The Widow Perry’s Hay
by George Holcomb • Transcribed by Betty McClave • Edited by Alex Brooks
Monday, July 2, 1849: This morning I rode down with Geo P to the widow of Abner Perry’s and Geo P. bargained with her for the grass in her two meadows. He agreed to cut and stack said grass and then they are to choose two men to say how many tons and Geo P. agreed to pay two dollars and 75 cents per ton for three tons and three dollars per ton for the remainder and he is to have a privilege to take rails from the fence to fence the hay by returning the rails next spring where he took them from, and is to pay for the hay when he takes it away.
Wednesday: I and John F. hoed corn on the hill and got in two loads of hay and at night I took my two wheel carriage and fetched my wife home from Jerry Vary’s, Geo P. left her there on a visit this forenoon when he was going to the north part of the town to look for grass to try to buy.
Thursday: Today my two sons hilled corn and Abraham hoed too after he returned from Squ Ira Hand’s. Geo P. had bargained with said Hand for Abraham to work through haying at twenty two dollars per month, said Hand would not set him to work today for it was cloudy weather.
Friday: Abraham Haley returned to work for Squ Hand today and stayed. Today my two sons and Stephen Palmer hayed on the widow Perry’s land that Geo P. had bought grass.
Wednesday: I and my two sons and Stephen Palmer hayed on the widow Perry’s land.
Thursday: We hayed on the widow Perry’s land and finished, we put all her hay in one stack and yet to be judged how much there is of it, and the second day of the month will tell the conditions of the bargain.
Friday: We hayed to home. We mowed and got in the old orchard lot and then a light thunder shower, the first rain for some time and quite a dry time.
Monday: Geo P. and John F. cut out and topped up and fenced the stack of hay that Geo P. bought the grass of widow Perry and this morning James M. Glass judged the quantity of hay together with the help of Allen Spencer, they two gave it as their opinion that there was six tons of hay in the stack.