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The Diaries of James Armistead Otey
edited and annotated by James
Otey Hoge, Jr. |
- James Armistead Otey, the owner and operator of Walnut
Spring farm, kept his journals from age 26 in 1889 until
1926. He not only ran the farm, but participated in the
daily work and often describes details of sheep shearing,
tending new-born colts, and other farm duties. He also
participated in the social and political life of nearby
Blacksburg, Virginia.
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- With editing and annotation by James Otey Hoge, Jr., his
great-nephew, the diaries capture the changes of an evolving
Virginia community. Includes index of more than 1000 names of people
mentioned in the diaries or notes.
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- Excerpt: Tuesday January 21, 1890)
I rode to Christiansburg to call on Miss
Shanks [footnote: Miss Shanks was related to Sue Shanks
(1849-1925), who married Archer Allen Phlegar (1846-1912), and to
Lt. David Carey Shanks, Jr. (b. 1861), who in 1894 became a
professor of military science and tactics and commandant of cadets
at V.A.M.C.]-- did not see her as she was out. Called on Sallie
Jordan and Cousin Bell gave me a nice lunch. I came back by
Blacksburg -- got a nice letter and photo and one of Charlie. Got an
invitation to Miss Edith Kirkus' marriage on 5th of Feb. Lizzie and
Alex had gone to Richmond. Got a nice letter from Mamie and Lulu.
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- Excerpt: Friday March 26, 1909
Alice's mumps came out on left side and she is right sick with it.
Hub putting in posts around Potato patch.
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- Excerpt: Sunday March 28, 1909
Cold & wet. We did not go to church. Alice much better. But has to
stay indoors.
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- Excerpt: Saturday February 25, 1911
Up very early, milk off to VPI. I sent two wagons to Blacksburg with
coal for W.A. Price and got two loads in my own cellar. 5 lambs came
today. Julia drove up to Dr. P.B. Barringer's to meeting of the
D.A.R. Henry Tyler, a Mr. Lee Sutton & John Cox [John Hampton Cox
and Lee Edwards Sutton Jr. were students at Virginia Polytechnic
Institute in Blacksburg] are here tonight. Jim Pascoe [1871-1952,
married Lillie Catherine Price Kanode, did handyman chores on the
farm] worked on room over Parlor. I lost a lot of little pigs
that came today. I studied my Sunday school lesson for tomorrow.
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- Excerpt: Friday, June 19 *(1914)
I found all doing tolerably well here. Lillie Price is cooking for
me. She had let all but nine of Julia's Turkeys get lost. Lillie
Price and I worked hard to get house cleaned, and I had 5 men
cutting wheat. The wheat is good and the men are doing well. I had
Calvin take the farm wagon for Julia's trunk. Shipped 8 old hams to
Charles Payne. I got 2 barrels of flour in Blacksburg and meal for
hands to sift. I met Julia at the 7 PM train & drove straight out
home.
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- Excerpt: Thursday, January 8, 1920
After Harve & Jim fed cattle first Ensilage this winter, I sent
Harve to Blacksburg mill with 32 bushels of wheat for J. L. Wall.
Jim cut up old apple trees for wood and did other work around barn.
Prof. Burkhart came to see me about my coal for V.P.I. I walked over
some of the lines with him. Julia was sewing most of day. I tried to
get the spring at mountain to run; it has been frozen up.
[footnote
for this entry: Otey refers to the coal mine (the "State Mine") he
leased to V.P.I. in early 1920. Professor Otto Cornelius Burkhart
handled negotiations with Otey on behalf of the college and its
Department of Mining Engineering.]
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- Hardbound ISBN 978-0-936015-96-5
- xiv + 1002 pages, 6 inches x 9 inches
- 53 photographs, index
- $65
plus shipping, per copy
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- Paperback ISBN 978-0-936015-95-8
- xiv + 1002 pages, 6 inches x 9 inches
- 53 photographs, index
- $45 plus shipping, per copy
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