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.

Friday, February 16th, 1866

To day I am confined to my room at home with the cough and cold which is daily growing worse. Frank [Stewart] still confined to his room. Capt. Redmond still here. All the children are still suffering with sore eyes & colds. I discharged the negro woman Rose, who has been cooking for me, since the 1st of January last, and whom I found to be a lying, deceitful & mean specimen of negro humanity, not worth the salt that she uses in her bread. Weather Cloudy and cold with a strong north wind blowing & a freeze at night.

Thursday, February 15th, 1866

The forenoon of to day I worked at the warehouse and the evening I spent at home. I am still suffering with my cough and cold. Capt. John W. Redmond arrived in the cars from Sour Lake and stopped at my house. Frank [Stewart] is still confined to his room. Hicks worked in the garden. Albert worked for Mrs. Beale* [Elizabeth Lemaire Beale nee Waring]. The children are still afflicted with the sore eyes. Weather variable and cold, with strong norther blowing and hard freeze at night.

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

Tuesday, January 16th, 1866

To day I drove up town and paid Mr. Bristley 20$ specie for some Crockery. I purchased from him a suit of clothes for $25 and one empty whiskey barrell for the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp]. Weather cloudy & cold with a frost & freeze at night.

Friday, January 5th, 1866

To day I drove up town [Liberty] in my buggy and waited until the train came in from Houston by which I received sundry papers and letters. I let the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] have the buggy who drove up town & purchased some articles. I purchased from Mr. Fontaine some cups and saucers. Burt [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] & Pet [Florence Mahala Hall] are sorely afflicted with the itch. Weather clear & cold with a frost and freeze at night.

Wednesday, January 3rd, 1866

To day I am at work at the store house. The boys are at work around the house. Negro woman Rose came over and set in to work for the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp], relieving her from cooking. Rose is the woman furnished by Albert under his control. Col. Wrigley commenced opperations on the cotton shed. At dark Ed. Jones arrived home from his up Country trip [to Houston County], bringing me some letters from my relatives. Weather clear & cold with another freeze & frost at night.

Tuesday, January 2nd, 1866

To day I am at work at the store house. The boys are at work around the house. Hicks hauled one load of wood for Mrs. Beale* [Elizabeth Lemaire Beale nee Waring]. I made Hicks a present of 10$. Weather clear & cold, with a hard freeze and frost at night, being the coldest night of the winter so far.

Galveston Flakes Daily Bulletin

January 2, 1866

Galveston Flakes Daily Bulletin

January 2, 1866

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

Friday, December 15th, 1865

To day I am still at work at the warehouse. We are all still offering with the itch, which clings to us with great pertinacity and will not yield to medical treatment of any kind so far. Jimmy [James Wrigley Hall] had another chill and fever. My daughter Josephine [Josephine Martha Hall] attained the second anniversary of her birth day. Weather cloudy & intensely cold with a hard freeze all day & night.

Thursday, December 14th, 1865

To day I am still at work at the warehouse. I loaned negro Porter Steve two dollars and fifty cents to give a party with at his house. My whole family are afflicted with the itch. Frank is slowly improving. Weather variable and very cold, with ice plenty, being the coldest night of the winter so far.

Wednesday, December 13th, 1865

To day I am still at work at the ware house. I purchased another hog weighing 150 lbs for which I paid 7$ specie. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] drove up town after a few articles and also purchased for me some tobacco. Billy Duncan arrived from his trip up the Country. Weather variable & intensely cold with a strong North wind blowing. At night all the water in the different vessels was frozen and the ponds around town were covered with ice.

Friday, March 10th, 1865

To day the boys are engaged washing some wheat and in hauling wood. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] & Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] rode down to Mother's [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] & spent the day. Mr. T.R. Dailey & I rode around to war widows and settled with them the amount donated by the County Court. I paid Mr. Dailey $246$ in new issue in full payment of the amount I borrowed from him on the 20th of December last. Hicks ground 2 bushels of wheat & 12 bushels of corn. Weather clear & cold with a frost & freeze at night.

*This Sam and Nellie are 2nd great-grandparents to the Keeper of this family history blog. Mahala is a 3rd great-grandma, and is Sam's mother, as well as the step-mother AND the mother-in-law of JMH.

Thursday, March 9th, 1865

To day John is at work filling up the stalls in the stable. All the women are at work in the garden. Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] came home from Mrs. Byrds. Hicks ground 6 bushels of wheat & 21 bushels of corn. Sam* Sharp came home from the army on a short visit. Weather changeable & cold with an occasional shower of sleet at night there was a hard frost & freeze which I think will destroy all the fruit & vegetation now put forth. 

*This Nellie and Sam are 2nd great-grandparents to the Keeper of this family history blog.

Wednesday, March 8th, 1865

To day John & I planted one acre in corn and then worked in the garden. Mrs. Byrd came down and spent the day. Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] returned home with her and spent the night. Hicks ground 8 bushels of wheat. Weather variable with a light rain. At night it turned cold & there was a hard freeze.

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

Saturday, March 4th, 1865

To day John is at work on the fence. Mr. Hays came up from the boat yard and took Tubbs back with him. Mr. Boon, Mr. Grammar and James Roberts left for Crockett. Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] and Fannie rode down to Mother's [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] and spent the night there. Hicks ground 27 bushels of corn. Weather variable and cold with a hard frost and freeze at night.

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

Friday, February 10th, 1865

To day we are still at work repairing the mill levee. Mother [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] came up and brought Pet [Florence Mahala Hall] home with her. In the evening I rode down to Mother's to see James Roberts who is still sick down there. Weather clear & cold with a frost & freeze at night.

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

Thursday, February 9th, 1865

To day we commenced to repair the mill levee. Hardeman's Brigade that has been camped on the Elkhart for the past 6 or 7 weeks left for Tennessee colony in Anderson County. The guard stationed in the mill in consequence of the removal of the soldier's were relieved from duty in the mill & ordered to join their commands. Pet [Florence Mahala Hall] is still down at her Grand Ma's [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts]. Little Josephine [Josephine Martha Hall] is sick and has been for a few days past. I loaned Mrs. Goodwin 16 lbs of cotton. Weather clear and cold with a hard frost and freeze at night.

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

Wednesday, February 8th, 1865

To day we done comparatively nothing, waiting on the water to fall in order to repair the levee. Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] & Mr. Elisha Daughtery came up and spent the day. They took Pet [Florence Mahala Hall] down to her grand Ma's [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] with them. Weather clear & cold with a hard frost and freeze at night.

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

Tuesday, February 7th, 1865

To day we are all at work on the mill levee. The creek is now falling and the levee is secure from further danger. Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] came up but did not remain long. Weather clear & cold with a frost & freeze at night.

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

Thursday, January 26th, 1865

To day I borrowed from Mr. Haden the sum of 25$ in specie and then left Crockett in Company with Dr. Murchison for home. I put my boy Bill in the service of the Government for the space of two months and 12 days to do work in the ? boat yard at Brookfield's bluff. Hicks ground 2½ bushels of wheat & 5 bushels of corn. Weather changeable & cold with a hard freeze at night.

Wednesday, January 25th, 1865

To day the boys are at work in the lower field. I rode my horse Rob to Crockett and stopped with Billy Stewart. Hicks ground 10 bushels of corn. Weather changeable and cold, with a freeze at night.