Nov 17—Get to Staunton. See McGill, Downs and others. Go to Waynesboro with Mr. Withrow. All night on the train.
Nov. 18—Get to Richmond and go on to Danville. All night in darkness.
Nov. 19—Meet Bill Salmon, of Henry County. He is the only person I ever saw try to kill himself. At Mead’s Hotel, Martinsville, Va., in 1856, as my wife and I sat at the table, he sat in front of us and drew his knife across his throat. Some men took him away. Another freight train takes me to Greensboro, N. C. Dine with Rev. Wm. E. Edwards, a brother of Rev. Dr. J. E. Edwards, of Va. Conference. Both were born and raised near G. Spend night with Morris at Durham.
Sunday, Nov. 20—Get home to breakfast at Chapel Hill, N. C. Rains all day. Nearly nine months since I saw my family. Thank God for his goodness to me and them!
Nov 21—At home.
Nov 22—Visit Mr. Lloyd. Weather turns bitter cold.
Nov. 23—Visit sundry persons and families.
Nov. 24—Visit Rev. G. W. Purifoy and others. His father, friend of my parents and my boyhood friend, raised three sons, all preachers—Geo. W., James F. and Addison. My oldest daughter was converted under the preaching of Rev. A. F. Purifoy, a son of James F.
Nov. 24—This day I bought a barrel of home-made syrup and some barrels of corn to feed my family for 1865.
Nov. 25—At home.
Nov. 26—Walk several miles visiting Sister Nunn, Cousin Abel Madry and Wm. Strain—good people.
Nov. 27—Preach in Methodist Church at Chapel Hill, with much comfort.
Nov. 28—Attend Senior examinations of the University. Take two degrees in Royal Arch Masonry.
Nov. 29—Meet the bride of Rev. R. A. Willis.
Nov. 30—Sup with Rev. S. Pool.
Dec. 1—At home.
Dec. 2—Sup with Jones Watson, for whom my first son was named, Feb. 2, 1856.
Dec. 3—Dine with Mrs. White, daughter of Rev. Littlejohn Utley, who knelt by me and told me of Jesus, Oct. 14, 1853, the first and only time I ever presented myself as a penitent for prayer. Visit University Halls, etc.
Sunday, Dec. 4—Hear Brother Willis preach twice.
Dec. 5—Wife and I start to Conference at Mocksville. Reach Salisbury late. Sleep at Mansion House. The preachers go on to M.
Dec. 6—We ride to Mocksville, in Bro. A. Carter’s carriage and stop at W. H. Wyatt’s.
Dec. 7—Conference meets and elects Rev. D. B. Nicholson to preside. In M. we meet Sallie Pailey, who afterward married Rev. S. D. Lee, of the N. C. Conference, whom I loved most tenderly and whose son, Wm. B. Lee, went as a missionary to Brazil. We had many delightful interviews with old friends and new ones during Thursday, Friday and Saturday at Conference.
On Sunday we heard Rev. N. F. Reid preach and enjoyed The Lord’s Supper. Dr. McGuire sends us to Dr. Chun’s, where we spend the night.
Dec. 12—We drive to Salisbury and go on to Durham and spend night.
Dec. 13—Ride early home to Chapel Hill.
Dec. 14—Very busy at home getting in readiness to leave.
Dec. 15—Move my family to Stone’s house. Get off to Army again. Spend night in Durham.
Dec. 16—Detained in Greensboro. Visit Sister Bumpass.
Dec. 17—Visit family of Jones Collier. He sat in church at Chapel Hill, on the night I was a penitent till all others retired and then gently proposed for me to arise and retire. I long to see him in his heavenly home. Start late and get to Danville and stop at Tunstall House.
Sunday, Dec. 18—Hear Rev. O. H. Hall preach. Dine and sup with Bro. J. B. Pace, whom I met and loved in Henry County, Va., in 1856. Meet Brother Farley who had an interesting family in Martinsville in 1856. When I asked about his family he told me all were dead. What a change! Then wife and children around his table. Now he eats his food among strangers at the hotel and retires to his lonely room. I leave at midnight.
Dec. 19—Get to Richmond and spend the night with my wife’s father, A. M. Davis.