1917 WW1 Homefront Diary of a Cavendish, Vermont Farm Girl Whose Future Husband is Deployed to France

On offer is the WW1 homefront diary of young Edith E Sanders, later Gleason (1894-1986) of Cavendish, Vermont. Edith lived on a farm with her family. She kept this diary at age 23 in 1917, while her future husband, Charles Jerome Gleason (1891-1989), was deployed to France as a member of the 102nd Machine Gun Battalion in the U.S. Army. [For more on Edith and Charles, see BIO NOTES at the end of the listing]. 

Edith’s daily  entries are detailed. Through them, we get an excellent look at the daily life of this young woman at a time of significant disruption to the United States.  

For the most part, Edith’s diary focuses on her daily life. She is constantly sending and receiving letters from “Gleason”, who is her future husband, Charles. She uses the Memoranda section to record her weight and to keep detailed monthly accounting of her earnings and expenses, which is a highlight of the diary as few young diarists keep such great track of their income and spending. The following excerpts give a sense of the flow of Edith’s writing:

“...Dr. Buxton called in forenoon give me examination. Nothing serious. Just called in afternoon with medicine. Park came on evening train. Minnie came on morning train” [March 10].

“Fair, lovely. Sweep & cleaned. Birdie & I went down street, also in evening to walk with Rose. Card from Francis B. Sent letters to Mable & [Charles] Gleason. Papa & Mama went to Ludlow”  [May 31]. 

“Fair. Ironed. Crochet. Down street in afternoon, Called on Alice W. Papa went to Ludlow after horses. Letter from Gleason from France. Sent him letter. Card from Mabel”  [Oct 31]. 

“...Mother, Ruth and I went to Ludlow in afternoon. Dr. Stevens pulled my 12 lower teeth” [Dec 6, 1917]. 

“...Done up work. Lucy had cold. Papa took me to Heald’s. Rode down with Roy. Called to Grandma J. Down street in evening. Sent letters to Mabel and Gleason. Package from Addie Gleason [Charles’ mother]” [Dec 25]. 

At the very end of the diary in the Letters part of the Memoranda section, Edith writes: “First letter from Gleason after he went to France October 31st”. While she never journals her feelings for him, their burgeoning love is clearly noted. 

For a social historian, this diary paints a very detailed picture of what life was like for this young woman a century ago in America. For a Gender Studies program, it gives an excellent look at the daily life of one young woman in a small rural American community – a lifestyle that was likely quite similar to that shared by many other women of her time.

BIO NOTES: Edith E. Sanders Gleason was born to parents Ida Grimes and James Sanders. They were a farming family from Cavendish, Vermont. On July 10, 1919, Edith married Charles Jerome Gleanson (1891-1989). They had one child together, Mildred (later Fitzgibbons) (1923-2021). Edith worked at the Gay Brothers Woolin Mills as a specker and Charles worked as a town farm manager and then at the Woolin Mill and Bryant Chucking Grinder Co. They were members of Cavendish Baptist Church, the American Legion Auxilliary and the Myrthle Rebekah Lodge in Proctorsville. Charles was a decorated soldier, having won the Purple Heart, Verdun and Victory medals. 

This small diary measures 4.75 inches by 3.25 inches. The covers are in good condition with some bending due to age and use. The spine and binding are in good shape. There are about 122 pages in the diary and it is 90% complete. The handwriting is legible.