IMH 75:2 176-177

"Chronicles of Upper Burnet" (1)

1881

Friday, February 25th.

Father departed to town a-horseback to attend court. Alvin
attempted to split up a rail cut left of a stave-tree cut on the
point west of the house and did split the most of it into rails. I
worked at stowing wood away in the woodhouse and also split­
ting some. At noon Father returned (the case had been put off,)
and soon went down and put up the rest of the rails I hauled
yesterday. Alvin and I took down part of the fence back of the
orchard. Extending both end fences to Bain's line we destroyed
the lane back of the orchard and had about a hundred or so
rails to haul down to the road, I only got one sled load hauled
however. Sayroy Kivett(67) and Morgan Secrest were here hunt­
ing Father this afternoon for a moment. A day sunshiny and
cool, rather pleasant. Froze last night and thawed to-day as
usual.

Teaching Note: Although barbed wire had been invented around the early 1870's, its use
by the Harrisons is not mentioned. They are still using the conventional split rail fence.