The Life Of George Holcomb – The Funeral of George’s Father Beriah Holcomb (1748 – 1827)

Wednesday, March 17, 1827: On this forenoon our connections and neighbors met at our house, and the Freemasons moved the corpse about twelve to the Meeting House, and the Episcopalian priest Humphrey in procession with them while the mourners followed in sleighs and more distant connections in wagons. Priest Hunter waited on the Episcopalian priest in to his pulpit and then he opened the meeting by reading Service, and prayer and Priest Hunter read a psalm and sung in the gallery. We then had a sermon from said Humphrey. His text was in Luke the 2nd chapter, 29th and 30th verses. We had a very entertaining discourse, and then he addressed the connections of the deceased and likewise addressed his Masonic Bretheren, and then Hunter read a psalm and singing in the gallery, and Humphrey closed with a prayer.
The Masonic Bretheren took the corpse to the grave and then their Master Brother Doctor Right delivered a discourse and dropped their green bough in to the grave, and then we mourners returned home and the Masons filled up the grave and they returned to our house in procession and they took a refreshment of liquor and victuals and said Humphrey returned to our house and took dinner. I gave him two dollars and he returned home tonight. The money that I handed said Humphrey was money that Father left, and Mother got it and handed it to me for that purpose. Today Mr. Ephraim Pierce took his sleigh and carried part of us mourners to the meeting house and Elijah Bennet drove our sleigh. The mourners took some refreshment to our house. Today a blistering and snowy weather.
March 18, Thursday: This forenoon we returned home the borrowed things that we borrowed of our neighbors for the funeral, and this morning Sylvester returned home with my cutter that he had last night to carry his family home that had been to our house for three days, in the time of my father’s death and funeral. Today we sledded home some wood from my farm.
Friday: Today we drew home some wood from my farm. I carried Mr. Asa Sheldon a barrel of cider, price one dollar, which leaves a balance due to me 38 cents in deduction out his charge of 62 cents for helping dig Father’s grave. This evening Wm and I rode down to Mr. Wm Bailie’s to inquire of him our duty about settling the estate that father left, but said Bailie was not at home and we returned without calling in to his house. They let me pass the gate free again out the one that was near Mr. Henry Withees. I had a very bad road both going and coming.