THE FLAVIUS J. ASHBURN STORY
(In his own words) – Part 3
Last week I shared excerpts of an article Dr. Alton Childers published on Flavius Joseph Ashburn’s diary in 1993 Part 2. This week, I am submitting a continuation of Flavius Josephus Ashburn’s diary in Part 3.
He continues to write:
“I often become absorbed in the reflections of my being so deeply involved in debt that it is the cause of great trouble and uneasiness to me. However, I still so managed my affairs so that my creditors do not hurry or trouble me for what I owe them, but I am not certain that they will continue to be so indulgent with me till my debts are all paid.
My humble and earnest prayer to the all-wise and ever-kind God is that He will bless me in both temporal and spiritual things according as He in His infinite wisdom seeth that I stand in need. And though I be poor in this world’s goods may I be rich in grace and an heir of the kingdom of heaven.
March 20th, Sunday evening. My business has been such that I have not had an opportunity to write any in my diary for nearly three months. And even now my mind appears too much confused to me as I would wish. But I think my memory aided by my daybook will enable me to pen down a correct though brief account of those things which most particularly concern me that have transpired since the last time I wrote in my diary before.
At the commencement of this year, 1859, I was engaged in teaching school in New Salem with quite a wild mischievous set of scholars that frequently obliged me to use the rod to enforce order. I boarded among my employers and was well-treated nearly every place I went. From the time I commenced teaching till I finished and reached home I stayed 12 nights at P.F. Randolph’s, 11 at T.F. Randolph’s, 6 at John T. Randolph’s, 15 at Jesse F. Randolph’s, 7 at Fowl’s, 1 at T. Gains, one at O.G. Nutter’s, 1 at S. Flower’s, 2 at A. Gabbert’s, 1 at Dr. Carder’s, 1 at C. Pope’s, 5 at June Munday’s, 3 at J. Varner’s and 4 at Brother T. Bum’s. Several nights I passed visiting or repairing clocks in the neighborhood near New Salem. One at Phineas F. Randolph’s, 1 at John Sutton’s, 1 at John Mathena’s, 2 at William lnis’, 2 at J.J. Young’s, 1 at John Skinner’s, 1 at George Ringer’s, 2 at D.O. Davis’, 3 at Joel H. Davis’ and 2 at Arden Strother’s. During the school term I came home 6 times which I prized more than any of my other visits.
There were several occurrences during the school term that I would be glad to note down here but for want of time I am obliged to omit them. On Friday, March 4th, 1859, I finished my school having made about fifty five dollars part of which I received, part I expect to receive some time hereafter and several dollars I never expect to receive. And on Sunday, March 6th, I returned home with about thirty seven dollars in my pocket.
Since then I have spent most of my time working the road going around to settle up with people with whom I had dealings going to mill.
On Sunday March 13th, Nancy and I moved her mother from here to Joel H. Davis’ in quite a poor state of health.
On the 14th, Father rented his place to Philip McNemar who moved into my Father’s house.
On Thurs. the 17th, with a large family. On the 16th Father and Alcinda started to Pennsylvania to find a situation to move to.
Monday, March 21st, I burned brush and sowed tobacco seed and in the evening Mrs. Haymond and her daughter came here and stayed til nearly 3 o’clock next day. On Tues. I boiled down some sugar water which got destroyed or stolen. We repaired fence Thurs. and made a bed stead. Fri. went to Eli Fleming’s on Arnolds Creek and drawed writings between him and John L. Cumberledge in a land trade. Sat. grubbed and picked brush. Today Nancy went to meeting and I stayed at home to write and keep watch over my property. Yesterday Father reached home again having left Alcinda in Pennsylvania and he states that he failed to find a suitable place to move to.
On Wed., March 30th, I helped Amaziah raise his house which is a hewed log building twenty by thirty six feet and two story high.
I passed the winter most of the time quite pleasantly for more true pleasure flows from a confiding trust in the goodness of God and the merits of Jesus than an alien sinner ever enjoys in all the rounds of merriment and what he mistakenly calls pleasure.
Ashburn ladies Delphia, Tensie, and Orpha, from Piggin Run
On Sat., April 2nd, 1859, I clerked at my Father’s sale. The rest of that week I worked at taking the timber off a small piece of ground preparatory to transplanting me an apple orchard.
On Sun. the 3rd, Nancy and I went to Simon Cumberledge’s a visiting.
On Mon. the 4th, I helped Father and Mother move up here to my house and transplanted eight apple trees. In the evening about sundown the word came to us that Nancy’s Mother had died that morning near New Salem at her Father’s. After dark Nancy and I started out and reached her Father’s about one o’clock.
On Tues. the 5th, Mrs. Strother was buried in the church yard in New Salem. That evening Nancy and I returned to Joel Davis’ and the next morning we came home.
On Wed. evening & Thurs. morning I transplanted twelve apple trees.
On Mon., April 11th, Tues, Wed. and Thurs. morning I grubbed and picked brush. In the evening shelled a grist of corn and took it to the mill at West Union and then went from there to John Cumburledge’s on Blue Stone and stayed all night. The next day I surveyed a piece of land on Arnolds Creek that he bought off Eli Fleming for which I received a dollar and a half. Yesterday I made rails and split up a few old chestnut logs in order to burn them. Today I have read, wrote and sung a little and part of the time have spent in absolute idleness.
Sm. Corner of Fowler’s 1899 sketch showing the Mountain Maid Mill at the edge of Middle Island Ck. Notice the old covered bridge in lower left corner of photo. (Possible mill referred to in this diary?)
Mr. McNemar gave up my Father’s place to him and left it last Wednesday. Last evening Father received a letter from Alcinda stating that she was sick and this morning he started to Pennsylvania to bring her hollo (word of encouragement).
Father borrowed my horse to ride to Pennsylvania. Nancy being obliged to go to Salem on Wednesday morning; I borrowed Simon Cumberledge’s horse and took her about seven miles and then I took the horse home. Nancy went on to J.H. Davis’s and from there she went in the carriage with Joel and Charlotte to Arden Strother’s. On Thursday they divided the property of Mrs. Strother, deceased, between them (Charlotte, Arden, Sarah Jane and Nancy), and that evening Nancy went to Salem. The next morning Nancy came on the cars to West Union and rode from there home on L.J. Davis’ horse. Yesterday I repaired Father’s clock while it was snowing and, in the evening, took L.J. Davis’ horse home.
The last week of April, owing to the very rainy weather and other preventing causes, I got but little done, however, William F. Randolph and I split about half enough stone to finish building my chimney. I cleared the brush and other trash off my last years corn ground preparatory to plowing it for corn this year. Made a few rails. Went to mill for father and worked a little in the garden. I have spent today reading, singing and writing down tunes.
Last Monday, Father and Alcinda reached home and on Thurs. and Fri. Father, Mother and Alcinda moved back into their own house.
Monday, May 2nd, I commenced plowing corn ground but was obliged to lend my horse to Amaziah the next day to haul tan barks so I picked brush. On Wed. and Thurs. I plowed and furrowed out corn ground and hauled rock off my corn ground to finish building my chimney.
On the 4th and 5th, I got about one and a half acres of corn planted. Fri. and Sat. I plowed for Band L. Welch. Today I have busied myself the greater portion of the time writing.
On Monday, May 9th, I plowed corn ground. Tues., 10th, Father, Nancy and I finished planting the ground that I cleared last Spring (about three acres). Wed., 11th, planted about one fourth of an acre in sugar-cane and flour-corn. Thurs., 12th, commenced fencing my calf pasture. Fri., 13th, in the morning built fence and in the afternoon plowed corn ground for father. Sat., 14th, plowed corn ground and planted corn for father. Today Nancy and I went to Simon Cumberledge’s a visiting.
Sunday evening, May 22nd, Last Monday I finished fencing my calf pasture. Tues. Morning transplanted tobacco. The rest
of the week I cleared ground. Today I pictured a vase of flowers and wrote a little.
Mon., Tues. and Wed. I finished clearing a small piece of ground (three fourths of an acre). Wed. evening and Thurs. plowed and furrowed it.
On Fri., May 27th, I planted it in corn. On Thurs. evening I went to the election. Sat. helped father roll logs, hoed my potatoes.
On Sunday, 29th, went to Brother John Smith’s for a meeting and heard Brother Daniel Sekman preach two sermons.
Mon., 30th, plowed corn. Tues., 31st, went to Simon Cumberledge’s to a gruling frolick.
Wed., June 1st, transplanted tobacco in the morning and Nancy and I hoed corn in the afternoon. Thurs., 2nd hoed corn and shelled corn in afternoon. Fri. morning went to mill and hoed corn in afternoon. Fri. hoed corn in morning and plowed corn in afternoon.
Today Nancy went to Joel’s and Amanda went down to Father’s and I am at home spending the day a reading, writing and looking at the destructive effects of last nights frost. I think that many of the apples and the peaches are killed. I also think that my potatoes, beans, melons and pumpkins are entirely ruined. My corn that yesterday was about half a leg high, beautiful and flourishing is now wetted to the ground, but it is not entirely killed. In short, corn fields and gardens exhibit quite a melancholy sight today but “the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord”
God Bless.
Patricia Richards Harris
Doddridge County Historical Society