SAW MILL & BOAT BUILDING Handwritten Work Diary/Ledger Venango Forest County PA
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:1697 | Year Printed: 1847 |
| Subject: Americana | Topic: Historical |
| Original/Facsimile: Original | Binding: Hardcover |
| Special Attributes: Signed, 1st Edition, Manuscript |
FANTASTIC, ORIGINAL MID-19TH CENTURY MANUSCRIPT WORK DIARY FROM THE NORTHWEST REGION OF PENNSYLVANIA. This fabulous early volume dates from 1847-1863 and was kept by John Manross of Venango County and/or Forest County, PA. Historical records indicate the Manross family arrived in Pennsylvania around 1818 and settled in various parts of both Venango and Forest counties. River and boat building references here suggest author may have resided for a time in Tionesta Township which is menti...oned in book and through which the Allegheny River flows. Other references here to "Wallace & Brown" indicate author may have also lived for a time in Plum Township, where that firm was located in the village of Wallaceville. Historical records indicate the firm of Wallace & Brown built John Manross a saw mill before the company was dissolved in 1856. Many of the entries in the present volume pertain to his saw mill activities. (Scroll down below description for more pictures).
Fascinating early volume chronicles author's life in northwest Pennsylvania for a period spanning about 15 years, as he engaged in numerous activities in that region. Majority of entries here pertain to John Manross's active work life which consisted of working various jobs. Entries here for working at the boat, boat planks, scoring boat gunnels, sets of boat gunnels, oar blades, hauling boards to the river, etc., suggest author was involved in boat building activities to some extent. Quite possibly at a location along a body of water such as the Allegheny River and/or in association with his saw mill. Other assorted activities mentioned here include mending shoes, capping and tapping boots, working on a bridge and the road, threshing and harvesting various agricultural products, hauling loads of straw and other materials, mending harnesses, making a fence, cutting hoops, laying roof on a house, shingling house, judgments, etc.
Much of book's content pertains to John's Manross's saw mill operations and related activities. Saw mill related work is prevalent throughout book and includes entries such as sawing on the mill, sawing at the mill, work at the mill, going to the steam mill, feet of boards, sawed for the railroad, skidding and scoring timber, logging, planks for caboose, frames for glass, pump logs, flooring boards, framing timber, hauling lumber, etc. Other assorting entries here include guns, gun tubes, shingle nails, yards or fabric such as flannel and sheeting, plugs and pounds of tobacco, pounds of tea and coffee, pints and quarts of whiskey, spools of thread, bushes of agricultural products, etc. Author also occasionally mentions local landmarks such as Fleming Hill and notes trips periodically taken to other parts of the state such as Tionesta, Franklin, Pittsburgh, Harmony, Waterford, Cambridge, etc. Numerous names found throughout book also make for a treasure trove of local history and genealogy. Among those names are other members of the Manross family including George, William, James, Henry, etc.
Venango County is located in northwestern Pennsylvania. According to recent census figures, the county is currently home to a population of about 54, 984. Its county seat is Franklin. The county was originally created in 1800 and later organized in 1805. Venango County was created from parts of Allegheny and Lycoming Counties. The name "Venango" comes from the Native American name of the region, Onenge, meaning Otter. This was corrupted in English as the Venango River. The settlement at its mouth was likewise called Venango, and is the site of present-day South Side of Oil City, Pennsylvania. The county was home to an oil boom in the years following the discovery of natural oil (petroleum) in the mid-1850s. Venango County today comprises the cities of Franklin and Oil City; the boroughs of Barkeyville, Clintonville, Cooperstown, Emlenton (partly in Clarion County), Pleasantville, Polk, Rouseville, Sugar Creek, and Utica; the townships of Allegheny, Canal, Cherrytree, Clinton, Cornplanter, Cranberry, French Creek, Irwin, Jackson, Mineral, Oakland, Oil Creek, Pine Grove, Plum, President, Richland, Rockland, Sandy Creek, Scrubgrass, and Victory; the designated-places of Hannasville, Hasson Heights, Kennerdell, Seneca, and Woodland Heights; and the unincorporated communities of Bredinsburg, Cranberry, Dempseytown, Fertigs, Petroleum Center, Raymilton, Siverly, and Venus.
Forest County is also located in northwestern Pennsylvania. According to recent census figures, the county is today home to a population of about 7, 716. Consequently, it is the third-least populous county in all of Pennsylvania. Its county seat is Tionesta. The county was created in 1848 and later organized in 1857. Forest County today comprises the borough of Tionesta; the townships of Barnett, Green, Harmony, Hickory, Howe, Jenks, Kingsley, and Tionesta; the census designated place of Marienville; and the unincorporated communities of Clarington, Cooksburg, East Hickory, Endeavor, Porkey, and West Hickory.
Condition: Rare book remains in good to fair condition (see pictures). Early volume bound in original leather-backed marbled boards; cover worn with front board and front flyleaf detached though present, corner portion of rear board lacking and spine partly perished, mild toning, scattered staining, ink smudging, and minor tearing, some edge wear, a few entries faded, etc., generally clean internally. Volume contains about 190 pp. of manuscript entries; and measures approx 8" tall x 6" wide x .5" thick. Quite a find and a very worthy acquisition indeed.
Payment and Shipping: Please see our feedback and bid with confidence. Never a reserve and very low opening bid as always. For international shipping quote, please contact us. Bidders with no established feedback must contact us before bidding. Massachusetts residents must add 6.25% sales tax or include dealer tax resale number. Payment must be received within 5 days after close of auction. Thanks for your interest!
Fascinating early volume chronicles author's life in northwest Pennsylvania for a period spanning about 15 years, as he engaged in numerous activities in that region. Majority of entries here pertain to John Manross's active work life which consisted of working various jobs. Entries here for working at the boat, boat planks, scoring boat gunnels, sets of boat gunnels, oar blades, hauling boards to the river, etc., suggest author was involved in boat building activities to some extent. Quite possibly at a location along a body of water such as the Allegheny River and/or in association with his saw mill. Other assorted activities mentioned here include mending shoes, capping and tapping boots, working on a bridge and the road, threshing and harvesting various agricultural products, hauling loads of straw and other materials, mending harnesses, making a fence, cutting hoops, laying roof on a house, shingling house, judgments, etc.
Much of book's content pertains to John's Manross's saw mill operations and related activities. Saw mill related work is prevalent throughout book and includes entries such as sawing on the mill, sawing at the mill, work at the mill, going to the steam mill, feet of boards, sawed for the railroad, skidding and scoring timber, logging, planks for caboose, frames for glass, pump logs, flooring boards, framing timber, hauling lumber, etc. Other assorting entries here include guns, gun tubes, shingle nails, yards or fabric such as flannel and sheeting, plugs and pounds of tobacco, pounds of tea and coffee, pints and quarts of whiskey, spools of thread, bushes of agricultural products, etc. Author also occasionally mentions local landmarks such as Fleming Hill and notes trips periodically taken to other parts of the state such as Tionesta, Franklin, Pittsburgh, Harmony, Waterford, Cambridge, etc. Numerous names found throughout book also make for a treasure trove of local history and genealogy. Among those names are other members of the Manross family including George, William, James, Henry, etc.
Venango County is located in northwestern Pennsylvania. According to recent census figures, the county is currently home to a population of about 54, 984. Its county seat is Franklin. The county was originally created in 1800 and later organized in 1805. Venango County was created from parts of Allegheny and Lycoming Counties. The name "Venango" comes from the Native American name of the region, Onenge, meaning Otter. This was corrupted in English as the Venango River. The settlement at its mouth was likewise called Venango, and is the site of present-day South Side of Oil City, Pennsylvania. The county was home to an oil boom in the years following the discovery of natural oil (petroleum) in the mid-1850s. Venango County today comprises the cities of Franklin and Oil City; the boroughs of Barkeyville, Clintonville, Cooperstown, Emlenton (partly in Clarion County), Pleasantville, Polk, Rouseville, Sugar Creek, and Utica; the townships of Allegheny, Canal, Cherrytree, Clinton, Cornplanter, Cranberry, French Creek, Irwin, Jackson, Mineral, Oakland, Oil Creek, Pine Grove, Plum, President, Richland, Rockland, Sandy Creek, Scrubgrass, and Victory; the designated-places of Hannasville, Hasson Heights, Kennerdell, Seneca, and Woodland Heights; and the unincorporated communities of Bredinsburg, Cranberry, Dempseytown, Fertigs, Petroleum Center, Raymilton, Siverly, and Venus.
Forest County is also located in northwestern Pennsylvania. According to recent census figures, the county is today home to a population of about 7, 716. Consequently, it is the third-least populous county in all of Pennsylvania. Its county seat is Tionesta. The county was created in 1848 and later organized in 1857. Forest County today comprises the borough of Tionesta; the townships of Barnett, Green, Harmony, Hickory, Howe, Jenks, Kingsley, and Tionesta; the census designated place of Marienville; and the unincorporated communities of Clarington, Cooksburg, East Hickory, Endeavor, Porkey, and West Hickory.
Condition: Rare book remains in good to fair condition (see pictures). Early volume bound in original leather-backed marbled boards; cover worn with front board and front flyleaf detached though present, corner portion of rear board lacking and spine partly perished, mild toning, scattered staining, ink smudging, and minor tearing, some edge wear, a few entries faded, etc., generally clean internally. Volume contains about 190 pp. of manuscript entries; and measures approx 8" tall x 6" wide x .5" thick. Quite a find and a very worthy acquisition indeed.
Payment and Shipping: Please see our feedback and bid with confidence. Never a reserve and very low opening bid as always. For international shipping quote, please contact us. Bidders with no established feedback must contact us before bidding. Massachusetts residents must add 6.25% sales tax or include dealer tax resale number. Payment must be received within 5 days after close of auction. Thanks for your interest!
