Monday, June 26th, 1865

To day I am at work getting things arranged in the house and putting the furniture up assisted by Frank Stewart & Billy Roberts and after partially arranging the house I moved my family over from Col. Wrigley's and can now say that we are once more at home. Weather clear & hot. Ther: 90°.

Thursday, May 18th, 1865

To day I left Galveston on the steamer Ruthven and had a pleasant trip across the bay & up the river. we arrived at Liberty late in the evening. I found my house in a wretched, dirty and filthy condition, more like a pig pen than a gentleman's residence. Weather cloudy and warm.

Sunday, January 11th, 1863

To day in the forenoon I remained at home writing up this journal also writing some letters. In the afternoon Sam* Sharp and I rode down in the bottom to select a good ford and to select a site upon which to erect a house and make some permanent improvements from thence we rode down to Fathers [i.e., Joshua James Hall] and back home. weather clear & pleasant. Bill with the mule & cart returned from across the river all safe but did not succeed in getting his things for which he went.

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

Thursday, November 20th, 1862

To day I went up town and thence down to the office at the river there I settled in full with Mr. Patillo for the work he done on my house. Mrs. Raschall & Mrs. Bitterman called on me for the purpose of getting me to intercede with Col. Gillespie to procure the discharge of Mr. Bitterman from the service. this I done of course for the accommadation [sic] of the ladies, but I can't say with what success. weather clear & cool.

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°.

Wednesday, July 15th, 1862

To day I am busily engaged with the boys and little wagon in moving my furniture back home from the river. I have put them all back in the position it all occupied before my little woman left for the up Country [i.e., Houston County]. Charley & Sleepy are busy pulling fodder. In the evening I went to the office. weather changeable, with occasionally light showers of rain throughout the day. Ther: 84°.

Thursday, June 19th, 1862

To day I am busy in the office & finished the war tax rolls for Hardin County. Frank Hitchcock & family moved into my house, and I moved my things to the back room of the store and there took up my headquarters. Boys busy hauling furniture for Hitchcock. weather clear & hot. Ther: 94°.

Monday, June 2nd, 1862

To day I am busy in my office. D. Richardson & daughter, Sophy, returned from Smith's point and brought my horse Hawk home. they put up at my house. Capt. James Wrigley with his company left on the cars for Camp Waul in Washington County. D. Richardson & daughter also left on the cars. weather clear & pleasant. Ther. 88°.

Wednesday, May 28th, 1862

To day D. Richardson came over on the cars from Houston to see me & stopped at my house during his stay in Liberty. I am busy enrolling those liable as conscripts for the army. I put the boys to hauling corn from Swilley landing. weather clear & warm. the little woman still improving.

Tuesday, March 18th, 1862

To day the celebrated mule Kate left for the up country [Houston County]. I went up town [Liberty] and gave in a list of my taxable property to the assessor. In the evening I went to the store. The boys are now digging me a well at the home place. weather changeable & warm with occasional showers of rain.

Thursday, March 6th, 1862

To day the steamer Ruthven arrived from Galveston bringing but little freight. Business very dull. The boys at work on the house fence. Lieut. W.G. Williams arrived home direct from the army in Virginia on a recruiting tour. he also brought the sad intelligence of the death of John Wrigley. weather clear and cold with a frost and freeze at night.

Tuesday, March 4th, 1862

To day I am at the store with but little business doing. The boys are at work on the fence around my house. The steamer has not arrived as yet. weather clear & cold with a frost at night.

Monday, March 3rd, 1862

To day was very dull in the way of business. The boys are at work on the fence. The steamer Ruthven made a failure in her trip. At night I was compelled to turn out on patrol service. weather clear & very cold with strong North wind blowing.

Thursday, February 27th, 1862

To day the steamer Ruthven arrived from Galveston with some little freight. I am engaged in the ware house storing it away. I sent Charley to the mill & processed 7 Bushels of meal for the Liberty Guards. The other boys commenced to work on the fence to enclose my house. weather clear & warm.

Monday, February 24th, 1862

To day the steamer Ruthven arrived from Galveston with some little freight. I am engaged in the ware house. In the evening I remained home and put down a carpet in the large room and then moved in every thing looking very comfortable & pleasant. weather clear and pleasant.

Thursday, February 13th, 1862

To day I am engaged at the ware house. In the evening I remained at home and tacked down carpets on the two rooms completed in the house. weather cloudy and showery with strong North wind blowing and very cold.

Monday, February 10th, 1862

To day I am busily engaged at the ware house in storing and attending to freight. In the evening I am engaged in painting on the house. The Steamer Ruthven left for Galveston with Capt. James Wrigley on board. weather clear cold & frost at night.

Friday, February 7th, 1862

To day I am busy in the ware house. In the evening I finished papering the S.E. room of my house. Capt. James Wrigley assisting me in putting on the border. this completes very comfortably two rooms in which the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] & myself took quarters, after properly arranging the furniture and other chairs around. weather cloudy cold & rainy throughout the day.

Thursday, February 6th, 1862

To day I am engaged in papering the S.E. room of my new house. But little business doing. weather clear and warm.

Tuesday, February 4th, 1862

To day I am engaged in papering the S.E. room of my new house. Boys at work on the house. Business very dull. weather cloudy rainy & rather cold.