George Holcomb

Tuesday, April 10, 1827: This morning I walked over after doctor Graves, for my wife continues a pain in her side and a bad cough.  He came and bled her.  Today we plowed.  Tonight I walked up to the Presbyterian meeting house and heard a young man that had been a Shaker deliver a discourse to tell what the rise of the Shakers was and their progress.
Wednesday:  This morning Wm and I sold Gideon Barnhart our four year old oxen for fifty dollars.  This afternoon I took the single wagon and went and fetched Cousin Amanda Green to nurse our babe for my wife has quite a fever.
Sunday: This morning I walked over to Adam Brown’s and got two quarts of milk, and today I walked down to Old Widow Booge’s and got two quarts of beer.  She would not take any pay.  I got it for my wife, for she continues quite sick.  Tonight a snow storm.
Tuesday, April 17: Today I took the wagon and horses and plow and went over to my Rodgers farm, and I plowed brother Sylvester’s garden and for to pay me he beats and spreads the manure in the meadow, and I told Sylvester that he must pay me rent for the house and garden to begin this month, price 12 dol for a year, and further privileges such as pasturing and wood must be another bargain.
Wednesday: I mended fence on the hill, drew out manure and plowed sward.  We had a calf die and we skinned it and Wm carried it to Elem Tilden’s and had it credit 58 cts on our account.  On this day I paid my school bill to brother Wm, which was one dol and twenty seven cts, he stands one of the trustees.
Saturday, April 21, 1827: This morning I rode over and got some slippery elm bark in Mr. Solomon Carpenter’s lot for to make tea for my wife’s cough.
Monday: This forenoon we carted rails and stone and plowed sward land and this morning I took my wife into the cart and carried her to Mother Spring’s on a visit, but her cough continues to increase.
Tuesday: Today rainy.  We fanned over rye and finished breaking sward land for corn, and I rode up to Elisha Morton’s and got a four ounce bottle of Hurlbert’s cough drops to give my wife for her cough, and for the same I stand indebted for 75 cts.
Wednesday: Today a snow storm.
Saturday, April 28: Today quite rainy.  I tended to chores such as tending to the sheep and lambs, and this evening I went up to Garret Hirse for brother Wm to tell him that he would let his old house until the 3rd day of April next for 20 dol and said Hires must secure him for the pay and for no horn cattle to run on said premises on the account of the fruit trees, likewise to keep his hogs in a pen and to take no one in to his family now into the house without Wm consent, nor to burn up or destroy any fence nor boards, and furthermore said Hires must go to Lebanon and notify Archibold Simpson that he can’t let him have said house, and said Hires agreed to these proposals, and he is to have the same privileges of the house and yard as Mr. Rowland Danford last year did.
Sunday: Today I walked over to my Rodgers farm and I Newton went up into Simeon Wylie’s woods and got me some moose weed for to make my wife some drink for her cough, for it continues quite bad.  I came home and got white pine bark and spignut and steeped it and sweetened it with molasses, which she is taking as medicine for said cough.

Wednesday, April 4, 1827:  Today the arbitrators came on, Adam Brown, Solomon Carpenter, and John Russell, and they proposed to Wm and me for one to buy the other out, and I proposed to Wm to set a price and I would agree to take it or let him likewise.  He did by holding a council with these three arbitrators.  Their judgement agreed to a dollar, and Wm’s was fifty dollars higher, and the price was nine hundred and fifty dollars for the one to pay the other that went away, one year from this date, and the one that stayed to have all of Mother’s furniture such as stove, brass or iron kettle, and whatever likewise Mother’s two cows and so forth at her decease, and I agreed to take said farm together with the encumbrances, but Wm is to improve one half for this year and support Mother for this year, one half, and I now take Samuel we signed notes of two hundred dol to each other if either give back to forfeit the same.  On this evening I called down to Wm Bailey’s according as brother Wm directed as his business is to give me a deed and get said Bailey to do the writings, moreover Wm is to lease me the ground that the house stands on that Wm lives and the platform in front as long as the house stands.
Monday, April 9: Today we began to plow stalk ground.  Wm and I do not divide, we manage our home farm together, each one to do half of the work for this year and each one to do his equal part in providing for our mother, and Samuel comes now into my hands as is agreed on the 4th of the present month.  Today Gideon Barnhart came to buy our young oxen and today Mr. Rowland Danford moves from Wm’s house to Lebanon.  Tonight Samuel drove our young oxen home from my Rodgers farm so that we could have a chance for Barnhart to see them if he wants to buy.  Today sister Eleanor began to help us do our work, for my wife is quite unwell.

by Alex Brooks

In the last episode, George and his brother William (always referred to as Wm) were trying to come up with an equitable arrangement for dividing their property, which had become common property by years of the two of them working together on everything.  Together they had worked the home farm passed down to them by their father, worked and improved a new farm which they had bought a few years before (referred to as the Rodgers farm), and built a still and a blacksmith shop. Their first agreement gave the Rodgers farm and the still to George and the blacksmith shop to Wm, but did not deal with dividing the home farm.  They drew up a written agreement and they both signed, but Wm then went to Hoosick to consult with his father in law Mr. Barnhart about the division of property. It starts to become evident that this is going to be a difficult and protracted negotiation.

Wednesday, March 28: On this day Wm took our sorrel mare and rode to Hoosic.  He went to ask advice of his Father Barnhart concerning we dividing.
Thursday: Wm returned from Hoosic.  He came home with the horse sick, and this evening he went to Lebanon and got Allen Spencer to come and doctor the horse.  We tended to it until midnight.
Friday: We tended to doctoring said horse.  Samuel Harrington called and contended for two dollars for the services of his horse last summer, the 20th of June – you can see the bargain.  Now rather than to have a dispute I do agree to carry him two bushels of rye or corn which he agrees to take for his demands.  Today Wm and I tryed to come to some agreement about dividing the remainder of our property, but we could not agree, but we agreed to leave it to Mr. Hazard Morey for the third man, and I choose Mr. John Russell, and he chose Mr. Solomon Carpenter.  I called to see Mr. Morey and Mr. Russell and he called to see Mr. Carpenter.  This afternoon I went over to my farm and salted our cattle.
Monday, April 2: This morning Wm and I met to agree on the terms of the dividing of our property by the men that we agreed on on Saturday, but he would not consent to Hazard Morey as was agreed on Saturday, and he chose Adam Brown in his place, and we agreed on Wednesday to divide our farm that father left.  Today I called to Adam Brown’s and got two quarts of milk.  Today Wm took the single wagon and carried Samuel Harrington two bushels of corn, which pays him for the use of his horse last June.  Now we have fulfilled what we have agreed.  I went to see Cousin Orsemas Holcomb.  He is very sick and considered dangerous.  They had a jury of doctors.
Tuesday, April 3.  Today I took the single wagon and went to Lebanon to town meeting peddling Bull’s cake, and I carried about 12 gallons of cider.  I sold the cake, nearly all of it for six cts per card.  I cleared eight dol today.

Thursday, March 15, 1827: 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.
Monday, March 26: Today Wm and I spent all day trying to make a division in our property, but could not come to any agreement.
Tuesday, March 27: On this day Wm and I came to an agreement on a part of our division in dividing our property.  Wm agreed to give up of holding any demands for what he had paid or done on my Rodgers farm, likewise given up his claim of the stills and still house, and give me the privilege to have it remain on his land for twelve years and for me to take it away within that time.  Likewise the house, that part of it that stands on his land, he agrees that it is to be considered undivided property and attached to the home farm with the rest of the undivided property, the little barn near the house to be divided in the same way, and I do agree to give up my demands of my earning until he was of age and which was three hundred dollars and the expense that I was at for his getting the black smith trade, which was one hundred and fifty dol and my half of the shop and tools, one hundred dollars, and the house and acre that we paid three hundred dollars my half 75 dol and I gave him my note to be paid in cash in ninety days of 100 dollars, which the whole amount I gave is 725 dol, that all for the six hundred and twelve dol that we both paid for my Rodgers farm.  On this evening, Wm and I walked down to W. Bailey, drew a writing similar to what I have stated, and Wm and I both signed it.

Monday, December 25, 1826: Today I took the cart and oxen and went in to our Rodgers swamp and I got a load of wood and Wm started to come home with it and got into Mr. Sylvenas Carpenter’s lot and the cart mired in the mud and the oxen broke the yoke and we came home and got another and we went, lifted it out and it came home.
Wednesday: Today I took the cutter and went and fetched Abigail Meachum to our house to work.  I went by way of Nathan Howard’s to Post Office and took out a letter from Cincinnati from Sister Hannah Twichel, price 25 cents.  I called to H. Platt’s Store and paid Wm’s and my tax to Stephen S. Kittle, Collector, which was five dol and four cents.
Saturday: Today snowy and brother Wm took the cutter and carried his wife’s sister home to Hoosic, it was Meriah Barnhart.  She had been to Wm’s about four months.  On this week we carry and fetch our children to school.
Sunday: Today quite snowy and blowing and today Wm returned from Hoosic.
Wednesday: Today I took the ox team and made a path into our swamp and got part of a load of wood.  While I was gone from home Mr. Hosey Bennett came and paid up a note of 36 dol given the 20th of last March.  The interest was one dol and 98 cents and he paid one dol and 50 cts of the interest and there is 48 cents remains unpaid.  The whole amount interest and principal he paid was 38 dol in bank bills, and my wife handed him 50 cents in change according to his request, to make it correct by his calculation.
Friday we went with both teams and drew wood for Mr. Rowland Danford.  He had a bee for a spell, and at night he provided a most excellent supper.
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.
Wednesday: Tonight I came home with the cart and oxen and fetched butternut bark and part of a load of old wood. I am 36 years old.

Friday, October 13, 1826: This forenoon I gathered apples.  This afternoon I took the double wagon and carried Mother and Abigail Meachum and my daughter Charlotte to the funeral of Old widow Phebe Sackett, the wife of the deceased Benj. Sackett, who died very suddenly yesterday morning.  Moses Hunter preached at the meeting house.
Saturday: I went to Elijah Goodriches and agreed with him to still cider for me.  On this evening we had an apple bee, and had about 12 bushels pared.
Tuesday: This morning I went with the cart with four barrels of cider to Elijah Goodriches still, and today we dug potatoes on our Rodgers farm.
Saturday, 21 October: This morning I drove our sheep home from our Rodgers farm and today Wm and I took the single wagon and rode to Lebanon to Luke Rich’s to raising a three story house.  A dinner was provided about dusk.  Luther Rich fell from the frame and cut his head and broke his arm, and Hampton Babcock had his foot jambed as the timber fell on it.  I came home by way of I. Newton’s and fetched Mother Holcomb home.  She was there on a visit.
Monday, 6 November: This morning I drew a load of stone off the hill and this afternoon I sent a hand with a cart and oxen with a load of stone to help underpin the school house and drew gravel and banked it up.  Today I went to election to Claudius Moffitt’s.  I voted for the People’s ticket, for Governor DeWitt Clinton and the buck tail for William B. Rochester for Governor. Today I went from election with the single wagon to Lebanon to election with cake and cider, but I did not sell but a few cakes for it was cold and rainy.
Wednesday, November 22:  I walked over to Lenox to see an Indian hung.  I got there too late.  He had been hung about five minutes.  I did not go in some rods of the gallows.  I stayed there only 30 minutes and returned home by way of Pittsfield.  I called to a number of places to inquire the price of apples.  I paid three cents for a drink of liquor.  I walked from Pittsfield home with my neighbor’s boys, that had been to the hanging.  The Indian was hanged for shooting another Indian.
Friday: This afternoon I drew a load of rails and fenced Wm yard to keep in a cow.  Tonight I walked over after my youngest daughter L. Angeline to school and brought her in my arms home.
Thursday, November 30: Today a peddler called and told my wife that I told him to call and let her have a two gallon wooden bottle but he lied to my wife.  She bought it, and gave half a bushel of corn and two of them their dinner and bated their horse.

Saturday, Sept. 30, 1826: Today I took the single wagon and carried my daughter Charlotte E to Doctor Graves and had her leiterised in her head for deafness.  I left her there and went on to a number of places to get a girl to come and do housework.  At last I got Caroline Humphrey.
Sunday: This morning I paid Eliza Egleston 44 cts for her part of a week work for the time she agreed to stay and today she went home.
Monday: Today I carried Charlotte E my oldest daughter to Doctor Graves and had her lecter shocked (?)
Tuesday: Today I and Wm peddled to what is called general training in our own town to Allen’s tavern, but the training was broke up for the Colonel did not give out the orders time enough.
Wednesday: Today Wm and I took the double wagon and went to Pittsfield peddling to cattle show.  We took Bull’s cake and our own cider to peddle.
Thursday: We peddled and at night we came home.  We called to J. Bull and paid for the cake and took another chest of cake to fetch along.  I cleared about seven dollars both days and I guess that Wm did about the same.
Friday: Today I peddled in our own town to Allen’s Tavern.  There was a caravan of live animals such as lions and elephant and others today.  I cleared about four dollars and fifty cents.  One Mr. Tabor rode home with me and stayed all night and I made him welcome.  Said Tabor travels with said animals to sport at dice.
Thursday, October 12: We dug one load of potatoes on the Rodgers farm and gathered one load of apples on said farm.  This afternoon some rainy.  This evening I went to school meeting.  We put in three new trustees – Simeon Wylie, Elder Jones, and brother Wm.  I paid my summer schooling for my two girls going 119 days. It was one dollar and 17 cts.  I paid it to J. B. Maxon the old trustee, and Wm paid his, which was nearly two dollars.  Tonight Wm and I borrowed 7 lbs of fresh pork of Sylvester.

Monday, August 28, 1826: I went to Nassau with our single wagon to what is called Schermerhorn’s Old Stand to Salmon’s to training. I carried four dollars worth of cake and a keg of new cider. I made 4 dol and 50 cts today out of the cake and cider.
Tuesday: I took the same cake with two kegs of cider and went to camp meeting to the southwest part of Lebanon, about three miles beyond Cornwell’s store and Wm returned home. I went on to the camp ground and the Methodists forbid peddling and I went to one of the priests and he told me that the state had passed an edict for them against peddling of any description within two miles from their campground. I then returned home with out selling anything. On the way home, I sold my two kegs of cider. I then came on to Bull’s and returned the cake.
Sept 5: Sold cider to Daniel Torry, (New Lebanon) and to a family named Gray who lives in Torry’s house
Sept. 8: Funeral of Dr. Graves 2nd wife, daughter of Henry Platt
September 12, Tuesday: This afternoon Wm took the double wagon and rode up to Simon Cranston’s to Calvin P. Sackett’s and Francis Buten’s court.  We was both supoened for witnesses but the Justice did not appear and there was no cause of action.  It was the same concern as they contended on 17th of August.
Wednesday: We worked on the highway, three of us and cart and oxen, which counts us five days works. The post rider stayed with us as usual today.
Thursday: Today we took the cart and oxen and drew butternut coal wood together.
Saturday: Tonight I watched coal pit most all night, and Wm all night.
Sunday: Today I tended coal pit and tonight I and my wife went to Ephraim Pierce’s to meeting.  Elder Tagard preached and tonight I Newton tended coal pit for us.
Tuesday, September 26: This forenoon I took covered wagon and carried my wife to Doc Graves, but he was not at home.  Tonight I walked up to Mrs. Smalley’s to get her daughter to come and do house work while my wife was unwell, but could not get her.
Wednesday: This morning I rode to Lebanon and got Dr. Right to come and doctor my wife for she continues more unwell. I rode to a number of places after a hired girl, but at last I got Cousin Josiah Egleston’s daughter Eliza to stay until Sunday.

August 16, 1826 Wednesday: This morning I rode to Lebanon to the butcher Mr. Merryfield to have him come and look at some fat cattle. He agreed to come. Today we hayed but some showery. Tonight I rode to Hancock Village and I bargained with the shoemaker Grinman to make me shoes and take such pay that I have to spare in produce. I called to Wm Lapum’s and paid five cents for dye woods, and as I was going I called to Benj. Carpenter’s, for his son Govanier died but a few minutes before, his age 26 and by profession a lawyer. He had been lingering with the consumption.
Today Old Elder Leland preached a sermon in this town on the death of the two ex-Presidents Adams and Jefferson.
Thursday: Today Mr. Merryfield came and offered us 33 dol for two cows, but I asked 35 dollars. This afternoon Wm and I took the single wagon and rode up to Gen. Caleb Carr’s to a court betwixt Calvin P. Sackett and Francis Buten concerning the highway. Said Buten was pathmaster, and plowed a ditch before said Sackett’s door and stopped up a sluice way that stopped the wash of the road from going onto his land. I give in my testimony that Buten was doing justice to the public and doing but little or no injury to Sackett but some advantage. A number of witnesses gave in the same testimony.. Said Sackett withdrew the action and paid the cost. He saw the verdict was going against him. We carried a grist to Platt’s mill and left it. We got home after midnight.
Friday, August 25: Tonight I and Benj. Sackett watched with brother John Wylie. He is quite weak and low with the consumption.
Saturday: This morning I rode to Lebanon to Capt. Thomas Bentley’s to see if he wanted to buy fat cattle. This morning about eight o’clock John Wylie died. I returned there in a few minutes after. This evening I rode up to Hancock Village to Hadsill’s and Gregory’s store and got one yard and a quarter of mourning crepe at 75 cents per.
Sunday: Today we tended the funeral of brother John Wylie. First a prayer at the house of the deceased, by Mr. Hendrick and then the procession moved to the meeting house and at three o’clock said Hendricks preached. A large number of connections attended and a very concourse of people attended. Brother Jay Wylie put a horse with ours and we went in our covered wagon.

June 22, 1826: Mr. Aaron Jordan Booge died. Funeral on the 24th at his home. Procession moved to Mr. Churchill’s meetinghouse & Elder Taggard preached and Mr. Churchill read Mr. Booge’s dying prayer in his own handwriting. Churchill also made prayer at the grave. (aged 74)
June 28: Old Captain Benjamin Sackett died. Funeral the next day, Mr. Hendrick preached at the Presbyterian meetinghouse (age 71).
Monday, July 3: This morning I rode to Lebanon to John Bull’s and engaged cake to carry to independence. I called to Wm. Tryon’s store and borrowed a stone jug and called to Bailie’s store and got one gallon of molasses and had it charged, 44 cents. I got the said molasses to sweeten cider to carry to independence.
Tuesday, July 4: Today I took the single wagon and Samuel went with me. I took cake from Bull’s, five dollars and six cents worth and carried to Pittsfield. I doubled my money on the cake and sold about two dollars worth cider. Wm took the same quantity and went to Brainard bridge. He cleared nearly the same as I. Independence was celebrated in two places in Pittsfield. Also in our town at Carpenter’s.
Wednesday: We hoed corn today. I took the single wagon and carried my wife and sister Twichel to the pool and to the Shakers. We went in company with Mr. Joseph Fairfield and his wife from Pittsfield, who came to our house last night on a visit. My expense for drinking and cake on Pool Hill was 59 cents. We went to the Shakers to see their school and gardens and I called to see two young cousin Potter girls that live with them.
Tuesday, July 11: Today we began to hay on our Rodgers farm. I. (Isaac) Newton helped in the way of changing work.
Thursday: We hayed.
Friday: Some rainy. We called to Wm Clark’s store to talk over the mistake that he made in not crediting us for two loads of wood and concerning James Rodger’s estate. He told us that he held a demand against us for goods to the amount of nearly 20 shillings and I offered to pay it and have him give us a receipt but he would not until he had settled the Rodgers estate. We then rode up to Elijah Goodrich Jr. and bargained for 45 sheep for twenty eight dollars and fifty cents, and returned home. Today Eber Moffit’s youngest son bled to death.
Saturday: This morning Wm and I rode over to Elijah Goodrich Jr.’s and gave him our note for one year for 20 ewes and 25 lambs, which is 28 dollars and fifty cents as we bargained yesterday. We marked them our ear mark and a red H on the back and drove them to our Rodgers farm, and there we hayed today.
Sunday, July 23: Today I took the single wagon and carried my wife and her sister Hannah Twichel to the Shaker meeting.
Tuesday, August 1: Today some rainy. This morning I took the single wagon and carried my wife up to Squ. Nathan Howard’s. We went there to see her sister Hannah Twichel take a passage in the stage. I gave her one dollar to pay her passage on to Troy. She lives in Cincinnati in the state of Ohio. We fetched our daughter Charlotte and came by way of Reuben Andrews and had her foot measured for a pair of boots. This afternoon I cradled some rye and put up. I went with the wagon after our school children and I left my shoe to Asa Goodrich to have a patch put on.