IMH 75:2 184

"Chronicles of Upper Burnet" (1)

1881

Thursday, March 17th.

It rained some little last night but was clear and warm
to-day. Father went and inverted the buckets up at the sugar­
camp to wait for better days. He went over the creek and
helped Foster and Hand till noon. Alvin and I chored around
but felt like we did'n't have to do much. John Bain came to
borrow the post-auger and was sent to Fowler's. After dinner
we hauled two loads of course gravel from the sugar camp
branch and put it down by the watering-trough where it had
become very muddy. Alvin and I then went in the wagon to
Wat's where we got our breaking plow which has been there
ever since the 13th. of last October. We also got one of the
township road-scrapers. Not a soul was at home at Wat's. Three
of the first of old Keziah's pigs disappeared last night. The
cause is not known here.

 

Teaching Notes: There are two types of "post augers." One is for wood and smaller
and one is for soil and larger. The one for wood is generally used to make holes
in beams for pegging to hold two pieces together. The One used for soil is larger and
is used to make a hole to put a hole in the ground for a post..uaually a fence or gate
post.

The father, Frederick, going over to help neighbors cut wood is revealing. There was a
"spirit of cooperation" in the farming community. You can witness that still in rural communities
and especailly in the Amish communities in Indiana and elsewhere... it worked for the benefit
of all then... and continues to this day in nearly all endeavors.