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.

Sunday, February 26th, 1865

To day James Roberts left for the army. Father [Joshua James Hall], Mother [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] & Burt [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] came up and spent the day. The Elkhart is still very full. Weather variable and cold.

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

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.

Tuesday, January 31st, 1865

To day James Roberts left for camp. Mr. Cameron from Jasper County came to see Fanny. it appears that he has possession of Fanny's brother, and in my judgment is a very shabby fellow. The boys done nothing in consequence of the rain. It rained all day and all night. The weather was very cold. Thus I close my notes for the month of January.

Sunday, January 29th, 1865

To day the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp], children and I rode down to Mother's [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] and spent the day. we also rode down to see the soldiers on review. Weather variable and cold.

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

Tuesday, January 24th, 1865

To day the boys are at work hauling fire wood. James C. Roberts & Lieut. Barlow came up from the camp and spent the day with us. Hicks ground 5 bushels of wheat. Charley Hall spent the day with us. Weather clear and cold with a hard frost and freeze at night.

Saturday, January 21st, 1865

To day the boys are at work hauling fire wood. Hicks ground 20 bushels of corn and 5 bushels of wheat. The guard is still at the mill. At night three soldiers stopped with me. We all returned from Hall's bluff about noon. Weather cloudy & cold with a hard freeze at night.

Friday, January 20th, 1865

To day the boys are at work in the lower field. James Collins left for Crockett. The guard is still at the mill. Hicks ground 12 bushels of wheat. at night I rode down to Hall's bluff in my buggy to attend a ball given by Capt. Stubblefield. I danced one Cotillion for which I paid 10$. this closed my dancing. Weather cloudy and cold with a hard frost at night.

Thursday, January 19th, 1865

To day the boys are still at work in the lower field. The guard is still at the mill. Dr. Murchison & R. Pennington spent the day with me. James Collins came out from Crockett & stopped with me for the night. Hicks ground 12 bushels of wheat. Weather cloudy and cool.

Wednesday, January 18th, 1865

To day the boys are at work in the lower field. The guard are still at the mill. Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] is still down at Mother's [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts]. Hicks ground 10 bushels of wheat. Weather variable and cool.

*This Nellie is a 2nd great-grandma to the Keeper of this family history blog. Mahala is her mother-in-law.

Tuesday, January 17th, 1865

To day the boys are at work in the lower field. The guard are still in the mill. Hicks ground 8 bushels of wheat and 12 bushels of corn. Weather clear and cold with a hard frost at night.

Monday, January 16th, 1865

To day the boys are at work in the lower field. Sam* Sharp left on Riley in route for Liberty. Jimmy Collins came out and spent the day. Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] is still down at Mothers [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts], that is she left for Mother's after Sam left for Liberty. Hicks ground 12 bushels of wheat. Col. Waller sent a guard to the mill who now have it in possession. The names of the guard are as follows: John Burrows & I.P. Baugh. Weather clear & cold with a hard frost at night.

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

Sunday, January 15th, 1865

 
To day Samuel* H. Sharp & I tracked the flour that had been stolen from the mill last night into Company K of the 5th Regt. of Texas Cavalry. I made complaint to Col. Waller but got very poor comfort in fact it amounted almost to an insult thus a citizen must ??? in a lawless armed rabble called soldiers his property stolen and him insulted for presuming to ? about it. Weather cloudy & cold with showers of rain ???

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

Saturday, January 7th, 1865

To day the boys are at work in the bottom chopping fire wood. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] & I are engaged trying to ferret out the persons who broke into & robbed the mill last night but without any success. Hicks ground 21 bushels of corn and 3 bushels of wheat. At night four soldiers made another attack upon the mill to rob it again but we detected them in the act not being successful at the mill they rode over to Mr. Leaverton's and robbed Mr. Mitchell's negro man of a sack weighing about 160 lbs so much for the soldiers of the Confederacy. Weather changeable and rather cool.

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

Friday, January 6th, 1865

To day the boys are at work in the bottom field. Hicks ground 13 bushels of wheat. I am engaged in making ? harness for Mother [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts]. At night the mill was broken open and two sacks of flour stolen out by the soldiers belonging to Hardeman's brigade. The two sacks weighed about 150 lbs. Weather cloudy & rather cool.

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

Wednesday, January 4th, 1865

To day the boys are at work in the little field. Billy Stewart left for Crockett. The mill is engaged grinding for the Government and ground 10 bushels of wheat. Weather changeable & warm with a light shower of rain.

Wednesday, March 9th, 1864

To day I took Father's [Joshua James Hall] and my own hands and opened a new road to his residence from the mill, the rain having rendered the old road impassable. Hicks ground 1½ bushels of corn. After dinner Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] left to join his Company which is now stationed for a short time in Crockett. Father went to Crockett with him. Mother [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] & Roberta [Berta Downes Halyard nee Hall] left for home. Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] rode down with them, but did not remain long. Weather cloudy & warm with occasional showers of rain.

*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. She is also the step-mother as well as the mother-in-law of JMH.

Thursday, February 4th, 1864

To day I drove my horse Rob and buggy to Crockett in order to carry Mrs. Beale* [Elizabeth Lemaire Beale nee Waring] that far on her way home. She left Crockett in company with Dr. Stanwood in route for Liberty where she resides. Hicks is at work on the mill irons. Bill commenced plowing in the bottom field. Having become perfectly disgusted with the military rule that is now prevailing in Crockett I left for home and reached there late in the evening. Weather clear and cold with a frost and freeze at night.

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

Saturday, January 16th, 1864

To day I am still in Crockett and Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] is still in confinement and as I said in yesterday's notes on no charge but mere suspicion that he is liable to conscription. 

The reign of Military despotism is now complete, and a man not in the army dares not say that his life is his own or that he owns one dollar's worth of property. 

I left Crockett late in the evening after having failed to obtain Sam's release. upon my arrival at home I found as I had previously expected that Nellie* [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] had miscarried. this catastrophy was hastened by the cruel and brutal arrest of her husband. 

If the agents of the Government think this is the proper way to make good soldiers for its armies by dragging husbands from wives who are almost at the point of death, I must humbly beg leave to differ with them. 

Dr. Murchison and Mother [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] were in attendance upon Nellie. At night Sam came home to see his wife having been released upon his parole to return on Monday next. Dr. Murchison & Mother remained all night. Weather changeable & cold with a hard frost at night.

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

Monday, July 6th, 1863

To day my own hands are at work on the mill levee having no assistance whatever. John is engaged in hunting up his team. I drove my horse (Rob) and buggy to Crockett and back. while there I procured a Surgeon's certificate and was discharged from the Militia as far as the Surgeon could do so. Fawn [Florence Mahala Hall] again missed her fever and is recovering slowly. Jim [James Wrigley Hall] is well. Father [Joshua James Hall] & Toby [Horace Oscar Hall] came up and took Roberta [Hall] home, she has been staying here for the past few days. weather clear & very hot. Ther: standing at 96°.