Josephine Sarah (Merrill) Gassett Diaries, 1861-1922

Title:

Josephine Sarah (Merrill) Gassett Diaries, 1861-1922

Creator:

Gassett, Josephine Sarah Merrill, 1843-1926, Josephine Sarah Merrill, 1843-1926

Creator Role:

Author

Accession / Call Number:

1989.022

Object ID:

1989-022

Date:

1861-1922

Physical Description:

1 box, 27 volumes ; 0.42 linear feet

Scope and Content:

Josephine Sarah Merrill Gassett was born in 1843, lived her entire life in South Acworth, New Hampshire, and recorded that life in 27 diaries, from 1861 to 1922 (with some gaps). She seldom traveled beyond the adjoining towns. In 1866, she married Manley Gassett. Daily she recorded the seasonal household and farm routines. She baked, sewed, washed clothes and floors, knit, made candles and soap, and "worked the butter." She earned money by knitting and sewing for others and by selling eggs and butter. Daily she recorded the weather, her visits and visitors, and her frequent health problems. She chronicled Manley’s farm tasks for their farm and for the farms of others in the community. He broke roads, carried wood, planted and reaped the crops, mended fencing, shingled the barn, and traded animals. The Gassetts had no children, although they raised a niece, Fannie Merrill, affectionately called "our girlie." The Gassetts attended community events and supported the local school by attending school programs, boarding the teacher, and cleaning the schoolhouse. Occasionally there is reference to national news; more frequently the references refer to local items. Local elections and events are richly recorded. Births, deaths, ages of friends and neighbors, church dedications, robberies, town meetings, and local catastrophes were recorded. The diaries were commercially printed with prefaces including calendars, population figures, tide tables, etc. The memoranda include her cash accounts, addresses, patterns, and recipes.

Subjects:

Diaries , Farmers , Farms , Women

Locations:

Acworth, NH

People:

Gassett, Josephine Sarah Merrill, 1843-1926 , Gassett, Manley, 1842-1923 , Merrill, Fannie, 1871

Credit Line:

Gift of Donna-Belle and Jim Garvin.

Restrictions:

Available for research.

Level Description:

Collection