1873-1882 Archive of Diaries of a Student at Bowdoin College and Then Harvard Medical School Plus Diaries of His Future Wife

On offer are six [6] original handwritten diaries belonging to Edwin Flye Stetson and Mary (Chapman) Stetson, both of Maine. 

Edwin Flye Stetson (1853-1924) was born in Damariscotta, Maine to Abner Stetson, a shipbuilder, and Betsey (Riggs) Stetson. He was educated at preparatory schools and graduated from Lincoln Academy before entering Bowdoin College in 1874. He attended Bowdoin for his freshman and sophomore years before transferring to Harvard Medical School in the fall of 1876. In 1883, Edwin married Mary Chapman (1856-1944) of Newcastle, Maine. They would have four children together: Helen (1884), Rufus Edwin (1886), Grace Lunt (1891) and Mary Elvira (1894). 

Edwin Flye Stetson's diaries cover 1873, 1874, 1875, and 1877. In 1873, Stetson is a student at (we presume) Lincoln Academy in Newcastle, Maine. In 1874 he completes his secondary education and even comments forlornly on the end of his time as a school boy on July 1, 1874: “Sitting out…the last time I will ever sit here as a schooler most likely…good bye old house, school days where are all over here”. He begins his education at Bowdoin in the fall of 1874 (after a false start getting left behind on his first attempt to go to Brunswick, ME on September 23, he finally arrives at his dorm on the 25th). He writes of his time at Bowdoin from Sept-Dec, 1874 and throughout his 1875 diary. By 1877, Stetson is living in Boston and attending Harvard Medical School.  

Mary Chapman's (later Stetson) diaries cover 1880, and 1882. She would marry Edwin in 1883. 

In 1873, Edwin is a 20-year old student, we believe at Lincoln Academy. Some excerpts follow:

“February 12th, Cut wood a little while today. Go over to the hall in the afternoon and helped fix it up a little for the great ball Friday night. Everite has gone to Augusta and I have got to stop in the store tonight.” In June he takes a trip to St. John’s on a ship and spends a few months camping and relaxing for the summer”.

 “June 23rd and 24th, Start for St. Johns this morning. I am tired of riding. Wish I was there…..Arrive in St. Johns 7 o’clock this morning. Go up to the Victoria Hotel to breakfast. Stay in the ship all day with Wilder. Like it. Think I shall run across to L. with them. Go up where the folks are tonight. Turn in at 10 o’clock happy”. 

“July 2nd, Father called me at 4 o’clock this morning. Devil of a hurry as usual. Boat starts from B. at 6 o’clock. Arrive in Rockland at 12 m. Get home 3 o’clock...Have a gay time. I tell ye fine bedfellow”.

He returns to school in September 1873:

“Finish sawing pine wood this forenoon. Get some in. Sent ma the note tonight. Dance in the hall. Don’t go. Sobered down quite an old man now. Things that I once loved I now hate and things that I once hated I now love. Whiskey &c.”. 

1873 is written almost entirely in pencil, and there has been some serious smudging on some day’s entries. This is not too common, but for the couple days smudged over, they cannot be comprehended fully. 

1874 is much the same as the previous diary, recordings of his day-to-day tasks and life experiences, often dealing with girls, drinking, school, and friends. He begins school at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine in the fall of 1874:

“February 12th, Our annual ball tonight. The best time I ever had. Home at 5 o’clock. We go over and sit and smoke with Jones until ½ after 6. Home, do my work and turn in”.

“September 26. Got my books today and fooled around a little. Went down to Dunnings to tea tonight but don’t like much…”.

“October 15. School adjourned this PM on account of the fair. Eve and I went over. Joined the Society tonight. Heard from Mother today…became a member of the [Zeta Psi] Society tonight 2am…”. 

“November 18. A new member in the freshman class. Purrington entered today or rather came today, got his ticket last year. Class meeting again for election of officials as split before”.

In 1875, Stetson is completing his freshman year and beginning his sophomore year at Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine:

“January 9th, Started for school today in a snow storm. Got here all night but am everlastingly lonesome, homesick for anything you please”.

“January 12th, I have studied like the very-D. today and taken a dead for it. If it wasn’t for the corks of the thing I’d pack my books, send them home and strike for parts unknown to man or east. I’m fairly discouraged. If I had a ‘drop of the old creature’ I believe I’d indulge a little”.

In college, Edwin is sometimes struggling, homesick, lonely and ‘dead broke’. He writes once that one “Can’t say that I have had a very good time outside of home” In the summer, his parents and his brother Abner visit him. This doesn’t help too much though. 

“July 27th & 28th Ab came down this afternoon but wouldn’t stay. He has been at home now over a week and I am unable to read him. I fear he has changed mightily or else he is acting it….Picnic today. Don’t care much about it but must go. Wish I hadn’t gone. Never had a much poorer time. Wish I had gone when I had a good mind to Oh! Dear! Things are not just as I would have them but when will they ever be different?” 

Edwin’s last diary is in 1877, written in Boston, Massachusetts, where he is attending Harvard Medical School. He is doing better at Harvard, obviously studying very hard, but seeming to enjoy the struggle. 

“January 21, 1877. In the last 84 hours I have slept 6, tried to sleep today but could not”.

“March 1, Worked in the lab until (?) 11. After lecture in anatomy went down to the store and got my collars, came home and studied on anatomy until supper time. Down to dissecting room this eve then Rob & I went down to Miller’s.” 

He attends classes on Chemistry, Physiology, Anatomy and others. He is incredibly studious during this time:

“Studied till 11 - a very pleasant day - down to Chemistry - studied till after 2...” 

The entries thin out a bit by the end of the year, probably due to end of year exams. There is one entry from another time that Edwin has added in, about his father’s death:

“November 4th, 1878. Monday. Father died at 1.45 P.M. today. I arrived on the 4 P.M. train.” 

Mary’s diaries begin in 1880. She spends much of the year in school and in the summer takes a trip out to Iselboro, Maine:

“February 17th, Pleasant. School all day. Got real tired and am fairly sick this eve. I stretched out on the sofa and was thankful that Uncle Billie did not come. Mamma is not very well either. But we are very happy at being all together in our bright little home. Saw Addie”.

“April 28th, Pleasant and warm. We began school at 8 this morning and let out at ten as to attend Mr. French’s funeral. The remains were placed in the Hall. He looked very natural. The Mason’s buried him. They looked very nice and there were a great many. Papa was among them. Luda came home to dinner with me. Went to school this P.M. Mr. Thurlow tried experiments. Went over town, got my dress. Had quite a time”. 

Mary was extremely ill during the middle of the year. She explains her illness which lead to a gap in her diary entries. By the time she begins writing again, she is back to her old self:

“May 2nd, 1880. Something did happen. I was taken sick that very eve that the last page was written and have had a long drag of six weeks, been very sick with fever and been badly poisoned and salirated by Dr. Rob. No one knows what I have suffered but myself. I will pass over the next six weeks in silence since I only lay in bed. Everybody was as good as possible.”

“July 31st, Seaside House. Quite pleasant. Got up early. Had to hurry to get to the boat at 8. All came to Isleboro where we were to stop a week. We enjoyed the sail down the river. This is a pretty place, about thirty regular boarders. A very good hotel, cottages and tents look pretty. We spent the P.M. tramping up on the hill. Sat on the beach this eve with Joe and Nellie. I think we will have a pleasant time here”.

“November 1st, Pleasant. Examination at school. I got very indignant at Mr. Kelley for adjourning school to go to Waterville to vote and refused to close the school for him. I could not help it. He went off in such a mean way. I am sorry tho that I did not accommodate him but I was as right as he was”.

“November 3rd, Pleasant. I opened school at half past nine and when Mr. Kelley came we had a strong discussion. I was provoked and so was he. I wish I had not meddled with him at all, since he is little he cannot take an explanation or talk without arguing. Home this eve. The Republicans have got their 329. Garfield. I am sorry for the country”. 

Mary’s 1882 diary is similar. She continues with her studies, is very active in church and school politics, and seems to be a generally pleasant young woman. Though this is the oldest diary in the archive, it does not yet mention her meeting Edwin, and it is uncertain when and how they would meet. Mary’s diaries are considerably smaller than Edwin’s and her handwriting can be occasionally quite small and cramped, but this does not inhibit comprehension too often.

These diaries would be an exceptional addition to the collection of anyone interested in Maine's history, 19th century medical education, 19th century Bowdoin College or Harvard, or the experiences of men and women prior to settling down to form a family. 

Edwin’s 1873 diary is about 3/4 full of entries but the 1874, 1875 and 1877 diaries are completely full of handwritten entries, of a mostly easily comprehensible and clear script. For Mary’s diaries, the 1880 diary has entries everyday until May 3rd, and then there are blank pages until early June. After June 7th, Mary is faithful to the diary and there are full entries until the end of the year. Mary's 1882 diary has steady entries up to February 20th then blank until May 4th and then after that she keeps her diary intermittently, filling about 50% of the pages for the rest of the year.

Most of the diaries have other papers and ephemera either stuck in between pages or in the little pouches in the front and back of the diary. These are mostly receipts for medical supplies and medicines, as well as some short letters. Diaries range in size from 4x3 inches to 7.5x3.5 inches. They are overall in Good condition with some more age-worn than others. Pages and covers all appear to be intact, some loosening of spines but no significant separation. Overall Fair to Good.

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