Steering the boat up salt river I learned from my great Uncle 86 year old Uncle Hubert Baker means up the river without a paddle. The election in Owsley was the 1924 election This is from my great great grandpa's diary: July 31 Raining a little this morning not much Ed is going after some dinamighte to blast the slate in his well ( but got powder) came back and put in one shot and struck water. Abner and Nancy came over and took a night with us.(This is Ab & Nancy Amis Baker) Aug 1 they have gone down to the election we are going after dinner Ab is a candidate for Sherif. We have been down and voted. Aug 2. We learn that Charley Seal got the nomination for legislation. Clay Combs Judge T.G. Green Clerk Green Wilson Sherif Seber Eversole sesor John Hughes Jailor Ike Wilder coroner I do not know who will stear the boat up salt river there will be a wonderful load. Aug 3, been plowing out Ed's tobacco and hauling up some stove wood. Ed has been working on his well letting of some blasts. So as to get blow the stream of water. Has Rained a little shower this evening. Aug 4 Have been splitting palin slats 3 oclock has rained a pretty good shower and is still raining. Boby has been here took dinner with us and tell's us that the Citizens which stands for Law and Order is Shaping a Dry Ticket for judge and Sherif. Clay Combs and Green Wilson. He has gone home. Aug 5 & 6 have been still working at my palin slats Ed has gone to town today. We have just eat dinner. Aug 7 We went down to Jimmy's stayed all night. Aug 8, I went down town out on the new road took dinner with Uncle Ed Duff went over to New Hope to the lodge from there over to brother James Neely's took a nother pleasant night with him. . Aug 9 Came over and talked a while with Mrs. Smith Came on over took dinner with T.J. Green Came on up to J.W. Bakers and stayed all night Aug 10 We came over to Dudley Reynolds took dinner had a good talk with Uncle Meridith Reynolds then came on home. We have been resting up a little I went up to Ed's he has his well finished and walled up. Aug 12 We had us one bushel meal ground will begin using it to day. Also one sack flour began using it today. Has rained a small shower just before ten oclock. Ed & Charley McIntosh is raising and hauling out some more coal . Rained a shower in the night. Aug 13 Mrs. Turner came and took last night with us. I have been getting stove wood and pulling weeds this morning. Rained a pretty good shower before 4 oclock it is raining again about dark. Aug 14. I have picked a few beans and am cooking some for Betty. Eliza Chandler bring us a nice mushmelon this evening. Aug 15 Boby came over and stayed with us last night. Is gone back home this evening little Jim and Abel Mayes went with him. Aug 17 I went down to Bill Reynolds to get him to hall my logs to the mill. Aug 18 We went up and took a night with Marian and Liza Chandler. Aug 19 have been fitting a barrel to Sulpher apples. Alson took dinner with us today. A.C. was here a short while today John Horn and Marion Chandler was down to see us this evening. Aug 20 I got my logs halled to the mill by Billy Reynolds and had them all sawed in to lumber before noon. Took dinner with Sam Wilson and Lotty and the children. Saw Lotty's sister Laura from Middle town Ohio. Aug 21 & 22 been taking it easy. Aug 23 Sunday Aug 24 I wen to town got me some sulpher to sulpher my apples. Aug 25 I sulphered my apples. Billy Reynolds Team and Charley Callahan's Team halled my lumber up home. Aug 26 I have been helping Eds Wife Suplher their fruit. She hope me yesterday just been swaping work with her. Aug 27 Stacked all my lumber in the yard and let down my foundation 6 inches . Went over to Indian Creek after Ed. Sept. 1-2 & 3rd have been covering botting? And laying flore and moving my stove in. Got dinner on the third of Sept. in the new house. 4th & 5 have worked up all my plank and got my table moved in the cook room. Margaret Amis and Osker came over today. 7th have been sulpering fruit. Rained a good shower in the after noon. I have been working the 8 & 9th. Got done sulphering and it has rained a small shower this evening just after 11 oclock. 10th Cloudy and raining a little this morning. 11th we went down to T.G. Green's stayed all night went over to New Hope the 12 to a big meeting went down took a night with A.J. Barker and family and Marthy Eversole his sister. 13th Came back took a night with A.C. got good and wet. 14th Took dinner with Addie Jim's wife and Huldy was there her sister. We then came on to Henry Mayse's stayed all night. 15th We came home and I cut the tops on the garden. 16 Pulled some cane fodder went up to John Woodse's halled a load of cane seed down for Ed. 17 have set up my tops? Pulled some more cane fodder got dinner and eat my share of it. Pulled some more cane fodder went up to John Woods's got some more cane seed and some molasses for Ed. Lucy was here when I came home. Ed bought a horse and a cow. Sept. 18 let Vina have my mare to go to Ellen's with Harlin Chandler have been pulling some more cane fodder. Sept. 19 finished pulling my cane fodder hope Ed cut up 17 shucks of corn in his cow tide up. He was 73 years old when he wrote this, a fine example of how they lived their everyday life, working hard just to survive. You would have to see the mountain side they lived on to get a real appreciation for exactly how hard they did have it. The term "tricks" is still used today by many of the older people and means "whatever they got at the store". Here's another one that is still used by many, "We're going to Bowman's house tonight and are going to eat a founder"! My cousin Albert Bowman who is fixing to turn 91 still saucers and blows his coffee. My great aunt and uncle still use a chamber pot for the upstairs bedroom. Sherry Lynn Baker Frazier President Owsley County Kentucky Historical Society http://owsleykyhist.org http://sherryfrazier.com