1894 ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT DIARY HANDWRITTEN BY THE BRIDE TO BE IN AN INTERESTING DECEMBER - MAY MARRIAGE

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On offer is an original, manuscript diary and fascinating late 19th Century look at love and relationships and most interestingly a May-December pairing of 33 year old Annie C. Mea d [b. 1861] of Chatham New York to 21 year old Sherman [b.1873]. Handwritten by the bride in 1894 we learn that Annie marries Sherman [an undertaker as per the 1930 census] on March 14th of 1894. She writes every day from January 1st to October 8th with only 14 days missed between those months. After October 8th the diary has no entries other then in the back memoranda where she's filled out two pages showing what they received for wedding presents. Annie's does a great job as a diarist providing names, genealogical information, local events and insight into her life. Another interesting item we note from her writings is that Sherman suffers from constant headaches. They are so bad at times that he has to stay in bed all day. Of further interest to researchers of women studies and gender issues is that Sherman is under the care of Dr. Hattie Van Buren. Here are some snippets: 1894 "January 6th, Powder well exploded at Rosendale. Shook our house like an earthquake. I cleaned the parlor and dining room in the morning. Sewed until 4 P.M. Went up street and paid bills. Spent the evening playing hymns and studying S. S. lesson." "January 15th, Mary Washed. I did the house work. Sewed until noon. About 2 o'clock Sherman came for me to go to Valatie for my watch. We saw where Kendall's building had burned the night before. Went to Mrs. Mead's for tea. Walt Pears lost his baby that morning. Mr. M. brought us home. Rained so stayed in." "February 23rd, Sarah, mamma and I sewed all day. I went to bank, jewelry store, Rogweski's and Hattie Wheeler's in the afternoon. Mamma was taken sick with colic in afternoon. Was sick all night. Sherman came about seven and went to lecture. He stayed all night." "March 14th, (Wedding Day) Worked all the morning clearing the rooms. Helen and Clara went to Roller's (?) for flowers to decorate the rooms. We were married at half past two by Reverend William F. Compton. Left for Albany at 5:08 P.M. Stayed at the Globe Hotel." "March 17th, Packed our bag in the morning. Spent the time from there until three o'clock talking to Mr. and Mrs. Ketchwick. Took the three o'clock horse car for Mechanicville. Took train for Albany and 5 o'clock train for home. Found mamma much better." "March 22nd, Sherman too sick to go to the farm. His father came to see him. Got him some medicine which he took. Was quite sick in the afternoon. I had to go up street. Hart Johns shot himself." "April 2nd, Mrs. Mead and I went to Albany at 11:40. Brought carpet, shades and curtains and some cups and saucers. Got home at six o'clock. Sherman had been home. He met us at the train. He and I went up street in the evening." "May 3rd, Sherman so sick with his head that we went to Dr. Hattie Van Buren. She told him not to work for a few days. Mrs. Mead cleaned the setting room. Sherman put up shades in the parlor and helped dust wall paper." "May 30th, Went to Chatham about 10 o'clock. Mamma and I left for N. Y. on 12:15 train. Sherman came home and went to work in Mr. Waugh's garden. Mamma and I reached North Haven 20 minutes late. Charles and Reni met us." "June 16th & 17th, Sherman too dizzy to get up. About nine o'clock we went to Chatham to the doctor. Then to mama's. S. spent most of afternoon in bed. Went up street for few minutes in the afternoon….Sherman some better. Went to hear Mr. Brown preach the Baccalaureate sermon to the graduating class. S. felt sick in church. Did not go out at night but came home. S. sick with stomach trouble." "July 21st, Sherman up at 5:00. Helped with chores. Helped me look for bed bugs then helped unload two loads of hay. Went to lot, helped with the loads of hay, brought in two before dinner. At 12:10 they all went back to the lot. Stopped drawing hay at about three. S., Mr. and Mrs. I. went to Chatham and staid all night." "August 14th, Sherman up at 4:20 helped with chores. We went for the Chatham folks and all went to Queechy Lake. Got there at a little after eleven. Left at four. Reached home at 7:50. Had supper and went to bed." "August 17th, Sherman up at 5:25. Helped with chores. Had a hard headache. Got ready to go to the lot to plow but was taken with bowel trouble and vomiting. Could not work all day. Mr. Mead finished the lot by the barn and began the R.R. lot." "September 17th, Sherman wakened with a hard headache then was taken with pain in his back. Could hardly move. Stayed in bed all day. His father up in the morning. We did not go back with him." "September 21st, Sherman still in lots of pain. I stayed in bed until about ten o'clock. Sat up nearly all day. Felt pretty sick. Sherman went for Dr. Hattie in evening. She gave me some medicine for my liver." The diary entries stop on October 8th. She does write on the last entry that they are both sick with colds. Some of the many names mentioned in her diary are: Homer Decker, Wright, Harry and Nathan Ambler, Hawley, Annie Peck, Willard Sparks, Finch, Bright, Jas. Smith, Compton, Mary O'Neil, Mary Rodgers, Dr. Wheeler, Bassett, Blanch Pratt, Bright, Gott, Gifford, Edna Angell, Waugh, Dr. Hattie Van Buren, McCleary, Rev. Miller, Sarah Flanagan, Haskill, Cornish and more. The 3" x 5" book's cover has a few small tears and worn but the pages and binding look good. Overall G+.; Manuscript; 48mo - over 3" - 4" tall; KEYWORDS: HISTORY OF, ANNIE C. MEAD, SOCIAL STUDIES, RELATIONSHIPS, 19TH CENTURY, WOMEN'S STUDIES, GENDER STUDIES, SHERMAN MEAD, DR. 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