“Dec. 28. Mr. Bragg is getting out timber to repair his sawmill immediately. They have got a subscription to help him; which has been signed very liberally.”
During the first six months of 1831, the record embraces parties, a music school, a stirring town meeting, the finding of a boy lost in the woods and the raising of Joel Bragg’s new sawmill:
“Jan. 3, 1831. Much is said about clearing the dams out of the Susquehanna. They are to have a great meeting down the river.
“Jan. 15. All went to cotillion party in the evening; last one we are to have; eight or ten couples from Franklin, some from Huntsville and Bainbridge; had a very fine company of ladies, say twenty-five, and about thirty gentlemen; had Pyro to play, a blind boy and Arnold; danced until about two o’clock.
“Jan. 28. All went down to Williams’s to music school, the last they have; had some very fine music and all the young folks from the village there; girls and boys and some old women; went from there to Dr. Walker’s and spent the rest of the evening very pleasantly; got home at twelve.
“Feb. 1. Benton’s store down town, folks say, is the centre of business. Let them think, for after a close examination we find we have as many mechanics at the upper side of the schoolhouse as below and more merchants, more lawyers, doctors, etc., and much more taxable property, and take a great many more newspapers by one-third.
“Feb. 4. We did but little business in the store except we sold a bill of drygoods to T. Allen to amount of $230.
“Feb. 19. Bragg raised his sawmill this afternoon.
“Feb. 27. Caucus meeting at Williams’s; all met and up-street and down-street could not agree upon the mode of making nominations. Therefore, they quit and came up to Bragg’s and nominated Curtis Noble supervisor and David Walker for town clerk. Down-street folks held up John Eells for supervisor, H. Griswold town clerk, etc., and anti-Masons held a meeting at Maxwell’s and nominated David Hough for supervisor and D. Walker for town clerk. S—— kept open doors all day; kept a bottle of whiskey in readiness and free for all who wished to drink, but, by the bye, must vote as he wants to have them.