1877 ORIGINAL, HANDWRITTEN DIARY AND LEDGER AUTHORED BY L. C. MERRY, A DAIRY FARMER FROM FRENCH CREEK, A SMALL TOWN IN CHAUTAUQUA COUNTY, OFFERING INSIGHT INTO DAILY LIFE ON HIS FARM AND INTO THE LIFE OF LOCAL COMMUNITY

On offer is a super, original diary handwritten by a young farmer from French Creek, a small town in the state of New York on the border with Pennsylvania. Based on the information found in the diary and in "The Historical Journal of More Family", it is most probable that the diary was written by Lucius Carleton Merry (1846 -1909), who arrived in French Creek in 1850s when his father purchased a large dairy farm there. The diary covers the full year of 1877, an entry made for each day. As most farmers' diaries it contains weather records and lists farming operations, including plowing, wood cutting, sugar tapping, apple picking etc. Cheese making was a seasonal activity, on May 2nd he wrote: "Make the first cheese today", They were selling cheese and butter in Corry, New York, or North East, not always successfully. At the start of the year Merry wrote down account balance for 1876: "Have been to Corry today, settled up the balance of the cheese account and sent 60$ to Jamestown making 542$ in all this year". In addition to regular farm operations, county residents were required to do road work each year: "Work on the road, have 181/2 days to work this year. One of the often operations in winter was wood cutting and drawing, which was not always safe. Merry reports three accidents during the year when people were killed: "Hut Richardson was hurt today so that he died. He was drawing logs and was hit on the head by the binder. Charley Kennedy and I sat up with the corpse." In spite of hard labour and financial problems - several entries are about his father looking for money to buy cows, - his diary makes an impression of a very positive sociable person and conveys strong sense of community. He mentions a lot of people, neighbours and relatives, attending church meetings, parties. On April 18th, a rare occasion when they had no visitors and did not go out, he writes: "Have been at home all day, it has been the most lonesome day that I have had in a long time". Church is an important part of his life that he often mentions in the diary: "Go to church and Sunday school, have a sermon for the benefit of Freedmen. I think it was the blackest that I ever heard", probably meaning a sermon written by Alexander G. Cummins in 1865. At the end of the diary there is a ledger detailing monthly expenses and income. The diary contains many names of French Creek residents and of residents of nearby towns, and mentions many local events, including elections: "This afternoon have been to caucus had lots of fun. Pa goes to Corry tonight to get one set of tickets printed....The Republican ticket was all elected". The book has a brown leather cover with flap closure. Name and location written with a pencil on the endpaper. The book is titled "Exelsior Diary 1877". Condition: Very good. Pencil is slightly faded at some places, but the text is clear. The cover is reasonably worn.; Manuscript; 12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall; KEYWORDS: HISTORY OF, RURAL LIFE, ECONOMY, AGRICULTURE, DAIRY FARMING, CHEESE PRODUCTION, FARMS, FARMING, FARMERS, STATE OF NEW YORK, FRENCH CREEK, SOCIAL HISTORY, HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, 19TH CENTURY AMERICAN HISTORY, 1870S, SOCIAL LIFE, SERMONS, AMERICANA, HANDWRITTEN, MANUSCRIPT, DOCUMENT, LETTER, AUTOGRAPH, WRITER, HAND WRITTEN, DOCUMENTS, SIGNED, LETTERS, MANUSCRIPTS, HISTORICAL, HOLOGRAPH, WRITERS, AUTOGRAPHS, PERSONAL, MEMOIR, MEMORIAL, AMERICANA, 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