| Description | Farming diary, no. 25.
31 January - 31 March 1899
Church meetings cancelled because Mr Dymock is low; the whole year's crop is thrashed; Mr Dymock dies; attends Mr Dymock's funeral and helps carry the coffin; sees the picture 'Ecce Homo' at the Music Hall - 'I thought it grand'; tours an Aberdeen ice factory; attends funeral of Leslie Adam's second son; collects sustentation money; goes to prayer meeting and Deacons' Court; attends George Emslie of North Aquithie's ploughing match; a congregational meeting is held at the Church to discuss filling the vacancy caused by Mr Dymock's death; the Topsie cow calves; attends Church committee meeting; attends Spring Show in Aberdeen; attends funeral of John Copland, 'a young lad 18 years of age'; the Maggie cow calves; collects the sustentation money; attends prayer meeting and chairs Deacons' Court; the Flora cow calves; the Vacancy Committee produces a short leet of three for the Church post; heavy snow in March; the Kinnernie cow and the blue quey calve; Andrew in bed with a 'severe doze' of the cold; the Vacancy Committee produces a list of six names 'to preach with a view of filling the vacancy'.
1 April - 30 June 1899
The mare foals; attends prayer meeting and Deacons' Court; they sow for the first time in the year; Andrew and Mary attend an evening party at Gordon the merchant's - 'nearly twelve o'clock when they got home'; sells three queys for to James Alsop Jr for £43; collects for the sustentation fund; attends prayer meeting and Deacons' Court; The Rev. W. Forrest MA is chosen as the new minister; attends prayer meeting and meeting of Session; engages a young lad, William McConnachie, to work the horses for £13..10; cold conditions in May; hears Rev. Dr Stark's lecture on Oliver Cromwell; pays rent at Kemnay House; collects sustentation money; presides at prayer meeting; hears Mr Robertson preach from Hebrews on the Sabbath - 'got a perfect treat from him'; Mrs James Reid's mother and sister arrive from America - 'Mrs Reid has not seen her Mother since she was two years old & she is now about 46 years of age'; attends Garioch Free Church Presbytery meeting which agrees to sustain the call; attends Mr Peter Copland's funeral; sees some pictures in the Music Hall with Uncle Robert and attends an arts exhibition; sells Mr Alsop six queys for £84; entertains Mrs and Miss Gordon, 'the two Canadian Ladies that are staying at James Reid's'; attends prayer meeting and Deacons' Court.
1 July - 30 September 1899
Andrew attends the Highland Society's show in Edinburgh; Mr Alsop buys the hornie cow for £14; buys present in Aberdeen for Mr Forrest with funds raised by Vacancy Committee; attends the ordination of the Rev Walter Forrest to the pastoral charge of the Kemnay Free Church Congregation and a social meeting at the Church in the evening where Revs Forrest and Stalker receive gifts; enjoys Turriff outing, 'got a good view of the Country'; attends Jane Leith's funeral; engages a young lad, Valentine, for the harvest at £5; attends prayer meeting and meeting of Session; sells the pigs at £4..10..0 for the pair; collects for the sustentation fund; attends prayer meeting and Deacons' Court; the cow from Mr Alsop calves; they commence the harvest; assists with the steam thrashing mill; buys six cattle at £70; finishes the cutting for the year; they go to see the Gordon Highlanders pass on a march from Monymusk to Inverurie.
1 October - 31 December 1899
Ploughing commences for the season; pays Alec and he leaves; sells three queys to William Valentine at £48; goes visiting with Mr Forrest in his district; sells two stots to Mr Alsop for £40; attends prayer meeting and Deacons' Court; assists at the steam thrashing mill; buys two red heifers at £13 per head and three stirks at £6..10 per head; attends the funeral of George Cruickshank's son; Mr Buchan, the laird of Tillyfour, dies; engages Willie for the winter half-year at £14; pays rent at Kemnay House and other expenses; attends a displenish sale at Beltside, Deeside, and buys an American plough; ploughing starts for the season; gives Willie a ploughing lesson; attends Charles Sang's funeral; goes with Bella to lecture on America by Rev Doctor Stark; buries a stirk which chocked on a turnip; sells the David horse to David Gordon for £36; pays Mr Alsop Jr £45 for five cattle; attends prayer meeting and Deacons' Court; attends 'the juvenile concert' in Kemnay with Bella; sells six queys to Mr Alsop Jr for £93.
1 January - 23 March 1900
Attends George Rothnie's funeral; Old Mr Rettie dies; the Sabbath School children have their night of the Christmas tree on 9 January; attends Mrs Mackie's funeral; collects sustentation money and attends Deacons' Court and a meeting of Session; suffers from rheumatism in a leg, which restricts his activity; the Topsy cow calves; Willie comes seventh in a ploughing match; Willie is laid low by a bad cold; collects sustentation money and calls on some sick folk; goes to 'a Cinematograph entertainment' in Kemnay; Bella sits with Mr Wilson through the night, he being very low; Mr Wilson dies; pays fire assurance account to James Reid; attends James Wilson's funeral; 'I am very tired of the storm'; the shalt falls in snow and breaks a shaft of the cart; the Bell cow calves; heavy snow in February; assists with the steam thrashing mill at Aquithie; the Maggie cow calves; Andrew's foal does not win a prize at the Aberdeen Spring Show; attends prayer meeting with Bella and Deacons' Court; frost and heavy snow in March; the Flora cow calves; Bella is hurt by falling sack of meal and has to rest. |