JOURNAL OF HENRY HAMILTON FLOYD
OF
CAMDEN COUNTY, GEORGIA
FEBRUARY 1852 - MAY 1853 June 1852. Tues. 1st.
Cloudy. Hard N. E. wind and light showers. The wind broke off a good deal of my corn. Mother sick all last night and today. Harry had a chill and fever this afternoon. Sam'l A. Floyd had fever last night. Wed. 2. Clear and beautiful day. Wind light from N. E. The boys who I sent to St. Marys to drive the cow returned this afternoon bringing the buggy which was left some time ago by Ned. The boys say
that when within 9 miles of town Will, who was riding George, stopped to water him, and soon after George threw him down. This was when they were going and on their return they saw nothing of the horse and came without him. I sent Will and Ned immediately back to bring him. Harry had a chill and fever again today. Thurs, 3d. Cloudy morning, clear afternoon. Mother sick with fever and Harry had a chill and fever. He
looks very badly. The boys I sent to look for horse George returned without him after night. Fri. 4th. Clear 'till noon when it became very (twenty-third page) cloudy and rained a light shower. I sent my boat to town, St. Marys, for corn. Mother and Harry better. Saty. 5. Cloudy all day. Cool
and the wind high at N. E. The boat did not return from town owing to the weather. This has been an uncommonly long and dull day to me. Sun. 6. Cloudy all day. Wind fresh from E. Boat did not come, owing, I suppose, to the wind being too high. Mon. 7. Cloudy all day. The boat got back from St. Marys
between 1 and 2 P.M. I got a letter from Col. Tho's. Bourke saying he had shipped the boat, Tho's F. Bryan by the Welaka on the 5th inst., to be landed in St. Marys. Tues. 8. Cloudy and at 10 A.M. it began to rain and continued to rain hard for several hours. I repaired a safe for Mary D. Floyd. My leg has again become quite inflamed and painful. I sent Ned to St. Marys to carry letters for the
mail and also to bring my horse George from Mr. Burwell Brown's where I am informed he is. Wed 9. A little cloudy all day. Ned returned from St. Marys bringing George from Mr. Brown's. I sent the boat this afternoon to Cabin Bluff from which place I expect to go to St. Marys tomorrow morning. I wrote Col. Tho's. Bourke today and mentioned calling my last son after him. I also wrote Sister Mary.
Thurs. 10. I left here before light for Cabin Bluff, got in my boat which was sent to the Bluff last afternoon, and at 8 o'clock I was in St. Marys. Clear day. Fri. 11. Cloudy. N. E. wind and cool. The boat returned home. I am not well today. I received from Col. Sam'l Buffington, of Jacksonville, E. F., a beautiful
Berkshire Sow pig. Satry. 12. Cloudy. Wind N. E. Cool day. I am sick. Sun. 13. Cloudy and a very heavy rain. I received from Savannah on the Steamer Welaka the race boat Tho's F. Bryan. I am still sick. Mon. 14. Half clear and light showers. I was so sick
today I (twenty-forth page) sent for Dr. Francis O. Curtis. Tues 15. Clear day. I am a little better today than I was yesterday, but still very unwell. Wed. 16. Clear day. Many persons, among them Charlie, Richard, Susan, Mag and Kate went up the St. Marys River on the Steamer Planter as far as King's Ferry to see a brig
launched. She is about 40 tons and was called Grace Clark. The steamer returned about 3 P.M. and landed Charles and Richard who wished to come ashore, and proceeded over the Bar some distance and got back near sunset. It was quite a frolic for the children as there was on board a band of music. I was never more sick in my life than today and Mary sent for Dr. Henry Bacon, who did much to relieve me.
Thurs. 17. Clear day. I am somewhat better. Taking medicine. Fri. 18. Clear. I am gradually improving. As I did not go out today Quash was sent out to see how I was. As on Tuesday last, I sent Louisa out to Cabin Bluff on the Welaka and wrote about my being sick.
Satry. 19. I am very weak. Ned came to town as I ordered. Clear. Sun. 20. Very heavy rain. This Margaret's birthday (sic). She is 9 years old. Mon. 21. Clear.
Tues. 22. Clear. I am still taking medicine. Am better but quite weak. Wed. 23. Clear day. At 10 tonight I got on board the steamer Planter as she leaves before light. Thurs. 24. Clear. I did not sleep much last night as some very noisy young men came on board the Planter
intoxicated. I reached Cabin Bluff just after sunrise, where I found horses and got here (twenty-fifth page) to breakfast. I am not at all well today. Found all here well and Harry much improved in health. During my absence the Negroes stole my corn peas &c. Anniversary of my father's death. He died in 1839. Fri. 25. Cloudy and heavy rains. I am better today. I picked yesterday a watermelon nearly ripe. I saw several ripe ones in St. Marys.
Satry. 26. Cloudy all day. Hard rain in the morning, and in the afternoon one of the hardest rains I ever saw. Some lightning in the afternoon. Had one task of slips planted by the packing house. During the week my hands planted three tasks of slips near Schooner Landing. I have, up to date, one acre. I picked a ripe peach today, the first that I have seen. Sun.
27. Cloudy and hard showers. Mother had chill and fever today. Some sharp lightning in the afternoon. Mon. 28. Cloudy. Several showers. In the afternoon a very hard rain. Sam'l A. Floyd and myself hunted early this morning, and near the Park field the hounds started something which I think was a deer. We got back near 8 A.M.
Tues. 29. Somewhat cloudy at noon. Clear morning and afternoon. Mother and little Sammy had fever today. I sent Ned to St. Marys to carry letters. I gathered 58 ripe cucumbers from my garden. Many vegetables appear as if they would die from the effects of rain. Moschetoes (sic) dreadfully bad. Sam'l A. Floyd had a light fever this morning. Wed. 30. Clear
morning. Cloudy afternoon and several showers. Sent the boat to St. Marys this morning for corn. Ned returned from town about 3 P.M. Hands preparing ground for slips. | 
