Thomas Rigmaiden's Diary 1863 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 ************************************************ 1863 January (Thursday) 1 A hard frost and cloudy day. Killed the big hog we had in the pen. Sowed a bed with tobacco seed. 2 Rain. 3. Rain all day. Jake went for Margaret. 4. Cleared off. 5 Cloudy. Made onion bed & planted. Jake went for the Doctor to Sol, Dr. Adams came. 6 Fine day. Doctor Adams returned. Made two onion beds and planted them. 7 A little frost. Made another onion bed and planted. Sol better today. 8 A hard rain. Made a small onion bed and planted it. Jake & Cooly looking for a beef. 9 Rain. Killed a stag got fm Cooly for $15.00. Peas finished in little crib. 10 Cleared off. 11th. A little frost. Onezime came for Eliza to Tom. 12 Cloudy. Jake crossed the creek to go for the Doctor, but recrossed. Sol very sick. 13 Fine day. Jake went to the Lake for Dr. Adams, and returned with him. He lanced Sol's back which gave him much relief. 14 Rain most of the day. Wrote to Henry, and sent it with two others fm Ed by the Dr. 15 Rain all night, and cleared off. 16. A very hard freeze. Ed went for Dr. Lyons for Mr. Alston. 17 Another hard freeze. Doctor Lyons and Ed go here at 10 P.M. Cut some wood. 18 Cloudy with rain at night. got some medicine from Doctor Lyons for Sol. 19 Rain all night and cleared off. Creek high. Jake cutting logs off fences. 20 Clear. Water up in the pasture. Stacked what rails Sol split. 21 & 22 Frost both days. Drove the oxen up. Cut some wood. 23 Cloudy. Eliza returned from Onezime's. She lanced Sol's thigh. 24 Rain. 25. Cloudy. Sold a yoke of oxen to Oscar for $90.00. 26 Cold and wet. 27. A little frost. Young James Perkins came for the oxen. 28 Frost. Delivered the oxen. 29. Frost. M. put up a piece of cloth. 30 Cloudy. Fired bean harbor. 31. Cloudy. Cut and split some wood. February (Sunday) 1 Wet day. 2. Cleared off. Hauling rails from turnip patch. 3 A little frost. Clouded up. Jake took seven sacks of cotton to Edward's. 4 Wet cold day. Mr. Jm Williams brought a letter from Albert. F-neze sick. 5 Cold N. wind. Cut a little wood. 6. A very hard freeze. 7 Cloudy. Eliza went to Mathes's. Hoeing around young ? . 8 Cloudy. 9. Partially cloudy. Hauling manure to old ground. 10 Fine day. Jake hauling timber for Edward. Scraping up the manure. 11 Cloudy. Edward killed a cow. Not very well today. 12 Rain. Wrote to Albert via Tim Jackson. Jake took the oxen to haul Jackson's things to the flat. 13 Rain afternoon & evening. Jake hauling for Jackson; he and family started to Coos'. 14 Rain. sowed some tobacco seed. Planted out a young sycamore for shade. 15 A very hard rain. 16. Rain all day. Eliza went to Mathew's. Creek rising. 17 Rain all night & until 3 1/2 P.M. Eliza returned & put up 15 yds cloth in the loom, then went back. 18 Fine day. Water up to the yard fences. Leaving what rails we could fm sheep pen. 19 Fine day. Water falling. Ed, Jake & Cooly cut a log across the bridge gulley. 20 Morning clear, evening cloudy. Repairing fences. 2. Rain last & today till 12 M. 22 Clear and cold. Eliza returned. 23. Cloudy. Hauling manure. 24 Partially cloudy. Wrote to my Brother James dated 28th inst. Hauling manure. 25 Rain all morning. Eliza finished weaving Mrs. Goos' cloth. Fixing fences. 27 Rain. Finished fixing fences, and doing other jobs. 28 Fine day. Killed a shoat that had used in potato patch. Cleang up old ground. March (Sunday) 1 Frost. Coward took the cotton to the gin. Mary Ann & Catherine here. 2 Frost. Cleaning up old ground, and beating down cotton stalks. Jackson here. 3 Frost. Sol commenced laying off old ground. Edward returned with the ginned cotton. 4 A light frost. Finished laying off old ground. Cleaning up ditto. 5 Partially cloudy. Commenced planting old ground. Cleaning in bottom field. 6 Rain all day. No work. 7. Cloudy. Finished planting the old ground. 8 Still cloudy. Jake went to Adolph's, and brought letters from Albert & Church. 9 A little rain last night, day cold. Sol hauled two loads of manure from Jackson's. Wrote to Fred Neilein enclosing my Brother's letter by George Gavin. 10 Cloudy with some raln. Ploughing and hauling manure from Jackson's. 11 Clear cold day. Laying off ground at the bottom of the field & hauling manure. 12 Fine cold day. Ploughing and planting. 13. Frost. Finished planting. 14 Morning clear, eveng cloudy. Jake and Pamelia went to preaching at Mr. Smith's. 15 Rain. Wrote to Albert and Church, and sent the letters by Valentine Royer. 16 Fine day. Finished sowing corn in the lower field. Creek rising fast. 17 Partially cloudy. Planted old rice patch. 18 Weather as yesterday. Boys went to Ed's to help him plant. A-h & Del here. 19 Fine day. Boys at Edward's. Onezime here last night. 20 Fine day. Boys came home. Mathews came for Eliza. Bess delivered of a little boy. 21 Quite warm. Hoeing onions, and planted little beans. Jake went with Onezime and Cooly to pen horses. Harrowing the last planted corn. Eliza returned. 22 Rain. Eliza & I went to Adolph's; took dinner at Onezime Roya's. 23 Rain at night. Went to the Lake, visited Coos', thence to Jacob's. Pd Edward's taxes to 1861. 24 Fine day. 25. Cloudy. Returned on our way home as far as Adolph's. 26 Cloudy. Eliza & Delphine brought Margaret to Adolph's. At Adolph's all day. 27 Threatening rain. Returned home. Found rice patch & cotton patch ploughed, and potato patch fixed. 28. Hard wind & rain at 6 P.M. Jake & Sol went below. 29 Cold N. wind all day. 30. Cold, clear day. Ploughing ridges for potatoes. Eliza put up 27 yards of cloth. Edward put a new tongue t Lenon's wagon. 31 Frost. Planted part of the potato patch in a N. wind. April 1863 April (Wednesday) 1 A little frost. Finished planting potatoes in a S. wind. Planted some tobacco. 2 Fine pleasant day. Sowed rice and cotton, and planted more tobacco plants. 3 Fine day. Good Friday. 4. Cold day. Replanting old ground. Sowed musk melon. 5 Pleasant. Finished replanting old ground. 6. Cool. Reced a letter fm Albert via Del & Helare. 7 Cool & pleasant. Replanning at the bottom field, myself replanting in turnip patch. Sol started with the wagon. 8 Pleasant. Finished replaning bottom land. Replanted butter beans, & hoed in the garden. 9 Fine day. Hoed onions. Replanting rice patch. Jake ploughing up middles. 10 Rather warm. Jake ploughing. Finished replanting. Planted two rows tobacco. 12 A little cloudy. Jake at Mr. Alston's. Made tobacco hills, and planted part of them. 13 Fine day. Profaned the Lord's day by planting what hills of tobacco I had made. 14 Cloudy. Received a letter from Church, dated lst. Ploughing turnip patch. 15 Fine pleasant day. Went to the Lake; got a Power of Attorney drawn out to recover Henry's pay in the army. Jake went a cow hunting with Mr. Alston. 16 Pleasant. Took dinner at Adoloh's, then returned home. Margaret with me. 17 Clear & warm. Church & Bell returned fm their defeated regt on the Teche. 18 A little rain this eveng. Went to see Catatherine, the first time my ever having been there. 19 Hard rain and hail last night. Returned home. Sol came home with corn for Catherine, Edward, Mitchel & myself. Jake returned, having been gone five days. 20 Morng cool, day warm. Sol Look Catherine's corn home. Eli Perkins started with his beeves. 21 Cloudy. Jake took Lenon's wagon home. Got a quarter meat fm Mr. Alston. Sol sick. Made some tobacco hills. 22 Warm & cloudy. Wrote to my Brother of this date to go by Escubas. Ploughg corn. 23 Fine day. Went to Adolph's. Jake & Sol ploughing in the bottom field. 24 Warm day. Went to Mr. Moss's, got 2 sides leather & returned home, thence back to Adolph's in company with Edward to go to a family meeting; heard of General Mouton being at Lake Charles with 1500 Calvary. We did not go. 25 A very warm day. Returned home. Jake and Sol ploughing the bottom corn. 26 Threatening rain. Had two soldiers to stop here at night. Jake & Sol employed as yesterday. 27 A fine rain. Transplanting & planting pimpkin seed. Thinning corn. 28 Cleared off pleasant. Employed as yesterday. Sol running round corn in turnip patch. 29 Fine day. Sol ploughing at Mathew's. Hoeing & planting pumpkin seed. Jake ploughing. 30 A pleasant day. Myself employed as yesterday. Sol returned fm Mathews'. May (Friday) 1 Morning cloudy, day clear. Employed hoeing corn and tobacco Sol ploughing & plantg his ground. 3 Fine day. Preaching here by Mr. Smith, had a large congregation, mostly ladies and all took dinner. 4th. Very warm. Mathews' ploughing cotton & potatoes. Sol went in the cart to Adolph's. Hoeing on the other side of the flat. 5 Morning cloudy, day clear. Mathew ploughing around first planted corn. Employed as yesterday. 6 Cold and clear. Eliza & myself went to Adolph's. Jake took plough to Ritter's. 7 Quite cold & clear. Returned home after taking a honey dinner with Onezime. 8 Another cold day. Sol returned bringing 248 lbs salt, then went a cow hunting with Mr. Alston, making 16 days work out of 26. Got a very sore foot fm a thorn. 9 Still cool. Sol and Jake returned. My foot very badly swelled. 10 A little warm. Sol took Ed's salt and corn home, afterwards cut a bee tree. 11 A warm day. Sol ploughing, myself picking up manure and hoeing. Edward, Jake and Cooly concealed out. Two Texans stopped here, Jones and Pate. 12 Partially cloudy. Sol and myself employed as yesterday. Boys still out. 13 Rain. Hoeing and replanting corn. Sol ploughing. Edward and Jake out yet. 14 Rain. Employed as yesterday. Sol shearing sheep. A hard rain last night. 15 Fine day. Edward & Jake came in. Sol and myself looking for them all forenoon, finished shearing sheep. Edward went up to Lenon's. Thinning corn. 16 Clear, warm day. Hoeing & thinning corn in turnip patch. Branded gentle calves. 17 Fine day. Eliza went to Adolph's, & Sol to Onezime's for meat. 18 Warm. Eliza returned. Got 1/4 meet fm Adolph. Hoeing potatoes, myself the corn. 19 Very warm. Hoeing rice, and ploughing cotton. Myself employed as yesterday. 20 A little rain. All hands employed as yesterday. 21 Warm. Moved potato patch fence, and made ridges. Hoeing cotton. 22 Fine warm day. Hoeing cotton, myself corn and tobacco. Sol ploughed lower corn. 23 Quite warm. Finished hoeing turnip patch & ploughg lower corn. Hoeing cotton. 24 Still clear and warm. Louise Landry came up to pay us a visit. 25 Warm and dry. Hoeing in the garden. Got a fore qr. of meat from Mr. Alston. 26 Dry North wind. Sol throwg 2nd furrow to lower field corn. Corn twisting. 27 Still dry. Finished hoeing garden. Sol ploughing. Jake & Antoine hoeing. Heard cannon. 28 Continues dry & warm. Eliza and Jake went to Catharine's. Heard cannon again. 29 A fine rain. Planted three ridges with vines, and some tobacco plants. 30 Fine warm day. Eliza put up a piece of cloth for Mary Ann. 31st Threatening rain. June (Monday) 1 Warm, clear day. Commenced sowing peas. Mary Ann came up and returned. 2 Clear and warm. Sowing peas in lower field. Doing several little jobs. 3 & 4 Both warm days. Sowing peas in the ground. Got James three year old horse up to break. Jake got Albert's mare up. Gave Bean $30.00 for a cow and calf. 5 Still warm and dry. Sowing peas. 6th. Warm. Finihsed sowing peas in old ground. 7 Warm & dry. Eliza & I went home with Del and Helare. Matthews shipped poor Lily. 8 & 9 Both hot & dry days. Returned home. 10. Still dry. Ploughg rice. Got some meat fm Catherine 11 Appearance of rain, but got none. Finished ploughing rice. 12.Dry. Ploughing cotton. Eliza went to Adolph's. 13. Dry & warm. Went to Jacob's, paid him in full what I was owing for corn, salt, coffee & c & Adolph for Edward's corn, $11.25 and salt, $18.25. 14 Dry and dusty. Returned as far as Adolph's. Took dinner at Landry's. 15 No alteration of weather. Returned home, found the wood on fire close to the old house. 16 A little rain. Hoed cotton. Rails an the other side, north burned up. 17 Fine day. Sol went with Bell to pen a beef, got a little. Jake went for Eliza's & Pamilea's shoes. 18 Warm day. Moved potato patch fence, & tried to plough the ground, but too hard. Jake went to Barnes Creek, brought a letter from Albert, dated 5th inst., from Camp Clear. 19 Weather very warm. Commenced ploughg old turnip patch; too dry to continue it. 20 Appearance of rain. Wrote to Albert, sent the letter by Sol. Little work done today. 21 Threatening rain all day. 22. No rain. Sol went for Dr. Lyons to Bell. Jake returned from Barnes Creek, after been gone four days. Planted corn in the garden. 23 A very fine rain. Sol went to Ed's with the cart. He returned without hauling for him. 24 No rain. Planted potato vines. Killed a 4 yr old beef belonging to Albert. 25 Fine day. Sol throwing up potato ridges, afterwards went to Onezime's for Cooly. 26 A fine shower. Planted 3 ridges with vines. Sol planting peas in turnip patch. 27 Fine day. Finished planting peas, afterward took Grey to Lanon's, he gave only $50.00 for him. Jake went to the Lake, he enlisted in Capt. Scarborough's company. 28 & 29 Warm days. Edward and Sol went for Margaret's cows, did not get them. 30 Very warm. Jake started to join his Co. at Bear Head. Sol went with him. July (Wednesday lst A fine rain. Got a good cutting of tobacco. Planted vines. Jake returned. 2 A hard rain. Got two barrels corn from Jackson. Planted more vines. 3 A light rain at 7 P.M. Planted vines. Jackson assisting making a big pen. Planted a few hills of tobacco. 4 No rain here. Sol went to Onezime's to haul Fan's things to Mr. Alston's. 5 Fine day. 6. Very warm. Got another good cutting of tobacco. Sol throwing up potato ridges. 7 Warm & clear. Sol ploughing sugar cane & cotton. Eliza cut some of her tobacco. Jake Williams here. 8 Hard wind and rain. Jake down with the measles. Tree blown downkilled Moss' calf of brindles. 9 Rain towards Adolph's. Received a letter from Brasher City from Albert, and the Alexandria Democrat of the lst inst by Helare. Planted some vines. 10. Fine day. Wrote to Albert. 11 Quite warm. Mr. Foreman preached here at 4 P.M. to a small congregation. 12 Warm and dry. Went to preaching at Mr. Alston's. Jake went home with Jake Williams. 13 Warm smokey day. Cut some tobacco. Elite did the same. Sol sick. 14 Some rain at 8 P.M. Sol went to look for horses at Mr. Alston's, thence to Adolph's with the oxen. 15. Warm & smokey. Hoeing in the garden. Sol at Adolph's. 16 Very warm & not quite so smokey. Sol returned and went with the cart to Edward's. 17 Fine day. Pulled fodder off yellow corn, got about 55 bundles. 18 A little rain. Pulled fodder in old ground, brought it in, some got wet. 19 A fine day. Jake came home. Profaned this day by cleaning the fodder that got wet. 20 Warm day. Pulled fodder. Marcilan came here with 3 others from Vicksburg. 21 Some rain at 5 P.M. Sold snip to Jake for $25.00, and a cow and calf. 22 Pulled fodder and brought it in without being tieing up, lost a few bundles. 22 Appearance of rain. Eliza and Doris got the measles. Pulled fodder and brought it in. Put 140 bundles of fodder in the loft. Jake went to Adolph's with Delphine & Adolph. 23 A fine rain. Folones down with the measles. Pulled fodder and got it in a little wet. Cut tobacco, and made two carrots. Planted some vines. 24 & 25 Fine days. Planted vines. Tied up fodder and did other little jobs. 26 Dry & warm. 27. Appearance of rain. Pulled fodder, and brot it in without tieing up. 28 Weather as yesterday. Finished pulling fodder in old ground. Put 96 bundles up. 29 Warm. Pulled a little fodder, then Sol went to Edward's to work at his well. Tied up fodder. 30 Fine day. Put 121 bundles of fodder in the loft. Pulled fodder, and only got 21 bundles for so fine a day. Jake looking for snip, did not find him. 31 A fine day. Pulled fodder, and tied it up in the field. August (Saturday) 1 A fine rain. Cut tobacco. Pulled fodder in old turnip patch for Jake. 2 A hard rain with heavy thunder. Put Jake's fodder out to dry & took it in. 3 & 4 Some rain. Sol went to Long's to pull fodder. Jake & Tanton pulling fodder, then went to Long's. Cut some of Eliza's tobacco. 5 A hard rain. Edward received two letters by Joe Troisile. Edward went to Catherine's, and Sol a cow hunting. No fodder pulled. 6 Cloudy with rain. Wrote to Albert. Tied up Jake's fodder. 7 Rain most of the day. Sent my letter by Joe Troisile. No work this day. 8 Cloudy & worm. Jake went to Mr. Jeans'. 9. Fine day. Jake started to see Albert. 10 Partially cloudy. Sol came home with the measles, gone 6 days. Cut tobacco. 11 A hard rain. Sold Js Perkins 6 carrots tobacco. 15 2 lb @ $3 lb. Cut more tobacco, 12 Fine day. Eliza went to Edward's. Busy stringing tobacco. 13 & 14 Rain both days. Received a letter from Albert. Workg with Eliza's and my tobacco. 15 & 16 Rain each day. Sol brought Felonize's and my drove of hogs up. No work done. 17 A hard rain. Eliza went to Catharine's. 18. Cleared off. All hands spinning, Bent corn. 19 Mrong clear/ rain at 1 P. M. & at 6 P. M. Eliza and Edward went to Adolph's, Margaret with them. Sol at Mr. Alston's, has 5 days more to work there. 20 No rain. Sold Joe Lyons what tobacco I could spare @ $3 per lb and reced from him $50.00 Eliza returned. Sold bending corn. 21 Very fine day. Eliza wrote to Pamelia, afterwards went to Edward's. Liza and her family with the measles. Pulled bottom leaves off the tobacco. 22 Fine warm day. Put 90 bundles of fodder in the loft, in all 450 bundles. Sent Eliza's letter by Ron. 23. Weather as yesterday. Catherine here. Eliza at Eds, Jake returned. 24 Clear warm day. Sol went to pull corn at Mr. Alston's Cut tobacco, and did other jobs. 25 Morning cloudy, day clear. Sol returned, has three days more to work at Mr. Alston's. 26 Pleasant day. Cut more tobacco. Eliza and Jake went to Catharine's. 27 Turned warmer. Stemmed tobacco. Jake, Sol and Antoine went to look for snip. 28 Very hard rain. with wind, thunder and lightning. Lent eight carrots of tobacco to Joe Lyons. Mary Ann here. Jake looking for snip, could not find him. 29 Cleared off pleasant. Eliza went to Edward's with Mary Ann, Sol went to Catherine's. 30 Fine day. 31st. Quite pleasant. All hands picking peas at Edward's. Tired myself at work. September (Tuesday) 1 Cool morning & night. Mr. Alston married. Pulled bottom leaves off tobacco, and stemmed some. 2 Warmer today. Sheared sheep. Threshed a blanket ? , hulled peas. 3 Rain. Pulled fodder, and Sol cutting wood for what they used to Adolph's ? . 4 Morning cool, day warm. Jake returned and brought five letters from Albert. 5 Weather as yesterday. Finished my letter to my Brother James. Bishop Lee here. 6 Pleasant day. Eliza cut her tobacco and ? . 7th Warm. Commenced gathering in corn. Mathews and Bell helping. Cut some tobacco. 8 Fine day. Mathews & Edward assisting to pull corn. Hauled in two wagon loads. Picking peas. 9 Very warm. Finished pulling corn. Hauled in 6 wagon loads in all. Picking peas again. 10 Continues warm. ? . 11 Weather as yesterday. commenced stacking corn. Jake and Sol at Adolph's. 12 Appearance of rain. Eliza went to Adolph's. Jake and Sol to the prairy. 13 A little rain. At home all alone reading the Bible. 14. Threatening rain. Eliza, Jake and Sol returned home, the latter went to Mathews. Cut tobacco. 15 Weather as yesterday. Mathews finished gathering his corn. Edward gathering in his. 16 bard rain. Ed finished gathering in his corn. Eliza went to Catharine's. Stacking corn. 17 Rain. Jake and Sol at Mr. Alston's to assist gathering in his corn. Paid Jackson 3 bls corn. 18 Very cold day. Mr. Alston finished gathering in his corn. 19 Not quite so cold today. Jake & Sol helping Bell to pen a beef. Wrote a latter of introduction to my Brother for Dan Goos. Made log heap for ashes. 20 Fine day. 21st. Pleasant. Went to Adolph's, thence to the ferry, stopped all night. 22 Still fine weather. From the ferry to Goos', thence to the Lake thence back to the ferry, stopped there all night. Left $25 with Mr. Goos for Dr. Chevalier. Paid Hodges what James was owing. 23. Fine day. Returned as far as Adolph's , thence to Onezime's. 24 Pleasant. Returned home. Cut part of the rice. Ed and Jackson went to Barnes Creek. 25 Weather as yesterday. Sol went for the Doctor to Cooly. 26. Quite pleasant. Sol and Feloneze went to Adolph's, the former with the oxen to plough the turnip patch. 27 Appearance of rain. Felonese and Sol returned. 28 Rain. Sol at Edward's helping him to fix his well. Sorting corn in the yard crib. 29 Quite a storm last night and today, with hard rain. Jake and Sol hog hunting. 30 Disabreeable wet day. Bell helping to hog hunt, got up a very good drove. October (Thursday) 1 Cleared off cold. Spayed eight sows, not all my own. Jake and Sol hog hunting, found none. 2 Night and morning cold, day pleasant. Edward, Jackson and Sol hog hunting. 3 Very pleasant day. Picked a little cotton. Eliza had a little spinning. 4 Quite cool 5. Still cool. Cut tobacco. Sol at Edward's. Adolph here. 6 Turned a little warmer. cut the remainder of the rice, & pulled same hay. 7 Rain before day, and cleared off. 8. Cool. Pulling hay & picking peas. 9 Cool and pleasant. Sol pulling hay. Threshed out peas, and did other little jobs. 10 Continues cool. Jake and Sol hog hunting. Put horses in the field this P.M. 11 Morning cold, day warm. Wrote to Albert to go by Valentine Roya. 12 Pleasant. 13. Sol went to Mr. Alston's to cut and hauled wood. Did little jobs. 14 Fine day. Jake and Sol went to Catharine's to pull hay. 15 Pleasant. Hauled a load of hay home. Bought a cow and calf from Mrs. Alston. Eliza mentions work of Sol valued at seventy-five dollars. 16 & 17 Both fine days, hauling wood & boards for Edward & doing other jobs. 18 Wind and rain last night. Eliza and Onezime went to Adolph's. 19 Warm and cloudy. Eliza returned. Dug some pinders. Sol hunting with Cooly. 20 Cold, wind and cloudy. Sol busy these days hunting hogs with Cooly. 21 Cloudy. 22. Rain all night. Dug a few pinders Hauling logs for Ed. Sheep came back. 23 Cold rain all night and cleared off. Jake and Sol hog hunting, no other work done. 24 Frost for the first time. Sol went in the wagon to Adolph's. 25 Another frost. 26. A light frost. Sol returned. Dug some pinders. Mr. Lowell here. 26 Cloudy & cold. Ed. killed a stag. Sol employed doing a sveral jobs. 27 & 28 Fine days. Cut and hauled some wood. Strung my last tobacco. 29 Appearance of rain. Hauling ? from the other side. 30 Cold rain all the forenoon. Eliza and Jake went to Adolph's. Put up cabin. 31 A hard frost. Covered cabin, and cut out door. Cut some corn stalks. November 1863 November (Sunday) 1 Cloudy and warm. Eliza returned. Reading prayers and the Holy Bible. 2 Appearance of rain. 3rd. Rain and cloudy. Chimney daubing and spinning at Edward's. 4 Weather as yesterday. Eliza went to Catharine's. Jake and Sol at Edward's. 5 Weather as yesterday. Sol fixing chimney posts. 6. Morning cloudy. Daubing cabin chimney. 7 Fine pleasant day. Felonese and Sol went to Barnes Creek. 8. Fine day. F. & S returned. 9 A hard frost. Preparing to dig potatoes. 10. Some frost. Commenced diggin potatoes. 11 A hard freeze. 12. Morning clear, afternoon cloudy. Both these days digging up potatoes. 13 Appearance of rain. Foloneze and Sol went to the prairie. Digging up bank. 14 Clear and cool. Killed a beef yesterday got from Mr. Alston, and Eliza cut it up. 15 A little frost. Felonese & Sol returned. 16. Frost. Digging potatoes, and brought in. 17 Frost. Eliza & Margaret went to Adolph's, little Elizabeth having got badly burnt. Jake departed to goin a cavalry company. Digging potatoes. 18 Threatening rain. Sol hauling corn and pumpkins for Cooly. Doing several little jobs. 19 Very much like rain. Sol hauling wood for Mr. Alston. Took up a stray horse, very poor. 20 A cold rain. Commenced feeding stray horse. Digging for potatoes. Eliza and Marg. returned. 21 Frost. Finished digging potatoes. Made pen round ? , and covered the last bank. 22 A hard frost. Catharine here. She got 35 lb. salt came from Adolph's. 23 Rain all day. Put three hogs in potato patch, 2 of Henry's and 1 of Albert's. 24 Cleared off cold. Drove 2 of James' sows & 2 choats. Picking up potatoes. 25 No frost, Jackson, Edward and Sol hog hunting, they got none. Employed as yesterday. 26 A hard freeze. Turned two sows and choats out. Edward & Sol hog hunting. 27 Cloudy & rain. Catharine, Eliza & myself started to the Lake, Stopped at Dolph's. 28 A hard freeze. From Adolph's to the Lake; got to Jacob's at 3 P.M. 29 A hard freeze. Went with Catharine to Mr. Hodges; she received $225 out of the soldier's relief funds. Most of the day at Mr. R ? . 30 Still a hard freeze. Returned home at dusk. December (Tuesday) 1 A hard freeze. Put five hogs in potato patch with ? escaped. 2 Got quite harder freeze. Sol took the cart to Ha?'s to meet Mr. Alston, he at a hog hunting tomorrow. Cutting corn stalks and doing other jobs. 3 Frost, but nice. Sol & Ed helping to clean hogs at Mathews. Employed as yesterday. 4 No frost and pleasunt day. Sol brought home five cleaned hogs; two belonging to Albert. 5 Appearance of rain. Sol went to bring some hogs from Mr. McDonnaly for Mr. Alston. 6 Very fine day. Sol went to Jackson Humphryes' hog hunting. Wrote to John Williams. 7 Rain. Adolph and Onezime here. Doing several little jobs. 8 Cleared off pleasant. Jackson & Sol drove up 5 hogs for Adolph. Made onion bed. 9 Cloudy all day. Jacob Humphreys & Sol drove Adolph's hogs home. Cut some corn stalks. 10 A little cloudy. Strung Eliza's cut tobacco. Sent Williams letter by Mr. Alston. 11 Cloudy with rain. Edward Sol returned from hog hunting; had no luck. 12 Cloudy. Eliza and Margaret went to Adolph's. Sol hauled wood. 13 Cool & clear. Edward and Sol went a hog hunting with Pete & Mitchel. Eliza returned. 14 Frost. Eliza put up a piece of cloth. Doing several little jobs. 15 Frost, and clouded up. Made another onion bed, and did several other jobs. 16 A severe storm, with rain last night, and contined until 2 M. Cooly got the oxen to take a load of corn to Adolph's. Ed & Sol returned, no hogs. 17 A hard freeze, & very cold all day. Solomon hauling wood for Mr. Alston. 18 A hard freeze. Sol hog hunting with Tim Jackson. Corn in little crib finished. 19 Another freeze, took four hogs down to Adolph's for Cooly. 20 A severe freeze. Tim brought Escubas' horse up. 21. A light freeze. 22 Fine day. 23rd. Adolph killed four hogs got from Feloneze. 23 Rain all the forenoon. Killed two hogs out of potato patch. Put 3 hogs in a pen. 24 Cloudy. Felonese & Sol went to the prairy. Catharine and family here. 25 A little frost and cleared up. A dull Christmas, could get nothing to drink. 26 Hard rain. Planted 5 beds with onions. 27. The hardest rain last night experienced here, with heavy thunder, then cleared off cold. Creek high, boat upset. 28 Frost. Made three onion beds, and planted one. Felonese & Solomon returned. 29 Freeze. Tim Jackson, Helare & Sol went hog hunting. Planted 3 beds with onions. 30 Rain all day. Hunters returned. 31st. Severe storm from the N.W. at 4 A.M., with hard rain and thunder, a large pine shivered to pieces in the old turnip patch. Killed 4 hogs, one belonging to Albert out of curly sow gang; hogs killed belonging to Albert. 31 blank