Monday, March 2nd, 1863

To day the boys are at work on the Cow pen & in hauling rails. In the morning I assisted the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] in gardening. In the evening I rode my horse Gladiator down to Hall's Bluff to see the Steamer Lone Star off but she will not leave until to morrow morning at 10 o'clock a.m. Aunt Leaverton spent the day with the little woman. weather clear & pleasant but rather cold at night.

Sunday, March 1st, 1863

To day I went down in the buggy with Fawn [Florence Mahala Hall] to Mothers [Mahala* Lee Sharp Hall nee Roberts] and remained there for dinner. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] & Frank Stewart went down in the river bottom hunting cattle but returned without any success. weather clear & pleasant but rather cold at night.

*This Mahala is a 3rd great-grandma to the Keeper of this family history blog. Sam is her eldest son, and is a 2nd great-grandpa.

Saturday, February 28th, 1863

To day the boys are at work in putting up the cow pen & in hauling rails. I assisted the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] in gardening. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] ground 16 bushels of corn. weather changeable & cold with a hard north wind blowing which abated in the evening. at night there was a hard frost. Thus closes my chronicle notes for the month of February now gone and passed.

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

Friday, February 27th, 1863

To day the boys are still at work in splitting & hauling rails for a cow pen. I am busy in erecting a railing around the grave of Charley Hall's child, also in gathering rails & other material at the old place, all of which I had hauled home. I took dinner with Mr. Cundiff at Mother's [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts]. he came to see me in relation to some business. weather changeable and rather cool.

*This Mahala is a 3rd great-grandma to the Keeper of this family history blog.

Thursday, February 26th, 1863

To day the boys are splitting and hauling rails. I went down to the old place & took down the little smoke house and thence down to Mother's [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] for dinner. Frank Stewart killed two turkeys & sent one up by the wagon to the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp]. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] ground 12 bushels of corn. weather clear & rather cool.

*This Mahala is a 3rd great-grandma to the Keeper of this family history blog. Sam is her son, and is a 2nd great-grandpa. Mahala is the step-mother as well as mother-in-law to JMH. Sam is a step-brother as well as brother-in-law to JMH.

Wednesday, February 25th, 1863

To day the boys are at work in putting up a horse lot fence. I made a brooch holder for the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp]. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] ground 21½ bushels of corn. The little woman planted raddish seed in the garden. weather cloudy with misting rain occasionally. At night it rained hard throughout the entire night, covering the face of the earth with water. it was a cold & disagreeable rain.

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

Tuesday, February 24th, 1863

To day the boys are still splitting & hauling rails for the cow pen. I went down to the Brown house as it is familiarly called and gathered all the nails & other materials and had them hauled home. Frank Stewart came up to see us but returned to Mothers [Mahala* Lee Sharp Hall nee Roberts] in the evening. weather changeable & cold with a hard rain at night.

*This Mahala is a 3rd great-grandma to the Keeper of this family history blog.