Bargaining For A New Lumber Wagon
by George Holcomb • Transcribed by Betty McClave • Edited by Alex Brooks
Monday, September 22, 1845: Today I took the one horse wagon and carried nine bushels of apples uptown to the factorys and sold them at 25 cents per bushel.
Wednesday: We gathered apples and made cider. Mr. Isaac Walker from Canaan came and got 4½ barrels of cider as is before agreed to pay him for ironing a set of two horse wheels, and today cousin Josiah Egleston came and hooped barrels this afternoon but did not finish and stayed tonight. My two sons went to Lebanon and went into the Circus and paid twenty five cts each.
Thursday: On this forenoon cousin Josiah Egleston finished hooping my cider barrels and other casks, he charged four cts per hoop and I paid him one barrel cider, one dollar and four bushels apples fifty cts and I gave him a keg of cider of eight gallons. Today I went to Hancock with my one horse wagon and sold Cadwell the factory man four bushels fall greening for one dollar cash and trusted two bushels apples to the blacksmith. I sold Westalo Rodgers one bushel of apples at 25 cts and charged the same to him and bargained with him to paint me a new two horse lumber wagon for three dollars to be paid in cider and apples.
Friday: Today I and my son Geo P rode up to Hancock and looked at a number of flocks of sheep for we talked of buying up sheep.
Saturday: On this morning Mr. Caleb Eldridge from Hancock came and bargained for a young cow. He agreed to have me pick out twelve sheep out of 28 old ones and ten lambs, which makes 38 sheep that I am to have my choice out of to get my pay for the cow, and he took the cow home this morning.
I bargained with Nelson Merry to make me a horse lumber wagon for eight dollars and I am to find a stick for the pole and he agrees to take four barrels of cider at one dol and fifty cts per and the remaining two dollars in fall greenings apples at 40 cts per.
I called to Mr Squires machine shop and furnace and I bargained with him to fit or turn a set of two horse two inch axletrees and fit and finish them for four dollars to take his pay in fall greenings at 49 cts per
Monday: Today I went to Pittsfield with single wagon and carried fifteen bushels of apples. I sold them at forty cts mostly.