by Alex Brooks
For most of the spring of 1823, the diary entries are about the routine tasks of planting the crop and running the farm, but then re-appears in the narrative a fellow we’ve met before, one Zachariah Chapman. The last time we heard that name, it was because Holcomb got into a fight with him and then took him to court for assault. Mr. Chapman appears to be a rather ornery character.
April 18, 1823, Friday: On the rode I see Meschach Strait, one of the commissioners (Shadrack, Meschach, and Abednigo Strait were triplets), and he agreed to come a week from Saturday and meet Sylvester Howard, another commissioner, on our highway and view the road where Zach Chapman turned the water on it.
April 26, Saturday: Today the two highway commissioners, Meshick Strait and Sylvester Howard came and viewed the situation of the highway where Mr. Zach Chapman turned the water on to it. Said Chapman agrees to the commission that he will stop the water from running onto the highway and turn it into its old natural course.
June 30, Saturday: Tonight I walked up street to warn part of the district to work on the highway.
June 2, Monday: I worked on the highway. I found a chestnut string piece and two hemlock plank to the big bridge near Frances Butes. We three of us worked. The chief work is carting gravel, on the cross road near F. Butes. J. B. Maxon gave us liberty to draw the gravel from Sylvenas Carpenter’s lot.
June 4, Wednesday: I and Samuel worked on the highway. I found some timber for sluice ways. The chief work has been a carting dirt on the road near our orchard. Today while working on the highway, a dispute arose betwixt Mr. Zachariah Chapman and Mr. John Russell concerning our school. Said Chapman’s passions soon was so high that he left his work shoveling dirt and came to said Russell in haste with his fist doubled and struck said Russell twice or more in the face. Afterwards I see said Russell’s face bloody. Said Chapman clinched then. Russell took him by the neck and held him from striking. He pulled said Russell’s hat from his head, it being straw and some tender, and tore it considerable to pieces. Said Russell stood close beside me shoveling dirt when said Chapman came up. He stood his ground, but did not strike, only held him from hurting him. I ordered them to stop and go about their work. This took place about ten o’clock, near Mr. John Wylie’s. They both worked the day out.