Saturday, March 26, 1842: This afternoon I walked to Hancock to Squ Silas Gardner’s to have him examine a bill of sale and see if it can be obtained. He told me it was legally according to the state where he lives but he could not answer me nor did he know whether it was according to the State of New York laws. On this evening I walked to Lebanon to Squ Ira Hand to see if my bill of sale Samuel Holcomb gave me was legal. His opinion was that it was obtainable and the opinion of Judge ull (sic) the same, that I stood on safe ground.
Monday: Today our district school closed. Our teacher was Sylvenas Maxon.
Tuesday: Today I took my two horse team and carried my wife to the chapel to the funeral of the widow Darling. Elder Smith preached. Then we called to Nicholas Gardner’s and took dinner. From there we went to cousin widow Verona Holcomb, there we found her daughter Samantha her life not expected. We stayed until sundown and returned home but the girl died this evening half past eleven with the prevailing epidemic. She is nearly 12 years old and resigned to her death and says she is going to heaven where her Father is gone. Today I called to see Nathan Very concerning a note I undersigned Samuel Holcomb and Squire Nathan Howard and son Nathan.
Wednesday: Today I took my two horse team and carried my two oldest daughters to cousin Widow Verona Holcomb’s to help them prepare for the funeral and then I and my oldest daughter returned home and the second daughter stayed to night there. I carried them one half bushel potatoes and a pail of apple sauce. Quite rainy when we returned home and tonight the widow Eunice Sackett stayed with us. On the way home I engaged Asa Sheldon to dig Samantha Holcomb’s grave.
Thursday: Today I took my team and carried my family to the funeral of Samantha Holcomb at dwelling of widow Verona Holcomb and Elder Jones preached. Quite a stormy day.
Saturday: Today I walked up town. I called to Nathan Vary’s to see him if he had called on Nathan Howard to put him up to pay the before-mentioned note. He was not to home and I found said Vary to Robert Runnal’s shop and he agreed to see said Howard. From there I went to Simon Cranston’s and I was a committee to nominate town officers, and I paid three cts for cake. I left there nearly sunset and called to Nathan Vary’s but he had gone to talk with said Howard concerning said note. I called to Nicholas Gardner’s to wait for his return and waited at other places and at last I found said Vary at home and he told me that Howard refused paying the note and likewise told me that Howard told him that I had agreed to pay the note. I then came to the widow Verona Holcomb’s and told her in the presence of her Mother that her father had deceived me and was trying to make me pay that note he had got me to sign through intrigue. She said she was willing to give up all to pay me if I had the debt to pay and her Mother, the wife of said Howard, requested me to go to her husband and tell him plain facts and see if it would prevail on him to do right and not have me injured. I went to him but got no direct answer and told me to lay claim as my bill of sale directs. I returned home.
Monday: Today I took my two horse wagon and carried a grist of corn to Adams Mill. From there we rode up to the widow Verona Holcomb’s and took dinner and then the widow Verona went with me to her father Nathan Howard’s and he told me he had property enough secured of the deceased Samuel Holcomb to pay the Nathan Vary debt without using me to pay it, and showed me writings to that effect, and then we returned home.