[Manuscript/Diary/Account Book] 3 Manuscripts.
++ Diary of Joseph Wilson (1815-1887), maintained Dec. 1, 1832 to Aug. 27, 1887. Brief entries: Weather, notes on farm chores, school, visitors, accidents, and trips (i.e. Lowell, Nashua, Concord). Wilson was later a soap manufacturer. [101]pp, with the first 71pp being the diary and last 30 pages receipts (some soap-related, but mostly household use): Food recipes, medicines for dysentery, rheumatism, whooping cough, exposure of sores to poison, etc. Not all receipts are handwritten; includes some clippings from newspapers and magazines mounted to pages (breaking horses, forcing hens to lay, mistreatment of milk cows reducing cream content, etc.). First receipt dated “Manchester Sept 8 1845.” After blank interval, in 1882, Wilson recorded his wife’s death after 7 years’ illness. 8vo. ¼ leather and marbled board, hinges cracked, rfep loose and has penciling. Slight looseness at front of volume, as expected for a diary. ++ Account book, maintained mostly by William Pierce (a mechanic and blacksmith in Buxton, ME). He purchased looms and sold “loom left-offs,” a critical component used in weaving machines. These were sold widely to wool mills, manufacturing companies, and individuals. Most records pertain to rent, payment for work performed, pork, corn, potatoes, butter, meal, vinegar, and other groceries. Tall 4to. [2], 71pp, with the first 2 pages being a “Memorandum of agreement with Thos Nason...” and a list of Pierce’s property at the time of his death July 6, 1887. ¼ leather and marbled board, preruled paper. Covers worn mostly along edges/corners, very good, minor wear. ++ Diary of farm activities in Hampshire County, MA (probably near Northampton). June 1, 1822 – Mar. 31, 1823, usually 10 entries per page. 1 entry for almost every day. Plowing, planting potatoes, shingling, sowing buckweet, a cider mill, threshing, church, meetings at the schoolhouse, and, in almost every entry, the weather. [32]pp, of which 30pp are the daily entries, 1 page instructions for waterproofing shoes, and a 1-page conclusion: “Note- I spend in considerably more than half the fodder for the winter part- But 20 Bushels oats & 4 of corn- for horses &c. Put in 35 Bushels Potatoes x 60 B. Rutabagas- Raised 60 B. corn x 10 B. oats… fatted one hog only… father has kept 1 ox- 1 horse- 4 cows- 1 heifer 3 years old- 1 Bull…” Toned, paper brittle. Loss to lower left and lower right corner affecting text at bottom of most leaves. Handsewn with contemporary newspaper fragments as wraps. 2.5 Lb.