Tuesday, January 2nd, 1866

To day I am at work at the store house. The boys are at work around the house. Hicks hauled one load of wood for Mrs. Beale* [Elizabeth Lemaire Beale nee Waring]. I made Hicks a present of 10$. Weather clear & cold, with a hard freeze and frost at night, being the coldest night of the winter so far.

Galveston Flakes Daily Bulletin

January 2, 1866

Galveston Flakes Daily Bulletin

January 2, 1866

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

Thursday, December 14th, 1865

To day I am still at work at the warehouse. I loaned negro Porter Steve two dollars and fifty cents to give a party with at his house. My whole family are afflicted with the itch. Frank is slowly improving. Weather variable and very cold, with ice plenty, being the coldest night of the winter so far.

Tuesday, September 26th, 1865

To day the boys are still at work getting ready for their up Country trip [to Houston County]. I repaired the back of the fire place in the little woman's [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] room and making it comfortable for the winter season. Weather cloudy and hot with occasional showers of rain.

Wednesday, December 1st, 1863

To day the boys commenced getting timber to build a stable. I sent John to drive the cows and calves down to the river bottom for a winter range. Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] ground 8 bushels of wheat. I ground 2 bushels of corn and worked upon and finished painting the second sign for Mr. Cox. Fawn's [Florence Mahala Hall] arm is still slowly improving. Weather clear and cold, with a hard frost at night.

Thursday, July 30th, 1863

To day the boys are still at work pulling fodder in the lower field. I assisted the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] in pealing peaches to day for winter's use thus "making hay while the sun shines." Sam [Samuel Houston Sharp] and Nellie [Mary Alexandrien Sharp nee Lemaire] drove my horse and buggy down to Mother's [Mahala Sharp Hall nee Roberts] and while there Sam paid over to Father [Joshua James Hall] the balance in money that he obtained from the sale of two bales of cotton to the Penitentiary after the 150 yds of cloth was deducted. Those two bales of cotton I loaned to Mother, and are to be by her paid back to me and delivered to me at the mills. they weighed 905 lbs gross. In consequence of the low stage of water in the pond I was unable to grind any corn. weather changeable and hot. Ther: 94°.

Wednesday, February 4th, 1863

To day the boys are hauling fire wood. Sam* [Samuel Houston Sharp] made a clothes horse. I ground 19 bushels of corn when the balance iron of the mill got out of fix preventing me from grinding any more for the present. weather cloudy with occasional hard showers of rain and as cold as the devil with a hard freeze at night, the ice forming full ½ inch thick in all the vessels that had water in them, making it a winter's night indeed.

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

Thursday, January 15th, 1863

To day Sam* Sharp and I with the boys are engaged in killing hogs. we killed six. In the evening the boys worked on the garden posts. weather cloudy and cold with a strong wind blowing from the north. at night there was a hard freeze, the ice forming from ¼ of an inch to an inch in all the vessels that had water standing in them. The ice cicles also hanging from the limbs of the trees and the eves of the houses to the length of about six inches, being decidedly the coldest night of the winter.

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

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.

Sunday, April 20th, 1862

To day I went up town, but returned to dinner and spent the rest of the day with my family. The wind continued to blow from the north making it cold with a hard frost at night, which would have done ample justice to the winter.

Sunday, March 2nd, 1862

To day I went up town in company with Dr. Stanwood but returned for dinner. In the evening I remained home with the little woman [Margaret Hall Stewart nee Sharp] and amused myself in reading. weather clear but very cold and at night there was a hard freeze. In fact it was the coldest night throughout the entire winter and would have done credit to an extreme northern latitude.

Saturday, February 15th, 1862

To day I am engaged in the ware house. The steamer Ruthven arrived from Galveston with but little freight. Capt. Bolling came up on her to see his family. But little business doing, weather cloudy, cold and sleeting. This being the coldest day that we have had during the winter.

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.

Thursday, October 10th, 1861

To day James Wrigley with the hands finished laying the ground work of my new house. Young Lovell a member of the Liberty Guards died and will be buried on the morrow with military honors. weather changeable with strong wind blowing from the North, making winter clothing very desirable.