Monday, February 16th, 1863

To day the boys are busy in repairing a rent in the levee. Sam* Sharp ground 11½ bushels of corn by way of assisting to run off the water which is very high and I am fearful that the levee will be swept away. weather cloudy and rainy. In fact it rained incessantly throughout the entire day raising the Elk Hart about as high as I ever saw it before. It also rained all night and the water is fearfully high, requiring the attention of all hands to save the mill levee. Massaline who run away is I learn in jail at Crockett.

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

Sunday, February 15th, 1863

To day I took up the mill stones and put in a new balance iron but damaged the rocks some by the opperation. Father [Joshua James Hall] and Frank Stewart came up in the evening and returned home about night. weather cloudy & rather cold. During the night it rained incessantly and has flooded the whole Country around.

Saturday, February 14th, 1863

To day the boys are at work in chopping down & removing some forest trees out of the house yard. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] and Hicks are engaged in making a gate for the horse lot. I am at work on the garden fence & in setting posts. In consequence of the high stage of the water the mill dam gave way & required the labor of all hands nearly the entire evening to repair the break. Sam ground 13 bushels of corn. weather cloudy with hard showers of rain throughout the entire day and rather warm.

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

Friday, February 13th, 1863

To day the boys finished putting up the fence around the little field in front of the house. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] went to Brasher's and had a balance iron made for the mill. I ground 38 bushels of corn. weather cloudy & cool with occasional showers of rain. At night it rained very hard with severe thunder & lightning and a perfect hail storm. Masoline run away some time during the night. The day was as unpleasant as to prevent any work from being done on the place.

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

Thursday, February 12th, 1863

To day the boys are still at work on the fence around the field in front of the house and in making a large wagon gate. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Hall] & myself are at work in the garden setting out apple trees, grape & fig cuttings and in planting vegetables. Sam Sharp ground 24½ bushels of corn. weather cloudy with occasional showers of rain & rather cold.

Wednesday, February 11th, 1863

To day the boys finished the house fence and commenced the fence around the little field in front of the houses. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] planted english peas, eschalots, lettuce, horse raddish and other vegetables. I ground 15 bushels of corn. Fawn [Florence Mahala Hall] missed her fever entirely and may now be said to be well. weather cloudy with drizzling rain & rather cool.

Tuesday, February 10th, 1863

To day Hicks is still at work on the house fence. The other boys are splitting and hauling rails. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] made a first rate wagon gate for the house yard. I ground 13 bushels of corn and wrote to F. Hitchcock in relation to cotton. In the evening the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] & children with myself drove down to Mothers [Mahala* Lee Sharp Hall nee Roberts] in the buggy after some garden seed and shrubbery. Fawn [Florence Mahala Hall] is still improving. weather changeable with occasional showers of rain and rather warm for the season of the year.

*This Sam is a 2nd great-grandpa to the Keeper of this family history blog. Mahala is his mother, and is the step-mother as well as the mother-in-law of JMH.