Friday, April 20th, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse. Florence [Mahala Hall] is still sick with the measles. Dr. Shelby called to see her. Roberta [Downes Halyard nee Hall] is still sick. The steamer Col. Stell arrived from Galveston with full freight and left for the up river. The [Trinity] river is falling a little. Weather variable & cool with showers of rain. 

Wednesday, April 18th, 1866

To day I drove up town with Capt. Sterling and while there I instituted suit against Henry my for[mer] cook for stealing. The measles has made its appearance on Florence [Mahala Hall] and she is quite sick with it. Roberta [Downes Halyard nee Hall] is no better, and I am satisfied that she too has the measles. The [Trinity] river still continues to rise and is overflowing all the bottom lands. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] is still cooking. Weather variable & warm with occasional showers of rain.

Tuesday, April 17th, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse. In the evening I drove up town on business. Fawn [Florence Mahala Hall] is quite sick with high fever. Roberta [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] is no better. The [Trinity] river has commenced overflowing its banks and is still rising. Weather cloudy 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.

Sunday, February 18th, 1866

To day I spent at home not being able to get out my cough and cold growing worse. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] still doing her own cooking. John Redmond still here. The Steamer Indian No. 2 arrived from Galveston. Weather cloudy & cold with an incessant rain all day and all night causing the Trinity river to rise rapidly and filling up to over flowing all the ponds around town. In fact there is more water in the various ponds & lakes around town than I ever saw before with a hard frost and freeze at night.

Tuesday, March 28th, 1865

To day Mrs. Byrd came down & spent the day and I cut out for her 2 sets of bridle fittings. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] and children came home from Mother's [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts]. The mill done no grinding in consequence of the high water. The Elkhart creek is looming full and still rising. Weather variable & pleasant but there was a very hard rain at night.

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

Saturday, February 25th, 1865

To day John hauled a load of wood and then drove up a gang of my wild shotes. The creek is so very full that the mill can do no work the wheels being some 5 or 6 feet under water. Weather clear and cold.

Wednesday, February 1st, 1865

To day Mr. John Burrows & E.P. Baugh the guard who have been for some time stationed at the mill were relieved and Thomas Hill & Edward Graham were mounted in their place. The boys done nothing in consequence of the rain. It still continues to rain and the Elkhart creek is looming high. I am fearful the mill levee will not be able to stand the pressure now against it. Weather warm.

Monday, June 29th, 1863

To day I quit everything else and commenced with my own hands assisted by one from Mr. Beasley, 2 from Mr. Dailey and one from Dr. Murchison to repair the mill levee. After working all day, the high water from the upper mill destroyed our labor for the whole day, leaving me just as I commenced in the morning. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] rode down to Mother's [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] and kill a ? beef. My daughter Fawn [Florence Mahala Hall] was taken sick with a fever. weather changeable & hot, Ther: 84°.

Monday, February 16th, 1863

To day the boys are busy in repairing a rent in the levee. Sam* Sharp ground 11½ bushels of corn by way of assisting to run off the water which is very high and I am fearful that the levee will be swept away. weather cloudy and rainy. In fact it rained incessantly throughout the entire day raising the Elk Hart about as high as I ever saw it before. It also rained all night and the water is fearfully high, requiring the attention of all hands to save the mill levee. Massaline who run away is I learn in jail at Crockett.

*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, January 18th, 1863

To day I had the mill rocks taken up. I remained at home writing up this journal. Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] still sick but is improving & bids fair to recover from her present attack without injury. weather cloudy, warm and a drizzling rain throughout the entire day which made it very disagreeable. at night it rained in torrents, swelling the Elk Hart creek very high almost to overflow.

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

Tuesday, May 20th, 1862

To day I am still engaged in making out the inventory of the goods sold to Dreyfus & Levy. Charley Lund returned from from his Collection tour having made a quick trip. The boys are at work clearing the wharf of the drift wood left on it by the falling of the [Trinity] river, which is now receding very fast. weather changeable & warm.

Tuesday, May 13th, 1862

To day I am at work in the ware house. No business doing at the store. The boys are at work on my fence. weather clear & warm. The [Trinity] river all over the wharf.

Wednesday, April 23rd, 1862

To day I have nothing to do, but loaf around generally. The Boys are still at work on the fence. The [Trinity] river is still rising with some fears of an overflow. weather clear & rather warm.

Friday, April 19th, 1861

To day the river attained its greatest highth, coming within about two feet of the ware house sills and overflowing a large scope of country below and above this point. But little business doing in the way of selling goods. weather clear and pleasant.

Wednesday, April 10th, 1861

To day I finished putting the carpet on the floor and we moved into it and arranged it for a counting room. The steamer Lucy Guin passed down with but little freight. The river is very high and still rising with every appearance of an overflow. weather clear but rather cool.

Monday, November 26th, 1860

To day John WILLIAMS came over, and in consequence of the rain & high water was compelled to remain all night. The levee of the mill gave way & a rent in dam was made about 26 feet wide. weather cool with hard rain all day, stopping any kind of business.