Friday, August 31st, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse. Billy Sowell came over on the cars from Houston in order to paint Col. Wrigley's & my house. Mr. Beard also arrived on the cars. Hicks still at work hauling white oak blocks. Capt. John W. Redman is still with me and quite sick. Jimmy [James Wrigley Hall] had a fever. Roberta [Downes Halyard nee Hall] again missed the fever and is now well. Weather variable and hot. Ther: 89°.Thus closes my notes for the month of August and as it also closes the summer months, I shall cease noting the state of the thermometers until next summer, should I be spared to live.

Thursday, August 30th, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse. Capt. Dawson, Dr. Tarleton and I rode down to gum lake on a fishing excursion and had fine success. Dr. Tarleton was taken with chill and fever. Hicks still hauling white oak blocks from the woods. Capt. John W. Redman is still with me. Roberta [Downes Halyard nee Hall] missed her chill and fever. Weather variable and hot. Ther: 88°.

Wednesday, August 29th, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse. Jimmy [James Wrigley Hall] broke the tongue of his buggy. Mrs. John Wrigley arrived on the cars from Houston and reported that Col. Wrigley, Lelia & John left Galveston on Saturday the 26th inst. in route for New York. Capt. John W. Redman is still with me also Dr. Tarleton & family. Hicks made one load in the woods after white oak blocks. Roberta [Downes Halyard nee Hall] had a chill and fever. Weather variable and hot. Ther: 84°.

Tuesday, August 28th, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse. Capt. John W. Redman is still with me. Hicks is at work sewing and brushing in turnip seed. Ned Smith assisted Capt. Dawson in the black smith shop to mend the tonge of Jimmy's [James Wrigley Hall] little buggy which was broken. I paid Ned Smith on a/c $1.50. Mr. & Mrs. Tarleton are still boarding with me and upon the whole are the most disagreeable couple that I ever had any transactions with. Weather cloudy and hot with a strong north wind blowing. Ther: 80°.

Monday, August 27th, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse. Capt. John W. Redman is still with me. Ned Smith is still sick and done no work. I received by the cars my son Jimmy's [James Wrigley Hall] little buggy which I purchased when in Houston last and for which I paid $22.50 in gold. Weather cloudy and hot with occasional showers of rain. Ther: 84°.

Sunday, August 26th, 1866

To day I remained at home writing up this journal. Late in the evening the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] and I visited Grand Ma Gayle. Weather cloudy and hot with occasional showers of rain. Ther: 82°.

Saturday, August 25th, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse. Hicks and Ned are preparing the ground to sew turnip seed. I paid Ned two dollars on a/c. he was taken sick and lost nearly the entire day. Capt. John W. Redman is still with me. Dennis went to mill in the wagon. Weather cloudy and hot with occasional showers of rain. Ther: 81°.

Friday, August 24th, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse. Hicks & Ned are at work preparing the ground to sew turnip seed. Capt. John W. Redman is still with me. Roberta [Downes Halyard nee Hall] is still staying with grand ma Gayle as Company. Mr. Beard is still at work on the railing for little Joe's grave [Josephine Martha Hall]. Weather cloudy and hot with a hard rain & wind blowing. Ther: 82°.

Thursday, August 23rd, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse. Capt. John W. Redman is still with me. Roberta [Downes Halyard nee Hall] is staying over with Grand Ma Gayle as Company for her. Hicks & Ned are at work getting wood. Mr. Beard commenced to make a railing to enclose the grave of my sweet little Angel Josephine Martha. Weather cloudy and hot with a hard rain in the evening. Ther: 86°.

Wednesday, August 22nd, 1866

To day at 7½ O'Clock A.M. I arrived at Houston and immediately took a carriage for the rail road depot and arrived in time for the train for Liberty. I arrived in Liberty at 12 O'Clock M. and found my family all well. I also found Capt. John W. Redman still living at my house. I hired Ned Smith a freedman to work for me one month for which I am to pay him 20$ he losing all lost time. Weather variable & hot. Ther : 84°.

Tuesday, August 21st, 1866

To day I am still in Galveston. I deposited with Messrs. J.C. & S.R. Smith & Co. the sum of 3000$ in gold, subject to the order of myself or Col. James Wrigley. In the evening I left Galveston on the Steamer Era No. 3 bound for Liberty, having left Col. Wrigley in Galveston. I had a pleasant trip across the bay & up Buffalo bayou, and met many old acquaintances on board of the Steamer. Weather variable & hot. Ther: 84°.

Monday, August 20th, 1866

To day I left Houston in company with Col. Wrigley on the Cars bound for Galveston, at which place we arrived about 6½ O'Clock P.M. and took rooms at the Washington Hotel. Weather variable and hot. Ther: 83°.

Thursday, August 19th, 1866

To day we were compelled to remain in Houston there being no communication between Houston & Galveston on sunday. Col. Wrigley's son John and daughter Corinne are both quite sick. Weather cloudy and hot with occasional showers of rain. Ther: 88°.

Saturday, August 18th, 1866

To day I left Liberty on the cars for Houston in Company with Col. Wrigley and his family. We arrived in Houston safe and sound and put up with Mr. Perkins. I carried over with me $4000. in gold. Col. Wrigley's son John was sick all the way over. I am sorry to state that I drank too much brandy as medicine, to prevent the cholera which is now prevailing in Houston. Weather cloudy and hot with occasional showers of rain. Ther: 88°.

Friday, August 17th, 1866

To day I worked at the warehouse. Col. Wrigley and family arrived on the cars from Houston. Capt. John W. Redman is still with me. I received by the cars my horse Charley which I purchased when I was last in Galveston and for which I paid 250$ besides the stall and expense bills which amounted to $31.50. Weather cloudy & hot with a hard rain in the evening. Ther: 90°.

Thursday, August 16th, 1866

To day during the forenoon I worked at the warehouse. In the evening I worked on the glass border assisted by Ed. Smith. Hicks finished the wagon shed. Capt. John W. Redman is still with me. Ed. Jones has recovered from his illness. Weather variable and hot, with a hard thunder storm & rain. Ther : 95°.

Wednesday, August 15th, 1866

To day during the forenoon I worked at the warehouse. In the evening I worked on the border leading from the gate to the front steps with glass bottles. Ed. Smith still assisting and Hicks is at work on the wagon shed. Capt. John W. Redman returned from his visit to the Country and put up with me. Ed. Jones is still sick. Weather variable and hot. Ther : 90°.

Tuesday, August 14th, 1866

To day I worked at the warehouse. Mrs. James Wrigley left on the train for Houston. Capt. John W. Redman rode out in the Country after dinner and remained all night. Hicks is at work on the wagon shed. In the evening I commenced a border leading from the front gate to the house made with glass bottles. I was assisted by Ed. Smith. Ed. Jones is quite sick. Weather clear and hot. Ther : 92°.

Monday, August 13th, 1866

To day I worked at the warehouse. Hicks is engaged in hauling wood. I received by the rail road one Keg of lard & six canvassed hams. Capt. John W. Redman is still with me. Jimmy [James Wrigley Hall] missed the chill and fever. Weather variable and hot. Ther: 90°.

Sunday, August 12th, 1866

To day I remained at home writing up this journal. Mrs. Mixon's little son departed this life and was interred at the expenses of the Corporation. Weather variable and hot with occasional showers of rain. Ther : 88°.