Trying To Get the School House Built
by George Holcomb • Transcribed by Betty McClave • Edited by Alex Brooks
Tuesday, March 4, 1845: This afternoon I walked to Lebanon and carried 13.5 pounds of lard to Gay’s Store at eight cents. I got one pound of tea at 1.87 cts and the remainder in coffee. Tonight a black man from Pittsfield stayed with us, his name is Peter Foster.
Wednesday: Today some stormy, I went onto the hill with the before-mentioned black man and we chopped four walnut trees and I drew the bodies down and I gave him one and a quarter of a tree for his new ax and helve and the remainder of the timber, three ¼ trees he agrees to make up into axe helves and give me one third.
Thursday: We gathered sap one barrel and chopped wood to the door, and on this evening a singing school at my house.
Friday: This afternoon I walked up town. I called on Russel D. Brown to see if he had a bill made out to build our school house, but his bill was too high and I called on Mr. Simmons and he agreed to come over and make out a bill. Today the boys gathered a barrel sap.
Saturday: We chopped wood to the door and some rainy, we boiled sap, and on this evening I walked over to Joshua B. Maxon’s and Sylvenas Carpenter’s to see them concerning building the school house.
Monday: Today we chopped and sawed a large black oak on the hill for saw logs and for fire wood and Nathan Sackett helped towards his rent. On this evening Mr. Joshua B. Maxon and Sylvenas Carpenter 2nd came to my house and said Carpenter drew an article concerning our school house in connection with an election room or meeting room and we three agreed to let the job to the man that would do it the cheapest. Today the funeral of Squ. Rodman Hazard who died on Thursday evening last.
Tuesday: Today quite a snow storm. I went to Zebulon Simmons to see him concerning builders for our school house.
Wednesday: I went to the saw mill twice with oak logs, and we got home three cows that had calves from my Rodgers farm.
Thursday: We boiled sap and gathered sap, three barrels.
Sunday: We went all the family to the Chapel to meeting but John F., we went in the two horse sleigh, Elder Spoor preached.
Monday: Today I went to Pittsfield with my cutter and carried nearly one hundred pounds of butter and sold nearly all of it for one dollar to the six pound. The amount of butter sold was fifteen dol and odd cents.
Tuesday: Today we chopped and drew wood from off the hill, we chopped a large black oak, Ezra Sackett helped on account of his brother Nathan to pay house rent.