Raising Money For A Bell
by George Holcomb • Transcribed by Betty McClave • Edited by Alex Brooks
Wednesday, February 10, 1847: This morning I rode to Pittsfield with Simeon Wylie Jnr on a wood shod pung. This afternoon and evening I tended the Universalist conference meeting in the Young Men’s Hall, the Rev. C.H. Gardner of Duanesburgh of NY and in the evening J. M. Spear of Boston. I contributed 12½ cts to help defray the expense of the room. I paid in Mr. Jorden’s grocery 12½ cents for a dish of hot oysters. Tonight I took lodging to brother F. Jay Wylie’s and on this evening my daughter Charlotte and her cousin Cornelia Wylie went to meeting with me.
Thursday: This forenoon while I remained in Pittsfield I spent the time to the dwelling of Rev. E.C. Hughes, where the ministers and lay brethren were devising means to establish circuit preaching. This afternoon I walked home, only I rode with James Chapman from the mountain. On the way I called to Prentice Johnson’s and paid ten cents for 40 lobelia pills and took dinner. This evening after I returned home from Pittsfield I commenced circulating a subscription paper to buy a bell for the lecture room and school house in our district. I called to Mr. Sylvenas Carpenter’s the 2nd and Philander Carpenter’s and Joshua B. Maxon’s and got subscriptions. I first subscribed, which was five dollars.
Friday: Today I continued all day travelling and getting subscriptions for a bell as is before mentioned. I took breakfast to the widow Lucy Carpenter and I took dinner up Goodrich Hollow to Joel Goodrich’s and took supper at James Chapman’s on the Douglas farm.
Saturday: This forenoon I was out getting subscribers for the bell, I was called in at the residence of the old widow Booge’s, or she was the widow Aaron Jorden Booge, she had but just died, and assistance was there two hours and then I returned home.
Sunday: today I took my one horse sleigh and carried my wife and daughter Sarah to the new Baptist Church to meeting, elder Maxon from Berlin preached.
Monday: I carried my wife and daughter Sarah to the funeral of the old widow Booge at her residence. This evening I went getting subscribers for the bell.
Today Miss Sarah Thomas commenced to teach our school for our trustees dismissed Mr. Doolittle last week Wednesday.
Tuesday: This evening I walked up to Mr. Judevine’s and got our bag of Boosums he got in Troy for my wife to make for Bacon.