Monday, March 27th, 1865

To day Emily Peacock & Jane Milford left for their respective homes. Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] & William Roberts came home from Mother's [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] and the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] drove down the(re) and spent the night. My poor old horse Hawk after a lingering illness of several months laid down and died, he had been a faithful and serviceable horse to me while living, poor old horse. I regret his death but as all must die let him go. Weather clear and pleasant.

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

Saturday, October 8th, 1864

To day the boys are at work thrashing out barley. Nellie [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] drove my John mule and the buggy and I rode hawk to Crockett and back in order to fix up and send forward Sam Sharp's [Samuel Houston Sharp] clothing. I received from Mr. Downes in Crockett five pair of shoes and 3 balls of cotton thread. Hicks ground 4 bushels of corn. My son James [James Wrigley Hall] attained his second year. Weather clear & cool with frost at night.

Monday, August 22nd, 1864

To day Bill is at work thrashing out some wheat. I rode down to the mill and started John with his wagon & 3 yoke of oxen to the saline after salt. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] rode down to Mother's [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] and spent the day. Mr. Keen came over and bled my horse hawk. Weather clear and warm. Ther: 80°.

Thursday, July 21st, 1864

To day the boys went down to Father's [Joshua James Hall] and killed a beef. I rode my horse hawk as far as Mrs. Bird's and there I borrowed her horse Jo and rode to Crockett. while at Crockett I purchased 1 oz. quinine for 300$. 1 oz. blue mass 45$. 5 combs 50$. 2 lbs. blk. pepper 60$. In the evening I returned home. Mother [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] came up & spent the day. Weather variable and hot. Ther: 90°.

Sunday, June 5th, 1864

To day I rode my horse hawk up to Mrs. Brooks' & remained there for dinner. I learned from her of the death of Silas E. Keen who was wounded at the battle of Mansfield. Nellie [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] and Burt [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] came up to see the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] they did not remain long as they left Mother [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] sick and had to return to wait upon her. Burt rode hawk home because the pony she rode up became refractory & would not be governed by her. Weather cloudy and warm with occasional showers of rain. Ther: 81°.

Friday, June 3rd, 1864

To day the boys are still at work in the lower field. I worked in the garden. Father [Joshua James Hall] stopped for dinner as he returned home from Crockett. Nellie [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] rode Hawk down to Mother's [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] and remained there. Late in the evening the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] and children returned home from their protracted visit down to Mother's. Hicks ground 2 bushels of corn. Weather clear and warm. Ther: 84°.

Sunday, April 10th, 1864

To day I remained at home writing letters. Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] & Roberta [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] came up in my buggy. they did not remain long, but rode my horse Hawk back to Mother's [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts]. Mr. Cundiff came out with a wagon load of wheat, which he left at the mill and returned home in the evening. Weather clear & rather cool.

*This Nellie is a 2nd great-grandma to the Keeper of this family history blog. Mahala is a 3rd great-grandma, and is Nellie's mother-in-law. 

Sunday, April 3rd, 1864

To day I drove my horse & buggy down to Mother's [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] with the children. Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] rode down on Hawk. We all spent the day there. Mr. Butler passed on his way home from Magnolia. Bill caught a fine mess of fish. Weather clear and cool, with a high boisterous wind all day.

*This Mahala is a 3rd great-grandma to the Keeper of this family history blog. Nellie is a 2nd great-grandma, and is married to Mahala's son, Samuel Houston Sharp.

Sunday, March 13th, 1864

To day I rode my horse Hawk down to Mothers [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] & remained there for dinner. In the evening the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] & children came home with me. Weather variable and rather cold.

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

Monday, February 1st, 1864

To day I sent Hicks to Crockett with my horse hawk for Mrs. Beale* [Elizabeth Lemaire Beale nee Waring] to ride out on who arrived at night on a visit to see her daughter [Nellie* aka Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire]. I sent John to Mr. Keen's to get him to come over and fix my mill irons. Having taken up the mill stone I can do no corn grinding until the irons are repaired. I however ground 7 bushels of wheat. Weather clear and cool, with a frost at night.

*Nellie is a 2nd great-grandma to the Keeper of this family history blog. Mrs. Beale is her mother.

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.

Thursday, October 29th, 1863

To day the boys are still at work at and finished sowing barley & wheat in the mill field. I ground 2½ bu of corn and 2 bushels of wheat. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] rode up to Mrs. Birds and back on hawk. Sam* is still at work on his shoes. weather changeable & warm at night however the wind hauled around to the north when it became very cold with a drizzling rain falling.


*Samuel Houston Sharp, my 2nd great-grandpa

 

Saturday, October 24th, 1863

To day the boys are still hauling cotton from Mr. Leaverton's gin and made 11 loads. I ground 6½ bushels of corn. In the evening the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp], children and myself in the buggy and Nellie [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] on hawk all rode out to gather hickory nuts. we succeeded very well. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] went out hunting but without any luck. Weather clear & cold with another hard frost at night.

Monday, September 21st, 1863

To day the boys finished hauling logs to build the body or walls of the corn crib. Mr. Dailey delivered 1635 lbs of lint cotton. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] rode hawk down to Mothers [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] and back after some candles, which she succeeded in getting. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] rode over to Mr. Keen's after my saddle which he got but it was not mended in fact it was worse broken then when I took it for repairs. I ground 5 bushels of corn. weather clear & hot but cool at night.

Monday, September 14th, 1863

To day the boys are at work chopping logs to build a corn crib. Nellie [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] rode Hawk down to Mothers [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] and back but failed to bring Fawn [Florence Mahala Hall] home with her. Wolf is still improving and will soon be well. James [James Wrigley Hall] had a chill and fever. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] rode over to Mr. Keen's after my saddle but did not get it. I ground 7 bushels of corn. weather cloudy & warm with occasional showers of rain.

Friday, August 28th, 1863

To day the boys went with the wagon to get a load of pine to run some tar. Mr. T.R. Dailey delivered 1385 lbs of lint cotton. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] ground two bushels of corn. I went fishing but had no success. Rachael came by on her way from Crockett with her cart broken down. I had to loan her my horse Hawk to ride home upon. weather changeable and warm. Ther: 91°.

Thursday, August 27th, 1863

To day the boys was compelled to quit chopping logs in order to work on the mill levee in consequence of a small rend made in it last night. John succeeded in finding his oxen. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] rode Hawk down to Mother's [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] and back. Mr. T.R. Dailey delivered 3590 lbs of lint cotton. In consequence of the low water in the pond, the mill could not grind. weather very changeable. at 7 o'clock A.M. the Ther. stood at 60°, and at 3 o'clock P.M. it stood at 92°.

Monday, August 24th, 1863

To day the boys are at work hauling the fodder and hay from the bottom field. They made two loads. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] rode Hawk down to Mother's [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] and back. In consequence of the low stage of water I could not grind any corn. weather cloudy and warm. Ther: 91°.

Monday, June 15th, 1863

To day I rode my horse Hawk in company with Father [Joshua James Hall] down to camp Burnett in order to purchase some negroes, but when we arrived they had just been sold. we then returned home having ridden 30 miles for no purpose. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] ground 9½ bushels of corn. weather clear & hot. Ther: 91°.

Thursday, April 30th, 1863

To day the boys are still at work hoeing & replanting corn in the bottom field. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp], children & myself drove down to Hall's bluff to visit Mrs. Stubblefield. we spent the day there & returned home in the evening. Rachael rode my horse Hawk to Crockett & back to purchase some 10 lbs coffee for which she paid $3.18 for it. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] ground 2 bushels of corn. weather cloudy & warm with occasional light showers of rain. Thus closes the notes for the month of April.

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