George Holcomb

Friday, July 3, 1829: This forenoon I took the single wagon and carried part of my wool to Allen Adams  machine to be carded.  I bargained at eight cents per pound, payable in cider at one dol per barrel.  I called to Doc Graves. The school commissioners met there to attach our district to the meetinghouse district, but our district laid a petition before the commissioners against it and they let us stand as we were.

Saturday, July 4: Today quite rainy.  I peddled a spell in Pittsfield.  I sold cake for Ross and beer and cider of my own.  I cleared about one dol 50 cts.  Samuel went with me.

Monday: This morning about nine I started for Troy with the double wagon.  I carried sister Miriam Campbell, went to take passage on the canal for home.  Aseneth Newton went with me and my daughter Charlotte E.  We got only to Sand Lake tonight to Mr. Henry Withees and stayed.

Tuesday: This morning we went into Troy.  I found a line boat that sister Miriam took passage for Utica within an hour after we got to town.  I exchange a keg of cider eight gallons for two pounds Scotch Snuff and two pounds plug tobacco, and I paid three cents for sugar toys.  While we were in Troy we put up at Price’s. I paid 9 cts for beer.  We left town at 4 o’clock and came on six miles to Kilmer’s and stayed.

Wednesday: This morning I paid my bill to Kilmer’s, myself and daughters lodging and horsekeeping and milk at night, the whole 35 cts.  We came on to Nassau and took breakfast to cousin Chancey Rows and we came on to Clark Vary’s and took dinner.

Saturday, July 11: This morning I rode to the Shakers with Pratt Wylie and carried veal and hide.

Tuesday: I mowed and brother Wm mowed part of the day in the way of changing works and I helped him grind a new scythe and today brother Sylvester works making a new celler door and brother Wm returned my horse and wagon that he had yesterday to carry his third daughter to Canaan to Doctor Merrymans for council.  The child’s bowels bloats.

Wednesday: I worked at haying and Mr. Rowland Danford’s hired man by the name of Jeremiah Ostrander helped get up hay about two and a half hours and I credit said Danford for the same, and today brother Sylvester worked at my celler door and put a few shingles on the roof of the house and helped rake hay and I borrowed fifty shingles of Mr. John Russell and Old Mr. Caleb Sheldon and his son Asa wired 12 swine’s noses and I treated with about three pints cider brandy.

by Alex Brooks

In the last episode, George went to considerable trouble to prepare for peddling cider and cake at a religious camp meeting.  He walked to Pittsfield to make arrangements with the Methodists to allow him to sell on the meeting ground.  He was to get a recommendation from a lawyer in Pittsfield to one of the Methodist organizers named Foot.  He even bought a keg of “Molaga wine” to sell at the meeting.  However, these preparations soon went awry…

Tuesday, June 23, 1829: I called in Pittsfield to C. Martin’s to get the before-mentioned recommend, but he had gone to Lenox and his wife looked in his office but could not find it where he directed, and she stated a few lines to said Foot the situation, but all to no purpose, the Methodists did not admit peddlers on their ground.  We got there about ten.  We sold but little today for it was quite rainy.  Tonight we put our cake and baggage into a house near, and brother Sylvester stayed with it and went to bed, and Mr. Newton and I went on to the camp ground and stayed til nearly midnight.  We were requested to leave the camp at ten, but it rained quite hard and we stayed until we were almost forced away.  It was dark and rainy and we took shelter in an old sawmill two or three hours until the moonrise and then we went to the house where Sylvester was and our baggage was and took a little rest on the floor by the fire where a number had taken up their lodging.
Wednesday: quite cold, not much peddling until towards night, but a large concourse of people passing to and from the camp.  Today Mr. Newton got discouraged peddling and I went to camp a spell and then went home.  Tonight brother Sylvester and I went a little further off and put our baggage into a barn and took lodging on the floor with a number of others.
Thursday: This morning we returned to our peddling ground and sold considerable, but did not sell out by a greater part, and tonight we started for home.  My horse keeping was 25 cts during the time in Mr. Merry’s orchard.  On the way home Sylvester left the cake with Mr. Ross in Pittsfield, what we did not sell, and part my beer and part my homemade cake, and a few glasses my Malaga wine, and the Methodists came and threatened suing if I sold any more and I stopped selling the said wine.  It was after midnight before I got home.

Tuesday, June 16, 1829: I went to the Shakers with a load of oak bark, eighty feet at five dollars per cord, It was credit me on account, three dol and 44 cts.  Platt Wylie put a horse side mine to go to the Shakers.  We took dinner to Munson’s where I traded.
Wednesday: I hoed potatoes and this afternoon I walked over to Henry Platt’s Jnr Store to vendue.  Said Platt had failed, but I did not bid off anything.
Thursday: This evening I walked to Lebanon to the pool to see if I could sell a barrel of soap, but could not market it.  I called to Bull’s the baker, but he would not engage to bake for me to peddle as he did last year.  I did not engage it.
Friday: We half hilled corn.  Platt Wylie helped in the way of changing works and brother Sylvester helped most half a day in the way of changing works, and this afternoon he started for Greenbush to get a load of cake to peddle at camp meeting next week at Dalton.  I sent five dollars worth.  I found a wagon and horse feed and lent him 50 cts.
Sunday, June 21: This afternoon I walked to the east part of Pittsfield to Mr. James Foot’s and called to his house about sunset to get information about the Methodist camp meeting, if peddlers would be admitted near the ground.  I called to Pittsfield town to Calvin Martin Esq to get a recommend to James Foot, one of said Methodist to be admitted.  Said Martin said he would have one written when I come to camp meeting.  I returned home tonight.
Monday: Today I took the single wagon and carried one bushel corn to Hancock Village to Wm Lapum Hull’s Store.  I took a keg of Molaga wine at 75 cts, 5¾ gal to sell to camp meeting on commission – if not sold, to be returned.  This afternoon I took my single wagon and carried my cake and cider up to Hancock Mountain and left it to Mr. Sparahawk’s and returned home for the rest of my load for to start tomorrow for camp meeting.
Tuesday: This morning at daybreak I started for camp meeting in Dalton.  I took a barrel of beer this morning and went on to take my load.  I went with my single wagon.  Mr. Newton went with me, and brother Sylvester went in company.

April 16, 1829, Thursday: This evening Deacon Ephraim Pierce and other subscribers called to my house and we took a receipt of Garret Hirse and delivered him the cow that was obtained by subscription on these conditions, that if the subscribers call for her that we could take the cow wherever we could find her.  Said Pierce took the receit and the subscription paper into keeping.
April 22, Wednesday: Today I engaged Charlotte Cole to keep our school 16 weeks at 75 cts per week.  I bargained conditional, that is I don’t want her I am to let her know it.
May 23, Wednesday: This afternoon I took the single wagon and carried my youngest son John Franklin to Lebanon to Doctor Right’s.  Said boy had a swelling on his throat or neck.  He ordered a plaster of honey, a yolk of an egg and flour and some phisic for a relax.  I called to Gilbert’s store and paid 14 cts for half a yard of calico.  On the way home I called to Judah Rowley’s and got a little honey.
June 1, Monday: Today Mr. Asa Sheldon sheered my sheep in the way of changing works at my Rodgers barn, 15 in number, I attended to catch and do up the fleeces.
June 2, Tuesday: Today we plastered corn and in this evening I walked up to Henry Stanton’s and carried him seven dollars which makes out the one year’s interest, twenty one dol I paid on the three hundred principle, but said Stanton handed me back a five dollar bill on Stockbridge bank that he said was not current.  Said bill I took of old Mr. John Bristol this morning on condition that I could pay where I owed if not I would return it. Tonight I likewise returned said bill this evening but the old man refused taking it back on account that his son Henry had given his note to me for the old man, but told me to go to the son to return the bill.
June 3, Wednesday: This morning I walked to Henry Bristol with a five dollar bill that he sent me yesterday to take up a note I held against him, but refused taking said bill, and I returned home with it.

Monday, March 30, 1829: Today brother Wm came and we divided the scraps of iron and steel in the blacksmith shop and I agreed to see him paid 25 rails and 12 panes of glass and not demand of him for the three week keeping of the cow that I an keeping for him that he took of said Garret Hirse for house rent.  All this I do to have him give up said cow by paying him nineteen dollars in cash that I got signed by subscription but not all paid, and Wm signed off one dol from the 20 dol house rent, but still retains damages to make the debt 23 dol that I do agree to pay as is before stated.
On this day Old Mr. John Bristol fetched me his son’s note Henry Bristol for the remainder of my house rent which was four dol and eighty seven cts to be paid by the first of June.
Wednesday, April 1: This forenoon I walked over to Mr. Jay Moffitt’s to see if I could get a house for Garret Hirse to live in but could not.  Said Hirse chopped for me while I was gone. This afternoon I split wood
Thursday: We chopped and split some wood but some stormy.  today Asa Sheldon moves into my house.
Friday brother Wm called and I handed him the nineteen dollars as is stated on Monday this week, and he delivers all claim of the Hirse cow up to me.
Monday, April 6: Today I took my single wagon and went to Lebanon and fetched Mr Rowland Danford’s family, he moves today into the house that he bought of brother Wm and Garret Hirse packs his goods in my still house from said house of brother Wm.  For moving said Danford I charge him fifty cents.  I drew 25 rails from my stack yard to Rowland Danford’s fence where Garret Hirse burned them up for firewood and agreed to take said Hirse pay master one dol and likewise agreed not to call on brother Wm for the three weeks keeping if said Hirse cow and agreed to take said Hirse paymaster one dol and 50 cts, all this in addition to the twenty dollars I raised by subscription to redeem said cow that was in brother Wm’s hands for house rent, which makes the cost of the cow 22 dol and 50 cts.
Tuesday: Today I went to town meeting to Abner Bull’s.  I voted on the Union Freemason ticket, and it was elected, Claudius Moffitt Supervisor, Randall Brown Town Clerk, and the rest to please us.
Wednesday: Today I split wood and took the single wagon and carried Garret Hirse family and left them in the highway near Mr. Reuben Andrews house.

Thursday, March 19, 1829
We chopped and sledded wood from the swamp and a small tree was bent over, I chopped it off and it sprung back and struck me on the back of my right hand and lamed me.  It was quite painful tonight.
Friday: Today my hand is quite lame.  I had it bathed in wormwood and this afternoon we teamed it with both teams for I Newton, and he is to chop for the team work.  Tonight we fetched home wood from said swamp.
Saturday:  Today Jared Harrison hired me to go to Pittsfield with my horse and cutter.  I walked to the middle of town to inquire the price of produce while Mrs Hirse was visiting her sister.
On this week Monday Almyra Bute began to work for us for six months for 62 cts per week.
Monday: Today I tended to making inquiry of the neighbors whether it was proper to raise subscription to redeem the cow of Garret Hirse.  I took a council, it was, and this evening I called in Geo W. Glass and he drew a subscription.  This day I bargained with Asa Sheldon to let him have the house that Mr. John Bristol lives in for one year to commence the first of April and this afternoon I talked further with him and said Sheldon agreed to pay me fifteen dollars for the one year’s rent to be paid by the 2nd day of January 1830, to be all the cash, and said Sheldon agreed to secure me my pay either by turning out property or an endorser, and this afternoon I went with my horse team and drew two load of wood for said Asa from Sylvenas Carpenter’s house where said Asa now lives, to my house where he is going to move.
Tuesday: I tended to the subscription of getting signers to obtain the before-mentioned cow of said Hirse.
Wednesday: This morning before one o’clock I was called up and went after Doc Graves.  I walked after said doctor and Mr. John Harmons took my horse and cutter and fetched in the neighboring women, and this morning about nine o’clock my six child or third daughter was born.  On this day I took the cutter and carried Mrs. Sally Russel home, and I continued circulating the subscription for the before-mentioned cow.
Thursday: Today I continued circulating the before-mentioned subscription paper.  I walked to the Shakers and they subscribed three dol towards the family of said Hirse.

Saturday, February 21, 1829: At night I walked across the lots to Adam Brown’s to have him get the list of the children ages five to sixteen in our school district, to return to the school commissioners to draw our states money.
Monday: Today quite blustering and the roads drifted.  We chopped wood to the door and burned out the chimneys with straw.  On this evening I went down to Geo W. Glasses and he made a list of the Scholars’ names over five and under sixteen according to law in our district.
Thursday, 26: On this day Mr. Zach Chapman signed a list of the scholars names over five and under sixteen with myself and I returned it to one of the commissioners, Squ Nathan Howard, and I advanced one dol to said Howard for the payment six months papers of the Watchman Hartford Episcopal and I paid said Howard six cts for Beman of Troy address on intemperance.  The roads were badly drifted, I was very much fatigued traveling.  I stopped a number of places to rest me.
Friday: Today quite cold and blustering.  I tended to chores in the house and made a wood box.
Saturday: I tended to chores and made another wood box.  Samuel and Harvey Holbrook shoveled out snow on the highway.
Monday, March 2: We chopped in my swamp and I went to my Rodgers barn and helped Mr. Moses Rounds yoke a pair of steers of mine coming three years.  He took them home to break.  I agreed to pay him as follows, two bushels of potatoes this spring and next fall two barrels of cider.  Said Rounds had one bushel of said potatoes last week when he came and made a bargain to break said steers.  Likewise today he took home about five cwt of hay to keep my steers on while breaking them. On this morning Harry Holbrook left me and went to live with Calvin P. Sackett.
Friday March 6: Today I tended to chores and but little travel, for the roads are drifted.  This afternoon I walked down to the widow Booge’s to look at some old agriculture newspapers.

Friday, January 30, 1829: While I was in Troy there was a boy by the name of Harvey Holbrook and wanted a priviledge to ride into the country with me to get work.  I told him he might ride with me, and he found no place and he came home with me.  We got home about 11 this evening.  We stopped to Woodward’s Tavern in Nassau and bated.  I paid six cents for cider.
Saturday: Today I told the said boy by the name of Harvey Holbrook that he might work at present to pay for his board and he went to work.  Today I sledded wood with the oxen and we went with the horse team and got one load.
(He chopped wood all week with the boy)
Friday: I chopped wood in said swamp and we teamed home the wood, Samuel and Harvey Holbrook.
Saturday, February 14; Today brother Wm came and we divided the pine planks and boards and clapboards that were in the old house of brother Wm that Garret Hirse lives in, and I fetched my half home.  We divided all the timber plank and pieces of all descriptions whatever that was in my cider mill house excepting three sticks that we left to pay Francis Buten for the timber we borrowed of him a few years past.
Sunday: Tonight I sent over to and fetched sister Newton to our house to stay a spell on a visit.
Monday:  This morning I walked to Lebanon and bought a coming three year old steer of Old Squire Samuel Hand, and paid 17 dol for to match one I had.  I took breakfast at Mr. Rowland Danford.  I stayed all day to have brother Wm help get my steer home.  He was to Mr. Danford’s getting his oxen shod.  The said steer was quite wild and we roped him and hitched him to Wm’s oxen, but the rope broke and he followed on and went into Mr. Hazard Morey’s lot and I left him.  Tonight we came home.  This evening I spent the evening to Mother Spring’s with brother Jay Wylie and Sylvester Tracy.
Tuesday: This morning we took our oxen and cattle and went to Mr. Morey’s and got the odd steer home that I left last night.
Friday: We got wood from said swamp till noon and it snowed and we all came home and towards night I walked over to doctor Elijah Graves after him to come and doctor Mother Spring, but he did not come, for he was gone to Albany.  Tonight very stormy.
Saturday: Today we only tended to our chores and chopped a little wood to the door.  It was drifted up to the orads (eaves?) and the snow blowed bad.

Wednesday Nov. 26, 1828: This morning at one o’clock I started for Troy with nearly a barrel of apple sauce and 12 bushel of apples and Nathaniel Wylie with me.  This morning at eight o’clock near the gate in Sand Lake, One of my hind wagon wheels broke every spoke from the fellow and then I got Mr. Henry Withees wagon and took on my load and went to Troy.  I sold nearly out.
Friday: Today we came home, and this morning I borrowed sixty dollars of Rufus Withy and gave a note on demand.  We got home about sunset.  The roads were so bad that I had not any gateage.
Wednesday I took the wagon and carried Samuel Holcomb ten bushels of potatoes at 25 cts per and got my wagon wheel that I left the other day to be repaired.  I carried my wife to said Samuel’s on a visit.  While his apprentice was finishing the wheel and my wife was visiting, I walked to Hancock Village and paid up the account that Gregory and Hadsell had against myself and brother Wm is to pay one half.  It was a debt before we desolved partnership, the amount 3 dol and 64 cents.
Thursday, December 4: Today I took the wagon and carried my wife and family to the Presbyterian meeting house to hear Mr. Beech preach a Thanksgiving sermon that was proclamated by Lieutenant Governor Pitchor.
Monday, Dec. 8: Today I took the wagon and went to Adam Brown’s and got 12 bushels of apples and paid one dol and 91 cts for them, and today I paid 7 dol and 62 cts which was my taxes, and I chopped up wood to the school house.
Tuesday: Today I started for Troy with 16 bushels of apples.  I carried brother Sylvester’s wife and my wagon wheel that I got repaired.  We got to Sand Lake to Henry Withees and exchanged wagons.  He did not charge anything for his wagon, and I put my load on to my wagon.  It was nearly night and we stayed all night to said Withees.
Wednesday: Today we went into Troy.  I left sister Betsey to her cousin Fuller’s.  I sold my apples nearly all to the cotton factory.  I sold 3/4 of them at 37 cts and 1/4 at 50 cts per.
Much of December and January were taken up with chopping wood and hauling wood.
Monday, January 26: I sledded wood from my Rodgers Farm with my ox team.  This evening I went to Adam Brown’s and engaged apples for market.
Tuesday: We opened an apple hole and took out eight bushels and a half and washed them.  I went round to Adam Brown’s and bought five bushels of apples and paid 37 cts per.  Tonight a snow.
Wednesday: I loaded apples and cider for market.
Thursday: This morning at one o’clock I started for Troy with the double sleigh with one barrel of cider and 13 bushels of apples, and ten gallons of applesauce.  I sold my apples before I got to Troy for 59 cts per and the sauce for 25 cts per gal.  I went into Troy but I could not sell my cider.

Monday, October 27, 1828: This morning I walked over to Adam Brown’s to see about hiring a school teacher that had called on us to take our school.  His name is Fuller, but said Brown thinks that Fuller’s learning is not sufficient and talks sending to Williams College for a teacher and today I drew a load of wood from my Rodgers farm and we made a pressing of sweet apples.
Tuesday, November 11: This morning I went into the city of Troy.  I got home at 7 o’clock this evening. I bated at J. Gregory’s going out and had a pint of cider three cts and coming home at Deboys a man treated that rode with me and while my horses were bating I went in pursuit of a school master, but could not get any.  Tonight a snow storm.
Wednesday: Today we husked corn and I walked over to Adam Brown’s to see about hiring a school teacher, and this evening we sorted apples.
Thursday: We drew out manure and drew corn from the barn to the crib, and this afternoon I walked up to Sylvester Gardner’s to engage him to teach our school, but I could not bargain for he asks 12 dol per.  I called to Nathan Howard and got a bundle of Watchman papers.
Friday: I went to Adam Brown’s and the neighbors to notify them that this afternoon we repair the schoolhouse.  We draw out manure and this afternoon we bank up and repair the school house.
Monday, November 17: Today I sent by George W. Glass to Pittsfield and got my bible that I left to be bound over, and I paid one dol and 37 cents.
Tuesday our school began.  I engaged George W. Glass to keep for eleven dollars and board himself.  This morning I went part of the way to school with my three children, and carried my son George P. in my arms today is the first of sending him to school.
Friday, November 21: I carried my buck over to Rodgers Farm and put with my sheep and we cut and drew a load of wood to the schoolhouse and one load home.  We mended causeway or a bridge in said swamp and brother Sylvester helped, for he draws wood to improve the road too.
Saturday: We drew two loads of stone with our twin oxen and it snowed.  We sorted and drew and cribbed corn.  I cut down and watered a cider cheese that Geo. W. Glass left on the press.  I got out one barrel of cider beer.