The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

The Life Of George Holcomb – George’s Wife’s Brother Dies

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August 16, 1826 Wednesday: This morning I rode to Lebanon to the butcher Mr. Merryfield to have him come and look at some fat cattle. He agreed to come. Today we hayed but some showery. Tonight I rode to Hancock Village and I bargained with the shoemaker Grinman to make me shoes and take such pay that I have to spare in produce. I called to Wm Lapum’s and paid five cents for dye woods, and as I was going I called to Benj. Carpenter’s, for his son Govanier died but a few minutes before, his age 26 and by profession a lawyer. He had been lingering with the consumption.
Today Old Elder Leland preached a sermon in this town on the death of the two ex-Presidents Adams and Jefferson.
Thursday: Today Mr. Merryfield came and offered us 33 dol for two cows, but I asked 35 dollars. This afternoon Wm and I took the single wagon and rode up to Gen. Caleb Carr’s to a court betwixt Calvin P. Sackett and Francis Buten concerning the highway. Said Buten was pathmaster, and plowed a ditch before said Sackett’s door and stopped up a sluice way that stopped the wash of the road from going onto his land. I give in my testimony that Buten was doing justice to the public and doing but little or no injury to Sackett but some advantage. A number of witnesses gave in the same testimony.. Said Sackett withdrew the action and paid the cost. He saw the verdict was going against him. We carried a grist to Platt’s mill and left it. We got home after midnight.
Friday, August 25: Tonight I and Benj. Sackett watched with brother John Wylie. He is quite weak and low with the consumption.
Saturday: This morning I rode to Lebanon to Capt. Thomas Bentley’s to see if he wanted to buy fat cattle. This morning about eight o’clock John Wylie died. I returned there in a few minutes after. This evening I rode up to Hancock Village to Hadsill’s and Gregory’s store and got one yard and a quarter of mourning crepe at 75 cents per.
Sunday: Today we tended the funeral of brother John Wylie. First a prayer at the house of the deceased, by Mr. Hendrick and then the procession moved to the meeting house and at three o’clock said Hendricks preached. A large number of connections attended and a very concourse of people attended. Brother Jay Wylie put a horse with ours and we went in our covered wagon.