Saturday, August 18th, 1866

To day I left Liberty on the cars for Houston in Company with Col. Wrigley and his family. We arrived in Houston safe and sound and put up with Mr. Perkins. I carried over with me $4000. in gold. Col. Wrigley's son John was sick all the way over. I am sorry to state that I drank too much brandy as medicine, to prevent the cholera which is now prevailing in Houston. Weather cloudy and hot with occasional showers of rain. Ther: 88°.

Tuesday, March 27th, 1866

To day I sold my mules John & Riley to Henry E. Perkins for $300 specie. Col. Wrigley left on the train for Houston carrying with him 6 mules, 1 horse & 10 sks. corn. I drove up town with the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] to purchase some articles. Capt. John W. Redmond left for Houston on the cars. Weather changeable and cool.

Monday, November 6th, 1865

To day my wagon and team driven by negro man Hicks arrived from the mills [in Houston County] with 5 bales of Cotton, my desk, and sundry other articles on board. The negro man John having run off and left it on the road and Hicks after turning out the oxen left, and I suppose my employment for good. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] drove up town in my buggy after some articles. Fannie is still sick. Col. Wrigley & I drove up town in Maggie's buggy after returning home, we all went over to Col. Wrigley's where the little woman, Mrs. Wrigley, Col. J. Wrigley and I all took a solemn vow, not to use any spirituous liquor as a beveridge for the space of one year. Weather clear and cold, with a hard frost at night.

Wednesday, September 27th, 1865

To day Hicks & John left with one wagon and four yoke of oxen in route for my mills [in Houston County]. Mr. Haggard arrived from Houston on the construction train but he failed to procure me another bowie knife in lieu of the one he lost so I presume I shall be without my knife. I am engaged working around the house and put the carpet down on the parlor floor. weather variable and cool with occasional showers of rain.

Monday, September 25th, 1865

To day Hicks and John are at work repairing their wagons and getting ready for a trip up to the mills [Houston County]. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] drove up town and purchased a few articles to send up to her Mother [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] by the wagons. Weather cloudy & warm with occasional showers of rain.

Saturday, September 23rd, 1865

To day the steamer Mary Hill arrived at Walnut bluff from Galveston with 300 sacks of salt on board, which were consigned to James Wrigley. I drove down there and got my freedman John from off of her. He having run away the trip before, and left here on said boat. He promised me upon his arrival home to faithfully remain out the time for which he entered into a special contract. The Steamer Mary Hill left for Galveston. In the evening I drove up town in company with James Wrigley and we were both regularly registered as voters of the County & State. My wagon driven by Hicks is engaged in hauling salt from Walnut bluff to the warehouse, and hauled 72 sacks at 10? per sack. Capt. John Redman left my house for parts unknown. Weather cloudy & hot with a very hard rain late in the evening.

Tuesday, September 19th, 1865

To day Capt. John Redman is still with me. My negro man John or rather freedman by the nefarious proclamation of the President of the United States, although indentured to me for one year ran off and shipped on the Steamer Mary Hill and left for Galveston. I finished papering my parlor. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] drove up town after sundry articles. Weather cloudy with a light shower of rain.

Monday, September 18th, 1865

To day I am engaged in papering the parlor. Capt. John Redman came and stopped with me for the night. Hicks & John are engaged hauling with my big wagon Cotton from the ware house to the Steamer Mary Hill now lying at Walnut bluff, they made 4 loads carrying 8 bales at a load. At night I attended a party given at the residence of Mrs. John Wrigley's. Weather variable and hot with a light shower of rain.

Wednesday, September 13th, 1865

To day I am engaged in papering the dining room and finished it late in the evening. Hicks and John are both sick with the chills & fever. Weather cloudy & hot with occasional showers of rain.

Saturday, September 9th, 1865

To day I am at work in the garden. In the evening my wagons arrived from the mills [Houston County]. one of them was driven by Hicks & the other by John with 3 yoke of oxen attached to each wagon. They brought down some provisions, 22 chickens, 4 bales of cotton and a small lot of furniture, and have been on the road 10 days. They however brought every thing safe. Weather variable & hot with a shower of rain at night.

Sunday, June 25th, 1865

To day Billy Roberts arrived with the wagons all safe and sound without breaking any of the furniture. Hicks & John looking very well. My family are all still over at Col. Wrigleys. Weather clear & hot. Ther: 92°.

Friday, April 7th, 1865

To day Billy Roberts left me at Mr. Carr's and drove my mule John home with him. I assisted Mr. Carr in loading his flat boat with cotton. Weather cloudy and cold with occasional showers of rain. at home Hicks ground 22 bushels of corn.

Tuesday, April 4th, 1865

To day I left home on my mule John in company with Billy Roberts in route for Liberty. We rode to Crockett & stopped for dinner with Billy Stewart. We then rode down to Dan Dailey's where we stopped for the night. Weather cloudy & warm. at the mill Hicks ground 31 bushels of corn.

Friday, March 24th, 1865

To day John is at work in the point field. Billy Stewart left for Crockett. I loaned him my compass & "Flint's" work on surveying. Hicks ground 9 bushels of wheat & 26 bushels of corn & 3 bushels of rye. Weather clear.

Thursday, March 23rd, 1865

To day Billy Stewart and Billy Roberts went out hunting and killed a fine turkey. Father [Joshua James Hall] & Mr. Crow spent the day with us. John worked in the field. Hicks ground 7 bushels of wheat & 12 bushels of corn. Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] rode down to Mothers [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] & spent the night with her. 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.

Tuesday, March 21st, 1865

To day Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] & I in company with Mr. Dailey rode to Crockett and put up with Billy Stewart. John worked in the field. Hicks ground 6 bushels of wheat & 4 bushels of corn. Weather clear & warm.

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

Monday, March 20th, 1865

To day I made John drive up some wild shoats, which I marked. Hicks ground 8 bushels of wheat. Mr. Hester & William Long stopped with me for the night. Weather cloudy & cool with an exceedingly hard rain at night which raised the Elkhart creek very high or full.

Saturday, March 18th, 1865

To day John is working around the house. William Roberts, Toby [Horace Oscar Hall] & Father [Joshua James Hall] came up and the former remained all night. Billy Stewart left for Crockett. Hicks ground 25 bushels of corn. Weather variable and pleasant.

Friday, March 17th, 1865

To day John is engaged in hauling wood. I worked a little on Mother's [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] loom. Hicks ground 6 bushels of wheat. Wm. Roberts left for Father's [Joshua James Hall]. Billy Stewart came out from Crockett and stopped for the night. Weather variable & pleasant.

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

Thursday, March 16th, 1865

To day John is at work in the field. I worked on Mother's [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] loom. Hicks ground 34 bushels of corn. Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] drove my buggy & horse down to Mothers and brought little Jimmy [James Wrigley Hall] up home with her. he has been down there since Sunday last. Wm. Roberts came up & remained all night. Weather variable & pleasant.

*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, Sam.