Thomas Rigmaiden's Diary 1853 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 1853 (Saturday) 1 A little frost and remarkable fine pleasant day. Mrs. Alston with others gave a little ball here which passed agreeably. 2 Pleasant warm day. The company left after breakfast. 3 A very hard north wind, and freezing all day. Ho work done today. 4 A hard freeze. Adolph & E. went to split boards, the cypress not good. 5 Another heavy frost. Adolph & the boy went to the creek to split boards. 6 A little frost. Went to the prairie in Co. with Eliza & Onlizime, stopped at Mrs. Moss's. 7 Cloudy & warm. Went to the store, Eiza below, got her wool, stopped at Arty's. 8 A wet day. Returned home, the children had a little hop at night. 9 Cloudy. Reading. 10. Cloudy. Commenced clearing at the mill seat. 11& 12 Warm & cloudy. Hands employed as yesterday. Planted a few peach trees. 13 Cool & clear. Frost. James & Henry clearing. Planted some peach trees in the clearing. Eliza went at night to Mr. Alston's on her way to Williams's. 14 Rain before day and all day with cold wind. 15. Rain most of the day. 16 Rain all night. Cleared off cold. Edward killed two deer. 17 Frost. Henry & Albert cutting corn stalks. Commenced the third row of fodder. 18 Frost. Boys clearing at mill seat. Fixed the field gap. 19. Fine day. 20 Some frost. These two days the boys clearing. Eliza returned. 21 Cloudy, with a cold rain. Boys clearing in the forenoon. Cut light wood. 22 Rain all night, cleared off very cold. James & Henry clearing. Cut wood. 23 Fine day. Reading all day. 24. Fine day. Hauling rails. Ed & Ah with Mr. Alston. 25 Some frost. Haulg rails. Cutting logs in the field. 26. & 27. Some frost these two days. James & Church clearg. Cutting logs. Hauling rails. E. at Adolph's. 28 A smart frost. Cut & hauled light wood & some rails. Js & Church clearing. 29 Another frost. Employed as yesterday. E & Js went to help Onlizime make a pen. 30 Still another frost. 31. The seventh frost. Edward & Adolph went to Leon's log rolling. Finished hauling logs. Cut some gap poles & light wood. February (Tuesday) 1 No frost, it fine day. Got four sheep from Mr. Alston. No clearing done. 2 A very fine day. Clearing up potato ground. Boys at different jobs. 3 Cloudy, with, rain at night. Boys clearing. Mrs. Alston put up a piece of cloth. 4 Still cloudy with rain. Clearing in the forenoon. 5. Rain all day. Eliza had a quilting and at night a little dance. 6 Cloudy, cold day. Reading. 7. Cleared off very cold. Boys clearing. Cut some light wood. 8 Fine day. Clearing. 9. Fine day. The boys went to the ferry & returned at night. 10 Cloudy with a little drizzle. The boys started to ride Mardi Gras. 11 Warm fine day. Reading. 12 & 13. Both fine days. 14 Cloudy. Adolph, George, Onlizime & ca started to run Mardi Gras. 15 Rain in the forenoon, then cleared off. Had a Mardi Gras ball & dinner. 16 Fine. Commenced on my last row of corn yesterday. Part of the company left before breakfast. 17 & 18. Very hard rain; rose the creek. 19 Very cold. The boys clearing. Cutting logs and corn stalks in clearing. 20 A hard frost; clouded up & a little shower. At home reading. 21 Cloudy & warm. Boys at mill seat. Sowed tobacco seed. 22 Very hard wind & rain last night & this morning; cleared off. Cuttg stalks. Js. fixing fence. 23 Fine cold day. E. & James went to roll logs at Leno's. Cutting corn stalks in the clearg. 24 Very hard frost. Boys clearg. Employed as yesterday. 25. Frost. All employed as yesterday. 26 Turned warm. Boys clearg in the forenoon. Trimming peach trees. 27 Cloudy. Reading. 28. Morng cloudy day fine. Boys clearing. Cutting corn stalks. March (Tuesday) 1 Fine day. E. & Ah splitting rails. Js plouging at Ah. Cutting corn stalks. 2 Some frost. Ah & E. splitting rails. Cutting logs and corn stalks. 3 A little frost. Hy & Js clearing. Edward at Jack's. Finished cuttg logs. 4 Very fine day. Rolled logs. Antoine killed a deer. Hys. & Ja clearing. 5 Fine cool weather. Eugine laying off ground for planting in the clearg. Manuring with a ? wood. Bell brought three sheep for Ed. 6 Continues fine cool weather. Reading. 7. Cloudy with some, rain. Commenced planting corn in new ground. E & Church splitting rails. 8 Cloudy with rain in the night. Finished plantg new grnd. E clearing. 9 Cold & cloudy. E. & Js splitting rails. Hy & Ly at Adolph's. 10 Cloudy with rain in the morng. Had a ball here given by the Kings of the last. 11 Cloudy most of the.day. The ball party left, all pleased with their entertainment. 12 Continues cloudy, with a little rain. E. & Js fixing corn crib gallery. Antoine took 13# tobacco for George. 13. Cloudy with some rain. Eliza & M. Ann went to Eugine's. 14 Very cold wet day. Harrowing. E. & Js at mill seat. Killed the choat we had up. 15 Cold day. Finished harrowing. Js splitting rails. E. at John Frezis log rolling. 16 Cloudy & cold. Haulg manure. 17. Cold with rain. Finished haulg manure. 18 Very cold cloudy day. Boys clearing & clearing at old house. Potatoes finished. 19 Cloudy with rain at night. Got four bushels of corn from Landry. Boys clearing. 20-22 Hard rain these three days. Cleared off the last at 12 M. 23&24 Both very fine pleasant days. Planted a few peach trees. Hoed onions. 25 Partially cloudy. E., Antoine & Js hunting. 26. Partially cloudy with some rain, then cleared off. Made and planted about 700 potato hills. 27 Fine day. Reading. 28. Some frost. Made & planted some potato hills. 29 A very pleasant day. Finished plantg potatoes. 30. Fine day. Boys at Mill seat. 31 Continues fine weather. Boys at Mill seat, cutting logs at the old house. April (Friday) 1 Fine day. Rolled logs. Mr. Tucker here. 2nd. Warm day. Mr. Tucker left with Js & Eugine. 3 A little cloudy. Reading. 4. Fine day. Cleang. up orchard. Js & Hy at Mill seat. 5 A light frost. Replanting corn in the clearing. Edward & Hy cutting logs. 6 & 7 Both fine days. Finished replanting. Put a hog up to fatten. Edward & Henry cutting logs at Mill seat. Planting corn at the old house. 8 Fine day. Adolph planting corn on the old ground. 9. Warm day. Rolling logs at Mill seat, did not finish. Killed the hog we had up in the pen. 10 Partially cloudy. 11. Plepsant. Js brot. the oxen home. E. at Humphrey's. Doing little jobs. 12 Hard South wind. E. at Hy's log rollg. Js. cutting logs. Hoed a few rows of corn. 13 A fine day. E. Rolling logs at Mill seat. Harrow'd the old ground. 14 A very fine rain. 15. Some rain. E. layg fence. Hoeing corn. Lookg for horses. 16 Rain in the morng &,cleared off cold. Got wet, and found the strayed sheep. 17 Fine cool day. At home by myself reading. Adolph gone a cattle hunting. 18 Pleaiant. Hy & F. at Ah hoeing. Js at Millseat. Eugine ploughg at home. 19 Warm day. Planted same guinea corn. Hands hoeing at Adolph's. 20&21 Both warm days. No work at Mill seat. Edward returned fm cattle hunting. James looking for the sheep. Hoed onions & did other jobs. 22 Threatening rain. Hoed in the garden. Went to the prairie in co with Onlzemine, and Antoine; stopped at Mr. Moss's. 23 S ill like rain. Took dinner at Isaac Vincent's; thence to the store and from there home at 10 at night. 24 Rain. 25. Fine,day. Ah ploughg new ground; hoeing and replanting. 26 Very cool. Finished ploughing. Hoeing, thinning, and replanting. 27 Cool, with a fine rain. Hoed and replanted a few rows in old ground. 28 Fine day. Js & Eugine went to the prairie. Employed as yesterday. Finished hoeing & replanting new ground. 29. Warm. Js & E. returned. Got a 1/4 meat fm Onlezime. 30 Like rain. Replanting in old ground. Antoine rode James' mare. May (Sunday) 1 A little drizzle. Eliza & Mary Ann went to Mr. Alston's. 2 Some rain this morng. Replantg in the old ground. Hy & S. hoeg. at Adolph's. 3 Hard wind & rain at 11 P. M. Replanting behind the old house. 3rd Rain before day, then cleared off. Finished replanting. Eliza went to Harman's. 4 Rain & wind last evening. Hoeing & thinning corn at the old house. Eliza returned. 5 Very fine pleasant day; night & morng cold. Employed as yesterday. 6 A warm day. Finished hoeing corn at the old house. Hy & Sm at Adolph's. 7 A hard rain, with thunder & lighting. Turned off clear & cold. 8&9 Quite cool & pleasant. Got 1/4 of a three year old beef from Mr. Alston. Caught some fish. Adolph ploughg the old ground. Antoine left Ah, he to give him 10 brls corn for work done. 10 Night & morng cold. Ploughg, hoeing, thinning corn in the old ground. Eliza went to Mrs. A's. 11 Pleasant. Employed as yesterday. Finished rolling logs at Mill seat yeaterday. 12 A little rain. Ah finished ploughg. E. burning brush. Hoeing corn in the clearing. 13 Very fine day. Hands employed as yesterday. James breakg up potato patch. 14 Warm clear day. Planted a few hills pumpkins. Hy & Albert hoeing at Adolph's. Wash day. Edward burning logs at Mill seat. Js went with Mr. Alston to Cole's. 15 Very warm. Went to Mill seat with Eliza, Ah & family. James returned from Mr. Cole's. 16 A fine rain. At Mill seat putting logs together: got wet. Hands employed as yesterday. 17&18 Some rain. Myself and hands employed as yesterday. 19. Very warm. E. Js Cath & Christeen's two girls went to Eli's wedding. At Mill seat & hoeing in the eveng. . 20 Pleasant cool day. The party returned fm the wedding. Hoed in the garden. 21 Cool day. Went to the prairie; got Onlezime Vincent's cart to go to Pujo's for two barrels of coffee & ca, paid Alfred Moss for two brls corn, and arrived at Onl's ac night. 22 Turned warm. Took breakfast at Adolph DeRosier's, dinner at Frank's. Met my cart at big river, & arrived home safe, except the loss of Adolph's plough. 23 A hard shower. Boys hoeing at Adolph's. Too sore to do any work. 24 Fine day. Edward started a cow hunting. Boys finished hoeing. Planted some tobacco. 25 Cool. Hoeing potatoes, & ploughg potato ground. Hoed a little at the old house. 26 Threatening rain. All the hands helping me to hoe. Adolph went a cow hunting. 27 A little shower. Planted a few of hills with draws & vines. Finished hoeg. Planted tobacco. 28 Fine warm day. Made some tobacco hills. Cow hunters returned. Boys makg cow pen. Hoed guinea corn. 29. Fine day. E. & Ah went to Mr. Alston's again. 30&31 Very warm. Wrote to my Sister Bess dated June 3rd. Hoed some in the tobacco. Mr. Alston branding, & turned the cattle out after a little shower. June (Wednesday) 1 Warm dry day. Commenced plantg peas in the clearg; hoeing over the old ground a second time. Got some very good meat from Mr. Alston. 2 Still warm & dry. Employed as yesterday. 3. Dry & warm. Finished sowing peas in clearg. Went with Pantal to Jacob's. Employed Marrough to petition the Congress of Bogota for my suffering while prisoner there: stopped at night at Jacob's. 4 Warm day. Rec'd a letter from my Sister. Returned as far as Pantal's. 5 A little shower. 6. Fine. Bully got away & E. could not find him. Hoeing old ground. 7 Warm. Js ploughg at Adolph's. Got a qr. of a two year old beef fm. Onlezime. 8 Still warm & dry. Corn suffering. Commenced planting corn at the Mill seat. 9 Continues dry. All hands employed as yesterday. Finished ploughg at Mill seat. 10 Very warm. Finished planting at Mill seat. 11. A fine rain. Eliza & Albert went with me to the prairie, we got to Mr. Moss's to dinner. Mrs. Nat Moss and Son there. 12 A little more rain. Went to the store, got $12.00 fm P. Pujo; returned to Mrs. Moss's. 13 No rain. Returned home. Making potato hills & planting vines. 14 A fine rain. Employed as yesterday. 15 & 16. Fine days. Employed as on the 13th & 14th. 17 Very warm. Replanting corn at Mill seat. Very warm. Finished replanting (18th). 19 Warm & dry. E. returned. Adolph ploughing in the potato patch. Hy & F. went to the prairie. 20 A little shower. A. ploughg. Hoed tobacco. 2. A warm day. Henry returned. 22 Several little showers. Went to Mr. Coward's for meal, got none. 23 A little shower at night. Commenced ploughing & plantg peas at old house. 24 Fine, pleasant. Sent to Mr. Coward's for a barrel of corn. Employed as yesterday. 25 Morning cool, day warm. Too dry to plough. 26. Same as yesterday. Reading all day. 27 Very warm. Got a fore quarter of meat from Pantal. Hoeing grass in the old ground. 28 Dry & warm. Edward gat my wild horse. Employed as yesterday. 29 Still dry. Peter rode my wild horse. Hoeing grass in the old ground. 30 Very hard wind & rain, which blew a great deal of corn down. Too dry to plough. JULY (Friday) 1 Several very hard showers: setting up dorn during their intervals. Planted a few slips. 2 More showers. Employed as yesterday. Plough'g rice patch. E. & Hy thining corn. 3 & 4 Rain both days. Setting up corn in the clearing. Boys went to a ball at Landry's. 5-7 Wet days. Mr. Lee came here. 8. Rain. Killed a three year old beef. 9-25 Rain nearly every day. Very sick. Doctors Hardy & Aeilfrod attended on me. A Priest fm Galveston baptized twenty children here. 26 Rain all day. 27 No rain. Finished pulling fodder in the clearing. 28&29 Both days without rain. Pulled a little fodder at old house. E. started for Texas. 30&31 Rain both days. Eugene killed a two year old beef. AUGUST (Monday) 1 & 2 Rain. Pulled a little fodder in the old ground. Boys at Mill Seat. 3 A little rain. All hands employed as yesterday. 4. No rain. At the same work. 5 & 6 Very warm. Finished pulling fodder first time ever. Finished at Mill Seat. 7 & 8 Hard rain both evenings. Got a gr. meat from Olizime. Took in the fodder. E. returned. 9 A little rain. Pulled fodder and took it in. Got 1/2 of meat fm Mr. Alston. 10 A hard rain. Pulled fodder and finished the old ground. Elizabeth taken sick, last night. Eliza & Sukey went there. 11. Rain. Pulled Fodder and took it in. 12 Rain. Pulled fodder and saved it. Dear Elizabeth died at about sunset this evening. 13 Rain before I had finished reading the funeral service over dear Elizabeth. 14 No rain. 15. A little rain in the evening. Tied up fodder and dried it. 16 A hard rain. Eliza went to Mrs. Alston's. E. a cow hunt'g. Eugine pulling fodder. 17 No rain. Mrs. Alston delivered of a little girl about 9 PM. Eliza there. 18 Very warm. Pulled pop corn fodder. 19. Rain before day. Tied up fodder, 21 bundles. 20 Some rain. Adolph killed a three year old beef. Mr. Alston branded and turned the cattle out. 21 Very warm. 22. Another very warm day. Js & Hy Pulling fodder at Eugine's. 23 Continues warm. Adolph pulling corn in his big field. Wrote to my sister dated 26th inst. 24 Day warm, and a big wind and rain at 10 PM. Hy helping Adolph, he hauled no corn. 25 A little rain, the day warm. All the boys assisting. Adolph break'g and haul'g corn. 26 Some rain. Eliza went with me to Lake Charles. Stopped at Jacobs. 27 Very warm . Deposited my letter in the office. Got some school books fm Kirby. 28 Warm, with rain. Had to stop at Mr. Harmon's in consequence of rain. 29 Still very warm. Took dinner at Reese Perkins' on our return home. 30&31 Dry & warm All the boys assisting Adolph to pull and haul corn. SEPTEMBER 1853 (Thursday) 1 Pleasant. 2. Very warm. Adolph fnished gathering his corn: Got 4 bbls fm him for Eliza. 3 A little shower. 4. Clear & pleasant. Eliza went to Pantal's. I cut some tobacco. 5 Warm. 6. threatening rain. Commenced break'g corn, hauled in not quite a full load. 7 Some rain. Hauled and stacked a load of corn. 8. Rain. Hauled two loads out of old ground. 9 Rain all last night and day cloudy. 10. Cloudy, with a cool north wind. Finished gathering corn and hauling in; about four and a half loads in all: a poor crop. 11 Rain all the afternoon. Finished stack'g corn. Had Lilly drive to Mr. Alston's. 12 Some rain. 13 & 14. Rain the former, none the last day. Eugine break'g in his corn. 15 A fine day. E. ploughed cow pen. 16. Very warm weather. E. haul'g in his corn. 17 Some small showers. Eliza sick. Black sow came up with seven pigs. E., Jas & Adolph at John Fork's cutting rice. Received a letter fm my Sister Bess. 18&19 Both wet days. Eliza escaped the fever. Killed a yearling last night. 20 A fine day. Commenced gathering peas in the clearing Boys at John Fork's cutting rice. Fed my cut eared sow at the old school house with thirteen pigs. 21 Quite a change of weather fm warm to cool. Pick'g peas. E., Js. & Ah at Jn Forks. 22&23 Cool and pleasant. Picked what peas were ripe in clear'g. Got fore of meat fm Mr. A. 24 Very cold day. The boys pulling fodder at Mill Seat. My little sow has 3 Pigs. 25-30 Pleasant dry days. Picking peas. Went to the lake: had my petition drawn out by Morrough, had to borrow money to pay for it. OCTOBER, 1853, (Saturday) 1&2 Dry pleasant days. Picked a few peas. Adolph killed a fat cow. 3 Cool. Picking peas. Let Mr. Humphrey have what hides I had on the end of . 4&5 Continues quite pleasant and dry. Pick'g peas. Js. & Albert at Adolph's. 6 Day warm, Js. & E. cut a bee tree. Finished pick'g peas & put horses in the field. 7 Pleasant. E. & Adolph cut a bee tree at night, a very good one. 8 The day warm. Eliza at a quilting at Pantal's. Put Jim Brown in the field. 9 Dry & Pleasant. Old Suke brought Eliza some soap. At home reading. 10&11 Both fine days. Pick'g peas. too many ripe for the horses to eat before they rot. 12 A little drizzle. Jas & Bell went to Pujo's. Picked three blankets of peas. 13&14 Both very wet days. Js. returned. Look'g for oxen, could not find them. 15 Fine day. E., Js. & Eugine went to Houston's log rolling returned at night. 16&17 Very pleasant. Killed a four year old beef. Adolph daub'g his kitchen chimney. 18&19 Quite cool. All gone to a house raising & quilting at Humphrey's. 20&21 Both fine pleasant days. 22. Cold. Went to Houston's log rolling; returned home at night with Edward and Eugine. 23 A very cold in the morning & part of the night. At home reading. 24 Cleared off cold. E. & Eugine put up a stock to saw. Hauled some wood. 25 A hard frost, for the first. Js & Henry went to Houston's. Hauled wood. 26 Cloudy. Got 5 bbls corn fm Eugine. Shucked all the corn in the crib. 27 Rain last night. E. sowing. Adolph got the cart to haul wood. 28 Cleared off cold. Js. & Eugine went to Houston's E. at Onlizime's. 29&30 Frost. 31. A little frost. Commenced digging potatoes. NOVEMBER (Tuesday) 1 Cold cloudy day. E. & Henry found the oxen. Digging potatoes. Eliza at Pantal's. 2&3 Fine days. Digging potatoes at the house. 4 Cloudy & cold. Cleared off in the evening. Dug some potatoes in rice patch. Altered blk bore & two pigs. 5 Fine day. Finished digging in rice patch and put up Filoneeze's gang. Killed two of hers, and one of mine. 6&7 Fine day. Went to the election at Pujo's, my vote rejected: returned as far as Onlezime Vincent's. 8. Rain at night Returned home. 9 Pleasant. 10. Frost. Killed a beef belonging to Jacob from Mr. Alston. 11 Cloudy & warm. Cut up and salted meat. Put my hogs in potato patch. 12 Fine day. E. sawing. 13. Pleasant. Adolph & Eugene went to the prairie. 14 A little frost. Doing several little jobs. Sent Onlizime's cart home. 15 Very warm. Finished the five brls. corn got from Eugine, and commenced on the first row of corn in the big crib. Edward & James sowing. 16&17 Both warm days. Adolph returned with a cart got fm Onlizime Vincent and 1 sack salt. 18 Warm and partially cloudy. 19. Cloudy with a little rain in the afternoon. Edward and James went to George Smith's. Commenced a letter to my sister of this date. 20 Some rain. E. returned. 21. Fine day. Edward and James sawing. 22 Pleasant. Eugine & Adolph went to split rails at Onlizime Vincent's . 23 Very fine day. Js went with me to the Lake, staid a few hours, and returned home at night. 24. Cool and pleasant. Js at Pantal's. E. hog hunt'g for Jack. 25 Cold and cloudy. Edward and Js at Onlizine's daub'g chimney. Adolph and E returned. 26 Cloudy most of the day. Killed two hogs out of the potato patch. 27 Rain last night and this. Adolph went with me to look for my black hogs, we could not find them, then went to Mr. Alston's. Guss had pups. 28 Fine day. Adolph & Eugine went to Derosier's, Edward fodder finished. 29 Cool and pleasant. 30. Cool. E. & Onlizime went a bear hunt'g. Killed two hogs. Sent subscription via Eugine to the Brother Jonathon and postage paid. DECEMBER (Thursday) 1 A little frost. E. not returned. 2. Very cold, but no frost. Split some rails. 3 Pleasant. E. returned, killed no bears. Ah and Eugine returned. 4 Still pleasant. E. and Ah returned to the prairie 5 Pleasant. Split a few rails. 6&7 Fine weather. Split 67 rails (6th). Did 65 (7th). A little rain in the forenoon. 8 Very cold. Christeen delivered of a stillborn baby. Only split 15 rails. 9&10 Both mornings a hard frost. No rails split. Black tailed sow had 4 pigs come up. 11 Fine pleasant day. At home read'g. Rec'd a letter fm my Sister w/check. 12 Partially cloudy. Only split 50 rails. E. went to look for the beeves. 13&14 Cloudy with a little rain. Splitting rails, got about 100. Fix'g well. 15 Cold cloudy day. Split a few rails. 16. Hard rain. No rails split today. 17 Cleared off cold. Split about 60 rails. E and James went to Verdine's. 18 A hard frost. Killed a red barrow out of the penn. 19 Frost. Eliza, Henry, and myself went to the prairie; Stopped at Onlizime Vincent's. 20 Very cold rain with sleet. Fm. Onlizime Vincent's to Sally's, thence to Isaac's. 21 Very cold rain. Went to Pujo's, thence to Mr. Moss's. 22 Still cold with some rain. Returned home late. 23&24 Rain both days. Finished cart body. 25 Cold cloudy day. Expected Mr. Foreman here; he did not come. Several of our neighbors at dinner. 26&27 Both fine days. Hauled edward's and my corn fm Ah's. 12 bbls in all 28 Fine cold day. H, J. & myself splitting rails. Boys haul'g rails fm rice patch. 29 A hard frost. Employed as yesterday. Edward & James sawing. 30 Morning cloudy, day clear. E. finished her stock, and put up another. 31 Fine day. Mary Ann & the boys went to Mr. Mudd's. Ah. picked out some trees for me to split.