Here is the third installment of Hindley’s 1880 diary, bringing us up to the end of May. Looks like a hellacious April they had. Again, i would like to thank Laurence and Lisa Hindley for donating their transcript of this journal to the Mattole Valley Historical Society, and Bob Stansberry for making notes to it (his are in italics– my comments are in [brackets]). For a little background on the Hindley family, see this West of the Redwoods post.
MAR. 13—Clear all day and chilly, all’s well. I worked on Buck pasture fence. Willey Cathey helped me, Georgie hauling the fence posts. Gillespie and wife came over, stay all night.
MAR. 14—Clear all day and pleasant. Gillespie and wife went down to Hunters. W. Cathey went out a hunting, kild three dear. Fitsjerld was hear. I staid at home all day. [C.C. Fitzgerald introduced here on Jan. 5; note also Jan. 26.]
MAR. 15—Clear all day and pleasant. I pottered round home all day. Georgie and Cathey went out and brought in some deer. Gillespie and wife came alsow. Gillespie and wife all staid tonight.
MAR. 16—Cloudy with snow in the eavning. Gillespie and wife went home. I went over to Dan’s and got the old dog. Fitsgerlds and family and my folks all went to Frosts’ today.
Where did the Frosts live? There was a Frost place at Briceland.
MAR. 17—Foggy in the morning, clear all day and pleasant. Fits and Frost and I went a hunting. Killed a coon. I seen Lemdale [?] and his father today, also Rudolph and James Ross.
MAR. 18—Clear all day and pleasant. Fits and Dale went out hunting but without success. I staid at the house with Mr. Frost and our folks. Ross and Rudolph went off in the morning.
MAR. 19—Clear all day. Fitsgerlds and family, I and wife and family left Frosts and came over to Gillims and staid all night. Fits and I went out hunting, did not find anything. Briton is stopping here. Could Gillim be the same as Gilham who had a cabin low on the south face of Gilham Butte? [Bob- I would think so. Gillim, Gillens—probably Gilham.]
MAR. 20—Clear all day. Fits and I went out hunting in the morning and kild a link [lynx?]. Eat dinner with Gillens and Braton and saddled up our horses and came home. Lisa is heare.
Could Braton be Johnson Coldgrove Brayton who had a place 2 or 3 miles northeast of Gilham Butte on Elk Ridge? [Again, Bob Stansberry is probably right.]
MAR. 21—Cleare all day. Fits and family went home today. Gillespie came up today. Georgie went and took dogs to Dan’s. I set some fence posts today.
MAR. 22—Cleare all day, pleasant. Gillespie and wife packed up and moved. W. Cathey came from home and passed by going to town. I sent for some stuff. I worked on fence today.
MAR. 23—Cloudy all day and a little sprinkle of rain. Georgie got home from Dan’s and brought home the dogs. I worked all day on pasture fence. I gave Gillespie an order yesterday for 460 cts on Gill. [$4.60 order from C. Gill, who ran the Petrolia Store in the early 1880s with Walker Hunter. ]
MAR. 24—Cloudy and cold. Snowed all forenoon very hard. Cathey got back last night from town. He left today for Bull creek. I staid in the house all day on account of the storm.
MAR. 25—Clear and cloudy by spells. All well heare. I went out hunting and kild five coons. I went out to look after sheep and found them all quiet. No trouble among them.
MAR. 26—Cloudy all day and reining steady all day, very cold and chilley. All well with us. I went out on Sulphur Springs and killed a dear and corralled the sheep at night.
MAR. 27—Cloudy all day and raining very hard most all day. Snowing at night. I went out looking after sheep and killed a dear in the forenoon and then corralled the sheep at night. Katy had a lamb. [Guessing Katy is a ewe.]
MAR. 28—Cloudy all day and snowing by spells. Killed a hog in forenoon and after dinner hauled up some wood and then went out and brought in a deer.
MAR. 29—Cloudy all day and snowing all day by spells very cold and blustery. Nobody came or went today. I stayed in the house all day and don nothing.
MAR. 30—Cleare all day with a few flying clouds. Geo. Hill brought over lard and bacon 54 lbs, 9 & 4 cans lard $8.86. Mr. Barton went by to Fits. Hill went home, Georgie went to Dan’s. I fixed up sled at home all day.
MAR. 31—Cloudy and raining hard all day. I planted chestnuts and walnuts last night. I staid in the house all day. Harrington and Cathey came today and Georgie came back.
Thursday APR. 1—Cloudy all day with rain at times. Cathey and Herington went home to day. Wife and I went over to Fits with dog. Got his Note [for] 150 dollars. I came back and worked on fence in eavning. 14 lbs. nales.
APR. 2—Raining hard all last night and today. Staid in the house all day. Georgie and I are at home alone. Wife at Fits. I got 14 lbs nales from Fits last night. Still raining very steady.
APR. 3—Cloudy and raining all day by spells. Nobody came or went. Georgie and I cleaned up round the shearing pen. Made a gate to pasture fence. I wrote a letter to Sloss and one to Richardson.
APR. 4—Clear all day with a few clouds. Wife came home from Fits. Georgie and me fixed up road and made a gate to Buck pasture fence and hauld up some wood. Cloud at night.
APR. 5—Clear all day and pleasant. I went to Petrolia, seen Bootses ,eat diner with them. Went down his trail. Staid with Godwin and Hunycutt, don some trading with Gill. [Ab Godwin’s hotel.]
APR. 6—Clear all day. I staid in town most of the day. Don some business with Gill & Hunter. Came to town and I went up to W. Hunter’s and staid all night.
APR. 7—Clear all day. I had a little Business with W.M. Rudolph. Left town with Hunters and (Jimeson?) and came home. Eat dinner at Singleys. Seem Samuls on the road, got home all safe.
APR. 8—Clear all day, pleasant. I went down to Hunter’s and ran throo the sheep and helped mark Hurlbutt’s lambs and then we marked Hunter’s lambs. Me no lambs.
APR. 9—Cloudy and raining hard all day. I staid in the house all day. Gillespie and wife came and Rodia Merrifield , and are heare tonight. Don nothing all day. Lost Old Maw, fell in a gulch died. Amens came and went. [Maw a sow perhaps?]
APR. 10—Cloudy all day and rainy all night. I skinned old Maw. Worked on road. Gillespie and wife sent to Hunters. Dan and (Perkins) came from Mattole and Roda. They all stay tonight. Cold and chilly.
APR. 11—Cloudy all day and raining by spells throo the day. Rained at night hard. I staid at home, don nothing. Dan and Girl and Perkins went home. Millsap came, staid.
APR. 12—Cloudy all day and raining all day by spells and snowing at night. I staid in the house all day and don nothing. Millsap went home in eavning. Cathey came to stay.
APR. 13—Cloudy and raining all day with snow at times. Cold storm. Staid in the house all day and don nothing. Cathey is heare with us. It looks like winter was set in.
APR. 14—Cloudy and raining hard all day. I staid in the house all day and plaid checkers with Cathey. Johnson came over and I let him have 100 of flour.
APR. 15—Cloudy and raining all day. Ruff weather very cold. Cathey is heare waiting on us to go. I staid in the house all day and fixed a chair.
APR. 16—Snowing steady and hard from south east. Cathey went to post office and brought up male. Letter from Ma and Sloss. I staid in house. Geo. brought rosia cow and calf census.
APR. 17—Cloudy and snowing all day by spells. Went to Sulphur Springs in morning. Kild two deer after dinner. Went down the hill a killed a deer. Very cold. W. Cathey went home.
APR. 18—Cloudy all day and wind blowing from south east. Slept all forenoon. Staid at home all day. Gillespie came and went off for Hunter’s. Hauled up some wood.
APR. 19—Cloudy and raining all day and snowing afternoon. Georgie went to post office this afternoon. I went down and seen him cross the river. I cleaned up round. Buck died.
APR. 20—Cloudy and raining hard all day without letting up to rest. Georgie got back from post office with a letter from Ma H and newspapers. I don nothing. [Ma Hindley?—George’s wife was Margaret Jane Holman, so Ma H could’ve been her or maybe her mother as well.]
APR. 21—Cloudy and raining all day by spells. Wind in south cold and haily. Hauled up some wood and don nothing but lofed round the fire most of the day. Too much rain.
APR. 22—Cloudy raining and snowing and hailing, sun shine all day. Done nothing all day but sat in the house all day. W. Cathey came over from his place and stays tonight.
APR. 23—Clear all day. Margaret, Georgie, Earnest Amen all started today for Weaverville. I saddled up and we went to Petrolia and staid all night at Rudolph’s.
APR. 24—Clear all day. We left Petrolia with T. Right [Wright?] and came to Stuarts and staid all night. I got one hundred $ from C. W. Gill at Petrolia for Expenses.
APR. 25—Foggy all day. We left Stuart with Wright and his wagon and came to the town of Ferndale and put up at Stooms’ (?) hotel. Several Mattole folks is heare. [Stewart’s was in Capetown.]
APR. 26—Foggy all day. We are still at Stoans’ (?) hotel. The Oddfellow will celebrate today. A nice march and oration. I acted as F(?) S.S. to the procession, a nice time.
APR. 27—Foggy all day. Staid at Ferndale at Stowns’(?) hotel and bummed rownd town. Seen several old acquantince. (?) Langdon is heare. Seen Singley pass on a mule.
APR. 28—Clear and pleasant most of the day. Still stopping at Stone’s hotel. Stone and I went to Hydesville and then to Rohnervill and to Springville. [I think finally we have to the right spelling. Stone was a hotel keeper earlier in Petrolia, then apparently in Ferndale.]
APR. 29—Foggy all day and very cool. We left Stone’s at Ferndale and came to Eureka staying at Finson Hotell. Steamer came in about one oclock. Tended to land business.
APR. 30—Clear all day but a little foggy in forenoon. Still at Finson Hotel. I [maybe Patrick or John] Mackey and family came in today and are all stopping in the same house.
Saturday MAY 1—Cloudy in the morn and clear by spells. My family and me are still at the Finson Hotel. Seen Carr and Roun(?) and visited D. Renfrow in the evening. [David Renfro’s son Absalom is buried in the Petrolia Cemetery. David was married to Sarah Shinn, and was Thomas Wright’s brother-in-law.]
MAY 2—Cloudy all day and raining in the eavning a little. Rained hard in the night. We went to the steamer. I stand [?] my folks left at 5 oclock a.m.
MAY 3—Cloudy all day and raining after dinner by spells. I staid at Finson Hotell till noon and then took the stage and came to Ferndale and stopped at Stones.
MAY 4—Cloudy and raining hard most all day. I am at Stone’s hotel yet. I will start home tomorrow with King, stage driver [Russell King]. Am very tired of lowfing in here.
MAY 5—Clear all day and clouds flying. I left Ferndale this morning with King driver. Taxes on property 20.26. I stopped at Big Abb’s [Absalom Godwin’s hotel in Petrolia] at night. Seen Rudolph.
MAY 6—Clear by spells, a bit cloudy by spells. Settled with King and owe him 16.50. Then saddled up and came up home. Called for male and got a letter from Alex Dunn.
MAY 7—Clear all day it rained last night very hard. J. Gillespie came last night and staid and went down to Hunter’s. Cathey went to town. Millsap came today. I hauled manure all day.
MAY 8—Cloudy and foggy all day and raining all day and misting. Millsap and I staid in the house all day. Cathey got home from town with burlap and tobacco.
MAY 9—Clear most all day. I hauled manure all forenoon. Cathey and Millsap went after a cow. Milsap broke his leg. Cathey went for a doctor and set it tonight. I fetched Mrs. and Fits.
MAY 10—Raining all day and blowing from south, hard wind. Doctor went home. Mrs. Millsap too. Bell came over to wait on her father. I staid in the house all day. Millsap’s easy.
MAY 11—Cloudy and raining all day and snowing. Elisa, Fayett and Jim Gillespie came today. I staid in the house all day. Milsap is resting easy and comfortable.
MAY 12—Foggy all morning. Jas (?) Hunter, Hurlbutt and W Rudolph were [here] today. I went to post office and got a letter from Wife and came home. Larkins came and staid all night. Gillespie left.
MAY 13—Foggy this morning and clear all day. Larkin left this morning for Millsap’s place. I went out and kild a deer. Dan and Willie came over to night and stayed.
MAY 14—Clear. Dan and I plowed the garden and I planted the fine tater (?). Cathey went to postoffice and brought me a letter from Richardson and Weir. Dan and Cathey went home after dinner.
MAY 15—Clear all day with a few flying clouds from south. I staid round all day, fixed up fence, went after cattle and wrote a letter to Standard. Nobody came today. Millsap is resting easy.
MAY 16—Foggy most all day. I went over to Fits’s and drove over four yearlings. The Doctor was up and changed Milsap’s bandiges on his leg. Wrote a letter to Weir and Richardson.
MAY 17—Foggy all day by spells. Milsap was in misery all last night and today. Fitsgerald came over this morning and borrowed my foot adze. I worked in garden all day.
MAY 18—Cloudy and sultry towards eavning. Rain light. I sheared the pets and branded six yearling calves. Mrs. Millsap was over and (?). How (?) also came with her.
MAY 19—Clear all day, I saddled and came to town. Staid at Abbs all night, got a letter from my wife at Petrolia. Seen King, Tom Wright, Hunycut and several.
MAY 20—Clear all day and cold wind in eavning. I left town in com. With Schonmaker [Schumacher?] and came home. Found Truman heare and Millsap is getting along first rate.
MAY 21—Clear all day and pleasant. I saddled up and went with Shumak over to Millsap’s and I staid all night and killed a deer and cut some wood. Mrs. Millsap came over and staid heare.
MAY 22—Fog most all day. I left Millsap’s and came home. Mrs. Millsap went home. Bell(?) went to Garberville. Alliseis [?] is heare. Tom Boots came and got a pair of shears.
MAY 23—Clear all day and cold wind from north. I went to Fits’s and Fits came over home with me, and got two singletrees [?] and 11 lbs. beans. Allice and Millsaps are heare yet.
MAY 24—Clear all day and cold. Nobody came or went today. I fixed up the shearing pen and corrall and hung a gate and potterd round the place. Millsap and Allice is still heare and doing well.
MAY 25—Clear all day and windy. I staid and cooked up a lot of bread and grub. The shearers came at noon and sheared after dinner. Wm. Rudolph, Boots, Dave Carrey, Singley and G. Hill. Cathey came.
MAY 26—Clear all day and warm. The shearers worked all day. I cooked and doctored sheep and [that] kept me going. Cathey was helping doctor and went to his sheep at Spring.
MAY 27—Clear all day and warm. Shearers worked all day. Potter and Parkhurst was heare yesterday. Truman was helping doctor today and went home after Dan’s sheep. Pas Hunter was heare.
MAY 28—Clear all day and pleasant. Shearers they sheared out 200 head of Cathey’s band today. Truman brought over Dan’s band and the boys sheared a few of them. Cathey past heare.
MAY 29—Clear and cold wind all day. The Boys finished Dan’s band and all left but Rudolph. Carey went to post office. Cathey drove his band home in morning. Dan drove this eavning.
MAY 30—Clear and windy. I went with Rudolph and Carey and we started to build his house. They left after dinner for Singley’s to [?] Truman and Cathey came and Luce brought old gin. [An animal?]
MAY 31—Clear and cool all day. Truman, Willie and me bailed wool all day. Ten bales, 5 for Dan and the rest Cathey. Dan came over to pack the wool off. Milsap is still heare.
West of the Redwoods 