George Returns From His Journey
by George Holcomb • Transcribed by Betty McClave • Edited by Alex Brooks
George is returning from a journey to Western New York to visit relatives
Thursday, September 16, 1847: We left Schenectady at one o’clock in the cars and got to Troy a little past two o’clock. I took our baggage up Congress Street to Wm Chapman’s, there I paid 25 cts for my wife and Sarah a cup tea and I paid 14 cts for bitters and beer. We called to Bacon’s and Gardner’s and got Boosums to make. My wife and Sarah stayed to Wm. Chapman’s in Troy until I walked out 2½ miles to Alba village and got our one horse wagon that I paid 75 cts for the keeping two days, that my two sons left there and went to Troy and took the cars to Saratoga Springs to the State Fair. I left Troy at nearly sunset with my wife and daughter and came to Sand Lake to Rufus Withees this evening and stayed tonight.
Friday: This morning my two sons came to Mr. Withees and took breakfast there with us. About ten o’clock we five of us started for home and got home at three this afternoon. I paid 14 cts for gates from Troy and found brother John Twitchel and wife to our house. They had been here two weeks and I found that Mr. John Hyll had laid wall for us eight and a half days and Geo P. paid him, which was eight dollars and fifty cts cash and Nathan Holcomb worked for us seven days and Geo P. paid him the cash which was 88 cts, 12½ cts per day, and I found by the count of Geo P. that Ezra Sackett had worked ten days towards his summer’s work while I was gone on my journey.
Saturday: On this morning I took my one horse wagon and carried my two sons and cousin Henry Holcomb to my Rodgers farm to work. Today I took my two horse lumber wagon and carried brother John Twichel and wife to Canaan Four Corners to take the railroad to go home to Ohio, and towards sunset I went with my two horse wagon over to brother Simeon Wylie’s and helped Geo P. get his turkeys that he bought of Simeon Wylie at 30 cts apiece, there were 33 turkeys of them.
Monday: Today John F. took the one horse wagon and carried his cousin Henry Holcomb to Berlin to the upper village to Dutch Church on his way to Hoosic and John sold half a bushel of plums today at 75 cts.
Wednesday: This forenoon we raked up and drew buckwheat and cut up corn and Geo P. mowed clover rowing and this afternoon I took my two wheel carriage and carried my wife and sister widow Eliza Wylie to brother Simeon Wylie’s to a wedding Mr. Berton Jolls was married to Miss Sarah Wylie by Elder Jones. This afternoon my boys cut up some corn and gathered apples for market.