Monday, December 25th, 1865

To day I am very busy at the ware house loading the steamer Kate & sloop Luna. we put 135 B/C on them when they left for Galveston. The only thing I had in way of Christmas festivities was a first rate dinner which was gotten up in the little woman's [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] happy style. Weather variable and warm, for the season, with occasional showers of rain.

Sunday, December 24th, 1865

To day I am very busy at work at the warehouse. We shipped 146 B/C* by an extra train of the T&N.O.R.R. for Houston. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] drove up town and purchased divers and sundry toys to be distributed to the children to night by way of presents from St. Nicholas put into their respective stockings. Weather variable and cool.

Image of Thomas Nast's St. Nicholas from
Harper's Weekly, December 1865

*bales of cotton

Sunday, December 25th, 1864

Today Sam* Sharp & I with the children in the little wagon, Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] & the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] in the buggy, all drove down to Mother's [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] where we spent our Christmas. We had a fine dinner & a good eggnogg. We passed the day very pleasantly. Weather cloudy & rather warm. 

*This Sam and Nellie are 2nd great-grandparents to the Keeper of this family history blog. The "little woman" is Sam's sister. Mahala is Sam's mother.

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.

Friday, December 25th, 1863

To day being Christmas, all order of business was suspended, and we all went in for a regular jollification. I had with me to partake of our Christmas dinner, Father [Joshua James Hall], Mother [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts], Capt. Peacock, Mrs. Bird, Mr. Leaverton, and sundry others besides the home folks. the egg nogg flowed freely and all went off as merry as a marriage bell. To close the scene at night the negroes had a ball in the yard by moon light. they touched the light "fantastic" too and were as happy as happy could be. If Lincoln should succeed in his mad project and for which he is now prosecuting his unholy war for their emancipation, he will only plunge them into abject missery from their now happy condition. Weather changeable & cool.

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

Thursday, December 24th, 1863

To day the boys are still at work on the stables. I sent John over to Rives' still after the demijohn & wallet also for some whiskey but he did not get any in consequence of the still house having been robbed the night before. I ground 12 bushels of corn, and Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] ground 3 bushels of wheat. In the evening Capt. Peacock and I rode down to Fathers [Joshua James Hall] and back. Times are quite brisk at the house preparing for Christmas dinner. Weather changeable & cool with occasional showers of rain.

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

Wednesday, December 23rd, 1863

To day the boys are still at work on the stables. Capt. Peacock arrived from Liberty on his way to Parker's bluff. he stopped with me to spend the Christmas festivities. I ground 28 bushels of corn. Weather cloudy and warm with a hard rain at night.

Thursday, December 25th, 1862

To day I remained at home with the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] and babies and enjoyed a fine Christmas dinner with several nice egg noggs gotten up in a style as only the little woman knows how to fix them. I contracted with Mr. Thomas Dailey for 1000 lbs of pork at 14&#162. The drafting of the Militia came off in Crockett and Sam Sharp* was drawn to serve under the three months call for the protection of our coast. weather cloudy and warm with occasional showers of rain.  

*Samuel Houston Sharp is a 2nd great-grandpa to the Keeper of this family history blog, and the comments made in this Journal are the only known record (as of this date) of our Sam's military experiences.

 

Wednesday, December 25th, 1861

To day being Christmas no kind of business was done. The Steamer Ruthven arrived & departed. We had a find flow of egg nogg to ward off the dullness of the times. weather changeable & very warm for the season of the year.

Monday, December 23rd, 1861

To day the Steamer Ruthven left for Galveston and Mrs. Wrigley and her children also left on her to spend Christmas with her relatives in Houston. Sam H. Sharp* and Frank Stewart whom I paid off and discharged from my service left for my mill up the Country [to Houston County] in my little wagon. I am busy in the ware house. weather changeable and cold, with a hard frost at night. 

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

Sunday, December 22nd, 1861

To day the steamer Ruthven arrived from Galveston with sergeant E.L. Jones and several other members of the "Liberty Guards" to spend Christmas with us. weather changeable & cold with hard frost at night.

Tuesday, December 25th, 1860

I am still in Liberty, and this being Christmas we closed doors and set in for a regular bender. I took my Christmas dinner with my friend James Wrigley, which by the by was a splendid affair, and reflected credit on his amiable wife. There was a feast of reason and a flow of soul, together with a fine flow of champaigne &c &c. Many times I toasted the loved ones at home, and thus passed the day very pleasantly, although it was cold, cloudy and drizzling rain during the entire day.

Saturday, December 22nd, 1860

To day I am still in Liberty and still at work in the store, with very little business doing. I am however enjoying myself as well as I can, considering it is on the ides of Christmas, and I so far from the loved ones at home. weather changable & rather cold.

Review of Hall's Journal - Part Four

The Houston County Courier
Crockett, Texas
Thursday, February 2, 1967

Hall's Journal of 60's
Reviewed For Readers
By H. B. Milburn

Hunter's Paradise

Hall's Bluff seemingly was a paradise for hunting turkey, squirrels, deer, or for just going fishing for catfish or a long string of sun-perch that would make the best eating, ever. Sometimes, on a special occasion, oysters by the barrel would arrive by the steamers, from Galveston -- and the HALL family really did enjoy a feast, then.

There were accounts in the Journal about the Christmas being prepared either by the little woman or under her own personal supervision, all prepared in its own glorious, marvelous goodness.

There were accounts of the children who sometimes, and quite often, came down with a severe cold, high fever, chills and such, and there were accounts of the doctors visits. Sometimes the distance made it a necessity for the doctor to stay overnight, and sometimes the patient's illness caused the doctor to stay hours at a time too.

There were various accounts of the management of the farm such as planting cotton and corn, the grinding of corn or wheat at the mill, the mill breaking down, and the equipment replaced or repaired, the troubles with farm labor, the business of running the warehouse at the landing wharf, the worries and fears connected with the river overflowing and destroying all the crops planted; the oxen getting out of the rail fence enclosures and being lost for several days on end; the accounts of sending out the hired hands to find and fetch them back, the accounts of the fine horses they had, and of one especially prized horse (this seemed to be the horse Hall called 'Rat') who happened to a tragic accident and 'Rat's' subsequent death . . . all these simple little things taking place, year after year, day by day, and all told in a simple homespun manner that is delightful to read.

As one turns page after page one also gets the feeling that one is actually being introduced to a host of people who played a prominent part in the early life of Houston County, for, it is through these pages that you will meet with many people, some living at Hall's Bluff, some at Crockett, and some who traveled frequently up and down the river for one cause or another.

To be continued . . .