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The Life Of George Holcomb – Looking For A Girl To “Make Our Cheese”

February 12, 2015 By eastwickpress

Thursday, July 10, 1834: I tended to chores and some rainy. I helped my wife and we trimmed our covered wagon. On this afternoon our cheeses girl Eunice Watson was taken unwell. She had my horse and rode home. Today Mr. Ostrander worked repairing my single harness.

Saturday: We hoed corn. This afternoon I took the single wagon and my wife rode with me to the west part of town to see if Fanna Roberts would make our cheese a spell, but she could not leave home.  We called to the widow Worden’s but could not find a girl that would answer to our purpose. We got home at eleven this evening.

Sunday: Today Mr. Henry Ostrander took my single wagon and went to look for us for a hired girl but did not get any.

Monday, July 14: On this week Mr. Thayer works towards his rent, today he mows.  This morning brother Beriah wife came here from the westward and this afternoon I took my wagon and carried sister Sally Holcomb and my wife to James Adams to see sister Eleanor, she was there to work.  I went on to the north part of town to get a hired girl but could not get any. Tuesday: This afternoon quite a hard shower.  On this morning the woman that is called the widow Belcher died, said to be poisoned by John Eldridge by taking medicine to rid herself of a child.

Wednesday: This evening I rode over to Hancock mountain to Mr. Smith’s to see Miss Hulda Smalley to see if she would come and make our cheese but she could not for her health was quite poorly.

Thursday: This afternoon I took the single wagon and carried my wife to Mr. Amis Chapman’s and we engaged Garruitt Chapman to come and work for us. She agreed to come two weeks or more. We took tea to said Chapmans. My wife and Mrs. Chapman rode to Mr. Holliday’s to see if we could get some person to come and make our cheese, but she could not find anyone.

Friday: On this evening I took the single wagon and carried my wife to Judah Rowley’s to inquire where we could get a girl to come and make our cheese but we could not hear of any.

Saturday: This forenoon we mowed and spread hay and this afternoon we hoed corn and finished hilling. This afternoon my wife took the single wagon and rode up to Nicholas Gardner’s and engaged a girl by the name of Hinkley to come in three weeks to work for us.

Sunday: Today I took my covered wagon and carried my wife and daughter and Eliza and James Wylie and Nathaniel Wylie all to the Shakers to meeting.

For the rest of July and the first week of August George spent almost all of his time haying. 

Saturday, August 9: We hayed on said Rodgers Farm. Today my wife rode up to Nicholas Gardner’s after a girl by the name of Tacy Hinkley and fetched her home to work for us.  On Tuesday last Harriott Chapman went home. My wife carried said Harriot to Hancock to Wm Hadsell and payed her one dollar and forty one cents and had it charged to my account and we payed said Harriot twenty two cts cash, which was 75 cts per week.

Filed Under: George Holcomb

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