Wednesday, November 22nd, 1865

To day I am still at work at the warehouse. Frank [Stewart] & Burt [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] still continue to improve. Frank walked down to the warehouse, being the first time since his arrival in Liberty. I loaned Ed. Jones my horse & buggy to go out ducking and for which he presented me a fine duck of mallard. Weather clear and rather cool.

Tuesday, October 15th, 1864

To day the boys are still plowing the field to sow Rye. Billy Stewart left for Crockett. In the evening I sent John to Crockett with the wagon to bring out a negro woman from Billy Stewart. He returned late at night without the woman but brought me a pair of ducks & present from Billy Stewart. I am much better. Two soldiers stopped for dinner. Weather cloudy and cool.

Monday, November 23rd, 1863

To day the boys are still at work in the woods splitting boards. John is at work hauling wood. Mr. Cox's wagon left with one of the signs. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] ground 24 bushels of corn. Nellie [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] drove Rob and the buggy down to Mothers [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] and there spent the day. Mother sent me by Nellie a new pair of pants for which I am thankful. Sam killed two nice ducks. I marked and branded eleven calves, the mark being a crop and two splits in the right ear and a swallow fork in the left ear, and branded them Æ A&E united. weather cloudy and cold, with indications of rain.

Friday, November 20th, 1863

To day the boys are still at work in the woods splitting boards. John is at work hauling fire wood. Mr. Cox came out to see about his signs and when I could get them painted. He remained until after dinner & then left for Crockett. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] ground 7 bushels of wheat. I went out hunting and killed a duck the likes of which I have never before seen. it was perfectly white with a black back and black top knot tinged with purple. rather an odd fowl to me. weather changeable & cold with a hard frost at night.

Wednesday, November 11th, 1863

To day the boys are still at work in the woods splitting boards. John is at work in the new ground. Mrs. Bird came down and spent the day and while at the house made a small hat or cap for Fawn [Florence Mahala Hall]. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] & I went hunting and killed 3 ducks. we also ground 6½ bushels of corn and 3 bushels of wheat. weather clear and cool.

Tuesday, November 10th, 1863

To day the boys are still at work in the woods splitting boards. John is at work in the new ground chopping wood. Mother [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] came up and spent the day. I ground 5 bushels of corn and 1 bushel of wheat. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] & I went hunting and killed 3 ducks. Weather clear and cool with a hard frost and freeze at night.

Monday, November 9th, 1863

To day the boys are still at work in the woods splitting boards. John is at work hauling fire wood. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] rode over to Mr. Keen's to have some work done. I ground 10½ bushels of corn and 1½ bushels of wheat. I then went hunting and killed one duck. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] rode down to Mothers [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] & back after some walnuts. weather clear & cold with a hard frost at night.

Saturday, October 31st, 1863

To day the boys finished sowing Wheat & Rye in the little field in front of the house. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] still at work on his shoes. I ground 3 bushels of wheat and went hunting. I succeeded in killing one duck. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] purchased from Mrs. Smith 8 lbs. of butter, for which she paid one dollar per lb. Weather clear & pleasant, but at night it clouded up and became quite cold & disagreeable. Thus I close the jotting of events that passed immediately around me and in which I had any interest, for the month of October.

Friday, October 30th, 1863

To day the boys are at work sowing wheat in the little field in front of the house. Sam* is still at work on his shoes. The little Major [James Hall Sharp] & James [James Wrigley Hall] are both with severe colds. I ground 6 bushels of corn and killed two ducks. Burt [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] stopped in to see the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] and children as she returned from school. Weather changeable and cold with a hard frost and freeze at night, the ice forming full ½ inch thick.


*Samuel Houston Sharp, my 2nd great-grandpa

 

Friday, October 23rd, 1863

To day the boys were compelled to stop working in the mill field to haul cotton from Mr. Leaverton's gin, he wanting the use of it for his own crop. they made 3 loads. I ground 18½ bushels of corn & killed two fine ducks. Weather changeable and cold with a strong wind blowing from the north. at night there was a hard frost which killed nearly all kinds of vegetation.

Friday, October 9th, 1863

To day the boys finished pulling and hauling corn, having made two loads. I killed two fine ducks. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] & Nellie [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] came home. Mother [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] came up with them and spent the day. In the evening Mother & the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] rode up to see Mrs. Bird. In consequence of the low water the mill done no grinding. Weather clear and pleasant.

Thursday, October 8th, 1863

To day the boys are still at work pulling and hauling corn. they made two loads. In consequence of the low stage of water in pond the mill done no grinding. My son James [James Wrigley Hall] has attained the first anniversary of his birth day. in consequence of having been afflicted with so much sickness he is not so well grown or as forward as Fawn [Florence Mahala Hall] was at his age. I am thankful however that he is as well as he is. Father [Joshua James Hall] sent us a quarter of beef. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] & I went out hunting. Sam killed 3 turkeys and I killed a brant. Sam rode down to Mothers [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] and remained there all night. weather changeable and pleasant.

Friday, November 7th, 1862

This morning I went up town and moved my office down to the river where I can be more comfortable. In the afternoon I took my gun and went out hunting and succeeded in killing two nice turkeys and one duck which was as much as I could conveniently carry home. The boys are at work digging & housing potatoes. weather clear & cool, with a frost at night.

Tuesday, November 4th, 1862

To day I rode my horse Rat down to my friend Richard Cole's in company with a party of gentlemen for the express purpose of going out ducking which we did and had pretty fair success I having bagged fifteen. We returned to Cole's for dinner and I confess that I sat down to a splendid one, the time passing off very agreeably & pleasantly. We all returned home in the evening. Mr. A.B. Trowell left on the cars in route to Waul's legion in Mississippi & by whom I sent a letter to Captain Wrigley, notifying him of my intention to remove from Liberty up to my mill [i.e., to Houston County], where my family has been for the past five months. The boys are now busily engaged in digging potatoes. In the evening after Tea, I visited Charley Lunds and spent a pleasant time with him & his family. I then returned to my solitary abode to cogitate upon the past. weather clear & pleasant.

Sunday, November 17th, 1861

To day we all arrived at Liberty safe & sound after a very pleasant passage from Galveston. I was presented with a brace of very nice wild ducks, which I enjoyed for dinner with great gusto. weather changeable & rather warm.

Saturday, November 24th, 1860

To day I (went) ducking with Mr. Lund and walked down to Mother's where we took dinner. The mill ground 39 bushels of corn. weather clear but cold.

Wednesday, November 21st, 1860

To day Mother came up to see Florence who is now much better. John Harwell killed 2 ducks. weather cloudy & cool.

Sunday, November 11th, 1860

To day Bill Hicks killed 2 geese & 2 ducks. Frank Stewart came up. weather clear & warm.

Thursday, November 8th, 1860

To day Mother came up. I walked down to Fathers ducking & killed 5 ducks. weather cloudy & showery & rather cold.

Monday, November 5th, 1860

To day John went ducking. Bill at work on the yokes & bows. weather cloudy with every prospect of rain.