CIRCA 1870 HANDWRITTEN DIARY YOUNG WOMAN LIVES AT AN INN HIRES IRISH LABOR 48pp
Item History & Price
Up for auction is a fascinating diary written by a young woman living on a farm in Massachusetts circa 1870. Our author begins writing April 1st 1870 with a final entry October 22, 1870. The entries are not daily entries but rather when she chooses to write. Each sheet is full of writing and fairly detailed. The diary contains 24 double sided pages ( 48pp) of content written in pencil bound a folio sized journal measuring 7x5 inches with blue patterned paper cover.
Her sc...ript is easy to read and the entries quite detailed and dense. I did not determine who the author is other than basic facts. I deduced that a young woman possibly in her late teens, or early twenties is the author. Although I did not read the diary in it’s entirety what I gleaned from the pages is she lived at an Inn/ farm, or perhaps her family owned an Inn. The Inn included substantial farmland employing laborers, and drivers to deliver produce such as strawberries, cabbages etc to market. She mentions preparing rooms as well I am sure with more research the story will emerge. One interesting entry states "provided $20 a month wage for a new hire from Ireland."
She also writes a good deal about her personal life for example: family life, descriptions of rooms, baking, knitting, illness, deaths, providing for two girls whom are laborers, friends, school etc.The locations mentioned in detail are Roxbury Boston, Cambridge, and Watertown in the diary.
I didn't transcribe any of the entries I will leave that task to the winning bidder. The condition is good written in pencil some faded but other pages still quite bold paper covers are detached all sheets still bound firmly with string. Overall an interesting diary that deserves much more attention. As always any questions feel free to ask.
Her sc...ript is easy to read and the entries quite detailed and dense. I did not determine who the author is other than basic facts. I deduced that a young woman possibly in her late teens, or early twenties is the author. Although I did not read the diary in it’s entirety what I gleaned from the pages is she lived at an Inn/ farm, or perhaps her family owned an Inn. The Inn included substantial farmland employing laborers, and drivers to deliver produce such as strawberries, cabbages etc to market. She mentions preparing rooms as well I am sure with more research the story will emerge. One interesting entry states "provided $20 a month wage for a new hire from Ireland."
She also writes a good deal about her personal life for example: family life, descriptions of rooms, baking, knitting, illness, deaths, providing for two girls whom are laborers, friends, school etc.The locations mentioned in detail are Roxbury Boston, Cambridge, and Watertown in the diary.
I didn't transcribe any of the entries I will leave that task to the winning bidder. The condition is good written in pencil some faded but other pages still quite bold paper covers are detached all sheets still bound firmly with string. Overall an interesting diary that deserves much more attention. As always any questions feel free to ask.
