Thomas Rigmaiden's Diary 1849 Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana File submitted by Jan Craven and Connie Wise 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 1849 (Monday) 1 Some frost. Commenced this year by cutting corn stalks, and doing other little jobs. 2 Very fine day. Employed as yesterday & hauled some wood. Eliza putup a piece of cloth. 3 Cloudy all day. Went to Jacob's by Onlizimes, got 10 lbs of coffee from him. 4 Cold & cloudy. Planted some onions and English peas in the garden. 5 Partially cloudy. Hauled 10 barrels of corn got from Adolph. Jacob making perogue. 6 Cloudy. Planted four or five beds of onions, and set out some peach trees. 7 Rain. Eliza went to Adolph's. Mr. & Mrs. Jacob Cole here. 8&9 Frost. Cutting corn calks; my knee became very painful while at work. 10 A very hard frost. Confined to the house. 11 Another frost. Clouded up. Confined. 12 Rain most of the day. My knee no better. 13&14 Rain both days. Still lame. 15-l8 Rain each day. Cut a hide for ropes. E. & Elizabeth went to Mr. Alston's. 19 No rain today. Killed 3 hogs. 20 Rain. Adolph got Onlizime's cart & crossed it. 21 No rain & warm. My knee still painful. 22 A little rain. Adolph repaired his cart. 23 No rain. Eliza, E. & Mary Ann went to Mr. Cole's. A-h hauled Onlizime's corn. 24&25 Appearance of rain. Eliza returned. Boys cleaning up the field. 26&27 Very fine day. Killed two hogs and salted them. Not much work done. 28 Threatening rain & very warm. Adolph working on the new house. 29 Very warm. E. & A. working on the house. Cutting corn stalks, the first work done for month. 30& 31 Adolph, & Olizime getting chimney posts & L.& A. working on the house. February (Thursday) 1 Cloudy and very warm. Hands employed as yesterday. 2&3 Rain and cloudy. Edward went to Coles. A. & Olizime workg on new house. 4&5 Rain. Put up chimney posts. James took my saddly bags to Pantal's for Edward. 6 Fine cold day. Cutting wood. Hauled rails to the bottom of the field. 7 A very hard frost. Employed as yesterday. My knee very sore. Putting stikes in the chimney posts. 8 Fine cold day. E. returned from the race. Could not find the beeves to haul rails. 9 Partially cloudy & warm. E. and Stanton Cole went to the Ferry. Filoneze hauling rails. Adolph and James getting weather boards for ceiling new house. 10-12 These three days rain. E. & Elizabeth went to Mr. Cole's. 13&14 Frost. A. Workg on house. 15 A little frost. E. & Elizabeth returned. Olizime went to Pierre's to the wedding. 16 Rain & sleet. Eliza had a little spinning. Wm. Perkins & Minerva Coward married. 17&18 Very hard freeze these two days. Adolph working at the new house. 19 Another frost & clouded up. A. & Olizime working on the house. E. at Mrs. Alston's. 20&21 A little rain. Adolphy & James went to the prairy. Commenced letter to my Sister. 22 Fine day. Finished my letter. 23&24 Both warm days. Getting moss & makg. mud hole. 25 Very warm day. Received a letter from my Brother. Tabby paid us a visit. 26&27 Continues fine. Daubed chimney and made the hearth. 28 Cool & pleasant. Eliza & myself started to the Ferry, stopped at Austin's. March (Thursday) 1 Fine day. Went to the Farm; deposited my letter, thence to the prairy. Stopped at Moss's. 2 Still fine. Went to Pujo's, gave him a draft for L 20 stlg. Thence to Mrs. Moss's. 3&4 Continues fine. Returned home. 5&6 Warm. Rollg & burng logs. 7 Cloudy. Very sick. 8 Cloudy. A. E. at Austin's log rolling. Burning logs. 9 Fine day. Rolled the last of my logs & put flue to them. 10&11 Warm. Burning logs. Edward went to Pujo's for tobacco & returned at night. 12 Cloudy. Commenced plantg corn & wrote a letter to my Brother James dated 15th inst. 13 Some rain. Planting and manuring. Finished my letter. 14 Cloudy & a little rain. Employed as yesterday. Started to the office, stopped at Austin's. 15 Cloudy. Went to the Post office, deposited my letter, & returned home. Alcendore here. Finished planting my old ground. 16&17 Still cloudy. Adolph & James went in the cart to Onlizime Vincent's. 18 Very warm. Adolphy returned with a barrel of molasses & one for Mr. Alston. 19 Warm. Laid off some ridges for potatoe hills, & planted some pinders. Cuttg stalks. 20 Very warm. Commenced plantg new ground. (Make)? Elizabeth went to the prairy. 21 Fine day. Finished plantg new ground. Made & planted some potato hills. 22 Cold morning. Filoneeze harrowing. Hauled some light wood. Ah went home. 23 Very fine day. Edward went with Churchwell to Mr. Alston's. 24 Warm. Got some gap posts. E. & Elizabeth at Christeens. Stephen Gowings here. 25 A little rain last night with appearance of bad weather. E. & myself at Jacobs. 26 Fine cold day. Found Nan with 7 Pigs. A. & E. assisting Olizime to logs for a pen. 27 A little frost. All hands at Adolph's plantg corn. Workg on the rice patch fence. 28 A little rain. All hands at Adolph's. 29 Rain last night, all this forenoon. The hands came home fm Adolph's. Justoff here. 30 Cleared off cold. Adolph finished plantg small field. 31 Very cool & Pleasant. My young blue sow came up with 7 pigs. E. helpg A. to make pens. April (Sunday) 1 Very cool & pleasant. At home reading. 2 Fine day. Replantg corn by myself. Edward at Jacob's helping to haul logs for a shop. James at Adolph's. 3 Cloudy & warm. Jacob at Adolph's replanting corn & planted 1 1/2 row pinders. Hands at Adolph's. 4 Hard rain at night, cleared off warm. Employed. Employed as the last two days. E. planted gap posts. 5 Fine day. Went to the prairy, got 3# tobacco, 13 yds domest, etc. from Pujo. Thence to Simion Vincent. 6 Cloudy. Gave Adolph Derosier an order on the Moss for 30 or 35 gals molasses. Brought home a pair of shoes for M. Ann & a pr for Elizabeth. 7 Threatening rain. Edward went to meet Austin with the gentle cattle. 8 A little rain. Edward broght up 6 head of cattle. 9 Fine day. All hands went to Adolphs to ass't planting corn. Onlizime went to the prairy. 10 Continues warm and dry. Edward & James went to Mr. Alston's. Made a cow pen. 11 Very warm. Henry & myself dropping corn for Adolph; he finished planting. 12 Fine day. Replanting white corn in the low ground, and a tough job it is. 13 A hard wind and rain at night. Employed as yesterday. 14 Rain at night. Adolph ploughed up rice patch, and at evening penned Mr. Alston's cattle. 15 A hard frost. A. turned his cattle loose after branding the calves. 16 A hard frost. Hoeing and replanting corn in the new ground. E. ploughing. 17 A little frost. Employed as yesterday. E. ploughing for cotton, his movements slow. 18 Cloudy. Replanted the new ground, and hoed a few rows. Planted cotton. 19 Cool and clear day. Hoeing in new ground. Edward ploughing potato patch. 20 Very pleasant day, A, light frost. All hands hoeing in the new ground. E. employed as yesterday. 21 A pleasant day. Hoeing in new ground. 22 A little cloudy. At home reading. 23 A fine rain. Adolph had a hoeing frolic. Hoed a little in the old ground. 24 Cloudy and warm. Adolph went to the lake with Onlizime. Mr. Alston cut a bee tree and got a fine quantity of honey. Planted a few rows of pumpkin. 25 Rain. The oxen broke into my field last night, put them to the yoke and hauled rails. 26 Rain in the forenoon. Transplanted a little corn. Hauled rails; let Mr. Alston have the oxen in the even'g; Edward cutting logs for a hen house, he found a bee tree. 27&28 Rain both these days. Hoed some in the corn. E. cut a bee tree; got no honey. Adolph returned, brought a three year old mare from the lake. Planted 3 rows cotton. 29 Fine day. 30 Very warm. Filoneeze, Eth & myself howing corn in new ground. It is very grassy. Edward commenced ploughing in the corn. James at Adolph's hoeing. MAY (Tuesday) 1 Rain in the forenoon, the sun very warm. All hands employed as yesterday. 2 Rain. Edward plouging the corn it the new ground that was not hoed. Started to go to the prairy and was taken with a giddiness, lost my road and returned. 3 More rain. Planted what ground was ploughed in pumpkins. A. got ball. 4& 5 Rain most of these days. Could do no work in the field. Edward and James planted some rice. Planted a few hills of tobacco. 6 Some rain. Eliza went home with Mary Ann to gather blackberries, returned to dinner. 7 Some rain in the morn'g. E. finished sowing rice. Hoed pinders and thinned corn. 8 Rain all day. Onlizime went cow hunting yesterday. No work done today. 9 A very hard wind, rain, thunder and lighting at 11 oclock last night; today rain, and pleasant. Hoeing and thinning corn. Edward made a cow pen at new house. 10 Fine pleasant day. Employed as yesterday. Edward ploughing in the new ground. 11 Very fine day. Employed as yesterday. E. plough'g. Got 1/2 qr. bf from Onlizime. 12 Fine day. Employed as yesterday. E. killed a deer yesterday. Very much fatigued. Hoeing. 13 Continues fine. George & Melissa paid us a visit. A little rain before day. 14 Threatening rain. Went to the prairy in company with George stopped at Pierre's. 15 Very hard rain while at Pujo's from thence returned home with Onlizime. 16-19 No rain. Edward ploughing, and hand hoeing, James at Adolph's. 20 A few light showers. James & Eugene went below yesterday, returned today. 21&22 Very warm. Hoeing cotton. All hands at Adolph's hoeing. 23 A warm day. All hands employed as yesterday. E. killed two deer fire hunting. 24 A little shower. Hands employed as yesterday, except Edward. 25 A warm day. Hoeing cotton and corn. Feloneeze washing. Discovered a cancer (?) on Henry's lip. 26 A fine rain at noon. Forenoon hoeing. Feloneeze went to work at Adolph's. 27 Another rain. Pulled a barrel of corn, about 1 1/2 left in the crib. Sowed some m. mellon seed. 28 Fine pleasant day. Adolph commenced ploughing my old ground the second time and sowing peas. E. at Mr. Cole's. Got a hind of a 3 year old beef fm Onlizime. Sick. 29 Very fine day. Adolph ploughing. Flz. sowing peas. Other hands at Adolph's E. not returned. 30 Appearance of rain in the even'g. All hands employed as yesterday. 31 A fine rain just as Adolph had finished ploughing, harrowing, and sow'g peas. JUNE 1849 (Friday) 1 A very hard rain. Planted a ridge with draws and some tobacco. Adolph ploughing and sowing peas in his little field. Edward returned fm Mr. Cole's. 2 Another rain. Planted a ridge with draws. Eliza, M.A. & Jas. went to the prairy. 3 Very little rain today. E. went to Mr. Alston's to go a cow hunt'g. At home reading. 4 Partial showers. Hoed a little in new ground and sugar cane. Adolph plough's and sow'g peas in his small field. 5 A hard rain before day & some in morng. Eliza returned. Hoed a little in the cane. 6 Some rain. Adolph commenced plough'g and sow'g peas in new ground in the afternoon. 7 Partial showers. Adolph went to assist Mr. Alston to brand; F. haul'g rails. 8 No rain. A. plough'g. E returned fm Mr. Alston's. Made a few potato ridges. 9 A very warm day. A plough'g. Went to Jacob's took dinner there. Made 30 potato ridges. 10 Very warm. Got a fore qr of a yearling fm Mr. Alston. Eliza went to Jacobs. 11 Threatening rain. Finished plough'g & sow'g peas. E. branded his colts. 12 Continues warm. Adolph commenced plough'g rice and all hands hoeing. 13 Very warm. Adolph finished plough'g rice yesterday: he took the horse and plough home to plough and sow peas in big field. Hands hoeing rice, myself came. 14 A fine day. Went as far as Pantal's on my way to the Post Office. 15,16,&17 Rain the afternoon of these three days. Finished hoeing rice. Killed a four year old beef (Bowner'g) Planted a few potato slips and some tobacco. 18 No rain. Hoeing cotton. Planted potato ridges that were made. 19 Very warm day. Hoeing cotton. Pierre paid us a visit, and stopped all night. 20 Continues very warm. E. & Elizabeth went to Mr. Mudd's. Went to see them brand at Onlizimes. 21 A very fine rain. Hold in the forenoon. George with, us last night. E. & Elizabeth returned. 22 A little sprinkle. Eliza went with me to Adolph's: planted 66 hills tobacco. 23 A very fine rain. Hold a little in the cotton. E. went to look for his mares. 24 A little shower. At home reading. 25 Some rain. Ploughed potato ridges, made a few ridges & planted them. Adolph went with Mr. Alston to kill wild cattle. 26 No rain today. Finished ploughing potato ridges making them. Mr. J. Perkins paid me a visit. 27 Very fine. Finished planting slips in the potato patch. Gave Mr. J. Perkins my note on demand for $31.44. 28 A very hard rain last night with wind. 29 Some rain. E. Went to look for his mares. Straitened up some corn blown down. 30 Hard showers most of the day. The creek begins to fall. Out of corn several days. July (Sunday) 1 Partial showers. Eliza went to Adolph's. 2 & 3 Fine day. Hold in the cotton. Rained at night, 3rd. 4 Rain in the evening. Edward & Eugene started after dinner to the Post Office. 5 Some rain. Planted a few vines in the corn. Eugene returned. E. taken sick at Pantal's. 6 Rain. Edward came home. Received a letter from my Sister Lucy yesterday. 7 More rain. Went to the prairy for our cattle. Stopped at Arty's at night. 8-10 Rain every day. Returned home with only six head of cattle. 11&12 Rain for these days. 13 Rain. Adolph brot the brl of flour home. 14 A very hard rain. 15 Rain. Elizabeth went to Austin's with Marcelette. 16 A little shower. Eugene went to Mr. Moioughs for his license. 17 Another little shower. Wrote a letter to my Sister Lucy dated 19th inst. E. returned. 18 Threatening rain, with little showers. Sent my letter by Eugene to taken to the Office. 19 A little rain. 20 A little shower. Mallitte & Thomas came up with Eugene. 21 Rain. Bent some corn that was up. 22 A hard rain. Edward, Eugene, Elizth Melatte went to Onlezime Vincents to celebrate the nuptial of Eugene & Elizabeth. 23 More rain. Eugene & Elizabeth were married at Onlezime Vincent's by Richard Coward; they returned home at 2 P.M. & partook of a dinner prepared for the occasion and at night had a little ball. 24 Rain. No work done today. Several showers. 25 Very hard wind & rain. Pulled a little fodder and tied up about 30 bundles. 26 Rain in the afternoon. Pulled fodder in the forenoon, and tied some up. 27 Rain in the afternoon. Pulled & tied up some fodder, 110 bundles in all. E. & Eugene went to the prairy. 28 Rain in the morning. Put fodder out to dry, but had to take it in directly. E. & Eugene returned. 29 Thunder, lightening & rain. Killed a cow got fm Louis Vincent; not fat. Jacob got a hind qr. & me a fore qr. 30 Rain most of the day. No fodder pulled today. Eugene sick. Cut up meat. 31 Rain the greatest part of the day. No fodder pulled nor could I put any out to dry. August (Wednesday) 1 Continues cloudy & wet. Pulled little fodder & put some out to dry, but had to take it in again. 2 This day passed with only a light shower. Pulled a little fodder & tied up what was dry. 3 Very fine day. Finished pulling fodder, got only about 300 bundles. 4 & 5 Another fine day. Pulled fodder off the corn behind the kitchen, got 10 bundles. 6 Very warm. Filoneeze went to pull fodder at Adolph's. 7 Some Rain. Finished pulling fodder. Hoed out tobacco there & pulled some. 8 Rain at Adolph's, noen here. Tied up fodder, got 70 bundles to my share. 9 Rain. Adolph & Onlizime killed three deer. 10 Some rain. A & 0 killed three deer. 12 Fine day. Went to the prairy in co. wh Elizabeth & Adolph. Stopped at Arty's. 13 Very warm. Went to Pujo's; got two sacks salt had them with other things, hauled in Onlizime & Vincent's cart. Eliza went as far as there. I stopped at Arty's. 14 Returned home and in the evening we hard rain with heavy thunder. 15&16 Fine day. Commenced taking cover at the old corn crib, & hauled two loads. 17 A very warm day. Hauled all the covering, and most of the corn crib logs. 18 Continues warm. Had a visit from Eugene Peasson & his wife. Finished hauling. 19&20 Very warm. Adolph, Edward and myself raised the corn crib. 21 A fine rain. Put up rafters. 22 A little sprinkle. Put lathe on corn crib. 23&24 These two days excessive warm. Covering corn crib. Adolph cutting and drawing logs for a hen house. Got a hind qr. of a three yr old beef from Jacob. 25 Still very warm. Nails gave out. Commenced putting up hen house. E. & M. A. at Ryans. 26 A hard rain in the afternoon. At home readg. E. & M A. returned; brot a qr. of meat. 27 A little rain. Raised the house & put up rafters. E. started to Johnson Moss's for molasses. 28 Rain in the afternoon. Cut and hauled logs for pea hose. 30 Hard rain in the morning. Went to the prairy with Adolph; stopped at F. Vincent's. 31 Fine day. Thence to Pierre's fm thence Pujo's and again to Francois Vincent's. September (Saturday) 1 Very warm day. Returned home. 2 Warm. Got a qr. of a fat cow fm Onlizime ? . Onlizime Vincent came to fix cart wheels. 3 Still warm. Commenced putting up pea house. E. brot a ? sugar & molasses. 4 Excessive warm. Finished putting up the logs of the pea house. 5 Weather the same. Put floor in corn crib loft. E. & Eugene splitting boards. 6 Continues warm. Covered the hen house. Lent Christeen 3 tin pans of coffee. 7 Cool pleasant day. Finished covering hen house. Floored pea house. 8 Very cool. Partly covered pea house. 9 Still cool. Adolph & myself profaned this holy day by splitting boards, got about 180. Got a qr. of meat from Jacob. 12 These 3 days fine and pleasant. Assisting Adolph breaking in his corn. Hauled 6 boards. 13 Gathering corn in Adolph's small field. Got a quarter of meat from Jacob's. 14 Appearance of rain. Adolph finished getting his corn and brought the cart home. Commenced breaking corn in the sharing. Covered pea house. 15 Hauled 2 loads of corn. Onlyzime went to the Prairie. 17 Fine rain. Brike, hauled and stacked a load of corn. 20 Fine Warm day. Breaking, hauling and stacking corn. 21 Finished breaking, hauling and stacking corn, about 9 loads. 22 Commenced picking peas. 23 A fine shower. Went to look for my speckled drove of hogs. They came up. 26 Picking peas. Edward and Adolph cut a few rows of rice. 27 Picking peas and cutting rice. Tied up some bundles of rice. 28 Finished cutting rice and commenced a stack 29 Picking peas. Eliza and Eugene picked to see who could beat. 30 Rain most of the day. Did not get all the rice tied up. No pea picking. Killed a cow got from Onlyzime for which he takes the 3-year old beef that I was to get from Pierre Derosier- a large 4-year old beef branded on this side, found at Green Island. Edward and Adolph went to Mr. Alston's. October 1849 October (Monday) 1 A very hard No. wind & rain in the afternoon. Picked peas in the morning (3) Adolph & Edward returned brought a quantity of peas and some meat. 2 No rain, but cloudy. Sawed corners of pea house & picked a few peas. 3 Fine day. Picked peas. Eliza went to Jacobs. 4 Rain in the afternoon. Picked peas at Adolph's for seed. Edward sick. 5 Rain. Picked some peas at Adolph's in the morng. E. better, Eliza sick. 6 Cool, some rain at night. Picked a few peas. Eliza dipped some candles. 7 Fine cool day. Finished picking peas. Eliza picked her cotton. Sent Stephen Gowins three tin pans of salt. Commenced threshing rice. 8 Very pleasant day. Threshing & winding rice. Eugene cutting logs for his house. 10 Cool and pleasant. Finished threshing rice; got about three barrels. Made some mistake with dates of above. 12 Partially cloudy. Eliza washing. Edward killed three deer fire hunting. 13 Fine day. Picked what cotton was open. Did several little jobs. 14 Cloudy with hard wind & rain at night. 15 Rain all day. The creek rising fast. 16 Fine cool day. Watch got poisoned working an the crib. Creek rising. 17 Cool pleasant day. Creek taking a fall. 18 Still cool. Adolph went with me to jack's creek, found my 8 shoat gang, the spotted sow had had pigs, could not find them. Att the boys at Eugene's. 19 Cold & pleasant. Cut a large oak limb up into firewood at the bottom of the clearing. 20&21 Both fine days. Looking for hogs on Jack's creek and the mill, got 6 hogs fm the former place. Came home, the spotted sow has lost her pigs, could not find the speckled gang. 22 Very pleasant day. Started to look for my hogs, Adolph's mare threw him, & we returned home. 23 Continues pleasant. Went to look for the spotted gang, did not find them, they came up at night, and put part of them up in the yard at the new house. 24 Somewhat warmer today. Killed today spayed sow out of the above drove. 25 Fine warm day. Rec'd a letter fm my Brother with a draft for L 30.00 stlg N P 32 73 Aug. 27. 26 Very pleasant day. Adolph went with Edward to look for his mares. Did not find them all, he branded a horse colt. The spotted sow & 2 white ones had pigs in Adolph's field, 20 in all. 27 Continues pleasant & dry. My old Jacob sow has 7 pigs in Adolph's field. 28 Pleasant. 29 Pleasant. Working in the field. 30&31 Both fine pleasant days. Eugene raised his house. Drove my sows and pigs to Adolph's big field. November 1849 (Thursday) 1 Very cold day. Drew a set of my Exchange on Messrs Baring & Brothers for L 20.00 stlg., dated 3rd inst. 2 Warm day. Hauled some wood, & did other little jobs. 3 Fine day. Went to the election. Gave Pujo my draft & settled with him giving $230.46 for which I gave my note payable 4 months after date. 4 A little rain. Went to the store, thence to Francois Vincent's. Mary Ann delivered of a little boy last night about 10 P.M. attended by Sukey. 5 Some rain. Attended the election & came as far as Onlezime Vincent's. 6&7 Cool with a little rain. Returned home. Killed the brown beef bro't fm the other side; found it belonged to the old brand. 8 The first frost up here. Salted the meat, & dug a few potatoes. 9 Fine pleasant day. Finished digging potatoes. 10 Cloudy. Adolph went to the prairy. 11 A very hard rain. W. A. returned, brought me a new axe from Pujo's. 12 Cloudy. Jacob & Beckey paid me a visit. 13 Cleared off. Weather boarding the gable end of the new house. W.Adolph cut the joists for dittos. 14-17 Rain the last day. These five days employed hauling logs for a kitchen, sawing & splitting boards & Edward hewing the joists. 18 Fine day. Commenced a letter to my Brother James dated 19 instant. 19 Very warm. My little red sow came up with 4 pigs. Raised the kitchen. 20 Still warm. Put my little sow 7 pigs in the field & the sow I got from Onlezime. 21 Cloudy with rain. Finished my letter to my Brother James. Sows got out. 23 Cloudy & warm. Cut rafters for the kitchen & hauled them. Ah assisting Jacob to make a perogue. 24 Rain. Ed & Adolph assisting Jacob. Cut a little wood. George Mike here. 25 Fine cold day. E. went for Mr. Mudd, sent my letter by him. Mr. Mudd sick at Mr. Alston's. 26&27 A little frost. Put up kitchen rafter. Eliza & M. Ann went with Mrs. M to Mrs. Alston's. 28 Cloudy with a little drizzle. Put up the kitchen gallery. E. went a bear hunting with Mr. Alston. 29 Cloudy & drizzly. Commenced covering the kitchen. 30 Weather as yesterday. Covered one course on the kitchen, then Adolph went to Onlezime's to assist daubing a chimney. December (Saturday) 1 Rain all night & most of the day. Covered 2 courses on the kitchen. Jas. went to Mr. Pujo's for nails. 2 Cold & cleared off. Jas. returned. Ed killed two bears. 3 A white frost. Ed. Ome & Adolph went a bear hunting. Cut a little wood in the field. 4 Very fine day. Went to Eugene's to assist daubing a chimney. Hunters returned; killed a fat bear. 5 A fine day. Covered two coursed on the kitchen. Eliza & Mary Ann went to Mrs. Alston's. 6 Partially cloudy & warm. Finished covering what boards we had. Eliza at Beckey's quilting. 7 Threatening rain. E. & Onlezime killed a cub bear in Shoepeak woods yesterday. Got three barrels of corn fm Adolph's. Beckey here. 8 Cloudy with some rain. Nan had five pigs in the field. Adolph & myself splitting board. Eliza went to the prairy; Mrs. Moss sick. 9 Cold and some rain. 10 Cold wet day & some sleet. Confined to the house all day. 11 A hard freeze & very cold. Eliza came as far as Jacobs. Cut a little wood. 12 Cloudy cold day. Went to Jacob's, settled my old account with him and reced $76 drew from the estate & paid Jacob for Wm Bilbo $75. 13&14 Cloudy with a little rain. Sawed split two cuts. Sukey here last night. 15 Rain all day. Wrote to James Perkins enclosing $26.00. Sukey went to Mrs. Alston's. 16-31 Most of this time fine weather. Settled with Mr. Cole. Mrs. Alston delivered of a little girl on the 29th. Eliza with her.