Introduction

James Colmore Masters kept a daily farm journal between the mid 1890's and the early 1930's.  In his writings, of which there are five volumes, he recorded key events in the life of his family, neighbors, and community.  He lived north of Elizabethtown, Kentucky near the Mill Creek area of Hardin County.  His old homestead is now part of the Fort Knox Reservation.

It is with a sense of awe that I share his writings.  His dedication and persistence in recording daily entries for such a long period of time serve as an inspiration.  With such a simple, to-the-point factual style, he shared of a time not so long ago that clearly contrasts to present day.  Life was hard and moved at a slow, deliberate pace.  Convenience was not in the vocabulary.  Yet, life clearly was, as it remains today, a journey full of joy and pain, of fellowship and sorrow, and of change.

As his great-grandson, I feel very fortunate to have such a glimpse into his life.  While my personal experience of great-grandpa is based on a sentence or two per day in a series of old books, I share a common bond and heritage that clearly is one of kinship.  His love of God and family, his work ethic, his knack for the latest technology of the day, and his sense of humor are traits that have been handed down several generations and I now enjoy.

May all who read this journal find something of interest and value.

John Mark Masters
July 2000