1861 ORIGINAL CIVIL WAR ERA DIARY HANDWRITTEN BY A NOTED MERCHANT AND JUSTICE OF THE PEACE IN CENTRAL NEW YORK STATE NEAR FORT EDWARD

On hand is a rare, original handwritten diary dating from the American Civil War. Measuring 4.5 inches by 2.75 inches, it contains 122 pages plus memoranda. The cover and pages are in good condition and the binding is intact. The handwriting is dense but legible. In 1861, John Clark is living in Argyle, a village in central New York state. He was born in Hebron, NY in 1805. He spent most of his adult life working as a merchant. He also farmed in the area. He moved to nearby Fort Edward where he served as Justice of the Peace. His diary reflects some of that work. 1861 was also a time of political crisis with the United States on the verge of civil war. He references this as well in his entries. "... at trial of $1000 notes said to be forged .. " [Jan 31]; "... Went to Argyle to attend the drawing of a jury for the next session ..." [Feb 16]. "... the papers are full of exciting news from the South. With all that can be possibly be conceded, I feel civil war will be the result. Things look very [] for peace. ... It will be a fearful hazard ... extirpating the curse of slavery from the bounds of this great nation ..." [Jan 9]; "... Country still in commotion. Some for peace, many others for war. ..." [Jan24]; "... Read a good deal the news of our country is very interesting - the breaking up of our government is no trifling thing ..." [Jan 25]; "... the affairs of our country are very dark indeed" [Jan 26]. Other entries refer to his business and his farming: "... business has been good today ship eggs, potatoes and boots ..." [Apr 12]. In fact, the Civil War began on this date. "... sold a good many boots the news for the war is [ ] ..." [July 13]. In 1864, John Clark did in fact end up enlisting in the U.S. 7th Cavalry. In the several memoranda pages, he keeps track of some expenditures giving some sense of the costs of various items at that time. For a historian studying the days and months leading up to the beginning of the American civil war, this is an outstanding journal. Even in a small, isolated rural community, the news travelled quickly and was obviously hotly debated. A social historian would find the daily recounting of events and tasks paints a very good picture of life in rural upstate New York at the time of the Civil War.; Manuscript; 32mo - over 4" - 5" tall; KEYWORDS: HISTORY OF, 19TH CENTURY, 1860S, MID-NINETEENTH CENTURY IN AMERICA, JOHN CLARK; WASHINGTON COUNTY, NY; AMERICAN CIVIL WAR; U.S. 7TH CAVALRY, ARGYLE, NY; JUSTICE OF PEACE WASHINGTON COUNTY, NY; ANTEBELLUM ERA, UNION ARMY, ANTI-SLAVERY SENTIMENT IN THE NORTHERN STATES; POPULAR MOOD IN THE PRE-CIVIL WAR AMERICAN NORTH; FARMERS IN UPSTATE NEW YORK IN THE MID-19TH CENTURY; FARMING; PRICES IN THE EARLY 1860S IN THE UNITED STATES; UPSTATE NEW YORK; RURAL LIFE BEFORE THE CIVIL WAR; 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