Page 110 - February 27, 1840 - Farewell Ohio

February 27. 1840 Page 1. 10

Thu 27 Cloudy this morning but soon broke

away I and Josiah Smith went to

Zanesville I went to Mary Martens

which I found them all in good health

we came home home and went to

meeting I staid all night at T. Smith

Fri 28 Cloudy this morning and fogy it

was a fine day as ever I saw in my

life time I and Thomas Smith went

up to old nedy hals and Enochs I

came back home and went up to 18

Josiah Smith and staid all night 18

Sat 29 Clear this morning and pleasant

all day quite pleasant I wrote a letter

to aunt Sarah back to Virginia and

one to Mary Carter I staid at aunts

all night so no more at presant

Sun 1 Clear this morning quite pleasant

and warm I went to meting then

back to home in the evening I took

a pleasant little walk on the big hill

by the town the prettiest discovery

I eve saw in my life I staid at aunts

Mon 2 Cloudy this morning and looks like

rain quite smokey I went over to aunt

Pierces and spent the after noon with

them then back to aunts again after

night Ruth . Baismen and aunt Pierce

came over to aunts I bid them fairwell

then I went over to aunts again and took

a good fill of aples and bid them all

fairwell again I felt as bad as I well

could feel to leave them I staid at aunts

Tue 3 Cloudy this morning and raining some

I started for home at nine oclock I got to

Luray on the pike 34 distant frome home

quite pleasant all day miy bill was 75

cts I got 2..1 dollars bills on newark

bank that I couldent pass Harmon

Page 109 - February 22, 1840 - More Funerals

Febuary the 22,1840 Page 1. 9

Sat 22 Cloudy this morning and raining quite

hard it began to rain in the night some

time smokey very much so it rained

all day very hard Samuel Walker

departed this tife to day in his eightieth

year at one oclock to day all so

Mrs. Porter died all so I saw old

Moon get run by his wife oll over

the street with a club heap of fun to

be seen the streets was full of people out

a looking at the two fools I staid at aunts

Sun 23 Cloudy this morning and a raining

quite hand I drawed up old Samuel

Walkers coffin he was bueried at

one oclock very high watters it come

with in a few inches of runing in

the waggon bed in the evening it

got clear and pleasant I went to

to the river and it was very high at

night I staid at Aunts 1840 21

Mon 24 Clear this morning quite pleasant the

ground was frose hard quite nice to day

Mary Eliza Smith aunt and granny

Smith and I took a walk down to the

river it was quite high we had three

hours walk and ammusment we saw

a hog saved bey the help of of two men

and there skeft quite pleasant all day

I staid all night at Thomas Smiths

Tue 25 Clear this morning the ground is frose I

drowd some oats from Tumbelsons Mill

and then some hay it got some hazy about

noon I heard from an uncle and aunt

from Virginia this makes .61. days

a scence I left home I went to a

Temperance meeting I staid at aunts

Wed 26 Clear this morning and pleasant it

continued so all day I staid at aunts

it raind some after night 1840

Page 108 - February 15, 1840 - Ohio Funeral

February the 15, 1840 Page 1 . 8

Sat 15 Cloudy this morning quite cool and rough it

turned out quite nice we had a pleasant

little visit at aunts I staid all night at

Thomas Smiths Harmon R Lucas

Sun 16 Clear this morning with a heavy frost

on quite pleasant at half past ten oclock

I went to meeting and at three oclock

I went over to the prisbtarions with a

young and fine girl I felt quite unwell

to day Elizabeth . Walker departed this

life to day at 12 oclock in her sixtieth

year complained 6 days before she died s

I staid all night at aunts no more at

Mon 17 Cloudy this morning and has some appearance

of rain or snow I went to the buring

of Elizabeth Walker she was bared on

Ivenses farm in the evening it rained

some I staid all night at Thomas Smiths

Tue 18 Cloudy this morning and looks like raine

after night I went to Temperance

meeting and then back and staid all night

at Thomas . Smiths 1840 no more at

Wed 19 Clear this morning and looks fine and

it continued to hold out I Receined three

letters one from home the other from Wm

Lucas and the the tother one from Mary

Carter price of them was. 35. cts I

staid all night at Thomas Smiths 1840

Thu 20 Cloudy this morning and raining and it

continued to rain all day quite muddy and

bad after night I staid all night at T

Smith Ruth . Baismen was there too dr

Fri 21 Clear this morning quite warm and

pleasant at this time the mud is not so

bad as it has been it was a nice day in the

evening it got some cloudy and looked like

rain I staid all night at aunts in

the year of our lord and saviour

Page 105 - February 1, 1840 - Old Women

February the 1.st. 1840 Page 1, 5

Sat 1 Cloudy this morning and snowing

some it soon broke away the sun shoen

out quite pleasant it thoughed some I

came home or to the river and couldent

get a cross it I came there about 3

oclock and over to Daniel Gariets.

and staid all night Harmon Lucas

Sun 2 Clear this morning quite coald I came

down to the river and against one

or two oclock I got over home I paid 25

cts at four I went to meeting then

I went over and staid at aunts all night

Mon 3 Clear this morning and looks like

that we would have rain or snow in

the evening I and 8 of the old weman

paid a visit over at Thomas Smiths.

I staid all night at Thomas Smiths.

Tue 4 Clear this morning I started for

Thomas .Smiths to Zanesville I

staled some five or six times I

fetched up five barles of salt and

other laden weegot home at nine oclock

I saw willas oden drunk as a fool.

Wed 5 Clear this morning quite pleasant I done

nothing much all day I went out to Mr.

Chapens with Thomas . Smith I went

up to Josiah . Smiths and staid all

night Harmon. R. Lucas 1840

Thu 6 Cloudy this morning and has some

little appearance of snow or rain it

soon turned in to raining and it 1840

continued to hold out all day I staid

all night at aunts no more at this

Fri 7 Clear this morning it frose some quite

warm all day it got quite mudy I got a

halter from Josiah Smith I staid

all night at Thomas .Smiths

Page 104 - January 27, 1840 - Loves Girls

January the 27 . 1840 Page 1. 4

Mon 27 Cloudy this morning I went up to a

nigroes after night after some corne

for Thomas . Smiths then back to hum

I went to mill and got some brand

for hime after night it snowed som

there was quite a nice quatity out to

to night in the day I got my horse shod

Tue 28 Cloudy this morning and snowing some

it soon turned in to raining I went

over the river and killed one squirl

after night I went to meeting then

to Thomas . Smiths and staid all night

Wed 29 Cloudy this morning and raining some

quite smokey it continued to rain all

day after night it rained terible hard

I hunted squirls all day and only killed

three I staid all night at Thomas Smiths

Thu 30 Clear this morning it has the appearance

of being a fine day the wind blew hard

I went to meeting then back to aunt

Pierces again wee staid till half past 10

oclock quite cool and wind windy H R

I staid all night at aunts Harmon

Fri 31 Cloudy this morning quite cool I started

over to Concord with Mary Carter

my Cousin I went to Zanesville and

then went over the river on the ice I

got to Concord after dark it snowd som

at dark I paid 12 cts tole each of us at

the first gait and the same each of us

at the second gait quite cool I staid

at Isaac Grummonses all night 1840

I rise as one that loves the girls well

I feel that it is my duty to rise and

say something concerning of my well

faire hear on earth my cincere desire is

to get to heaven and I want you all

to pray for me that I may prove faithfu

Page 103 - January 19, 1940 - Circut Preaching

January the 19 . 1840 Page 1. 3

Sun 19 Clear this morning quite pleasant I

went to Meeting after night I attended

meeting again I staid at aunts 1840

Mon 20 Clear this morning quite pleasant it

continued so all day I done nothing all

day this maks seven nights scence I

staid at Aunts no more at presant 18

Tue 21 Cloudy this morning and snowing

it soon broke away and turned in to

raining it thoughed rite smart I

started to Ichibudd but couldent get

a cross the river then I went up

to adamses mill then I came back

and went to Tempeance meeting

then to Thomas . Smiths and staid

all night no more at this time

Wed 22 Cloudy this morning and looks like

rain it rained some I went up to

Henry Briants and back afte nig

ht it turned very cold I staid at aunts

Thu 23 Cloudy this morning quite cool all day in

the evening I a hunting quite cold and

kild nothing after night I went to

Thomas . Smiths and staid all night

Fri 24 Clear this morning I went a hunting

again quite cool I killed no game to

day I went over to aunts and staid 18

all night so no nor at this time 18

Sat 25 Clear this morning quite cool and

and frosty I hunted sone quite cold

no more at this time H. R. L.

Sun 26 Cloudy this morning and has the

appearance of rain I went to meeting

Circut preaching after night I

went to meeting again then to T.

Smiths and staid all night too.

Page 102 - January 12, 1840 - Bed of Ease

January the 12 , 1840 Page 1. 2

Sun 12 Cloudy this morning and snowd some

quite sliperly I started from Joshua

Bomans at 11 oclock and got to Mr.

Grumanses at 3 oclock and staid all

night with theme no more at this time

Mon 13 Cloudy this morning but soon broke

away I got some nails drove in my horese

shoes price was 12. cts I staid all night

with Isaac Grummonses after night

I went to Singing school in con cord

house full of folks no more at presa

Tue 14 Cloudy this morning I started home

from Con Cord quite cloudy this morning

it began to snow very hard I got home

about four oclock 1840 Harmon L

Wed 15 Clear this morning I went up to Mr.

Adamses store then back to a whig

meeting it was the coldest day I have seen

this winter after night I went and staid

at Thomas . Smiths frost flew fast 1840

Thu 16 Clear this morning quite cool the sun

shoen out quite pleasant I went up to Mr.

Stillwells old place I frose my ears very

bad after night I went to meeting then up

to Josiahs . Smiths and staid all night 18

Fri 17 Cloudy this morning it snowd some I done

nothing all day after night I went over

to Singing school they sung by figurs

commencing at 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. this king

of singing I care nothing about I staid at

Aunts all night no more at this time

Sat 18 Cloudy this morning it has some appearanc

of snow I staid at Thomas Smiths

am I a soldier of the cross a folower of

the lam shall I fear to on his cause

or blush to speak his mame must I

be caried to the skies in flowery bed of ease

Page 90 - October 16, 1839 - Quilten Bees

October the 16. 1839 Page 90.

Wed 16 Clear this morning quite pleasant I

look Joshua Burches waggon to hum.

in the fore noon in the afer noon I dug

my potatoes quite pleasant Harmon.

Thu 17 Clear this morning quite pleasant I

husked corn till noon in the after noon

I got my calf up out of the praire quit

pleasant all day Luisa Pulver and

Meriah Mansfield was hear to a

quilten no more at this time 1839

Fri 18 Clear this morning quite pleasant and

warm I husked corn all day after night

burned up a consciderable heap of fence

after night it turned some cooler e

Sat 19 Cloudy this morning I went over to

a sale at John Bars I got me an

old oxen for 20 dollars Thomas Huf

man went my bale David Klepinger

got a colt at 54. 62 cts John.

Graves went his bail 1839 Harmon

Sun 20 Clear this morning quite cool I went

over to hear a new preacher preach

at Salem meeting house at 11 oclock

after night I went to H. Genings

to meeting no more at this time 1839

Mon 21 Clear this morning with a frost on

quite cool I went to Bars after my ox

but dident get him. in the evening I

went to Erastus barness to get a wagon

but dident get none H. Lucas 1839

Tue 22 Clear this morning Father u sold 11 head

of calvs to James Servisons and 16 head

of pigs for 4. 6. to be paid in five

monthes this makes four loads of corn 1839

Mrs genings Mirs barnes Mrs pulver and

Mrs ogden was hear on a visit or rather

on a quileten bee no more 1839 H.

Page 82 - August 26, 1839 - In Chicago

August the 26 . 1839 Page 82

Mon 26 Clear this morning quite pleasant we

lost 2 yoke of oxen belonging to James

Pierces we laid at Jacksons all day and all

night he found the cattle Just at night

Tue 27 Clear this morning we got in to Chicago

we got in about ten oclock I got 25 cts

for oats I sold 57 bushels of oats and

I got six barles of salt three of them

containing 3. 10 pounds each and three

barles containing 2. 90 pounds each and

it cost 16,93. cts three pints of tar at

18 3/4 we got back to Jacksons six miles

east of town I got half pound of reasons

at 12 cts one dosen of appels 6 cts 1839

Wed 28 Clear this morning we started from Jacksons

we lay by thorn creek and camped all night

quite cool I got a cag at 37 cts half pound

of raisens 12 cts H. R. Lucas 1839

Thu 29 Partly clear this morning quite nice

we lay at a grove 8 miles north

of the kankakee quite pleasant 1839

Fri 30 Clear this morning but soon clouded

up and rained it rained in the evening

again we lay at Rake straws 183.9.8

Sat 31 Clear this morning quite pleasant

we came from Rake straws to the

Irecoise to Wm Buckleses after

night when wee got their 1839 H

one day after date we or either of us do

promise to pay the sum of one hundred

dollars for Value Received Witness our

hands and seal this the 10 of December

1839 James live for ever and Jonathan

never die Received on the within note

fifty dollars January thee 16. 18340 er

Andrew nichelos Thomas anthony peter

dunfee and John Love gold. 1839 H.

Page 46 - January 22, 1839 - Go Baering

Jenuary 22 1839 Page 46

Tue 22 Cloudy and windy and after night

it blowed Desperately hard I worke

for Jacob Klepinger and after

night went to Sollomon Bests

and it stormed quite hard 1839

Wed 23 clear and continud so all day after

night I went to meting I worked

for JacB Klepinger I went home

with H. B. their was 20 out

Thu 24 clear this morning I worked for

Jacob Klepinger after night

Mahen and the wife caame to Jacob

Fri 25 cloudy and snowing and raining

som all day after noon it rained

quite hard I finished my work

for Jacob Klepinger H L 1839

Sat 26 cloudy this morning it got some

clear I and David and Samuel

Klepinger had the most fun with

a little calf it would make at us

as hard as it could I got it of

Wm. Burch Feelden Clevenger

had a child to depart this life.

Sun 27 clear this morning Mr. Wood

preached at Salem meeting house

after meeting I went to the baering

then to Mr. Barnards to meeting

Mr. Cook preached their was

eight or ten Joined meeting 1839

Mon 28 cloudy this morning it snowed

ritet smart all day I worked

for John Graves till three O

clock it comtined to storm so Bad

that quit and went home 1839

One day after date I promised

to pay Thomas C Barnes the

sum of tten dollars Value Reced

Page 45 - January 15, 1839 - Hunting Deer

Jenuary the 15. th. 1839 Page 45

Tue 15 Cloudy and snowing some it continued

to snow all day I filled Mr. Timmons

harth for 25 cts in the evening I

went to Wm. Burches and staid all

night he saw seven Deer and shot

and shot at then but mised them

Wed 16 cloudy this morning and quite coald

in the morning I went out to try my

my skill with the Deer I saw seven

but coodent get a shot at them and

after night I went to meeting at

salem meeting house Mr. Wood gave

us a preach their was about forty

Tuh 17 cloudy this morning and snowed some

four or five times through the day

I made one hundred and fifteen

rails Jams Pierce was married

the 15 day of Jenuary, 1839 H.R.

Fri 18 cloudy this morning I made one

hundred and three rails it snowed

some three or four times in the

times after night it was quite windy

and continud so all night it frose hard

Sat 19 clear for a while then it clouded up

in the after noon I cut wood for

the meeting house and then I cut

that brush down before the house

Sun 20 cloudy this morning and continued

so all day I went to Salem to

meeting in the evening it snowed

Mon 21 cloudy this morning and continued so

all day and it snowed some five

or six times through the cours of

the day we killed our hogs 1839

one Day after date I promised to

pay John Thomas C Knight

the sum of Fifty Dollars in full

Page 42 - December 29, 1838 - New Years Eve

December the 29 1838 Page 42

Sat 29 Peartly clear and desperately coald I

suffered pain with a thumb that had

got hurt with being mashed father

came home he sold meel at 50 cts

per bushel and oats at 38 cts per bushe

I done nothing of eny conciquence 1838

Sun 30 some cloudy this morning but broke

away and was quit coald I laid about

and at night I went to meeting at

Salem meeting house their was 22

Mon 31 Clear this morning and continued so

all day quite pleasent I bought five

head of calvs of John Graves I was to

give hime 22 days work for them I

cut down a shugar tree down and

Father and mother went on a visit

up to Aaron Yarnald I discharged

one gun a new years eve I heard

several guns dischargeed Snidder

sent our waggon home after night

By Richardrd Miller and a

little duchman Harmon Lucas

I Am I a souldier of the cross

A follwer of the lamb noemor

and shall I fear to owne his cause

or blush to speak his name

one Day after date we or either

of us promis to pay Henry

Love silver the sum of Thirty

five Thousand Dollars for Value

Received of Witness our hands

this the thirty first day of

December 1838 Thomas Smith

Mary R Carter and 1838

Eliza B Carter and 1838

Ethen I Carter and 1838

Jacson L Carter and 1838

Harvey F Carter and 1838

Richard Carter and . 1838

Esther B Carter and 1838

Harmon R Lucas and 1838

Page 40 - December 18, 1838 - Love and Praise

December the 18 1838 Page 40

Tue 18 cloudy and very coald all day Father

came back from mill I killed three hens

Wed 19 cloudy and tremendisly coald and

Father started up to Logans port and

after night their was meeting over at

Salem meeting house their was the

minister and ten hearers I killed 4

hens and drawed wood too H.R. Lucas

Thu 20 clear and very coald it clouded up and

got some coalder in the afternoon it

got clear again and got som warmer

I drawed wood and went up to Jacob K

and bought two calvs I am to give him

nine days work for them I counted up

how meny chickens I had killed which

made forty in number from the first

of September ttill the last of Dec 1838

Fri 21 cloudy partley all day I went down to

Harrison Ville in the afternoon after

night it rainde some father got home from

Logans port but dident sell out his

load he got home at three O. clock P M

Sat 22 clear this morning cut clouded up and

the frost flew it got very coald I went

down to Harvey Stretches after money

I got 1.50. cts quarterly meeting commened

at Salem old Mr. Adam Shigley departed

his life at six O. clock in the evening

I went over at the meeting after night

James Servison and wife and Wm

groomes and wife and daughter and allso

Thomas smith and James Pierce staid

all night with us at present 1838

a charge to keep I have a god to gloryfie

alas and did my saviour blede and did

my savrer die when all they mercies

O my god my rising soul surveys

transported with the view Im lost

in wounder love and praise 1838

Page 38 - December 10, 1838 - Father Hunting

December the 10. 1838 Page 38

Mon 10 cloudy this morning early but soon

broke away it was very cool in the morning

it got quit warm and pleasent the Balen

of the day Father started out to Mr.

Groomeses to hunt game which is about

sixteen miles off I took down my over

Coat to Miss. Eeveline Conley to make

she has three Dollars for making a

coat Mr. Simes killed his hogs I

came home and fikced my stables a

Samuel Klepinger went to school

for the first day to Mr. Barnes 1838

this night I counted up the days since I

commenced my Book keeping the number

was two hundred and forty seven days

Tue 11 clear this morning and thoughed rite

smart quite pleasent all day I made

a stable done and in the afternoon

I helped Timmons tare down his house

James Pierce was hear to day and

Thomas Smith came out from Ohio

the tenth of the month and father came

home with hime I killed one praire hen

Wed 12 clear and some cooler than it has been

for two or three days past I helped

Timmons raise a house after night

their is meeting over at Salem

meeting house Mr. Wood exhorted

Father land home from hunting and

killed nothing a tall so no more at

this time hoping no insinuation too

Thu 13 clear and pleasent all day I thrashed

corne after night there was a

singing school over at Salem mete

ing house I killed two praire hens

and one quail Thomas Smith

and James Pierce came up to the

singing school there was rite smart

of a congragtion out to night 1838

aman of words and not of dead

a charge to keep I have a god

Journal of Harmon Lucas - Cover

The Journal of Harmon Lucas

The journal of Harmon Lucas measures some 170 millimeters wide by 395 millimeters in length and 17 millimeters thick. The pages are divided by vertical lines at intervals of, counting from the left, 29, 129 and 146 millimeters. There is a margin of 19 millimeters at the top of each page, followed by horizontal lines at regular intervals of 9 millimeters to the bottom of the page, for a total of 44 lines. The folios are folded in half to form quires of twenty pages and sewn together with cord. It is covered, front and back, in thick cardboard. There are 105 leaves surviving, in part or whole, for a total of 210 pages.

I first saw Harmon's journal in the weeks after my grandmother, Zula Lucas Harris, died in 1966. I can only guess how she came into possession of the book. I can safely assume she got it from her father, William Lucas. Before that all is conjecture. Zula died at the age of seventy and was born in Kokomo, Indiana. Zula had one older brother, Chester, and their mother was Rebecca Ridgeway Lucas, who came to Indiana from Tennessee. So they came from the right part of the country, but William could not have been a descendant of Harmon. Harmon had only two girl children, Mary and Jane, neither of whom carried on the Lucas name to any more children. Harmon was born on July 12, 1819, in Ohio, he died on February 26, 1846, in Tippicanoe County, and his widow, Maria, died in Jones County, Iowa 48 years later to the day. Harmon's parents were Benjamin Lucas and Mary Rogers, and he had several siblings. My best guess would be that the book came through Harmon's brother, Curtis, who in turn may have been William's father. I have not investigated my family history all that well. Anyone who wants to do the research for me is welcome. I know that the family, William, Rebecca, Chester, and Zula Lucas, moved to Riverside in Southern California around 1900, and were joined by some cousins who became railroad men and firefighters in Bakersfield, California. Many members of the Lucas family still reside near Lafayette, Indiana. Other descendents have dispersed around the globe, and I have brought Harmon's book from Southern California, through Nevada, to Oregon.

Harmon did not seem very concerned about spelling, punctuation was almost unknown, and he used capitals erratically. He often employed shorthand grammar, and he ended sentences abruptly at the edge of the paper. At the time that he bought and wrote in the book, he seems to have been motivated first by an effort to record the weather. Other observations crept in with time. Then he turned to recording his financial transactions, and working up ideas about the Methodist church. Later still the book became a child's playtoy and scratch pad, with scribbles and ripped pages. Some pages have been torn out entirely! Harmon probably had no idea he was leaving a record for posterity. Given that this is not a photo reproduction, I have still tried to preserve the general format and his idiosyncratic spelling.

The inside of the front cover has been used at various times, by various hands, in ink and pencil, to practice penmanship, to calculate sums, and to take notes. For the sake of completeness, the doodlings recorded there, from top to bottom, and left to right, somewhat resemble the following:

___________________________________________________

2035

900 + 900 + 500 + 500 + 700 + 500 = 4000 + 250 + 400 = 5050

300 + 2.800

John Graves wood act 15

Marshfield Postoffice by Thomas Green

125 + 60 = 185

Franklin Poseland

Franklin Joselanel

Mary Mary