Thursday, November 5th, 1863

To day the boys are still at work in the woods getting boards. John is still at work in the new ground. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] & I finished pecking the wheat mill stones and started the mill. we ground 6½ bushels of corn and 3 bushels of wheat. Billy Stewart left after dinner for Crockett and George Numsen left for Father's [Joshua James Hall]. Joseph Keen, Thomas Keen and Sam went out fire hunting at night and succeeded in killing one fine buck. they got separated in the woods, and Mr. Keen carried the deer home with him. so I lost the venison steak that I so much hungered after. better luck next time. weather cloudy & warm with occasional showers of rain.

Tuesday, June 26th, 1860

To day I settled with Perry for his last month's work as Miller. In the evening went fishing. The hands still in the cotton. weather changable & warm.

Saturday, June 16th, 1860

went fishing. hands in the cotton. weather clear & warm.

Wednesday, June 13th, 1860

To day I went home with Sam Sharp. Hands still in the cotton. went fishing in the evening. weather clear & warm.

Monday, June 11th, 1860

To day I went to the lower place & brought Toby home. The hands at work in the cotton. Mrs. Peacock loaned me 1 qr. of beef weighing 65 lbs. weather changable.

Sunday, June 10th, 1860

To day I went fishing with Frank Stewart & John Harwell & had good success. Father & the children took dinner with us. James Wootters visited us in the evening. Bill Hicks hauled 3 loads of rails. Weather changable & warm.

On the 7th of June, 1860, was solemnized the marriage of Major Wootters to Mrs. Emily Mildred Long, widow of Col. L. Long, of Crockett. . . .

Sunday, June 3rd, 1860

To day the little woman went to see her Mother and there dined. she returned in the evening with a bucket of honey having spent a pleasant time. I remained home reading "Scotts works" and nursing my thumb as best I could which is growing no better fast. Weather changable & warm but good breeze.

Friday, June 1st, 1860

In the morning I went to the lower place and put the hands to working out the cotton. In the evening I went fishing with Col. Hay & Billy Stewart. I spent a very disagreeable night in consequence of a rising on my thumb which gave great pain all night. Sam Sharp still sick. Weather changable & warm.

Thursday, May 31st, 1860

To day I went to see Sam Sharp & found Roberta sick. The hands are working out the patches. Billy Stewart & Col. Hay came out at night for a fish hunt in the morning. Weather changable & warm.

Sunday, May 13th, 1860

To day went fishing, with good success. Darby split 101 rails for me. weather clear & pleasant.

Saturday, May 5th, 1860

To day I went to Crockett by the way of the bluff in company with Stewart & Hay, and while at the bluff the Steamer Mary Hill passed down. The river is high & still rising[?]. The steamer J.H. Bell came up with my groceries. The hands still in the cotton. weather clear & pleasant.

Friday, May 4th, 1860

To day Stewart, Hay and myself went to the mill pond fishing. we caught a large? lot of fish, and enjoyed a pleasant day's amusement. Still at work in the cotton. weather clear & pleasant.

Wednesday, May 2nd, 1860

To day Isaac Tanner's time expired for which I had employed him. The wagon returned, with 12 bushels of corn and the things I purchased at Wall's sales. I let Mrs. Hall have 1 Btl. of whiskey 40 Gals. @ 80¢ per gal. making $32‰. Albert went to the mills & got about 200 lbs. flour, 3 bushels of meal, & I also let Mrs. H. have 3 bushels of meal. The hands still at work in the cotton. weather clear & warm.

Tuesday, May 1st, 1860

To day I settled with Williams for the use of the mill. still at work in the cotton. weather clear & warm. The wagon went for the balance of the corn, and under the care of Sam* Sharp. weather clear & warm.

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

Sunday, April 29th, 1860

To day I went fishing. weather clear & warm.

Saturday, April 28th, 1860

To day I went to the mill. The hands went to hoing over the corn. weather changeable & warm.

Saturday, April 21st, 1860

Still in Sumpter. at home the hands finished working the corn over. weather cloudy & cool.

Friday, April 20th, 1860

Still in Sumpter. at home, buried the negro woman Angelina. hands still in the corn. weather cloudy with occasional showers & very cool.

Thursday, April 19th, 1860

Still in Sumpter. at home, negro woman Angelina died after a short illness. hands at work in the corn and in the evening set out potato slips. by agreement my case was set for monday next. weather rainy & very cool.

Wednesday, April 18th, 1860

Still in Sumpter. at home, still in the corn. weather cloudy & cool.

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DAILY GAZETTE & COMET [BATON ROUGE, LA], April 18, 1860, p. 2, c. 2. In Crocket, Texas, recently, Mr. T.P. Collins, a merchant of that place, published a scandalous piece of poetry about a Miss Whitwell, a school mistress. She sued him for $6000 damages, and gained the case. The jury returned the verdict at midnight. So strong was public sentiment in favor of the plaintiff, that the verdict was received with shouts of the people, the firing of guns and other demonstrations of gladness.