Friday, May 18th, 1866

To day the steamer Indian No. 2 arrived from the upper [Trinity] river, with Capt. Thomas Stubblefield on board. he brought several packages and letters from Mother [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] to the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp]. The Sheriff arrested negro man Henry off of said steamer for theft at my in[si]stance. The Str. Indian No. 2 left for Galveston. Col. Wrigley arrived on the cars from Houston. In the evening I prosecuted the negro boy Henry for theft & succeeded in binding him over to the District Court. I loaned Asa Abshear 10$ to pay Mrs. Stanwood a medical bill. Capt. John W. Redmond is still at work painting the house. Weather clear and pleasant.

Friday, January 27th, 1865

To day I rode down to Stubblefield's Mill and delivered my negro boy Bill into the possession of Capt. J.T. Smith. On my way home I stopped at Mothers [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] for dinner and found Father [Joshua James Hall] had left for Crockett with his negro boy Dick to be placed in the Government service. Hicks ground 10 bushels of corn. A soldier stopped with me for the night. Weather variable & cold.

*This Mahala is a 3rd great-grandma to the Keeper of this family history blog. She is also the step-mother as well as the mother-in-law of JMH.

Friday, January 20th, 1865

To day the boys are at work in the lower field. James Collins left for Crockett. The guard is still at the mill. Hicks ground 12 bushels of wheat. at night I rode down to Hall's bluff in my buggy to attend a ball given by Capt. Stubblefield. I danced one Cotillion for which I paid 10$. this closed my dancing. Weather cloudy and cold with a hard frost at night.

Thursday, December 29th, 1864

To day Sam* Sharp and John rode down to Stubblefield's mill to see Mr. Malone in relation to his conduct on yesterday but they were unsuccessful. Lt. Neil's Regiment & Waller's Battallion passed by the mill and camped about 3 miles below the Elkhart creek at what is known as the Pridgeon field. I was troubled a great deal by the soldiers & 4 remained for dinner. Hicks ground 8 bushels of wheat. I delivered to Cox's wagon all his flour. Weather changeable & cool.

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

Tuesday, October 25th, 1864

To day the boys are engaged hauling fire wood. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] and Mother [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] rode down to Hall's Bluff and spent the day with Mrs. Stubblefield. I am at work drawing the thread through the harness. Bert [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] came home with the little woman. Hicks ground 1 bushel of corn. Weather variable and warm.

Sunday, October 9th, 1864

To day, Father [Joshua James Hall], Mother [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts], Mrs. Bird, Capt. Stubblefield and his wife with Burt [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] all came up and spent the day. Nellie [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] rode down to Mother's and remained all night. Weather clear and cool.

Monday, September 5th, 1864

To day the boys are engaged in hunting up my oxen. Mrs. Bird left for home early in the morning and I loaned her a beef hide. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] rode down to Hall's bluff to see Mrs. Stubblefield and spend the day with her. Roberta [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] is still here. Hicks ground 2 bushels of corn after finishing the forebay floor. Weather clear & hot. Ther: 95°.

Saturday, September 3rd, 1864

To day the boys are still at work on the mill forebay floor. John & I took the little wagon and drove up to the King house and tore down the little smoke house and brought the lumber home to fix the floor of the forebay. Capt. Stubblefield and Mr. Reagan came up from Hall's bluff and went fishing in the mill pond but with rather poor success. Billy Stewart's wagon came out from Crockett and by it I received from him 43½ lbs. of Sugar. Fannie missed her fever. Weather clear & hot. Ther: 93°.

Tuesday, August 9th, 1864

To day the boys are at work pulling fodder. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp], Florence [Florence Mahala Hall] & myself drove down to Hall's bluff in the buggy and spent the day with Captain Stubblefield and family. Weather variable & hot with a hard rain. The Ther. being at 93° at 2 O'clk. P.M. but fell to 80° after the rain.

Tuesday, June 7th, 1864

To day the boys are at work setting out potato slips. W.E. Wingfield & Thos. Stubblefield left for Crockett early after breakfast. I sent to Captain Waul the post quarter master at Crockett 120 lbs. of bacon by Mr. Wingfield, it being my tax in kind on bacon to be used for the benefit of the army of the Confederate States. Billy Stewart left for Crockett late in the evening. I let him have 2½ bushels of meal. Hicks ground 13½ bushels of corn. Weather cloudy and warm with a hard rain for at least one half of the day, raising the Elkhart creek very high. Ther: 80°.

Monday, June 6th, 1864

To day the boys are still at work in the lower field plowing out the corn. I rode up to see Mr. Keen who is very sick and from there I rode over to Dr. Murchison's to get some medicine for Mother [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts]. Billy Stewart, W.F. Wingfield and Thos. Stubblefield came out from Crockett and stopped with me at the house. In the evening I rode down to Mother's to carry her the medicine. I found her much improved. Nellie [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] still down there. Stewart & his party caught a fine mess of fish. Weather cloudy & warm with occasional showers of rain. Ther: 88°. Hicks ground 10 bushels of corn.

Tuesday, May 17th, 1864

To day the boys are still at work in the lower field. Nellie [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] & I drove down to Hall's bluff and spent the day with Mr. Stubblefield and from whom I obtained 20 lbs. of sugar in exchange for 1 Gal. of whiskey. Hicks ground 8 bushels of corn. Weather changeable and warm.

Monday, May 16th, 1864

To day the boys are at work in the lower field plowing the corn. Father [Joshua James Hall], Mother [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts], Mrs. Stubblefield and Albert May came up and spent the day. I let Mother have one pair of cotton cards for 75$. Hicks ground 8 bushels of corn. Weather clear & pleasant.

Monday, April 25th, 1864

To day the boys are at work plowing out the corn in the lower field. Mother [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] came up, when her, the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] & Pet [Florence Mahala Hall] went in the buggy to Dr. Murchison's and there spent the day. After they had left Capt. Stubblefield and his wife, came up and spent the day at the house with Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire]. I rode over to Mr. Keen's but did not stop long. In the evening I went fishing with fine success. Several gentlemen and ladies came out from Crockett on a fishing excursion. The following came & stopped at the house. Mrs. Collins, Mrs. Blair, Misses Gary, Stokes, Stewart, Dawson, Pritchard and Bodenhamer. Hicks ground 5 bushels of wheat. Weather clear and pleasant.

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

Tuesday, December 29th, 1863

To day I let Hicks ride my horse Ratler to Crockett. Father [Joshua James Hall], Mother [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] and Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] also rode to Crockett to purchase some of the goods imported by Capt. Stubblefield from Mexico. I ground 8½ bushels of corn and 7½ bushels of wheat. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] rode down to Mothers and remained there for the night as company and protection for the children [half-siblings of Sam as well as of J.M. Hall]. Weather changeable and warm with occasional showers of rain throughout the night.

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

Friday, November 13th, 1863

To day the boys are still at work in the woods splitting boards. John is at work putting up a kiln to run some tar. Nellie [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] drove my horse (Rob) and buggy down to Hall's bluff to see Mrs. Stubblefield who is very sick and remained there all night. John Williams came to see me and stopped all night. I ground 6½ bushels of corn. Weather cloudy and warm for the season.

Sunday, October 25th, 1863

To day I drove my horse and buggy down to Hall's bluff after my leather that I had left with Capt. Stubblefield to have some shoes made for the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp], he having declined to do so. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] rode out hunting but without success. I stopped at Father's [Joshua James Hall] and got dinner as I returned home. weather clear & cool with a hard frost at night.

Sunday, September 20th, 1863

To day the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] and children drove down to Mothers [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] in the buggy and there spent the day. Father [Joshua James Hall] and myself drove down to Hall's bluff in order to get Capt. Stubblefield to have a pair of shoes made for the little woman and a pair for Nellie [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire], which he promised to do. weather changeable & cool.

Monday, August 31st, 1863

To day Hicks is engaged attending to the tar kiln. The other boys are at work hauling logs to build a cotton house. Mr. T.R. Dailey delivered 1636 lbs. of lint cotton. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp], Mother [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts], Father [Joshua James Hall], Roberta [Berta Downes Halyard nee Hall] and Fawn [Florence Mahala Hall] went down to Hall's bluff to attend the funeral of Capt. Stubblefield's child. Toby [Horace Oscar Hall] came up and spent the day. Roberta came home with the little woman at night, bringing Fawn who had a fever upon her. Thus I close my jottings of events around me for the month of August, and as it closes the summer, so I shall close noting the stage of the Thermometer until next summer, should I be spared until then to keep a record of the same as well as the jottings of the passing events that take place around me. weather clear and hot. Ther: 84°.

Sunday, August 30th, 1863

To day I remained at home writing up this journal. Hicks fired the tar kiln. My friend Capt. Stubblefield's only male child named James departed this life about 12 o'clock M. aged about 9 months old. Ellen carried Fawn [Florence Mahala Hall] down to Mother's [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] where she remained all night. weather clear & hot. Ther: 83°.