by Alex Brooks
Tuesday, July 1, 1828: Today I paid sister Eleanor the interest on the note that Wm and I gave her, which was six dol and two cts, and then we gave her separate notes of eighty six dollars, and I gave Mother Holcomb five dollars to pay her expenses to the westward. I sent and got the horse and sixteen dollars of the widow Mary Clark as is mentioned yesterday, and today started for Troy to carry Mother and sister Eleanor to take the canal to go to the westward.
Wednesday: This morning we went from Mr. Withee’s into Troy and I found a canal boat that was going out immediately. I got them onto the boat for a dollar apiece to Utica and they started about eleven this forenoon.
Friday, July 4: Today I went to Independence to Dalton with a single wagon peddling cake and beer and cider. I cleared about seven dollars and 50 cts.
Sunday: Towards night I took the single wagon and carried Mary Tanner’s band box of clothes to Amos Broad’s as she directed when she left working at our house. My wife went with me to ride for her health today. A traveler stopped to my house by the name of Wm Jones and he stayed in order to work tomorrow. He is a stranger, out of money and poorly clothed.
Sunday, July 13: Today I took the single wagon and carried my wife to Doctor Right and we got some medicine to put into wine for her and then we came up to the pool. I borrowed a bottle to Mr. Haskett’s and my wife borrowed a mantle. It was some showry. I went on pool hill to Mr. Bailey’s store and paid 1/11 pence for one pint of wine to mix the medicine and I paid three cents for a card of cookies for my wife to eat, on the way home. Today we put up some of our hay in to tumbles and it is rainy.
The following week they spend Friday the same way again, going to the Doctor for George’ wife, then giving her wine with medicine in it, and cookies. She apparently gets better after that, as we hear no more of her illness.
All through July George cuts a lot of hay, and his narrative describes all of the ways he got people to help him mow, and what his deal was with each person.