1870 - 1875 ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT DIARY HANDWRITTEN BY A YOUNG CENTRAL WISCONSIN FARMER WHO CHRONICLES THE TOILING AND TIMES OF A RURAL LIFE IN AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND

Katz Fine Manuscripts Verified independent store

→

On offer is an excellent detailed record of farming in the US mid-west in the later 19th century. This diary is absolutely full of minute detail of farming life over a nearly 5 yea r period from 1870 to 1875. Written in central Wisconsin, the diary is in very good condition. It measures 5 1/2 inches by 3 3/4 inches and has 120 undated pages and the diary is 100% complete. The handwriting is very good and quite legible. John Robertson is a young farmer living near the community of Tomah, WI. Along with working his own farm, he helps his father on the family farm as well as various neighbours. Entries take the form of essentially 1-line comments about the principal activity(s) of the day. They begin in October 1870 and extend to May 1875. Mostly, they detail the unending tasks necessary to keep a farm running: "Drawed stone, firewood chopped wood for father" [Mar 25, 1870]; "I dragged 1/2 day ... sowed wheat at grs (grandfathers)" [Apr 17, 1870]; "Cut some of fathers oats David I raked up and bound my oats 3/4 day ... "[Aug4, 1870]. Life followed seasons with land being prepared, crops sown and tended to, harvests completed. Wood had to be chopped, fences mended, tools and implements repaired etc: "I went to woods for steer. Got it" [Dec 5, 1870]; "Fixed my Sleigh" [Dec8, 1870]. He notes local events of importance: "Went to town for election" [Apr 4, 1871]; "Went to town. Election" [Mar 7, 1874]. Social events are noted such as when he made arrangements for a barn-raising bee at his farm: "Had my Bee. Had 48 hands helped me had [ ] dance at night" [May 26, 1874]. He notes his wedding to Maggie McMullins: "Went to Joe McMullins all of us My wedding got Married at Night" [Jan 1, 1875]. This is an excellent chronicle of daily life on a mid-western farm during the 1870's. For a historian examining rural life at that time, it is rich in specific facts and information. Although the entries are brief and often terse, the sheer number of them provide a fine perspective of life at that time.; Manuscript; 24mo - over 5" - 5¾" tall; KEYWORDS: HISTORY OF, 19TH CENTURY, 1870S, "GILDED AGE", UNITED STATES, CENTRAL WISCONSIN, WISCONSIN CRANBERRY COUNTRY, JOHN ROBERTSON, TOMAH, WI, MONROE COUNTY, RURAL LIFE IN WISCONSIN, FARMING LIFE, US MID-WEST, FARMING OPERATIONS, AGRICULTURE, LOCAL HISTORY, THE BADGER STATE, AMERICA'S DAIRYLAND, BARN RAISING BEE, WORK FROLICS, RURAL TRADITIONS IN 19TH CENTURY AMERICA, RURAL COMMUNITY LIFE, MARGARET JANE MCMULLEN, EARLY SETTLERS IN TOMAH AREA, MONROE COUNTY PIONEERS, AMERICANA, HANDWRITTEN, MANUSCRIPT, DOCUMENT, LETTER, AUTOGRAPH, WRITER, HAND WRITTEN, DOCUMENTS, SIGNED, LETTERS, MANUSCRIPTS, DIARY, DIARIES, JOURNALS, PERSONAL HISTORY, SOCIAL HISTORY, HISTORICAL, HOLOGRAPH, WRITERS, AUTOGRAPHS, PERSONAL, MEMOIR, MEMORIAL, ANTIQUITÉ, CONTRAT, VÉLIN, DOCUMENT, MANUSCRIT, PAPIER ANTIKE, BRIEF, PERGAMENT, DOKUMENT, MANUSKRIPT, PAPIER OGGETTO D'ANTIQUARIATO, ATTO, VELINA, DOCUMENTO, MANOSCRITTO, CARTA ANTIGÜEDAD, HECHO, VITELA, DOCUMENTO, MANUSCRITO, PAPEL Show more