Wednesday, August 6th, 1862

To day I am busy in the office of the war tax Collector. Charley Lund arrived home from Hardin County having made his sale & wound up the office so far as that County is concerned. Capt. James Wrigley and Grand Ma Gayle came over on the cars from Houston. Boys & Sam Sharp are weighing cotton. weather changeable with a light shower of rain in the evening. Ther. 94°.

Saturday, August 2nd, 1862

To day I am busily engaged in the office. Charley Lund left for Hardin County to close up his war tax collection & to make his sales of non rendered property. Sam Sharp is busy in his office. Boys are at work on the fence. weather clear & hot. Ther 94°.

Thursday, June 19th, 1862

To day I am busy in the office & finished the war tax rolls for Hardin County. Frank Hitchcock & family moved into my house, and I moved my things to the back room of the store and there took up my headquarters. Boys busy hauling furniture for Hitchcock. weather clear & hot. Ther: 94°.

Wednesday, June 18th, 1862

To day my little wife, Fawn & Nellie in the buggy, Sam on Hawk and the little wagon & mules with the negroes & baggage left Liberty for the Mill, there to spend the summer, leaving me all alone in my glory to get along the best I may. I am engaged in making out a duplicate war tax roll for Hardin County. Bill at work on the fence. weather changeable & hot. Ther: 95°. In the evening there was a perfect hurricane blowing. no damage done by it except a few trees torn up.

Tuesday, June 17th, 1862

To day I am busy in the office, in making out a duplicate war tax roll for Hardin County. Boys are engaged hauling. My little wagon is still at the Shop, but will be finished in the evening. weather clear & hot. Ther: 93°.

Wednesday, May 7th, 1862

To day Charley Lund came home from his collecting toure in Hardin county. I am engaged in writing in the war tax collector's office. The boys finished the fence around my horse lot. weather cloudy with occasional showers of rain, making it very disagreeable. The [Trinity] river still rising.

Saturday, April 26th, 1862

To day Sam* Sharp and I went out hunting for squirrels and had very good success, having killed about 12. Charley Lund left for Hardin on a tour of war tax collecting. The boys are still engaged in working on my fence. weather clear & rather cool with a North wind blowing.

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

Saturday, February 22nd, 1862

This being my birth day anniversary I celebrated it in a proper manner, with a large bowl of Egg Nogg & the etc. etc. that go with it. The Steamer Ruthven left for Galveston. Charley Lund came home from Hardin Co. Boys still in the swamp getting posts. Business very dull in fact almost dried up. weather changeable and warm for the season.

Wednesday, February 19th, 1862

To day Charley Lund left for Hardin County thus leaving me all alone to attend to the store and the Ware house. But little business doing. Boys are at work in the swamp getting out posts. Mr. Patillo commenced building my stable barn & carriage house. weather cloudy cold with drizzling rain.

Tuesday, February 18th, 1862

To day the steamer Ruthven left for Galveston, with Capt. Bolling on board. Carrie & her boy left on the cars for Houston. I am all alone at the ware house & Store. Charley Lund preparing to leave for Hardin County. But little business doing. Mr. Patillo finished my smoke house which is quite a nice one. weather cloudy and drizzling with a very hard rain at night.

Tuesday, October 15th, 1861

To day the balance of the members of the Liberty Guards arrived from Hardin County and were sworn into the service. Business very brisk in fitting out each member of the Guards with clothing, etc. Nothing doing on my house. weather cloudy with rain all day long making it disagreeable.