Thomas Rigmaiden's Diary 1861 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 1861 (Tuesday) 1 A smart freeze, and clouded up. Sol & Ed hog hunting; they found no hogs. 2 A little drizzle and cloudy. Ed & Sol out again, they killed a hog of Ike's. Made, manured, and planted beds of onions. 3 Fine pleasant day. Sol helping Ed. to kill & clean his hogs. Doing little jobs. 4 Frost. Sol took Ike's cart home, and his hog. Cooly here last night. 5 A little frost. Hoed & manured longbed of onions. Sol hauling wood. 6 & 7 A little rain both days. Thornton here & returned today. 8 Warm. Ed & James hog hunting; no hogs. Budrow moved yesterday. 9 Fine day. Sol fixing fences and gaps. Doing several little jobs. 10 Some rain. Planted a bed with onions. Sol went to Adolph's. 11 Cloudy all day. Albert and Jacob came home with Sol. Brot no corn. 12 Cloudy & drizzly. Albert & Jacob returned. Eliza at Adolph's. 13 Hard wind and rain. 14. very hard wind and rain; cleared off. Sol makg cart. 15 & 16 Frost and turned warm. Sol finished the cart today. Trimmed some peach trees. 17 Some light rains. Sol hauled two loads manure. 18. pleasant. Hauling wood. 19 Pleasant. Js & Sol went to Adolph's. Mr. Vondel returned with them, also Eliza. 20 Cloudy and cold. Jacob and Mr. Vondel returned. (John Vondy). 21 Partially cloudy and cold. Eliza went to Harman's. Hauling logs out of big pen. 22 Cloudy. Sol hauled three loads of manure. Cutting corn stalks and did other odd jobs. 23 Rain. Sol Hauling rails for Fdward. Commenced grinding on a sack of corn. 24 Cloudy and very cold. Commenced a letter to my Sister this date. Cutting corn stalks. 25 Cold with sleet. Henry went to Adolph's and returned. Chopping corn cobs. Cutting wood. 26 A hard freeze. Hauling wood. Finished my letter. Doing several little jobs. 27 Some frost. Went to Adolph's in company with Mr. Alston. Deposited my letter. 28 Clouded up. Returned home. Sol hauled up 2 bls flour & 2 sacks of corn. 29 Fine day. Sol went to Adolph's to assist taking the flat down to the lake. 30 Pleasant. 31. Hard wind and rain all day. No work these two days. February (Friday) 1 & 2 Hard wind and very cold; the sun set clear the last day. 3 Very cold. 4th. A hard frost. James helping me to cut corn stalks. 5 & 6 Frost both mornings. James and myself employed as yesterday. 7 Frost. Js went to Adolph's & returned at night. Cutting corn stalks. 8 A little frost. Hoed onions and cut corn stalks. James at Mr. Alston's. 9 Cloudy and warm. Cutting corn stalks. Albert & Jacob came up in the cart. 10 Very hard rain this morning, then cleared Off. The creek rising. 11 Pleasant. Planted some fig sprouts. Water too high for the boys to start. 12 Frost. Planted black fig sprouts. Js., Hy & Jacob cutting corn stalks. Cleaning potato patch. 13 A little rain. Albert & Jake went back. Planted some peach trees. Sol returned. 14 Quite cool. Hauling manure fm the stables. Js went to work at Mr. Alston's. 15 Frost. Day pleasant. Rain at night with hard wind. Sowed tobacco seed. James returned at night. Sol hauled a load of manure from Mr. Alston's. 16 Frost. Day very cold, hard N. wind. Js cutg corn stalks. Sol at Jackson's daubing. 17 The hardest frost this winter. Eliza went to Jackson's, Mrs. J. returned with her. 18 Cloudy with hard S. wind. Sol. hauled 3 loads of manure. Doing little jobs. 19 Cloudy. Hauled 2 loads manure. Commenced laying off land at the bottom of the field. 20 Very warm. Sol laying off land with the oxen. Doing various little jobs. 21 Somewhat cooler. Sol ploughing. Got two hogs from Lenon. Cutting cornstalks. 22 Cloudy and warm. Sol laying off to plant. Ike and Catherine paid us a visit. 23 Rain in the eveng. 25th Frost & rain at night. Commenced planting the old cow pen with oxen. 24 Cold and clear. Got 3 lbs coffee fm Ed. 26. Bedded out a raw of potatoes. Planting. 27 Pleasant. Finished manuring & covering. Bedded another row of potatoes. Sowed tobacco seed. 28 Fine day. Planted turnip patch. Planted a bed of onions, those from Adolph's. March (Friday) 1 Quite warm. 2nd. Cool with a little rain. Albert, Jake & Del came up. Planted onions. & Del came up. Planted onions. 3 Cloudy. Boys went home. 4. Fine day. Planted another bed of onions. Harrowed corn. 5 Very cold. Harrowed turnip patch. Mr. Thos. Woodward here. Hauled manure to old ground. 6 Frost. Commenced planting old ground and manuring. Mr. Woodward left. 7 Frost. Turned a little cloudy; wind south. Finished planting and covering corn in the old ground. Burning bark & working potato patch. Mr. Woodward returned. 8 A severe storm with rain & hail. Ploughed in the forenoon. Mr. W. left. 9 Frost. Burning logs and cutting corn stalks in little field. Sol doing little jobs. 10 Turned warm. Opened a barrel of flour. Henry went to Adolph's. 11 A little frost. Hauling manure & planting corn. Cleaning little field. 12 Fine day. Sol hauling manure. Myself employed as yesterday. 13 Hard wind & rain. Sol and myself employed as yesterday. Sowed rice. 14 Fine day. Sol hauling rails to potato patch. Clearing little field. 15 A little frost. Sol haulg rails & firing potato patch. Doing little jobs. 16 Cloudy. H, J. & Sol hog hunting, no luck. Employed as yesterday. 17 A little rain, and turned very cold. Eliza went to Adolph's with Elen. 18 Turned very cold with hard N. wind. Sol hauling manure. Adolph here. 19 A hard frost. Sol finished hauling manure. Hoed out onions. 20 Fine day. Went to Adolph's and Eliza at George Reeves's. 21 & 22 Fine weather. Returned home with the wagon with corn, & ca. 23 & 24 Clear and cold. Preaching the last day by Mr. Edwards. 25 Very hard wind & cloudy. Jacob helping to make potato hills. 26 A little rain. Planted what potato seed we had. 27 Fine pleasant day. Js went to George Reeves's. Ploughed cotton. 28 Cloudy. Replanted first planted corn. 29. (Good Friday). Cloudy all day. 30 Rain at night. Eliza returned. Sol hauling rails for Edward. 31 Cloudy, with hard S. wind. Gave Henry a paper of our consent to marry Pemelia Ann Easen, and he started with Ike to the Lake. April (Monday) 1 Cloudy and warm. Hoeing and replanting corn in turnip patch. Sol firing big pen. Henry returned without his licence; no seal of office. 2 Weather as yesterday. Finished planting turnip patch. Eliza went to Adolph's. 3 Very hard S. wind. Sol replanting old ground. Eliza returned, and Hy fm Barnes's Creek. 4 Wind still very hard, and some rain. Sowed butter beans. Ploughed tobacco patch. 5 Hard rain and wind. Made tobacco hills & planted. Sol went for A-t & Jacob. 6 Clear and pleasant. Js, A-t & Jacob came home. Sol went to meet the herd. 7 Clear and pleasant. Mr. Alston had the herd penned in the potato patch. 8 Quite cool and clear. Js, Albert and Jacob returned on foot. 9 Cool & pleasant. Mr. A. branded & turned cattle out. Pemilia very sick. 10 Rain. Planted some tobacco. Lent John K. Lyle a bushel of corn (not good). 11 Fine day. Hy ploughing old ground. Sol burning off little field. Hoeing turnip patch. 12 Quite cool. Planting little field. Hoeing. Hy found black & turned gray out. 13 Morng cold, day pleasant. Finished planting. Hy ploughg old ground. Hoed onions. 14 Partially cloudy. 15th. At 1 A.M. was visited with a tremendous storm, accompanied with rain, hail, thunder & lightning, blowing down peach trees. The ? and many dead pines. Sol & Hy repairing damages. 16 Cool, pleasant day. Cutting up fallen timber. Hy & Ike went to the Lake. 17 Weather as yesterday. Hy returned at daybreak. 18 Very fine day. Henry married Pemelia Ann Eason, by the Rev. William Perkins; a small but respectable party attended. At night had a little ball, all appeared well satisfied with their treatment. 19 Pleasant day. The party retired before day light. 20 & 21 Partially cloudy. Sol went and returned from Adolph's, bringing 2 sacks of corn, and a barrel of flour. 22 Cloudy. Henry and Sol both ploughing. 23 Cloudy with a little drizzle. Finished ploughing old ground. Sheared sheep. 24 Weather like the last two days. Hy & wife went to Barnes's Creek. Sol shearing sheep at Mr. Alston's. 25 & 26 Cloudy. Thinning corn in the old ground. Henry returned. 27 Some rain at 1 A M. Day cloudy. Finished thinning corn. Hoed some in tobacco. 28 Clear pleasant day. Mr. Edwards preached day and night sermon. 29 Cloudy. Ploughing turnip patch. Sowed some watermellon & pumpkin seed. 30 At 1 1/2 had severe storm; it did not do much damage. Firing big pen, and hauling the logs out. Sowed more pumpkin seed in little field. May (Wednesday) 1 Fine day. Ploughing. Hoeing tobacco. Mr. A. started a cow hunting. 2 Rain most of the day. Too wet to plough or do anything else. 3 Partially cloudy. H. J. & Sol ploughing. Transplanted some corn. 4 Fine day. Ploughing & harrowing. Hoeing in tobacco patch. 5 Cloudy. 6. Fine day. A-h & Geo went to the big pen. Finished ploughing. 7 Fine day. Hy & Sol ploughing at Ed's. Hoeing tobacco. Penned the cattle. 8 Warm. Cleaning little field. Sol went to the herd. Mr. Alston branded. 9 Partially cloudy. Sol as yesterday. Penned Adolph's beeves. 10 Warm & a little cloudy. Finished hoeing tobacco. Adolph started with his beeves. Feloneze went to Adolph's yesterday. 11 Cloudy. 12. Hard wind & rain at 11 1/2 P.M. Mr. Alston returned. 13 Hard rain last night from N. W. Replanted some in little field. 14 & 15 Fine days. Making potato hills planting draws. Employed as yesterday. 16 Fine day. Hy, Sol and myself replanting corn in the little field. 17 Still fine. Hy & Sol went to assist making a bridge at little river. 18 Day clear; rain at 6 P.M. Henry and Sol returned. Hoeing tobacco. Reced a letter from my Sister dated 17th, with her son's likeness. 19 A very fine day. James returned from Adolph's drove. Penned cattle. 20 A warm clear day. Wrote to my Sister dated 15th. Hy, Jake & Sol went to Onezime's to get a beef to kill; they returned without one, brought Ruck up with them. 21 Pleasant. Ploughg old ground. Replanting little field where the cattle broke down. 22 Very warm. Went to the Lake with Ike in his skiff; got six sacks of corn and 25 lb. coffee fm Jacob; at nightcamped on West Fork. 23 Continues warm. Returned home. 24. Clear and warm. 25 Quite clear. Henry and Sol went to make the bridge at little river, no one attended to assist. Sol went in the cart to Onezime's. 26 Partially cioudy. Felonize came home. Sol returned. 27 A nice rain. Henry and Sol ploughing. 28 Fine day. Eliza planted draws, afterwards went to Adolph's. 29 & 30 Very warm. Hy & Sol ploughing and sowing peas. Hoeing tobacco. 31 Partially cloudy. Killed a beef got from Onezime. Employed as yesterday. June (Saturday) 1 Dry and warm. Hoeing in the garden. Hy went to Ike's. Sol at Edwards. 2 No rain here. Went to Adolph's with Mr. Alston; returned the same evening. 3 Rain. Henry and Sol ploughing. Sent a horse for Eliza by Jacob. 4 A fine rain. Eliza returned from Adolph's. In the evening planted draws. 5 & 6 Rain both days. Making potato hills and planted vines. 7 & 8 Rain both days. Finished ploughing old ground. Js & A-h came last night. 9 Very hard wind and rain at 5 P.M. 10. No rain today. Removing cross fence in the big pen. James and Henry making potato hills at Edwards. 11 Very fine day. Throwing up ridges and making. Sick all day with vomiting. 12 Quite warm. Commenced ploughing little field. Much better today. 13 Clear and warm. Mr. Foreman gave us a very inciting sermon. Mr. Eds with him. 14 Day warm, a little shower in the evening. Preaching again by Mr. Foreman. 15 Dry and warm. Finished ploughing little field. Hoeing in the garden. 16 Threatening rain. Js went to Adolph's, returned at night. Albert very sick. 17 & 18 Both cloudless days. Cross ploughing little field. Got 2 qrs meat fm Edward. 19 Fine day. Finished ploughg in the field. 20th. Very warm. Jacob took a horse for Mr. Tandy; he came up and administered relief to Albert. 21 Rain. ? wanted Mr. T's services. Sol ploughing at Edward's. 22 The warmest day this season. Hauling rails (250 in Lake (?). 23 Another warm day. 24th. Dry & warm. Cut some tobacco. Hoeing cotton. 25 Two fine rains. Planted vines. 26th. Rain. Planted vines. Eliza sick. 27, 28 & 29 Fine days. Hands employed working on the road. Hoeing in little field. 30 Very fine day. Js went to Adolph's, Hy to work on his place. Comet discovered. July (Thursday) 1 Threatening rain. Albert went to Albert's (?). Hoeing in little field. 2 Rain fm 10 A.M. till 1 P.M. A. returned. Hauled 70 rails. Hoeing as yesterday. 3 A little rain. Finished planting vines ? and pumpkins. Hy at B's Creek. 4 Clear Eliza & Albert went to Adolph's. Working on the road fm here to Church's. 5 Very warm. Hands working on the road. Hoeing in the little field. 6 A little rain. Hands returned home to finish next week. Hoeing. 7 A hard rain at 6 1/2 P.M. 8. & 9. Very light showers. Sol making potato ridges at Ed's. Got 1/2 beef from Mr. Alston's. Albert went to Adolph's. 10 & 11 A little shower. Albert returned bringing a sack of corn and 1/4 meat. Commenced pulling fodder. Got a large cutting of tobacco. Fine day. Sol hauling crib logs for Edward. Tied up 97 bundles fodder, and pulled a little. 12 Cloudy, with a little rain. Had another large cutting of tobacco. Pulled fodder in the morning. Brought in what was pulled, too green to tie up. 13 Warm day. Pulled fodder. Sol & Js working on the road to Church's. Tied fodder. 14 Fine day. Tied up a little fodder. Seaborn and his Sister here. 15 Very fine day. Pulled fodder and tied up 116 bundles. 16 Partially cloudy. Pulled fodder, and tied up 150 bundles. 17 A little rain. Pulled a little fodder; took it all in. Raising Ed's crib. 18 Fine day. Pulled fodder. Js went to Adolph's. Made first carrot tobacco. 19 Cloudy. Albert & Sol pulling fodder. Commenced gathering corn for use. 20 A little rain. Tied up fodder. Preaching here by Mr. Foreman. 21 Fine day. Preaching again. 22. Fine day. Went with Mr. Alston to Adolph's. 23 As yesterday. Returned home. Sol & Jake sick. Js & Albert pulling fodder. 24 Very warm. Albert pulling fodder. Jacob and Sol still sick. 25 Dry & warm. Albert employed as yesterday. Jacob & Sol had no fever today. 26 Partially cloudy. Pulled a little fodder, and tied up. Put 100 bundles away for James. 27 A little rain. 18. Fine day. Mr. Parker's child died. 29. A hard rain. 30 & 31 Fine days. Eliza came home, and returned. Amelia sick. Mr. Tandy here. August (Thursday) 1 Very hard wind and rain. Albert and Helare came home in the midst of it. 2 Fine day. Cut tobacco. 3. Warm. Hy went for Mr. Tandy to visit Mr. Parker. 4 A very hard rain, accompanied with heavy thunder and lightning at night. Today clear. Eliza returned after an absence of a month. Got a pr shoes fm A. D. 5 Hard rain at 2 P.M. Sol went with W's wagon to Adolph's. Albert to school. 6 No rain. Eliza went to Adolph's. Got 3 qrs. meat, let Mr.W & Mr. A. have each a qr. 7 Fine day. Mr. Edwards took dinner here. Sol ploughed cow pen. 8 Rain. Helare Roya moved to Barne's Creek. Mr. Parker's child died. 9 No rain. 10. Rain. Cut tobacco. Eliza returned with James. 11 Rain. Liza sick. 12. Rain. Sol & Jake planting vines at Edward's. 13 Fine day. From Adolph's went to hear the speech at new church. 14 Clear. Returned home. 15. &16. Fine days. 17 Cool & pleasant. Sol went with Henry to haul corn for Jackson. 18 Fine day. Pulled fodder. 19. Some rain. Sol went a cow hunting. 20 Rain. Pulled fodder, and lost it. Jake went to meet the herd. 21 Rain most of the day. Stringing tobacco. Jake and Sol returned. 22 Rain. Sowed onion seed and planted a bed with onions. 23 No rain. James gave me a Power of Attorney of this date. Received $6.00 fm Eacubas pl Mr. Alston's order. Henry started with two yoke oxen in. (Note: the balance of August thru November 23 is missing.) November 1861 24 Frost, day pleasant. Boys drove up my speckled sow, and Jame's black sow, ear marked six pigs. 25 No frost. Eliza returned from Jackson's. Ear marked six more pigs out of the wild gang. 26 Quite warm. Put a wild sow and four gentle barrows in the potato patch. Killed four hogs. 27 Partially cloudy, and warm. Jake & Sol digging potatoes at Edward's. Ear marked six pigs. 28 Continues warm. Finished digging potatoes at Edward's. Hoeing in the garden. 29 Still warm. Sol killed a black barrow out of the wild gang. Doing several little jobs. 30 Turned cool. Commenced on my 3 lbs tobacco. Albert and Sol killed six wild hogs. December (Sunday) 1 Rain. Albert and Sol took Felonese's two hogs to Adolph's, got 5 cents per lb for them. 2 Rain. Cleared off. Sol took the cart to little river for the hog hunters. Bell, Ike, Jackson, Humphreys and Jake went with him. 3 Fine cold day. Cart returned with 1 large hog, and 3 unmarked choats, 1 hog for Mr. A. 4 Morning cloudy, day pleasant. Jackson, Henry, Albert and Sol went a hog hunting; no luck. 5 Very warm. Wrote to James. Cutting wood . Working a little in the garden. 6 Cloudy with a little rain. Sol brought 39 pumpkins from Church's & hauled light wood. 7 Rain. Sol brought 21 pumpkins from Church's. Sent my letter to James by Albert. 9 Partially cloudy. Emptied water out of the well. Sol brought Jackson's wheel here. 8 Fine day. Eliza and Albert went to the prairie. 10 Pleasant and cool. Planted out three peach trees. Making axel tree for the wheels. 11 Rain, and turned cold. Made cart body. 13. Very cold. Eliza and Albert returned. 12 Very cold day. Eliza and Albert returned. Finished the cart body. Cutting corn stalks. 13 Frost. Marked 16 pigs by James' two sows, 12 for him and 4 for myself. Employed as yesterday. 14 Pleasant. Eliza went to Ike's. Sol hauling rails at Edward's. French John here. 15 A hard rain at night. 16. Cold and clear. Sol cutting timber for rails. Made a rack. 17 Fine pleasant day. Made an onion bad. Sol splitting rails. 18 Fine pleasant day. Made onion bed. A.V. Lewis here last night. Sol brought home seven fine hogs killed on Buxton Creek, one at James'. 19 Fine day. Planted a bed of seed onions. Received two letters from James. 20 Pleasant. Wrote a letter to Jim for Adolph and sent it by Helare. 21 Rain. Hauled some wood. John Cox here. 22. Rain before day. Preaching at Mr. Alston's. 23 Some frost and ice. Sol hauled some wood, then went with the oxen to Ike's to go a hog hunting at Walker's. 24. Frost & turned warm. Deland Hebare came here. 25 Quite warm & Partially cloudy. Went to a little ball at Mr. Alston's. 26 Rain in the evening. Del returned. Henry returned, found the hogs but did not kill. 27 Cold rain. Eliza went to the prairy with Pierre ? & Ike. Planted a bed of seed onions. Killed four hogs out of the potato patch. Commenced on the back stack of corn. 28 Rain in the night. Boys went to muster. 29. Fine day. At home all alone. 30 Pleasant. Killed a black wild barrow of Jim's. 31. Frost, day warm. Earmarked nine pigs, 3 each for Jim, Feloneze & myself, of Jim's black sow & Felonese's spotted sow.