1917 ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT WORLD WAR I OAHU HAWAII HOMEFRONT DIARY OF A YOUNG MARRIED WOMAN, HER CHEMIST HUSBAND WITH A CROSS COUNTRY TRIP BACK HOME TO RHODE ISLAND AND MAINE

Katz Fine Manuscripts Verified independent store

→

On offer is the original 1917 manuscript diary handwritten by Mrs. France B. Burgess who was married to Dr. Paul Burgess. We believe he was a chemist or other scientist as opposed to a medical doctor. They are a rather young couple, she being 23 years old and they enjoy their 3rd anniversary while writing this book. Collectors and historians of Hawaii and the World War I era will find a unique diary on a number of levels being one part home front diary, another part detailing life in Hawaii and lastly a major train travel diary as they embark on a round trip cross country trip to Paul's family in the Northeast USA. They live on the island of Oahu Hawaii and we suspect he worked for Pacific Guano & Fertilizer Co. making some trips to the lab and attending the 'chem' party. The diary is a premium leather fold over style diary with gilt stamp of the company. The book was created it appears to celebrate the company's recent awards. Our author details a charming life of some work, mostly charitable and some personal as Frances does a lot of sewing and working with clothing. She teaches dancing at St. Elizabeth's to children and she volunteers or does some works with the Red Cross. The diary mentions things like seeing eclipses, going for "machine"(car) rides, picnics on the beaches, trips to the Outriggers Canoe Club, they go to a carnival, see an ocean liner come in, leave on an ocean liner, even in paradise the first World War looms: they see a captured German ship being towed. Collectors and historians of the era will note an interesting trip from west to east as they make trip by train across the U.S. to see Paul's relatives in the Providence/Greenville, Rhode Island area, return home, and see Charlie Chaplin. Here are some snippets: 'took auto trip to Haleiwa-ate lunch on the beach...went swimming with Mrs. Phillips, Kellar, Marshall, Jamison at Outrigger...gym in the morning...Mrs. Stephenson...Mrs. Guild came and we sewed...went to splendid stereoptican lecture at the Y.W.C.A. on "Hawaii" by Baker...Wilson...Paul sick...Grace went to Party...played croquet & Parcheesie...served chocolate and Marguerites...came home with sick headache...took ride to Kapiolani Park and listened to band...saw Eclipse...took ride out to Kaimuki...went up to the concert & "Hula" dandce at the Pleasanton...Mrs. Morgan...started in the machine out to Waianae but was so muddy had to come back...spent the afternoon with Mrs. Cornelison and had tea....little Edith Guild stayed with me as the nurse didn't come...Mrs. Jamieson & Mrs. Tracy...All of us went to the C.U. Women's Society at Mrs. Atherton's...felt so mean in the evening....sewed and mended all morning...Miss Dewing, Matthews, Doc & I decided to go swimming...went up to the "Haw Tree" & took some pictures...took a machine ride in the afternoon up to the Pali...I went to see Blanche Sweet in "Public Opinion"...took a ride all around Fort Shafter, Pearl Harbor, & Ft. Kamehameha...went down to mothers & we sewed on my negligie after lunch...took a long walk in the moonlight...FEB. 3, 1917--Diplomatic Relations were to-day severed with Germany...watched tennis tournament...went to the Quality Inn...Mrs. Wilson gave us some hot doughnuts after our swim...took ride out to Peninsula & back...a real "Kona" blowing...Paul & I walked over to the lab...taught dancing to the little Korean girls at St. Elizabeth's Mission-they are so eager to learn...went to see "Civilization" at the Opera House...Feb 19--First Day of the Carnival...went down to see the Great Northern come in(a cruise ship taken over by the Military later that year)...went down to see the parade...made candy...went to the Hawaiian pageant...Feb 22-went to see the Military Parade from the Capitol grounds-very fine...went up to the children's festival at Punahou-The little Jap. & Chinese youngsters were darling & the colors wonderful...Paul bot a machine(car)....Paul worked on machine...looked at mandarin coats...Feb. 24--went to the water carnival with mother & grace & saw the floats & fireworks...went up to the Kawaiahao Seminary & Castle Home....went down and got Paul's Kimona...went to see "Battle Cry of Peace" in the evening...Mar. 3--Went to meeting of Red Cross at Mrs. Hobdy's in the morning...went to Coco Head-Paul fished some...had picnic with bacon, weenies, etc...put machine top down after dinner & took Norah & her mother for a ride in the moonlight...took our machine & mother & Grace & I ate our lunch out on the beach beyond Haleiwa. Came on clear around the island & up the Pali....saw the loveliest waterfalls up Nuuanu...Paul went to a Chem. Banquet, so I had dinner with them...Went to Women's Society at C.U. & had very nice time Rolled Bandages...Paul & I took a ride & got some Hershey...Mar. 19--It just poured the hardest rain of the year. We could hardly get home, the water was so high...went to see Wilson's at their new house...Apr. 2--22 of us here at the house had a chowder supper for Mrs. Marshall & Miss McNamara out at Outrigger, had mock wedding after...took Mrs. Marshall up Punch Bowl...went shopping thru Chinatown...took some flowers up to Charle's grave...went to "movies". Saw Sessue Hayakawa, the Japanese & he was fine...went with Mrs. Ferris to Red Cross & made bandages all morning. Red Cross "First-Aid" in the afternoon for our first lesson...Apr. 13--Mess Matthews, Paul & I went down to see the "Maui" come in on her first trip...Grace was at Palama...went swimming at Waikiki after lunch, just dandy...had an awful tooth ache in the night...had breakfast in bed as I felt so punk...Apr. 21--I had to go to the dentists but we went shopping in Jap. town before...Paul went to George Hutchinsons's...Apr. 30--OUR 3RD ANNIVERSARY-visited Capt. Wheeler at Ft. Shafter with the Cornelison's in the evening, Paul gave me flowers & candy...May 3--Shopping all morning for gifts to take East. Red Cross in the afternoon...MAY 16--Sailed at 10. Lots of Steamer gifts of flowers, candy, etc...17--had all my meals on deck; the ocean had been very smooth & nice. Passed the Lurline? towing the German "Holsatia" to-day...19--passed the Matsonia on its way to Honalulu this morning early...May 22-arrived in San Francisco; Bell & Ruth wre in Berk.(Berkley?) to meet us...Gridley's came over to see us in the eve...went to The Stewart for lunch; called on Dean Hunt in the evening...had dinner at the H of Brau & then to Columbia; saw Henry Miller in "A Better Understanding"...had hot chocolate at "Pex" in Berk. about 12 & came home...had dinner with Dr. Lipman at the Faculty Club...June 2--Ruth & Bill saw us off at the UC. Berk. Station...4--spent the night in St. Louis & left early in the aft....5th--got into C.(Champaign, Illinois); stopped at the Inman Hotel; saw Hazel McCann, Mary Davis, J.W. Hays, Verna A., Opal Frost...saw alot of Urbana people...stayed at Calvin's(saw LOTS of people in Champaign area including her aunts, etc)...June 14--passed right by the Old Erie Canal(after leaving Chicago)all day...saw Niagara Falls from the car(train car) windows, got into Prov.(Providence, Rhode Island) & telephoned Burgess' Father B. & Albert met us at the car & Esther & Mother B. were at home. Had crackers & Milk...invited over to grandma S's for bean supper; a typical New E.(England) supper...June 17--Paul went with me to hear sermon at St. Thomas Church Greenville before Temple Lodge of Af&Am...went to Kingston in the Ford...went down to Rhode's on the Pawtuxet...20th--Esther Paul & I went with Father B. up on Brown Campus; saw wonderful old books in John Hay library...drove out to Foster, the old Burgess homestead...went to see house were Paul was born...24th--went to Rocky Point, went on the Scenic Railway...26th--went to Plymouth, Massachusetts where we saw Pilgrim Monument, Plymouth Rock, Burial Hill & Pilgrim Hall the museum. A trip of over 100 miles in the machine...invited up to R.D. Frosts farm about 10 mi. from Prov. for dinner & after walked up to Anawan Rock, where the Indian Chief of that name was killed...Paul came down with an acute attack of lumbago after packing the trunk...July 7--left Greenville to station in Prov., had lunch in Boston...8th--after arriving in Chicago, left on the California Limited...10th--thru New Mexico and Arizona saw 5 or 6 Indian Villages of Adobe; stopped at Albuquerque; lots of Indians thru this section...11th--Thru Mojave Desert and so hot; passed the Needles; got into Berk. about 11 and went right up to the Shattuck Hotel for the night...16th--had lunch at the Pig'n Whistle...17th--went to the boat; we waved to them as long as we could see them...21st--had deck sports in the afternoon. Doc won the "monkey stunt" & received a box of cigars for it...23rd--saw a transport pass in the night signaling us with a rocket...24th--arrived in Honolulu about 7...Aug. 2--went to Red Cross in the A.M...7th--moved in the afternoon & got all fixed-up...Sept. 26--my 23d birthday. Doc gave me Canton China etc...October 13, 1917--Took Grace & Mrs. Mac to the boat. Saw Charlie Chaplin & his fiancee, causing quite an excitement. Miss Farley was married to-day & they were on the same boat." There are some neat entries in the back of the diary like: a list of books read in 1917; a few recipes; a list of "Gifts to Take East" when they went to Rhode Island. Some of the gifts included: Japanese tea set, tiny Outrigger Canoe & hula girl, Japanese Umbrella. There is also a list of people she sent Christmas Cards to. Her cash accounts are loaded with items they spent money on. There is a list of the expenditures it cost them to take their trip to the United States in May; and amount for their "Eats Coming West" on their way back. There are lots more names mentioned; entries; cities; etc. Some of the things they did on a regular basis like: going to the Red Cross; teaching dance at St. Elizabeths; going to the Outriggers; being sick; etc. Overall VG.; Manuscript; 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall; RED CROSS, CHEMISTS, TRAVEL, DOCTOR, MEDICINE, HAWAII, GUANO, CHEMICAL, FERTILIZERS, BURGESS, FEMINISM, GENDER STUDIES, WOMEN'S STUDIES, HANDWRITTEN, MANUSCRIPT, DOCUMENT, LETTER, AUTOGRAPH, DIARY, JOURNAL, LOG, KEEPSAKE, WRITER, HAND WRITTEN, DOCUMENTS, SIGNED, LETTERS, MANUSCRIPTS, HISTORICAL, HOLOGRAPH, WRITERS, DIARIES, JOURNALS, LOGS, AUTOGRAPHS, PERSONAL, MEMOIR, MEMORIAL, PERSONAL HISTORY, CANADIANA, TRAVEL, GERMANY, ANTIQUITÉ, CONTRAT, VÉLIN, MANUSCRIT, PAPIER ANTIKE, BRIEF, PERGAMENT, DOKUMENT, Show more