by Alex Brooks
Holcomb was married on April 15 of this year, 1819. He turned 28 on June 13, 1819.
July 4, Sunday: This afternoon I and my wife walked to singing school at the school house near Mr. Simeon Wylie’s. We took tea going over at Mother Springs.
July 5: Today I went to Independence to Mr. Henry Hull’s at New Lebanon Springs. I rode with Mr. Henry Platt, Jr., an oration was delivered by the Rev. Mr. Churchill, but I did not get there in time to hear it. Today I spent 63 cents, and handed brother Wm 63 cents and Samuel Carnehand 31 cents to spend. We all went to dinner, this day my wife and I took dinner at Mr. John Wylie’s from Independence. Mr. H. Platt and Mr. S and J. Wylie and J. Russel and myself rode round to Lebanon meeting house and called to Pierce’s Coffee House and took some punch and see them dance a spell, and then we came home by sunset.
July 6 he took a wagon to Pittsfield and bought, “seven curly maple gilted chairs at 3 dol and 75 cents apiece and a large cherry dining table at nine dollars.” Later in the day he sold corn at Wm. Clark’s store for 81 cents a bushel.
Through July there is a lot of haying to be done.
Friday, July 23: In the morning I rode down to Lebanon, I called to Wm Clark’s store and bought two yards of callico, cost 63 cents for brother Sylvester’s girl a frock for her name, I named her Alvinna Matilda.
On Monday the 26th he went to Pittsfield and spent all day trading. He sold a young swine for $1.75 and two barrels of cider for $6. He bought a bureau for his wife for $35. It was rainy on the way back, and he borrowed a bed quilt to put over the bureau to keep it dry.
Sylvester Goes West Again
Monday, Aug 23, 1819: I called to Orin Squires to have him leave a letter for me to carry to home for Sylvester to take to the westward….Tonight Sylvester and his family came to our house and stayed, with their furniture.
Tuesday: We took the wagon and oxen and fetched a load of Sylvester’s furniture and stored it to our house and today Sylvester moves to the Westward once more.
Wednesday: Today I held plow to cross plow on my fallow on Mr. John Wylie’s land, at noon I rode over and borrowed 24 dollars of Mr. Simeon Wylie for two days and then I went to Mr. James Rodgers and drove home our five heifers. The time was out that he agreed to keep them, and I was concerned that they would be attached for to pay his debts. This evening I was informed that the said Mr. James Rodgers had hanged himself in his swamp. He went away yesterday, and it was concluded that he hung about 24 hours before found. Today at 3 o’clock he was found by a boy, Frederick Russel. There was about one hundred people hunting for said Rodgers. A Jury of 24 and a crowner sat and brought in self murder.