Politics, Sap And House Rent
by George Holcomb • Transcribed by Betty McClave • Edited by Alex Brooks
Thursday, March 20, 1845: Today Wm Bliss Maxon called to see the contents of a certain note that Mr. Reuben Chapman holds against Aaron B. Chapman. It was in my hands for safe keeping and Mr. John Russell called to have me read a letter from said Reuben Chapman to give him information concerning his note, when due and in what way.
Friday: We drew manure onto the hill and towards night I walked up to R. A. Brown’s store and to the post office to get information when we are to make out a ticket for town officers, and I called to H. Platt’s and got my Budget paper.
Saturday: This forenoon we got out manure onto the hill and this afternoon I rode with Jerry Vary as far as his house and then I walked up to Joel Lathum’s to a caucus meeting to advise means in what manner to nominate Democratic town officers. The choice was to each assessors district to meet and select six candidates to meet in number 24 in all to make out a ticket. Today we got home all of our stock from our Rodgers farm and an increase of three more calves.
Sunday: I gathered over a barrel of sap.
Monday: We chopped and split wood to the door and drew down over three barrels sap.
Tuesday: We chopped and split wood to the door and gathered two barrels sap and boiled sap.
Wednesday: This afternoon I walked over to H.W. Brown’s to a caucus meeting to help nominate a committee to put in town officers. Today the boys gathered two barrels of sap and boiled.
Thursday: Today Nathan Sackett moved out of my house to Benj. Goodrich’s, he owes me 5½ days works for back rent and for drawing a load of wood from C. Perry’s mountain.
Sunday: Today old Mr. Jonathan Gillet died.
Tuesday, April 1: Today I walked to town meeting to Joel Lathrum’s. The anti-rent ticket was elected.
Thursday: I put up rail fence on my Rodgers farm and when I got over there I found my house fastened up but no people there, but Mr. Russel Palmer told me that Aaron Merrils had moved into my house last Saturday. Said Merrils had bargained for my house and garden, time to be out the first day of April next in 1846 and he has agreed to pay twenty dollars cash and six days works in haying and board himself and I am to find shingle and nails and said Merrils is to repair said roof to the house he has hired.
Tuesday, April 15: We plowed our garden and today H. P. Wylie butchered a calf for us in the way of changing works and this afternoon I took our one horse wagon and carried the veal and sold it. I then returned home. I paid my last summer school bill to Sylvenas Maxon on yesterday morning, 50 cts.
Friday: Some rainy. We worked mending or stopping holes in our cheese room to stop out rats and mice and I plowed some corn hills and the boys set out fruit trees.