1861 Diary of Rev. Robert T. Parish

Introduction

The North Rapidaes Circuit
1861 Diary of Rev. Robert T. Parish, Methodist Circuit Rider

Transcribed with notes by his great-great grandson: Randy DeCuir
(Phone: 318-253-9522 or 318-253-5413 or FAX 318-253-7223)

Copyright 1996
Randy DeCuir & Associates, Inc.
P.O. Box 383
Marksville, LA. 71351

Table of Contents

Biography of Rev. Robert Trevathan Parish, Methodist Circuit Rider

Rev. Parish's diary of 1861

Part 1: January-March
Part 2: July-August
Part 3: October-December
Alphabetical list of people named in 1861 diary
Alphabetical list of churches and locations named in 1861 diary
Index to diary
Parish Descendants

As a small child, I used to enjoy hearing my grandmother, Mittie Ora Parish, speak of her grandfather who was a Methodist Circuit Rider in many towns across North Louisiana. Though he had died over 10 years before she was born, she spoke of him fondly and with pride. Many years later I was surprised to realize she still had a first cousin living. And he told me about this "appointment" book of his grandfather. To my delight, the appointment book was more of a miniature diary.
The compiler of this book wishes to thank my grandmother's first cousin, Dr. Robert Trevathan Parish (III) of Bedford, Texas, who owns the original copy of this diary.

It is my intention to continue to add notes to this transcribed version until enough information is obtained to be published in final book form.

Please contact me if you have any suggestions or other information at the address or phone numbers on the cover.

Randy DeCuir

Appointments are in italic. These were written in different ink at times as they were reminders of where he was to preach that day. The bulk of the text on each day's page is his daily review. In a at least four instances, he carried the last sentence to the first line of the next day.
( my words or question marks in these type of parenthesis were added by me, the transcriber, to clarify text when it appears he left out a word of the sentence.)

{his words in these type of brackets as he wrote them within brackets}

scratched out words: words with lines through them are same as appeared in text that he scratched out, sometimes indicating a change of thought or simply better grammar.

Randy DeCuir