George Prepares A Lawsuit
by George Holcomb • Transcribed by Betty McClave • Edited by Alex Brooks
Friday, July 12, 1844: I walked over to Simeon Wylie’s to find out if he knew of any of Gillett Goodrich’s hands would testify that I gave my consent to have one of the sills cut into and only a part of the sill put under my Rodgers house. I received a line from said Goodrich that he was informed by his workman that I had given my consent to have the sill only a part put in. At nearly four o’clock I started on foot, I went to Newton Gould’s to pay him interest money. He was not home and I did not pay any. I then walked to Squ. James and took tea and then he gave me a summons of a trespass on the case against Simein Gillett Goodrich for the non performance of a job of repairing a house on my Rodgers farm in the spring of the year of 1840 in the month of April. The particular non-performance was for sawing a long sill into and only slip under a part of the sill after framing it the whole length of the house as he has agreed to do and I then went and left the summons with the constable, thomas, to have him serve it to be returnable on the 20th day of July at four o’clock pm at Squ. James. I then returned home as far as James Adams where my wife was and I stayed all night.
Saturday: On this morning I took breakfast at the before-mentioned James Adams and then I walked up to Randal A. Brown’s store and I paid him 13 cents for alum and I engaged him to assit me in the suit I have before Squ. James against Simeon Gillet Goodrich. I called to Howard’s post office and got my Budget and then I returned home. Today when up town I handed Mr. James R. Gardner one dollar to be put to use to defend the right of the anti men of this county to clear us from the bondage of the Van Rensselaers of paying them tribute or rent.
Monday: This morning I rode up what is called Goodrich Hollow to see Hull Goodrich to get information if I told Alonzo Rodgers to saw a sill into and only put under a part of it in front of my Rodgers house. Said H. Goodrich told me he did not hear me tell said Rodgers that he might saw the sill apart but recollects of hearing considerable said on the subject and on the way I called to Benj Goodrich’s and fetched his little girl on the way to school.