Funerals Amid Threshing Of Oats
by George Holcomb • Transcribed by Betty McClave • Edited by Alex Brooks
Thursday December 12, 1844: Today I changed works with Nathan Sackett. I took my ox team and drew him two loads appletree wood and then he helped me get a load of hay into the barn from the stack. Today I took my pung and fetched a swine from the old widow Moreys to run with my swine a few days.
Friday: I threshed oats and Nathan Sackett helped towards paying me for fetching his family when he moved from Pittsfield on the 2nd Dec.
Saturday: This forenoon I threshed oats and this afternoon I took my two horse pleasure wagon and carried my two daughters and left them to stay tonight to Sylvester Gardners on a visit. Today Nathan Sackett threshed 3/4 of a day towards paying me for helping move from Pittsfield and on this evening I walked up to Mr. John Russels and paid him two dollars and 12½ cts which pays him up in full for a pasture I hired of him last summer and on the way home I called and paid Eliza Wylie 25 cts which is in full for tailoring.
Sunday: Today I took my two horse pleasure wagon and went to the funeral of the old widow Rose, the mother of Nathan and Sylvester Howard. The funeral was to the Baptist meeting house and Elder Mathew Jones preached and Belinda Pierce and Eliza Wylie rode up with me and I called up to Sylvester Gardners and got my two daughters and carried them to the funeral. The remains of Mr. Howard were taken up and buried with his wife. He had been dead nearly 50 years.
Monday: Today I took my pung and carried my wife to Elisha Broads on a visit and from there I went to Frederick Everett’s store and carried a cheese weight which was 18 pounds at five cents per and traded it. I bought one pound tea at 75 cts and one pound salaratus ten cents and the remaining five cts in ginger. I had bought here before and I returned a pair of shoes that were too small and got a larger pair for my wife and from Everett’s I called to David Harringtons but did not see him and I returned to Elisha Broad’s and took tea and my wife and returned home.
Tuesday: Today I took my cutter and carried my daughter Charlotte and Belinda Pierce to the funeral of Margaret Carpenter, the daughter of Jonathan Carpenter. The funeral was to the Chapel and Elder Spoor preached. On the way going my cutter broke and I borrowed Mr. James Adams’ cutter and I returned his cutter this evening and today I carried a bushel of buckwheat to Adams mill and got ground.
Wednesday: Today I threshed oats.