by Alex Brooks
Wednesday, June 30, 1824: This morning I rode up to S. Pardie’s, He is one of the town school Commissioners, to see when they meet and then I went over to our Rodgers farm hoeing potatoes. This afternoon Mr. John Russel sent his boy Frederick after me to come and go to meet the commissioners. I took my horses and wagon and carried Mr. John Russel up to Simon Cranston’s where the commissioners met. The other two were Rowland Mosely and Rutus Rose. We went to be set to the school house at the meeting house, but we was opposed by part of our district and the meeting adjourned.
Wednesday, August 25, 1824: We hayed it and brother Sylvester helped in the way of changing works. Tonight mother and sister Eleanor returned from Fort Edward. Tonight Griswold Dennison was robbed. His house was broken into. I learn that Samuel Jones and two Irishmen were the ones, and said Dennison and family was bruised and shot at and bruised.
Saturday: We finished mowing, but a wet day. We cut up burdocks and we cut some rail timbers. Tonight Wm and I went in pursuit of the third robber that broke into said Dennison’s house on Wednesday night, but no discovery.
Sunday: Today we raked up hay that had been out through long rains. This morning the said third robber was taken up that we were in pursuit of last night.
With September comes cider season and Holcomb spends most of his time making and selling cider. He takes it to military training sites, to a cattle show and to market in Albany or Pittsfield. He does a brisk business, and he seems to be prospering by the sale of apples and cider. The winter is again routine, chopping wood and trips to market in Albany or Troy.
February 20, 1825: This morning about two o’clock, my fourth child, a son, was born, and this evening I took the wagon and went to Eliah Douglass after Ann Worden to come and nurse my wife and she came.