1871 & 1907 ORIGINAL PAIR [2] OF MANUSCRIPT DIARIES HANDWRITTEN BY SISTERS BOOKENDING THE LATE 19th CENTURY TO THE EARLY 20th CENTURY IN MASSACHUSETTS

On offer is a fascinating. original pair (2) of interesting manuscript diaries that belonged to members of the Bates family in Massachusetts - Mrs. Hiram Bates (nee Ellen Francis Thorpe, in the second marriage Mrs. Charles W. Merry), and her step-daughter Delia Maria Bates. The first diary, authored by Delia Maria Bates in 1871, measures 3'9 x 2'5, and almost 100% complete. The second authored by Ellen Francis Thorpe, measures 3'9 x 2'5, is for 1879, but the entries are for March 3rd to April 10th, 1881 and for May 1st to June 12th, 1907. Both diaries are in very good condition. Delia Maria Bates (1849 - 1892) was a daughter of Hiram Bates and Diantha Maria Hubbard, she was 22 when writing the diary. Delia's diary covers the complete year of 1871 and in the back pocket there is a charming piece of lace ribbon. There are only 9 days that Delia does not write and that's because she is sick. She also seems like she's away from home for quite some time. Delia writes about her day-to-day life - visits from friends and family, family events, like marriages and birthdays, going to dances and Dramatic Club. She mentions local events: on July 20th she writes about an earthquake which was felt on that morning all over New England, and a fire that burned a house. She is often sick, complaining on her health in many entries, and she died when she was only 43, in 1892. Here some of the entries from her diary: "May 28th, Henry Eddy came to see me this P.M. Came from church and stayed about 2 hours. Dwight stayed here last night. I returned everything to him that belonged to him so I have nothing left of his. Fare the well, thou will soon forget this poor frame. I may soon lie smoldering in the clay. But mayest thou always be happy and may thy days be many and crowned with blessings."; "August 30th, I am getting homesick. I don't know what I shall do. O for a lodge in some vast wilderness. I wish I might find some rest, somewhere. This turmoil within all the time."; "November 25th, Worked on my dress. What a splendid evening, not a cloud obscures the beauty of the scene. How I would like to be at liberty to go out and enjoy it if I were, this close room would not confine me long. How I love the bright moon shine. It is so beautiful, so grand and glorious." The second diary is authored by Delia's stepmother , Ellen Francis Thorpe (1829-1911), who married Delia's father, Hiram Bates after his first wife died in 1852. Hiram died in 1900, and 5 years after his death she married Charles Wallace Merry from California. Ellen's diary covers 38 days in 1881 in which she writes about day-to-day life, records weather, family and local events. The entries made in 1907 are the most interesting, they cover 43 days, from May 1st to June 12th , and describe her trip to New York via Panama leaving from her now home in California: "May 1st, Started for the east at half past seven o'clock. Took the cars at Los Angeles at 10 o'clock. Arrived at Port Los Angeles about 3 o'clock. Took the steamboat for San Francisco about 7 o'clock."; "May 2nd -4th, Both sick all day on board the Santa Rosa. Did not eat anything all day. Arrived in San Francisco about 4 in the afternoon. Went to the Hotel West….Staid over night. Went to the Cliff House to Bath House and Park back to Hotel West. Staid over night again. Then started for the steamboat Newport. Started at noon for Panama…Started at 12 o'clock for Panama which is a long sail. Will take 22 day to get there they say."; "May 9th, We had 7 women and 8 children on board in our stateroom. One black woman, one black girl. They think they are just as good as anyone."; "May 11th & 12th, Arrived at San Blaz this morning taking on coffee all morning when that is loaded we will go on. Natives come around in boats to sell their fruits of all kinds……Plenty of company on board today. Spanish, Mexican, and coconuts, pineapples, melons &c. Had a fight on board. Had the fellow put in iron for punishment." They get to San Juan de Guatemala and unload more freight. Stay there 3 days then on to Corinto "June 9th, Quite a quiet day on board. Brought some New Zealand monkeys out to show one of them. Would play but the boys bothered them so. He seemed to take a liking to me and wanted to play but he bit me so I had it done up by the surgeon." They land in New York on June 12th and head for New Haven.; Manuscript; 48mo - over 3" - 4" tall; KEYWORDS: HISTORY OF, 19TH CENTURY, NINETEENTH CENTURY, 1870s, 1880s, 1900s, RECONSTRUCTION ERA, GILDED AGE, PROGRESSIVE ERA, UNITED STATES, HAMPSHIRE COUNTY, MA, RURAL MASSACHUSETTS IN THE LATE 19TH CENTURY, CHESTERFIELD, GOSHEN, NEW BOSTON, EAST WINDSOR, WATTS, CA, HIRAM BATES, DELIA MARIA BATES, SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, RURAL MASSACHUSETTS IN 19TH CENTURY, PANAMA, SEA TRIP TO PANAMA IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY, WOMEN'S LIFE IN THE LATE 19TH CENTURY, WOMEN'S STUDIES, WOMEN'S SOCIAL LIFE IN MID 19TH CENTURY, WEST TO EAST COAST PANAMA ROUTE, WOMEN AND ILLNESS IN MID-LATE NINETEENTH CENTURY, FARMERS' FAMILIES, SEA TRAVEL IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY, AMERICANA, HANDWRITTEN, MANUSCRIPT, DOCUMENT, LETTER, AUTOGRAPH, WRITER, HAND WRITTEN, DOCUMENTS, SIGNED, LETTERS, MANUSCRIPTS, DIARY, DIARIES, JOURNALS, PERSONAL HISTORY, SOCIAL HISTORY, HISTORICAL, HOLOGRAPH, WRITERS, AUTOGRAPHS, PERSONAL, MEMOIR, MEMORIAL, 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