THE FLAVIUS J. ASHBURN STORY
(In his own words) – Part 2
Last week I shared excerpts of an article Dr. Alton Childers published on Flavius Joseph Ashburn’s diary in 1993.
This week, I am submitting a continuation of Flavius Josephus Ashburn’s diary. However, I suggested last week that it was my intention to write about the burning of the family home but have decided to cover some other important things that happened in the latter months of the year 1858 first in order to understand the hard work involved in just surviving at that time…
He continues to write: “The first week in this month I worked at carrying corn and fodder out of my corn field to the house making a pair of bars cutting firewood building a hog pen & on Saturday 7th I went to Mr. J Smith’s to meeting to hear Bro T. Drummond preach and on Monday that he preached in my house at 11:00 and at night. That day I put up my hogs (three in number) to fatten. The rest of the week and for part of the next I built a stable and the rest of last week I cut wood went to mill & last night the weather being suitable I got four hands to help me husk corn till nine oclock and when they left I husked on till midnight today I have been writing.
Sunday Nov 28th Monday 22nd rainy 23rd 24th and 25th snowy 26th cloudy 27th a snow fell about six inches deep and about dark it commenced raining and is a raining a little yet and the greater part of the snow is melted off.
Last Friday I got my saw logs hauled out of my field and on the 22nd 23rd 24th and 27th I husked corn and last night about dark I finished. I have lofted away of white flint corn what will shell 59 bushels of yellow corn, 37 and of short corn 47 bushels making in all 143 bushels which is worth $11 and 50 cents.
I expect now in a few minutes to start to New Salem and tomorrow morning to commence teaching school there 10:30 a.m.
Sunday December 12th The snow which fell on the 27th of November was all taken off with rain before night the 28th which made the roads very muddy 29th cool and cloudy 30th cold, clear, and beautiful.
Dec 1st clear and cold 2nd 3rd 4th & 5th warm and rainy 6th clear and pleasant 7th rainy snowed a little at night 8th 9th 10th and 11th clear and cold 12th warm and cloudy.
On the 28th of Nov. about 11:00 I left home and started to New Salem to commence teaching school and after a tiresome tramp about dark I reached old Jefse F. Randolph’s (Nancy’s Grand father) and stayed till next morning when I commenced teaching and that week I had only from ten to fifteen scholars and the next from 200 to twenty four. I bourd among my imployers and am so far well treated, Yesterday I came home intending to stay a week to butcher my hogs, cut firewood & I have been suffering for more then a week with the pleurisy and today I have the headache.
Sunday 19th 13th 14th and 15th warm and rainy 16th 17th and 18th cool and nearly clear. Today is somewhat cloudy but pleasant.
Last Monday S Cumberledge and I butchered my hogs and the three only neated 360 lbs. Tuesday Repaired a few breached in the fences and cut sausage meat Wednesday and Thursday cut fire-wood. Friday corrected an error in a survey on the head of Big Flint. Saturday I went to mill and got three bushels of corn ground. This morning I have spend at Fathers and at home and am now nearly ready to start back to New Salem to continue my school 11 oclock and 45 minutes.
Conclusion of 1858 Dec. 19th 20th and 21st rainy and warm 22nd cool and nearly clear 23rd and 24th cool and cloudy 25th clear 26th rainy 27th and 28th cloudy and moderate 29th 30th and 31st warm, rainy and very muddy.
On the 19th about forty five minutes past twelve oclock I started back to New Salem and reached there about dark. Recommenced my school next morning and taught the rest of the month.
During the year of 1858 which has now rolled into eternity my expenses have been as follows.
For corn that I purchased $22.50, wheat and flour $14.60, tea $1.76, coffee $1.42, sugar .65 cents, syrup $2.01, soda .57 and a half cents, spices, .24 cents rice .21 cents Liquors $1.55, medicines $1.32 cakes, candy $1.21 and half cents, clothing $31.22 one fourth cents, shoes $6.07, tools $1.36, books, ink, paper $1.14, money paid at the toll gates .87 cents, black smithing $1.84, Furniture $10.25, work hired $41.63, tobacco $2.77, contributions $1.50 Making in all $146.70 and a fourth.
However the table does not contain all of my expenses for the grain, meat, milk, butter, vegetables, & that I consumed in family of my own raising would be difficult and in fact out of my power at this time to tell the cost of. My income would also be difficult to calculate for the past year but it has exceeded my expences between fifty and eighty dollars. At the commencement of the year I received forty seven dollars and twenty one cents leaving me with forty five cents in my pocket at the close of the year.
Owing to the failure of my corn crop in 57 my oats in 58 and my hand being sore so long last spring that I was obliged to hire so much work done my debts have increased since the commencement of the year nearly sixty dollars for at this time I owe two hundred and sixty eight dollars being the greatest amount that I have ever owed in my life.
But I have resolved if it is in my power so to do to be out of debt against this day three years to come if I am a live at that time and keep my health till then. Will I be able to fulfill that resolution? God only knows.”
The hardships which befell this good man and the weight of responsibility for his family can be felt in his ambition to be debt-free as soon as possible (3 years if he is still alive). It is evident that he has some health issues and is aware of his own mortality.
This article is typed as it was written in his Diary, with grammar errors, punctuation, and misspellings included.
L-R: Home built on Piggin Run by Aaron Ashburn. Josephus Ashburn, John Adams, Josie Ashburn Adams, Roy Ashburn, Charles C. Ashburn, Lavina Ashburn, Marie Ashburn, P.C. Brown, Carrie Ashburn, Grace Dotson, Bruce Ashburn, Stella Williams
God Bless.
Patricia Richards Harris
Doddridge County Historical Society