Saturday, September 3rd, 1864

To day the boys are still at work on the mill forebay floor. John & I took the little wagon and drove up to the King house and tore down the little smoke house and brought the lumber home to fix the floor of the forebay. Capt. Stubblefield and Mr. Reagan came up from Hall's bluff and went fishing in the mill pond but with rather poor success. Billy Stewart's wagon came out from Crockett and by it I received from him 43½ lbs. of Sugar. Fannie missed her fever. Weather clear & hot. Ther: 93°.

Thursday, February 26th, 1863

To day the boys are splitting and hauling rails. I went down to the old place & took down the little smoke house and thence down to Mother's [Mahala* Sharp Hall nee Roberts] for dinner. Frank Stewart killed two turkeys & sent one up by the wagon to the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp]. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] ground 12 bushels of corn. weather clear & rather cool.

*This Mahala is a 3rd great-grandma to the Keeper of this family history blog. Sam is her son, and is a 2nd great-grandpa. Mahala is the step-mother as well as mother-in-law to JMH. Sam is a step-brother as well as brother-in-law to JMH.

Wednesday, January 14th, 1863

To day the boys are still engaged in getting out and hauling the garden posts. I ground ten bushels of corn. I had the most of my pork hung up to smoke and upon a close examination I found the most of my hams and shoulders were spoilt so much so as to render them unfit for use. at night Hicks & Louisa with my little wagon & mules arrived from Liberty after being out on the trip for nine days from Liberty and in consequence of the horrid state of the road they hauled almost nothing the mules being badly cut up and very much jaded. weather cloudy and cool and at night there was a perfect storm. the wind hauling around to the north it became very cold with a snow & sleet for several inches deep being the first snow of the winter.

Tuesday, February 18th, 1862

To day the steamer Ruthven left for Galveston, with Capt. Bolling on board. Carrie & her boy left on the cars for Houston. I am all alone at the ware house & Store. Charley Lund preparing to leave for Hardin County. But little business doing. Mr. Patillo finished my smoke house which is quite a nice one. weather cloudy and drizzling with a very hard rain at night.

Wednesday, March 7th, 1860

To day I repaired the old smoke house for the purpose of making it a corn crib, and put a new roof on it. Mr. Tanner came home having bogged down this side of town for more oxen and after dinner, he started with 2 additional yoke of oxen and negro Albert to assist him. In the evening we worked in the garden. Weather warm but cloudy.