David Cragg 1823 

1823

1st month 1st - "Hard frost - windy - I was at Wyresdale meeting today. We had Dorothy Pye, Lolly Robinson to see my wife and Richard Townley. Much like yesterday. A tormenting glinting pain in the leg for the most part.”

1st month 3rd - "I had the company of Anthony Burrow to talk about going to America, this spring. He intending to go there but I am prevented at present.”

Ist month 4th - "I was at Lancaster market. Richard Clapham of Killet has taken this farm of Old Robbins at 60 pounds per year. Four of my daughters began to be ill today in the head and such a very hot.”

1st month 5th - "Mary such like. Lasses poorly, look red and very hot upon their bodies.”

1st month 6th - "Margaret and Mary got better today. Jennet and Agnes very poorly and broke out with a red rash worse than measles and are very hot and thirsty. My wife no better today and disappointed that the doctor doth not come tomorrow. I think I shall be like to fetch his as we cannot tell what is the matter. At present we have a very poorly house of having four or five upon the sick list.”

1st month 7th - "I went to Lancaster for the doctor and get him out. He has been very poorly so that he could not come. Five of my children on the sick list in the scarlet fever and Mary ill of the knee and confined to bed so I have six on the sick list. Pretty decent exercise in waiting and attending upon them.”

1st month 9th - "Mary Till, daughter of James Till of Wyresdale buried today.”
The doctor came. The children all passed the crisis. The doctor lanced Mary’s knee.”

On the 10th David went to the Top of Emmets. Son Timothy had two pieces weaved out. Mary was some better but was very bad during the night.

On the 11th Mary was up two and one half hours but it was hard getting her up and down, it hurt her so much. The children were still sick but two getting better but then Alice, the servant girl became ill.

The next is a long poem, not a literary masterpiece by any means, but I think it gives a bit of insight. It was written on November 1st, 1823.
David writes a long poem.

On the 15th of January, there is a short poem about Tom Winder who died from over drink, which ends:
“And when he died Nobody laughed and nobody cried Where he has gone or how he fares Nobody knows and nobody cares.”

On the 27th there is a poem about the very rough winter and how hard it was to do the chores. Also there was a shortage of drinking water.

There is another letter to Timothy Cragg in Mill Creek, Ohio:

Dear Brother,

I proposed about the 20th to write to thee but brother Titus being desirous of writing at that time we thought it best for mine to be dropped until now. Since then I received the letter dated the 7th of November, what was just 40 days from Cincinnati to me, in Wyresdale. We was glad to learn that you was all well in health and in good spirits. But the case is a good deal different with me and my family in respect of health at present. I may inform thee that my prospect to come to America is frustrated for the present year at least by the indisposition of my wife who has been getting worse and worse for the past 12 months. She brought me a son on the 16th of September which we named David. After that we was in hopes she might have better health but the contrary was the case and now she has been confined to bed for the most part of seven weeks. What the event might be I cannot say, but expect one thing most probable, let it be how it may, it seems I have some more difficulties to encounter at this side of the ocean before I get away. My children have just got well of the scarlet fever, I having six on the sick list at one and the same time. I sold my corn upon the land preparing to come over. The former letter coming about that time. I think the account that thou gave of the sickness you had undergone rather damped me and I feared for myself that the climate would be over hot for me in summer, and my wife getting worse here, I concluded to drop it for the present and I could not take my farm again at such terms as I could pay the rent I was resolved to leave it and go to my own place for a year or two. I made sale the 10th of December of cattle and husbandry, hay and straw, and had uncommon good sale according to the times. We had things about as cheap as cheap as with you in the state of Ohio - rent and taxes except which are most grievous and overwhelming. In respect of further account from thee, I want to know about your woods, some probably guess at the number of trees upon an acre of land, their seeming height or whether full of underwood like bushes or if all is bare but trees. Some account of the size of girth of trees or some of the largest and what size the most common, etc.

I bought a book called Cabbot’s one year residence in America in Long Island near New York. He gives our English parson and borough mongers many good rules. There is a very good map of United States. I think thee will find it best to place theyself somewhere within the compass of Cincinnati on account of selling they produce. Buying too much land must certainly be burdensome.

The letter to Thomas Taylor has gone through several editions and is in much repute. The last letter to my father is copied over and much read and in general esteem. Margarets letter to Duke Bleasard is highly esteemed. Folks say you are begun to be quite proud and I say well you may. You can get anything you please which you never could have got in this country as long as had lived because the church and the state and landlord, when they have got all we can raise have not half enough. They seem like the bottomless pit, never satisfied. Things in England seem to be coming shortly to a crisis and if we emerge through the ordeal in a worse condition than we are now in, in respect of the agriculture line of business then woe be unto us.”
The rest of the letter is missing but it seems he had written a similar letter earlier but did not send it because Titus was writing.

On the 28th he wrote a poem about his wife’s illness. Dr. Taylor had come a score of times and John Proctor and young John Proctor had also come to her. They must have had some medical experience. Also he had sought advice of neighbours. Grasping at straws to help his dear Molly. Everyone had done all they knew but Mary’s condition worsened.
“And then it will be up to faith.”

There are two poems about his money problems. It seems he had a lot of debts but also many people who owed him money which he could not collect. He went out “upon the dun horse” and did collect enough to barely keep going. But with times as they were in England at the time, poor crops, high rents and ever increasing doctor bills he was sinking farther and farther.

1st month 12th, 1823 - "Fine day. Isaac at the meeting. Timothy did not come home because of the fever. Mary not any better today, pain much worse in the knee. Agnes in poor health. She could stir about none today. The rest pretty gaily.”

1st month 13th - "Cold day. Dr. Taylor came again today, my wife no better at present. He ordered turnip poultices for 24 hours.”

On the 14th Titus called. On the 15th Mary Winder came and Mary seemed a little better in spirits. On the 16th David went to his brother Richard’s in Langthwaite to get some bull beef. Mary was worse on the 17th but got up for two hours. From the 18th to the 23rd, David was at two meetings and two funerals: Joseph Kelsall of Quernmore on the 21st and Thomas Winder of Ortner on the 22nd. On the 24th Dr. Taylor came and laid a blister plaster again.

On the 28th, the ice on the Wyre broke up.

1st month 29th - "Mild, thawing, some rain. Isaac was at Garstang for coals. Lawrence Pye and John Clarkson came to see my wife. Dr. Taylor came yesterday. Says my wife is coming on well but I am of a different opinion. She is no better than she was three weeks ago as I think. The shooting or glinting pain though the knee is most troublesome and I should fear springs from no good and she is reduced to a mere skeleton. Her legs and arms like hammer shafts. Much pain in the hip by continuously in one position.”

On the 30th and 31st Mary seemed a bit better and was up several times. Ann Dodding was to see her.

2nd month 1st, 1823 - "Cold day, Lancaster market. Mary better all last night and today got up twice for an hour or two. Thomas Pennington of Lentworth sold up.”

2nd - "Cold and stormy. Mary continued better. This being three days and two nights altogether of more ease and amendment as we think. We foment every day two or three times with foxglove and rub it with some sort of ointment, etc.”

On the 3rd the doctor came. Mary was up six hours and her leg swelled some and she had a bad night but she was up every day for several hours. On the seventh Isaac became ill, “red and feverish and drowsy.”

On the 8th there was a great snowstorm and everyone was busy opening the roads. Some drifts four and five feet high and 15 to 20 rood in length. The worst storm since April 5th, 1799. It started to thaw in the afternoon. “Brother Thomas says the largest drifts he saw between Damasgillside and Lancaster was one at the Yate house about 8 feet deep.”

9th - "Isaac in scarlet fever the 3rd day and seems to be at its height. Mary such like continues to be somewhat better. Ann, Margaret, Jennet, Agnes and David seemed to have catched a great cold and cough almost continually. So my family excepting myself are all out of order at present.”
By the next day everybody seemed to be some better. A rapid thaw began with resulting floods.

On the 12th Isaac and David were in bad order and no better on the 13th. The doctor was supposed to come but didn’t make it. Peggy Bateson came over to see Mary and also talk about them leaving the farm. She said she would do all she could to ease things with her husband for them.

14th - "Fine day. I was at Lancaster today to get Dr. Taylor to come to visit my family. David being very poorly but I could not get him to come. He was so busy and was in quest of money and got tipsy and I was obliged to come home without him and as my family, I believe stand in need of a physician I was disappointed and grieved and had almost concluded to have gone to some other medical man but when I got home my family was somewhat better.”

On the 15th Isaac went to Lancaster and Timothy sold his first warp - four pieces - and got paid.

16th - "Fine sunny day. Timothy, Isaac, Margaret and Mary at the meeting and Alice at Chapel. Barthol Pye, Christopher Lund, Henry Slinger, John Gardner, and Richard Clarkson came to see my wife.”

Mary seemed to be in good spirits but her knee very swollen and “David seems to be unwell and thrives none at all.”

David visited his parents that night.

20th - "A fine day. Scaled muck in the infall and finished that job. Richard Clarkson flit away from my house at Greenbank yesterday and today delivered to me the key to the house. Thomas Kelsall called on me at night for the interest of 20 pounds. Stopped all night. The doctor came and laid a large blister on Mary’s knee and left some medicine for David. His complaint, he says is teething.”

The next day they spent in finishing up the work at Old Robbins and “flitting goods” from there to Greenbank, and fixing up the inside of the old house. On the

28th, Timothy came home ill with scarlet fever. The doctor came in the evening and Chris Gates came for his pay as sale crier.

“March 1st, 1823 - "Fine day. Flitting turf mostly today. Five cartful. We got Mary downstairs today, she having been confined in a room upstairs for thirteen weeks and 16 days since she was downstairs before. She looked a very grave look in the house by the fireside and stared about like a new one. We carried her and the chair together downstairs and she bore it very well and sat up in the house about four hours or thereabouts. David and Timothy some better.”

On the third, David and Isaac got boards from John Proctor in order to divide the big room in the house at Greenbank into two smaller ones.

4th of March - "Wild, stormy day, and very cold wind. A perfect hurricane. We flit today part of my family and goods leaving Mary, David and Alice, it being far too stormy to take Mary and David.”

5th - "Cold, wind, rain and snow. We begun to plough in the copy today. At one o’clock afternoon we carried Mary from Old Robbins to my house at Greenbank. We carried her in a chair, two men with a staff under the chair and one to steady the chair back and we got her home without any hurt.”
The set about fixing up the house at Greenbank. They were ploughing. A number of farms changed hands at that time.
John Kelsall of Rowton Brook in Quernmore died and was buried at Wyresdale meeting 7th of the 3rd month, 1823.
Isaac was ploughing for his grandfather, Timothy Cragg at Catonwife and David was engaged in thrashing. They had many people call to see Mary who seemed a little better.

On the 20th of March David made another crutch for Mary and she went across the floor two or three times with them but it was very hard work as she hadn’t used her legs for over 100 days.

On the 21st, David went over to Old Robbins farm with the new tenant, Richard Clapham and Mary “set up about nine hours and walked by the help of her crutches over the house floor two or three times. Margaret ill of the toothache.”

March 22nd, David went to the mill with six sacks of corn, ploughed at his father’s upon Proctor moss and broke the plough, then drained in the copy. Mary was up nine hours and walked some with the crutches. “Margaret ill of her tooth. We shall be obliged to get it pulled out.”

3rd month 23rd - "Isaac, Ann and Mary at the meeting. Alice at chapel. We had the company of John and Ann Clarkson of Nookhouse in Ellel and Agnes Pye of Top of the Emmets called to see us and also Margaret Gardner, Peggy Clapham and Ronny Richmond and Dr. Taylor on horseback.”

March 25th - "Isaac ploughing at my father’s at Catonwife. I was jobbing about home. Layered 12 apple trees, planted some crab trees in a bed for grafting another year. Mary up today about 11 hours. Titus called to see us. Margaret ill all day.”

On the 26th, David went to see Dr. Taylor and got two panes of glass for the house windows and grafted eight pear trees. Isaac ploughing at Catonwife. Mary had a blister plaster.

“Betty Foster of Lancaster died the 21st of this month. On the 27th Isaac was still at Catonside and David worked on the trees and hedges.”

March 28th - "David planted fir trees then went to see his mother “being very poorly”. “Mary poorly and these last two or three days worse and worse.”

On the 29th, David started to harrow and sow but Mary so much worse she had to go to bed. He records the death of Mary Kitchen of Abbeystead on the 28th.

March 30th - "David and four of his family were at the Wyresdale meeting. Margaret better and Mary felt a little better but very weak. David’s mother some better.”

On the 31st they heard that there was typhus fever at John Clarkson’s of Newhurst and Duke Bleazad’s of Dolphinholme. On the 1st of April John Clarkson died. David was ploughing and Mary somewhat worse.

David finished ploughing at Catonwife on the 3rd. Doctor Taylor came to see Mary. He “thinks it is likely to burst in the ham”. They heard that John Dodding had cancer of the eyelid.

On the 4th, Mary’s leg was very bad. She had a poultice of turnip and foxglove on “the ham”.

4th month 5th - "Mary somewhat rather better today but walking on her crutches at noon she fell but luckily a chair being hard by fell partly upon it and did not come to the floor nor did the bad knee any damage. Robert Bleazard, son of Duke, is reported to be past hope of recovery.”

On the 6th, Mary was “very weak and discouraged of heart.”

7th - "Matthew Butler engaged as overseer. Four of Duke Bleazard’s family of Dolphinholme were taken to the house of recovery at Lancaster.”

On the 8th, Doctor Taylor came and on the 9th, David talked with him discussing whether the painful applications to the knee should not be discontinued since they caused her so much distress and didn’t seem to do any good.
Timothy’s weaving didn’t go so well with this piece. David and Isaac were carrying on the farmwork as well as helping his father.

4th month 11th - "Fine day. We set some peas and potatoes today for the first time this year in the garden. I have got a great cold and near past work. Mary we carried down into the garden where she stopped half an hour. She has nearly discontinued the fomenting and annointing of the knee for some days. I today am 54 years of age upon the weary world of ours.”

12th - "I bought Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress and Mary is much taken with reading it. I myself am reading it though I have read it before about 10 years ago as I may think.”

For the next few days Isaac, Timothy and David worked hard on the garden and haulin turf, etc. His mother was getting worse and dropsical. Mary was worse again and took to her bed.

Isaac fetched meal from the mill, David fixed fences and the girls picked stones. On the 18th, they had hail and snow. David’s father and brother Titus were to see them.

Dr. Taylor came on the 19th and thought the other side of the knee would break which he thought would help to reduce the pain. Richard Townley and Peggy Bateson called to see Mary and cheered her up some.

On the 20th, those that were able went to the meeting and after they had visits from James Topping and Ann and John Dodding. John Dodding was to go to Witworth for treatment of the cancer.

On the 21st, there was snow. David bought a cow from W. Kelsall of Rowtin Brook for 6/10 - an Irish cow. He also called at Thomas Kelsall’s of Hareappletree and also at Wm. Jackson’s.

Mary’s knee broke in another place.

David was recounting the expenses of his families illnesses what with Doctor Taylor’s visits, medicines, salves, ointments, wine and other things, he had to have a full time housekeeper and he feared it would be for nought but “so be it.”

22nd - "Barthol Pye came to see us and stopped for dinner and Dr. Taylor came and stopped above an hour. He pretends to think the knee may come about yet but that an opening at the opposite side of the knee is much wanted and ought to be cut but Mary is not willing.”

23rd - "We had the company of Susy Birket today to keep my wife company a piece. She says that friends of Wyresdale meeting have taken umbrage at Isaac not sitting quietly in the meeting but being uneasy. We having heard at that offence before by my lasses which to us is an unpleasant account. But Josuah Kelsall, to give him his due, has always marked him out for some reflection and set some mischievous lasses to watch his every motion so no doubt he errs a little but not a great offence.”

24th - "Thomas Lambert and Agnes Pye were to see them. Old Thomas, the grandfather, was at outs with Lawrence and Barthol Pye and wanted to make a new will leaving everything to Mary and David but David thought he was not capable of making a new will in his state of mind.”

25th - "Mary Dilworth was to see Mary who was in bad order. Later the knee broke open and the pressure relieved some.”

26th - "Cold, snowy and windy. Mary was better today and the knee much less and more easy and she is better in spirits. I went to see my mother this evening and she is much as before, very weak and feeble but not in much pain. Titus received a letter from brother Timothy in Ohio. He gives account they are all well in health and great spirits and are going to a farm in Columbia township five miles from Cincinnati and in N.E. direction and three miles for the river Ohio. 70 acres of cleared land. He says they was sorry to hear that Mary was poorly as they partly expected us in America next summer.”

27th - "Fine day. Ann, Margaret, and Mary and myself were at Wyresdale meeting and Susy Birket preached. Joshua Kelsall poorly by a hurt he has received on his back. We had Ellen Pye and Lawrence Pye of Tarnbrook to see us this afternoon and Richard Cragg of Lanthwaite. Gilbert Bateson and Peggy called also. Mary better today and in better spirits. I read Timothy’s letter to all of them, I having taken a copy off it.” On the 28th, they were working at pulling spiles in the Damasgill as there was a break nine or 10 yards long. Mary was a little better. A son born to John and Jenny Proctor of Greenbank to be named John.

On the 29th, they were hedging, getting fire wood and harrowing potatoes. Mary tried walking with crutches again.

30th - The cuckoo was heard on the 25th, Mary’s knee was worse again.

1st of May - "Dr. Taylor came. He recommended bathing with warm water, fomenting with foxglove, poultices of oatmeal and barm and rubbing with ointment he has sent and she must have port wine and bark and bitters and pills and good Lord deliver us…”

On the second David went to check the wood lot at his father’s place and his own.

3rd. He was in Lancaster and got into a discussion with James Airing about John Albright in which David expressed himself quite strongly and got himself into a scrape.

4th - "Cold day. Mary’s leg painful and greatly swelled and hard and looks red. Mary, Margaret, Timothy and myself at the meeting. Isaac staying at home having been a little uneasy in the meetings had given umbrage to Josuah Kelsall that he had me under daeling so long for refusing to be bound with Barthol Pye. A persecuting overseer. A right righteous man according to the very letter of the law. Alice was at Hathornthwaite to see her parents. Titus called to see us in the evening. My mother somewhat better. I made calculations of making a weaving shop out of the barn end.”

The next four days the weather was bad but they worked on potatoes, mucking, fixing fences and gates. David went upon “the dun horse” in other words, dunning for payments due him, with very little success. Mary continued the same but finally had to throw off the poultices as they aggravated the knee so much.

On the 9th, he tried again to collect money. Again, met with no success. He went to see his parents. His mother very near death, he reckoned.

On the 10th, Mary seemed better and they both were “out of conceit with doctoring.”

On the 11th he had a little more luck and collected some of the money owed him. Richard Clarkson could not pay in money but agreed to work it off making a weaving shop for Timothy in the barn.

On the 13th, Isaac tended the geese. David stayed with Mary who was much worse. She was forced to take to her bed. “This afternoon a place in the ham near for bursting.”

The next two days David went to Lancaster month meeting and to Catshaw factory to collect money and got five pound off Joseph Pye. Isaac went to the lime kiln aqueduct and got four loads of lime for mortar for the next shop. They also made a door and a wheelbarrow for the work ahead.

On the 17th they started work on the shop. Mary’s leg burst in “the ham” which relieved some of the pain. Brother Thomas of Damasgillside was quite ill but his mother was somewhat better. David decided to resort to Lawyer Clarke to collect money owed him. Much against his will but he needed the money so very badly.

May 18th - "Fine day. Margaret and Mary at meeting. Alice at chapel, Agnes Pye came to see us and Margaret Waterhouse also called. Mary much worse today. The leg bad and much inflamed. Forced to bed at six at night.” He goes on to say while watching voer Molly he went over a lot of his writings and destroyed much of them.

On the 19th “Fine day. Vanity Fair at Lancaster. We was peeling at the bottom of the infall, pruning and thinning the trees there. Alice gone to Vanity Fair. Mary worse today. The leg very bad at present. Ann poorly this afternoon.”

David writes another poem.

5th month 21st - "Rain … Isaac at Ortner smithy with the mare to shoe. Took 46 pounds of old iron there a week ago. I got up some stones for the weaving shop. Afternoon peeled in the infall. Mary somewhat easier of the leg but has caught another distemper that is now prevalent, called the mumps. The face and neck much swelled and difficulty of swallowing. Margaret and Ann in the same distemper so I have three upon the sick list at this time. My mother very ill today, much worse than usual. They sent for one of Thomas Cragg’s daughters of Damasgillside to wait upon her. She was somewhat better in the afternoon.

22nd - "Isaac went to try to collect money. Mary, Margaret and Jenny had the mumps and Isaac started that night and little David “very tedious”. David went to see his mother who was very much worse. He said “I don’t know that I ever saw anybody, either living or dead, to look so ill as she does.”
The next day David carried on work alone getting sand and peeling. Dr. Taylor came on horseback. David sent Alice to Catshaw to collect money form John Sanderson. She got 5/18/6.

On the 24th, David went to Lancaster and paid Doctor Taylor two pounds. He also paid some on several other debts. Mary not so well but Margaret and Jenny some better but now both Isaac and Timothy down. The next few days David was busy working on the shop and waiting on his sick family. By the 27th, they all began to mend. Peggy Bateson reported very ill of typhus fever.

28th - "Fine day. Peeled in the plantation and bridgehead and afternoon we took Mary to Alice Gardner’s upon a visit and stopped there the afternoon. She stood the out very well. My mother better. Henry Bradshaw of the Crag in Ellel was buried yesterday at Lancaster.”

29th - "Fine day. Royal Oak Day. Lead stones out of the clough for the weaving shop. 16 cartful and fetched a stoop from beside the barley brow and the Brownfall for a lintel over the door, etc. Mary such like today. Children all got well of the mumps complaint. Lads seem to be mending.”

On the 30th they sold a fat calf and the 31st was such a lovely day they carried Mary into the garden where the apple trees were in full bloom.
June 1st brought Dr. T. Howitt’s bill but David couldn’t collect enough money owed him to pay it.

There was a great flood which washed down Dolphinsolme weir. On June 2nd. On the third they started laying the ground work for the weaving shop.

June 4th - "Some showers. I began to get turfs today. It was mucky work by so much wet. This afternoon Mary’s leg burst at the lower part of the calf and run an abundance of matter and after that was more easy and less swelled. My mother getting worse at present.”

On June 7th, David writes accounts of floods he had seen in the past. August 7th, 1787, October 28th, 1787, August 22, 1793 (a really big one), and December 29th, 1815. He goes on to record the damage of this flood of June, 1823. Most of the worst damage was at Dolphinholme and Abbeystead where the bridge was washed out. Much damage was done to young trees and crops.

June 6th - "Dark, gloom and rain. Peeled some today. Mary better. We carry her about with two poles under the chair like carrying a sedan chair which is very easy to her.”

June 8th - "Cold and showery. I went to Lancaster to see Dr. Taylor and he came back with me. Mary much better. Timothy poorly yesterday, face swelled and in bad mostly. The Doctor has been now 30 times. We had the company of Ann Dodding.”

Ann and David had a hot argument over the estate of old Lambert. The argument went on until Molly cried out for peace.

"Thomas Cragg called. He had got a copy of a letter that Richard Hathornewaite had sent from America, he being near Wheeling in the state of Ohio.”

On the 9th they were repairing roads. Isaac had a boil on his back. Ann Dodding came and paid David the money she owed him.

On the 10th Isaac was worse and so was his mother.

On the 11th Richard Clarkson, stone mason, came and broke in a door through the barnside wall and also a window. Clarkson had also been engaged to repair the Abbeystead bridge.

June 12th - Clarkson continued working on the new weaving shop and went to try to collect money. He got 20 pounds for Gilbert Bateson’s interest but didn’t go there as Gilbert was on one of his drunks so there was no use trying to deal with him.

On the 13th the work on the shop went faster as both Isaac and Timothy were well enough to assist in scrabbling stone.

On the 14th Isaac went to Lancaster market but David stayed with Molly who was “ill in her foot. The afternoon very bad and it is much swelled and inflamed.” She had also begun to cough very badly. “I cannot see that she recovers much strength or improves any in flesh. She being reduced very thin.”
The work in the shop had to wait as Richard Clarkson became ill.
All the family who were not ill went to the meeting on the 15th.

June 16th - "Got up turf today myself and Isaac. Mary worse. The foot very bad and ill swelled as is all the leg to the knee and full of pain. The cough continued violent at times. Richard Townley came up today and cut David for the cowpox we having got the matter off brother Richard of Langthwaite. My mother poorly. Richard Clarkson continues ill. Timothy gone to his weaving again this morning having been off I suppose three weeks but he was throng at home.”

June 17th - "Hot, clear day. We got up turf and finished for the year. Five days in all. Mary better. My mother better. Betty and Alice Townley and James Willcockson called to see Mary.”

On the 18th David, Isaac, and Ann went to Lancaster month meeting. There was great discussion about the hard times. They and David’s brother Thomas had dinner at James Crossfield’s with some others and there were discussions pro and con for going to America,

On the 20th, Richard Clarkson came to build the wall but he was not very strong yet. David scrabbled stone and fetched up wood. Isaac went for lime. Timothy was ill again.

21st - "Clarkson finished the wall all but the top stones. Mary much worse and took to her bed at noon. Lawrence Pye called.”
On the 22nd the girls went to the meeting. David’s mother some better but Molly worse. She had visits from Ann Birket, Mary and Wm. Dilworth, Christo Lund and John Gardner. Mary’s cough was really worrying David.

June 23rd - "We reared turf this forenoon. Afternoon Isaac staking peas. I was jobbing about. I went to Sally Birket’s shop at Bagman House in Wyresdale and I bought 18 yard of linen cloth.”

On the 24th and 25th, Isaac went to the highway and David reared turf and chopped bark.
There is a poem about assessed taxes. They were apparently taxed on land, animals and buildings. The rate on the house was so much per window. He also mentions the Hargreaves surcharge and:
“Tax men about my house do creep Half my windows he may peep and red-nosed, purple-faced informer Will be the only one to murmur.”

On the 26th, Isaac was at the highway and David went for coal. Mary’s cough much worse even to “pitching up” after meals. He expresses his dearest wish is for her to regain health but if she cannot he mourns that she must suffer so much first.

June 29th - They all went to the meeting and on the same day he made the following entry:
“My mother, Jennet Cragg of Greenbank in Wyresdale departed this life this forenoon about 11 o’clock having been weakly and poorly for a long time and was clear worn out by old age in every respect, aged 82 years and 10 months. She and my father had been married and lived together for 60 years and five months. I went in the afternoon to see them. They was very sorrowful, my father, Titus and Ann, but Ann seemed to be the most so. I helped Titus to make out a list of persons to be bid to the burial. About 50 in number and I had a bill of the charge of Ann Pye’s burial expenses which I handed him as it would be some guide for him to buy stuff by as without it he would have had no idea at all of the matter. My father proposes to bury at Wyresdale meeting house in the new ground and when his turn comes to be laid beside her as he told us.”

6th month 30th - "Fine, hot day. Isaac, Timothy, Ann, Margaret, and Mary was at Tarnbrook clippings, Lawrence Pye’s I went to see my father and found him as well reconciled as can be expected. Titus went for burying stuff to Lancaster, Betty Cragg of Langthwaite came to assist in the house and help to contrive things. Molly in bad trim today. She thinks her recovery to be doubtful and I am most decidedly of that opinion.”

July 1st - "I reared some turf today before noon and afternoon I had the company of my father. He came and stopped all afternoon to be out of the way of the neighbours cooking for the burial tomorrow. Titus also came at four o’clock to his drinking and stopped till half past five. Mary rather better today.”

July 2nd, 1823 - "A fine hot day. I reared some turf before noon and finished them. Isaac pulled some thistles out of the corn and at noon, myself, Isaac, Timothy, Margaret and Mary went to the funeral of my mother. All got dinner and we set off from the house soon after two o’clock and walked very slow. She was buried in the new ground at Wyresdale meeting, the south-east corner of the graveyard near the south wall and east fence towards the brook. A very nice, dry place and a grave of sufficient depth. There was present at the burial besides my father and family:

5 of my family
5 of Thomas Cragg
3 of Richard Cragg
3 Richard Townley
2 William Dilworth
2 Jackson Dilworth
2 Alice Gardner
1 John Proctor
1 Gilbert Bateson
1 John Yates
1 William Walker
1 Thomas Drinkall
1 Sally Birket
1 Margaret Waterhouse
1 James Birket
1 Agnes Birket
1 Josuah Kelsall
1 Thomas Kelsall
1 William Kelsall
1 John Labra
1 John Proctor
1 Wm. Cragg (Abbeystead)
1 John Clarkson (Nookhouse)
1 John Sykes
1 John Jackson (Spouthouse)
1 William Carr
1 Richard Sandem
1 Ann Wallace
1 Thomas Carr
1 Thomas Robinson
1 William Robinson
1 Robert Clarkson Senior
1 Robert Clarkson Junior
1 Richard Clarkson
1 James Winder
1 Joseph Parkinson

56 in all, bid but did not come. Thomas Kelsall of Tarnbrook, Matthew Butler, Richard Coup, William Goring, John Winder, Robert Parker should have been invited but forgot to be put on the list until too late.

We got home about five o’clock. Mary was very bad today. Her cough most violent and troublesome and she is in very bad order. It is very probable the next turn may be at my house.”

On the third David went to pay Gilbert Bateson the rest of the money he owed.

“Mary had a very bad night last night of coughing and a violent pain in her side so that sometimes she was near spent and very short winded. I could not hold from thinking that things was coming to a crisis very soon and I was discouraged how I should support the last trials of parting with her forever.”

On the 4th, Isaac was helping lay the floor in the new shop and David went to see his father.

On the 5th, David went to Lancaster market. Mary was somewhat worse and David himself became ill with a pain in his chest.

On the 6th, he and Mary had a talk about the chances of her recovery. She said she considers her “recovery doubtful but she was not alarmed at the thought of death. She was prepared for it and there was no cloud in her way. She was pretty content. There was nothing she was concerned to part with but me and the children but most likely it must be so.”

The only good sign was that her appetite was still good, but the cough was much worse and the pain in the side, sweating, shortness of breath and finally there was swelling in the sound leg.

“Ann Birket came to see us at night and gave us account of my mother’s illness. She had ordered that Ann must give to my daughter Margaret a half crown piece that she had in her keeping that had belonged to my sister Margaret and was marked on the face of it MC to keep or to buy something with it as we thought fit.”

The 7th and 8th they spent on the potatoes but David was still feeling poorly.

On the 9th, Isaac worked on the shop and David hoed potatoes. Brother Richard and Margaret Gardner came. Mary was up for a while. William Pye of the Tarnbrook called to see her.

On the 10th, Timothy came home and was preparing to set up his own looms. Brother Titus came to see them. Mary seemed a little better and even did some sewing again. David was better, he had been afraid that he had caught his wife’s disorder but was not discouraged about leaving his hard life.

The next two day they worked on the weaving shop.

July 13th - "Mary seemed somewhat worse today. We had the company of sister Agnes Pye all day. Mary wanted to see her very much. She was struck when she saw Mary. She looked so much worse than she expected. Titus called in the morning but Mary was not up.”

14th - "We began to mow today and moved 30 falls in the infall. Pretty good grass. This forenoon I cut the third finger of my left hand, the end nearly off so I was incapable of much work all the remainder of the day.”

7th month 20th
Another long poem. Contains “to have Molly at death’s gate”

The Last Days of Molly Pye

“Mary Cragg, wife of David Cragg in Over Wyresdale in the county of Lancaster was born on the fourth of the second month 1785. Daughter of Lawrence and Ann Pye of Avery Wyresdale. She was brought up in the national mode of worship, and was convinced in a meeting held at Wyresdale meeting house through the ministry of a travelling friend then present in the year 1805 and attended meeting until admitted into membership with Friends and married to David Cragg in 1807. She was a long time confined by a disorder of the knee which in length brought on a consumption and died on the 22nd of the 9th month, 1823, aged 38 years, 7 months and 13 days, leaving eight children, the youngest only one year old.

As she was a sincere Christian and a truly religious woman and who was often speaking to her family and others that come about her in a very comfortable and encouraging manner. I sometimes employed myself in writing down some of her expressions during the last six weeks of her illness which I did as faithfully and as correctly as my memory would admit of, as sometimes I had not a proper opportunity until some hours.

It was a tribute I thought due to one so pious, upright and benevolent a temper of mind and one I esteemed so well.”

8th month 11th - "Mary much worse, greatly indisposed today but very comfortable in mind. I had some conversation with her upon that point to an acquaintance that came to see her and brought her a present of some cherrie. She told him she was much obliged to him and she thought it was most likely that they would be the last that ever she would live to see. She took it very kind when her friends and acquaintances and neighbours brought her some little matter. It showed they were thoughtful about her. It is the Lord, she said, that puts these good thoughts into their minds and she was glad and rejoiced that they gave way and regarded those motions. Not that she stood in need but could have what she wanted without their assistance but it looked so kind of them and it was doing a thing that would do their hearts good and they would have peace in it. Charity or relieving the sick or poor was a fine thing and though she never had much to give, she could truly say she never sent a beggar from the door without giving him something.”

13th of 8th month - "She told me as I was sitting beside her saying, “My dear, I have been so comfortable today like as if I were in a little meeting. The love of the Lord flowed so in my heart that I could almost sing for joy. For some considerable time past, though I could see no cloud to stand in my way, I was lacking the love I now feel.”

On the 15th - "A near relation coming to see her of whom she was very glad. She advised him to endeavour to lead a good life that when he came to lie on a sick bed, like her he might have peace.”

“On the 20th of the 8th month she talked with some of her children and advised them to be sober and orderly in conduct, and keep to plainness of speech and plainness of clothing and give good heed to what she said, for soon perhaps she would be taken away from them and keep to truth in speech and not tell lies or make false excuses when anything mishap was charged against them but acknowledge the truth. It would be the best way to be forgiven and the matter would be by this means most easily passed over.”

“About the 25th being very poorly she expressed her doubts as to her prospect of getting well again. She said she was very comfortable and not at all afraid of death, for the sting of death was taken away. She was ready and prepared for it be when it will. The Lord was good to her. He had taken away all affliction of mind and she was happy and comfortable. She believed it was the Lord’s will that we came together in marriage and we had done all we had promised to do to the full and now if it were the will of the Lord to part us we must be content for we cannot possibly prevent it. We have been through many trials and besetments both outwardly and sometimes inwardly but if it be all well at the last, this is but for a time. She particularly said that John Clarkson, Christopher Lund, Robert Dean, Richard Townley and Peggy Bateson should be at her burial. She recommended that I take good care of her clothes and not let the lasses cut and mat them but to keep them until they were big enough to wear them without cutting them too much waste.”

“On the 25th, A Friend called to see her and she was very glad of his company. In giving how she felt in her mind she told him she was prepared for her change whatever it may be. And as she had not much that she would get better she was resigned and willing to part with all for it would be a happy change for her. The Friend said he was happy to find her so tender and feeling state of mind and so resigned. It was the finest thing in the world. She wished him to call again before it was too long.

“On the 26th - A neighbour calling in to see her, she told him how happy she was in respect of death. She was both ready and willing when the Lord saw meet to release her. She had a well-grounded hop that it would be well with her in the world to come and that was a fine thing.”

“On the 31st - We had the company of some near relatives most of the afternoon. She talked a good deal to them in commendation in living a good and righteous life that when they would come to a bed of sickness as she was, then they would have enough to do without the horror of a guilty conscience to contend with, the pain of the body was as much as she could bear. The time of health was the best time for setting about the soul’s salvation. She was happy and thankful……………..

…. And it continues in the same vein.

John Dodding, her brother-in-law, getting up off his chair as if he was going out of the room she said, “Stop, John, I have some good news to tell thee.. As I was some time ago very still and felt myself exceedingly happy. I heard a voice saying, ‘Come thou afflicted one into the joy of the Lord.” How affecting and how comfortable these expressions was to our minds that was set in the room with her at that time.

“On the 22nd, she was more at ease in respect of bodily suffering and more dull and sleepy, talked part at times. At four o’clock she got a dish of tea and a bit of bread. I said to her, ‘Thou art so drowsy, Mary, that thou will be hard set to bid us farewell.’ ‘Oh,’ she said ‘I do wish you all well but I cannot bid you farewell for the last. No, I cannot.!

“About six o’clock the doctor came to see her and inquiring how she was she answered she was very poorly indeed and ‘I expect I have nearly done with time here.’ But after some pause added, ‘I am content. I am happy there is no cloud stands before me. The way is clear.’ The doctor said, ‘That is a fine thing and I am glad to hear it.’Aye,’ she said, ‘It is a fine thing that in a time like this to be be at peace with the Lord. For my part I have found it most abundantly so.’
Afterwards two neighbours who called to see her, she expressed how glad she was to see them but her voice began to fail much and she spoke with great difficulty and drawing near her departure. I took her by the hand and inquired how she felt herself. She answered, ‘My dear, I am very ill, but I am happy.’ And about 50 minutes past seven at night she breathed her last, quietly and peaceable without sigh or struggle. As I watched the glimmering spark of life depart, her countenance seemed serene and composed as it were an emblem of happiness of her departed spirit. The Lord gave and Lord hath taken away and we ought to be qualified to say, Blessed is the name of the Lord. She was remarkable patient under the utmost extremity of suffering with which she was afflicated and kind and loving to wait upon and thankful for every little matter that was done for her, and so good-natured that it seemed to be no hardship to attend upon her but a pleasure to be in her company.”

“Thus cut off in the prime of her life to our loss indeed but to her eternal gain. There was a great deal of excellent saying at times but which through inattention, I did not write down until I had lost a proper recollection of them so they are omitted.”

“Let us all then follow so good an example and be prepared in the time of health to make up our account with the Most High so we may say with her that she had nothing to do but to die. The work is not to do on a death bed.”

“The 25th of the 9th month, 1823, she was interred in the friends burial ground in Wyresdale near to my mother who was buried about 12 weeks before. We had about 70 person attending the burial and all of my family, ten in number attending the meeting. So now I have conducted my dear and loving wife to the silent grave and am left a widower with eight children to take care of, if so be that I am able, but when we have a promise left on record that the Lord would be a husband to the widow and a father to the fatherless so I may needs if possible lay hold of this gracious promise and put my whole trust in him who is able to succour in every needful time and every trying hour so I trust I may indulge the hope that at least for the present that some of my honest endeavours may be blessed and I may have the comfort in my declining years to see my family get and qualified to maintain themselves by the Labour of their own hands and above all may the prayers of my dear wife be granted that they may grow in grace as they grow in understanding and that at last I may be enabled to meet and triumph over death as she most wonderfully has done and could often testify the goodness of the Lord to her though she suffered so much but she often would say’I am thankful, exceeding thankful that I am preserved in sound mind and perfect understanding through all which I account a great mercy and for which I have often prayed.’

“To Joshuah Kelsall
Mary Cragg died 22nd of the 9th month, 1823 aged 38 years to be buried at Wyresdale in the new ground near to Jennet Cragg being sufficient room for one grave between them.”

Another poem called “The Last ten years in Old England”

There are a few entries in November of 1823 about a trip David took. On the 27th, he set off at 15 past 5. He heard the Dolphinholme factory bell as he got to Ortner. Later he heard the Catshaw factory bell. He did not call at Hannah Drinkall’s at Abbeystead or Agnes Pye at Top of the Emmets as it was so early and no light in the house. He was past Marshaw at day break. He saw only a few people salving sheep. At Clitheroe he called at the Black Bull and got ale and bread. He went on to Colne on a very bad road, he put up at a public house at Colne.

On the 28th he set off for Bradford, up hill and down, over a moor and a wild common. He went through a thriving village of Stanford, passing a place he was seeking, Wn. Gawthrop of Loinside, but he was hailed by Lawrence Dodding. He saw Bill and Thomas Dodding and John Howsman. David had dinner with Lawrence Doffing and his wife. They found a place for him to stay the night.

On the 29th he went to Bradford with Lawrence “to look about is. Called of Arthur Dodding and his wife. Arthur went with us to Bradford. We looked at the dye houses, factories, new market house and gas works, the new and old church and went a mile out of town to see Bowles furnace and iron works. Called to see Lawrence’s father and mother.

On the 30th they went to Binglay. They saw the canal and boats going through locks. They got caught in a heavy rain and he had to borrow Thomas Dodding’s britches and coat and shoes as his were soaked. He stayed the night at Lawrence’s parents and passed a pleasant evening talking and resting and reading in a book about Cromwell and read the second chapter of Act of the Apostles and the second chapter of the Macabees.

On December 1st he had breakfast at Lawrence’s and then went on to Arthur Dodding. They were “very throng about their weaving.” He thought he was rather unpleasantly treated but they did give him a book to read until Arthur came home. “They did not invite me anything to eat, but I helped myself without.”
That is all I can make out of that journey so have no idea of its purpose really.