This diary is a chronicle of Albert Peyton’s day to day activities between January and December 1872. At first he talks about the odd jobs he does while living in Missouri, such as selling livestock, transporting corn, and hauling logs at the mill. He also talks about what he does in his spare time. In April 1872, Peyton heads west to Eureka, Nevada where he worked chopping wood and loading coal. He keeps a fairly detailed record of his finances, particularly in the “cash account” section at the end of the diary.