Wednesday, February 28th, 1866

To day I remained at home suffering severely with my Cough and cold. Hicks and Albert are working in the garden. Mrs. Massie is still here. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] & children are afflicted with sore eyes. Frank [Stewart] is some little improved. Weather clear & pleasant. Thus closes the notes for the month of February.

Tuesday, February 27th, 1866

To day I finished papering the school house for Col. Wrigley. I drove up town and settled in full with Mr. Baldwin & Dr. Rives. Hicks & Albert are working in the garden. My cough & cold are no better. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] still afflicted with sore eyes. Frank [Stewart] still confined to his bed. I purchased from the Str. Col. Stell which is still here one Barrel of irish potatoes for which I paid 5$ specie. Weather clear & pleasant. Mrs. Massie still here.

Monday, February 26th, 1866

To day I commenced papering the schoolhouse for Col. Wrigley and the one upon which he has been working. I am but little if any better of my cough and cold. Frank [Stewart] is still confined to his bed. Mrs. Massie is still here. Berta [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] & Fanny spent the night at Mrs. Beale's* [Elizabeth Lemaire Beale nee Waring]. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Hall] is still suffering with sore eyes. Weather clear and pleasant.

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

Sunday, February 25th, 1866

To day I am confined to my room. Hicks and Albert are engaged in setting out peach trees. Frank [Stewart] is still confined to his bed. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] & children are still suffering with sore eyes. Mrs. Massie still here. The Str. Col. Stell still lying at the landing and the Str. Indian No. 2 still lying at the wood yard. Weather clear and pleasant.

Saturday, February 24th, 1866

The forenoon of to day I worked at the warehouse and the evening I spent at home. I got from Col. Wrigley 100 peach trees and 2 bales of hay. The steamer Col. Stell arrived from Galveston bound up the river. The Steamer Indian No. 2 took on some freight and dropped down the river to the wood yard. Frank [Stewart] is still confined to his room. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] & children are still suffering with sore eyes. At night I sent for Dr. Shelby to visit me professionally. He came and administered some medicine for my Cough which is no better. Mrs. Massie is still here. Negro Henry's wife came over for him on the ? in order to be near her husband. Weather clear & cold.

Friday, February 23rd, 1866

To day I worked at the warehouse. My Cough & cold is no better. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] is afflicted with sore eyes as well as all the children. Frank [Stewart] is no better. Mrs. Massie still here sewing. At night the steamer Indian No. 2 arrived from Galveston with Col. Wrigley on board. Weather changeable and cold with a rain at night.

Wednesday, February 21st, 1866

To day I worked at the warehouse. The Str. T.J. Emery opened the draw of the rail road bridge for the first time in 3 years and passed through the bridge on her upward bound voyage. The Steamer Ruthven arrived from Galveston with a small freight on board and left again for Galveston. My cold is no better. Hicks & Albert are at work hauling. Frank [Stewart] no better. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] drove out in the Country and brought Mrs. Massie home with her who commenced sewing for the family. I entered into a contract with Henry a free man of Color to cook for me at 10$ per month gold. Weather variable & cool.

Tuesday, February 20th, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse. The Steamer Indian No. 2 came up from the wood yard and then took on her freight after which she left for Galveston with Col. Wrigley and Capt. John K. Redmond on board. The Steamer T.J. Emery arrived from Galveston bound up the river. My cold no better. Frank [Stewart] still confined to his room. The little woman [Margaret* Hall Stewart nee Sharp] is still cooking. The children are all still afflicted with sore eyes. Weather clear & cool with a frost at night.

*This Margaret is the 2nd wife (as well as the step-sister) of JMH, and is a 2nd great-grand-aunt to the Keeper of this family history blog.

Monday, February 19th, 1866

To day I assisted in discharging the Steamer Indian No. 2. She then dropped down the river to the wood yard. In the evening I drove up town and attended the meeting of the City Council. Capt. John Redmond is still here. Frank [Stewart] is no better. The children are still afflicted with sore eyes. My Cough no better. Weather cloudy & cold with a frost at night.

Sunday, February 18th, 1866

To day I spent at home not being able to get out my cough and cold growing worse. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] still doing her own cooking. John Redmond still here. The Steamer Indian No. 2 arrived from Galveston. Weather cloudy & cold with an incessant rain all day and all night causing the Trinity river to rise rapidly and filling up to over flowing all the ponds around town. In fact there is more water in the various ponds & lakes around town than I ever saw before with a hard frost and freeze at night.

Saturday, February 17th, 1866

To day I spent the forenoon at the Warehouse and the evening at home. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] is now doing her own cooking. I am still suffering with the cough and cold which does not improve any. Capt. John Redmond still here. Frank Stewart is still confined to his room. Burta [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] is still sick. Weather cloudy & cold with occasional showers of rain.

Friday, February 16th, 1866

To day I am confined to my room at home with the cough and cold which is daily growing worse. Frank [Stewart] still confined to his room. Capt. Redmond still here. All the children are still suffering with sore eyes & colds. I discharged the negro woman Rose, who has been cooking for me, since the 1st of January last, and whom I found to be a lying, deceitful & mean specimen of negro humanity, not worth the salt that she uses in her bread. Weather Cloudy and cold with a strong north wind blowing & a freeze at night.

Thursday, February 15th, 1866

The forenoon of to day I worked at the warehouse and the evening I spent at home. I am still suffering with my cough and cold. Capt. John W. Redmond arrived in the cars from Sour Lake and stopped at my house. Frank [Stewart] is still confined to his room. Hicks worked in the garden. Albert worked for Mrs. Beale* [Elizabeth Lemaire Beale nee Waring]. The children are still afflicted with the sore eyes. Weather variable and cold, with strong norther blowing and hard freeze at night.

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

Wednesday, February 14th, 1866

To day I worked at the warehouse posting books &c. Mr. Morrison left for home. Frank [Stewart] still confined to his room. Berta [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] no better. All the children still suffering with sore eyes. My cold & cough no better. Weather clear and cold with a keen norther blowing and a hard frost at night.

Tuesday, February 13th, 1866

To day I worked a little down at the Warehouse. Mr. Morrison & Taylor came down and let Col. Wrigley settled in full with them. Frank [Stewart] is still confined to his room and very sick. Roberta [Downes Halyard nee Hall] is better. I am still suffering with my afflictions. all the children are suffering with sore eyes. Hicks work in the garden. Albert worked all day for Mrs. Beale* [Elizabeth Lemaire Beale nee Waring] plowing. Weather variable & cool.

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

Monday, February 12th, 1866

To day I spent nearly the entire day at the warehouse. Col. Wrigley still at work on the school house. Hicks is at work in the garden and planted out irish potatoes. Albert is at work hauling wood. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] drove up town after some medicine for me. Frank [Stewart] is still quite sick. Roberta [Downes Halyard nee Hall] is rather worse. All the children are suffering with sore eyes. I am still suffering with cough & cold. Weather variable and cold.

Sunday, February 11th, 1866

To day I spent principally at the warehouse. Frank [Stewart] still quite sick. Burta [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] some better. Pet's [Florence Mahala Hall] eyes still sore. I am still suffering with the cough & cold. Weather cloudy and cold with light showers of rain.

Saturday, February 10th, 1866

To day I worked at the warehouse. The Str. Indian No. 2 arrived from Galveston bringing me a small lot of groceries for which I paid Mr. Bolling $76.90. I am still suffering from the Cough and cold. Frank [Stewart] is still quite sick. Roberta [Downes Halyard nee Hall] is some better. Pet [Florence Mahala Hall] is afflicted with sore eyes. Weather cloudy and cold with occasional showers of rain.

Friday, February 9th, 1866

To day I worked a little at the Warehouse, and then drove up town, while there I paid Mr. Bristley every dollar I owed him, amounting to 26.50$ also all the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] owed him. Hicks & Albert are engaged getting wood. Mr. Holly repaired my wagon. Mrs. Beale* [Elizabeth Lemaire Beale nee Waring] paid me 10$ for Keeping her horse, since the 16th of December last to the present time she having sold said horse to Mr. Baldwin. Frank Stewart still very sick. My cough and cold no better. Weather cloudy cool and unpleasant.

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

Thursday, February 8th, 1866

To day Hicks & Albert are engaged hauling wood. I am at work at the Warehouse although suffering greatly with bronchitis. Frank [Stewart] is still very sick. Berta [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] is improving a little. I received from Thomas Haggart a bowie Knife in lieu of the one which I loaned him and which he lost while on his tour through this Country. Weather clear and pleasant.