Thomas Rigmaiden's Diary 1860 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 1860 (Sunday) 1 This day was ushered in with a hard freeze. Js, Hy & Jacob at home. 2 & 3 Hard frost with ice both days. Eliza came home with Albert (3). Owing Jackson & Bell for 1 or 2 days work. Polk for 1/2 days work. 4 Frost. Onezime here. 5. Cloudy. Made Eliza a promise to quit the bottle. 6 Very hard rain. Jackson & E. drove up the hogs that used at Ike's. 7 Fine day. Reced a letter from Hy. King Judd. Killed hogs. 8 Pleasant. William Perkins gave us a very good sermon, small company. 9 Cloudy. Wrote Henry King Judd of this date. 10 & 11 Rain both days. Filled up the well dug by Richie. Eliza at Jackson's. 12 Rain last right. 13. Rain in the night. Sent Judd's letter by Henry. 14 Very fine day. 15. A smart frost. Commenced on last stack of corn. 16 Frost. Messrs. Abel & Ben Lyons here. Cutting corn stalks. 17 Cloudy with sleet at night. Eliza went to Steve Perkin's. Cutting corn stalks and carrying manure in the field. A party went to order Bill Gowins and family to leave. 18. Clear. Employed as yesteriay. 19 Frost. Cutting corn stalks and carrying manure in the field. Edward spayed two sows and three choats yesterday. 20 Frost. Doing several little jobs. Planted tobacco seed. 21 & 22 Fine days. Went to Adolph's, and returned the last day. 23 Pleasant. Sol helping Ed to raise a house; he has been there several days. 24 Quite pleasant. Hy started to Nathaniel Vincent's wedding. 25 Fine day. Hy returned from the wedding. Sol clearing, myself cutting corn stalks. Set fire in the Pine Woods. 26 A little rain. Burning around field fences & beating out. 27 Cold.day. Sol went to ed's. Burning and beating out the fire. 28 Frost. Cutting logs. Found the spotted sow with five pigs. 29 Frost, and clouded up. Received a letter from My Sister yesterday. 30 Cloudy. School commences. 31. Rain. Wrote to my Sister of this date. February (Wednesday) 1 Frost and very cold. Sol hauling corn for Pharis to the creek. 2 Frost. Drove up the spotted & blue sows. Sol cutting down trees for rails. 3 Frost. Earmarked 8 boars & 6 sow pigs. Sent my letter by Sol to Adolph's. 4 Wet day. Js & Jackson came here. 5. Rain last night & today. Js & Jackson returned. 6 Cleared off cold. Sol helping Ike with his logs in the creek. 7 Heavy fall of snow and rain. Eliza went to Steve Perkins. No work. 8 Frost. Sol splitting rails; in the eveng started with Hy's corn to Adolph's. 9 Frost. 10. Cloudy. Sol returned, bringing a barrel sugar & some nails. 11 Rain last night, the day pleasant. Sol splitting rails. Borrowed a large bowl full of coffee from Mrs. Alston. 12 Warm & partially cloudy. Js & Jackson brought the boys to go to school. 13 Cloudy & warm. Js & Hy returned. Sol splitting rails. Triming peach trees. 14 Cloudy with a little rain. Henry and Sol splitting rails. Doing little jobs. 15 Fine day. Hy & Sol helping Ed to daub his chimney. Eliza there. 16 & 17 Warm, rain at night the last day. Hy & Sol three days at Edward's. 18 Cleared off cold. Sol splitting rails. 19. Fine day. Hy went to Adolph's. Sol did little. 20 Frost. 21. Day fine. Had a small party to dinner, dance at night. 22 Fine day. No work. 20. Clear and very cold. Haulg rails & firing fences. 24 Very cold day. 25. A hard frost. Hauling pickets from bridge gully. 26 Frost. 27. Cloudy with rain. Hy & Sol started in skiff for Adolph's. 28 Rain all day. 29. Cleared off pleasant. Hy & Sol returned in the evening. March (Wednesday) 1 & 2 Morning cold, day pleasant. Hauled home a bl of pork, plough, and sack of coffee got from Adolph. Sol splitting garden posts. 3 Pleasant. Eliza went to Mrs. Budro, she (Mrs. B.) delivered of a little girl. 4 Partially cloudy. Adolph came for the little boy. Jackson helping to make garden. 5 Quite warm. Eliza sent for at 1 A.M. to Mrs. Steve Perkins. 6 & 7 Still warm. Sol working at garden fence and cart body. 8 Fine day. Js & Helare came home. Sol ploughing garden & tobacco patch. 9 Very hard wind last night from N. W. Sol ploughing in the house field. 10 A smart frost. Clearing little clearing. Jackson putting up garden fence. 11 A light frost. 12. Fine day. Thornton brought a letter from my Sister. Js ploughing. 13 Fine day. Finished garden fence. James laying off old ground. 14 Pleasant. Thornton made axel tree to the cart. Albert came here. 15 Cloudy, with rain at night. James, Henry, Albert and Thornton went to Adolph's. Planting corn in the old ground at the bottom of the field. 16 Pleasant. Finished plantg the first piece. Eliza went to Steve Perkins's. 17 Quite cool. Mrs. Steve Perkins, and Catherine, delivered of a little girl each. 18 & 19 Pleasant. Commenced planting the old house field and manuring. Eliza returned from Ike's, and Felonise went up to wash for Catherine. 20 - 22 Fine weather. Got finished the last day planting the old ground. 23 Threatening rain. Eliza went to Barrum's. Throwing a furrow on each side the planted corn. Cleaning potato patch. Boys went home, Jake with them. 24 Hard rain last night, the day clear. Sol harrowed first planted corn. (25 thru 27) Kept no report of these few days transaction until the 28 & 29 Frost both mornings. Sol went to Ike's, got corn and potaotes. 30 & 31 Cool. Eliza cam home. Received a letter from my Brother. April (Sunday) 1 Warm. 2 & 3. Pleasant. At Adolph's with Eliza; gave him a letter of credit for 20.-- Hy received from him $10.00. 4 Warm. Returned home by myself after spending an agreeable day with Onezime Roya. 5. 6. & 7 Hard S. wind. Eliza returned fm Franks. 8 & 9 Very hard winds the latter day. Felolieze and Sol went to Adolph's. 10 Warm. Made potato hills, and finished planting mothers. 11 Pleasant. Planting turnip patch. Made some tobacco hills, and planted. 12 & 13 Nights & mornings cold every day. Finished planting turnip patch. Made tobacco hills, and planted. Mr. Woodman here in search of a gray horse. 14 A little sprinkle. Planted little cearing. Planted a row of tobacco. 15 Warm day. 16. Rain. Replanting old ground. Shearing sheep. 17 Rain. Replanting. Laying off old ground in white corn patch. 18 Fine day. Planting at the above. Replanting in rice patch and old land. Wrote to my Brother James, dated 20th inst. 19 Very Warm. Finished replanting old ground. Ploughing & harrowg in the turnip patch. 20 Partially cloudy. Working by the old house. Sent my ? by Mr. Kemper. Ploughg & harrowing. 21 & 22 Rain the last day. 23. Fine day. Harrowing field at the house. Sol breaking up middes in the old ground. James went with Mr. Alston's party cow hunting. Planted some tobacco. Hy went to A-h's & returned. 24 Cool pleasant day. Thinning corn. Sol ploughg. 25. Night & morning quite cold. Finished planting. Sol finished ploughing up the middes. 26 Continues cool. Worms bad in new planted corn. Sol hauling Mr. Budrow's things to his new residence. Mr. Burnett & Gosit here. Hoeing. 27 Still very cool. Let Mr. Morrison have my red oxen to go to Sugar Town. 28 Weather the same. Finished shearing sheep. Mr. Alston penned his cattle. 29 Quite cold & pleasant. Mr. A. branded his calves and turned the cattle loose. 30 A little rain. Jacob and Antoine went to Adolph's for Felonise. May (Tuesday) 1 Pleasant cold day. Folonize came home. Sol hauling for Edward. 2 Quite pleasant. Sol at Edward's. Jacob harrowing. 3 Pleasant day. Ploughing in the old ground. James went to Adolph's. Hoeing. 4 Somewhat warmer. Sol ploughing. Mr. Morrison brought my oxen home. Hoeing all day. Henry planting in James' clearing. 5 Night and morning cool, day warm. Hoeing all the forenoon. Sol at Edward's. 6 Partially cloudy. Cooly brought Rover-heels (?) home to me. 7 Warm day. Jacob and myself went to Adolph's, took dinner there, fm thence we both went to Mr. Gill's, reced $200.00 from him, took $10.00 and the remainder $190.00 left with Adolph, and Gill's note for the balance of $200.00 to be paid from the lst to the 15th of next month. 8 & 9 A little rain. Jacob & myself returned home. Eliza at Edward's. 10 & 11 Fine day. Replanted the little field at the house. Sent by James my year's subscription to the Brother Johnathon. Wrote my Brother with an introductory letter for Escubas dated 19th. 12 & 13 Fair. Sent the cart to Adolph's for a barrel of flour, pork and salt. 14 A little rain. Made two potato ridges, and planted draws. 15 & 16 Warm. Sol ploughing. Hoeing. Planted what draws we had. 17 A hard rain at night. Ploughing in the little clearing. 18 Fine day. Sol ploughing. Transplanted some corn and tobacco. 19 Warm and clear. Ploughed in the forenoon. Hoein in the garden. 20 Quite warm with hard south wind. James came home. 21 Very warm. Finished ploughing turnip patch. James hoeg in the land he declared. 22 Dry & warm. Wrote to my Sister of this day. Ploughing in the little field. 23 & 24 Dry & very warm. Sent my letter by Jake Williams. Finished ploughg little field. 25 & 26 Continues dry. Sol haulg rails at Edward's. Js & myself hoeing in turnip patch. 27 Fine day. Went to Adolph's. 28. Still warm and dry. Adolph went with me to Pujo's, had a final settlement with him, took his receipt for the same, thence to Mr. Moss', took dinner there, thence went with Adolph home. 29 Rain at night. Left with Adolh $175.00, and the amount of a draft for $95.00, making the aggergate $270.00, thence home. 30 Fine day. Plouging an making potato ridges and planting draws. 31 Fine day. Made some potato ridges and planted. Hoeing the tobacco. June (Friday) 1 Several light showers. Finished hoeing tobacco. Sol ploughg old corn. 2 Fine day. Sol went for the broken cart. Hoeing all the day; quite tired. 3 Warm & dry. Went to Adolph's in company with Pharis. 4 & 5 Still dry. Eacubas started. Returned home. Received $36.00 fm Adolph. 6, 7 &8 Very warm and dry. Hoeing. Sol went with Mr. Alston a cattle gathering. 9 Very warm. It was only today Sol went. 10. Still dry. Sol returned. E. at Ike's. 11 & 12 Weather the same. Ploughg & sowing peas. Eliza went to Adolph's. Mr. A. sick. 13 Another warm today. Reced my acct. fm Adolph last week, owing $22.85. Wrote to my Brother dated 14th inst. Ploughg, hoeing and sowing peas. 14 Still dry. Finished ploughing acn sawing peas in the first planted corn. 15 Warm & dry. Ploughing in the turnip patch. Hy took my letter to Adolph's. 16 Hard rain and wind last eveng. Eliza came home. Ploughed cow pen. 17 Clear. 18. Very warm. Ploughg & sowing peas in the turnip patch. Hoeing all day. 18 Warm. Ploughg & sowing peas in the little clearing. Tucker here. Hoeing. 19 & 20 Finished sowg peas in both patches. Both days clear and warm. Hoeing all day. 21 Dry & warm. Ploughing & sowg peas in house field. Ed sick. Hoeing & other jobs. 22, 23 & 24 All fine days. Eliza and myself down at Adolph's. 25 Quite cool. Cleaned out the well. 26. Cloudy. Rain last night. Finished ploughing and sowing peas in the house field. 27 Some rain. Planted vines in the cow pen. 28 Some rain again. Moved fence in big pen. 29. Fine day. Sol went for rice. 30 Very warm. Mary Ann and Dellphine here. Received my note to Pujo, sent me by Mr. Spence. July (Sunday) 1 Warm. Preaching here by Mr. William Perkins, well attended. 2 Clear and warm. James helping to make potato hills. Doing little jobs. 3 Dry and warm. Employed as yesterday. Js & Hy went to bring A-h's flat up. 4 Warm. Moved big pen fence. Paid Spence subscription to his paper to December and my postage to the Brother Jonathan to the lst of this month, 22nd June. 5 & 6 Dry. Sol ploughg at Eds. Jake & Feloneeze went to Adolph's. Js & Hy returned. 7 Very warm. Sol at Edward's. Sent by Pierce for books. 8,9 &10 Continues dry. Commenced digging a well. (9th) Cut a little tobacco. 11 Very sultry. Digging on the well. Sol at Edward's these two days. 12, 13 & 14 No variation of weather. Digging the well. Put first curbin down. 15 Still warm and dry. Eliza went to John Fork's. 16 A little drizzle. 17. Some rain. Planted vines. 18. A little shower. 19, 20 & 21 Each day warm & dry. Pulled a little fodder, & dug in the well. 22 Very warm. Eliza came home fm Mrs. Fork's. Mr Alston sick. 23 Still warm. Got 29 ft. dug in my well. Mr. ? here. Pulled fodder. 24 Weather as usual. Went to Adolph's, he owing me $70.00. Eliza gone to Jn Fork's. 25 Dry. Sent Sol for a bl flour & sack of coffee in Ike's cart, returned at night. 26 Still dry & warm. 27. & 28. Continues warm. Little hopes of water in the well. 29 Very warm. 30. & 31. Continues dry and warm. Pulled a little fodder. Finished digging the well. Planted some vines and watered them. August (Wednesday) 1 Rain last night. Planted more vines, and watered them. 2 & 3 Both warm days. Pulled some fodder, and planted vines. 4 A little rain. Pulled fodder and brought it in; not dry. 5 A fine rain. Eliza went to Adolph's. 6. No rain. Eliza returned with Margaret. Made potato hills and planted vines. 7 A hard rain. Made a pen fence & planted vines. Got a fat cow fm Onezime. 8 No rain. Wrote to my Sister of this date. Planted potato vines. 9 Fine day. Ham & Lucinda Turner married. Not well today. 10 A hard rain. Planted vines. 11th. Eliza went to Claiborn's. 12, 13 & 14 Fine weather. Tied up fodder and bending corn in the old land. 15 Night & morning quite cold. Employed as yesterday. 16 Morning cold. 17. Warm. Mr. Alston penned the herd here at night. 19 Very hard rain. Jacob & Margaret went to Adolph's to go to school. 20 Fine day. Ike helping to gather corn. Eliza delivered Mrs. Jones of a little boy. 21 A smart rain. Finished gathering corn in the old ground. Got ? loads. 22 Rain. Sol went to help Ike to gather in his corn. Sorting corn in crib. 23 Rain night & morning. Stemmed tobacco, and sorted corn in crib. 24 A hard rain. Stemmed more tobacco. Js went to Adolph's, returned at night. 25 Rain. Mary Ann came up. 26. Rain. Eliza went home with Mary Ann. 27 Some rain. Sol helping Mr. Warrick to raise Jackson's house. 28 Showery. Sol helping Js to cut logs. 29. Some rain. Sol cutting logs. 30 & 31 No rain. Went to Adolph-s, got 2# tobacco, a rake and curry comb. September 1860 September (Saturday) 1 Very warm. Eliza, Jacob, Margaret and myself came home. 2 & 3 Clear. Sol cutting logs for Ike, got 9. 4th Warm. Reced a latter from my Sister. 5 Threatening rain. Sol cutting logs these 2 days for Js. 6.Rain. Gathered in the last corn. 7 & 8 Clear. Sol cutting logs one day for James. Got a quarter of meat from Ed. 9 & 10 Clear and warm. Sol cutting logs for Onezime Roya, got ten. 11, 12, 13 & 14 Dry, warm. Sol cutting logs. 12th. Cut 10 logs, 13, 4 and 14th 3. 15 Threatening rain. Sol cut 4 logs. 16. Rain. before day. Wrote yesterday to the British Counsul of Bogata and B. H. Day of New York for the following books: Book of Nature, Old Black's portfolio of picture, Adventures of a bashful Irishman and eight cent pictures; Yellow Frigate, or two Sisters. 16. Rain before day. 17 Fine day. Went to Adolph's with Eliza. Gave ? $1.00 to send for a N. York paper. 18 Warm. went to the sale at Mr. Moss; and returned as far as Adolpb's. Gray came. 19 & 20 Quite pleasant. Returned home. Albert & Jacob with us in the horse cart. 21 Night cold, day pleasant. Albert took home to Adolph's, 1 bl potatoes & 10 of corn. 22 Night & day as yesterday. Ed, James and Sol beating out fire in the pine woods. 23 Quite cool. Louis sick. 24. Turned warm. Henry took Margaret to Adolph's. 25 Warm. Cleaned out the well. 26. Dry and warm. Wrote a letter to my Sister of this date. Henry bought a horse from Tom Jackson. Sol cut 13 logs. 27 Fine day. Sol cut 10 logs. All sick at Mr. Roya's. Employed at little jobs. 28 & 29 Both days dry & warm. Sol cut 11 logs. George Reeves here. 30 Appearance of rain. Eliza went to Adolph's with Albt & Jake, took part of bl corn. October (Monday) 1 Rain most of the day. Eliza returned with Delphine & Onezime. 2 Some rain. 3 No rain. James sick. Sol hauled corn fm Jones's. Put horses in the field. 4 Warm & cloudy. Sol taken sick. Jake came home sick. Adolph took Delphine home. Pool moved to Texas. Received ten dollars from Adolph. 5 Very warm. Oscar Lyons came for Eliza. Js very sick. Jake & Sol a little better. 6 Warm. Eliza returned and called to Liza. Albert & Ned came up in the cart for corn. 7 & 8 A hard rain. Albert took home 2 lbs corn. Story came here to board. 9 Cool pleasant day. Dr. Williams visited Liza. All escaped the fever here. 10 Pleasent. Liza delivered of a little boy. Killed a large beef. Warrick got a 1/4 wg 120 lbs. 11 Cloudy, threatening rain. Liza very sick. Eliza attending her. 12 & 13 Cold the last day. Eliza came ham yesterday and started this morning for George Reeves's. Edward with her as far as Richard Cole's. Cut and hauled some wood. 14 The first frost last night. Mr. R. B. Armstrong and Mr. Jacob Moore from Orange, Texas stopped here last night. Jacob went back to school with Story. 15 Frost. Sol getting grass for chimney. Boys at Mr. Alstan's daubing. 16 Another frost. S. getting grass, and Mr. Warrick sticks for the chimney. 17 A light frost. 18. No frost. Put up chimney frame, and made mud hole. 18 & 19 Some frost. Daubed chimney, only five hands the last day. Gave Warrick an order on Adolph for $4.60, in full for making chimney frame & repairing cart. 20 A light frost. 21. a little frost. Cut potato house logs. Got a sack salt fm Adolph's. 22, 23 & 24 Pleasant. Hauled logs, and put up potato house, and sawed off the ends. 25 Quite warm. Albert got 2 bls corn for Adolph. Jacob sick. 26 Warm, with hard S. wind. Hauled wood. 27. Hard rain at night. Hy & S. haulg fodder. 28 & 29 Very pleasant days. Got up displeased this last day, having no fire covered last night. Cut corn stalks and burning chips from before the stables & cribs. Only Jacob and myself at supper this evening. 30 Appearance of rain. Hauled boards. Sol taken sick. Doing little jobs. 31 Cold rain all day. Wrote a few lines to Eliza by Mr. McVeigh. November (Thursday) 1 Cleared off. Eli Roya and family here last night, & left this morning. 2 A smart frost, and turned warm. Killed a large beef yesterday fm Roya. 3 Pleasant. Jake went to Geo. Reeves's. Commenced feeding horses on corn. 4 Cloudy. Jake returned. 5 & 6. Rain both days. Story went away. Ike & C-ne here. 7 & 8 Rain both days. No work. Ike and Catherine went home. 9 Cleared off cold. Sol at Mr. Alston's raking up manure. Killed 2 choats. 10 Frost. Sol helping Bell to kill a beef. Planted some peach trees in the garden. Eliza returned yesterday. Mary Ann had her baby on the 7th. 11 Quite warm. Mary Ann came up with Henry. 12 Fine day. Went to Adolph's with Mary Ann. 13 Cloudy. Went to the Lake and returned as far back as Austin's. 14 Rain. Got as far as Adolph's with a good wetting. 15 No rain. Returned home. 16. & 17. Clear did no work. Not well. 18 Pleasant. Sent three hides to Adolph's by Sol. 19 - 25 Weather variable. Sol returned with a barrel flour, five sacks of corn & ca. Digging potatoes and doing other jobs. Not well. 26 Rain at night. Eliza went with Pharris to Hickary Branch. 27 Rain all day. James went to assist Onezime to raft logs. 28 Cloudy and very cold. Eliza returned. 29. frost. Planted some onions got from Adolph, and some peach seed got from Ike. 29 & 30 Light frost. Made a large bed, manured it and planted with onions. December (Saturday) 1 Frost. Hauled wood. 2. A light frost. Liza's baby died. 3 Rain at night and morng. 4. Very cold. Dug some potatoes. 5 A hard freeze. Got a bog from James. Commenced a letter to my Sister. 6 Frost, & turned warm. Finished My letter. Adolph here. Got two ? . 7 & 8 Pleasant. Sol hog hunting with Warrick and Ike. Doing little jobs. 9 Cool and clear. Let Warrick have sack of corn. A-h & Onezime came here. 10 Quite cold. Ed, Onezime & Sol hog hunting for Adolph. Hurt my side. 11 -13 Some frost and rain. Hy & Jackson hog hunting. 14. & 15. Killed several hogs. 16 Cloudy. Eliza, Mr. & Mrs. Alston went to the Lake. Reced a letter fm my Sister. 17 A little rain. All alone. 18. Cloudy, with hard South wind, and rain at right. Eliza returned. Mr. Lyle came to split rails in the afternoon. 19 A fine pleasant day. Jackson, Henry and Sol hog hunting. 20 Pleasant. Hog hunters returned. 21. Cold. Killed two hogs. 22 Frost. Hauling wood. Mr. Lyle went home after dinner. 23 Cold, but no frost. Spayed three choats, and a sow of Sol's. 24 Fine day. Had a little party to dinner with us. 25 Fine day. Sol hauling boards for Edward. Rain at night. 26 Cloudy & cold. 27. Rain. Eliza & James went to Adolph's. 28 Rain last night. Ed, Jake & Sol hog hunting, they killed 1 of Ball's hogs. 29 Very cold north wind at night. The same hunters out. Killed 1 of Ed's hogs. 30 A heavy snow storm, sleet and a hard freeze all night. No work today. 31 The hardest freeze we have yet had. James and Jacob went to Adolph's. James returned. Ed and Sol hog hunting.