John F.’s Scarecrows Don’t Work
by George Holcomb • Transcribed by Betty McClave • Edited by Alex Brooks
Monday, May 15, 1848: This morning at one o’clock I took my one horse wagon and Charlotte with me, we went to Troy. We called at the village factories in Alba and bated at Cole’s Tavern, I paid 15 cts for tea and beer, we got to Troy at eight o’clock this morning. We did not carry anything to sell, we called to a number of boosum shops but did not get any boosums but to Bacon’s. We came out of Troy at one o’clock this afternoon and bated to Worden’s in Sand Lake. We got home at nine o’clock this evening.
Wednesday: Today Stephen Bull died. He had cut his throat on the seventh day of the month. Said Bull was deranged and came to his death by starving himself.
Friday: Today I planted corn. Today Henry Camel from New Hartford came here, he is the son of my sister Miriam (Campbell)
Saturday: I this morning took my two wheel carriage and carried my wife and the wife of brother Wm. that is Juliette to cousin Hiram Newton’s on a visit and I returned to my Rodgers farm and furrowed corn ground. John F. drew a load manure from home and manured in the hill for corn, Henry Campbell helped John F. draw out manure. I fetched my wife and Juliette home.
Monday: We drew chestnut timber from the woods for shingle.
Wednesay: We this forenoon planted corn and finished on my Rodgers farm. John F. put up scarecrows on the corn this afternoon.
Saturday: Today John F. took the two wheel carriage and Henry Campbell with him and went to Pittsfield and called to Nelson Tracy’s shop and had three shoes set and a nut put on the carriage. This forenoon I rode over on to my Rodgers farm with a Canaan Shaker to look at Geo P. oxen.
Tuesday: This forenoon Abraham helped me chop chestnut shingle on the hill.
Sunday: On this morning before sunrise I put up images in my cornfield where the crows were badly pulling my corn on my Rodgers farm.
Monday: I hoed corn and John F. weeded carrots. Today Geo P. and Sarah went to Troy. They carried Henry Campbell, he was on his way home from here on a visit.
Tuesday: I worked on the highway with ox team and plow and John F with me and Geo P. worked his tax.
Wednesay: I worked on the highway and John F. with me with team and plow, which makes eight days of my tax worked.