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Friday 1 – New year has commenced with us again. We are quite discontented owing to out unsettled condition and our affairs being in a very bad fix.
Saturday 2 – I had another dun from Haydin on behalf of Burkholder and also one from A. Mengers from Marysville. I received a letter from him dated the 18th of December last.
Early in the morning Carter and I started over to Mill Creek prospecting but returned without making the desired discovery, though we found some fresh deer sign, that we expect to look after some other time.
Sunday 3 – Cold last night, yet a beautiful sunny morning. Calm and serene, a day of rest, a day that should be devoted to the praise of God—and yet there is none that will set the example.
Monday 4 – I wrote a letter to John at Marysville but failed to get it off. I was lying around as usual not doing anything. I let Maston have the oxen and wagon to haul wood. Dick is to work for the Arkansas company yesterday evening.
Tuesday 5 – It commenced snowing this morning at day light continued all day. The snow is some 6 or 8 inches deep in valley. The sleighs are running.
Thursday 6 – Clear and cold. Nothing to note, but everywhere about this place seems very dull. On Sunday last I got from J.C. Lewis $74.75 in exchange for Lovejoy’s note of the same amount due 3 months with interest at 3 per cent per month. I paid Overton $100 in interest money the same day and gave my note for $125 more for the same. I gave Harper $20 and my note for $120 on an old beef account of the date of December 9th 1857 on Monday last.
Thursday 7 – I let Maston have the ox team to haul wood and hay. The nights are cold but days are sunny and somewhat warm, &c.
Friday 8 – The nights are cold and days somewhat warm. Things were very dull about these diggins yesterday. On Sunday last I collected $10 of Streshly for hay.
Saturday 9 – Its quite cold last night. The water has frozen out in our branch of the creek every night this past week. None comes down till noon for the stock to drink. I gave Byers a letter to carry to Marysville for John to look at, as B. is going down. I and my wife took tea with Lewis and family.
Sunday 10 – Cloudy and snowing a little early this morning. As far as I can discover while noting down the past week occurrences that interested, me the day has passed without any improvement in the morals of the people of Quincy —
Monday 11 – It snowed all day at a moderate rate, but melted quite as fast as it fell. I paid $.25 for tax, put soles on my boots, and played billiards and cards for whiskey. It is what most are at here at Quincy.
Tuesday 12 – Last evening Myers’ little daughter came to board with us while going to school. It snowed last night 8 inches deep in the valley but cleared up today.
Wednesday 13 – The sleighs are in full blast. Today is somewhat cloudy. Nothing to note, all dullness and dissipation. We’ve read the president’s message.1
Thursday 14 – Very cold last night indeed, but the day was warm and sunny. Several citizens went up to Spanish Ranch in sleighs with a view to have a dance.
Friday 15 – Early this morning it is snowing fast and the appearance indicates a deep fall of snow.
P.M. It melts away as fast as it falls. I brought a suit against old Sockum to recover costs in which he was interested. I had a note garnished in the hands of the Jews, Asheim &c.
Saturday 16 – The snow is 6 inches deep here with crust on it, with a damp atmosphere. The sun shines out at intervals. Maston got 73 pounds wheat. There was a dance at Meadow Valley tonight.
Sunday 17 – Today passed off as usual, drinking bad whiskey and playing billiards with most idlers. I too was playing chess with Norton and won the odd game.
Monday 18 – Up at day light while the rest in the house is quiet. The fog is quite dense, but few houses with the smoke ascending the chimney pipes as yet in the town. I cleaned off the hay ladders so the sun could melt away the snow.
Tuesday 19 – Quite frosty last night. We are still carrying on our regular do-nothing ways.
P.M. We loaded on some hay and Carter and Jack went to Betsy Town with the hay to Burkholder. I let Hogan have the horse to go over to Indian Valley.
Wednesday 20 – Cloudy and rainy all day. About dark it commenced to snow and continued all night.
Thursday 21 – Still snowing and raining all day, but without increase in the depth of the snow at all in the valley. Very dull indeed.
Friday 22 – The snow fell near one foot deep last night and has been at it all day, but rather too warm to increase its depth. Sockum came to town to settle our lawsuit by giving his note with G. Martin as security for $1,62.85, payable the first of June next. This pays in full for the company.
I sold Maston 75 pounds cabbage at 5 cents and got the cash $3.75. I hauled on the coarsest pair of boots on Wednesday last that I’ve worn in California, for which I am to pay $7. They are the sixth pair I’ve got for my own use since coming to California.
Saturday 23 – It was snowing this morning at daylight very moderately. Several old woman took tea with us, and some men.
Sunday 24 – It was quite cold last night. Sundays is considered no better day than the rest of the week.
Monday 25 – The weather has moderated somewhat, though cloudy and foggy.
Tuesday 26 – The same routine of business and lounging all day.
Wednesday 27 – There is no alteration in the weather, it being cloudy and foggy, nor in the regular employment in town with the citizens.
Thursday 28 – It is the same thing over again day and night: playing cards for whiskey and billiards to see who shall keep his money or pay to the table.
Friday 29 – Cold and clear last night. I let Maston have 53 pounds wheat. The sun shone out warm and pleasant. Nothing doing.
Saturday 30 – Cold and freezing last night and warm today. I played some chess with Norton. I proved rather the best today.
I let Duesler have the oxen and wagon to haul a load of hay.
I let Brewer have 348 pounds wheat at 6 cents per pound and got in return 10 gallons lager beer and had the same amount previous. Hogan came back on Monday last after being gone with the horse one week —
