The Kids Go Back To School
by George Holcomb • Transcribed by Betty McClave • Edited by Alex Brooks
Friday, November 21, 1845: I called to my Rodgers Farm where I bargained with Aaron Merrils. He has agreed to hire my Rodgers house and garden on another year that is to commence the first of April next and to be out the first of April 1847 and to give the same price as he does for this year, that is 25 dollars, five dollars to be paid this winter in foddering my sheep and five dollars that is six days works in haying next summer, and the remaining fifteen dollars to be in cash for said rent, and I further bargained with said Merrils to fodder all my sheep four months and hundred or hundred and twenty for ten dollars, five dollars to be on the next year’s rent as is before mentioned and one cord wood, two dollars, and three barrels of cider, three dollars, that he has had two barrels and I do agree to deliver the third barrel tomorrow which will make out the ten dollars as is agreed.
Saturday: Geo P dug a spring back of the barn and dug or chopped out a spout for the spring and I went with my one horse wagon and carried 39 gal cider to Geo W. Glass on the contract to shoe my horses by the year at or for six dollars for the span.
Monday, December 1: Today we butchered our hogs, three of them, the average weight was three hundred, Mr. Russel Palmer helped us butcher, which pays us in part for a barrel of cider he had of me. Today my son John F. began to go to school to Charles Gay in the new school house that the school commenced two weeks past and I cut up the pork.
Tuesday: I and my son Geo P worked at fixing our Rodgers barn for the sheep and I fetched home eight bushels of ears of corn that Mr. Aaron Merrils husked and I gave him one bushel for husking nine. Today Sarah began to go to school.
Tuesday, Dec 9: We butchered our fat cow and Mr Russel Palmer helped us, which pays us up for the barrel of cider and this evening I took the cutter and carried my beef hide to Hancock to Pardie Lapum’s store and he credited me four cts per, 66½ pounds, and I called to Mr Mason the tanner and shoe maker and reckoned with him and found that he owed me one dol and 32 cts.