1949 Diary of a Stoic Liverpool, New York Widow and Woman of Faith, Making Ends Meet by Keeping the Homes of Others

On offer is the simple diary of Eva Mae (Bender) Eaton (1887-1969). Eva was born in upstate New York to parents Wilson and Clara (Rowe) Bender. She married Ransford Chas Eaton (1878-1939) in 1908. Between 1913 and 1918, Eva and Ransford had three children, Francis, Eugene and Howard. In 1927, they had baby Lois, who died at age 17 after a long illness. Eva kept this diary five years after Lois died, and 10 years after she was widowed. 

Eva writes most every day of 1949. She writes only the facts of what occurred each day, betraying absolutely no emotion, even when writing on the 5th anniversary of her daughter’s death (July 4, 1949). However, her entries paint the picture of a 57-year-old woman who is hanging on and surviving all alone, finding moments of joy in outings when possible. While Eva has three living adult children, she doesn’t mention them. The only names she writes are those of her employers - local women who have given her work - and their children, for whom she provides care. She works long days as a domestic helper…and then she returns to her own home and continues working to maintain the house. In some cases Eva writes of working for the same women she socializes with. Although Eva had only a sixth grade education, she made the most of her skills. She was a deeply religious woman and despite toiling all week long, she was a devout church-goer on Sundays. 

Some brief samples of her entries follow:

“Fair and mild. I worked for Mrs. Pfohl from 9 AM until 3 PM and stopped at Mary’s house on the way home” [Jan 13]. 

“...I painted the bed in the small bedroom in the AM and ironed all PM and evening” [Mar 27]. 

“Fair and cool. I worked for Mrs. Montague from 9 AM til 3 PM. Mary and I went to show in the evening ... saw Family Honeymoon”  [Mar 31]. 

“Slight rain and cool. I worked for Ella Mae in AM and stayed with Edna’s children in PM while her and Mary went to Memorial Hospital…” [Apr 23]. 

“Decoration Day. We went to see Parade in AM. I went to cemetery and washed in the PM” [May 30]. 

“Fair and mild. I did our wash and did Mrs. Gettiman’s wash in PM. Helen went to city shopping. Rained in PM and night”  [Sept 19]. 

While her entries are simple, the rhythm of Eva’s life gives a sense of her intense focus on survival and finding joy in the small moments. This diary provides a clear picture of a widow who never established herself independently before the death of her husband, now doing what it takes to get by. 

This small volume contains 52 pages and is 100% complete. It measures 6.25 inches by 4.0 inches. The covers are intact but there is notable surface damage to the front cover. The binding and spine are in good condition as are all of the pages. The handwriting is legible.