George Holcomb

Sunday, December 2, 1827: Today brother Wm took my sorrel mare and the single wagon and went to Hoosic.
Monday: This morning Doctor Right and Doctor Graves both met to my house and consulted together about doctoring my child, and Right left it in the hands of Graves.  The child is easier than it was last night.  They do agree to continue puking and phisicing said child, to release the lungs, and this forenoon I walked over to Rensselaer Joles and borrowed a pipe to give injections.  I tended to chores and made a pair of boar posts and cut wood.  At night I went up to Mr. Chapman’s and got their hired girl to come and watch.  Her name is Permelia Casey.
Tuesday: This morning said Doctor Graves called to my child. He says the complaint is removed.
Wednesday: Wm and I finished our barn yards, and tonight Aseneth Newton watched with my child.  Today Doctor Graves called and said we must brace up the child and he should stop giving medicine.
Thursday: Today said Doctor Graves came and concluded to stop coming and we to brace up the child.
Friday: today my child is a little better, his appetite is very craving, and tonight Alma Russel and Charlotte Pierce watched my child and continues getting better.
Sunday: My child continues to be getting better and he went to bed with me tonight.  I got up with the child.
Monday: My child quite worrisome but gaining a little.
Young Geo P. apparently continued to improve, for this is the last we hear of this illness.
I took the single wagon and carried my two daughters and brother Wm’s daughter to school to the school house near the Presbyterian meeting house.  Mr. George Glass teaches the school.  I send there from our own district on account of our trustees being willful and hiring a teacher that the voice of the district was not in favor of.  Said trustees names were Solomon Carpenter and Joshua B. Maxon, and their teacher’s name’s Benj Mattison.
Today Mr. Haskett moves his goods and clothing and all his concerns from my house.  I charge him with half a bushel potatoes.

Tuesday, November 27, 1827: This morning I carried my children to school, and I cleaned the barn floor and Samuel began to thresh oats.  Tonight Garret Hires had my bay mare to go after the doctor for his wife.
Wednesday: I carried my children to school and I sorted some corn in the crib and we made barnyard fences.  Tonight my son is more unwell and stopped to in the stomach and I was broke of my rest.
Thursday: Today I carried and fetched my children to school.  Today some snow and rain.  I mended our horse sled and I borrowed a vial of oil of Castor, for my child continued stopped at the stomach.  We gave the medicine, or part of it, to said child.
Friday: Today quite rainy.  We took off a cider cheese and we helped brother Wm some about making cider, and I went over to brother I Newton’s and he went with me up into Elder Mathew Jones’ lot and we got slippery elm bark for to make drink for my child.  I returned home and found my child more distressed for breathing and we was more alarmed.  I was getting ready to go for Doctor Graves and Doctor Tanner was passing.  I called him in to see the child and he told us the child had the rattles and it was his opinion that it was past cure.  He left a little blister plaster to apply if Doctor Graves failed.  This evening I had brother Wm go after Doctor Graves and he came and stayed all night.
Saturday, December 1: This morning our child was not any better.  I sent brother Wm after Doctor Right for council for Doctor Graves, for my child continues to be more sick, but said Right was not to home and he returned and I went after him about ten this morning, but he had come home and gone again, and I returned home and about two this afternoon I went again after Right and found him to home, and he found my child very sick, but not of the rattles as Tanner said.  He powerfully operated on the child, a puking and phisicing and releaved him shortly of the distress and said the complaint was on the lungs.  Tonight sister Eleanor and Aseneth Newton watched.
Sunday: This morning before day, Right and Graves both came to doctor said child, but child complaint in the stomach, and I rode to Elem Tilden’s and paid 75 cts for a bottle of caster oil, seneca, and three cts for six crackers.  I called to Doctor Right’s and got his pipe to give injections, and today Graves called down from meeting to see said child, and tonight we were quite frightened about the child, and we got Frederick Russell to go after Right and Platt Wylie after Graves.  Tonight Polly Bailey watches with our child.

Thursday October 25, 1827: Today my wife took the wagon and rode to Hancock to Rodman Hazard’s.  On this day cold and some snowy.  This morning Mr. Wm Haskett went to Lebanon to shoemaking and took the leather to make Samuel a pair of shoes and mend mine towards his board and we reckoned for his board up to now, which was three dol and reckoned with his wife for her work up to now, which was ten weeks work for spinning, washing, and milking at 62 cts per week excepting one week’s pay in apples at eight cts per bushel that week.  She dried apples for us that she has her pay in apples and the rest of the time she washes one day in a week and milks for her board.
Sunday: Today I took the single wagon and carried my wife and sister Eleanor to Elder Jones meeting house to the funeral of old Mr. Jeremiah Landon and said Jones preached.  On the way home we were stopped at Calvin Carpenter’s to see the sight of Benj Carpenter’s son Henry that was hurt by a horse running away and turning the wagon over.  He was badly jammed.
Thursday, November 1: This morning I told Mr. John Russel that I had a pile of wood to the school house and that wood I should not make use of there as he was going to work round said school house.  I told him not to meddle with it nor let no one else, but as near as I can find out he and others cut up my wood and put it into said school house and put a lock on the door, all this for what purpose I know not.
Wednesday, November 7: Today quite stormy, snow and rain.  This morning Henry Carpenter died with the wound from falling from the wagon on Sunday the 28th of last month.  Said boy had his skull broken in and Doctor Batcheler trapanned him.  He was wounded mortally otherwheres about the head.
Thursday: Today I took the single wagon and carried my wife and Mother Holcomb and Miriam Newton to the funeral of Henry Carpenter, the son of Benj Carpenter.  A sermon was preached by Elder Jones at the Seventh Day meeting house.
Friday: I carried my children to school and I chopped and knocked up old wood in my wood on the hill, and I took on a load onto my horse sled and broke down in the woods, and I took off the horses and came home.  This evening, tonight my son George P was quite restless with a stoppage on the lung.
Saturday: I began to help brother Wm kill hogs, but I was called home and went after Doctor Graves.  Tonight I sat up with my son George Pease, he continued quite sick, a stoppage in the stomach.
Sunday: Tonight my son quite restless, I went to Doctor Graves and I got more medicine, for he continues distressed at the stomach.
Monday, November 16: Today I carried my children to school and we laid up rail fence round the orchard and turned our swine into said orchard and we took Wm’s ox team and got down the broken sled and two loads of wood, and at night I took the wagon and rode over to Doctor Graves’ and got more medicine for my child, but we did not give it tonight, for the child was a little better.

Monday, October 1, 1827: Today I took the single wagon and went to Canaan peddling cake and cider. I cleared five dollars.
Tuesday: I went peddling cake and cider and pies at Brainard’s Bridge. I cleared about seven dol.
Wednesday: Today I went to Pittsfield to cattle show peddling.  I carried four dollars worth of Whitings and Rosses cake from Greenbush and two dollars 12 cents worth of J. Bull’s of Lebanon, and sold out and 20 gal of cider.  I cleared eight dollars.
Thursday I returned to Pittsfield peddling with a chest of Bull’s cake and half a barrel of cider.  I sold out.  I cleared about nine dollars today.
Thursday, October 11: Carted two loads of cider to H. Platt’s still, six casks each.  I got two gal of cider brandy towards my brandy that I am having stilled.  Tonight I went to our annual school meeting.
Saturday, October 13: We gathered apples.  Tonight we ground apples for cider.  I paid my school bill to brother Wm, as he is one of the trustees.  My schooling for this summer for two children is one dol and fifty two cts.
Saturday, October 20: Today I took the single wagon and carried my wife’s sister Hannah Twichel to Troy and got a passage for her on a Canal boat.  She is to pay one cent per.  I crossed over into West Troy to see Mr. James Landon about his paying me up a note which was the remainder for a pair of fat cattle, but he was not at home, and I was informed by his neighbors that he was broke down and stopped business.  I returned into Troy and left said note with the City Collector Mr. Wilson. I stayed tonight to a tavern opposite Price’s tavern
Sunday, October 21: This morning I paid my bill was 19 cts, and today I came home.  My gate fee was 29 cts and my bill was ten cts for wine going and I paid 3 cts for cider to Woodward’s and I fetched home with me a 14 year old by the name of Hosnocker, and if both parties is suited, I keep her this winter and school her only enough to have her living.
Tuesday: Today I took the wagon and my wife and I went to the Shakers, went there and asked them to give Mrs. Polly Hasket some things to keep house with.  We consider the said Shakers is indebted to her for her work there all her days, but they would give her nothing, because they said Mr. Hasket had abused them.  Tonight we husked corn a spell.
Wednesday: We gathered apples and ground some apples this evening.
Thursday: We gathered some apples and we made cider, and this evening we made cider.

Friday, July 27, 1827: We hayed on my Rodgers Farm but some rainy….on last evening brother Sylvester had a daughter born, its weight was two pounds, (?) ounces.
Saturday morning I rode through this town and to Hancock Village to notify the people that Mr. Butler the Episcopalian priest from Troy would preach tomorrow in the Presbyterian meetinghouse, and I rode to Lebanon to give said Butler notice that his appointment was accepted in this town.
Friday, August 3: We hayed on my Rodgers farm and brother Wm and his boy helped in the way of changing works.  On this evening brother Sylvester’s child died, aged about one week.
Saturday: Today Wm and I dug a grave for Sylvester’s child, and we mowed a spell.  This afternoon I took the wagon and carried  my wife and family to the funeral of brother Sylvester’s child at his house.  Elder Jones delivered a short sermon.
Friday, August 10: This morning I took the wagon and my wife went with me to Doctor Right’s and carried our son George Pease and got some medicine.  Said child had a relapse.
Sunday, September 16: Today Wm took the single wagon and went to Hoosic after his wife’s sister Meriah, some rainy.
Monday: This morning I rode over after doctor Graves for brother Wm’s wife.  Today she had a daughter born for her fifth child.  Today Wm returned from Hoosic with his wife’s sister Meriah.
Tuesday: We gathered apples and ground apples.  this afternoon rainy and tonight a very high wind.
Wednesday: Today I took the single wagon and carried Mr. Lewis the tailor the cloth, and was measured for a coat and pantaloons and left it to be cut out.  I carried him three bushels of apples to pay him for same.
Saturday: We worked on the highway with the team and cart, myself and Samuel, and cart works my two days and Wm Post one day and brother Wm worked half a day and his oxen all day, which completes our second assessment.
Wednesday: I went to Pittsfield and peddled cake and cider.  I do have said Bull’s cake.  I made nearly five dollars.
Thursday: Today I took the single wagon and some cider and went to Cheshire Corners to training.  I made nearly five dollars.
Friday: this morning I took the single wagon and went over to my Rodgers farm and pulled up my few beans…this afternoon I peddled cider and cake to Lebanon meeting house to officer training.  I called to Mr. Lewis and got my coat and pantaloons that he has cut out for me.

Thursday, July 12, 1827: On this day I rode to Dalton by way of Pittsfield and called on Doctor Right’s and I got a bundle of clothes that brother Wm’s wife’s sister left there.  That was Lucretia Barnhart a little deranged, and travels from place to place.  I called to Dalton today by a request of a letter from Miss Hannah Bassett for her mother, the widow Bassett, had died but a few days previous, and she wanted me to go to Lanesborough and see the poor masters about agreeing to take the widow Hannah Wheeler.  I called to Mr. Young’s but did not make any bargain, for he wanted to see the other poor masters, and then he would send me word what they could give a week for me to board the old lady.  I returned home through Hancock Village over the mountain by Potters, and it was nearly ten o’clock this evening when I returned home.
Saturday: I walked up to Doctor Allen Wos and got my son George Pease new shoes, and was charged 37 cts for the making.  I called to Wm Post’s to see if my said boy’s hat was done but it was not.  Today I took the single wagon and carried my wife and Mother Spring to Richmond to brother Jay Wylie’s on a visit.
Sunday: This afternoon my wife and I started for home and left Mother Spring with brother Jay a few days on a visit, we called at the Shakers to the foot of the mountain and they helped me nail on the skain of my wagon axeltree, and we stopped some time to rest our two children, for George Pease was quite unwell.  We called to Doctor Right’s and got two portions of calomel for him and then we called to Elem Tilden’s and paid 12 cts for two ounces of paregoric for our babe John Franklin.

Thursday, July 5, 1827: Today I took the cart and oxen and borrowed Mr. Hazard Morey’s screw to hoist the corner of our barn.
Friday: We underpinned the barn in a number of places and raised the corner with said screw, and sawed some posts and put under and brother Wm helped.  I had the posts of him, two long ones and one short one, and today brother Sylvester worked for me a laying over part of the barn floor, and for the same I credit him seventy five cents towards his rent.  On this day Philander P. Holcomb came on a visit from the City of New York on account of his health, on his way to his father’s to the westward.
Saturday: Garret Hires butchered a calf for me and I paid him in cider.  This forenoon I took the single wagon and carried the Shakers 36 feet hemlock bark.
Monday: This forenoon I hilled corn and in the afternoon I began to mow on my Rodgers farm on what is called the beaver meadow. This afternoon brother Wm took my mare and plowed out Amos Chapman’s potatoes, part of them, and I Newton’s corn that they do plant on my land on shares, and said Chapman pays Wm in making a pair of shoes for Mother and I find the leather to answer against Wm getting them made.
Tuesday: We hayed on my Rodgers farm and finished the beaver meadow.  I took the single wagon and carried my son George Pease to Doc Wos and had his foot measured for a pair of shoes, and to Wm Post’s and had his head measured for a hat.
Wednesday: Today we hayed on my Rodgers farm, and this afternoon Wm rode my mare to the west part of this town and hired a boy by the name of Cleveland to work for three dol and 50 cts and tonight I kept an Irish dry goods peddler and a Yankee peddler with books and print.

Sunday, July 1, 1827: Today I took the wagon and carried my wife over to Dr. Graves and she had two teeth drawn, and I had one drawn.  I paid him 12 cents, which was all he did ask.  We then went to Cousin Samuel Holcomb’s and stayed until after tea.  This evening I rode to Lebanon pool hill to J. Bull’s the baker’s to contrive about peddling the Fourth of July.  I fetched one dol and 12 cents worth of cake home in addition to what I had.
Monday, July 2, 1827: I called to the old Widow Morton’s with brother Wm and he bargained with Samuel Morton for that farm.  Said Morton is to give him possession the first of April next, clear of all incumbrance and a lease from Stephen Van Rensselaer with the rent paid up and brother Wm pays him for the farm when he takes possession, which is twelve hundred and fifty dollars.  This morning I rode down to the widow Booge’s and fetched home Mrs. Haskins to work for us as is before agreed, at sixty two and a half cts per week.  Tonight I borrowed Mr. John Russel’s half barrel keg and we made nearly a barrel of small beer.
Tuesday: Today I borrowed Zach Chapman’s wagon and we went to the Shakers with both teams, oxen and cart and horse team, with 148 feet of Hemlock bark at three dol per cord, and one hind quarter of veal, 20 pounds, at three cts per pound, and it paid up a small note and the remainder I paid towards some shoe leather.  I walked up to William Post’s the hatter, and got a hat that he had dressed over for my head 50 cts, charged to me.  On the way going I was detained on account of a very great rain, and it is high water and did considerable damage.
Wednesday, July 4: I went to Pittsfield and peddled cider, beer and Bull’s cake.  I cleared nearly twelve dols, I paid said Bull five dol for what I sold for him.
Thursday: We hoed in the garden and mended fence where the great rain washed it away, and this afternoon we took down the under pinning stone from the corner of the barn, and this evening I rode over to my Rodgers farm and engaged brother Sylvester to come tomorrow and joint over our barn floor.

Wednesday, June 13, 1827: Tonight I came home with the cart and oxen and fetched butternut bark. I am 36 years old.
Thursday: this forenoon I hoed in the garden and prepared butternut bark and tub for coloring wool and helped plow out potatoes.
Saturday: Today brother Wm takes the single wagon and my sorrel mare and carries his wife to Hoosic on a visit.
Tuesday: I rode about the neighborhood to hunt up Dr. Graves and Elisha Dark’s young horses that was a missing out of my pasture. Said Dark took them without notice to me. On this day I took my bay mare the second time to Simon Cranston’s horse. This afternoon I was cutting timber on the hill. I cut my foot, but not very bad.
Today Wm returned from Hoosic. On this day I heard of the death of Uncle Josiah Holcomb. He was buried on Friday last, I heard.
Wednesday: This forenoon I took the cart and Wm’s oxen and carried timber to E. Goodriches to be sawed for cart axeltree and body.
Thursday, June 21: Today I took the single wagon and carried 17 pounds of cheese to Randal Brown’s store and traded it at 7 pence per pound.
Friday, June 22: This morning some rainy.  We made a lane and milk yard.  I took the single wagon and went to Elijah Goodriches and paid one dol and 63 cts for two pigs, and this afternoon I carried my wife and Mother Spring to the Widow Booge’s on a visit, and then went with brother Wm to Judah Rowley’s and he bought two pigs.
Wednesday, June 27: Today rainy.  This afternoon we pealed hemlock bark in my swamp.
Friday, June 29: Samuel and I plowed and hoed potatoes.  Tonight brother Wm returned from Troy on a petty jury.  He has been gone all the week.  On this morning I rode to the pool to John Bull’s and got three dol and 31 cts worth of cake to sell to the wolf hunt, but there was a mistake.  There was no hunt at present.  Platt Wylie hoed for me this forenoon and I rode to Hancock and found out there was no wolf hunt.

Thursday, May 3, 1827: I walked to Pittsfield and Dalton to market oats, rye, and corn, and flax, and returned home this evening.
Friday: Today I took the wagon and horses and carried 16 bushels of rye and four bushels of corn to Pittsfield and sold it for 15 dol.  I got 37 cts for the over plush on the rye.  I carried 41 pounds of flax and sold it at a number of places, and I carried part of it to Dalton.  I got for the whole four dol and eighty four cts.
Friday, June 1: We worked on the highway and the team and I, with cart, and plow counted three days.  Samuel worked this day, and Wm worked one of his.
Saturday: Today Samuel and myself worked on the highway, which counted me two days and the team and cart counted to Wm’s assessment, likewise he worked.
Sunday: Today I am quite unwell.
Wednesday: Today Wm and I went over to my Rodgers farm and divided our sheep.  I had 20 old ones and eight lambs.  We then divided the five yearlings calves.  He had his choice and took the two best heifers, and for his having his choice and I do agree to pasture his two, I have his half of the odd heifer and his half the odd sheep, and then we had four two year old heifers.  I agreed to take the white speckled one and the broaled one and he had the two dark red ones.  We divided our pine plank what was in my Rodgers barn.
Saturday: This forenoon Wm and I went over to Elijah Goodrich’s and reckoned with him.  He took our part of the boards that we had to his mill, which pays him up for the boards we borrowed of him in the year 1821.  This day we began to work our corn.  Rainy this afternoon, we hoed but little. Today Wm and I divided our wool, we had 51 pounds each and Mother had 7½ pounds.  On this evening I walked over to the widow Booge’s to see a man and his wife that had lately left the Shakers.  Their name is Haskings.  I bargained with them for his wife to come and spin wool, her week’s work and milk four cows twice a day and I agreed to pay them 52½ cts per week, and she further agreed to wash one day in each week in lieu of spinning, and she further agreed to do housework if we wanted in stead of spinning when my wife was not able to do it.
Tuesday: Today Samuel and I worked on the highway.  In the middle of the day we went to J. Maxon’s raising a shed.
Tuesday, June 2, 1827: This evening Wm and I took the single wagon and rode to Lebanon. We went to the Shakers to see what they would pay for wool. We did not market ours for the price was so low, Wm marketed his reel. We then called to Elem Tilden’s store and I paid in cash 33 cts for calico, paregoric, and corosive supplements. On this day Wm and I divided our oxen and horses. He had his choice and took the oxen and yearling colt, and I had a span of mares.