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NANCY MASTON : 1845 ORIGINAL PRE CIVIL WAR MANUSCRIPT DIARY HANDWRITTEN BY A MEDINA NEW YORK MATRIARCH FEATURING LOCAL HISTORY AND GENEALOGY

32mo - over 4" - 5" tall. On offer is a fascinating pre Civil War 1845 [with notes to 1869] manuscript diary handwritten by Nancy Maston who is a resident in or near Medina New York in Wayne County. She was born on September 20th 1796 thusly 48 years old at the outset of the diary. We note that Nancy when she turns 67 years old in 1863 that she considers herself "quite an old woman but somewhat smart yet." She has a son Henry and a husband Ephraim. Her mother is noted on Sept. 20, 1862 to be remembered to have died some time before at 85 years of age and Nancy misses her very much. Nancy describes on December 25, 1858, when the journal entries begin, "Wilcox Mill burnt down in Medina - formerly the old tannery - lost everything, no insurance, has wife, daughter and son." Ephraim and Henry were present at the scene. A Civil War Draft is mentioned on Feb. 24, 1865 as "an exciting day - an awful war, when will it come to an end?" Also the death of a friend from an April 16, 1869 entry where the "girls" and Henry have gone to attend the funeral of Isaac Heist (?) - died of typhoid fever and congestion of the brain." Apart from the above entries, life seems pretty good and even keeled: ordinary entries of visits with people back and forth, i.e. R. Douglass 9/10 Sept 1847, 13th Sept same year Littell and Aunt Lydia, and 15th of that month with Dr. Hill - note here that her writing deteriorates for some reason in 1847. Visits with people also 1855 and 1853. Normal life comprises of men/family folk riding the sleigh for visits and "chop wood for stove". Nancy is also religious and "laments people have lost respect for the gospel" - also calling Sunday, the Sabbath. She attended the funeral of a "coloured woman" at the Methodist Church. While she writes sporadically there are about 50+ pages of entries and a number of ephemeral pieces tucked in including a World War I Registration Certificate dated Sep 12 1918 for Edgar Abraham Gould in Buffalo NY. The 4" x 6" is rather worn and there is some scattered internal foxing but overall Fair+.. Manuscript. Book Condition: Fair+

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