Saturday, January 6th, 1866

To day I loaned my horse & buggy to Col. Wrigley who drove up town & waited for the train to come in. Bob finished framing the posts for the Cotton shed. The negro man Albert whom I hired has been sick all the week consequently nothing has been done towards gardening &c. Hicks went to mill after some meal. Frank [Stewart], Burt [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] & Pet [Florence Mahala Hall] are all sorely afflicted with the itch. Weather variable and cool with a hard rain at night.

Friday, October 13th, 1865

To day I drove my horse and buggy out to Rick's Mill after some meal, and had to go the second time before I could succeed. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] and Mrs. Wrigley drove up town in the buggy and purchased a few articles. Weather clear and cool with a steady and strong wind blowing from the north.

Friday, September 8th, 1865

To day I drove out to Rick's mill after some meal. Mr. Haggard & I drove out to Dr. ? but not finding the Doctor at home we did not tarry long. Ned is still at work in the garden and sewed turnip & raddish seed. Weather changeable with occasional showers of rain, and a hard rain at night, making it a little cool.

Friday, July 28th, 1865

To day I drove out to Rick's mill after some meal, but did not succeed in getting any. Fanny & Jimmy are still sick, but slowly improving. My negro woman Louisa became refractory and I drove her off the premises, she having been freed by the President's proclamation, began to feel her oats too strong, and hence the rupture between us. The little woman is now doing her own house work. Weather changeable and hot. Ther: 94°.

Thursday, September 8th, 1864

To day the boys are still at work on the house to save peas in. I let Mr. Keen have ½ bushel of meal. After dinner I left home on my horse Rob in route for Huntsville and rode 25 miles and stopped with Mr. Brown for the night and for which I paid him 20$. Weather clear & hot. Ther: 90°.

Saturday, July 30th, 1864

To day Bill is at work planting irish potatoes. Mother [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] and Dr. Murchison left for their respective homes. Florence's [Florence Mahala Hall] arm is very much swollen and exceedingly painful. Mrs. Keen came over and fixed the little woman's [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] indigo. Berta [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] & Toby [Horace Oscar Hall] came up and spent the day. I let Mr. Keen have 1½ bushels of meal. Weather cloudy with occasional showers of rain. Ther: 90°.

Wednesday, July 13th, 1864

To day I am engaged with the boys in fitting up the King house in order to make it a little comfortable. We made one trip down to the mill & back with the little wagon. Mother [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] & Mrs. Leaverton came up and spent the day. Jimmy [James Wrigley Hall] has nearly recovered from his illness. Josephine [Josephine Martha Hall] is still sick. John & Bill were taken with fevers. Hicks ground 2 bushels of meal. Mother got 17 lbs of cotton. Weather variable & hot. Ther: 95°.

Wednesday, June 29th, 1864

To day the boys finished working in the bottom field. Nellie [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire], Father [Joshua James Hall] and Roberta [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] all drove to Crockett to attend an instrumental & vocal concert. Nellie drove my horse Rob & buggy. I sent Billy Stewart by Mr. Wingfield's wagon 2 bushels of meal, 1 bushel of corn and 50 lbs. of flour. Hicks attended the mill and ground 4 bushels of corn. Jimmy [James Wrigley Hall] is still quite sick. Weather clear & warm. Ther: 86°.

Thursday, June 9th, 1864

To day the boys are at work chopping out the corn in the new ground. Burt [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] is still with us. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] purchased from Mother [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] 50 lbs of lard which Bill brought up home with him. I attended the mill and ground 12 bushels of wheat. I let Father [Joshua James Hall] have 2 bushels of meal on account. Weather cloudy & warm. It rained nearly all day raising the creek very high. Ther: 83°.

Tuesday, June 7th, 1864

To day the boys are at work setting out potato slips. W.E. Wingfield & Thos. Stubblefield left for Crockett early after breakfast. I sent to Captain Waul the post quarter master at Crockett 120 lbs. of bacon by Mr. Wingfield, it being my tax in kind on bacon to be used for the benefit of the army of the Confederate States. Billy Stewart left for Crockett late in the evening. I let him have 2½ bushels of meal. Hicks ground 13½ bushels of corn. Weather cloudy and warm with a hard rain for at least one half of the day, raising the Elkhart creek very high. Ther: 80°.

Saturday, June 4th, 1864

To day the boys are still at work in the lower field. Nellie [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] is still down at Mother's [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts]. I worked in the garden. Hicks ground 9 bushels of corn. I let Father [Joshua James Hall] have 3 bushels of meal on account. Weather clear and very warm. Ther: 87°.

Tuesday, May 31st, 1864

To day the boys are at work in the lower field. Father [Joshua James Hall] came up to partake of a fine dish of turtle soup made from a large soft shell turtle which was caught in the mill wheel it was truly refreshing. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] and children are still absent on their visit down at Mother's [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts]. I worked in the garden. In the evening Bill set out potato slips. Hicks ground 11 bushels of corn. Weather cloudy & cool with a hard shower of rain. I let Father have 2 bushels of meal on account. Thus closes my notes of events that occurred around me for the Month of May.

Saturday, May 28th, 1864

To day the boys are at work hauling in and putting away the Barley & Wheat. I finished my lounge. Josephine is still improving and out of danger. Hicks ground 5½ bushels of corn and 3 bushels of wheat. Father got 2 bushels of meal on account. Weather cloudy and rainy.

Monday, May 23rd, 1864

To day the boys finished plowing the corn in the bottom field. Father [Joshua James Hall] sent up by Darby 14 hams, which weighed 192 lbs. for which I am to pay him in meal at the rate of one bushel of meal for five pounds of hams. I let him have 1½ bushels of meal on account. My daughter Josephine [Josephine Martha Hall] was taken very sick with Cholera Infantum. Mother [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] came up and remained all night. Capt. Peacock and servant also came and stopped for the night he is on his way to Liberty having completed his work at Parkers bluff. Hicks ground 6 bushels of corn. Weather clear and rather hot.

Monday, May 9th, 1864

To day the boys are at work in the lower field. I attended the mill and ground 14½ bushels of corn. Billy Stewart and Billy Cundiff came out from Crockett and stopped with me for the night. I delivered to Mr. Cundiff's wagon (which was driven by Mr. Lane) all of his Cundiff's flour amounting to 913 lbs of superfine 60 lbs shorts and 12 bushels of bran. I also let Billy Stewart have 2 bushels of meal. Weather cloudy & cool with occasional showers of rain.

Wednesday, April 13th, 1864

To day the boys are still at work on the levee. Hicks attending the mill and ground 6 bushels of wheat. Billy Stewart came out from Crockett with his wagon. I let him have 5 bushels of corn and 4 bushels of meal. I also paid him $111. on a draft drawn by Sam* Sharp [Samuel Houston Sharp]. Billy & I went fishing with fine success. Sylvester Hall came out with his wagon and camped near the house. he is bound for the wheat region after flour. Weather variable & warm with a light shower of rain in the evening.

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

Saturday, August 15th, 1863

To day the boys are at work hauling and stacking fodder. they hauled and stacked four stacks. Father [Joshua James Hall] with the road hands worked the road leading from Hall's bluff to the mills. Nellie [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] is very much troubled with a rising on her thumb. I ground 7 bushels of corn and loaned Mr. Bird one bushel of meal. weather changeable & hot. Ther: 91°.

Monday, July 13th, 1863

To day the boys are still at work on the mill levee. John left with the wagon and team for Corley's gin after a load of cotton. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] & Fawn [Florence Mahala Hall] are still sick. My son James [James Wrigley Hall] missed his fever and is improving. I ground 9 bushels of corn and swoped 1 bushel of meal for corn. Capt. Stubblefield came up and I went fishing with him. we had good success. weather cloudy and very gloomy. Ther: standing at 80°.

Wednesday, May 13th, 1863

To day the boys finished splitting rails and Bill commenced to put up the fence around the mill field. John went with the wagon to the black smith shop to carry my buggy wheels and then went to hauling rails. I drove my horse & buggy over to Mr. Keen's and carried Fawn [Florence Mahala Hall] with me. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] & Hicks took up the Mill stones and gave them a pretty good dressing. I ground 11½ bushels of meal. weather changeable & very warm with a light shower of rain.

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

Tuesday, January 27th, 1863

To day the boys are still at work on the garden fence and getting on rather slowly. Sam* Sharp still at work making the loom. I ground 39½ bushels of corn and sold four bushels of meal in exchange for tallow. I also contracted with Mr. Pennington for his hogs & loaned him 2 bushels of meal. weather clear & cold with a hard freeze & frost at night.

*This Sam is a 2nd great-grandpa to the Keeper of this family history blog. He is also the step-brother as well as the brother-in-law of JMH.