George Holcomb

Wednesday, April 28, 1830: Today I tended to a young colt that my bay mare had this morning, but her milk did not come and I had to feed it.

Monday, May 3: We plowed sward and I sowed grass seed.  Our young colt died and my hired boy skinned it.

Tuesday: I walked to Pittsfield to training and peddled cake, cider and apples. We got home about nine this evening

Saturday: We got ten bushel of potatoes on to the hill for Mr. Danford to plant to the halves, and he dig them.  This evening I carried my colt skin to Mr. Abraham Winston’s to be tanned.

Sunday, May 16: This afternoon I and my wife walked up to Mr. Waner Marels to see their child that has the canker rash and scarlet fever and Mr. Philander Hatch child with the same complaint.

Monday: Today quite rainy.  I tended to chores.  Towards night I went to H. Platt’s mill with a grist of corn. While it was grinding, I rode up to the milliners, Mrs. Swan to see if she had whitened my wife’s hat and have her wait until I could go to Pittsfield for trimmings.

Tuesday: I took the single wagon and went to Pittsfield with applesauce and sold it at 40 cts per gal.  I got about two dol and thirty cts for the sauce. I carried one bushel of potatoes and sold them for 25 cts.  I bought at the milliners a straw band.  I paid 75 cts and a half yard straw braid 9 cts and three yards blue ribbon 63 cts, all to trimming my wife’s hat.  Old Mr. Caleb Sheldon rode over and back with me.

Thursday we planted corn, and hoed corn in the garden.  This morning Mr. Philander Hatch had a son die with the canker rash, age 2½ years.

Friday: We went plowing a sward on my Rodgers Farm and I came home at noon and went to the Presbyterian meeting house to the funeral of P. Hatch’s child.

Saturday: We plowed on my Rodgers farm. At noon I came away to Mr. Zachariah Chapman’s to raising a wagon house.  I only stayed a few minutes and came home to get Mr. Chapman a half gal of cider brandy. I lent it to him for his raising.

by Alex Brooks

As the warm weather returned in the spring of 1830, George’s son’s illness seemed to get better, and George hired a boy to help on the farm.

Thursday, April 8, 1830: I called to Munson’s Mill in Canaan and bargained with the miller by the name of Elisha Ingraham for his son Ancil to work for me for one year and I do agree to pay him $26 dols in clothing and cash and to school him three months and he agrees to come and begin next Monday.

Friday: This afternoon I took the single wagon and rode to Robert Runnal’s and got a large cradle to rock my son Geo P.  On the way I called to Barnum Clark’s and bought a new plow of Right’s improved patent, price six dol.  I paid two dol in cash and for the other four dol I am to deliver him four barrels of cider. I bought a shear of Wooley’s patent, 50 cts and had him charge it.

Sunday, April 11: Today Mr. Ingraham came and left his boy to work for me as we bargained last Thursday.  Tonight quite rainy.

Sunday, April 18: This evening I took the single wagon and carried Mother Holcomb up to Brother Wm’s and this evening Wm had a fifth daughter born.

Thursday, April 22: This morning my son Geo P was not so well.  I walked up to Calvin P. Sackett’s and left word if Doc Graves came to come to my child.  He likewise did.  Today I plowed and sowed and harrowed a small piece of peas in the meadow, and this evening I went to Hancock with the wagon and horses with five barrels of cider to Wm Hadsells to sell on shares, and I carried butter and eggs to the amount of 58 cts and said Hadsell credited me the same on account and I got trusted for one vest pattern 44 cts for my hired boy Ancil.

Monday, April 26: This forenoon rainy, I made goose yoke and plowed sward.  This afternoon I put up fence on my Rodgers Farm.  Today I sent to Hancock by our people and got trusted to Wm Hadsell’s 25 cts for trimmings for my hired boy Ancil Ingraham trimmings for vest.  I sent a grist, but they could not grind, and hired girl fetched it home again, Esther Shelden, her name is.

Tuesday: I plowed sward.  Tonight our peddler Mr. Clapp stayed with us.  I paid my winter schooling to Joshua Maxon, which was one dol and 34 cts.  I sent 3 children for 200 days.

Thursday, April 1, 1830: I chopped wood to the door and towards night I walked over to Doc Graves. I did not go quite there – I missed him by going across lots.  He came to my house while I was in pursuit of him. I went as far as Jay Moffitt’s and I returned home and the doc had been and tended to my child.  Doc Right was passing and I got him to stop and see the child.

Friday: I chopped some wood to the door and this afternoon I rode Doc Graves horse to Doc Right’s to have him come to my child as council.  He agrees to come tomorrow.

Saturday: I chopped to the door.  Doc Right attended with Doc Graves to my child.  They concluded to prescribe for worms. They give cowage.  The child’s pewking abated today and night.  On this evening, I took the single wagon and went to Lebanon to the baker Bull’s and got a chest of cake, seven dols worth to carry to town meeting in our town and to return what was not sold out.  Tonight Mrs. Amanda Buten watched with my child and he rested very well.

Sunday: Tonight my child is more unwell.

Monday: This morning at one o’clock I walked over after Doc Graves for my son Geo P continued to be in more pain and bowels swell but the said Doctor was not to home. At Daylight I walked to Doc Right’s and he immediately came.  He directed Calomel pink and injections and dovers powders.  Said Graves came and did not alter Right’s prescribing for the child is not in so much pain this after part of the day for medicine has its effect, better tonight. Tonight the wife of Mr. Wait died.  She died at the laying in with child. Said Wait is a shoemaker.

Tuesday: Today Doc Graves and Right tended to my child.  They thought the child was better today.  I walked to town meeting.  I voted in opposition to anti-masonry on what is called people’s ticket and it run in all but one justice.

George went to Pittsfield on a trip selling apples and applesauce.  When he returned, his son had taken a turn for the worse –

Wednesday: I found my son Geo Pease complaint worse, his bowels and stomach swelled and an increased pain in the bowels, tonight my wife and I were up most of the night and the widow Betsey Wylie watched.

Thursday: Today I rode Platt Wylie’s horse to Canaan after Doc Merryman to come to my child for council.  He agreed to come tomorrow.  I took dinner and grained my horse to said Doctor’s.

Monday, March 15, 1830: I laid over the horse stable floor mostly new plank. Yesterday the bay mare fell through the floor.  I got the neighbors to help her out.

Tuesday: This afternoon I took my wagon and horses and went to Justice Goodrich’s and paid 25 cts per bushel for 17 bushels of grafted apples.

Wednesday: Today quite rainy, I only attended the chores.

Thursday: I chopped wood to the door and towards night I walked up to Nathan Howard’s post office and got my Watchman papers and agreed to become a subscriber for a new paper entitled Priestcraft Unmasked, price 50 cts per year.

Friday: Today I went to Pittsfield with the wagon and horses.  I carried 14 bushels of apples and sold them at 50 cts per bushel.  About seven this evening when I left town and nearly twelve when I got home.  The mud was very deep when I was returning home.

Saturday: I walked over to Doc Graves and got a dose of Markery and pink for my son Geo P.  He is taken with the oracipolus. (erysipelas, treated with mercury and pink) Tonight Doc Right was going by and I called him in to look at my boy.  He directed us to give injections to make the phisic work, for the child picked quite hard.  Said Doc Right left Mother some rhubarb phisic, for she is quite unwell.  Tonight I borrowed an injection quill to Mr. Morey’s and we operated to good effect.

Monday: Tonight about nine I took a lanthorn and walked over and got Doc Elijah Graves.  He stayed all night with my son Geo P., for the child was in great distress with the erysipelas complaint.  Tonight quite stormy.

Tuesday: today stormy.  I tended to chores.  My boy is a little better of the pain.

Friday, March 26: Today quite stormy.  I started to go after Doc Graves, but I did not go quite there.  I heard he was not to home and left word on the road for him to come for my boy’s complaint is getting to the head and he has a high fever and he pukes up all his medicine.

Sunday: Tonight my son was siesed more violent with the erysipelas complaint, a swelling more particular in the secret parts.

Monday: This morning I walked over after Doc Graves.

Tuesday: This afternoon I took the cart and oxen and worked on the highway to work out a half day that was back, and this evening I walked over and Doc Graves came and stayed all night with my child, for the child pukes everything up and great distress in his bowels, the spots of erysipelas disappear.

His son continued ill for most of a month, but eventually recovered.

Wednesday, January 27, 1830: (George is in Pittsfield) This morning my bill was 25 cts, I only had lodging and coffee with my breakfast and stabling.  Today I sold out the remainder of my load, and I paid fifty cts for one bushel salt, and I bought eight pounds paper tobacco at eight pence per pound.  I paid 62 cts for the Life of the Rev. Thomas Scott and I paid 59 cts for three pamphlets of Lorenzo Dow writing.  We got home about midnight.

Sunday, Feb. 21: Towards night I walked over to Doc Elijah Graves and got some medicine for my daughter L. Angeline, she is quite unwell and a pain in the stomach.

Monday, 22: I tended to chores and chopped some wood to the door.  This afternoon I started for Troy with the double wagon and horses, with the load of apples I got to Mrs. Booge’s on Saturday evening. Tonight by nine this evening I got to Philip Frilmer’s within seven miles of Troy.

23, Tuesday: This morning I went into Troy and sold the remainder of my load, what I did not sell on the road going. I got half a dol per bushel.  I bought my two daughters each Charlotte and Angeline a vial filled with smelling powder.  I paid 25 cts for both, and I paid four cts for liquorish and pepper mints. Tonight I came on to Sand Lake and stayed to the old stand of Kilmer’s where Mr. Thomas Withee now keeps tavern.

Wednesday: This morning I offered to pay said Withee for my lodging and breakfast and horsekeeping but he would not take pay. I then came on home.  Today Doc Elijah Graves was called to my daughter L. Angeline.

Tuesday, February 16, 1830: This morning I started for Albany with a double sleigh and carried my load of apples.  We got into Albany about 10 o’clock.  I sold out part of my load by the bushel at 50 cts per, and some by the penny, and tonight we stayed in Albany on the hill to Wormer’s old stand.

Friday: This forenoon I mended an ox sled and this afternoon I took the single wagon and carried my wife and daughter Charlotte to Elder Jones Meeting House to Mr. Billings singing concert.

Thursday, March 11: I chopped wood to the door and on this evening I went to the Widow Booge’s and got eight bushels of grafted apples for one dol and 50 cts.

Friday: I took the double wagon and went to Pittsfield and carried ten bushels of apples and sold them to Mr. Dewey at the high school for 42 cts per bushel.  I sold four gallons of apple preserves to Mr. Baldwin, the bookbinder, at 40 cts per gal.  I left him two small books to be bound for 25 cts each, one book Lorenzo Dow’s writings and the other Amos Mory’s Mustard Pit.  We got home about nine this evening.

Saturday, January 1, 1830: I walked nearly to Hancock with an iron pin that I bought of Rensselaer Sheldon, he says he found it in the road.  I could not find an owner.

Monday: Today I called to Ephraim Pierce’s and had him buy me send for Rensselaer Shelden and I went back to said Pierce’s, where before Pierce and family and R. Danford, I accused R. Shelden of stealing my money.  He first utterly denied it and called on God to witness his assertion.  I then told him he must confess the truth, for I had proof and some time reasoning to him the awful consequences if he did not let the truth come to light , and the rest that was present advised him to let the truth come to light for his own good.  He then acknowledged he had taken four dol of my money and stole 25 cts before my eyes.  Said Rensselaer Sheldon after he acknowledged the four dols and 25 cts that he had taken from me, I then made him own he had stole an iron bowl that he pretended he had found in the road one evening going to Hancock last fall with my cart and oxen with a load of cider.  He insisted on my buying said pin and I paid him six cts for it, accusing him of stealing it and advised him to go and carry it back, but he appeared to be highly offended at that time, and I said no more, but at convenient opportunities made great exertions for an owner for said pin.  He acknowledged he stole it out of a carriage standing in the highway where Jered Rifle lives and from me he will return said pin and make restitution and at the same time asking my forgiveness, appearing to be very penitent and willing to serve me for the money he had taken from me unjustly.  He then gave me up his gun in security until he could pay me.  I accused him of other theft, but he don’t acknowledge it nor have I proof of it.  On this evening my wife and I went to Mr. R. Danford on an evening visit and we reckoned all of our accounts.

Thursday, Jan 21: I tended to chores, chopped some wood to the door and mended the manger, the stable in the barn.  The horse tore it down last night.

 

Monday, Dec 28, 1829: This morning I took the wagon and carried my children to School.

Saturday, January 2, 1830: I went to Pittsfield with a load of apples of 18 bushels and sold them at 33 cts per bushel. I bought to Phineas Allen’s book store The Life of Gen. George Washington 75 cts, and the Life of Doc. Franklin 63 cts. On this morning Albert Cole died, only three days sick with the canker rash and the spotted fever. He lived in Hancock Village.

Monday I drew wood off the hill and this evening I picked over apples that Asa Sheldon gathered to the halves. He put 12 bushels in to the cellar where he lives. They rotted and rats destroyed them, only got three bushels for my half.

Tuesday: Today brother Sylvester and I picked over the apples that he gathered to the halves and put into Ephraim Pierce’s cellar. They was badly rotted. I got for my part three bushels out of 20 bushels.

Friday: I went to look of Robert Stanton’s calfs he offers for sale, but I did not like them, they were too small. On this evening I went to George W. Glass’s and bought and put into bag at 14½ cts per bushel 16 bushels of apples.

Saturday: On this day I went to Pittsfield with the 16 bushels of apples that I bought of George W. Glass. I sold a few of them to the inhabitants and the rest I sold to Mr. Dewey the Instructor of the High School. I sold them all for 33 cts per bushel. I called into Phineas Allen’s book store and paid one dollar and 25cts for a book that is called Jackson’s Wreath.

Monday: on this morning I paid Geo Glass for the apples I got of him on Saturday, which was two dol and 33 cts. I carried my children to school in cutter.

November is taken up primarily with gathering apples and making cider and delivering apples and cider to buyers.  This is George’s mainstay stock in trade, and it’s a time of hard work and long hours.  The pace slows down a bit in mid-December. – Alex Brooks

Saturday, December 12, 1829: Today and evening I helped make sausages to dry.  It is quite rainy.

Sunday: I am unwell with a pain in my eye and head, was taken partly blind for half an hour.

Monday: I made a large gate.  Tonight we husked corn.

Tuesday: I took my wagon and horse and put it with Mr. Danford’s and drew three loads of hay from Mr. J. Russel’s for said Danford, and he agrees to credit me for the same on account, and today we cut and drew and partly hewed some timber.

Wednesday I finished my gate and raised it at the barn yard to come into the highway.

Thursday I made a pair of bar posts and set them below the barn yard and moved the barn yard and made it larger.  Tonight we husked corn.  This morning Doc Dwight Right’s wife died (Polly Platt Wright), age 34.

Sunday December 20: My family went to meeting in the cutter.  On this evening I reckoned with Esther Shelden and paid her up to this date all in cash, which was six dol and 88 cts, for 62 cts per week.  She tended to all kinds of work and milking and occasionally to other outdoors chores. I made no charge against her for the hair comb I bought her the other day.

Monday: I took the single wagon and carried Mother Holcomb up to brother Wm’s and today I made a parting to my barn yard to shut the calfs in. Tonight we husked corn.

Tuesday: I made some latches to my gates and husked corn.  This evening I went to Hancock Village with the single wagon to Wm Hadsell’s store.  I bought The Life of Josephus complete in one volume, and paid one dol and 50 cts and I bought The Life of Napolean Bonapart in two volumes and paid two dol for them.

Thursday: We husked corn and this evening we husked corn.  Tonight I did not rest very well, I had a bad cold and the rheumatic complaint in my right shoulder.

Friday, December 25: I did not tend to much but chores.  I was unwell with cold and rheumatism.  My family went to the Temperate Society meeting at the Saturday meeting house.

Saturday: I am unwell.  Today I went with the single wagon to brother Wm to fetch Mother home.  I walked from there to the post office at Nathan Howard’s and paid 36 cts for a letter from Hanna Twichel at Ohio and 18 cts for a letter from Isaac Humphrey to the west about 250 miles.

Tuesday, Sept. 15, 1829: This forenoon I went to look for the cow that I had bought of Harry Wheeler.  She had run away.  On yesterday said Wheeler drove me the cow and the three calfs that I bargained for the seventh of the month and my wife paid him the 12 dol in specie.  The said cow got nearly home and said Wheeler went with me, and we drove the cow to his house and he took her back and paid me the five dollars back that I had paid him towards her, the reason that I returned said cow was that she had the horn distemper, and I had no information of it when I bargained for her.  I called on the way home to Henry Stanton’s to look at some calves that he had for sale, and this afternoon I gathered apples.  Tonight Mr. Henry Withee and wife stayed with us, they were on a journey to the east.

Monday, September 21:  This morning I took the single wagon and fetched Sophia Hirse to work for us.  I went after her to Joseph Carpenter’s and today went with the single wagon peddling cake and cider to Sand Lake to Spencer’s Tavern at an officer training.  I made one dol and 59 cts.

Tuesday: I took the single wagon and went to Petersburgh to training at Worthington’s.  I cleared about four dol.  Brother Wm went with me and peddled for himself.

He went to training every day this week to peddle, in Nassau, Lenox, Dalton, and Windsor.

Monday, Sept. 28: Today I took the covered wagon and carried sister Newton to Pittsfield and had Doctor White examine her eyes, for she was blind with a film or a cataract on the site.  The before-mentioned doctor agreed to come over on Saturday to Mr. Newton’s and operate on Mrs. Newton’s eyes.  He agreed to come and operate for five dollars.

Saturday: On this day Doctor White came and operated on one of sister Newton’s eyes, as is before mentioned, but he charged ten dols, which was double what he agreed to do it for.

Monday: I am quite unwell with a cold.  We gathered winter apples and cider apples.

Wednesday: I went to Pittsfield to Cattle Show peddling.  I sold wine and cake.

Thursday: I peddled to said Cattle Show.  I sold out about 3/4 of another barrel of cider, and cake and wine.  What I cleared the two days was over sixteen dollars.  We got home about eight this evening.

Wednesday, October 14: This morning at one o’clock I started to peddling to Chatham to what is called Wetherwax Street to the races, what is called the heats.  Asa Sheldon went to peddle on shares, Mr. Newton went with us, and Rensselaer Sheldon.  We got there about eight this morning, not a very large collection today.  We sold some.  Tonight we put up nearby to a private house.

Thursday: we peddled to said races and at night stayed to the same place.

Friday: We peddled… I sold out one barrel and a quarter. I got about ten dollars.  My lodging and Sheldon’s the two nights was 25 cts and gate a coming home eight cents, which was all my expense.  We got home about 11 o’clock this evening.

Saturday, July 18, 1829: This evening I went and paid Edward Carr one year’s interest on a note of 202 dol which was 14 dol and 14 cts, and I paid him 20 cts compound interest, and I went and paid Adam Brown one year’s interest on a fifty dollar note, which was three dollars and 50 cts.

Saturday, July 25:  On this day I took the covered double wagon and carried my wife and Mother Spring to Richmond to brother Jay Wylie’s on a visit.  We carried Charlotte and Geo P. and the babe Sarah Orselia (b. 25 March ’29) and I paid said Jay one year’s interest on the three hundred dollars I had borrowed of him, which was twenty one dollars.  I carried Mother Holcomb to the widow Hunter’s on a visit until we returned, and I carried a grist of rye and corn to the Shakers’ mill and had it ground and took it at night when we returned.

August was a hard-working month, mostly haying.  Toward the end of the month he digs potatoes and picks apples, and again begins to go on marketing trips to Pittsfield and Troy.

Tuesday, September 1: We made cider and got ready for to go to Commencement.  We fenced stacks. Russell Pierce held plow a spell and I am to carry him to Commencement.

Wednesday, Sept. 2: This morning at midnight I started for Williamstown with cider and cake to peddle.  Brother Wm and Mr. Newton went with me and peddled.  I sold about five dollars, and we got home about 9.

Sunday, September 6: I took the single wagon and carried my wife to the Methodist quarterly meeting at the meeting house near Bigalow’s in Lebanon.  This evening I walked over to Elder Mathew Jones, Isaac Newton’s and Francis Buten’s collecting school tax.

Monday, Sept. 7: I went with the single wagon to the west part of this town to Robert Tifft’s peddling cake and cider.  I cleared four dollars peddling.  I left a keg to John Babcock’s with cider in it and he paid me 39 cts and agrees to send the keg to Barnum Clark’s shop by Saturday.

Saturday, Sept. 12: This morning I rode over to Elijah Goodrich’s to see if he would come and fix our cider mill, and I paid up a note of nine dollars and interest to Lydia Stone and today we gathered apples and got in rowing too.  This evening we made cider.

Sunday: This evening I went up to brother Wm and he took his horse and came home with me and stayed, to be ready to go to training.

Monday:Today brother Wm put his horse with mine to my wagon and went to Canaan to General Training peddling.  I made about five dol and a half.