Tuesday, November 28th, 1865

To day I am still at work at the warehouse, and finished bottling off the brandy. Ed. Jones left for Livingston and I loaned him my revolver, to take with him. Jimmy [James Wrigley Hall] has a chill and fever. I am afflicted with sores all over my person. Weather clear and pleasant.

Monday, November 27th, 1865

To day I am still at work at the ware house. I assisted Col. Wrigley in putting up 6 Doz. brandy, which we shipped to D. Willis at Livingston, together with 38 sacks of salt. I sold my large road wagon to L. Jackson for 80$ specie and collected from him 4$ which I had heretofore loaned him. Weather variable and pleasant.

Monday, June 8th, 1863

To day we left Livingston and drove 24 miles to Sumpter where we stopped for the night at Mr. Teagarden's hotel. this distance I drove suffering very severe pain and cramp in my bowels. we met 26 wagons in one train all loaded with cotton. they were from Louisiana and bound for Brownsville for army supplies. Expenses of the day 2$. weather clear & hot. Ther: 88°.

Sunday, June 7th, 1863

To day we left Grand Cane and over took & passed the wagons 8 miles below Livingston. I was exceedingly sick nearly all day and was compelled to lay by the road side for some hours. We however succeeded in driving to Livingston a distance of 33 miles and put up at Bishop's Hotel. My horse Rob is very much fatigued and in fact almost fagged out. expenses $14. weather clear & very hot. Ther: 96°.

Wednesday, October 15th, 1862

To day we left our camp at Marsh's & drove 26 miles and camped for the night at the crossroads, having passed through the town of Livingston. No incidents by the road side to record. Expenses 75 cts. weather clear & rather cool.

Wednesday, September 18th, 1861

To day we left Alderman's in the same line of travel as yesterday and arrived at Livingston 12 miles & there stoped for dinner. Dan Dailey & Dr. Storie remained in Livingston. I proceeded on my journey & rode 17 miles. Stopping for the night with John Carr. weather changeable and showery. at night there was an exceeding hard rain which lasted about 3 hours. Here I suffered severely from the fleas & bed bugs. In fact I got no rest throughout the night. expenses of $2.25.

Sunday, July 7th, 1861

To day we left Livingston and drove 33 miles and arrived at Grand Cane, where we stopped for the night. weather cloudy, rather cool with drizzling rain. expenses of the day $6.

Saturday, July 6th, 1861

To day we left Sumpter and drove 24 miles over a bad road and arrived at Livingston, where we stoped at Bishop's Hotel. Here we found a new artillery company just organizing under Capt. Turner. expenses $3.50. weather changeable & warm.

Friday, June 28th, 1861

To day we left Livingston and drove 24 miles to Sumpter where we stoped for the night at the Eureka Hotel. In consequence of the sickness of my horse I was compelled to leave Frank Stewart in Livingston, the horse getting better however Frank arrived in Sumpter about 9 O'clk P.M. expenses $5.60. weather clear & warm.

Thursday, June 27th, 1861

To day we left Grand Cane and traveled 32 miles and arrived at Livingston. we stoped for the night with Judge Andress. My horse Hawk was very sick all day and with very little prospect of his recovery. expenses $6.75. weather clear but very warm.

Saturday, January 5th, 1861

To day I left Livingston and rode 34 miles in great pain from my back and stoped for the night with Mr. McGee. expenses of the day $1.50. weather clear & rather warm.

Friday, January 4th, 1861

To day I rode 33 miles over a very bad road. arrived at Livingston where I put up with Judge Andress for the night. still suffering from a severe pain in the back. expenses of day $2.25. weather changable and cold.

Sunday, September 30th, 1860

To day I left Brown's and arrived at Carr's about 10 a.m. there I found Geo. Numsen who had been waiting for me for one week. thence we proceeded on to Livingston & thence to Colleto, where we stoped for the night, having ridden 36 miles, and it raining hard the entire day. expenses in getting my mules 45$ which I this day paid and the current expenses of the day $6.50.

Wednesday, September 26th, 1860

To day I received one of my mules, Mr. Numsen having over taken them at Livingston attempted to bring them back and after getting them as far as Smithfield, entrusted them to a negro boy, who let one get away from him. So consequently I was compelled to mount the other and go in quest of the lost and missing one. Therefore Benj. Wrigley & myself set out this morning & went as far as Grand Cane, where we stoped for the night. expenses $3.50. weather cloudy & warm.

Sunday, September 9th, 1860

To day we left Livingston and after traveling over a bad road 32 miles we arrived at Grand Cane. expenses $4.50. weather clear & warm.

Saturday, September 8th, 1860

To day we left Sumpter and after traveling over a very bad and muddy road for 24 miles we arrived at Livingston & stoped at Andress Hotel. expenses of the day $4.50. weather clear & very warm.



Livingston, Texas Hotels. The first hotels in the county were located at Swartwout and Drew's Landing, and the Andress Hotel in Livingston had the distinction of being the third. It was established around 1848, and was a combination restaurant, saloon, grocery store, livery stable, bank, post office, stage station, and frequently the only office for the town's businessmen. James Andress built his hotel south of the present courthouse, where Pedigo's Furniture Store is now located. It was a center of bustling activity for many years, and Sam Houston attended dances there. The hotel records for the years 1851-1856 are available today.

Andress Inn customers, August 1851: Wm. Fields, Charley Cleveland, Arthur P. Garner, Wm. Agee, John Perrins, John P. Kale, Samuel Rowe, K.B. DeWalt, James H. McCardell, M. Darby, J. W. Knight, Oliver Garner, D.D. Moore, Robert Williamson, James Hickman, John H. Jones, John Victory, Wm. L. Gates. J. L. Neyland, Wiley I. Peace, John English, Wiley Harper, Alex Weathers, W. H. Gee, G. W. Nelson, W. L. Knight, Elby Curtis, J. M. Williams, John Culp, Jackson Long, Enoch Jones, Jack Jones, E. T. Wingate, Isaac Williams, W. H. Carter, James Butler, E. A. Burrell, Col. Buckner.

The story of the old Keys Hotel as told by Mrs. W. T. Epperson (from POLK COUNTY ENTERPRISE, October 13, 1938) "It was in the year of 1860 when I was a child of four years, we arrived at the Andress' Inn by way of stage coach. The Inn, situated on the south side of the present courthouse of Polk County, was the only hostelry in town.

"It consisted of two large rooms and a hall downstairs, two rooms upstairs, and a kitchen out in the back yard. Here the meals were prepared on A huge fireplace. The large dinner bell that could be heard all over the town, is now owned by the Masonic Lodge of Livingston.

"The bedsteads for the guests were hand carved and laced together with ropes that served as springs. Sills of the Inn were hand hewed logs about 12 x 12. As the county prospered, a new courthouse was built and the old courthouse of one large room was purchased by Mr. Andress. This he attached to the Inn and used it as a dining room. In this room square dances were enjoyed.

"The passing of Mr. and Mrs. Andress left the Inn to their only heir and daughter, Mrs. H. C. Keys, who as proprietress, added several rooms and discarded the kitchen in the yard for a "modern" attached kitchen with a cook stove.

"The name of the house was then known as the Keys Hotel. In later years, Mrs. Epperson, granddaughter-in-law of Mrs. Keys, took charge of the hotel and remained its proprietress until 1907, when the property was sold for building purposes."

Sunday, August 12th, 1860

I arrived at Liberty to day at 7 O'Clock A.M. and left on the stage at 8 A.M. stopped at Grand Cane for dinner and at Carr's for supper. arrived at Livingston at 12 P.M. expenses $18.00. weather warm clear & dusty.

Thursday, July 5th, 1860

To day we left Livingston in the coach with the same crowd at day light and arrived at Smithfield to dinner Thence to Johnson's for supper and to Liberty at 12 o'clock P.M. stoped with Wrigley. expenses of the day $1.50. weather clear & warm.

Wednesday, July 4th, 1860

After travelling all night we arrived at Daniel Dailey's for breakfast. Then to Sumpter for dinner. Then to Livingston for supper, and there remained all night. The trip of this day was very unpleasant being crowded in a small coach only large enough for 6 passengers, but containing 14, inside & out, making it not only unpleasant but disagreeable. expenses of this day $2.50. weather cloudy with occasional showers of rain.



The New York Times. July 4, 1860. OUR NATIONAL ANNIVERSARY -- City celebration of the Fourth Arrangements for the Military and Civic Display,Regatta, Fireworks, Excursions, &c.

Review of Hall's Journal - Part Three

The Houston County Courier
Crockett, Texas
Thursday, February 2, 1967

Hall's Journal of 60's
Reviewed For Readers
By H. B. Milburn

Hall's Bluff

James Madison HALL and 'the Little Woman' as he called his wife, found happiness and contentment in making a home at Hall's Bluff. First, the land for the house had to be cleared, which took quite a bit of time . . . then, the site for their houses had to be settled upon, and finally, in Time, the house was built and furnished. The furniture, finally arrived, by steamer from Galveston. The Journal records of how the furniture was left out on the banks of the Trinity River, so urgent was the need of the steamer to go up the river and of how fast and furiously 'all the hands had to work' to get all the furniture hauled to the site of the house before the rains descended!! Matting was also brought up, by steamer, for a floor covering. Then, IN TIME, there was a garden plot to be decided upon, then planted and culvitated by the hands, with 'the little woman' in charge of supervision. Then, there were rails to be split and pickets to be made for the yard fence, and for fence to be built on the place (rail fences) and then oxen had to be used for plowing the cleared fields in order that they could plant corn or cotton.

There were many, many trips to be made to Crockett to buy additional supplies for the house or for the farm in general. Occasionally there were trips just to pay the Doctor, and settle accounts when due, or to visit friends in Crockett or, up-country. There were occasional trips further away from home such as to Liberty, overland by horse-back, or, by steamer or to Livingston, Sumpter, Dailey, Coleto, Huntsville, Galveston, or Houston.

To be continued . . .