Saturday, March 31st, 1866

To day I am busy receiving and discharging 113 bales of Cotton that has just come down from Hall's bluff on a flat boat belonging to A.J. Walston and for bringing which I paid him $172 gold. I received a letter from My relatives up the Country [in Houston County] informing me that they were in good health. My Cough is but little if any better. At night the steamers Shreveport and Sunflower arrived from Galveston bound up the river. Weather cloudy and cool. Thus I close my notes for March.

Saturday, January 21st, 1865

To day the boys are at work hauling fire wood. Hicks ground 20 bushels of corn and 5 bushels of wheat. The guard is still at the mill. At night three soldiers stopped with me. We all returned from Hall's bluff about noon. Weather cloudy & cold with a hard freeze at night.

Friday, January 20th, 1865

To day the boys are at work in the lower field. James Collins left for Crockett. The guard is still at the mill. Hicks ground 12 bushels of wheat. at night I rode down to Hall's bluff in my buggy to attend a ball given by Capt. Stubblefield. I danced one Cotillion for which I paid 10$. this closed my dancing. Weather cloudy and cold with a hard frost at night.

Tuesday, October 25th, 1864

To day the boys are engaged hauling fire wood. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] and Mother [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] rode down to Hall's Bluff and spent the day with Mrs. Stubblefield. I am at work drawing the thread through the harness. Bert [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] came home with the little woman. Hicks ground 1 bushel of corn. Weather variable and warm.

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°.

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°.

Tuesday, August 9th, 1864

To day the boys are at work pulling fodder. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp], Florence [Florence Mahala Hall] & myself drove down to Hall's bluff in the buggy and spent the day with Captain Stubblefield and family. Weather variable & hot with a hard rain. The Ther. being at 93° at 2 O'clk. P.M. but fell to 80° after the rain.

Tuesday, May 17th, 1864

To day the boys are still at work in the lower field. Nellie [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] & I drove down to Hall's bluff and spent the day with Mr. Stubblefield and from whom I obtained 20 lbs. of sugar in exchange for 1 Gal. of whiskey. Hicks ground 8 bushels of corn. Weather changeable and warm.

Sunday, March 6th, 1864

To day Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp], Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] & I rode down to Mothers [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] and spent the day. I sent Bill to the bluff after Sam's gloves and for which he paid five dollars for the ? having furnished all the materials. Weather changeable and warm for the season of the year.

*This Sam and Nellie are 2nd great-grandparents to the Keeper of this family history blog. Mahala is a 3rd great-grandma, and is Sam's mother. She is also the mother-in-law as well as the step-mother of JMH.

Saturday, January 30th, 1864

To day the boys are still at work in the bottom field. Hicks is still at work covering in the cribs. Capt. Peacock and Mr. Fitzsimmons left for Magnolia. Father [Joshua James Hall] came up with the road hands having worked his section through from Hall's bluff to the Mills. I ground 13 bushels of corn. weather cloudy and warm with occasional showers of rain.

Tuesday, January 5th, 1864

To day the boys are at work on the stables, covering them in. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] rode down to Hall's bluff after some lead. I ground 8 bushels of wheat & 2½ bushels of corn. Weather changeable & bitter cold, the mill pond still being frozen over, and ice plenty. Mr. Hughes stopped with me for the night & from whom I purchased some sewing thread &c.

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

Saturday, December 12th, 1863

To day the boys are at work on the stables. John is at work hauling wood. Capt. Peacock and I had a settlement for the rent of my house in Liberty which he is occupying. I paid him the freight bill on my furniture from Liberty to Hall's bluff which was brought up on the steamer Alamo which he was commander of her. The freight bill was 183$ but I deducted 50$ from it for lost articles. He then paid me $167 balance on rent & I receipted him in full for the current years rent of said house which expires on the 31st inst. He & Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] then left for Mr. Beavers'. I ground 20 bushels of corn. Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] rode my horse Hawk down to Mother's [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] and spent the day. Sam* had no success in hunting hogs. Weather clear and cold with a hard frost at night.

*This Sam and Nellie are 2nd great-grandparents to the Keeper of this family history blog. Mahala is Sam's Mother.

Saturday, November 14th, 1863

To day the boys are still at work in the woods splitting boards. Hicks is at work making a sand bolster for the wagon. I ground 24 bushels of corn. Major Wortham came to see me and remained until after dinner when he left for home. Late in the evening Nellie [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] returned home from her visit to Hall's bluff. weather clear & cold with hard frost at night.

Friday, November 13th, 1863

To day the boys are still at work in the woods splitting boards. John is at work putting up a kiln to run some tar. Nellie [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] drove my horse (Rob) and buggy down to Hall's bluff to see Mrs. Stubblefield who is very sick and remained there all night. John Williams came to see me and stopped all night. I ground 6½ bushels of corn. Weather cloudy and warm for the season.

Sunday, October 25th, 1863

To day I drove my horse and buggy down to Hall's bluff after my leather that I had left with Capt. Stubblefield to have some shoes made for the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp], he having declined to do so. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] rode out hunting but without success. I stopped at Father's [Joshua James Hall] and got dinner as I returned home. weather clear & cool with a hard frost at night.

Sunday, September 27th, 1863

To day I rode my horse Rob up to the upper mill to see in what order it was in. Father [Joshua James Hall] came up to see us and brought my papers from Hall's bluff. weather hazy with indications of rain and rather hot. James [James Wrigley Hall] had a chill & fever.

Sunday, September 20th, 1863

To day the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] and children drove down to Mothers [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] in the buggy and there spent the day. Father [Joshua James Hall] and myself drove down to Hall's bluff in order to get Capt. Stubblefield to have a pair of shoes made for the little woman and a pair for Nellie [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire], which he promised to do. weather changeable & cool.

Sunday, September 6th, 1863

To day I had my horse Gladiator hitched to the buggy and started to Hall's bluff when he became frightened and ran away the buggy making a complete smash up of it in consequence of which I was compelled to return home. in the evening however I rode my horse Ratler down to Hall's bluff in company with Father [Joshua James Hall]. Pet [Florence Mahala Hall] was taken with a fever during my absence. weather clear and hot.

Saturday, August 15th, 1863

To day the boys are at work hauling and stacking fodder. they hauled and stacked four stacks. Father [Joshua James Hall] with the road hands worked the road leading from Hall's bluff to the mills. Nellie [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] is very much troubled with a rising on her thumb. I ground 7 bushels of corn and loaned Mr. Bird one bushel of meal. weather changeable & hot. Ther: 91°.

Friday, August 14th, 1863

To day the boys are still pulling fodder in the bottom field. John hauled two loads home. In the evening the boys stacked it up. The whole amount of fodder saved from the lower field is 4333 lbs. I ground 2 bushels of wheat. My son James [James Wrigley Hall] had a fever all day, and a severe attack of Cholera Morbus on last night. In consequence of a continued dispute and argument between Father and myself in relation to the distance from the mill to his house I concluded to measure it. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] assisted me. we commenced at the mill door. at 260 varas we reached the corner of the garden at the end of the lane. at 1070 varas we reached Cooks branch which is a spring branch and flows all the year. at 1690 varas we reached the Chinquepin flat & branch. at 1900 varas we set up the first mile post. at 2600 varas we reached the top of what is called "the big hill". at 3800 varas we set up the two mile post. at 3820 varas we reached the corner of the fence to the lower field. at 3850 varas we reached what is called the "Brown" house. at 4125 varas we reached Hall's Spring branch a beautiful stream flowing the entire year. at 4430 varas we reached the tan yard branch. at 4751 varas we reached the Hall's bluff fork. at 4775 varas we reached the head of the lane leading to Fathers home. at 5125 varas we reached the gate. thus making the distance 2¾ miles, which has (heretofore) always been called and passed for 2 miles and thus settling the vexed and disputed point as to the distance as aforesaid by actual measurement. weather clear & hot. Ther: 92°.