--- title: 'Stopped by rains' description: By 1917, my great-grandfather’s farm in Princess Anne County, Virginia, was up and running, with actual profits registered. The weather remained a preoccupation --- [Vita Brevis ](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org) # ['Stopped by rains'](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/2019/06/stopped-by-rains) Written by [Scott C. Steward](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/author/ssteward) | Jun 26, 2019 2:00:33 PM By 1917, [my great-grandfather’s farm](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/2019/06/weekend-farmer/) in Princess Anne County, Virginia, was up and running, with actual profits registered. The weather remained a preoccupation: *1917* *3 February*: Coldest day in eighteen years. *10 February*: [Fred](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/2019/06/weekend-farmer/)’s yew [*sic*] had two lambs[;] she disowned one and had to [be forced to] nurse. *23 February*: Little Frances[[1]](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/2019/06/stopped-by-rains?hs_amp=true#_ftn1) sick in bed with measles. *4 March*: Inauguration Day – President Wilson’s second term… Fred served at communion today at the nine o’clock service and the 11 a.m. service. Frances recovered from measles. *21 March*: Planted a few potatoes – stopped by rains. *23 March*: Finished planting twenty-five barrels potatoes. Used six tons guano. *7 May*: Very cold and raining – have big fire in living room. *8 June*: Potatoes selling today in market for $10.50 per barrel. A fleet open day during the 1930s, from my grandfather's album. *24 June*: Our family went with the Dobsons to Yorktown and witnessed a most beautiful sight – about twenty battleships anchored in harbor. *11 July*: Shipped one car potatoes containing 220 [barrels?] for which I received $880.00. *18 July*: Estelle[[2]](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/2019/06/stopped-by-rains?hs_amp=true#_ftn2) went to New York. *24 July*: Estelle returned from New York and brought her mother[[3]](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/2019/06/stopped-by-rains?hs_amp=true#_ftn3) home. *26 July*: Rain every day since July 5th – grass getting the better of everything. More rain in July than we have ever seen. *1 August*: Hottest day in twenty years. The Bells had hopes of a Naval Academy appointment for my grandfather: *6 September*: Fred and I returned from a most delightful trip to Washington, Mt. Vernon & Baltimore. While in Washington we called on the Secty. of the Navy Hon. Josephus Daniels. *1 October*: My birthday. Very happy Sunday. *3 November*: Sold the entire lot of sweet potatoes for $81.00. This more than pays our coal bill, which is $76.50. *10 November*: Estelle and I took a trip to New York and spent a most profitable and happy time. *10 December*: Coldest day this winter, 18° this morning. *12 December*: Snow eight inches deep. *17 December*: Snow for the last week. No chance to work on farm. Man cutting wood and building hog runs. *25 December*: Merry Christmas. Day clear and pleasant, snow at night. *1918* *1 January*: Coldest weather this city has ever seen… Monticello Hotel[[4]](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/2019/06/stopped-by-rains?hs_amp=true#_ftn4) burned today, also six stores on Granby Street. *20 January*: Inspected potatoes stored in Anheuser-Busch and found about 25% of them frozen. Rather discouraged. *31 January*: Sleet everywhere – the trees and lawn sparkle like diamonds. *15 February*: Think the ground hog saw his shadow as we are having some fine weather. Estelle and I took a long drive this afternoon. *28 February*: The month of Feb. has been the finest open weather ever known just as Jan. was a record breaker for being cold. *Continued *[here](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/2019/07/mighty-happy-time/)*.* ### Notes [[1]](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/2019/06/stopped-by-rains?hs_amp=true#_ftnref1) My great-aunt Frances Fairfax Bell (1909–1997). [[2]](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/2019/06/stopped-by-rains?hs_amp=true#_ftnref2) My great-grandmother Minnie Estelle Jackson (1876–1935), who married J. Frank Bell in 1902. [[3]](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/2019/06/stopped-by-rains?hs_amp=true#_ftnref3) Estelle’s mother Rebecca Jane Eggleston (1856–1937), who was married to Oliver Dodridge Jackson 1875–1915 and to William E. Waterman in 1924. [[4]](https://vitabrevis.americanancestors.org/2019/06/stopped-by-rains?hs_amp=true#_ftnref4) Where my great-great-grandfather [O. D. Jackson](https://books.google.com/books?id=jUNEAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA1021&lpg=PA1021&dq=o+d+jackson+monticello+hotel+norfolk&source=bl&ots=UPyRh9aV1s&sig=ACfU3U3Dx5DkelYTcEyKq-xp7mez6QoLiw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj-9MW1sfbiAhUFVd8KHRElDcQQ6AEwAXoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=o%20d%20jackson%20monticello%20hotel%20norfolk&f=false) had once had his office. The linked article, from a 1902 history of Norfolk County, offers a rosier portrait of Jackson’s career to that point than is perhaps warranted. 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