Henry Gehner had a Farm. E-I-E-I-O

Farming creates a crop of paperwork too. I have some of my grandfather's pocket record books from the 1930's and 1940's (how much a load of wheat sold for, how much a month's supply of coal cost) and they give a great window into the daily life on the farm.

While Henry Gehner's detailed records are lost to history, we can get an idea of his farm records from the 1880 census, which included 100 questions in the supplemental items for farmers to report on the production and value of their farm in the prior year (these numbers are in addition to the 6 Gehner kids on the farm in 1880).

Notice that the hired man was also Henry.  I can't imagine how confusing this would be for Caroline yelling "Henry!" out the door and having three men respond.

Henry Gehner	Age 49		Born in Germany
Caroline Gehner	28	wife	Germany
Henry Gehner (Jr.)	19	son	Illinois
William Gehner	16	son	Illinois
Sarah Gehner	10	daughter	Illinois
Charlotte Gehner	7	daughter	Illinois
Herman Gehner	5	son	Illinois
Ludwig Gehner	2	son	Illinois
Henry Henrik	33	Hired Man	Germany

"United States Census, 1880." Index and images. FamilySearch. http://FamilySearch.org : accessed  24 Feb 2014. Citing NARA microfilm publication T9. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d. 

Henry Gehner Had a Farm... E I E I O.

• Acres Improved (tilled fields): 120
• Acres of pasture, meadow, orchard or vineyard: 7
• Woodland/Forest acres: 200

And on his farm he had some...

• Horses: 8
• Cows: 3 milk cows, 17 other
• With a moo moo here
• a total of 200 pounds of butter were made in 1879.
• 2 calves born
• 1 cow purchased
• 1 slaughtered.
• Sheep: 18 on hand 6/1/1880 
• With a baa baa here
• 18 fleeces weighing 90 pounds
• 7 lambs in 1879
• 3 sheep slaughtered
• 2 killed by dogs 
• Pigs: 43
• no details were asked for in terms of piglets or number slaughtered
• Chickens: 10
• producing 20 dozen eggs

And on his farm he grew some...

• Corn. 40 acres produced 1000 bushels
• Oats. 15 acres produced 300 bushels
• Wheat. 45 acres produced 900 bushels
• Potatoes. 1/4 acre produced 25 bushels
• Apples. 36 trees in a 1 acre orchard produced 5 bushels

And on his farm they made some...

• Molasses 35 gallons of sorghum molasses

And on his farm they cut some...

• Wood. 12 cords of wood (worth $30)

Henry Gehner had a farm. E I E I O.

Total asset values:

• $6000 Land, buildings, fences 
• $185 Machinery
• $965 Livestock

Expenses:

• Fence (repair & building) $30
• Paid labor: $145 (12 weeks)

Income from selling farm product:$1600

Illinois Non-Population Census Schedules. 1880 Census: Agriculture Schedules for Macoupin County..  www.familysearch.org Accessed 23 Feb 2014

Data for both Henry Gehner and his brother Casper's farm is found on image 167 of Macoupin County's 1880 agriculture schedule.