Wednesday, August 12th, 1863

To day the boys are still at work pulling fodder in the bottom field. John again went out in hunt of the oxen. Father [Joshua James Hall] & Mother [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] came up but did not remain long. After dinner Billy & Robert Stewart left for Crockett. I ground 12½ bushels of corn. weather changeable & hot with occasional showers of rain. Ther: 90°.

Monday, July 20th, 1863

To day the boys are at work splitting rails to finish enclosing the mill field. Fawn [Florence Mahala Hall] is still sick but I think slightly improving. Mother [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] & Father [Joshua James Hall] came up to see her, but returned home in the evening. Nellie [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] was taken sick with a fever. I ground 8½ bushels of corn and then went fishing with good success. weather clear & very hot. Ther: 96°.

Sunday, July 5th, 1863

To day I remained at home & spent the most of the day in reading. Mother [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts], Father [Joshua James Hall] and Mr. Keen came to see us, and spent the day. My babies Fawn [Florence Mahala Hall] & Jim [James Wrigley Hall] are much better, both having missed their fever. Weather clear and very hot. Ther: 93°.

Sunday, May 24th, 1863

To day Father [Joshua James Hall] came up and took dinner with us. I am busy fixing up to start on my trip to Liberty. In the evening Roberta [Hall] came up and I loaned her my horse Rat to ride home. weather clear & pleasant.
 

Friday, March 15th, 1863

To day the boys finished laying up the rails they had heretofore made to enclose the mill field and there not being sufficient for the job I sent them out to split more. Father [Joshua James Hall] came up and took dinner with us and from whom I purchased a pair of gold spectacles for which I paid him 25$. In the evening the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp], children & myself drove down to Mother's [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] in the buggy. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] ground 13 bushels of corn. weather changeable & warm with indications of rain.

*This Mahala is a 3rd great-grandma to the Keeper of this family history blog. Sam is a 2nd great-grandpa, and is Mahala's oldest living son.

Tuesday, May 12th, 1863

To day the boys are still at work splitting rails to enclose the mill field. I am at work in the garden. Father [Joshua James Hall] carried Roberta* [Hall] & Toby* [Horace Oscar Hall] up to the school and there entered them with Mrs. Beasley for the current session. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] ground 3 bushels of corn. weather changeable & warm.  

*Roberta (b. 1852) and Toby (b. 1854) are much younger half-siblings to JMH (b. 1819), the writer of this Journal, as well as to his wife, Margaret (b. 1840), aka "the little woman." Sam is the brother-in-law as well as the step-brother of JMH. Sam is also a 2nd great-grandpa to the Keeper of this family history blog.

 

Sunday, May 10th, 1863

To day the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] & children remained down at Mother's [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] who is still sick but improving some. at night Father [Joshua James Hall] & Frank Stewart returned home from their Huntsville trip but without accomplishing the business for which they went. weather changeable & warm with indications of rain.

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

Monday, May 4th, 1863

To day the boys are still at work hoeing & replanting the corn in the bottom field. Charles Leaverton & Frank Stewart [future 2nd husband of the widowed "little woman"] came up from Father's [Joshua James Hall] on a visit. after dinner Charles left for Crockett and Frank remained all night. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] & I fixed the mill & ground 13 bushels of corn. In the evening Frank & Sam went out fishing with some success. weather changeable & warm. at night it clouded up & rained tolerably hard.

*This Sam is a 2nd great-grandpa to the Keeper of the family history blog. He is also the brother-in-law as well as the step-brother of JMH.

 

Sunday, May 3rd, 1863

To day I rode my horse Rob down to the lower field and went fishing with Frank Stewart & Charles Leaverton who returned from Crockett. we had pretty fair success fishing. Father [Joshua James Hall] came up and took dinner with us. Toby [Horace Oscar Hall] is still here. weather changeable & warm.

Sunday, April 26th, 1863

To day Father [Joshua James Hall], Sam* Sharp, Frank Stewart and I with the assistance of negro boys Hicks & Joe went down to Hall's bluff in order to run the division line between Mother's [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] lands and my own. we succeeded in making the survey after which we all returned home. weather changeable & warm with strong indications of rain.

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

Saturday, March 7th, 1863

To day the boys are busy planting the little field in front of the house in corn. Hicks is still out hunting my horse but returned at night without success. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] ground 20 bushels of corn. I am busy fitting up the rooms for bed chambers and in putting matting down on the floors. while at work I lost one of my gold sleeve buttons. Father [Joshua James Hall] came up in the evening to see us but did not remain long. weather clear & rather cool.

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

Sunday, February 15th, 1863

To day I took up the mill stones and put in a new balance iron but damaged the rocks some by the opperation. Father [Joshua James Hall] and Frank Stewart came up in the evening and returned home about night. weather cloudy & rather cold. During the night it rained incessantly and has flooded the whole Country around.

Sunday, February 1st, 1863

To day I am engaged in writing up this journal. Father [Joshua James Hall], Mother [Mahala* Lee Sharp Hall nee Roberts and Mrs. Bird all came up to the house to see Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] and the little Major [James Hall Sharp] who are doing very well. Father & Mrs. Bird left early. Mother remained until late in the evening and then went home. Roberta [Hall] is still here. weather clear and rather cool.

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

Sunday, January 11th, 1863

To day in the forenoon I remained at home writing up this journal also writing some letters. In the afternoon Sam* Sharp and I rode down in the bottom to select a good ford and to select a site upon which to erect a house and make some permanent improvements from thence we rode down to Fathers [i.e., Joshua James Hall] and back home. weather clear & pleasant. Bill with the mule & cart returned from across the river all safe but did not succeed in getting his things for which he went.

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

Wednesday, January 7th, 1863

To day I rode my horse Gladiator over the Trinity River to the residence of the late Elisha Tubbs for the purpose of attending the sale of his effects made by his Executor, and while there I purchased two yoke of oxen for which I paid $102.50. I also purchased an ox chain for 3$. I also purchased from Mr. McCord a likely yellow boy about 19 years old by the name of John or Squire, a slave for life and for whom I paid $1600. Sam Sharp* who had been heretofore drafted in the Militia left home on my horse Rob for the place of rendezvous at the Shilo Camp ground, but before he left he ground 14 bushels of corn. I returned home at night in Company with Father [Joshua James Hall] and Mr. McCord. weather clear & rather cool.  

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

Monday, January 5th, 1863

To day Sam* Sharp rode my horse Rob to Crockett in order to hire a negro man, but returned without having accomplished his mission. Father [Joshua] & Mother [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] came up to see Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] and the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp]. I ground 10½ bushels of corn. In the evening I commenced a temporary stable to keep my horse Rob in. I sold 1 bushel of meal for 2$. Nellie* is still improving although quite sick yet. weather changeable & warm for the season.

*This Sam is a 2nd great-grandpa to the Keeper of this family history blog. Mahala is his mother. Nellie is his wife. Margaret is his only full sibling, and wife of JMH.

Friday, December 26th, 1862

To day I am engaged about the mill and rode down to Father's in the evening. Mr. Leaverton's boys hauled me from Mr. Renfro's 1034 lbs of fodder. at night Nellie* was taken very sick with strong indications of her confinement. weather cloudy & warm with occasional showers of rain.

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

Friday, October 10th, 1862

To day I remained at home. William Leaverton rode over to Mr. Richardson's in order to arrange the matter of dispute existing between him & Father in relation to a certain iron pot of his that Father had borrowed and which was accidentally broken while at the saline. I make this note in order to refresh my mind should a law suit grow out of the difference I being a witness to the whole transaction. James Beasley came over and remained nearly all day. William returned without affecting any compromise with Richardson. The little woman still improving. weather cloudy, with occasional showers of rain. The wind blowing fresh out of the North, rendering it very cold indeed so much so as to require fires for comfort.

Tuesday, October 7th, 1862

To day in consequence of my having divided and deeded away Father's interest in the lands that we held in common I made a new will disposing of my property differently from what my prior one done. to this last will Nellie Sharp & William P. Leaverton are witnesses. I remained about the house all day reading. weather changeable & hot.

Sunday, October 5th, 1862

Today I took Laura & Roberta in the buggy, and drove to church, where I heard a sermon by the Rev. Mr. Moore. we then returned to Father's where I found Mr. Keen with whom I passed several social hours. The little woman is much better. weather changeable & hot.