The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

George Holcomb

George Pays 18 Years Rent To The Patroon

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Friday, February 22, 1839: This day I started for Albany and I carried a skim cheese 30 pounds. and sold it at six pence per pound and nearly six pounds butter and sold it at 20 cts per pound and I got to Bath and put up to Vanderees Tavern

Saturday: This morning I paid my bill at Vanderees. I left my horse and walked over on the ice for it was dangerous crossing the river and I called to the Patroon’s office and paid up the rent in full and took a receit in full up to January the first in 1839. I paid from January the first 1821 up to now on one hundred three and a half acres but I only have a lease of ninety three and a half acres from the year One thousand eight hundred and thirty, the nine years that the widow Rodgers owned one third of said farm. She only paid into the Patroon office fourteen dollars and the sum I paid was one hundred and thirty eight dollars and seven cts which was in full that I took a receit and now I have got a part of said rent due to me and from the Patroon’s office I walked down into Albany and bought my wife a dress of bombazine five yards double fold.

Monday: Some rainy. I walked up to old Deacon Edward Carr to inquire who has in possession and owns the ten acres of land that the widow Rodgers and I once owned for I had to pay the rent to the Patroon’s office and I likewise notified said Carr that what was called the widow Rodgers thirds was not paid up the rent for the nine years that we owned the farm together. Tonight I kept two foot peddlers and one was Mr. Humphrey Ville and the other was an Irish dry goods peddler.

Tuesday: I took my wagon and horses and carried Asa Sheldon and his son Perry and his stove to the Shakers for castings. He got one cent per pound. It weighed 376 pounds. Said Sheldon agreed to pay me in chopping for carrying him and load to the Shakers. Thursday: Today I took my two horse pleasure wagon and carried my wife to Guy Moffitt on a visit and took dinner and tea.

Monday, March 4: This morning I took my two horse sleigh and carried my two daughters to the Navarino School and then I went on to the Shakers and carried an old stove for John Sackett to Hawkins furnace and got one cent per pound, weight 260 pounds.

George Attends The County Convention

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Saturday, September 15, 1838: Today I took my two horse team and carried my two sons to training to Nassau to Brainard’s Bridge and brother Morton rode to training with me. I paid nearly one dollar expense for my sons and what I bought to eat and drink. The training was broke up for General Garrett and Colonel Spencer could not agree on what ground to train.

Sunday: I went to meeting at the Seventh Day meeting house, priest Reynor a Universalist preached, brother Morton rode with me to meeting, and this afternoon I took my single wagon and carried Angeline to Hancock meeting house to hear the same priest preach that we heard in our own town. Today an alarming accident, the bridge near Benj Douglass broke down with a load cotton cloth and drowned the driver.

Sunday September 23: This morning I am quite unwell with the asthma. I sat up nearly all night. Tonight brother F. Jay Wylie and Elisha Tracy stayed with us returning from the west.

Wednesday: I went with my two horse team and carried brother Morton and wife to Troy to take the canal and go home. My wife and Angeline went. Tonight we stayed to Sprague’s tavern in Troy. I paid one dollar and six cts.

Thursday: This forenoon we went through Troy to the stores and traded. I bought two shawls for my two oldest daughters and paid eleven dol and fifty cts, and I paid two dol and fifty cts for a black lace veil for my wife and I paid one dol and 25 cts for ten yards velvet ribbon. I called to the tow boat office and took on two boxes and two bags goods for N. Nichols and he paid me the freightage, two dol and 49 cts. We got home at eleven this evening.

Friday: Today my two sons went to Cranston’s training.

Saturday: I this afternoon went to Pittsfield with my double team and carried Hegden eleven hundred and 23 pounds cheese at eight dollars per cwt and took his note for eighty nine dol til December next and he paid me the 84 cts cash.

Monday, October 1: This morning I took breakfast to Nathan Howard’s and then I rode with him to Troy. Said Howard hired Jury Vary to carry five of us candidates to the county convention. I paid 25 cts for my dinner in Troy to a tavern and twelve cts for bitters and three cts for beer. We returned to Howard’s about twelve this evening and took supper to said Howard’s and then I walked home.

Wagon And Hayrack Broken

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Saturday, August 4, 1838: We hayed. On this week my hired boy Wm Howard Koon was quite unwell with a cold and some of the time he did not work. Monday, August 6: This forenoon we mowed and this afternoon it was rainy. Tonight my hired boy, Howard Koon returned. He rode my horse away yesterday and promised to return last night Friday: We hayed on said Rodgers Farm. Towards night Howard Koon let my horses run away with the wagon and broke it and broke the hayrack. Saturday: Quite rainy. We mowed some on my Rodgers Farm. Moss Kent Hadsell worked all day mending up my wagon and hay rack.

Saturday, August 18: Today Wm Howard Koon finished work for me.

Monday, August 20: This morning I paid Howard Wm Koon nine dollars and fifty cts in cash and he credited me 50 cts for horse ride which pays him up in full for labor.

Thursday August 30: This morning about eight o’clock I got into Troy. I sold my cheese at 7½ cts per pound and butter at 18 cts per pound. I put my team into a shed and bated at a tavern in Congress St. I had bitters and coffee and paid nine cts. I then went to Tammana Hall to a County Convention as one of the delegates but did not stay through the meeting. I started out of Troy at five o’clock this afternoon. I called and bated to Calvin Sliters at Sand Lake. Today I took my single wagon and carried my wife and daughter Sarah to Canaan on a visit to Calvin Carr’s.

Wednesday, September 5: I went to camp meeting on Gale Hill in New Lebanon. I went with my covered wagon and carried my wife and oldest daughter. I paid about 30 cts for cake and beer.

Angeline Is Sick Again

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Tuesday, June 19, 1838: Today Eliza Wylie and Deborah Wylie sewed for us, making Charlotte a black silk dress, and we paid Deborah for her work twenty five cts and we stand indebted to Eliza for her work thirty one cts. Today said James Harrington returned to making shingle to make out his contract of five thousand for a hogshead of cider. He has been absent one week today.

Tuesday June 26: Today James Harrington finished making the five thousand of shingle for the hogshead of cider and I paid him 25 cts cash for making a quarter of a thousand over what he agreed to make. Today Asa Sheldon came and sheared my eighteen sheep and I paid him five cts per head for washing and shearing. I let him have two bushels potatoes and one pound and a half of wool, which makes our account all even.

Sunday, July 1: I took my covered wagon and carried my wife and my four youngest children and hired girl Philena Nigh and Deborah and Sarah Wylie all to the Shakers to meeting.

Saturday, July 21: Today completes one week’s work that Wm Howard Koon has worked for me and more particular agrees to work for me as long as I want and he is satisfied to stay and I do agree to pay him ten dollars per month. Today brother Samuel Beers and wife came on a visit and stayed and fetched L. Angeline.

Friday, July 27: We hayed it. This evening I took my single wagon and carried my wife to brother Samuel Beers and we stayed all night. We went to see Angeline, we heard she was quite sick with the mumps. I walked down to Mr. Couches and I found Angeline smart but had the mumps.

Saturday: This morning I walked home from brother Beers and left my wife with the wagon to fetch Angeline from school.