The Life Of George Holcomb – The Kids Get Whooping Cough

Sunday, February 5, 1826: Today I took the cutter and carried my wife and children over to brother Sylvester’s. I carried all three of my children to have thern ride for the whooping cough.
Monday: This morning I took the cutter and my wife went with me and carried our son G. Pease to Doctor E. Graves and had his teeth cut, and we got some phisic for Angeline. Tonight I went to debating school at the school house near Simeon Wylie’s.
Friday: Today I am unwell. I tended to chores and towards night I walked down to Judah Rowley’s and got about a table spoonful of honey for to give Angeline in medicine for the whooping cough.
Saturday: Today I walked over to Doctor Graves to have him come to brother Wm’s children. His two oldest are quite unwell. From there I walked up onto what is called Tyler’s mountain to inquire for coal to buy.
Wednesday: Today I called up where Thomas Berry was burning a coal pit near Solomon Goodrich’s and bargained with him for one hundred bushels of coals for four barrels of cider. I called to Elder Jones and handed him his change from getting his grass seed the other day in Troy. Tonight one old Mr. Miller called and stayed with us. He is come to try to bargain for sheep. Today brother Wm went and got Dr. Graves twice to his youngest child, the third daughter. She is very dangerous.
Thursday, February 16: Attended to chores and helped take care in the house of my whooping cough children.
Friday: Today I tended to chores and to brother Wm’s chores, for he as well as all of his family is sick. Said Graves bled him and gave medicine. I tended in the house part of the time to my children. Today Asa Sheldon killed our old brown horse and took his hide and is to have half that he gets for his hide. Saturday: This afternoon we went into my swamp with both teams and got two sled-loads of hard wood, one to Wm’s, and I chopped part of it and tended to his chores. This evening I walked down as far as Mr. Booge’s and tried every house to get some one to come and watch with Wm’s child, but could not for most every one was unwell.
Tuesday, February 23: Today it snowed. I was quite unwell part of the time. I lay a bed. I have this general distemper that is common through the country. Towards night I took the ox team and went up to Stephen Sheldon’s and got 70 bundles of oats straw.
Friday: Today I am quite unwell and with a boil coming on my arm. I took thc cutter and called to James Adams and got Hannah Nappin to come a short time and help do the work and take care of our whooping cough children. Tonight I sent 12 cts by R. Danford to E. Tilden’s and got some castor oil.