Charlotte’s Court Is Postponed
by George Holcomb • Transcribed by Betty McClave • Edited by Alex Brooks
Monday, June 18, 1849: Today I took my one horse wagon and carried four of my meanest pigs to Pittsfield and sold them for one dollar apiece. I let Charlotte have one dol and seventy five cents to trade for she went with me to Pittsfield and on the way going I sold nine and a half pounds of butter on Pool Hill to the widow Holcomb at Lord’s old stand and got the cash at 14 cents per. While in Pittsfield I called to Squ Gold’s and took out two subpoenas for several persons to attend Charlotte’s suit to Lenox. Today I and Charlotte took tea to brother F. Jay Wylie’s. This forenoon Geo P. and James B. Chapman met to Sylvenas Carpenter’s to try to settle their difficulty but could not and agreed to arbitrate and they both agreed to leave it to Squ Strait and Eber Rollo how they should settle.
Wednesday: This morning Mr. Broadway came and bought a pig of me and agreed to pay two dollars. He paid one dollar and agreed to pay the other dollar in four weeks. Today my boys sheared the sheep, 99 of them. Towards night I took my two horse team and went to Lebanon, I carried Ludwick Babcock two pigs and he credits me for the same four dollars.
Thursday: I hoed out carrots and hoed corn a spell for J. M. Glass to pay him for swarming a hive of bees for us. Today Geo P. took the one horse wagon and rode to Williamstown to subpoena Mr. Emolene Bert for a witness to Lenox for Charlotte’s court. Said Bert was not there and Geo P. did not subpoena him.
Monday: Today Geo P. took the one horse wagon and went to Pittsfield and then his uncle F. Jay Wylie rode with him to Lenox to see Squ Bishop concerning Charlotte’s suit in law, and then returned to Pittsfield up to Pontoosic and subpoenaed Emelene Bert and paid him his fees what the law directs eight cents per mile to Lenox and one dollar which makes one dol and 75 cents.
Wednesday: Today Geo P. took the one horse wagon and rode to Lenox to see if Charlotte’s law suit is called on for the court is now in session, but Squ Gold told him it would not be called on until October, and then Geo P. rode up to Pontoosic and told Emeline Bert the suit was put up to October and subpoened him for that time.