The Life Of George Holcomb – Negotiating With the “Poor Masters”

Thursday, July 12, 1827: On this day I rode to Dalton by way of Pittsfield and called on Doctor Right’s and I got a bundle of clothes that brother Wm’s wife’s sister left there.  That was Lucretia Barnhart a little deranged, and travels from place to place.  I called to Dalton today by a request of a letter from Miss Hannah Bassett for her mother, the widow Bassett, had died but a few days previous, and she wanted me to go to Lanesborough and see the poor masters about agreeing to take the widow Hannah Wheeler.  I called to Mr. Young’s but did not make any bargain, for he wanted to see the other poor masters, and then he would send me word what they could give a week for me to board the old lady.  I returned home through Hancock Village over the mountain by Potters, and it was nearly ten o’clock this evening when I returned home.
Saturday: I walked up to Doctor Allen Wos and got my son George Pease new shoes, and was charged 37 cts for the making.  I called to Wm Post’s to see if my said boy’s hat was done but it was not.  Today I took the single wagon and carried my wife and Mother Spring to Richmond to brother Jay Wylie’s on a visit.
Sunday: This afternoon my wife and I started for home and left Mother Spring with brother Jay a few days on a visit, we called at the Shakers to the foot of the mountain and they helped me nail on the skain of my wagon axeltree, and we stopped some time to rest our two children, for George Pease was quite unwell.  We called to Doctor Right’s and got two portions of calomel for him and then we called to Elem Tilden’s and paid 12 cts for two ounces of paregoric for our babe John Franklin.