The Lecturer Is Caught In A Snowstorm
by George Holcomb • Transcribed by Betty McClave • Edited by Alex Brooks
Monday, December 14, 1846: This forenoon I took my one horse sleigh and carried another one horse sleigh that the shoe had broken or wore in two. I went to Hancock Village to Phineas Palmer’s shop and left it to be mended, and on the way going and coming home I called to several places to notify the meeting in the lecture room over the school room in our school district this evening, and this afternoon I took another horse and cutter or one horse sleigh and rode to Lebanon. On the way to Lebanon I called to notify the meeting in our school district this evening and on this evening I took my two horse sleigh and carried my wife and family and the Widow Eliza Wylie and daughter Mary and Mrs Buten to the meeting in our school district lecture room, but the Rev Mr. Hughes did not tend with us on account of a severe snow storm that drifted up the road, but Mr. Joshua B. Maxon lectured on temperance. I furnished the room with wood for fire and candles this evening.
Wednesday: Today I took my cutter and rode to Hancock to Phineas Palmer’s and got my cutter or one horse sleigh that he had mended the shoe. He charged one dollar. This evening Mr. Sylvester Gardner and his wife visited us, I gave fifty cts for the back house to the school house.
Saturday: Today I paid five dollars cash and my family thirty yards cotton sheeting to the peddler Hasket for a shawl that he asked ten dollars for, for Sarah, printed cashmere.
Sunday: I took my cutter and carried my wife to the Presbyterian meeting house to hear Mr. Northrop preach a funeral dissertation of the son of Wm L. Gardner, Wm Henry, who died to the west.
Monday: Today I took my cutter and carried my wife to Pittsfield to see brother F. Jay Wylie, for he is quite unwell with the rheumatism. We took dinner there and returned home this evening. On the way home we called to Carpenter’s on Hancock Mountain to warm and I paid six cts for a gin sling. We got home at eight this evening.