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MARY AND ELLEN CLARK : MID & LATE 1800s ORIGINAL GROUP OF SIX [6] DIARIES OF SISTERS COMING OF AGE IN TWO DIFFERENT TIMES IN AMERICA, ONE THE BACKDROP OF THE CIVIL WAR, AND THE OTHER AN ERA OF DEPRESSION AND DISEASE

8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. On offer are six diaries from two sisters coming of age together in the mid to late 19th century in Plymouth, New Hampshire. The two sisters are Mary and Ellen Clark. There are three diaries written by Mary: 1863, 1864, and 1866. For her sister Ellen, the years are 1878, 1884, and 1885. Ms. Mary Clark’s diaries are an interesting look at the life of a young woman coming of age with the backdrop of an America plunged into Civil War. Her first diary starts in February of 1864 and ends on September 30th, 1865. The contents are hand written in a tiny neat pencilled cursive hand. Contents of the diary on a day to day basis are mostly on weather, travels or illness of other residence of the Town. There are, however mentions of historical significance. On April 10th there is the following "A report came that Lee was taken. Bells rang and cannon were fired" and then on Wednesday April, 19th "Account of the Death of the President. Grant is meeting in the office now". Interestingly enough, she does not comment on the end of the war on May 9th, 1865, implying that she might be either a bit too young to understand the consequences of the end of the war, or she was enough removed from the fighting up in New Hampshire that she didn’t think it necessary to comment. Little is known about Miss Clark but from the diary the impression is of a teenage girl either finishing schooling or perhaps as a teacher. Excerpts: “April 23rd, 1863. Pleasant & warm. Public meeting in the evening was very good.”; “Sunday, April 26th, 1863. Pleasant but windy. Went to church Sabbath school concert in the afternoon. went to prayer meeting in the evening.”; April 13, 1864. Cold and windy. Fast-day, meeting in the afternoon I did not go. Went over onto the interval(?) in the afternoon and played ball, in the evening had an illumination in honor of recent victories.”; “September 27, 1865. Hattis Book died yesterday of Diphtheria.”; July 23, 1866. Cool but pleasant. Ella and I went to Wentworth.” The diaries of Ellen Clark are a bit different. In her first diary, she is living at home. By 1884, it seems she has left and now lives in a different home, though it doesn’t seem as if she is married or has children. Her entries are a longer than her sisters, with more detail about her day-to-day life. Across all three of her diaries she reports being sick quite often, and being bed ridden for many days at a time. It may be that she has Sciatica, as one of the first pages from her 1885 diary has a page-length description of a “Remedy for Sciatica” involving a pound of imported gingerroot and a 1/2 pound of epsom salts. There are also canker sores involved and applications of creams and tonics to ease her pain. Beginning in 1884 and going through till the end of her 1885, everything that she buys is written down on the day she bought it and the price paid. It is very interesting to see many different types of items bought and what they cost in the late 19th century. Both her 1884 and 1885 diaries contain some ephemera in a pocket in the back of her diary. Both these diaries contain bills for medical services rendered, one that is $13, which is very expensive. The first two diaries are filled completely with entries. The 1885 diary has entries everyday until it stops on August 2nd. Diary excerpts: “Wednesday. October 30, 1878. Very rainy. am went to village. Feel very badly. Wish I could play with Miss B - I think the Dr. is a little discouraged.”; “December 25, 1878. Terrible headache all day. Quite pleasant but very cold. Went to Drs. but he had gone.”; “Jan 6, 1884. 10 de. below zero. Very cold. Went to Church in the A.M.”; “Jan 8, 1884. 20 lbs. Granulated sugar - $1.80. 2lbs 14oz chicken - $.45; Tin wash basin - $.10; 2 bunches silk - $.09; 25 Postage stamps - $.50; Peck of salt course - $.13; Compressed yeast - $.02; St. Jacobs Oil - $.45; 1/4 Trocker - $.15 = $3.69”; Tues. June 24, 1884.”; “August 12, 1884. Still suffering badly.”; “August 16, 1884. 3rd canker under arm came out.”; July 3, 1885. Walked out this morning had a sick spell at noon. Dr. D. came to see me this A.M. Thunder showers this P.M.”. Manuscript. Book Condition: Good

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