Shingling The New Hog House
by George Holcomb • Transcribed by Betty McClave • Edited by Alex Brooks
Sunday, October 8, 1848: This morning Geo P. took the two wheel carriage and rode to Doctor Right and he came up to my wife for she is taken with a relapse of the disentery.
Monday: Today Doctor Right came again to my wife and she is better. This forenoon we pulled turnips, I trusted one bushel to Elisha Broad 25 lbs and half a bushel to the wives to two Kendalls and half a bushel to a woman that lives in the west part of the house opposite of Howard’s blacksmith shop, and sold eight bushel for cash and I gave John Hull half a bushel, which makes eleven bushel in all and I went most to the Shakers and overtook a Shaker and I told him to have their people come after their turnips on Friday that they engaged of my son Geo P.
Tuesday: This afternoon I took my one horse wagon and carried turnips to Hancock village. I left six bushels to Mr. Mason and he credits me one dol and 50 cts on account and I left six bushels to Mr. Bartlett and he is to make me six pair door hinges to my hog house and I am to find old wagon tire for the straps and I let Gustus Landon have one bushel and he is to pay me in his cabinet work. Geo P. boarded or sided up on hog house.
Wednesday: we sawed some shingle blocks and Mr. Benj. Butterfield made shingle for us, and I paid him the cash 63 cts. Geo P. rived some shingle today and towards night I took my one horse wagon and carried turnips uptown. Tonight brother Sylvester stayed with us and horse.
Thursday: today I and Geo P. sawed chestnut for shingle and Truman Merrils and H. Knapp rived and shaved shingles for us and they are to take their pay in turnips, four bushels each.
Friday, Oct. 13: Today John F. and I drew some stone with the horses and Geo P. laid up stone wall and Wm Jones laid up stone wall for us at one dollar per day. Today two Shakers from the North Family came with two double teams and got fifty bushels of turnips at 25 cts per bushel and paid the cash 12 dol 50 cts and they helped pull and cut part of them.
Saturday: Today Geo P. and said Wm Jones laid up wall and we paid him two dollars for his two days works and John and I drew stone this forenoon.
Monday: This forenoon I took my one horse wagon and carried ten bushels of turnips to Lebanon. I sold one and a half bushel for cash and Dr. Bates credited me 12 cts for half a bushel and Jarvis the tailor credited me 25 cts for one bushel and Howard the blacksmith had one bushel and agreed to pay in his work and the woman opposite said Howard’s shop paid me for half a bushel the other day and I trusted her for one bushel. I then let cousin Josiah Eggleston have two bushels which pays him for bottoming my wagon chair.
Friday: Today I laid one half the floor to our new hog house that is on the east side and half the alley and Geo P. nailed on siding on said building.