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.

Monday, June 12th, 1865

To day I am still at Booth's and in order to pass the time I went out squirrel hunting with Capt. Harrison. we had tolerable success. Weather cloudy and warm with a very hard rain at night. Ther: 80°.

Monday, June 5th, 1865

To day the trains on the T.&N.O.R.R. commenced making regular daily trips from Houston to Beaumont. I went out hunting with Capt. Hanson & succeeded in killing several squirrells. Weather clear & hot. Ther: 90°.

Thursday, June 1st, 1865

To day I rode up to Jose bayou in company with Capt. Harrison & John Booth on a fishing excursion but was rather unsuccessful. We however killed some fine squirrells. Capt. Cameron & Miss Adelia Wrigley were married at night. nothing yet from home. I am still at John Booths. At home the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] went down to Mothers [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] to spend what time she remained up the Country, and consequently quit keeping the opperations of the mill. As this is the first day of summer I shall give the state of the thermometer noting it each day at 3 o'clock P.M. Weather clear & hot. Ther: 90°.

Wednesday, May 31st, 1865

To day I am still at Booth's. Capt. Harrison and I rode down to gum lake fishing, but with very poor success. we killed some squirrels however. According to the account furnished me by the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp], The mill ground for the current month 316 bushels of corn and 49 bushels of wheat. Weather clear & hot. Thus I close my jottings of current events around me for the month of May.

Tuesday, May 30th, 1865

To day I am still at Booths. Capt. Harrison and I rode out squirrel hunting with tolerable success. The crowd left Booths on the cars for Houston giving us a little more room. Nothing from home [Houston County]. Weather clear & hot.

Monday, May 29th, 1865

To day I am still at Booth's. Capt. Harrison and I took a long hunt after squirrels. In fact I am now willing to hunt all the time in order to occupy my mind and keep it from dwelling all the time upon home. A large party of gentlemen came over on the cars from Beaumont and put up at Booths, entirely crowding us out. Be it remembered that the President of the United Sates (Andrew Johnson) issued his proclamation liberating and freeing all the negro slaves in the south. and by this high handed and unlawful act I am deprived of nearly all my property that I have been working for for the past 30 years nearly all the Capital that I had being invested in that species of property. Weather clear & hot.

Saturday, May 27th, 1865

To day I am still at Booths. Capt. Harrison and I went out squirrel hunting with pretty fair success. The excitement produced in the community by the lawless acts of the soldiers is now subsiding a little. Nothing as yet from home. Weather clear and very hot.

Wednesday, July 3rd, 1862

To day I look to myself in order to take a little more active exercise. In the morning I went out hunting and killed 2 squirrels. In the evening Frank Hitchcock and I went up the river in a bateaux as far as Rodger's place, where we purchased some eggs, and then returned. Bill & Mazaline commenced with my little wagon to haul lumber from the cars to the wharf, and in hauling the 4th load broke my wagon down. So it goes! and so passed my days amusement. weather changeable with a north wind blowing, but still very hot. Ther: at 97°.

Saturday, April 26th, 1862

To day Sam* Sharp and I went out hunting for squirrels and had very good success, having killed about 12. Charley Lund left for Hardin on a tour of war tax collecting. The boys are still engaged in working on my fence. weather clear & rather cool with a North wind blowing.

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

Wednesday, April 16th, 1862

To day Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] & I went out squirreling with some success. Boys at work on the fence. Charley finished working over the corn. The River is rising very fast. weather cloudy and warm with strong prospects of rain.

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