Saturday, August 25th, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse. Hicks and Ned are preparing the ground to sew turnip seed. I paid Ned two dollars on a/c. he was taken sick and lost nearly the entire day. Capt. John W. Redman is still with me. Dennis went to mill in the wagon. Weather cloudy and hot with occasional showers of rain. Ther: 81°.

Tuesday, July 31st, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse. Dr. C.L. Tarleton, wife and child [Annie Woodall McMulin nee Tarleton] came to my house to stop until he could make arrangements to keep house. Capt. John W. Redman also came to my house and put up with me, he having arrived on the cars from Sour Lake. I sent my wagon up town after their baggage. Weather variable and hot. Ther : 94°.thus closes my notes for July.

Saturday, July 7th, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse. Col. Wrigley arrived on the cars from Beaumont and left again on the cars for Houston. Hicks is at work making an axletree for the little wagon. Weather variable & hot with a shower of rain. Ther. 88°.

Friday, July 6th, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse. Hicks still hauling lumber from the flat boats. Col. Wrigley left on the train for Beaumont. The hands finished shingling in the wood shop. Florence [aka Pet aka Fawn aka Florence Mahala Hall] missed the fever. Weather variable and hot with showers of rain. Ther: 86°.

Wednesday, July 4th, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse. Hicks still hauling lumber from the flat boats. Florence [aka Pet aka Fawn aka Florence Mahala Hall] had fever all day, indeed the fever has not cooled off of her since she contracted it. Col. Wrigley and the hands are still at work on the wood shop. I rode up town on the wagon to attend a meeting of the City Council. Weather variable and hot. Ther : 90°.

Tuesday, July 3rd, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse. The steamer Royal Arch left for Galveston. Pet [Florence Mahala Hall] had another fever. Hicks still hauling lumber from the flat boats. Col. Wrigley and the hands are at work on the wagon shop. Weather variable and hot with a light rain in the evening. Ther : 86°

Monday, July 2nd, 1866

To day I am very busy at the Ware house unloading and loading the Royal Arch and several wagons. Roberta [Downes Halyard nee Hall] is much better. Jimmy [James Wrigley Hall] & Pet [Florence Mahala Hall] had another fever. Hicks is engaged hauling freight & lumber from the flat boats. Weather variable and cool with a hard rain. Ther : 80°.

Saturday, June 30th, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse. Roberta [Downes Halyard nee Hall], Jimmy [James Wrigley Hall], Fanny and Pet [Florence Mahala Hall] are all sick with fevers. Mr. Gordon, Mr. Angell and Grand Ma Gayle all left on the cars for Houston. Col. Wrigley with the hands commenced to build a shop for wagon work. Weather clear and warm. Ther : 82°. Thus I close my notes for the month of June.

Wednesday, June 20th, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse. Col. Wrigley and the hands are still at work on the shop. Steve's team run away and litterly smashed Col. Wrigley's wagon. Hicks had to run my wagon and team in place of Col. Wrigley's, hauling lumber from the cars. The Str. Royal Arch left for Galveston. Weather clear & hot. Ther : 88°.

Thursday, May 3rd, 1866

To day I am engaged at work at the warehouse. Jimmy [James Wrigley Hall] and Josephine [Martha Hall] recovering from the measles. Roberta [Downes Halyard nee Hall] & Florence [Mahala Hall] are about well. The Steamer Col. Stell came down the [Trinity] river with 300 bales of Cotton on board and reports the river falling. she proceeded on her voyage to Galveston. The Steamer Kate arrived from Galveston with some freight on board which we stored except one load, which Col. Wrigley attempted to haul to town, but his horses became frightened and run off with the wagon doing considerable damage to the wagon, breaking up the harness and damaging the load of flour. Capt. John W. Redmond is still with me. Weather variable and warm.

 

Tuesday, April 3rd, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse storing cotton. Two more flat boats came down the river, upon one of which commanded by W.H. Farish I had 28 bales of Cotton. I paid him 112$ gold freight on same. Dr. Brashears borrowed Col. Wrigley's wagon to haul the remains of his sister to West Liberty for interment. Bolivar Sublett came up and took dinner with [his cousin] the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp]. Weather cloudy & cool with a high wind blowing.

Saturday, March 3rd, 1866

To day I am at work at the warehouse, my Cough however is no better. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] still has sore eyes. Capt. John W. Redmond arrived on the Str. Indian and is now with me. Frank Stewart failed to get off in the stage and is still at my house. Roberta [Downes Halyard nee Hall] & the children are all sick with colds. I am preparing to visit Galveston for Medical aid. Hicks is at work hauling with the little wagon. Mrs. Massie is still here. Weather clear and pleasant.

Friday, February 9th, 1866

To day I worked a little at the Warehouse, and then drove up town, while there I paid Mr. Bristley every dollar I owed him, amounting to 26.50$ also all the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] owed him. Hicks & Albert are engaged getting wood. Mr. Holly repaired my wagon. Mrs. Beale* [Elizabeth Lemaire Beale nee Waring] paid me 10$ for Keeping her horse, since the 16th of December last to the present time she having sold said horse to Mr. Baldwin. Frank Stewart still very sick. My cough and cold no better. Weather cloudy cool and unpleasant.

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

Saturday, January 20th, 1866

To day I am at work at the Warehouse. John Cochran left on the cars for Houston. Col. Wrigley is still at work in the Convent well. Hicks & Albert are at work with the little wagon, hauling ground poles to store cotton upon. Frank [Stewart] & Burt [Roberta Downes Halyard nee Hall] are still sick. Pet [Florence Mahala Hall] had a chill and fever. Mrs. Waring [Harriett Waring nee Gill] was buried to day near the residence of Leon White [her cousin]. Weather variable and cold, with a severe norther blowing.

Saturday, January 13th, 1866

To day I am at work at the store house. The train from Beaumont brought over the lumber to build the Cotton shed, and in the evening the wagons hauled it down to the river. Frank Stewart and Roberta [Downes Halyard nee Hall] are both quite sick, do not improve any. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] drove up town after a few articles. Mrs. Lund came over and spent the evening with the little woman. I purchased two shoats, for which I paid 5$ specie. Weather changeable with drizzling rain.

Sunday, December 17th, 1865

All the forenoon I worked at the warehouse and the evening I spent at home. Mrs. Beale* [Elizabeth Lemaire Beale nee Waring] & family are still here, the wagon & servants that came down with her, left for their home in Montgomery County. Thus relieving me of 3 negroes & 6 mules to feed. Weather cloudy and cold.

*3rd great-grandma to the Keeper of this family history blog

Saturday, December 9th, 1865

To day I am still at work at the warehouse. Mrs. Perkins left for Houston on the cars and the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] sent by her $50 to purchase some articles. I drew from the warehouse 80$ in full payment for the wagon I heretofore sold to Jackson. Weather cloudy & cold with occasional showers of rain.

Monday, November 27th, 1865

To day I am still at work at the ware house. I assisted Col. Wrigley in putting up 6 Doz. brandy, which we shipped to D. Willis at Livingston, together with 38 sacks of salt. I sold my large road wagon to L. Jackson for 80$ specie and collected from him 4$ which I had heretofore loaned him. Weather variable and pleasant.

Thursday, November 16th, 1865

To day I am still at work in the warehouse. Riley Hefley arrived from my mills with 6 bales of cotton on his wagon. He reports all my relatives up the country [in Houston County] well. Hicks hauled 2 loads of corn to Col. Wrigley's crib. Frank Stewart and Roberta are still quite sick. Jimmy & Josephine have recovered. Weather cloudy & cool with a light shower of rain at night.

Monday, November 6th, 1865

To day my wagon and team driven by negro man Hicks arrived from the mills [in Houston County] with 5 bales of Cotton, my desk, and sundry other articles on board. The negro man John having run off and left it on the road and Hicks after turning out the oxen left, and I suppose my employment for good. The little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] drove up town in my buggy after some articles. Fannie is still sick. Col. Wrigley & I drove up town in Maggie's buggy after returning home, we all went over to Col. Wrigley's where the little woman, Mrs. Wrigley, Col. J. Wrigley and I all took a solemn vow, not to use any spirituous liquor as a beveridge for the space of one year. Weather clear and cold, with a hard frost at night.