Tuesday, September 6th, 1864

To day the boys are engaged in hunting up my oxen. I remained at home writing up this note book. Roberta [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] left for home in company with Jimmy [James Wrigley Hall]. Mr. Turner & servant stopped with me for the night. Hicks ground one bushel of corn. Weather variable & warm with a light shower of rain. Ther: 88°.

Monday, September 5th, 1864

To day the boys are engaged in hunting up my oxen. Mrs. Bird left for home early in the morning and I loaned her a beef hide. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] rode down to Hall's bluff to see Mrs. Stubblefield and spend the day with her. Roberta [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] is still here. Hicks ground 2 bushels of corn after finishing the forebay floor. Weather clear & hot. Ther: 95°.

Sunday, September 4th, 1864

To day the boys went out and drove up some of my oxen. Mother [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] & Nellie [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] came up & spent the day. They brought Jimmy [James Wrigley Hall] home and Roberta [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] on a visit. Billy Stewart's wagon left for Crockett & I sent him 30 lbs flour. Mrs. Bird stopped in on her way from church very sick and remained all night. Weather clear & hot. Ther: 95°.

Saturday, September 3rd, 1864

To day the boys are still at work on the mill forebay floor. John & I took the little wagon and drove up to the King house and tore down the little smoke house and brought the lumber home to fix the floor of the forebay. Capt. Stubblefield and Mr. Reagan came up from Hall's bluff and went fishing in the mill pond but with rather poor success. Billy Stewart's wagon came out from Crockett and by it I received from him 43½ lbs. of Sugar. Fannie missed her fever. Weather clear & hot. Ther: 93°.

Friday, September 2nd, 1864

To day we are still at work on the forebay floor of the mill. John is engaged in hunting a beef & succeeded in getting one late in the evening. Fannie is sick with fever. Weather clear and hot. Ther: 94°.

Thursday, September 1st, 1864

To day I am at work in the mill forebay and we succeeded in stopping the hole we found yesterday in the head spiling. we however had to respile the whole head of the mill. John is engaged hauling the things back home from the King house. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] & children came down in the evening thus completing our removal to the mill place. Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] & Toby [Horace Oscar Hall] came up in the evening but did not stop long. Hicks ground since I quit noting the daily grinding of the mill 50 bushels of corn. Weather clear & hot. Ther: 96° being the hottest day of the summer, if I may properly call the first fall day summer.

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

Wednesday, August 31st, 1864

To day I went down to the mill in the little wagon with the boys. we took up the old floor in the mill forebay and put in all new sleepers. I had the assistance of Mrs. Bird's boy Emory and 3 from Father's [Joshua James Hall] to wit: Chester, Martin & Joe. We undertook to stop a leak we found in the head spiling of the mill but were not successful. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] rode down to Mother's [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] & spent the day. Weather clear & hot. Ther: 94°. Thus closes my notes for the month of August as well as the summer, but as it is not the end of warm weather I will give the state of the Ther: for one Month more.