Thomas Rigmaiden's Diary 1844 Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana File prepared by Connie Wise File submitted by Carlton R. Adamson, Stuart MacKillican, William Quick and Clyde Vincent. NOTE: If you have information about any of the people mentioned in this diary, please contact Jan Craven at jcraven@usunwired.net ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ THOMAS RIGMAIDEN DIARY JANUARY 1844 1. (Monday) Fine day. Went below. Took dinner at Mr. Moss's. Settled with him, he owing me a little. Thence to Pierre's. *2. Cool. Exchanged my barrows and sows with Pierre and drove them as far as Jaucen's. 3. White frost. Returned home safe with my hogs. 4. & 5. Frost. Killed 3 hogs and cut them up and salted away. Cutting corn stalks. 6. Cloudy most of the day. Planted out what onions I had. 7. Rain most of the day. Went to Jacob's with my family. Got wet coming home. *8. Cloudy and drizzly. Cutting corn stalks. Edward and Adolph cutting wood. 9. Rain. Killed 2 hogs, cut them up and salted away. 10. Some rain. Made chimney to my smoke house. Pontal assisted. 11. & 12. Rain. Daubing smoke house. Made door and other jobs about home. 13. No rain. Cutting corn stalks all day. *14. Rain. Escubas came here with Pontal. Received a letter from my brother James. 15. Rain. Went below in company with Escubas. Pontal and Adolph. Got wet. Stopped at Pujo's. *16. & 17. A freeze. Settled with Lambert. Got salt from him and $12.22 from Escubas for amount of . . . . . February, March, April and first half of May missing. MAY 1844 *22. Warm. Planting corn in George's field. Did not teach school. Got my paper #285. 23. Threatening rain. Finished planting and commenced harrowing. Made a bean harbour. 24. Fine day. Finished harrowing. Hoeing in the clearing evening and morning. 25. Rain last night. Adolph and myself hoeing. Edward doing other odd jobs. 26. Rain last night and this morning. At home all day. Beckey here. Corn coming up. 27. Fine shower. Making potatoe hills and planting vines. Replanted pumpkins. At school. 28. Another fine rain. Ward paid me a visit. 29. Cleared off. Ward returned. Commenced planting peas in new ground. Planted a few slips. *30. A fine day. Jacob ploughing on this side. Edward went to Mr. Leger's at 11 A.M. 31. Fine pleasant day. Planting peas. Settled with Jacob, he owing me $19.92. Took his children from school. JUNE 1844 *1. (Saturday) Very warm. Finished planting peas. Went to Gilion's to get my jump plough mended. 2. Still warm. At home all day sick. 3. Sick. Replanted corn in lower field. No school. *4. Very fine rain. Adolph and Edward ploughing. Peter hoeing in lower field. Hoeing pinders and thinning cotton. 5. Warm. Edward and Adolph ploughing. Peter and myself hoeing cotton. Out of meat. . . . . . .writing. 6. A fine rain. None at the lower field. Edward and Adolph employed as yesterday. Hoeing cotton. 7. Threatening rain. Received a letter from my sister Lucy by Mr. Berry. Making potatoe hills. 8. Very warm. Eliza and all hands hoeing in lower field. 9. A fine shower. Killed a four year old beef. 10. Threatening rain. Hoeing in lower field. 11. Much like rain. Hands employed as yesterday. 12. A very hard rain. Planted potatoe slips. George came up for his horse. Got two barrels potatoes. 13. A great deal of rain today. The corn bent with the rain. Bridge carried off. 14. Rain. Edward went to Allen Coward's. Planted potatoe hills. *15. Fine day. Eliza went to Pontal's. Found my beeves in Bradshaw's field. 16. & 17. Rain. Planted what potatoe hills were made. Broke cart wheels hauling rails. 18. A little shower. Commenced making cow penns. Roulette very lame. 19. No rain. Finished cow penns. 20. No rain. Ploughing and making potatoe hills. 21. Rain. Ploughing and making potatoe hills and planting vines. *22. No rain. Got one quarter meat from Pontal and one half a yearling from Jack. 23. Fine day. Writing to my sister Lucy dated 22nd inst. Hands planting corn. 24. Rain. Ploughing in lower field. 25. Rain. Edward ploughing corn in lower field. Hoed out tobacco in the evening. No school. 26. Some rain. Took my letter to Coward's - Pujo in company. 27. Rain. Harrowing in lower corn. 29. Thinning. Hands planting corn. 30. Some rain. At home all day. Eliza at Jacob's. Ann very sick. JULY 1844 1. (Monday) Threatening rain. Went to Lyons' to the auction in company with Jacob. 2. Rain. Thinning corn in lower field. Took the roof off the old corn crib. 3. A little sprinkle. Adolph went to Leger's. Cut a little tobacco. 4. Fine day. Dined at Jacob's. 5. Very warm. Got a barrel of corn from Jacob. Adolph returned. 6. Warm and dry. Hoeing in the forenoon in the lower field. 7. Warm. At home all day. 8. Very warm. Edward assisting Jacob to brand. 9. Warm. Covered my crib. Got three barrels corn at George's out of Mr. Ryan's. 10. Warm. Ploughing. 11. Hard rain. Ploughing in forenoon. 12. Warm. Ploughing with John. 13. Ploughing and hoeing corn that was down. 14. More rain. Got white sow with 6 pigs. 15. A fine day. Got 2 quarters of yearling from Jack. (Piomin) here. Came for George's. 16. & 17. Very fine days. Commenced pulling fodder. 18. Pulling and tying up fodder - 22 bundles. 19. Appearance of rain. Finished pulling and tying up fodder. 20. Put out the remainder of my fodder in the yard to dry. At night tied it up. 21. Very hard rain when we were all down at the old place. Fed my spotted sow with 4 pigs. 22. A little rain. Planted what peas I had in lower field. 23. Rain. No work today. 24. Gathered some corn today. Eliza put up a piece of cloth to weave yesterday. 25. Fine day. Fed my pigs. *26. Warm. George took Selena and Levi to the Lake. Emily and . . . . . 27. Very warm. Covering peas. Edward went below with Landry. Calves got with the cows. 28. Warmest day this summer. Went to Pontal's. Edward returned. Could not find the cows. 29. Some rain. Cows not to be found. *30. Fine day. Edward found some of the cows. Cut some tobacco. Adolph hoeing in lower field. Jacob Landry came to school. 31. A fine rain. Edward took Roulette down to Lezime's. AUGUST 1844 1. (Thursday) Little rain. Edward returned. Left roulette with Lezime. Out of meat for some time. 2. A little rain. 3. Edward and James went to Mr. Bradshaw's. 4. Little rain. At home reading. 5. No rain. Edward and Adolph went to Jack's to haul fodder. Artemise came to school. 6. Very warm. Hard wind with rain. Cut some tobacco. Edward and Adolph helping Jack pull fodder. 7. Four large trees fell in the field. Edward went to Jack's in the evening. 8. Very warm. Edward and Adolph at Jack's. 9. Warm. 10. Very warm. Eliza and Edward went below. 11. Threatening rain. At home all day. Heard of aunt Sukey's death. She died the 6th inst. 12. Very fine rain. 13. Rain. Edward returned. Eliza stopped at Mr. Moss's. Albert being hurt. 14. Rain. 15. Rain. Took in my tobacco. It was rather green. Edward went down for Eliza and returned at dark. The little boy's leg bad. 16. Warm. Sent my four year old's hide to Mr. Moss's. Jacob took it. 17. Rain. Doing several little jobs. 18. Rain. Adolph and myself went to Jacob's. 19. Rain. Heard of Mr. Coward's death. He died on the 16th inst. At 11 P.M. and was buried the day following. 20. A very hard rain. Got 2 quarters of a 2 year old beef from Pontal. 21. Fine day. 22. & 23. At night a hard rain. Commenced pulling my corn. Edward went to Jack's. 24. Still fine. Employed as yesterday. 25. Edward brought a quarter of a yearling from Jack's and returned. 26. Drove my sows and pigs out of Bradshaw's field. Sukey here. 27. Very pleasant day. At school. Only my own children attended. Edward returned from Jack's. 29. Fine day. Pulling fodder in lower field. Edward below for Roulette. 30. Fine day. Pulling fodder. 31. The day fine. A little rain at night. Finished pulling fodder. Tied up 102 bundles. Edward went up to Jack's at night with Peter. SEPTEMBER 1844 1. (Sunday) Very fine warm day. Tied the last of the fodder. Got a quarter of a fat cow from Jack. 2. A warm day. Edward and Adolph getting timber for the cart. 3. Adolph went to Leger's. Edward worked at . . . . . 4. Another warm day. In the evening a shower at the old place. Eliza went to Jacob's. 5. A little rain. 6. Very warm. Dined at Jacob's. Got a pair of wheels from him for $6.00. Ward came here. 7. Went twice to see my sows and pigs. Bent some corn in the old field. 8. Warm day. At home all day. Eliza and family went to Pontal's and Jacob's. 9. Continues warm. Ward left here. 10. Mild, dry and warm. Edward looking for beeves. 11. Another warm day. Edward and Landry went to Leger's by water. Edward returned as far as Mr. Moss's. 12. Still warm and dry. 13. Rain in the evening. Edward brought a barrel of flour, a sack of coffee and an empty barrel. Bradshaw hauled them. 14. Fixed the bridge and other jobs. 15. Ward hauled flour, et cetera home. Turned sows out. 16. Threatening rain. Emily came to school. The rest of the children picking peas. Pujo collecting beeves. 17. Cloudy with a little drizzle. Children picking peas. 18. Rain. Employed as yesterday. 19. Rain. Still picking peas. 20. Some rain. Got a quarter of a 3 year old beef from Jacob. 21. Cool and pleasant. Commenced a letter to my brother James. 22. Morning cool. At the old place with James. Edward started to go to Leger's. Got lost and returned at night. 23. Pleasant. Children commenced picking peas a second time over. Finished my letter. 24. Warm. Edward got a horse from Jacob to go to Leger's. Children picking peas. 25. Rain most of the day. Stopped from school to bring in corn out of the old field. Too wet. 26. Rain. Could do no work. 27. Hard rain. Brought Roulette up. 28. Rain in the evening. Edward returned. *29. Fine cold day. Mrs. Alston and family here and Mrs. John Stevens. 30. Very cold morning. At home picking peas. Emily went home. Edward and Landry pulling corn in old field. OCTOBER 1844 1. (Tuesday) Still cold. Peter and Edward finished pulling corn and carrying it to the house. Adolph came up with a young friend of his. They went fire hunting, but killed nothing. 2. Fine pleasant day. Jack here from cow hunting. Jacob here. Sowed onion seed. 3. Very fine day. Sent my letter to James by Adolph. 4. Fine day. Did not attend school. 5. Cool and pleasant. Doing several jobs about home. 6. Escubas and Leger came here. 7. Fine day. Went to Leger's. Settled with Escubas, he owing me $5.00. 8. & 9. Both fine days. Returned home. Jacob assisted Edward to kill a 3-year old of James'. Paid him a quarter I was owing him. 10. Cool and pleasant. Did not teach school this week. 13. Eliza and I at Pontal's. 14. Warm. At school. 15. Fine warm day. E. sick with ague and fever. 16. & 17. Rain last night and today. Logged some fallen trees. No school. 18. Cold with rain. At school. 19. Cold. Edward and myself cutting wood most of the day. 20. Warm. At home all day. 21. Rain at night. At school. Beckey here. Edward looking for cows. *22. Very fine day. Adolph better. Edward went to Mr. Moss's to get a book on . . . . Eliza went to Jacob's to get a hogshead fixed. Got a horse from Jacob for $25.00. Asa and issac came to school. 23. Very warm. Edward returned. Children dug a row of pinders. Found very few. 24. Warm and threatening rain. Edward split a few rails. Cut corn stalks. 25. Still warm. Cut some corn stalks and other jobs. 26. Went with Eliza to Pontal's. Edward at Bradshaw's. 27. Cleared off cold. Edward went to look for Jacob's hogs at the old place. 28. Cold pleasant day. Edward killed a deer. 29. Edward went with Jack a cow hunting. 30. Fine day. Commenced digging potatoes. 31. A little rain. Digging potatoes. NOVEMBER 1844 1. (Friday) & 2. These two days fine. Digging potatoes. Roulette died on 2nd. 3. Warm and pleasant. At home all day. *4. Fine cool day. Went in company with Jacob to the Presidential Election. 5. A little drizzle at night. Settled with Pontal. Got two 3-year old beeves at $7.00, two 2-year olds at $5.00, and a yearling for a sack of salt. 6. Cool pleasant day. Adolph sick. Feleneeze digging potatoes. Edward digging potatoes at Jack's. 7. Cloudy. Hands digging potatoes at Jack's. 8. Warm. Finished digging potatoes. 9. At home. Rain. *11. Hard rain. Adolph covered the potatoes with dirt. Eliza warped a piece of cloth for Mr. Allen. Levi came to school. 12. Cold hard wind. Edward at Jack's. 13. Very cold day. Edward came home. Adolph helped Jacob kill. 14. Very hard frost. 15. Got my sows and pigs home from the old place. 16. A little cloudy. Cutting corn stalks. 17. At home. Jack cut a bee tree. No honey. 18. Rain and some sleet. At school. 19. Fine cold day. Edward cutting corn stalks. 20. Warm. Cutting wood. Adolph sick. Took calomel. 21. Rain. At school in the evening. *22. Very fine day. Adolph better. Went with Edward to Goins' to look for my lost hogs. 23. Frost. Jossla Goins went in the woods to look for 24. Very fine day. Adolph better. 25. Fine day. Cut a few corn stalks. 26. Disagreeable drizzly day. Had to return from school with fever and ague. 27. Cloudy. Sent Eliza for some medicine. Adolph hauling corn from the old place. 28. Fine day. Finished hauling. Much better. 30. Killed a spayed cow from Jacob. DECEMBER 1844 1. (Sunday) Fine day. Turned my hogs out yesterday. At home all day. 2. Cold, disagreeable day. Edward gone a bear hunting with Jack. Adolph splitting rails. 3. Fine day. A very sick man. Made axe halve. 4. Cloudy. Adolph very sick. Edward returned. 5. Warm. Adolph better. Edward went with Jacob a hog hunting. 6. Cleared off cold. Cut a few corn stalks. 7. Hard frost. Cutting corn stalks all day. 8. Frost. At home all day. Eliza at Jacob's. 9. Another hard frost. Edward and Peter went to look for a hog to kill but could not find one. Cut corn stalks. 10. A very hard frost. Edward and Peter out looking for hogs again but could find none. 11. A light frost. Killed a 4-year old beef I got from Mr. Alston. Pierre and Sally here. 12. A warm day. Edward and Adolph and Peter splitting rails. 13. Went to the prairie. Took dinner at Allen's. From thence to Pierre's in company with him and Sally. 14. Frost. At Pierre's. Could not find my hogs. *15. Cloudy and drizzly. Returned home about 10 P.M. Drove up 9 hogs. Gave A. Nerosier my account against him of $45.00; his credit about $10.00. 16. Very cold day. Hard North wind. Edward and Adolph splitting rails. Killed a small cow I brought up. Eliza finished her piece of cloth for Mrs. A. Coward. 17. A very hard frost with ice. Edward and Adolph splitting rails. Cutting corn stalks. 18. Another frost. All hands employed as yesterday. 19. Rain. Hands employed as yesterday. 20. Fine day. Put up 4 hogs to fatten. 21. Frost. Cut and hauled some wood. 22. Hard wind from the North. Got axe halves. 23. Frost. Laying floor of the house. 24. Very hard wind. Finished floor. 25. Partly cloudy. Wind S. At home all day with all my family. Killed a small barrow. 26. A little drizzle. Cutting corn stalks. Edward and Adolph splitting rails. 27. A light frost. Making cart. Edward drove Citron up. Killed a young spotted sow from George. 28. Hard frost. Finished cart body. Cut the meat up and got some bones from Jack. 29. Another frost. At home. In the evening took a walk to the old place. 30. Warm and little drizzle. Splitting rails. Killed a barrow got from Peter. 31. A pleasant day. Splitting rails. The oldest children went below. FOOTNOTES JANUARY 1844 2. Jaucen's - 8. Adolph - Adolph Escoubas; b. 1825, France; married 3 Nov. 1846 Mary Ann Rigmaiden. 14. Escubas - . . . . Escoubas, father or brother of Adolph. 16. & 17. Lambert - Benjamin Lambert; b. 1800 in New York; married Christeen Gottleigy(?). Moved to Calcasieu Parish from Lafayette Parish, LA. MAY 1844 22. George's - George Ellender; b. Oct. 11, 1811; married Melissa Ryan. Dau. Of John Jacob Ryan, Sr. and Mary Ann Hargrave. 30. Mr. Leger's - Possibly a merchant in Lafayette Parish. JUNE 1844 1. Gilion's - Micael Gilen; b. 1806 in Tenn.; married Martha . . . .b. 1815 in Indiana. 4. Peter - Possibly Peter Harris, b. 1814 in Alabama. 15. Bradshaw - 22. Jack - possibly Jacques Ellender, son of George Ellender and Melissa Ryan. JULY 1844 26. Selena - Celanie Ellender, b. 1837, dau. Of George Ellender and Melissa Ryan. Levi - Levi Ellender, b. 1839, son of George Ellender and Melissa Ryan. 30. Jacob Landry - SEPTEMBER 1844 29. Mrs. John Stevens - OCTOBER 1844 22. Asa & Isaac - Sons of Jacob Ryan, Jr. and Rebecca Bilbo. NOVEMBER 1844 4. Presidential Election - Democrat James Knox Polk defeated his Whig opponent, Henry Clay. 11. Mr. Allen - Probably Allen Coward: see Dec. 13 & 16. 22. & 23. Goins - Joshua Goins, b. 1805, in Louisiana. DECEMBER 1844 15. A. Nerosier - ------------------------------ July 9, 1999 We invite additional footnote material and corrections from the readers. If you have information on persons not documented in the footnotes, please let us hear from you. ----------------------------