IMH 75:2 186 -187

"Chronicles of Upper Burnet" (1)

1881

Thursday, March 24th.

Father went to mill at Martinsville this morning and was
gone till three o'clock Mr Henry Fowler was here a few mo­
ments to see about getting a fro, just before Pap left. It froze
hard last night, and was only partially cloudy with a south
wind. Wat had the best run of the season, getting six barrels of
sap. Some of us were around the camp nearly all the time I
spent most of the forenoon and a short time in the afternoon up
there, Alvin was there a good while in the forenoon and lastly
Father was up with him a short time in the afternoon and a
good while after supper. Wat stirred off in the afternoon and
got four or five gallons of syrup. There was a good deal of
rattling noise over the creek to-day for John Kivett and son
were helping Foster and Hand. The four claimed that they
sawed twelve cords Wat came and boiled after dark John
Kivett and Bob Foster were his visitors besides Pap who
did'n'tget home till ten o'clock. I finished and sent my letter to
Grandmother.

Teaching note; A "fro" or a froe is a hand tool that is used to split wood.. usually used in making
wood shingles . Here is an image

The definition of a cord of wood varies, but generally is considered to be a 4' x 8' stack of wood
the width being around 18" to 2'. Twelve cord of wood would have been very difficult considering
it was all saw by hand.