Nimrod Porter Papers

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Sat 14 I made a settlement with Tom (Coloured) for all his Hay &

work on the potato house & making boards & paid him up all I

$3.20 owe him $3.20 for Hay &c. I went to Town in the evening A

Negroes ) greate many Negroes & some excitement between the Negro soldiers passing ) & some Citizens report says a Negro soldier & a White man was

William killed William went to Mariah Camp Meeting 1865 There is no particular news The excitement in Town Saturday Octr Sun 15 was this man Miller that killed Brigs last year he was in

Miller D. Custody of the Civil Authorities for Robery & was released from

the Civil Authorities & set at liberty. As soon as the black

soldiers found it out they mounted therfe horses with there ( Wed 1st Novr ) guns and the last was heard of them they were a short distance ( behind under whip at Mrs Youngs swearing they would kill

him This was late Saturday evening & I have heard nothing ) more since ( When I came home last evening there was some Hogg ) ) killed ) excitement about some of the Blacks having killed a hog one

that was raised in my yard it had went off some 2 weeks ago

Claimed by ) & some one had marked the shoat & it came back home The blacks Jaggers ) knew it I suppose concluded it should not go back & they

report is they butchered it. Jaggers seems to claim the shoat

says it was in his mark I reckon he ought to know who marked it

Mon 16 It is quite cool Some frost this morning We have started

Aleck all our Cotton pickers except Aleck who is sick in Town

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William William went to Giles? Saturday morning has not yet returned.

Bird Old Bird the faithful old pointer is declining verry fast

cannot survive but a day or two longer he is going off with

old age, he is about 13 years of age I went to Town after

dinner got $1.00 worth of Candles & a rope $.50 Thomas L.

T. L. Porter came & stayed all night on his rode to Nashville (9 1/2 oclock

Wm at night & William has not yet) come home. We have been look-

ing for him this evening. No particular news I got no papers --

Bird ) Old Bird died Monday night the 16 & we burried him near to Died ) where we buried his Mother (Old Mat) Near the North West corner ) of the old Orchard, the next day after he died. ( Birk Esqr ) brought the double barrell Shot gun to Town for me I got it,

Shot Gun ) it is the gun that Doct Giles T. Harriss stole out of Andersons J. T. Harris ) house last Novr I had started a prosecution before Harris

would give it up, he sent it by Burk -- 1865 October ) The morning is very Cloudy & like it might Rain before night. Tu 17 ) My 3 hogs got out of the field and went back to Rankins

Hogs Quartter near Estess. I sent this m orning & got them home &

have fixed a strong pen adjoining the Cook house & have put

rain them in it They are looking verry well has been raining a

little all day & we have not done but little in the way of

William home picking out Cotton. William got home to day sbout 2 oclock P. M.

Wed 18 It rained a little enough to keep them from picking out

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Caleb ) Cotton I stayed at home heard no news I got the little Molasses ) barrel full of Molasses of Caleb (20 Gal) rent. I went to We killed a beef this morning Cow Th 19th bigbyville got 6 sides of upper & one side of sole & took Beef killed ^ 9 beef hides See entry on Moores Act. Plim went with me

got home before night. Sun in Elips Only a small ring left

to be seen around the sun Commenced at 8 in the morning

Fri 20 I went to Town in the evening got a paper No particular

Not Well) news I have been quite unwell for some time, head ake &

aking all over all day. With some difficulty I can get about

to do much good.

Cotton Cotton is now selling at 12 1/2 Cents in the Seed & about 50 in

nashville in the lint. My Buga Tyer Broke & I got it mended

Estes Shop by Danl (Blacksmith) ------------------- I think I am some better this morning I have kept quite Sat 21 still. William is making Wagon breching for our 2 horse Wagon Brichen ) for wagon ) Wash is halling up his Corn halled 6 lodes yesterday to Wash Wash Corn Preston is a helping him & keeping count of the lodes for us. Preston Old Peters dog came over to our field and caught & tore Peters Old ) young Dog & our ) the read Cows / calf so I fear it will die, eat off one of its Calf ) ears & part of its tail, & tore it up otherwise badly. It is

the same dog that tore the ear of the only sow so bad that

you can not tell the mark Some thing must be done.

John A. Campbell Marshal is summoning witness to go before

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the Grand Jury at Nashville I went to Town in the evening,

Jno D. Moore ) this is to get an indictment in the Fedrel Court, agt Jno Indited ) D. Moore post Master 1865 Sun 22d ) The morning is Clear & the weather has moderated. No October ) particular news, reports that the Fedrels with the Nego

Soldiers Soldiers are about to leave to parts unknown. God send them

a safe & a quick Jorney to the far North & not to return again

before they are wanted

Self I am better this morning than I was yesterday I hear no

Puss particular news Puss family all got well of the small pox

Boston Aleck is sick Mr Boston came at night stayed all night on

his rode home to Clarksville ------------------ I stayed at home all day William went to Town Mag went Mon 23 (her & Plim) in the morning came back at 12 Wash is gather-

Jack Patton ing his Corn Jack Patton has commenced picking out Cotton ( at 75 pr 100. They all done verry well to day. ) Wash halled Press ( Wash ) to his house 4 lodes of his wagon but my bead of Corn to day Corn ) 10 loads ) Press helped him & 6 lodes last friday making 10 loads to this

Caleb time. Caleb is picking out the ballance of his Cotton. We have

Cotton ) commenced picking over our Cotton the 2d time gits out as

much as the 1st time

Aleck I settled with Aleck See settlement (entered) See page ------------------ Tu 24 The morning is clear & quite warm Wash P. halled 5 loads

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Press of Corn & put in my Crib to day (My wagon bead) & his team Wash ) 5 loads ) & Wagon I went to Town after dinner The Fedrels put up a Corn ) rope across the Street from the top of Saml Mays Store &

Flag hung a flag the larges I ever saw, it obstructs the Street

Webb verry much. Webb sick worked to near dinner three more

Cotton hands from Town picked out Cotton to day. I am verry weak tho

Self better -------------------- It is verry pretty weather a most too warm Webb is some Wed 25 better not able to do any thing William & Mag left this William & ) Mag ) morning for Lawrence County they (drove) bill Mule & my Lawrence ) Wash bugga. Wash is a halling Corn this week to his house Many

Troops Fedrels Soldiers about 3000 passed on the Pulaski pike to North ----------------- This morning is cloudy & likely to rain We hitched up the Th 26 2 horse wagon Duck & Black Mules & is trying to hall Corn Halling my ) Corn ) out of the field next to Town they halled 4 lodes to day 4 lodes ) Jack Richard, Plim & Jack Patton is put to halling & putting it in

the Cedar Crib the rest is picking out Cotton Our new

bricken does verry well that William made last week

1865 The weather is quite warm & like it would rain it has been Oct 27 ) Friday ) so for several days Cloudy & Clear at times & yet it has not ---------------- rained yet

Wash rent ) Wash has finished halling up his Corn Last night he give & Corn & ) payment for ) me 8 Wagon lodes & kept 16 for himself My little 2 horse bed this year ) which holds 3 barrels this is all the rent I have got or

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expects to get for the 20 acres of land he has attended this

year. He is some what excusable, for the Stock has destroyed

the most of it & he with Caleb was to lazy to repair the

See below fence as they agreed to do. Jack Patton is halling Corn my

little 2 horse wagon & has halled to day -------------------- the

bead holds nearly three barrels, not quite. We geared up the

oxen to hall but Wash had taken the bea[d] to Town & stopt

Preston us from halling Preston has went on to picking out Cotton

he having helpt Wash for several days, I boarding him & paying

for his helping Wash hall his Corn

Self I think I am some better I am verry restless at night & no

one but my self (William & Mag gone to Lawrence) Rich is sick

Rich ) not at work, & Webb was taken to Town yesterday tho he is Webb ) ----------------- I think mending Not able to work yet. We halled 5 loads of

halling Corn ) Corn with the Mule team & one with the oxen making six loads 6 laods ) to day ) to day, the field next Town. Jack & Press ) The weather is changing cold & the Wind is high from the West.

I have got no news have been no where since William left home

Sorrel filly ) I hear my sorrel year old filla out of Rockaway was found dead ) dead (a few days ago} in James Youngs pawn She was the most

beautiful & valuable filla I have raised for a long time

could have sold her for a verry fine price Hounds ) & Fox ) At 9 oclock at night the Erwen & Dew boys run a fox all round

& through the Corn field & Cotton field pulled down fences

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Fences & ) left gates open until it could be stood no longer & they & Gates tore ) Open ) there dogs (& fox too) left in Short order They left gates

open & tore down my fences, Rankins & Thomass All our horses

Cattle &c run through the Cotton distroyed My Corn & Cotton

Rankins Corn & Cotton to a verry considerable extent the firing

of my Navey over some of there heads made them leave quick 1865 October ) The morning is cloudy & wind from the N. W. & turning cold Sat 28 ) Caleb We are halling some Corn & getting Wood Richd went to market Rich &c ) & got 35 lbs of beef 10 Cents per lb Web is in Town Rich

is better Caleb is making Molasses for old Peter. They keep

the fences all the time down Press put them up this morning

but Caleb has quit this evening Making Surrip

Sun The morning is quite cold & cold last night I stayed all 29. round the yard & in the house ever since William & Mag left

(home Wednesday last) Jack Patton brought me two papers from

town last night which was greate company for me while I am by

Self myself I am I think better tho but quite helpless William

& Mag came home from Lawrence County at sundown, here no parti-

cular news. Wm & Mag got home from Lawrence left home 25th

Mon 30th We are halling Corn both Wagons there are greate destruction

in all the fields Corn having been pulled down & left lying

Stealing ) in the field in piles Not all of it taken a way. evidently Corn ) the Stealing was done of nights I rode all through the different

fields not gathered & I think I will have about 3 or 4 barrels

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to the Acre left if it can be got up before any more is taken.

About 50 acres to gather the field next Town is about gathered

a verry poor turn out. I stayed at home the boys are verry

busy Gathering the Corn out of the field next Town

Tu 31 I stayed at home Not verry well William & Mag went to

Town in the bugga & got our Lincey from the Weavers there

Lincey was 30--yards of it & paid $5.50 per yard for the weaving.

We have commenced using the Coffee that was sent to me by

W. J. Porter ) William J. Porter fifty pounds of it & the sugar he sent me Coffee ) by W. J. P. ) is half out. Green came at dinner & they cut & halled some

logs to make Joist to put in the smoke house 1865 Novr It has rained last night & off & on it has rained through Wed 1st the day. We have halled up the harts of the board cuts timber

Press ) to make slats to nail on the smoke house fixing it to hold

Green ) the ballence of our Corn. Press has been riving the slats in

Self ) the Shop, Green did not do anything to day I have been verry

Wm & Mag ) weake & feeble all day down spirits William & Mag is cutting ----------------- D. Miller ) out & making me some new cloathes for Winter The Fedrel See Sun 15 ) of Oct. ) soldiers went to Heckman & caught Dave Miller & he got away

See Sun 15th Oct for the race after him ------------------ Th 2d I went to Town No particular news It rained last night

done but little 3 men was here (Fedrels) hunting Govt horse

Imposters ) found several in the neighborhood (none here)

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--------------- I went to Town No particular news rained last night We Frid. 3. are trying to hall up Corn ---------------- I went to town Saw Mr Hughes from Waghington he talked Sat 4th verry discouraging about my Government claims I fear I will Govt ) Claim ) never get any thing for them I cm home at night William

N. P. Cut out & made me a pair of Shoes to day they fit me verry Shoes & ) last for ) well I had a few days ago bought a new last (Straits) & he Self ) made them on it I had to move our hog pen from the side of

Hog pen ) the kitchen it smeled to bad I have put it in the Mule lott

corner next the old Cellar. Only 3 hogs to fatten they eat

about 3 pecks of Corn a day. ---------------- It turned verry cold last night Some Ice & ground a little Sun 5. froze Wind from the North No particular news through the

day

Mon 6 I went to Town quite cold Many people in Town the Negro

T.L.Porter soldiers all gone Thos L came home with me Stayed all night

took the Cars next morning for Pulaskie I got petition granted

Jury & order for Jury of view in the County Court

1865 Stayed at home all day, C aleb helped fixed the Smoke house Novr. ) Tu 7 ) to put in Corn I got nearly 2 Wagon loads of Corn of Caleb

Caleb Corn (he don't toat fair) ---------------- Green came this morning & worked at the Smoke house making Wed 8 a Floore above the doors to put Corn in he strept it all round Crib Corn Green ) with laythes to strenthing the Weatherboarden Worked 2 days worked 2 days ) Paid him $3.00 )

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I stayed at home to day Thomas L came & stayed all night

I put up a Gate near the Smoke house to drive the wagon

through into the yard to put the Corn in the Smoke house ------------------- I went to Town in the evening No particular news Th 9 Maryann was there gitting her Carrage mended James Akin Maryann came home from Memphis he saw Martha Jane W. D. Mayes & Martha Jane there children there think they will be up abt Christmas ---------------- William went to Town in his Buga & got the Tyers out & Fri 10th put on his bay Comadore Colt got badly hurt near Warfields

Comadore ) Barn his shoulder broken & his breast tore open a bad wound colt hurt ) I think he will die I went after William & he came home

from Town sowed up the wound & built a fence around him

The weather has moderated & we are trying to gather our Corn

puting it in the old Smoke house. I went to Town No parti-

cular news. A youth came & stayed all night his name is

Kinamore ) Kinamore lives in Lawrence County near the S. E. corner of all night ) the County, he appeared to be deformed in the back Said

Rheumatism ---------------------- Little cloudy & looks like rain. I went to Town saw Mr Sat 11 A. N. Hughs, to busy to give any information about our

A. N. Hughs Government Claims, they are most of them sent back for to

Dick King be amended. I went to Town after dinner, got no particular

news Saw Dick King in Town from Memphis he saw & talked