The Trip Back From Western New York
by George Holcomb • Transcribed by Betty McClave • Edited by Alex Brooks
Wednesday, October 9, 1844: This morning Andrew Camel took his two horse team and carried brother Simeon and wife and I and my wife to Utica. There we met Sarah Goodrich and we all took the packet boat and I paid the fare for all, which was five dollars to Schenectady and we had our board, the name of the packet Montgomery and Capt. Dykemence, we went on the packet at half past nine this morning and got to Schenectady at three o’clock the next morning, one hundred and 70 passengers.
Thursday: This morning at three o’clock we got to Schenectady and we left the packet at six o’clock and went into a grocery by the name of Barkycet and I paid three cents for a glass of wine for my wife and I bought two glasses strong beer, and at half past nine o’clock we all went on to the Cars and took passage to Troy and brother Simeon Wylie paid all five of us our fares, which was fifty cents apiece. We were 42 minutes going to Troy 16 miles and then we went up Congress St to Wm Champans grocery and I paid him 12 cts for my wife a dinner and I paid him three cts for self a drink gin and then I hired my wife a passage to Sand Lake and paid 12 cts and I walked. We went to the widow Withee and took tea and my wife stayed and I walked home by nine this evening, and brother Simeon Wylie and wife and Sarah Goodrich remained in Troy tonight.
Friday: today I took my one horse wagon and my oldest daughter Charlotte. We went to Chauncy Rows and took dinner and then we went on through two gates and I paid ten cents and we called to a store and Charlotte sold a pair of socks, and then we went on to Rufus Withees where I left my wife yesterday and we stayed tonight.
Saturday: this morning I paid said Rufus Withee twenty dollars and had it endorsed on a note of one hundred and fifty dollars and this forenoon I took my wife and started for home and left Charlotte on a visit. We came on to Chauncy Rows and took dinner and then we came on to Abner Bull’s and called , for he was fetched home dead. He died yesterday on side of his wagon coming out of Troy. We came on home and got home at sundown. I paid ten cts gateage
Sunday: I took my single wagon and carried my wife and Eliza Wylie to the funeral of Abner Bull at the Presbyterian Meeting House, elder Nathan Sweet preached. (He was 70 years old)