THE DIARY OF MICHAEL STRONG

Michael Strong kept his notebook "diary" from about 1861 through 1870. He recorded a great deal of day to day information about his family and their dealings, and often jotted notes into random pages in the booklet. In this complete transcription, an effort has been made to rearrange all entries into chronological order. The original spelling and grammar has been preserved. The note-book itself is small, about two inches by three inches and contains the following title:  

LONDON 
Improved Patent 
METALLIC PAPER 
MEMORANDUM BOOK WITH  
METALLIC PENCIL 

 Recommended... of great utility when the writing is required to be permanent, the paper having an ivory... the writing appears very distinct... purpose forms a complete... for ink, and when written with the accompanied pencil, cannot be obliterated. 


Michael Strong wrote: 

 "Michael Strong of York Mills 1861 his book July the 29th 1861. 
Margaret gave Mrs Leach two dollars to stand in the rent. 
Wednesday, July the 23rd, 1861 
I fell on hogs hill, Being the worse of liquor and broke two of my ribs. 
June 1846 me and my family came to Canada.  
Butter got from Mrs Jackson in June 1861  
by Robert 4 pounds at 6 
by Robert 3 pounds at 6 
July 16 by Robert 5 pounds at 6 
July 20 by Robert 3 pounds at 7 
July 29 by Robert 3 pounds at 7 
August the 19th 5 pounds at 7 
the 31t 4 pounds at 7 this all settled.   

August the 12th began to work again after my fall pulling peas for Mr Leach til half past 10:00 back from half past 6 morning from seven till half past 4. 
Leach's peas L 6 - 3 Van Nostrins 30  
Morgans grass 1 - 10 Traylon 6 - 3 
Jacsons grass - 15 Green 8 - 9 
Greens grass - 6 - 9 
George Jacsons 
thrashing - 5 
Peebles - 3  
With Turner and Mr Green 
For John Lukes in the year 1859 20 cords of wood at 2 and sixpence a cord 2 days Robert and me digging potatoes and one cord of wood and 2 logs 3 dollars 

April 1860 I gave Mr Leach s-2 7-6 on my note  

April 1861 I was 3 days with John Lukes  

1861 Boy with Mr Jackson Aug 14,15,16,17,19,20,21.  
August 11, 1861 John McIntyre's son born.  
Thursday the 2d of January Mr McDogles daughter died.  

I will tell you a story that happened long ago when the English came to America. I suppose you all do know they couldn't whip the yanks, I'll tell you the reason why, Uncle Sam made them sing roat hog. (sic) 

With Mr John Lukes 3 days at the dam digging potatoes me and one boy 2 days 
one cord of wood and two saw logs 

ORO January 11, 1862 We came to John McIntyre's with all we had. Tuesday the 14th I lent Maryann 10 shillings to give Parkins.  

February the 26th, 1862 it snowed all day  
27th all day drift 
28th snowing drift 
the first Monday of this month I lent John one dollar.  
to Mr William Jennings 31 1/4 cords for 32 1/2 to be paid me in ...(illegible) 
indue Maryanne for shirting this paid  

March 1862 March the 31st Joseph went to Mr Hall. on the 29th I got my deed of Mrs Smith's place. 
March 1862 92 pounds of pork got from John McIntyre for 18 shillings. 

April the 8th one barrel of flour at 4 dollars   
on the 19th 1 1/2 bushels of potatoes.  

May the 8th one barrel of flour got from John at 4 dollars. 
Sixteen shillings of that to be paid to Mr McDogle in the forepart of the summer and 4s to John for one bushel of the wheat another bushel sowed for me at s3 and 9 pence 
May the 8th 1 bushel 1/2 of potatoes at s3 and 9 this all settled and paid but McDogles 16 shillings. 
May the 12th I begun to garden for John and me 1862.  
 

June 1862 - George Harrison plowing for wheat half day, half a day for oats and half day loging at my bee half day. I was one day splitting rails, Robert one day picking stones. George with me loging Tuesday the 23d 3 hours on that day I got my leg brusd.  
Thomas Harison three days having Robert in return one day picking stones and 2 days hoing potatoes. 

June the 16th, 1862 and 17th hard frost  
the 20th Joseph went to his place, the 21t James and me put in the fence by the peas... on the same day my cow took the bull  
on the 16th our potatoes and beans were killed.  
June 1862 
John got for me in Barry, 21 pence 
turnip seed 1 1/2 
one bushel of potatoes 

The 1t of July I had the oxen 
John with me 
the 14th and 15 
and the oxen 1/2 day 
the 16th I got sick and 17th 
John with me 1 day 1/2 under Brushing  
James Robert and me 1 and 1/2 with John haying in one day of myself mowing and half day of James and Robert and one half day of myself at hay. 
John with me one day at the seders one half day taking out the plates and he and his oxen 2 days halling logs me mowing  
swails 1 and 1/2 

Saturday August the 16th, 1862 Charles McConnell married in Barrie. 
on the 21t I raised my house, on the 30th hard frost that killed the potatoes. 
August the 22d weet 
the 28th and 29th and 30th I was with John at wheat and peas. 

Saterday, 1863 February the 2t Joseph begun his month with Mr Guthrie 
February the 4th, 1863 from Mr Lock 
14 yrds shirting at 1 2 
4 yrds factry at 1 1 
3 yrds factry at 1 
3 yrds ..... at 1 6 
tea 4 6 
tobaco 2 9 
3 pounds sugar 1 2 1/2 
3 spools 9  
March the 7th 
one lb tea half tobaco 2 lb sugar 2 yrds blue bery  

May the 6th 1863 
I sowed my first field of wheat in Oro  
on the 7th burnt my fallow 
on the 10th the rain came and on the 12th rain  

Lumber for my underfloor 574 feet at 6 dollars a thousand, the rest at five 
for lumber the whole amount L2-17 1/2  
May the 27th I had my first logging bee 1863  
I had 2 gallons of whiskey at 3s per gallon.  
John McIntyre 
Duncan Ferguson George Cammel 
Farquhar Bell Neal Gilcress 
William Lang with their oxen and George Harrison  
Thomas Steel 
Lawhlen Galbreath 
Charles McCartor bestowed me half bushel of wheat  
For loft 100 & 12 feet 
For the floor 36 feet 

July the 25th, John finished molding the potatoes and James with him. 

December the 20th, 1863 300 and 8ty feet of lumber from Mr Clark at the rate of six dollars a thousand. 
Thursday, December the 31st, we had a stormy freezing day, and January the 1st and 2d a hurricane of wind and frost. A little more moderate on Sunday the 3d. On Tuesday, December the 29th, 1863 Joseph went to live with Mr.... and came home New Year's Day at noon.  
Thomas Harison Colebery with his oxen drawing straw 1/2 day 
halling logs 1/2 day, December 1863 
on the 30th December 1/2 day 
Joseph had the oxen 1/2 day 
James and me at the Mashiene (machine?) ---- 2 days  

1864, January the 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th there were beautiful sunshiney. Wed the 30th rain and snow, Feb the 15th and 16th hard frost and blowing snow, the 17th and 18th severe hard frost, the 19th a little more moderate.  
April the 18th, 1864 James went to work with Mr. George Brown. 
James first months wages 
April the 18th 1864 James went to Mr George Brown, he cut his nee on the 15th of May and lost two weeks by that.  
June the 3d he begun his 2d month he lost one day going into Barry for boots on that day he got 12 shillings and 6 to pay for his boots then on the 12th of July he got 2 - 6 to go to the walk in the third month, then on Saterday the 6th dito he went to Barry to get pants and borowed 12 - 6 on Mr Browns acount 
January the 27th 1865 I settled with Mr Coal Robertson and paid him 15 leaving six shillings and a penny 1/2 to pay of the old debt and on the same day I got 7 yrds and a half of print at 4 1/2 per yard which comes to s9 1/2. 

John McIntyre plowing with me half day on the 19th April 1865 
the 20th weta 3/4 quarter day 
the 21t til 12 o'clock 
finished the plowing 
on the 27th the horses here all night on the 28th  
John sowed 3 bushels of wheat before dinner time then draged after then the horses here that night and... 
May the 11th 1865 I begun to plant potatoes and finished on the 19th and planted my corn on the 21th 1865 
1865, Joseph came home from Flaherty's on the 22nd (May) after serving one month and 2 days. 
June 1865 - Alexander Gilchrist with me 2 days loging  
going to Barrie with hay in winter going to mill with a grist and home and taking to mill another grist 
Against that James one day and half work and 8 bushels of turnips at ... one dollar. 

for my pig ten dollars and five cents  
in June 1865 Lilly bulled on the 7th  
Cherry buld on the 20th 
Dasy buld Agust the 3d 1865 

June the 25th, 1865, I got in a passion at breakfast when Joseph refused to come to breakfast when I bid him two or three times. Then Eliza rose in a passion at me, and said she never saw the Sunday morning. But I was scolding and told me that I told a lie that morning, which set me on fire. 
July the 4th, 1865 Joseph went to James Flaherty's to work at twelve dollars per month, out of which he received ten shillings.  
July 17th 1865 Robert went to George Anderson's to work 
James went to Joseph Hall's to live on the 18th dito  
Joseph went to James Flaherty's on the 11th dito and he got two dollars out of his months wages before on a count of work done before. 

On the 6th of December, 1865, I bailed Alexander Correy to keep the peace from one year to this date. Hard frost from the 5th to the 7th. 
January the 29th, 1866, I paid paid the note for John's cow to Cole Robinson. 17 dollars. 

MICHAEL and MARGARET STRONG married on the 4th of June 1835. Michael Strong born 1804, on the 27th of December and Margaret born August 1815. 
1866, December the 30th and 31st snowey, January the 1st, 1867 A very fine day of sunshine. Joseph with John Dunsmore preparing for Janet's wedding, to be married the next day, (Jan. 2, 1867)  
January the 7th got from Mary Ann s4-6 to pay for her weev. A very cold day John Dunsmore and me went to the weaver. On the 8th Robert bringing in potatoes. Joseph went to Donel Grants for slay.  
My first Globe paper printed January the 18th, 1867.  
1867 January the 27th Constant snow all day, on the 28th clear in the fore part of the day. 
Joseph and Robert with Donnel Grant Junior on the 28th dito choping. 
1867 My sow took the boar this 28th day of January  
on Monday the 20th of May she will have sixteen weeks in of her time. James went to live to Sandy Wat on this 28th  

Township of Scot, Liskdale P.O. 1867  

April the 5th, 1869 Daysey calved a heifer calf  
the south down lambed on the 17th dito.  
On the 16th, the snow on our hill was two feet and a half deep. 
April the 9th, 1869 Fredderick Simson stole my dog while we were at John Dunsmore's. 

May the 13th 1869 My cow and heafer went to peases pasture from which time they got milk every day since May the 14th my mare took the horse, 6 dollars insureing a fole and on the next round he refused to try the mare to the horse. She took the horse on the 28th the last time.  
May 1869 George Peas had one days plowing bestowed him from me and one day harrowing with no driver and two days for horse pasture, the other for rent cows pasture and one day plowing for two dollars.  

June the 15th, 1869 Eliza's second son born. Eliza's first daughter born October the 7th, 1871.  
the first July the 1t gentle took the bull and Daysy on the 4th 
July 1869 Paes had my horses half a day bringing in hay and he had the mare and wagon to Barrie on the 21t with his wife and children. 
August the 6th we brought our cows and horses home from peases place. Daysey buld August the 5th 1869 August the 13th 1869 our sow piged and had 9 pigs. 
 

October 7th, 1869 I past my note for the black mare to William John Bell. 
to be paid at his residence on the ridge road.  
90 dollars 
15 months credit. 
October 20th 1869 heavy snow. 

Mr. Abram Van Medonte 
Warminster P.O. in the year 1869 for oats L5-2-3 from Dunsmore's place. 

December the 18th, Mrs Harrison died 1869.  

We got Mrs. Loges letter March the 19th, 1870.  
March the 23d, 1870 Cul Robertson bought the fan colt from me at 60 dollars. 
March the 27th, 1870 it snowed all day and on the 28th, we went to Brake Roads, on the 29th warm and thawing. James and his mother went to Barrie to meet Mrs. Lodge with the horse and cutter.  

My sow piged April the 9th 1870, on the 11th Gentle calved. 
April the 14th, 1870 James begun to plow one half day. April the 16th Robert gave in his resignation. 

May the 10th 1870 Dol took the horse young looks all 
May the 10th I sowed my wheat, on the 13th I sowed my peas. 
May the 16th, 1870 my mare took the horse the second time, he has been here 5 Mondays on the 6th of this month. 
May the 16th 1870 I began to plant my potatoes in the field and finished on the 21t. On the 14th of this month Daysy calved a heafer calf. I finished my sowing of oats on the 21t. 
May the 26th 1870 Daysy was to the bull  
Robert burnt his bush in Medonte on the 31st of May, 1870. 

June the 4th 1870 the rain came on and rained on the day following on Sunday and showery on Tuesday with thunder and lightning.  
June the 6th, 1870 Robert sold to Mr. McCauly all the green and growing pine in Medonte on the 13th lot that would make timber to be taken off before June the 6th, 1872. McCauly bid him eighty cents per thousand for cutting and skidding the logs. 
June the 6th 1870 Dooll took the horse the last time, on the 30th the rain came on and rained the afternoon. 
June the 17th My two cows was Buld 1870. Got from Maryann 11lb butter at 7 cents per pound comes s4 1/2 

July the 16th 1870 Daysey buld the 3d time.  

August the 7th Daysy buld 4th time.  
August the 11th, 1870 I gave George Ashton 8 dollars for Frank Hall and got a small cag of malt he said which I gave to Hall that day. 

September the 16th, 1870 I sold the colt for 100 dollars and paid it to Harrison on the land in Medonte for the boys and sold the horse the same day for 100 and 10 dollars and took a mare in part payment for 25 dollars and 25 dollars in cash then Robert traided the black mare for a yoke of oxen and gave 15 dollars to boot. 
May the 26th my sow took the boar, September the 17th she piged. 
October the 6th 1870 I thrashed, had of wheat 22 bushels, of oats 80, of peas 22 and paid John Daro 3 dollars for thrashing, all of the men to be paid is Alexander McCarthur Steel John Dunsmore and Jim Harison was with me and rige and his 3 mares - he was indue me one day of horse and half day of himself. 
Sunday the 9th of October, 1870 Jane McConnell came to our house and stayed til Wednesday, the 12th.  
Robert left her to the station in the cars. On the 13th I put up my pigs to fat. 
Beef to John McIntyre 125 lbs October the 20.   

November the 2d, 1870 Joseph Strong married on Wednesday, to Jane Kile at about one o'clock. 


Mr. James McKelvey, 
Tonoglasson, 
Co. Monaghan, Ireland. 
Balley Bay P.O. 

Mr. Abram Van, 
Deacons P.O. 
Medonte 

Mr Charles McConnell, 
Township of Stevenson, 
Morley's P.O. 

Mr George Turner, 
Utterson P.O. by Muskoka Falls, 
The township of Stevenson 
Victoria County 

Mr. James McKelvey, 
of Tonnyglasson, County Monaghan 
Ireland, Bally Bay P.O. 

Charles McConnell 
Township of Scot, 
Liskdale P.O. 

Stevenson Johnson's P.O. 
Lakeshore Line County of Grey 


Posted Oct 13, 1997 - All rights reserved. Updated July 12, 2002
Adapted from original writings by Michael Strong, 1861 to 1870, and published in History and Genealogy of the Strong Family of Medonte Township, Ontario, Canada by William L. Strong, 1989.  

 The above material is copyright @ 1997-2002 - William L. Strong . You may not reproduce this material without my written permission.