three miles and captured many batteries. Cutting clover. Mollie taken sick. 27. Friday. Still fighting all along our lines — a general en- gagement ; tremendous bravery on our side. Captured a large number of cannon and drove the enemy back some seven miles. Same work as yesterday. Mollie very sick. 28. Saturday. Tremendous fighting on the Peninsular. We have driven the enemy back some 15 miles, captured a great many prisoners, and killed vast numbers. Our loss estimated at some 8000. The enemy probably double that number. . . . 30. Monday. . . . The battle below Richmond still going on terrifically. July 1. Tuesday. Clear and cool. Battle still going on. 2. Wednesday. . . . The Mr. Willsons have hired Arrena 8 days. Battle still going on terrifically near Turkey Island. 3. Thursday. . . . Heard today that the Yankees were 328 Smith College Studies in History at Shirley and Berkley in their retreat, trying to get off to their transports. 5. Saturday. . . . General Johnston came here. 6. Sunday. Very warm. Julia commenced waiting on Gen. Johnston. . . . August 11. Monday. Received of Mr. S. S. Cotwell, this sum for work done on his farm (the Springs) to the 9th (a check on the Va. Bank), $264.25. Three men working for him, grubbing. 18 21. Thursday. I went down to Richmond in cars with Mollie to send for my wife. Paid passage, $3.50, and hack, $2.50. Went to son Miles's. 22. Friday. . . . Got an ambulance and six wagons of the government, and sent them down in the evening with Jimmie for my wife and family. . . . 24. Sunday. Still in Richmond. Jimmie and the wagons re- turned to Richmond without getting to Westover, the gunboats being there. Great disappointment to us all. Doctor Minge and his wife came up in them. Everything destroyed at Westover except the house. . . . 28. Thursday. Arrived at Springs after staying a week in Richmond. . . . September 1. Monday. Gen. J. E. Johnston and party left the Amelia Springs. Quite cool, and pleasant weather. Quite unwell. . . 6. Saturday. Settled with N. F. and F. C. Willson my bill* at Amelia Springs since 9th May. This bill for board, etc., $972.37. My bill against them $387.00. Gave them an order on Selden and Miller for this sum, $585.37. This is in full to this date. Their bill was an imposition beyond anything ever known. 18 While at Amelia Springs Mr. Selden hired his slaves out to the neighboring farmers. The detailed reports in his Journal of their labors shows how closely he was connected with their activities. It was as though he was still supervising them. The Westover Journal of John A. Selden, Esqr. 329 7. Sunday. My last day at the Amelia Springs. I went down to Richmond today with daughter Mollie to meet my wife from Westover. Found her at son Miles's, with Aunt Mary Selden, son Ned and Army. They were caught at Westover by the retreat of the federal army from around Richmond and have been kept at Westover for the last 8 weeks without ever being allowed to leave the yard. Ned has been very ill and now scarcely able to walk. I had not seen them before for 4 months. . . . 8. Monday. Received of Captain Cary this sum for 4 mules for the quartermaster's department, $650. . . . 9. Tuesday. Gave my Aunt Mary Selden this sum, $100. Received of the government this sum for work done by my negroes in April last at James Town, etc., $50.98. . . . 11. Thursday. Went down and spent day with Gen. Wise at Chapin's Bluff. . . . 15. Monday. Went down to Drury's Bluff, and from there to Chapin's Bluff, and staid all night with Gen. Wise. . . . 16. Tuesday. Paid for $1,200 worth of Confederate stock at par, $1,200. Paid by Selden and Miller 8 per cent. Received of Selden and Miller, to pay for the above, $1,200. Returned to Richmond with Gen. Wise, and hired' a buggy at $15 per day to go to Westover. Staid all night with Gen. Wise at Chapin's. 17. Wednesday. Went down to Westover with Wm. Allen. Found the estate entirely ruined. Should not have known it. Found Jarrat, 19 wife and 7 children, Edwin and wife, Jack, Moses, and John Camel, there. All the rest gone away with the Yankees, 36 in no. 20 The entire country ruined. 18. Thursday. Sold the Westover estate to Messrs. Ellet and Drury, of Richmond, for the sum of fifty thousand dollars cash — fifteen thousand dollars less than I had been offered for it before 19 The overseer. 20 December 6, 1861, Mr. Selden returned 63 slaves for taxes. He took 17 with him to Amelia Springs, three of whom ran away from that place (May 6, and June 9, 1862). 330 Smith College Studies in History the war. In the sale was included all my farming utensils. I lost all my crop, 36 negroes, and plantation swept of everything on it except houses, and dug up and injured to any extent. I think my loss cannot be less than $75,000 dollars. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 014 442 797 A