Tuesday, January 16th, 1866

To day I drove up town and paid Mr. Bristley 20$ specie for some Crockery. I purchased from him a suit of clothes for $25 and one empty whiskey barrell for the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp]. Weather cloudy & cold with a frost & freeze at night.

Monday, January 15th, 1866

To day I discharged the Str. Kate and loaded her with Cotton. I sent to C.C. Lund & Co by Capt. Chandler $10.60 gold to pay for the potatoes & cod fish received from them by the former trip of the Kate, also for one Bbl. of potatoes received for Mrs. Beale* [Elizabeth Lemaire Beale nee Waring]. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] drove out to Mrs. Massie's & back. Burt [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] & Frank [Stewart] no better. Weather cloudy with drizzling showers of rain.

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

Sunday, January 14th, 1866

To day I am engaged in writing letters. The Steamer Kate arrived from Galveston with considerable freight. by her I received a new hat & one box raisins, Keg lard & some butter. Frank [Stewart] and Burt [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] are still quite sick. Weather variable and rather warm for the season of the year.

Saturday, January 13th, 1866

To day I am at work at the store house. The train from Beaumont brought over the lumber to build the Cotton shed, and in the evening the wagons hauled it down to the river. Frank Stewart and Roberta [Downes Halyard nee Hall] are both quite sick, do not improve any. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] drove up town after a few articles. Mrs. Lund came over and spent the evening with the little woman. I purchased two shoats, for which I paid 5$ specie. Weather changeable with drizzling rain.

Friday, January 12th, 1866

To day Hicks hauled the rails and lumber from the flat boat also the two skiffs or bateaux. I drove up town and Collected a part of the freight bills for the Str. Kate. Roberta [Downes Halyard nee Hall] is but little if any better with her afflictions. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] & I drove up town & purchased some Crockery, 1 Doz. apples and oranges. Weather variable and rather warm for the season.

Thursday, January 11th, 1866

To day the Steamer Kate after taking on board 95 bales of Cotton from the flat boat left for Galveston with Frank Hitchcock on board. I had a partial settlement with him. I purchased from Sansom who is in charge of the flat boat a lot of rails some planks & 2 skiffs with one saddle blanket for all of which I paid him $250. I am at work making out accounts for the Str. Kate. James Wrigley raised the second string or row of posts for the Cotton shed. Weather cloudy and cold with occasional showers of rain.

Wednesday, January 10th, 1866

To day the Steamer Kate arrived from Galveston with a heavy freight on board. Frank Hitchcock came up on her and we had a fine settlement in relation to the cotton I purchased from him. I am very busy discharging the freight from the Kate. I received by her 2 Bbls potatoes one for Mrs. Beale* [Elizabeth Lemaire Beale nee Waring] also 1 box of Cod fish. Capt. Chandler presented me with a fine large red fish which was a nice treat. F.M. Sansom* came down the river with a flat boat & 110 bales of Cotton on board, a large portion of which was shipped by the steamer Kate. Weather cloudy and cold with indications of rain. [*possibly this man]

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