Thomas Rigmaiden's Diary 1864 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 1864 (Friday) 1 A remarkable hard freeze. Turned 2 black and 2 yellow hogs out, belonging to the curly sow gang. Hogs froze too hard to cut up. 2 A hard freeze & clouded up. 3. Rain all day. C.H. & Tom went home. Cut up meat. 4 Rain all night, & cloudy all day. Sol went to Mr. Alston's to cut wood. 5 Freezing and cloudy all day. Sol and Antoine Wood doing small jobs. 6 A hard freeze, and cloudy most of the day. Hauling wood. 7 Freezing all day, and cleared off. Sol commenced getting timber for rails. 8 Still freezing. Sol splitting rails. Paid $18.00 for 1 lb tobacco. 9 Freezing all day, and clouded up. Sol went to Bennet's. Doing little Jobs. 10 Freezing, and clouded up. Killed a cow. Margaret Folonise went to preaching. 11 Rain all night, and cold, cloudy day. Killed a barrow from Henry's gang. 12 Cloudy, drizzly day. Killed two hogs out of the pen, one of them Albert's. 13 Cleared off cold. Cleaning up old turnip patch. Sent Jake's clothes to Adolph's. 14 Cloudy. Employed as yesterday. Sol went to haul manure at Mr. Alston's. 15 Fine day. Sol at Edward's rail splitting, ball there at night. Busy all day. 16 Frost. Mathews and Sol hog hunting. Burning timber and doing other jobs. 17 A very hard rain. Hunters killed three hogs of mine, 2 of Mr. Alston's & 2 of Mathews'. 18 Cold. No windy day & clear. Sol brought the three hogs home, and did not get them cleaned till 9 P.M. Eliza put up 43 yards of cloth. Burning fallen timber. 19 Frost. Mathews and Sol took the wagon a hog hunting. Employed as yesterday. 20 Frost. Sol returned having killed a hog for Mathews, and one for Mr. Lang. Made and set fire to a brush heap for tobacco, and doing other little jobs. 21 Frost. Onezime came for Eliza. Edward fixed well curbing. Employed an usual. 22 Another frost. Sol went to haul at Mr. Alston's. Sowed a bed with tobacco seed. 23 No frost & fine day. Sol returned. Onezime came to go a hog hunting. 24 Frost. Onezime, Ed & Sol went a hog hunting. Reading prayers, & the Bible. 25 Frost. Eliza returned. Taking down little field fence & repairing field fence. 26 A light frost. Hauling rails, and fixing fences. Busy all day as usual. 27 A little frost. Sol at Farris' log rolling. Perkins took his sheep home. 28 Cloudy & warm. Finished repairing field fence & commenced clearing in the flat. 29 Hard rain last night, and drizzly all day. Sol employed as yesterday, myself as usual. 30 Cleared off. Wrote to my Brother, dated 1st current. Sol went to the Prairy for salt. 31 Cloudy with rain. Reading prayers and the Bible. Sol returned, brought salt as far as Adolph's from Mr. Moss for Catharine and myself, 50 lbs. each. February (Monday) 1 Cleared off cool. Grubbing sprouts in old land. Hauling rails for Eliza's tobacco patch. 2 Very fine day. Sol and Antoine clearing, myself employed as yesterday. 3 Cold, clear day. Sol went to Tom Smith's log rolling, and took ploughs to Ritter's. Not well. 4 Frost. Sol went to Mr. Alston's to haul wood. Eliza and Margaret went to Catharine's. 5 Frost. Took cotton as far as Adolph's on my way to the gin. 6 Another frost. Took cotton and corn to Calvert Andrew's gin, got the needfuldone, and returned at dusk to Adolph's. 7 Frost. Returned home, Alfred Moss with me. 8 Weather as yesterday. Hauling wood. Clearing up old ground. 9 No frost. Killed the hog out of the pen. Employed as yesterday. 10 & 11 Fine days. Liza & Margaret went to Catharine's. Working in the clearing. Sol returned. 12 Frost. Working in the clearing. Sol went to Mr. Moss' for salt for Edward. 13 Very fine day. Ttimming peach trees, and doing other little jobs. Eliza went to Onezime's. 14 Appearance of rain. Made my devotions to my Heavenly Father. Sol returned. 15 Rain and cleared off. Fed my white sow with 4 pigs. Sol took the corn mill to Ritter's to get sharpened. Trimed apple trees and doing other little jobs. 16 Pleasant. Evans Perkins brought his horse here. Ed & Sol went a hog hunting. 17 A freeze. Sol & Ed returned, found no hogs. Raking up manure, and doing other jobs. 18 Snow in the forenoon, and cleared off cold. Hauled wood. Employed as yesterday. 19 A hard freeze. Working in the old ground, and trimming fruit trees in the garden. 20 Frost. Went to the race, but worked in the garden, before I went. 21 Fine, cool day. went to Adolph's in company with Mr. A, Jackson H. & Cooly. 22 Pleasant. From Adolph's to the Lake, took dinner at Valentine Moss'. Paid Jacob $30 for a wheel then returned to Adolph's in co. with Mr. Alston. 23 Quite pleasant. Returned home. Sol hauled a load of corn from Catharine's. 24 & 25 Sol hauled two loads of corn, and two loads manure in the old ground. 26 Fine day. Hoeing round peach trees & c. Edward taken by Sewel's company. 27 Weather fine. Sol took part of the mill to Ritter's. Went to Adolph's in co. with F & Sol. 28 Partially cloudy. From Adolph's to Moss' and back. Paid $20 for a pocket knife. 29 Rain before day. Returned home. Hauling manure in the field. March (Tuesday) 1 A hard frost. Finished hauling manure. Cleaning up old ground. 2 Frost. Sol splitting rails at Mr. Alston's. Sot(?) a goose. Employed as yesterday, 3 Another frost. Sowed a bed with tobacco seed. Wrote to Albert. Went to Adolph's. 4 Fine day. Fm Adolph's to the Lake Charles. Had a petition drawn out and signed by nearly 50 for a detail for Ed, thence to Jacobs. Felis took At's letter. 5 Still pleasant and cool. At the Lake all day. Took dinner at Jacob's, in the evening went to Mr. Goos', spent a most pleasant evening there, was treated by Mr. and Mrs. Goos and family with every kindness, this I should never forget. 6 A little frost. I returned as far as Adolph's. Mary Ann delivered of a little son. 7 Fine day. Returned home. Commenced laying off ground in the old field. 8 Partially cloudy. Planting, and had to carry some manure from the yard. 9 Some rain. Planting. Did no work today, being without shoes, Jackson mending them. 10 Fine day. Finished planting and manuring the old ground. Eliza returned, after being absent about nearly a month. 11th. Fine day. Hoeing in garden and manuring old turnip patch. 12 Fine day. Occupied as yesterday. Folonese and Sol went to Barnes' Creek. 13 Cold clear day. 14. Morning cloudy, afternoon clear. Rolled logs. Planted butter beans, and white beans, also two rows of pinders in the garden. 15 Cold N. wind all day. Cutting logs and burning log heaps. Laying off the bottom land. Antoine hauling rails at Edward's. Felonise sick. 16 A hard freeze. Planting old turnip patch in white corn. Ploughing each side white corn. 17 A light frost. Finished burning logs, and cleaning potato patch. Sol went for the Dr. 18 Fine cold day. Finished running a furrow each side white corn. Sowed peper seed. 19 Threatening rain. Harrowed first planted corn. Manured onions. Dr. Lewis here. 20 Cloudy. Paid Doctor Lewis $40 for his attendance on Felonise. 21 Cold, wet day. Commenced laying off ridges for potatoes. 22 A little frost. Planted a few hills of corn, and a row of pinders in garden. 23 Frost. Planted potatoes. 24. Rain. Finished planting potatoes. Laying off bottom land, hauling rails for indigo patch. Cutting ? and cleaning indigo patch. 25 Cloudy and cold, wind N.W. & N. all day. Reading prayers and the Bible. 26 Fine day. Harrowed white corn. Grubbing briars and cleaning up indigo patch. 27 Very fine day. Eliza & Margaret went to preaching. Employed as on the 25th. Got a pair new shoes. 28 Hard rain, and cleared off. Plantomg lower field. Sowed indigo & ocra seed. 29 Very hard N.W. wind. Planting corn, and several ridges of panders in indigo patch. 30 Some frost. Finished planting lower field. 31. Cold N.W. wind. Planted cotton. April (Friday) 1 As yesterday. Sowed yellow cotton seed. Finished throwing furrows each side corn. 2 Cold S. wind. Sol working in his clearing. Grubbing up briers in turnip patch. 3 Rain. Took dinner alone. Eliza & Mag. at Ed's. Catharine at Mr. Alston's. Reading prayers & the Bible. 4. Cold N.E. wind. Sol went to Mr. Alston's. Grubg in turnip patch. 5 Frost. Sol returned from Mr. Alston's. Eliza and I went to Adolph's. 6 Cloudy. Returned home. Ploughing in new clearing. 7 Rain with hail at 7 1/2 P.M. Harrowing last planted corn. Cleaning turnip patch. 8 Fine day. Ploughing turnip patch, and finished cleaning it. 9 Clear and cold. Wrote to R. H. Cushing of Houston, enclosing, $8.00 for the Telegraph paper. 10 Frost. Was to have had preaching here by Rev. W. Smith; he did not attend. 11 & 12 Both fine days. Replanted old ground. Sol hauled meat to A.E. for A-h Derosier. 13 Rain at night. Sowed rice. Hoeing in garden, and planted a few hills of corn. 14 Rain all last night. Sowed corn in new clearing, and rice in old rice patch. i5 Cold N.E. wind. Shearing sheep. 16. Frost. Sol went to the Prairy. 17 Fine day. Eliza & Felonize went to Reese Parkin's. Sol returned. 18 & 19 Both fine days. Replanting the white corn. Sol breaking up the middies. 20 Still clear and pleasant. Replanting the bottom corn and breaking the middes. 21 Fine day. Harrowing potato ridges, and ploughed my tobacco patch. 22 Cloudy. Sol shearing sheep Mr. Alston's. Eliza and I went to Adolph's. 23 Fine rain before day. Mary Ann had a spinning. 24 Frost. Returned home. 25 Pleasant. Made tobacco hills, and planted them. Making log heaps for others. 26 & 27 Partially cloudy. Made more tobacco hills & planted. Harrowing middes. 28 & 29 Warm. Commenced on corn in big crib. Eliza and Sol sent to Adolph's. 30 Cloudy. Sol returned with Bell's horse. Hauling rails. Made some tobacco hills. This week heard of the great victory obtained over the Yankees. May (Sunday) 1 Fine day. Eliza returned. Spent the day in devotion to my Heavenly Father. 2 Cool and pleasant. Replanting and hoeing new clearing. Sol cow hunting with Mr. A-n. 3 & 4 Dry and pleasent. Finished replanting. Sol returned, being gone three days. 5 Still dry. Hoeing yellow cotton, Breaking the middes in cotton patch. 6 Partially cloudy. Sol harrowing white corn. Albert's horse missing. Doing little jobs. 7 Cloudy all day. Sol went to the Prairy. Albert's horse missing. 8 No rain yet. Sol returned and brought accounts of two gunboats being captured at the pass. 9. still dry. Ploughing and sowing peas in old ground. Hoeg cotton. l0 A little rain. Ploughing and harrowing corn. Planted some tobacco plants. 11 Quite cold, Thinning corn. Mrs. Alston delivered of a little boy. Sol at Ed's ploughing. 12 Frost. 13. Pleasant day. Haulg rails to fix Ed's pasture fence. Hoeg white corn. 14 A warm day. Sol finished ploughing at Edward's. Employed as yesterday. 15 & 16 Both fine days The former spent in devotion to my Heavenly Father, the latter hoeing white corn & ploughing bottom field. 17 Dry and warm. Negroes and myself employed as yesterday. 18 Continues dry and warm. Finished plough bottom corn & ploughg white corn. 19 Still warm and dry. Ploughing in potato patch. Scraping up manure. 20 No rain. Sol at Mr. Alston's. Ed came home sick. I did litle work today. 21 Cold this morng, day warm. Spent the day at Ed's. Looking for Albert's horse. 22 Warm and very dry. Spent this Sabath in devotion to my Heavenly Father. 23 & 24 Still dry. Sol working at Edward's. Hoeing in the white corn. 25 & 26 Both warm, dry days, in the former took dinner at Mr. Alston's. Sol still at Ed's. 27 & 28 Weather the same. Eliza had a spinning here. Hoeing in corn, and yellow cotton. 29 & 30 Dry & warm. B. days hoeing in potato patch. Eliza attending on Edward. 31 Continues dry. Wrote a letter to my Brother dated 21st instant. Sol & Antoine hoeing corn. June (Wednesday) 1 A little shower. Sol hoeing over Edward's potatoes and cotton, myself the white corn. 2 A very hard rain. Sol planted me some tobacco plants. Eliza & C-ne at a spinning at Mrs. Alston's. 3 Another very hard rain. Eliza and I went to Adolph's, from thence went to the Lake, and reced from Jas Hodges $205 for Catharine, $90 for Mrs. Lang, and $90 for Edward. 5 A hard rain. Took my Brother's letter, to Mr. Goos, thence to Adolph's, got very wet. 6 Rain most of the day. Returned home, got a little wet. Eliza planted some tobacco. 7 & 8 Rain both days. Ploughing and sowing peas in the old ground. 9 10 & 11 Rain each day. Planted vines in cow pen, and sowed peas in the bottom field. 12 Only a little showar. 13. No rain. Sol want a cow hunting. Hoeing tobacco. 14 A hard rain. Eliza and I were at Jackson's. Hoeing cotton. Planted tobacco. 15 No rain. All hands hoeing cotton. Did very little work today. 16 A hard rain this afternoon, and appearnce of more at 10 P.M. Sol finished cow hunting, being gone four days. Planted more tobacco. 17 No rain. Sol looking for Edward's mare. Hoeing my pinders in the garden. 18 Clear, warm day. Ploughing rice. 19. Fine day. Spent the Sabbath as usual. 20 Hard wind and rain. Ploughg & sowing peas in white corn. Planted some vines. 21 Another hard rain. Finished sowing peas. Sol went to Ed's. Planted vine. 22 A little shower. Sol ploughing at Edward's. Planted 4 ridges with vines. 23 Rain. Sol still at Ed's. Planted some tobacco. Killed a gentle beef. 24 & 25 Fine days. Sol took Ed's 2 yr old horse to the Prairy. Hoeing rice & my tobacco. 26 Fine day. Spent the day devotionally. 27 & 28. No rain. Hoeing my tobacco. 29 A little shower. Finished hoeing my tobacco & hoed in the garden. 30 Some rain. Planted vines. Sol finished ploughing at Ed's. July (Friday) 1 Rain. Planted some vines. 2. Rain here. Eliza and I went to Reese Perkin's. 3 Fine day. Sol went to the prairy. Spent this day as usual. 4 A fine day. Sol returned with Edward's two year old horse. 5 Fine day. planted some tobacco. Started to the Prairy, but returned. 6 to 10 Rain most of these days, and spent them visiting our Prairy friends. Planted the rest of potato patch in vines while we were gone. 11 Fine day. Returned home. Mary Ann and her little girls with us. Reced a letter from Albert. 12 Warm & cloudy. Wrote to Edward and Albert by Mary Ann. Ploughing rice. 13 A fine rain. Sol brought a letter from Albert of the 3rd inst. Planted some vines. 14 Fine day. Finished hoeing my tobacco. Hoeing cotton. Ritter here fm Sabine. 15 & 16 Both very warm days. Wrote to Edward by Adolph. Hoed some in the garden. 17 Weather the same. Eliza went to Farris'. Passed the day in my usual devotions. 18 19 & 20 Little showers the last two days. Hoeing potatoes. 21. & 22. Rain. Planted vines. 23 No rain. Planted vines got from Mr. Alston's. Eliza returned from Farris'. 24 Fine day. Catharine, Sol and Antoine went to George Reeves'. The day spent as usual. 25 Night and morning cool. Commenced pulling corn, not ripe enough to continued. Mr. Alston had a beef killed for Eliza and Catharine. Sol returned less his horse. 26 Weather as yesterday. Paid Gill the war taxes for 1863; for Jackson $11.50; Edward $9.50 27. Appearance of rain. Commenced pulling fodder again. Went to Adolph's. 28 Rain all day. 29. Fine day. Went to the Lake, received from Soldiers Relief fund what was due to Mr. Jackson and Lucinda Ham. 30 Very warm. Returned as far as Adolph's. 31 Still very warm. Returned home, found Jake returned with other exchanged prisoners. August 1864 (Monday) 1.2.3. Fine clear days. Pulling fodder. Put up 180 bundles in crib loft. 4 Continues clear. Pulling fodder. H. here helping. Eliza went to Onezime's. 5 Continues clear. Finished pulling fodder in lower field. Jake Helore & Sol went to Adolph's. 6 Very hard rain. Pulled a little fodder in white corn. Eliza returned. 8, 9&10 All fine days. Pulling fodder. Mr. ? started for Edward's. (10) Gave him $75.00 to bear his expenses. Got 230 bundles of fodder in Jim's loft. 11 & 12 Heavy rain both days, with hard wind. Shucked the last corn in the crib. Put 70 bundles fodder in crib loft. 13. Another hard wind and rain. 14 Cloudy, but no rain. Spent the day with my usual devotions. 15 A very hard rain. Kig & Antoine pulling fodder at Ed's, me pulling at home. 16 A little rain. Mr. Jear returned, he gave back $35. I employed as yesterday. 17 Rain. Put 103 bundles fodder in crib loft. 18 Rain. Made cow pen. Broke the cart wheel hauling rails. 19 Rain all night and most of the day. Sent the wheel to Mr. Smith's for repairs. 20 Cleared off. Wrote to Albert. Mathews and Sol hog hunting. 21 Very fine day. Spent his day in my usual devotions. 22 Warm and clear. Pulling fodder off the yellow corn., Jake started to his company, with Cooly and Tom Smith. 23 & 24 Fine warm days. Finished pulling fodder at Edward's. 25 & 26 Still warm and dry. Tied up fodder at Edward's. Delphine here.Margaret went home with her. Killed a beef belonging to Margaret. 27 Continues very warm. Cut up meat, and doing other little jobs. 28 Hard wind and rain at 9 1/2 P.M. Sol went to Smith's for the wheel. 29 Very warm weather. The day employed in my usual devotions. 30 Excessive warm. Jackson making oxel gr?, he bled Black. Took cart home. 31 Another very warm day. Sol went to haul wood at Mr. Alston's. Eliza at Evans Perkin's. September (Thursday) 1 A very warm day. Shearing sheep. Put 74 bundles fodder in crib loft, in all 477 bundles. 2 Still excessive warm. Eliza returned from Evan Perkins'. Shearing sheep. 3 A hard wind and a little rain at 6 P.M. Finished shearing the sheep. 4 A very warm day. Spent my Sabbath as usual. 5 Some rain. Hig shearing sheep at Edward's, and branding his cattle. 6 Fine warm day. Hig took the buggy home. Helare returned with him. Liza and myself wrote to Edward, sent him $35, a carrot of tobacco & some envelopes. 7 A hard rain. Commenced gathering corn, hauledin 2 loads, the first got very wet. 8 A little rain. Hauled in three loads corn. Received a letter from Albert. 9 to 11 Warm days. Finished gathering goard seed corn, and Helare returned. 12 Some rain. Eliza & ca went to Reese Perkins'. Spent the day with my usual devotions. 13 Clear and warm. Hig and Antoine gathering corn at Ed's. Stacking corn. Eliza went to Adolph's. Wrote to Albert. 14 Still clear aid warm. Finished pulling corn at Edward's, and me finished stacking. 15 Continues warm. Sol sorting corn in yard crib. Cut a little tobacco. 16 Weather as yesterday. Hauled in two loads of corn. Mr. Rovol here. 17 Cloudy and warm. Finished my letter to Albert and wrote to Edward. 18 Fine day. Eliza returned fm Richie's. Sent the above letters by Ned to Adolph's. 19 Pleasant. Sol gathering in corn at Mathew's. Cut some tobacco. 20 Very pleasant day. Sol engaged as Yesterday. Picked a few peas. 21 Night and day quite cool. Finished gathering in corn at Mathew's. 22 A hard rain. Sol and Antoine gathering in Edward's white corn. 23 Some more rain. Picked sme peas, and put in the crib. Stringing tobacco. 24 Appearance of rain. Picking peas. Jackson & Sol hog hunting, found none. 25 & 26 Drizzley . Picked a few peas. Liza had a beef killed, got two quarters. 27 As the former days. Wrote to Albert by Mr. Mark Lyons and George Seaman sent four pair of socks and a pair of gloves by them. 28 A hard rain in the forenoon. Catharine and her family went to Adolph's. 29 & 30 Partial showers. Picking peas and doing other little jobs. Eliza went to Ed's. October (Saturday) 1 A hard rain in the morng, and cleared off. Margaret t0 Adolph's with Ned. 2 Fine day. Catharine and Margaret returned. Not so devout as usual this Sabbath. 3 Rain most of the day. Picked a few peas and threshed out some. 4 Rain in the morning and cleared off cold. Sol made a pair of shoes for Margaret. 5 Fine cool day. Picking peas. Let Mr. Jean have 22 lbs wool & a sheep skin for $4.50. 6 Weather as yesterday. Finished picking peas only for the horses. 7 Fine cool day. Received letters from Edward. Cut the rice, and did other jobs. 8 Still cool. Wrote to Ed by Mr. Wagoner & sent a carrot of tobacco. Eliza had a spinning. 9 Another cold day. Passed this day in supplication to my Heavenly Father. 10 A little warmer today. Spayed 3 sows, 1 Albert's, 1 James, and 1 mine. Tied up rice. Put the horses in the field. Pulled some hay. Eliza at Liza's quilting. 11 Pleasant day. Spayed 3 more sows, 2 mine, and 1 Sol's. Pulled more hay. 12 Quite pleasant. Sol helping Jackson to fix his wagon wheel, hauled wood for Liza. 13 Continues pleasant. Sol cutting wood for ashes. Doing several little jobs. 14 Some rain. Cut tobacco. Threshed rice. Jackson helping to put log heap together. 15 Rain at 4 P.M. Mrs. Jackson had a spinning, took dinner there, Sol went to Adolph's to cut wood for ashes. 16. Partially cloudy. Sold 2 carrots tobacco for 26 lb. sugar. 17 Rain all day. Liza delivered of a little boy. Mr. Walker here. 18 Fine cold day. Antoine cutting wood. 19. Rain all day. Sol returned from Adolph's. 20 Clear cold day. Killed a gentle beef of Catharine's. Sol helping Jackson to kill a beef. 21 Fine day. Sent a quarter of meat to Mr. John Smith's. 22 Frost. 23. Fine cold day. This Sabbath spent as usual. 24 Cloudy. Cut some tobacco. Pulled kitchen chimney down. Reced a letter fm Edward. 25 Rain all day. Wrote to Albert. Reese Perkins here frm Sabine Pass. 26 Rain most of the day. Got wood for Liza. Sol went a hog hunting. 27 Fine cold day. 28. A little frost. Daubed kitchen chimney. 29 Rain. Sol went to Farris' daubing. Received a letter from Albert. 30 Cloudy with some rain. Eliza & Marg. went to Adolph's. Jackson & Sol hog hunting. 31 Weather as yesterday. Eliza returned. Sol spayed 5 sows, and six beefs(3)in all. November (Tuesday) 1 Rain. Albert came home. 2. Hard rain. Sol took John Fruge's mule back. 3 Rain all night and day. 4. As yesterday. 5. Cleared off cold. 6. Frost. 7 Wrote to Edward. Sol & Antoine digging Edward's potatoes. 8 Cloudy and warm. Albert went to Adolph's with Helare and Ned. 10 Front. Commenced diggin potatoes; hauled in one lost not good. 11 Light frost. Hauled in another load. 12. Fine, cold day. Killed a beef fm Ms. Perkins. 13 Quite Warm. Eliza went to Mrs. Gill's. Wrote to Jake and sent via Delphine. 14 Warm and partially cloudy. Dug potatoes, but did not haul them in. 15 Rain before day. Hauled in two loads. 16. Rain. Dug a few ridges in cow pen. 17 & 18 Rain both days. Reced a letter fm Jake. Cut my last tobacco. Hauled wood. 19 Another very wet day. Albert returned. Covered a bank of potatoes dug today. 20 Cold wet day. Catharine & Ab went to Mitchel's. Spent the day reading. 21 Cleared off very cold. Digging potatoes, Abel Morgan helping. 22 A hard freeze. Finished digging, got three banks, and one of seed potatoes. 23 A harder freeze than yesterday. Sol helping Jackson to pen a beef. Reced letter fm Ed. 24 Cloudy and cold. Finished digging mother potatoes. Eliza, Delp and Albert came up. 25 A little cloudy. 26. Fine,day. Albert started to his company. Eliza and Del returned. 27 Threatening rain. Made my humble supplications to my Heavenly Father. 28 Quite warm. Hauled a load of corn from Mitchel's. Put a sow of Albert's in potato patch. 29 & 30 Both warm days. Hauled the last of Catharine's corn. Sol went for Fanny's things. December (Thursday) 1 A little drizzle at daylight. Sol returned with Fanny's things from Onezime's. 2 Some rain. Sol went to Mitchel's to go a hog hunting. 3 Cold raw day. Wrote to Cathen S., T. Lowell and Edward via Mr. Reese Perkins. 4 Frost. Spent in my devotions. 5th Cloudy. Put 4 bogs in the potato patch. 6 Partially cloudy & warm. Sol killed 2 hogs for Liza. 7. Cleared off cold. Eli Frank here. 8 & 9 Cloudy and cold. Sol at Mr. Reese Perkin's chimney daubing; gone two days. 10 Frost and clouded up. Mr. Reese's negroes assisting spittiing rails, got 500. 11 Cold, clear day. Spent the day as usual. Catharine & family went to Mitchel's. 12 A very hard freeze. Sol out all day with Cooly looking for a beef for Catharine. 13 & 14 Cloudy & turned warm. Wrote to Jake dated 15th inst. 15 & 16 Rather cloudy and warm. Went to Adolph's and returned with Eliza. 17 Rain night and day. 18. Cloudy, and turned cold. 19 Rain all day. Wrote to Albert, dated 20th inst. Killed a sow out of potato patch. 20 Clear, cold day. Ploughing in the pasture. 21 & 22 Some frost. Employed as yesterday, and doing other jobs. 23 & 24 Fine, cold days. Wrote to Edward. Sol took Albort's letter to Adolph. 25 Cloudy, and cleared off. Read the morning service. Reese and wife here. 26 Fine pleasant day. Felonise and Henry married. 27 Fine day. Frost the 27th. Wrote to Albert via Evans Perkins. 28, 29, 30 & 31 Cold. Went to the Lake. 30th very cold, returned to Adolph's the 1st Jan.