1869 ORIGINAL, HOMEY ROCHESTER NEW YORK AREA MANUSCRIPT DIARY HANDWRITTEN BY A DESCENDENT OF AN ONTARIO COUNTY PIONEER

On offer is a late-19th century diary authored by George A. Wheeler. It measures 4 inches by 2 3/4 inches and is 100% complete. Although it is virtually complete, it is quite spare in content. The name on the inside cover is George A. Wheeler. Based on the place and dates it is probably George A. Wheeler (1856-1939), a descendent of an Ontario County pioneer Benjamin Wheeler, who came to the area around 1800. George studied at the East Bloomfield Academy and Lima Seminary, became a successful farmer, a president of the Ontario Agricultural Society, a county assessor, and an active member of the Universalist church in Bristol. He married Mary Belle Hicks in 1877, a daughter of Bristol farmer Benjamin Hicks, they had 4 children, one of whom, Ralph H. Wheeler, became a professor of agricultural extension at the Cornell University. They lived all their life on a family farm near East Bloomfield. The great majority of entries are simply: "I went to school". Other entries detail various chores he completed: "I plowed" [Sept 1], "I drawed manure" [Sep 9], "I picked apples" [Oct 1]. Other than references to 2 small communities, there are no really personal details or general observations. The writer mentions going once to Canandaigua NY and on another occasion to Bristol NY. This suggests that he lives in the rural area south of Rochester NY. On July 5th, he (assuming it is indeed Wheeler) took a 2 week trip to New York City. Again, the entries are spare: "We went to Central Park, saw a Theater in the evening".; Manuscript; 48mo - over 3" - 4" tall