More Cheshire journal entries were included in Rupert Peyton’s Bossier Banner article in the paper’s September 18, 1952 issue. Dr. Cheshire continued his comments about some of his patients.
“There was one W. D. who was ’hard up to support his family’ who had an old account of ten dollars with the good doctor. After waiting for years for a settlement Dr. Cheshire wrote this stinging paragraph in closing the account: ‘Notice, I, J. S. Cheshire, M. D., did on the 22nd day of February, 1886, receipt the above account (ten dollars) in full up to date and forever as long as I live and my posterity after me, and I never intend to credit him again for nothing. The receipt was for fifty cents, cash received. The good Lord reward him, and goodbye Mr. W. D., so far as crediting him for anything.’”
“Then he cites the case of Ilick Denman, ‘poor but honest,’ who paid his bills with labor.”
“On page fourteen of the old book are these words: ‘When shall I see Jesus and reign with Him above, and drink the flowing fountain of everlasting love?’”
“It was on this same page that the decree of secrecy of this book was recorded.”
“Willis Y. Moore paid his account ($1.20) with 20 pounds of pork at six cents a pound and received this compliment: ‘Honest Indian.’”
“Sometimes Dr. Cheshire confused his evaluation of a man’s character. For instance, he described one B. D. as being ‘good but rascally.’ Henry Moton (some[times] Morton) was termed as ‘perfectly good.’ And he paid his accounts. But one J. W. was a ‘deadhead.’”
“On July 4, 1883, Dr. Cheshire was not in a happy mood when he wrote this: ‘My cotton patch is in a bad fix, grassy and all hands frolicking and picknicking [sic] on Bodcau at Stroud’s bridge.’”
“And it appears that Mrs. Cheshire might have been one of the earliest of livestock women in these parts, for Dr. Cheshire records this item on January 15, 1883: ‘Mrs. N. J. (Nancy Jane) Cheshire sold to Bartow Sandlin (her nephew) 32 head of sheep.’ No price was stated.”
“One G. L. was a ‘hard case’ but he finally paid his account of $2 in coffee. There is also an item dated July 19, 1883, where someone ‘went with Dutch to drive cattle o the river west of Hughes Spur at $1.25 per day.’ Part of this notation was torn away.”
“One Mr. K. was bitterly denounced as a ‘ferret thief, a liar and runaway. A long slung scoundrel. Lifelong scoundrel. An old thief. No more work for him.’”
“Mr. K. apparently never paid his bill.”
“Then there was the case of one N. B. whose account totaled $34, including ‘accouchment [sic]of wife’ (child delivery).”
“Under N. B.’s account is the following notation: ‘January 28, 1886, received on the above account twelve dollars and fifty center from Isaac Houston and receipted in full in order to get anything from N. B. I did the practice and waited two years for him to pay me and he would not. I will never do any more practice for him on his own order. No more debts on him. J. S. Cheshire, M. D.’”
Ann Middleton is Director of the Bossier Parish Library Historical Center. She can be reached at (318) 746-7717 or by e-mail at
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