1916 ORIGINAL UPSTATE NEW YORK MANUSCRIPT DIARY HAND WRITTEN BY A LOCAL FARMER'S WIFE INTENT ON RECORDING ALL THE ACTIVITIES AND OBSERVATIONS OF LOCAL LIFE AND TIMES WITH THE AWFUL BACKDROP OF WWI EVER LOOMING

On offer is an interesting, original manuscript diary handwritten by a woman living in rural, up-state New York during WWI. Measuring 5 inches by 3 inches, the diary is in good condition. There are 365 pages and it is 100% complete. The handwriting is legible. Edith M. Heath lived in up-state New York, on a farm with her husband, Fred. She was born in 1863 and lived her life in Jefferson County, New York. Casual research has not turned up any additional information. She passed away in 1940 at the age of 77. She was pre-deceased by her husband Fred who passed away in 1923 at the age of 61. She had no children. Her diary is filled with the day-to-day activities of running a farm. "Pleasant and very cold. We washed. Had a very large washing washed two big quilts and eight sheets and a lot of other things ... " [Feb 14, 1916]; "Pleasant and cold. Bradley went to Adams after lumber. Fred went down to Kelley's to fix telephone but it was too cold to work. Bradley and Dora were over here we sugared off" [Mar 17, 1916]; "Cold and pleasant. Bradley rolled all day they turned the cows out in the afternoon for the first time Mrs. Kelley and Dora went fishing I canned 3 quarts of cow slips and finished cleaning the pantry" [May 13, 1916]; "Rained hard all day. Fred sprouted potatoes. I baked. Fred went to the Centre in the morning and got a new lawn mower $3.50. I fell down stairs and hurt my foot. Bradley and Dora went to the party at the Center." [June 3, 1916]. In February she records the death of her mother, Sarah Fassett: "... Ma was very bad all day. She died five minutes to twelve. Had been here 12 weeks and 3 days" [Feb 9, 1916]. Several months later, on April 20th, she records that Fred sold her mother's house for $800.00? Edith's diary is intensely local. Despite a world war raging, there is no mention of it in her diary. Indeed, although significant events are taking place in the United States, she resolutely focuses on life in her immediate surroundings. In addition to her daily entries, she keeps a record in the back of the diary of all of the births, marriages and deaths in the area. These are in addition to the many many references to friends and neighbours throughout the diary. This diary is an excellent glimpse into the daily life of a small farming community in America a century ago. The wealth of detail makes it very easy to picture the rhythm of the days and the seasons. Through her entries, it is easy to visualize life in that place at that time. A genealogist would prize the names and associated details of the many people she mentions in her diary.; Manuscript; 32mo - over 4" - 5" tall; KEYWORDS: HISTORY OF; UNITED STATES, UP-STATE NEW YORK; 20TH CENTURY; 1910s; WW1; EDITH M. HEATH; JEFFERSON COUNTY, NY; LIFE IN RURAL AMERICA; AMERICA AND WORLD WAR I; RURAL AMERICA; FARM LIFE IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY; FARMING OPERATIONS; FARM WOMEN; AGRICULTURE IN JEFFERSON COUNTY; CLIMATE IN NEW YORK STATE IN 1910s; JEFFERSON COUNTY GENEALOGY; WOMEN STUDIES; 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