Monday, January 4th, 1864

To day the boys are still at work chopping wood in the new ground. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] rode out hog hunting but without success. I ground 13 bushels of wheat. Weather cloudy and bitter cold with a light sprinkle of hail & snow. The mill pond is still frozen over one inch thick.

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

Sunday, January 3rd, 1864

To day I remained in the house writing up this note book and hovering around the fire it being a cloudy, dark, gloomy and misty day, so uncomfortable as to prevent one from stirring about. I weighed my daughter Josephine who weighed 9½ lbs. rather light compared with the other children.

Saturday, January 2nd, 1864

To day the boys are at work chopping wood in the new ground. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] ground 3 bushels of wheat and I ground 7 bushels of corn. Weather cloudy and bitter cold. The mill pond is still frozen over 1 inch thick.

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

Friday, January 1st, 1864

This being the first day of the current year, I commence my notes of the events that take place immediately around me, and in which I have any interest. 

The boys are at work chopping and hauling wood, which is very essential during the present cold spell. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] & I ground 17 bushels of corn and 10 bushels of wheat. 

Weather clear and bitter cold. I think some what colder than yesterday. I thought I would freeze at night although I kept a fire in my room the whole time.

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

Thursday, December 31st, 1863

This morning the ground was covered over two inches deep with snow. Father [Joshua James Hall], Mother [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] and Mr. Thomas Sharp all left, the two former for home and the latter for the wheat region. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] & I ground 6 bushels of corn & 10 bushels of wheat. In the evening the boys commenced work after their Christmas holliday. 

Weather clear and bitter cold, the mill pond being frozen entirely over one inch thick and it continued to freeze all day even in the sun shine. At night it froze all the little woman's eggs in my room although I kept a large fire in it throughout the entire night. It is decidedly the coldest spell of weather that I have ever experienced in the State of Texas, after a residence of 28 years. 

Thus closes my notes for the month of December and also for the year 1863 just passed and gone and now numbered with the things that were. whether the Almighty will spare me to chronicle the daily events of the incoming year is more than I know but trusting in Him, I shall enter upon the pleasing task, which is useful as a reference and may be profitable to those who have an interest in me.

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

Wednesday, December 30th, 1863

To day Father [Joshua James Hall], Mother [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts], Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] and Hicks all returned from their visit to Crockett, thoroughly soaked to the skin with rain. Mr. Thomas Sharp also came to the mill with 84 bushels of wheat he too was soaked both internally and externally. they all remained with me for the night. I ground 2 bushels of corn and 7 bushels of wheat. Weather cloudy and rainy until night when it turned bitter cold. a hail and snow storm passed over leaving the ground covered with a coat of snow two inches deep, the surface of which was hardly frozen over.

*This Mahala is a 3rd great-grandma to the Keeper of this family history blog. Nellie is a 2nd great-grandma, and is Mahala's daughter-in-law.

Tuesday, December 29th, 1863

To day I let Hicks ride my horse Ratler to Crockett. Father [Joshua James Hall], Mother [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] and Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] also rode to Crockett to purchase some of the goods imported by Capt. Stubblefield from Mexico. I ground 8½ bushels of corn and 7½ bushels of wheat. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] rode down to Mothers and remained there for the night as company and protection for the children [half-siblings of Sam as well as of J.M. Hall]. Weather changeable and warm with occasional showers of rain throughout the night.

*This Mahala is a 3rd great-grandma to the Keeper of this family history blog. Nellie and Sam are 2nd great-grandparents. Mahala is Sam's mother.