by George Holcomb • Transcribed by Betty McClave • Edited by Alex Brooks
Monday, April 2, 1821: This morning the wife of Capt. Abner Bull died of a very sudden. She was put to bed a few hours before. This evening Mr. John Russel and John Wylie and Francis Buten and myself carried the coffin up to said Bull’s for the deceased, and a very hard snow storm.
April 3, Tuesday: Dark and Wm and myself went to town meeting in the wood shod sleigh and my colts in it. We left our sleigh and horses under H. Platt’s shed, and walked to Wm Jones where the town meeting was. We called into Platt’s store and Wm bought some grog to drink, and so did Dark buy some too.
Wednesday, April 4: I went to the funeral of Capt. Abner Bull’s wife. I went to his house and I helped carry the corpse on a bier by hand to the Presbyterian Meeting House. Mr. Moses Hunter preached.
Monday, April 9: I called up from said sawmill with Isaac Newton to Henry Stanton’s to know for certain whether he meant to sell said Newton a piece of land for a building spot near the school house in Goodrich Hollow, according to a promise to me for ten dollars, but said Stanton fell from the bargain and was a great damage to said Newton, for he had a house framed ready to raise.
This afternoon said Newton went with me over to the James Rodgers farm and I entered into agreement with Spencer Carr about buying said J. Rodgers farm.
I agreed to trade as follows: he is to let me have 2/3 of 109 acres or (hereabouts for eight hundred dollars to be paid as follows: I agreed to pay one hundred dol the first of May in cash and two yoke of oxen at the —— of men and 4 cows at cash price and then give my notes five annually without interest, and I turn out a one-horse wagon and the half of said interest money what would be on said five notes in blacksmithing, and the remainder to be paid with the third note the third year from the first of May. I agree to pay up two years back rent on my share, and now we leave it for a division to meet on Thursday.
Thursday, April 12: I met old Edmond Carr and his son Spencer at said Rodgers farm for a division and Squ. Wm Douglass to survey it out, and the third man to divide it and (it was Edward Carr, Jr., not Edmon. I had Soloman Carpenter and the Carrs had Capt. Adam Brown. Now these men are to set up the widow’s thirds, but the day is very stormy with snow and windy, and we all quit and came home without doing any business, and agreed on Monday next.
Friday, April 13: I walked up to old Edmond Carr’s to see if we could agree to divide said Rodgers farm without indifferent men to price it for us. We agreed almost, but you will see the bargain finished on Monday next.