by Alex Brooks
Holcomb turns thirty in the summer of 1821. He is very busy and works almost all of the time. He exists in a complicated web of work-trading, in which people are constantly working for each other and keeping track of the value so that it can be repaid with either goods or work given in return. Holcomb seems to be very conscientious about keeping track of what he owes and even more so about keeping track of what is owed to him. This seems to be one of the major motivations for continuing to keep the journal from which this narrative is drawn. He always notes when someone worked for him and when he worked for someone else and what the bargain was between himself and his trading partner.
In late November of that year, though, something went wrong with one of these arrangements, and he got into a terrible fight with one Joshua Crocker.
Wednesday, November 28, 1821: I called to Joshua Crockers to have him come and shoemake for us according to bargain, but he would not and raged and ordered me outdoors. I went, but I did not go swift enough, and he took a chair and drove me out. I stopped when I got onto the step stone. I told him I would carry him to jail and when his thirty days were out I would buy another debt against him, and keep him in jail six months if he would not pay me. He then drove out the door after me and turned round for home. He over halted me near the northeast corner of the house and knocked, pushed or pulled me onto the ground, and then repeated blows on my head and took me by the throat and threatened he would bruise me without I would give in the rent. I held against him, we squabbled, and I got out of his paws and then he came at me again and struck at me a number of times and hit me a blow once in a while, and he held to my great coat and would not let me come home. At last he stopped and I came home, but my head was swolled and ached and I ointed it with vinigar. Now I can solomly declare I did not raise my hand to touch him no way only to defend off his blows.
Nov 29, Thursday: Today I took the double sleigh and went to Squ Sylvester Howard and took out a peace warrant in behalf of the people against said Joshua Crocker, and paid 25 cents. I carried it to Simeon Kittle and he is to serve the writ today.