Thomas Rigmaiden's Diary 1857 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 1857 January (Thursday) 1 Frost in the morning, at night clouded up. Went with my family to Mr. Jackson's to a little ball; eveng pleasant. 2 Rain last night, and part of the day. Walked home this morng. 3 Fine cold day. Hy, Eugine & Albert went a hog huntg, got nothing. 4 Cold & clear. Went with Mary Ann & Albert to the Lake, stopped at Austin's. 5 Cloudy. From thence to the mill; paid the Doctor $16.00. 6 Cloudy with rain at night. Returned home. 7& 8 Rain both days, and very cold. Cut up hogs that were killed. 9 Severely cold with drizzleing rain. 10. Hard frost. Log rolling at Mr. Alston's. 10 Very hard freeze. Rece'd a letter fm my Sister by Alston. Albert & Jacob went to Onlezime Roya's to board and school. 11 Very hard freeze. 12. Severe frost. Thrashed a little rice. 13 Another hard freeze. Eliza went with Mrs. Alston to George Smith's. 14 A smart frost. 15. a light frost. Eliza returned. Hy & Ed hog hunting. 16 Cloudy & warm. Cut a few corn stalks. 17 Rain & turned off cold. Sold my place on the other side to Mr. Duncan. 18 A hard freeze & freezing all day. Ed drove up 9 of the cut eared gang and three belonging to him. Killed two of mine. 19 Another hard freeze, but thawed during the day. Boys went to school Ed, Adolph, Onlezime & c hog hunting, they killed four. 20 Light rain most of the day. Onlezime drove 5 of the cut eared hogs home. 3 for him, 2 for Frank, Adolph Derosier to have the one sent to Adolph's, exchanged 2 with Church for two of James' being up in the smoke house. 21 Cleared off cold. Cut a few corn stalks. Hy hog huntg at Ike's. 22 Some frost. Hauling rails for pasture. Log rolling at Ike's. 23 Partially cloudy, with a little rain. Henry and Ike hog hunting. 24 & 25 Cloudy each day, and the sun not visible. Adolph, Onlezime & ca hog hunting. Killed two wild boars, and an unmarked fat sow. 26 Appearance of clearing off. Wrote to my Sister dated 27th inst. 27 Cloudy, with a little rain. Sowed some tobacco seed. Haulg manure. 28 Still a little cloudy. Hauled one load manure. Jake Pantal here. 29 Rain most of the day, which prevented my start to the Lake. 30 Rain all night, & cleared off cold. Sent my letter by Jake Pantal. 31 Cloudy with some rain. Church & James went to the Lake. February, (Sunday) 1 Partially cloudy. C & J returned from the Lake at night. 2 & 3 Warm & a little cloudy. Haulg manure. Hy took plough to Smith's. 4 Still warm & cloudy. Haulg manure. Hy returned, got plough fixed. 5 Very warm. By plaughg. Haulg rails for pasture. Cutting stalks. 6 Morng cloudy & warm, with very hard South wind. Sowed tobacco sood. Haulg manure out of cow pen. Hy ploughg in the morning. 7 Rain in the morning & warm. Filoneeze went to Onlizime's. 8 A smart freeze. 9th A lighter freeze. Hauling manure, ploughing, and cutting corn stalks in the little clearing. Commenced the last stack of corn, having taken out two ? before on the big mill. 10. A hard frost. All hands employed as yesterday. 11 A light frost. Henry went to Onlezime's for Albert & Jacob. 12 Cloudy. Hauling manure fm Mr. Alston's, Hy ploughing. 13& 14 Threatening rain. Hy ploughg. Planted a few fig trees. 15 Cloudy & warm. Solomon finished ploughing the old ground. 16 A very hard rain. Mr. Woodman & John Reeves came here very wet. 17 &18 Cloudy & warm. Eliza & Mr.A. at Ike's. Hauling manure. 19 Weather continues the same. Eliza at Mrs. Alston's. 20 Warm. with hard South wind. Adolph comenced laying off the old ground. Eliza at Adolph's. Hauling manure. 21 A hard rain last night. Adolph ploughg. Hauling manure. 22 Cloudy. Hauling manure. 23. Rain last night; day pleasant. 24 Threatening rain. Commenced planting old ground and covering with manure. 25. Rain. Could not finish planting. 26 Very warm. Finished plantg, & Hy covering with the plough. 27 Pleasant. Planted in the orchard. Penn broke the cart. 28 Quite pleasant. Js. & Bell went to the Lake. Filoneeze to Onlizime's. March (Sunday) 1 Cool pleasant day. 2. Pleasant. S-n haulg rails for Edward. 3 Quite cool. Henry went to the Mill with a sack of corn. 4 Cloudy. Solomon brought the oxen home hurt - Onlezime here. 5 Rain. Albert dropping corn at Adolph's. Potatoes gave out. 6 Cold with hard North wind. Js., Albert & Bell at Adolph's. Hy returned. 7 Cold & cloudy most of the day. 8. Not so cold. Eliza at Duncan's. 9 Cold. Rain most of the day. Albert & Jake went to Lemon's, for Liza. 10 Rain. 11. Rain at night. Commenced making potato hills. 12 A smart freeze. 13. Fine cool day. Finished making hills, made 1300. 14 A freeze. Planted some potatoes. 15 & 16. Frost both days. Henry at Edward's. Sold W. Stine 112 lbs bacon amounting to $13.40, reced from him an order on Austin for $10.00 and $2.00 in money, he is now owing me $7.40 on account of bacon, and 3 hogs sold him before. 17 A light frost & clouded up. Hauling manure in the house field. 18 A hard rain with hail at night. 19 & 20. Fine days. Finished haulg manure. 21 Partially cloudy. Hauling rails to make a pen. 22. Pleasant. 23 Warm. Ploughg in house field. Hy & Albert at Eds. Replanting corn. 24 Quite warm. Made some tobacco hills & planted them. Planted some potatoes. 25 Very warm. Employed as yesterday. Replanting missing corn. 27 Still warm. Made a few hills and taken with the ague. All hands replanting. 28& 29 Very warm. Hy went to assist making pens. Ague both days. 30 Continues dry. Hy returned. Adolph ploughg & planted little clearing. 31 Cloudy all day. Hy brought me letters from by Brother and Sister. Mrs. Duncan Little delivered of a little boy on Sunday 29th. April 1857 April (Wednesday) 1 Hard rain last night & most of the day. The creek rising. 2 Cloudy & cool. ? & Adolph plough. 3. Fine day. Laying off cow pen. Wrote Messrs. A. Lanfear Co. and the editor of the American Bulletin. 4 Cloudy with hard S. wind. Planted cow pen. Ploughing in rice patch. 5 Cold rain all day, with sleet & hail. 6. Hard freeze. Finished ploughg rice patch. 7 A smart frost. Shearing sheep. 8. Cloudy & warm. Harrowing old ground. Wrote to my Brother of this date. 9 Rain yesterday evening & most of the night. Hy took letters to Austin's. 10 Pleasant. Mr. Austin's hands went to gather beeves for Mr. Gill. 11 Fine day. Rece'd a letter fm Sam'l Perkins. Harrowed rice patch. 12 Rain with sleet and snow last night. Wrote a few line to Haskel. 13 A smart frost. Hy helping Adolph to plant. Sent letter by Duncan. 14 A light frost. Made some tobacco hills & planted. Penned cattle here. 15 Threatening rain. The beeves parted out for Gill & turned the cattle loose. Made more tobacco hills & planted them. Sowed rice & harrowed it. 16 Warm day. Commenced planting field at the house, and manuring it. 17 Cloudy. Finished planting. 18. A little rain last night. No work today. 19 Cool pleasant day. Duncan left, and gave up his purchase again. 20 Heavy frost. Sowed pumpkin seed in little clearing. Adolph and Henry ploughing in the old ground. Sowed butter beans. 21. Warm. Finished ploughing & hands hoeing. Made some tobacco hills and planted. 22 Quite cold. Hy at Adolph's. Eliza went with we to the Lake. Stopped at night at Onlezime's, thence to Jacob's. 23rd rece'd no letters. 24 A light shower at night. In the eveng went as far as Austin's. 25 Fine day. Returned home by way of Temple's & John Fork's. 26 Rain. 27. Cloudy. 28. A little rain. Hands at work at Eds. 29 Rain most of the night. Adolph, Albert & Sol at Edwards. 30 A wet day. Transplanted some corn. Sprained my knee. May (Friday) 1 More rain. Adolph finished planting. Jackson got Jacob's cow and calf. 2 Quite cold. Js went to the Lake. Replanting at the old place. 3 Rain most of the night. Js returned bringing Messrs. A Lanfer & Co. letter with $95.33 (No date here but must be 4). Fine day. Wrote A. L. & C & Sam Perkins dated 8th inst. 5 Pleasant. Replanting white corn. Sol at Eds. Hy at Adolph's. 6 Warm day. F. replanting. Adolph ploughed little clearg & turnip patch. 7 still Warm. Eliza, Mrs. Alston & Jacob went to the Lake. Gave Eliza $50.00. Sent $10.00 for D. Alford & $25.00 for S. Vincent in letters. Sowed a few pumpkin seed in turnip Patch. Knee very painful. 8 Quite warm. Kie & E. finished planting Michel's field. Hoed in turnip patch. 9 Still dry. Albert & Sol took Morgan's plough home. Let Mr. Humphrey have bacon for a hog running at Mr. Alston's. Eliza returned, having paid by several debts with the fifty dollars. 10 Fine day. 11 & 12. Dry. Ploughs & plantg. Pine Woods field. 13 & 14 Dry & warm. Hoeing in the little clearing. Js went to the Prairie. 16 The day very warm; at about 11 P. M. had a very severe storm, with heavy hail & rain, which hurt our growing corn. Ball at Mr. Alston's. 17 & 18 Quite cold. Hoeing potatoes hills & planted some draws. Eliza at Ike's. 19 Still cool. Hy ploughg at Jackson's. Albert & Sol hoeing potatoes on the other side. 20 & 21 Cool nights, days pleasant. Finished hoeing potatoes. Hy at Jackson's. 22 Quite cool. Wrote a letter to my Sister. Albert & Filoneeze went to the Prairie. 23 Fine day. Henry ploughing the white corn. 24 Some appearance of rain. Sent my letter by Mr. Mathews. 25 Fine day. Ploughing mid Sec & hoeing in white corn. Sol at Jackson's. 26 Warm. Eliza went to Ike's. C-ne sick. Finished ploughing white corn, & Ploughing in the turnip patch. Boys went to Lenon's. 27 Dry & warm. Adolph ploughg in the old ground. Sol at Jackson's. 28 Quite sultry. Adolph & Hy ploughing, and sowing peas in the old ground. Sol thinning corn in turnip patch. Eliza returned. 29 Dry & warm. Finished ploughing & sowing peas in the old ground. Henry went to plough at Adolph's. Sol at Jackson's. 30 Threatening rain only at night. Hy & Albert at Adolph's. Sol at Jackson's. 31 A very fine rain at night. Jake Pantal here. June 1857 June (Monday) 1 Rain this morning; day, cool. Hy & A at Adolph's. Sol plaughg potatoes at 12. 2 Night & morng cool; day warm. Hands employed as yesterday. 3 Weather the same. Henry ploughing in the rice patch. 4 Continues dry. Went to the Lake; got to Jacob's before dark. Sent a dollar for a year's subscription to the Brother Jonothon. 5 & 6 Warm and dry. From the Lake,to Alston's, thence home. 7 & 8 Still dry & warm. Hy ploughg at Jackson's. Hoeg rice. 9 Very warm. Preaching at Mr. Alston's, my family there. 10 Another warm day. Hy ploughg on the other side. Hoeg rice. 11 A little shower this morng. Eliza & Albert went to the Lake. Hands employed as yesterday. 12 Thunder before day; day warm. Finished ploughg Pine Wood field. 13 Dry and warm. Henry ploughing at Adolph's. Hoeing white corn. Eliza returned with Jake. 14 A little shower, not to do any good. Corn twisting. 15 Very warm. Henry at Adolph's. Hoeing in Pine Wood field. 16 A fine rain, with very hard wind. Blew some corn down. 17 Fine day. Straitened up corn. Eliza went to Adolph's. 18 Pleasant. Henry ploughing & sowing peas in little clearg. and hoed it. 19 & 20 Both cold mornings. Ploughing turnip patch and white corn. 21 Cold night & morning. Henry started to take Jake to school, found Albert at Onlezime's, run away. Hy left them both at onlezime's. 22 Very warm. Hy went to the Lake for the boys clothes. They commenced school at Onlezime's. Finished ploughing white corn. 23 Cloudy most of the day. Ploughing and sowing peas in turnip patch. 24 A fine rain morng & evening. Making potato hills. 25 Rain most of the day. Planted vines in the potato hills. 26 A hard rain before day & until 9 A.M. Made potato hills & planted. 27 Very hard rain. Made more potato hills and planted them. 28 A severe storm at night, with rain; blew down a deal of corn. 29 Very fine day. Made potato hills & planted. Hoed Albert's pinders. 30 Fine day. Sol making potato hills; Hy ploughing in Pine Wood field. July (Wednesday) 1 Fine day. Killed Manchet's 2 year old beef. Ploughg in Pine Wood field. 2 Rain. 3. Fine day. A & Jake came home. Finished ploughing. 4 Cool & pleasant. Hoed popcorn. Hy ploughg & sowing peas at the old house. 5 Night & morning quite cool. 6. Morng cool, day warm. Henry ploughg over the rice patch. Got a pair of shoes from Adolph Derosiers. 7 This morng not so cool. Finished ploughg rice. Hy plough white corn. 8 Warm day. Adolph ploughg & sowg peas in white corn. Hy harrowed wood field. 9 Quite warm. Adolph employed as yesterday and taken sick. 10 A fine rain in the eveng. Cut a little tobacco. Got part of a sack of corn. 11 Some rain this afternoon. 12. A hard rain. Planted some vines. 13 Very warm. Planted vines in the morng. Mr. Alston penned cattle here. 14 Quite warm. Hy ploughg for Mitche. Solomon herding cattle. 15 &16 Both warm days. Mr. Alston branded, and turned cattle loose. 17 18&19 All warm days. Minding field. 20. Cloudy. Pulling fodder. 21 A wet day. Js & Mitchel went to the Lake. Took in fodder. 22 Vary hard rain. Eliza went to Onlezime's about 10 or 11 P.M. Js returned. 23 Hard rain morng & afternoon. Raced a letter fm my Sister dated 13th June. 24, 25&26 Hard rains these three days. 27. Rain. Ploughg up big pen. 28 Rain. Finished ploughg. 29. Rain, Killed a 3 yr old beef, formerly Lenon's. 30 Rain. Made potato ridges, and planted vines. 31 No rain today. Albert and Jacob came home from school. August (Saturday) 1 A little shower. Pulled a few rows fodder. Cut some tobacco. 2 & 3 Some rain. Planted vines. Clean grass out of the rice. 4 A light shower. Preaching at Mr. Alston's. Pulled a little fodder. 5 A hard rain. Henry sick. Pulled a little fodder & cleaning rice. 6 A very hard rain. Cleaning rice. Onezime & Tucker here. 7. Rain. Work as yesterday. 8 Rain all night & part of The day. 9. No rain today. Henry very sick. E..at Jackson's. 10 & 11 Both fine days. Finished pulling fodder in the old ground & commenced in little clearg. 12 & 13 Hard rain both days. No work. Killed a sheep belonging to Edward. 14 No rain. Wrote a letter to my sister. Pulled a little fodder. Hy very sick. 15 Rain. Pulled a little fodder. Sent my letter by Farris. 16 Rain. Hy rode to Jackson's. Put fodder out to dry & took in again. 17 Very hard rain. Finished pulig fodder in little clearg. Henry sick again. 18 Some rain. Pulled fodder in turnip patch and brought it in. 19 Very hard rain. 20. Rain. Drying fodder. 21. No rain. Dried fodder. 22 Fine day. Finished pulling fodder in turnip patch. Tied up the dry. 23& 24 Both fine days. Commenced pulling fodder off the white corn. 25 A little rain. Only pulled four rows fodder and took all in. 26 The sun shone all day. Tied up about 100 bundles fodder. 27 Rain. Pulled fodder in pine wood field & some of the white corn. 28 Rain. Finished pulling fodder in pine wood field, & took it in. 29 No rain. Brought fodder fm old place, not quite dry. Sol went to the Lake. 30 Pleasant day. Brought more fodder from the other side, dried & tied. 31 Fine day. Soloman returned. Pulling fodder at the old house. September (Tuesday) 1 Fine day. Finished pulling fodder on this & other side. 2 Another fine day. Tied up the last fodder that was pulled. 3 A little rain. Got two quarters of meat from Adolph. 4 Cloudy all day. Ploughed big pen, & sowed turnip seed & onions. 5 & 6 Fair. James came fm Austin's. 7. Warm. Took roof off crib. 8, 9 & 10 Warm days. Took roof off the old house, & finished covering crib. 11 & 12 Some rain. Hands at Jackson's getting in his corn. 13 Rain. Eliza, James & Jake went to the Lake. 14 Rain. Adolph commenced gathering in his corn. 15 A little drizzle. Adolph gathered corn out of his clearing. 16 Warm. Gathering corn on the other side. Eliza returned. 17 Very warm. Hauled two loads of corn out of the old ground. 18 Fine day. Stacked the two loads of corn. Hands breaking corn at Adolph's. 19 A very hard rain. Hands employed as yesterday. 20 & 21 Pleasant. Hauled 2 1/2 loads of corn out of old field & orchard. 22 Cool & pleasant. Haulg Mitchel's corn. Lawrence here. 23 Pleasant. Hauled three loads of corn out little clearing & turnip patch. 24 & 25 Cool. Stacked corn. Gathering peas. Turner took Hoomy to Austin's. 26 Still cool. Threshed out peas & gathered mare. James came home. 27 & 28 Pleasant. James gave Hoomy away. He returned to Austin's. 29 Quite pleasant. Salomon hauled two sacks of salt frm Onezimes. 30 Fine weather. Commenced cutting rice. October (Thursday) 1 & 2 A little drizzle. Eliza went Geo. Reeves. Finished cutting rice. 3 & 4 Rain. Eliza returned at night. Tied up some rice. 5 Rain all day. Killed a three year old beef got from James. 6 A little rain. Turned horses in the field. Picking peas. 7 A hard rain last night. Hauled the cut rice; not dry. 8 Fine day. Drying rice, and picking peas. 9 & 10 Both fine days. Eliza went to Lenon's & returned 10 P.M. Stacked rice. 11 Rain. 12. Fine day picking peas all day for the horses. 13 Cloudy. Broke in white corn, got 2 1/2 loads. 14 Pleasant day. Stacked corn. Made fence round the rice. Gathered in the pumpkins & put horses in turnip patch blk barrow. 15 & 16 Cold nights and mornings. Hauled corn from the other side. James came home. Turner killed his black hog. 17 A light frost for the first. 18. Cold. Got 5 barrels corn fm James. 19 A little rain before day and cleared off cold. 20. Pleasant. 21 Fine cool day. 22. Partially cloudy. Killed a gentle four year old beef. Put the horses in the field at the house. 23 A little rain last night & before day, quite warm. 24 Cloudy. 25 & 26. Fine pleasant days. 27 Cloudy. Adolph daubed his chimney. Commenced a letter to my Sister this date. 28 Very fine day. Finished letter. Wrote R. H. Day for books. 29 Cloudy. Went to the Lake. 30. Fine day. Returned as far as Austin's. 31 Rain in the evening. Engine returned home with me. November (Sunday) 1 Cloudy and warm. Eliza went to the lake. 2 to 8 Some rain, very hard wind and quite warm for the season. 9 Some frost. Commenced digging potatoes in the big pen. 10 Frost. Wrote to Morough. Digging potatoes. 11 Turned warm. Sent my letter by James and Mr. Alston. 12 Pleasant. James & Mr. A. returned. Digging potatoes. 13 & 14 Partially cloudy. Finished digging potatoes & covered slip heap. 15 Cloudy and cold. Mr. Pierce here. Edward appointed school director. 16 Cold & clear. Took corn out of the loft & hauled some of Edward's. 19 No frost, but cold. Killed a cow got from Albert. Hauled wood. 20 A smart freeze. Hauled two loads corn, and some fodder from Edward's old place. Liza delivered of a little girl about 10 P. M. 21 Another freeze. Put three hogs in the potato patch. 22 Warm & cloudy. 23. Quite cold. Henry hauling boards. 24 Cold, clear day. Threshing rice. Henry finished haulg boards. 25 & 26 Both very fine days. Finished threshing rice. 27 Pleasant. Finished the last of the rice, got about 4 barrels. 28 Hard South wind, and rain until late at night. 29 & 30 Both fine cold days. Albert & Sol repairing fence at home. December (Tuesday) 1 & 2 Some frost. Repairing fence, & haulg wood for Adolph. 3 Cold. Went to the Lake Received a letter from my Sister. 4 Cloudy with a little drizzle. Returned home. 5 Rain all day. 6. No rain. 7. Rain. Hy & S cutting logs. 8 Rain most of the day. Killed a black hog out of potato patch. 9 Rain all night, day very cold. Hauled wood. Got a bad cold. 10 A hard frost. Commenced corn in big crib. Cold worse. 11&12 Frost both days. Too sick to know what has been done. 13&14 Frost both days. Very sick. Bell went for the Doctor. 15 No frost. Doctor Kirkman paid me a visit. 16 Some rain. Took medicine. 17. Cleared off cold. Creek ? up. 18 Frost. Hauling wood. Feel quite recovered but no appetite. 19 Pleasant. Wrote to Morough. Albert sick. 20 Hard rain most of the day. Sent my letter by Bell. 21&22 Cloudy & cold. 23. Frost, rain at night. Killed two hogs. 24 Some rain. James went for the Doctor for Albert, he did not come. 25 Fine day. James returned. Albert much better. 26 Cloudy. James sick. 27. Cloudy. 28. Rain at night. Killed two hogs. 29 Turned warm, rain at night. Bell & Hy want to the Lake 30 Rain all night & cleared off. Boys returned. James better. 31 A hard frost. Put a black listed borrow in the pen.