Thomas Rigmaiden's Diary 1845 Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana File submitted by Carlton R. Adamson, Stuart MacKillican, William Quick and Clyde Vincent. File prepared by Connie Wise 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 ************************************************ JANUARY 1845 1. Foggy and heavy dew. The day warm. Splitting rails. Got upwards say 200. 2. Some rain in the evening. Employed as yesterday. Children returned from below. 3. Still very warm. Hung up meat. Splitting rails all day. 4. Warm. Employed as yesterday. 5. Cloudy. Delivered Jack 14 barrels corn in the shock. 6. Cloudy. Very hard south wind last night. Delivered the remainder of corn to account- 13 barrels. 7. Little frost. Edward and Adolph looking for Citron. Killed 2 barrows out of the penn. 8. Adolph and Edward working again for Alston. 9. Adolph and ca alone hauling rails. I ran fence from the field to the river. 10. Threatening rain. The beeves got out. Could not haul rails. Edward with Jacob again. 11. Little frost. Edward found Citron. Finished fence. I made fence around cotton patch. 12. Frost. Profaned the Lord's day by cutting a little wood. Eliza and Edward to Alston's. 13. Warm. Fixing fence on Pine Hill. Rolling logs and burning them. Finished hauling rails. 14. Cloudy. Fixing fence towards the river. Cutting, rolling and burning logs. Hanging meat. 15. Employed as yesterday. 16. Went below with Landry. 17. Rain. Returned as far as Pontal's. Adolph and myself cut down two pines for rails. 18. Some rain. Splitting rails. 19. Clearing off. Cut wood. Jack hauled. Ate at Jacob's. 20. Finished clearing for . . . . patch. Ate at Jack's, helping him to kill hogs. 21. Frost. Edward went to Jack's to haul rails. Adolph splitting rails. At night made two log heaps. 22. Edward and Adolph splitting rails. Out of coffee since yesterday. 23. Fine day. Hauling rails with our beeves. Ate at Jack's. Eliza also there. 24. Edward came home with the cart. Adolph splitting rails. 25. To the Big Woods. Gave James Perkins an order on John Moss for $14.13. Stopped at Pujo's. 26. Somewhat cloudy. Returned home. Took dinner at Mr. Berry's. The river high. 27. Cloudy and hard south wind. Adolph and Edward commenced clearing. 28. Rain last night. Hands clearing. FEBRUARY 1845 1. Cloudy and drizzly. All hands clearing. 2. Some rain. At home all day. The children to Alston's. 3. Still cloudy with rain. Adolph, Edward and Feloneeze clearing. 4. Fine day. All hands clearing. 5. Hard frost. Came to school but returned in consequence of high water. Employed as yesterday. 6. Frost. Rode to school. Thence to William Bilbo's. Got Bradshaw's notes for $150.00. 7. Cloudy with some rain. Water falling. Came to school. Employed as yesterday. Not much done. 8. Fine day. All hands clearing. Hung up meat. 9. Warm. Planted few peach trees. At home reading. 10. Very fine day. Jacob came to school. Finished clearing high ground. 11. At home with toothache. *12. Warm, threatening rain. Edward took Mink home. Dan Miller paid me a visit. Adolph splitting rails. 13. Cloudy. At school. 14. Rain in the morning. Rolling logs in evening with my own hands. 15. Fine cool day. All hands rolling logs in new clearing and nearly not finished. 16. Very fine day. At home all day. George came up for Serena. 17. Fine pleasant day. George returned. Edward sick. Adolph splitting rails. Feloneeze hauling rails. Set a few log heaps on fire. 18. A little cloudy. Adolph splitting rails. Set fire in some log heaps. Began to lay worm of the fence. 19. Cloudy. Edward and Adolph splitting rails. At night putting up fence. 20. Rain. Adolph and Edward went to Jacob's log rolling in William Bilbo's field. No school. Working new clearing. 21. Cloudy with some rain. Deadening trees in clearing. 22. Very hard rain. Cutting logs. Others clearing in low ground. 23. Very fine day. Commenced a letter to my sister Bess dated 22nd. 24. A little frost. Went with my family to Jacob's to preaching. At night set a few brush heaps on fire. Hauled some rails. 25. A very fine day. Adolph and Edward putting up fence in the clearing. Feloneeze hauling. 26. Pleasant. Edward and Adolph splitting rails for Jacob. Finished my letter to my sister Bess. 27. Very fine day. Went to the Office, too late for the mail. Left my letter and received one from my sister Lucy. Got no dinner. Returned home at 6 P.M. 28. Continues pleasant. Adolph splitting rails for Jacob. Edward hauling sugar cane from Joe Fork's. MARCH 1845 1. (Saturday) Rain. Put up fence at the back of the clearing. 2. Cleared off at 12 Noon. At home all day. 3. Wet, cold, unpleasant day. Finished putting field fence up except the riders. Hard wind at night. 4. A little rain. In the evening cleared off. Edward and Adolph splitting stakes. 5. Fine pleasant day. Grubbing. Edward and Adolph splitting stakes and went a fishing. 6. Pleasant at night. Clouded up and drizzled. Set some brush heaps on fire. Worked until 11 PM. Feloneeze hauling stakes and . . . . . 7. A very hard South wind. Adolph and Edward staked and ridering field fence. Grubbed a little in old cow penn. 8. Cloudy with hard South wind. Rolling logs within ourselves and setting fire in them. Edward went to the Lake. 9. Cloudy with rain at night. At home all day, attending to log heaps. Spot drove up with a calf. 10. A pleasant day. Staked and ridering field fence. 11. Cloudy with rain. Adolph went to Leger's. 12. Cloudy with rain in the evening. Adolph returned. Hauled 8 pounds corn in shock to Jacob's. *13. Cleared off. Valentine Moss married. Finished staking and ridering the fence. Making harrows. 14. Very fine day. Planted cotton and commenced ploughing in the potatoe patch. 15. A little frost. Cutting wood all day. Adolph ploughed and harrowed for mother potatoes. 16. Another light frost. Planted out a few peach trees in the cotton patch. 17. Very pleasant day. Commenced making potatoe hills. Edward returned, absent 19 days. 18. Fine day. Finished potatoe hills. Made about 1500 and planted a few. Cleaning up field. 19. Very cold. Planting potatoes in the sleet. Got wet. Edward and Adolph caught a fine fish in . . . . . 20. Very cold. Finished up planting potatoes and planted a few pinders. James' sow missing. 21. Some rain and very cold. Went to the forks of the creeks with Eliza and 2 girls and Adolph fishing. 22. Rain and cold. Planted 4 rows of popcorn and laid off a few furrows. Feloneeze clearing low ground. 23. Rain most of the day. At home reading. 24. Clearing off. Spotted sow missing. *25. Fine, cold day. Kept up the shite sow to have pigs. Mr. Reeves' little girl came to school. Jacob assisted ploughing and planting corn. Planted 11 rows. 26. Cool, pleasant day. Adolph ploughing with the beeves. Planted some pinders. Eliza to Jacob's. 27. Went below and stopped at Mr. Moss's. Coward went to the Big Woods. Thence to Leger's. 29. Fine day. Went to Mr. Hampshire's. Thence to Pujo's. Stopped at Mr. Ryan's. Got some plates, bowls and tea. 30. Cloudy and a hard wind. Returned home by way of Big Woods. Mr. Moss paid me a visit. Met Bradshaw. 31. Some rain. Commenced ploughing in the rice patch. Broke the . . . . of plow. Jacob finished planting on this side. APRIL 1845 1. (Tuesday) Cool and pleasant day. Killed a hog got from Jacob. 2. Adolph finished ploughing rice patch. 3. Most of this day spent driving up the horses. 4. Rain in the evening with hail. George came to Jacob's. Gave him my draft for $10.00 on account of De Rosier. Edward started for the Big Woods and Leger's. Stopped at Jacob's. 5. Some rain. Adolph commenced ploughing the new ground. Myself deadening trees. 6. Rain most of the day. At home reading. 7. Adolph ploughing new ground. Myself clearing round fence morning and evening. Edward returned. Mr. Leger not at home. 8. Adolph and Edward ploughing in the clearing. Myself employed as yesterday. 9. Pleasant day. Hands employed as yesterday. Setting brush heap on fire and deadening trees. 10. Very fine day. Adolph ploughing. Edward went with Jack to gather cattle. Employed several hours clearing fences. 11. A very warm day. Put 3 log heaps together and burned them. Eliza washed. 12. Finished ploughing over the new ground. Wild sow came in with three pigs. 13. Cloudy with a little rain. Commenced a letter to my sister Lucy dated 12th inst. 14. Drizzly. Finished my letter. Adolph laying off new ground to plant. Preaching at Jacob's. Eliza there. 15. Rain in the morning. Eliza returned yesterday. Adolph looking for the beeves. Couldn't find them. 16. Partly cloudy. Commenced planting the new ground. 17. Made hen house. 18. Planting corn in the new ground. 19. Rain in the night. Finished planting. 20. Fine day. At home all day reading. 21. Splitting rails. Edward was looking for horses all day. 22. Fine day. Ploughing for rice. Drove up the 5 beeves got from Pontal. 23. Threatening rain. Frederick and Edward took my letter to the Post Office. Myself employed as usual. 24. Appearance of rain. Planted cotton a second time. Employed as yesterday. Mr. Alston here. 25. Rain before day with some hail. Edward returned. Brought me letters, no papers. 26. Fine day. Adolph and myself splitting rails. Edward assisting Jack to plant corn. 27. Pleasant day. Eliza and myself spent the day at Jack's. He finished planting. 28. Fine day. Commenced thinning corn. Edward hoeing at Pontal's. Feloneeze hauling rails. 29. Planted some cabbage plants. 30. Threatening rain. Edward and Adolph finished thinning corn. Rolled logs on low ground. MAY 1845 1. (Thursday) A little shower. Edward at work at William Bilbo's. 2. Eliza and I went to William Bilbo's. 3. Rain. Planted about 200 hills with rows. 4. At home all day reading. 5. Very hard rain which rose the creek. Could not get to school or do any work at home. 6. Cleared off pleasant. Hoeing. Edward and Adolph assisting Jacob to make a bridge. 7. & 8. Fine days. Edward and Adolph ploughed over the corn. Myself hoeing. 9. Rain in the evening. Edward and Adolph helping to finish the bridge. Burning a few log heaps. 10. At home all day. Edward set the day for hunting. Killed a deer. Had a visit from Jacob and Jack. 11. Warm day. Went to school. Eliza sick. Suckey attended her. All hands ploughing. 12. Very fine day. All hands employed as yesterday. Eliza confined to her bed. Hoeing morning and evening. 13. Rain most of the forenoon. Continue to plough. Eliza still sick. 14. Very pleasant. Finished ploughing corn. Hoeing. 15. Cool. Thinning and hoeing corn in the clearing. 16. Pleasant. Hoeing in new ground. Mr. Adolph went to Leger's. 17. Warm day. Adolph returned. Edward went to Jack's. Profaned the Lord's day by hoeing. 18. Clear fine day. All hands hoeing in new ground. Little gentle sow came up with 3 pigs. 19. Continues pleasant. Ploughing in low ground. Feloneeze hoeing. 20. Still warm and dry. Finished ploughing low ground. Hoeing in new ground. Beckey here. 21. Very warm. Finished hoeing, clearing all but 4 rows. Edward not returned yet from Jack's. 22. Threatening rain. Finished hoeing and hilling corn in new ground. Sowed part of low ground in rice. 23. Flying clouds. Ploughing in potatoe patch. Hilled and cleaned part of the tobacco. 24. Very warm day. Commenced hoeing and thinning cotton. 25. A fine shower last night and another today. Mrs. Wm. Bilbo here. Edward returned. Got 1/4 of a 3-year old beef from Jack. 26. Threatening rain. Making potatoe hills, planting one row with draws. Expecting rain. 27. A fine day. Ploughing corn over a second time. Hoeing corn in cotton patch. Lastie V. here. 28. Some little showers. Edward and Adolph ploughing. Finished cleaning cotton patch. Feloneeze at Wm. Bilbo's. 29. Appearance of dry weather. All hands employed as yesterday. Edward fire hunting. Killed nothing. 30. Very warm day. Finished ploughing. Spinning at Jacob's. Took dinner there. Feloneeze hoeing rice. 31. Fine pleasant day. Elizabeth went with me to Johnson's. In the evening fishing. Corn tasseling. JUNE 1845 1. (Sunday) Threatening rain. Johnson and I went to his field to fish. Caught some trout, etc. 2. Some fine showers. Returned home. In the evening planted some potatoe slips. 3. Very warm day. Making potatoe hills. 4. Warm. Hoeing rice. Preaching at Jacob's. Children there. 5. A very fine rain about 12 midnight. Planted what hills I had made in slips. 6. Warm. Spinning at Pontal's by Mrs. Forks. Eliza and girls there. Hoeing rice. 7. Very warm. Finished hoeing rice. 8. A fine rain. At home all day reading. Jack here in the morning. 9. A very warm fine day. All hands making potatoe hills. Planted some vines. 10. A hard rain about 3/4 of an hour. Making potatoe hills and planted some vines. 11. A very hard rain. Made some potatoe hills and planted them. No children at school in evening. 12. A fine day. Making potatoe hills. Leger came here. Jacob ploughing on this side. 13. A little shower. Gave Leger my note of this date on demand for $47.41 at 8% interest until paid. Adolph went to Post Office. Brought me two papers. 14. Another warm day. Finished ploughing for peas. Hoeing in corn. In the evening went to Jack's. 15. Two little showers. Got 2 quarters of a fat cow from Jack and cut the meat to dry. 16. A very warm day. Commenced sowing peas in the old land and hoeing weeds and grass. 17. Dry warm day. Finished planting peas before breakfast. Hoeing over corn in the clearing. *18. & 19. A little rain on the 19th. Went to the Big Woods and below. Bradshaw renewed the notes I got from Bilbo and lost. Stopped at Mr. Ryan's. Thence to Pierre's. Mr. Bond (or Bonet) there. 21. From Pierre's to Mr. Ryan's and Mrs. Moss's. Thence home. Coffee at Adolph's. 22. Warm day. At home reading my papers. 23. A shower or two. Finished hoeing our new ground. Adolph and Edward hoeing at Jacob's. Hoeing round the new fence towards swamp. 24. Dry and warm. Commenced planting peas in new ground. Adolph at William Bilbo's digging well. 25. A very fine shower. Escubas came and Adolph went with him. No work done today. 26. Appearance of rain. Commenced hoeing rice in the low ground. 27. Warm. Hoeing rice. 28. Still warm. Doing several jobs about home. 29. Very warm. Went to Leger's. Levi went home. 30. Very hard rain. Returned home. Took dinner at Fork's. Planted last of my slips. JULY 1845 1. (Tuesday) A very warm day. Feloneeze at Jacob's. Let Jack have 1/2 barrel corn. Edward minding the field. 2. Rain. Spinning at William Bilbo's. Took dinner there. Adolph returned. Edward at William's daubing. 3. Several hard showers. 4. Hard wind and rain. 5. Hard rain at night. Fixing cow penn and so forth. 6. Some rain. Killed 2 year old beef. No one took any. Edward come up with Mr. Daran. *7. Two hard showers. Got a sack from Escubas (salt). Mr. Daran and others went a fire hunting. 8. Several hard showers. Minding the field. Went fire hunting again without killing a deer. 9. No rain today. Splitting rails for cow penn. 10. A hard rain in the evening. Mr. Daran started home. Adolph in company. Split a few rails. Edward killed two raccoons. 11. Very fine day. Edward went to Leger's. Feloneeze at work at Jacob's. Ward here. 12. Warm. Eliza at Suckey's spinning. Doing several jobs about home. Edward returned. *13. Very warm day. Mr. Reeves paid me a visit. Lent 6 . . . by Landry to N. Coward. Eliza went over to Jacob's. 14. A little sprinkle with appearance of rain. Feloneeze hoeing in rice in low ground. Edward went to Fork's. 15. Another warm day. Eliza got a little cotton from Suckey . . . .rice. 16. A very warm day. Edward minding the field. 17. Another warm day. Eliza went to Jacob's. 18. Very much like rain. Sent a 2-year old hide to Mr. Moss's. Edward minding Jacob's field. 19. A little drizzle. Eliza had a spinning. Minding the field and doing little jobs. 20. A very fine shower. At home all day. Eliza went to Pontal's. 21. Warm. Commenced pulling fodder. Edward went to Leger's for Adolph. Tied up fodder. *22. A little drizzle. Pulled fodder in the forenoon and took it all in. Edward returned with Adolph and brought a sorrel horse 5 years old got from Antoine Corvell for $25.00. 23. Some appearance of rain. Pulling fodder and tied some up in the evening. 24. Warm day. Finished pulling fodder in the old ground and tied up in the evening. 25. Another very warm day. Commenced pulling fodder in the new ground. Tied up in the evening. 26. Still very warm. Tieing fodder. Eliza went to Allen Coward's. 27. Continued warm and dry. At home all day reading. Tied up some fodder. 28. Very warm. (Remainder not readable) 29. Continues warm and dry. Edward out all day looking for his horse. Eliza put up . . . . 30. A fine rain in the morning. Edward out again looking for his horse. Could not find him. 31. Another warm, dry day. Adolph went to the store. Edward's horse cannot be found. AUGUST 1845 1. (Friday) This month commenced very dry and warm. Eliza went to Pontal's to weave. Children up alike. 2. No appearance of rain. Pulling fodder in new ground. In the evening the children went to Pontal's. 3. Still warm and dry. Tied up fodder and brought it in. At home reading. Girls at Bilbo's. 4. A little instant thunder. Feloneeze pulling fodder at Pontal's. Edward pulled a little at home. 5. Much appearance of rain in the evening. Edward at Pontal's pulling fodder. Feloneeze pulling in new ground. 6. Fine day. Pulled a little fodder. A fine shower. Adolph returned. Preaching at Jacob's by Roberts. 7. Threatening rain. Stopped from school to pull fodder. Edward went a bear hunting. 8. Rain. Likely to lose all the fodder pulled yesterday. 9. Rain. Went to the post office. Received a letter from my brother James with a draft for 20 lbs. Adolph went to Pujo's to settle my account. Stopped at Allen's. *10. Very hard rain. Got 10 lbs. Bacon from Allen. He started with his wife to Texas. 11. No rain today. Made an axle tree for my cart. Mr. Ryan paid me a visit. Fodder in field spoiled. 12. Rain. Adolph went to Leger's. Eliza went to Jacob's. No work done today. *13. A pleasant day. Went to the prairie in company with Mr. Ryan. Paid Pujo in full of what I was owing, amounting to $33.31. Let him have the draft for 20.00 Lbs. & received from him $45.00. Got goods from Mr. Hodges to the amount of $16.86 and received the balance of my note on Bradshaw for $50.00. Sold Mr. Moss the 100 barrels of corn to come from Bradshaw at $1.00 a barrel. Stopped at Mr. Ryan's. Bought 3 cows and calves. 14. Fine day. Went to Pierre's. Thence home. 15. Warm. Did not teach school today. 16. & 17. Very warm days. Cut tobacco and did other jobs. Edward ploughed cow penn. 18. Another warm day. Edward looking for his horse on foot. Could not find him. 19. Continues warm and dry. Making a body for my cart. 20. Warm. Edward went to Leger's. Sent by him $41.50 to take up my note. 21. Still warm. Edward not returned. Beckey here. 22. Another warm day. Rain in the evening. Eliza started to go below with Jacob but couldn't get a horse. Sowed onion seed. *23. A fine rain in the evening. Edward returned with Adolph. Found horse in Richard Choat's prairie. 24. Rain in the morning. Wrote to my Brother James. Took dinner at Wm. Bilbo's. 25. Rain. Edward, James and Adolph went to Leger's. Sent my letter by them as far as Mr. Berry's. 26. Cloudy with a little rain. Edward and James returned. Got my note from Leger. 27. Rain. All the children at school. 28. Rain. Edward killed a deer. Did not go to school in forenoon. 29. A very hard rain about 3 P.M. Eliza, Edward and James went to the prairie. 30. Rain in the evening. Worked a little on my cart. 31. Rain all morning. At home all day. SEPTEMBER 1845 1. (Monday) Very hard rain at noon. Eliza returned and drove up 2 cows and 3 calves. The other cow got away. 2. No rain today. Pontal and Edward found the lost cow at Big River but could not drive her home. 3. Another day without rain. Edward and Austin drove the cow home. Edward raising corn crib at Wm. Bilbo's. Took dinner there. Jacob commenced breaking in his corn on this side. 4. Hard wind and rain. Edward went with Austin to look for his beeves. Could not get to school. 5. A wet day. Hauled some rails, poles and light wood. 6. Some rain. Put fodder in gallery. 7. Very hard rain. Went below. Stopped at Mr. Ryan's. 8. Fine day. Thence to Lambert's. Thence home. 9. A little rain. Commenced breaking corn. 10. A shower. Employed as yesterday. 11. Fine day. Eliza very sick. Sent for Mrs. Moss. Sukey and Pontal here. 12. Very fine day. Mrs. Moss came up. 13. Still fine. Pulling and hauling corn. 14. Warm day. Employed as yesterday. Got a quarter of meat from Jack. Eliza somewhat better. 15. & 16. Pleasant. Finished pulling corn. Mrs. Moss left for Jacob's and Pontal's. 17. Fine pleasant day. Went below in company with Mr. Moss. Lambert sailed for New Orleans. 18. Still fine. Returned home. Edward commenced cutting rice. 19. Threatening rain. Got a quarter of a cow from Jacob. Stacking up my corn. 20. Very hard rain. Stacking corn. 21. Cool and pleasant. At home. Johnson and Jacob here. 22. Cool morning. Feloneeze cutting rice. Edward at Allen's. 23. Very pleasant day. Edward returned at Allen's. He brought no cattle. Dr. Miller and family paid me a visit and stopped all night. 24. Cool morning. Dr. Miller went to Jacob's. got a fore-quarter of a beef from Jacob. Cutting rice. 25. Continues pleasant. Finished cutting what rice was ripe. Mary Anne weaving. 26. Fine day thrashing rice. 27. Hard rain. Went to the post office. Got my papers and returned. 28. A great deal of rain. At home. 29. Rain nearly all day. No school today. 30. Cloudy but no rain. Edward hauled a load of light wood. Put out the rice to dry. OCTOBER 1845 1. (Wednesday) Continues cloudy. Rice not quite dry. Edward looking for the beeves. Could not find them. 2. Fine day. James commenced picking peas. Stacked what rice we had cut. 3. Very pleasant. Picking peas. Let Escubas have Crook. He left ? with me. 4. Still pleasant. Employed as yesterday. 5. Fine day. At home all day reading. 6. Cool and pleasant. At home picking peas. 7. Some rain. Picked some peas. 8. 9. & 10. These three days fine and pleasant. Employed picking peas and thrashing rice. 11. Very fine day. Edward went to Jean Fork's daubing. Picked no peas today. 12. White frost. James and myself went below. Dined at Mr. Moss's. Thence to Pujo's and Ryan's. 13. A little frost. Settled with Mr. Moss. He paid me $50.00. Returned home. 14. Very cold morning. Finished pulling black hull peas a second time. Edward and Landry cutting rice. 15. Cold pleasant day. Gathering red peas. Eliza put up a piece of cloth for Mrs. Allen Coward. 16. Continues cool and pleasant. Went to the Post Office. Gave James Perkins $10.00 to be remitted for the subscription to my papers by him $6.00. Picking peas. 17. Cool and pleasant. Jacob's children did not come to school. Picking peas. 18. A little cloudy. Picking peas and thrashed some out. Putting pumpkins together. 19. Some rain. At home sick with the fever and ague. Eliza at Pontal's. 20. A little rain. Edward cut rice. 21. Fine day. Hauled a few pumpkins. Took epicac. 22. Pleasant. Quite well. Took a walk over the river. Edward at Pontal's daubing. 23. A fine day. Lezime came up to work at his house. Hauled all the rails I had split. 24. Cloudy. Made an onion bed and planted it. Lezime brought his things here. Stacked the last cutting of my rice. Killed a 3-year old beef. Jacob and Pental each took a quarter. 25. Warm day. Went below. Stopped at Pierre's. 26. Fine day. Took breakfast at Lambert's and dinner at Hampshire's. 27. Fine day. Returned home. 28. & 29. A little rain. Lezime went home. At home the last three days. 30. Rain. At school. Jacob's children did not come. E. went to Wm . . . . Rain all the evening. 31. Some rain. Edward and Justaff splitting boards for a potatoe house. At school. NOVEMBER 1845 1. (Saturday) Cleared off. Cutting wood. 2. Fine day. At home reading. Eliza went to Pontal's. E . . . .there. 3. Very cool, pleasant day. Commenced digging potatoes towards the home. At school. 4. Warm. Digging potatoes. Melissa paid us a visit. Jack here to dinner. At school all day. 5. Cloudy with little rain. Melissa returned. Digging potatoes. Edward went to Jack's house daubing. 6. A few little showers. Digging potatoes. 7. Rain most of the day. Could not get to school. 8. Cleared off cold. Brought board out of the swamp. Covered pumpkins and other jobs. 9. Fine cold day. At home reading. 10. Fine day. Digging potatoes. Attended school. 11. Some rain last night. Day fine. Finished digging slip potatoes. Hauled some wood. 12. A white frost. Killed a beef. (Neylan)? Finished digging potatoes and housing them. 13. A little frost. Edward and Landry went below yesterday. Levi came to school. Salted my meat. 14. Cloudy. Eliza went to Jacob's. 15. Cloudy. Made four onion beds and planted them. Working on road. 16. Fine day. At home all day. Jacob spent the day with us. Edward and Landry getting posts. 17. & 18. Pleasant. Edward and Landry downed a cypress. Covered potatoes. Repairing yard fence. 19. Fine day. Edward and Landry splitting boards. Didn't do much. 20. Fine day. Little done today. 21. E. and Mr. A. went to the lake. Sent Escubas' horse home, and received his brother's and another horse to feed. 22. Rain. Fixed yard fence and other jobs. 23. Cool. Received a letter from sister Lucy. 24. White frost. E. and Mary Anne returned. Cut corn stalks in my leisure hours. 25. Another frost. Edward getting axle tree for the cart. Olezime got up with his carts to Jacob's. 26. Cold, wet disagreeable day. Attended school in the evening. Cutting on stalks at leisure. 27. A light freeze. Edward assisting Olezime to haul his boards. 28. Frost. Edward assisting Olezime. 29. A cold wet day. Cut a little wood. 30. Rain and sleet. The girls went to Jacob's. At home reading. DECEMBER 1845 1. (Monday) A very hard freeze. At school. 2. Hard freeze. Edward assisting Olezime. 3. Rain, sleet and hard freeze. Edward and Landry cutting wood. Joshua Gouring (Gowing) making axle tree. 4. A very hard freeze. Gowing finished axle tree. Got a quarter of an old beef from Pontal. 5. A very hard frost and cloudy. Olezime moving from Jacob's. Finished my arduous week's work at school. 6. Fine day. E. went below. Did several odd jobs about home. 7. Rain. Went to Olezime's. E. returned. 8. Cloudy with some rain. Got a shoat from Jacob. Took dinner there. No work done today. 9. Wet disagreeable day. 10. Rain. Sukey came to attend on Feloneeze. Edward cut a little wood. 11. Rain nearly all day. Could not attend school. Feloneeze better. Edward at Olezime's. 12. Cloudy and cold. Sukey went home. 13. Rain. Edward assisting Olezime to bring his hogs home. Cut wood. 14. Rain most of the day. At home. Mrs. Alston here. Children at Olezime's. *15. A white frost. Edward assisting Wm. Bilbo to daub his chimney. I took dinner there. Got an order from Wm. And Isham Reeves for 25 barrels of corn. 16. Somewhat cloudy. E. went to Adolph's and returned as far as Pontal's. Brought 2 pairs shoes. 17. Rain in the evening. Escubas here in the forenoon. Eliza went to Olezime's. Cut some corn stalks. 18. A little frost. Edward at Olezime's. Eliza went to Pontal's. Artemeeze came home with her. 19. A hard frost. Edward at Olezime's. 20. A hard frost. Went to Olezime's daubing. 21. Another freeze. At home cutting wood. Christeen here. *22. Cloudy. Sold my cart wheels to David Lyons for a large beef and yearling. Killed two hogs (One-eye and Pierre). 23. Very wet disagreeable day. Cut and hauled wood and light wood. Cut up my meat. Artemeeze married. 24. Another cloudy drizzly day. Edward at Jack's daubing. Made a hog pen. Hauled a load of wood. 25. Fine day. Went to the Prairie in company with Jacob and others. Stopped at Pujo's to a ball. 26. Frost. At Pierre's all day. 27. Hard frost. Returned home. Left Elizabeth at Mr. Moss's. 28. Another frost. At home all day. 29. Frost and clouded up. Olezime finished daubing his chimney. Escubas came here on his way to New Orleans. 30. Cloudy. Adolph started for Nachitosh. Cut a little wood. Peter hauled pumpkins. 31. Fine warm day. Eliza put up a piece of cloth. Put wild sow up yesterday. FOOT NOTES FEBRUARY 1845 12. Dan Miller - MARCH 1845 13. Valentine Moss - James Valentine Moss md. Jane Coward, b. ca. 1828, dau. of Richard coward and Eleanor Henderson. 25. Mr. Reeves' little girl - possibly Solomon Bond, b. ca. 1790, S.C. JUNE 1845 18. & 19. Mr. Bond - probably Solomon Bond, b. ca. 1790, S.C. JULY 1845 7. Mr. Daran - 13. N. Coward - Needham Coward, b. ca. 1815, Miss., d. 19 Oct. 1866, Galveston Co., Tex., son of Hardy Coward & Elizabeth Bates. He md. Ca. 1836 Elizabeth Perkins, dau. Of Rees Perkins & Martha Morgan. 22. Antoine Corvell - b. ca. 1790, of San Antonio, Territory of Spain, md. 17 June 1819 Adelaide De La Fosse, b. 1 Nov. 1793. AUGUST 1845 10. Allen - Allen Coward, b. ca. 1808, S.C., md. 21 Dec. 1829 Margaret Perkins. They moved to Galveston Co., Texas. 13. Mr. Hodges - Probably James Hodges, b. ca. 1812, Conn., md. Maria . . . 23. Richard Choat - DECEMBER 1845 15. Wm. Reeves - William Galatin Reeves, son of William Reeves and Julie Broussard. Isham Reeves . . . . . . . .b. 4 Feb. 1820. 22. David Lyons - b. 22 Jan. 1817, d. 10 Apr. 1887, md. Ca. 1846 Louisa Perkins, dau. of James Perkins and Catherine Henderson. ********************************************* If you can help identify some of these folks mentioned In the diary, Please contact Jan Craven at jcraven@usunwired.net