1852 ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT DIARY HANDWRITTEN BY A NOTED AND RENOWNED MASSACHUSETTS AUTHOR, EDUCATOR AND ENGINEER

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On offer is an outstanding journal/manuscript written in the mid-19th century by a well-recognized educator. Measuring 8.5 inches by 7 inches, the journal contains 235 pages. They are 100% complete with some editing alterations. The volume is in good condition and the handwriting is quite legible. Several pages have been cut out and several others have pieces cut out of them. This is not damage from an external source but rather part of his editing process as this is a draft for a final publication. Samuel Edward Warren was born in West Newton, MA in 1831. His father was a physician as well as a farmer and it is little surprise that his son was well educated. Warren was educated at the Massachusetts State Normal School (School of Education and Teacher Training) and Renssaeler Polytechnic Institute. Established in 1824, Rennssaeler describes itself as the oldest technological university in the English speaking world and focuses on research and applied sciences. He graduated in 1851 and immediately began teaching 'descriptive geometry and drawing'. In 1854 he was promoted to professor of that chair and retained the position until 1872 when he resigned and took up a similar position at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He resigned in 1875 to concentrate exclusively on a series of text books that he was writing. Warren passed away in 1909 at the age of 78. The journal is titled Volume 5 and a notation on the inside cover reads: "Thorough revision complete Oct 22nd, 1865". The last sentence of an entry in Jan, 1852 confirms the author's identity: "... I have been pressed so much about it (a piece of overdue writing) that I must get off this week the other two on Orphan Asylum, and a Temperance movement, the later which will be signed S. Edw. Warren" [Jan 31, 1852. p 26]. Entries however date back to 1852 and appear to span that year. There are editorial notes that do date from 1865 on various pages. "On this day of rejoicing, it would be a sin to suffer one gloomy note to enter into the chorus of content ..." [Jan 1, 1852]. He notes seeking work or engagements and is not above a wry turn of phrase: "I went to Albany this morning and Mr. March the uncivil Resident engineer said there was no business for me. I found that the new division engineer had not come into power and I could not find Vernon the R or Richmond the D nor Prof Mitchell the eng. of the Cincin & St. Louis RR but I am not discouraged yet. I shall ask Mr. Bergher for letters of introduction ... and Prof Green for a recommendation to Prof Mitchell ..." [Jan 31, 1852, pp 26-7]; Professor Mitchell whom he mentions is probably Ormsby M. Mitchel, an astronomer, educator and Union army leader during the Civil War who was working at the Cincinnati and St. Lewis railroad at that time, and after whom town Mitchell in Illinois was later named. "I got leave to go home from Prof Green, found he will engage new Repeaters, and have heard from Plympton that Mr. Edely, his former partner is so unsettled as to business that it would not be worthwhile to apply to him. On Monday I shall go to Albany to hand my petition to the canal Board and see Mr. McAlpine [William Jarvis McAlpine was an American civil engineer and politician from New York, he was New York State Engineer and Surveyor from 1852 to 1853], and also some of the city engineers and see if they want to engage an assistant. I have got a no letter from N. York and if I do not get one soon shall write again or advertise in the Tribune for a situation as a teacher of Mathematics and Drawing for to teach such subjects to advanced scholars would be the happiest situation I could have ..." [Feb 21, 1852, p.. 38]. What is significant is that the above paragraph is starred in the margin with the following note at the bottom of the page: "Here my true calling appears. Oct 15, 1865". He relates a visit with his father to Boston and shows him around a number of factories engaged in engineering & manufacturing: "... Mother and Father and I went to Boston, Father and I went through the freight house and engine house. I showed him the pump valve. Then we went to Algers and saw the huge shaft of the Hoosac Drill. Then we went to Wilmarths Locomotive works, where is one of the finest screws in the world, part of an iron planning machine, it is 65 ft long and about 5 1/2 inches diam. But was first cast about 6 1/4 in diameter. .... Today I wrote a momentous letter to Prof Green about returning to Troy with an increase of duties and pay $125 for a session. ... I am getting very fond of Tupper and found some grand hints about teaching children ..." [Mar 19, 1852, pp 53-4]. He makes an interesting notation on the number of steam ships plying various waters: "Ocean steamers early '51 from Maine to C Sable 46, in the Gulf 13, on Pacific 37, total 96. Whole number including small steamers 625. Inland steamers on the northern frontier 164, Ohio Basin 348, Mississippi Valley 255 Total 767 which alone exceed the whole steamer tonnage of Great Britain by 60,000 tons" [Apr 2nd, 1852, pp. 63-4]. He makes an interesting reference to the American Civil War when he notes the death of one of his former students: "Died of fever in the U.S. War of Civilization" [Oct 15th, 1865, p. 107]. The journal contains a 5-page Index of all entries. In all, this outstanding journal offers terrific insights into the early thinking of a man who go on to be a noted educator and author of at least 15 books. It gives an interesting view of the state of engineering in pre-civil war America and hints at the industrial strength of the northern states which would play a crucial role in the North's victory in the American Civil War.; Manuscript; 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall; KEYWORDS: HISTORY OF, MID 19TH CENTURY, 1850s; 1960s; UNITED STATES, MASSACHUSETTS, BOSTON; SAMUEL EDWARD WARREN; MASSACHUSETTS STATE NORMAL SCHOOL; RENSSAELER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE; ENGINEERING IN THE MID-19TH CENTURY; STEAM BOATS ON AMERICAN WATERS; AMERICAN CIVIL WAR; MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY; CINCINCINNATI & ST. LOUIS RAILROAD; WILMARTHS LOCOMOTIVE WORKS; HOOSAC TUNNEL; TECHNOLOGICAL EDUCATION IN THE 19TH CENTURY AMERICA; INDISRIAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE MID 19TH CENTURY; ENGINEERING JOBS IN MASSACHUSETTS IN THE 19TH CENTURY; RAILWAYS AND EMPLOYMENT IN THE MID-19TH CENTURY AMERICA; HISTORY OF RAILROADS IN THE UNITED STATES, INDUSTRIALIZATION IN THE NORTHERN STATES; AMERICAN EDUCATORS OF THE MID 19TH CENTURY; BOSTON INDUSTRIES IN 1850s; ORMSBY MCKNIGHT MITCHEL; WILLIAM JARVIS MCALPINE; CYRUS ALGER'S SOUTH BOSTON IRON WORKS; ENGINEERING IN PRE-CIVIL WAR AMERICA; RENNSSAELER ALUMNI AND PROFERSSORS; MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY PROFESSORS IN THE 19TH CENTURY; 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