Saturday, May 26th, 1866

To day I worked at the warehouse. Hicks & Steve are at work hauling Cotton from the [rail]cars. The steamer Ruthven came down the river with all the crew of the steamer Col. Stell on board, the latter named boat having been seized by the government while up the river. My old friend John B. Zimmerman came down on the Ruthven and I loaned him 25$ gold which he promised to return as he goes back home, or to deposit the same at Galveston to my credit with Messrs. Bolling, Spooner, & Co. The Ruthven left for Galveston loaded with cotton. Capt. Redmond is still here. Weather variable and warm with light showers of rain.

Galveston City Directory, 1866-1867

Saturday, May 19th, 1866

To day I worked at the warehouse in the forenoon. In the evening I walked up town in company with Col. Wrigley in order to attend a meeting of the City Counsil, which did not meet however in consequence of a very hard rain, which lasted all the evening. Capt. John W. Redmond finished putting on the second coat of paint on the house. Hicks is engaged hauling cotton from the cars to the warehouse. Weather variable and pleasant, after the rain.

Friday, May 4th, 1866

To day I am still at work at the warehouse. The Str. Emery passed down the [Trinity] river with a full load of Cotton. James Wrigley is Considerably brused up by his fall from the wagon in the run away scrape last evening. Jimmy [James Wrigley Hall] and Josephine [Mahala Hall] are still recovering slowly from the measles. Capt. John W. Redmond is still with me. Ed. Jones left for Houston on horse back. Weather variable and warm. 

Friday, April 27th, 1866

To day I am still at work at the warehouse. Fawn [Florence Mahala Hall], Roberta [Downes Halyard nee Hall], Jimmy [James Wrigley Hall], Joe & Conney are all down with the measles. Hicks is at work in the garden. Messrs. Marbert & Gregg finished the gallery and I paid them for repairing it $25.50 specie which I regarded as very high price. A flat boat came down the [Trinity] river from Pine bluff with 64 bales of Cotton on board. I am still without a servant and the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] is still doing her own housework. Weather clear and pleasant. 

Wednesday, April 25th, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse. The steamer Royal Arch, after taking on her cargo, left for Galveston. Ed. Jones went on her and I sent by her 9 bales of Cotton, consigned to Messrs. J.C. & S.R. Smith & Co. to be sold for my a/c. The steamer Ruthven arrived from Galveston heavy loaded for the upper [Trinity] river. after discharging a few Bbls. of flour she proceeded on her voyage. Fawn [Florence Mahala Hall] is still improving. Roberta [Downes Halyard nee Hall] is still sick with the measles. They also broke out on Conney, making three cases down at once. Weather clear and pleasant. 

Monday, April 16th, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse loading the propeller Royal Arch. I sent forward to Frank Hitchcock 57 Bales of Cotton by the Royal Arch. The Steamers Shreveport & Indian No. 2 worked their way through the raft and bridge and left for Galveston. The Steamer Arizona arrived from Galveston and proceeded on up the river. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] is still doing her own housework. Pet [Florence Mahala Hall] is sick with fever. Weather clear & pleasant.

Saturday, April 14th, 1866

To day I am still at work at the ware house. The Steamer Indian No. 2 came down the river loaded with cotton, and landed with the other boats above the raft. The Steamers Emery and Royal Arch arrived from Galveston with some freight. Roberta [Downes Halyard nee Hall] and Florence [Mahala Hall] are suffering severely with colds and cough. Weather cloudy & cool with occasional showers of rain.

Friday, April 13th, 1866

To day I am still at work at the ware house. The Steamers Shreveport and Ruthven came down the river ladened with cotton and pretty well torn up. In consequence of the raft they were compelled to lay up. The river still continues to rise and I am fearful there will be a general overflow. Weather cloudy and rather cool with a very hard rain.

Wednesday, April 11th, 1866

To day I am still busy at the warehouse. The steamer Emory after taking a full load of Cotton on board left for Galveston. The drift continues to increase above the bridge although all the hands belonging to the rail road are using every effort to remove it. Weather variable.

Tuesday, April 10th, 1866

To day I am busy discharging the steamer Emory which had just arrived from Galveston with a full freight. After discharging her, she dropped to Adam Bowen's flat boat and commenced taking on board a load of Cotton. The raft above the bridge has completely obstructed all navigation of the river above this point. Weather clear & pleasant, but cool at night.

Friday, April 6th, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse. The steamer Col. Stell came down the river loaded down to the guards with cotton and by her I received 28 bales of Cotton also my parlor furniture and one box of bacon. I paid 127$ specie freight on said articles. After putting out my freight she left for Galveston. The Steamer Arizona took the cotton off of Capt. John T. Smith's flat boat and left for Galveston. Col. Wrigley came over from Houston on the cars. Weather cloudy and cold with occasional showers of rain throughout the day.

Thursday, April 5th, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse. Three more flat boats came down the river commanded by John T. Smith, Wash Rose & Mr. Brown. The Steamer Sunflower came down the river & I shipped on her 130 bales of Cotton when she left for Galveston. The Str. Arizona also came down the river and remained all night at the landing. Weather cloudy & cold with a hard rain throughout the day & night.

Wednesday, April 4th, 1866

To day I am engaged at the warehouse. Dr. Brashears' sister was buried at West Liberty. Roberta [Downes Halyard nee Hall] does not seem to improve much in her general health. Another flat boat came down the river with 300 bales of Cotton on board, John Murchison in command of it. Weather cloudy and cool with a terriffic rain.

Tuesday, April 3rd, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse storing cotton. Two more flat boats came down the river, upon one of which commanded by W.H. Farish I had 28 bales of Cotton. I paid him 112$ gold freight on same. Dr. Brashears borrowed Col. Wrigley's wagon to haul the remains of his sister to West Liberty for interment. Bolivar Sublett came up and took dinner with [his cousin] the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp]. Weather cloudy & cool with a high wind blowing.

Monday, April 2nd, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse marking weighing and storing Cotton. Three flat boats came down the river upon order of ? Bolivar Sublett* came bringing 130 bales of cotton. he came up to the house and took tea with [his cousin] the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp]. Miss Brashears, sister of Dr. [Thomas] Brashears departed this life, after a long lingering illness. Weather cloudy & cool with a hard wind blowing. 

*1st cousin four times removed to the Keeper of this family history blog.

Saturday, March 31st, 1866

To day I am busy receiving and discharging 113 bales of Cotton that has just come down from Hall's bluff on a flat boat belonging to A.J. Walston and for bringing which I paid him $172 gold. I received a letter from My relatives up the Country [in Houston County] informing me that they were in good health. My Cough is but little if any better. At night the steamers Shreveport and Sunflower arrived from Galveston bound up the river. Weather cloudy and cool. Thus I close my notes for March.

Friday, March 30th, 1866

To day I am busy at the warehouse discharging weighing & storing the Cotton which came down on Carr's flat boat. Capt. John Redmond arrived on the Cars from Houston and put up at my house being quite sick. My cough is no better. Weather cloudy and rather cool.

Thursday, March 29th, 1866

To day Ed. Jones left on a collection tour up the Country [to Houston County]. John Carr arrived from Smithfield on a flat boat with 83 Bales of Cotton on board. I am at work at the warehouse. My Cough is rather worse than it has been for some time back. Capt. B.L. Taylor came down and I advanced him 150$ on 2 bales of Cotton. Weather variable and cool.

Saturday, March 24th, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse. The Steamer Emory arrived from the up river with 200 Bales of Cotton on board and proceeded on her voyage to Galveston. I rode up town and remained there until dinner. Mrs. Massie left for home after working for the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] 33 days and for which I paid her in full. Mrs. Baldwin came down and spent the day. Capt. John Redmond left for Houston. At night a man by the name of Jilks was Killed in town by a man named Gibson. Weather clear and pleasant.

Monday, February 5th, 1866

To day the Steamers Indian No. 2 and Col. Stell came up to the landing from Walnut bluff and commenced discharging their freight. I walked down to the Warehouse and made out the bills of ladings for 52 bales of Cotton, although I am quite feeble and suffering severely with a Cough and sore throat. Frank [Stewart] and Burt [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] are still very sick. Fannie is beter. Weather cloudy and cold with rain throughout the entire day.