Monday, January 19th, 1863

To day the boys are still at work getting out garden posts. Sam* Sharp, Hicks and myself are engaged in pecking the mill rocks and putting the mill in good running order, after which I ground 17½ bushels of corn. Mother [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] came up to see the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp], but returned in the evening. Sam Sharp went up to Mrs. Bird's to take a draft by which to make a loom for Mother. Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] has entirely recovered from her indisposition. weather changeable and cold with a hard freeze & frost at night.

*Sam and Nellie are 2nd great-grandparents to the Keeper of this family history blog. Mahala is Sam's mother, and is step-mother as well as mother-in-law to JMH. Margaret is Sam's sister, and the wife of JMH.

Sunday, January 18th, 1863

To day I had the mill rocks taken up. I remained at home writing up this journal. Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] still sick but is improving & bids fair to recover from her present attack without injury. weather cloudy, warm and a drizzling rain throughout the entire day which made it very disagreeable. at night it rained in torrents, swelling the Elk Hart creek very high almost to overflow.

*This Nellie is a 2nd great-grandma to the Keeper of this family history blog.

Saturday, January 17th, 1863

To day the boys are still at work on the garden posts. I ground 46½ bushels of corn when the balance iron of the mill stones gave way thereby preventing me from grinding any more. Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] was taken sick again with one of her spells and with strong symptoms of a miscarriage she being well advanced in a state of pregnancy. weather clear and rather cool.

*This Nellie is a 2nd great-grandma to the Keeper of this family history blog.

Friday, January 16th, 1863

To day the boys cut up and salted down the pork that I had killed on yesterday. Sam* Sharp ground only 2 bushels of corn. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] went over to Mr. Leaverton's to assist in nursing his infant child in it's sick, but while the child died, it was the youngest child of Mr. Leaverton being only about 4 weeks old. weather clear and very cold with a hard frost at night.

*This Sam is a 2nd great-grandpa to the Keeper of this family history blog. Margaret is his sister, and the wife of JMH.

Thursday, January 15th, 1863

To day Sam* Sharp and I with the boys are engaged in killing hogs. we killed six. In the evening the boys worked on the garden posts. weather cloudy and cold with a strong wind blowing from the north. at night there was a hard freeze, the ice forming from ¼ of an inch to an inch in all the vessels that had water standing in them. The ice cicles also hanging from the limbs of the trees and the eves of the houses to the length of about six inches, being decidedly the coldest night of the winter.

*This Sam is a 2nd great-grandpa to the Keeper of this family history blog.

Wednesday, January 14th, 1863

To day the boys are still engaged in getting out and hauling the garden posts. I ground ten bushels of corn. I had the most of my pork hung up to smoke and upon a close examination I found the most of my hams and shoulders were spoilt so much so as to render them unfit for use. at night Hicks & Louisa with my little wagon & mules arrived from Liberty after being out on the trip for nine days from Liberty and in consequence of the horrid state of the road they hauled almost nothing the mules being badly cut up and very much jaded. weather cloudy and cool and at night there was a perfect storm. the wind hauling around to the north it became very cold with a snow & sleet for several inches deep being the first snow of the winter.

Tuesday, January 13th, 1863

To day Capt Peacock and Solomon Levy left on their buggy for Magnolia. The boys are still engaged in getting out and hauling garden posts. I ground 23½ bushels of corn. I received from Jesse Tubbs two loads of lint cotton, making the amount received from him 5244 lbs and I paid his son young Jesse the sum of $700 on a/c of said cotton. at night there was a perfect storm the rain fell in torrents making the Elk Hart creek nearly over flow its banks. it was indeed a very disagreeable & unpleasant night.