Wednesday, August 15th, 1866

To day during the forenoon I worked at the warehouse. In the evening I worked on the border leading from the gate to the front steps with glass bottles. Ed. Smith still assisting and Hicks is at work on the wagon shed. Capt. John W. Redman returned from his visit to the Country and put up with me. Ed. Jones is still sick. Weather variable and hot. Ther : 90°.

Tuesday, August 14th, 1866

To day I worked at the warehouse. Mrs. James Wrigley left on the train for Houston. Capt. John W. Redman rode out in the Country after dinner and remained all night. Hicks is at work on the wagon shed. In the evening I commenced a border leading from the front gate to the house made with glass bottles. I was assisted by Ed. Smith. Ed. Jones is quite sick. Weather clear and hot. Ther : 92°.

Thursday, January 4th, 1866

To day I am at work at the store house. Albert the negro boy that I hired on the first has been sick all the week and not a lick of work has he done as yet. Hicks lost the whole day in hunting up Rob. He got out on yesterday through the negligence of some of the children leaving the yard gate open. Frank walked out and succeeded in killing a couple of squirrels. Weather clear & cold with a hard frost at night.

Thursday, September 14th, 1865

To day I went over to Mr. Patillo's shop and made two cribbage boards, one for Mr. Trawick and the other for Mr. Jones, after which I commenced papering my parlor. Charles Leaverton arrived from my mills on the mail stage, bringing us letters from our relatives and friends up the Country [Houston County] also 255$ specie. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] drove up town in the buggy in order to get me some tobacco. Hicks is engaged in hanging the garden and house yard gates. Weather variable and cool with occasional showers of rain.

Tuesday, December 15th, 1863

To day Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] and the boys finished the floor in the mill forebay and let down the gates to catch a head of water. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] was taken sick and at 1½ o'clock A.M. was delivered of a female child [Josephine Martha Hall]. She may truthfully be said to be a woman of ready conception and easy delivery. there were present Mrs. Bird, Mother [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts], Nellie [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] and myself, assisted by Rachael a negro woman. I sent for Dr. Murchison, who came but as usual too late to be of any service in his profession. he remained for dinner and then left for home. Weather cloudy with occasional showers of rain and a hard rain at night.

Wednesday, July 29th, 1863

To day the boys quit splitting boards and commenced pulling fodder which required their immediate attention. I ground 19 bushels of corn and 5½ bushels of Barley. I was enabled to grind this much because some person went to the upper mill and pulled up the gates, thereby giving me the benefit of their whole head of water. Roberta [Hall] came up but did not tarry long. weather clear & hot with indications of rain. Ther: 95°. at midnight the wagon arrived from Huntsville with the things obtained there by Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp]. It had very good success in the homeward trip.

Wednesday, February 18th, 1863

To day the boys are at work splitting rails except Hicks who is helping me to put up the inner string of the garden fence. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] made a gate for the garden and also ground 2 bushels of corn. weather changeable and pleasant after so much rain.

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

Saturday, February 14th, 1863

To day the boys are at work in chopping down & removing some forest trees out of the house yard. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] and Hicks are engaged in making a gate for the horse lot. I am at work on the garden fence & in setting posts. In consequence of the high stage of the water the mill dam gave way & required the labor of all hands nearly the entire evening to repair the break. Sam ground 13 bushels of corn. weather cloudy with hard showers of rain throughout the entire day and rather warm.

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

Thursday, February 12th, 1863

To day the boys are still at work on the fence around the field in front of the house and in making a large wagon gate. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Hall] & myself are at work in the garden setting out apple trees, grape & fig cuttings and in planting vegetables. Sam Sharp ground 24½ bushels of corn. weather cloudy with occasional showers of rain & rather cold.

Tuesday, February 10th, 1863

To day Hicks is still at work on the house fence. The other boys are splitting and hauling rails. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] made a first rate wagon gate for the house yard. I ground 13 bushels of corn and wrote to F. Hitchcock in relation to cotton. In the evening the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] & children with myself drove down to Mothers [Mahala* Lee Sharp Hall nee Roberts] in the buggy after some garden seed and shrubbery. Fawn [Florence Mahala Hall] is still improving. weather changeable with occasional showers of rain and rather warm for the season of the year.

*This Sam is a 2nd great-grandpa to the Keeper of this family history blog. Mahala is his mother, and is the step-mother as well as the mother-in-law of JMH.

Monday, February 9th, 1863

To day Hicks is still at work on the house fence. The other boys are out in the woods splitting rails. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] commenced gardening in the new garden having planted some english peas. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] finished & hung the gate to the house fence. I ground 8½ bushels of corn. Fawn [Florence Mahala Hall] is still sick but improving rapidly. Mother [Mahala* Lee Sharp Hall nee Roberts] & Roberta [Hall] left for home. weather cloudy & warm with occasional showers of rain & very disagreeable so much so as to almost prevent any business from being done.

*This Sam is a 2nd great-grandpa to the Keeper of this family history blog. Mahala is his mother, and is the mother-in-law as well as the step-mother to JMH.

Saturday, February 7th, 1863

To day Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] is engaged in making a gate for the house yard. The boys are at work on the road leading to Palestine. Mother [Mahala* Lee Sharp Hall nee Roberts] came up but returned in the evening. I ground 55 bushels of corn. Fawn [Florence Mahala Hall] is still improving but still quite sick. At night my negro boy John and negro girl Jemima were married after the style of negro marriages, they had a general blow out with a congregation of all the negroes in the neighborhood and seemed to enjoy themselves hugely. weather clear, cool & very windy.

*This Sam is a 2nd great-grandpa to the Keeper of this family history blog. Mahala is his mother, and is the step-mother as well as the mother-in-law of JMH.

Friday, August 22nd, 1862

To day I am still engaged in making out the tax rolls for Sam. The steamer Ruthven arrived from and departed for Galveston. Sam with the boys are engaged in the ware house handling freight all the forenoon. Charley Lund left on the train of cars for Sour Lake. Bill finished making one of the large gates in my fence. weather changeable & hot, with a shower of rain in the evening. Ther: 91°.

Tuesday, August 12th, 1862

To day I am very busy writing in the War tax Collector's office. Sam Sharp still engaged in making out his rolls as Assessor & Collector. Charley Lund came home on the cars having left his wife at Sour Lake. Bill is still at work on the gates and finished the large wagon one. The other boys are at work in the swamp getting out pughes. weather changeable with occasional showers of rain. Ther. standing at 95°.

Monday, August 11th, 1862

To day I am very busy writing in the war tax Collectors office. Charley Lund and his wife left on the cars for Sour Lake, there to rusticate for some time. Sam Sharp still at work on his rolls. E.H. Cushing arrived from Houston on the cars and came to see me. Bill still at work on the house yard gates. weather changeable & hot. Ther: 95°.

Saturday, August 9th, 1862

To day I am busy writing in the war tax collector's office making out rolls. Sam Sharp is at work making out his rolls as Assessor & Collector. Bill busy making gates for the house yard. weather clear & hot. Ther. 94°.