I am really enjoying some of the stories from a 19th century autobiography. 
I'll include some examples here.

Excerpts from:
Autobiography of Benjamin Hallowell
(read now on the internet archive 
https://archive.org/details/autobiographyofb00hall_0/page/130)

Page 130...
In the spring of 1843, I commenced farming regularly, arranging the fields, 
putting up fences, planting trees, shrubbery, etc. Brother Granville, who had 
now moved to Calvert county, Maryland, to practice medicine, had planted both 
an apple and a peach orchard in 1839, during his occupancy of the premises. I 
now got my valued friend, Thomas P. Stabler, to assist me to plant some Seckel 
pear trees, which I had purchased of him, six in number, in our front lawn, 
near the house, where I had not long before planted a juniper bush, which our 
kind friend, Roger Brooke, had found in the fence corner on my place, and which 
is very rare in these parts. There was very little other shrubbery. One 
Fourth-day morning, Margaret wanted the yard mowed, and I got my man Samuel to 
mow it. I went around with him and pointed out each of the six Seckel pear 
trees, and a hen that was sitting by the juniper bush, and charged him to be 
particularly careful not to injure any of them, but to stop the scythe when far 
enough off to leave them safe. I then went to my chamber to get ready for 
meeting, and on my return in about one hour, going to see how "Sammy" came on, 
I found he had cut down five of the six pear trees, and had cut the hen's head 
off! I was glad it was meeting morning. I got right in my carriage, without 
saying a word, being afraid to speak, for fear, as it was done, and speaking 
could do no good, I might say too much.