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Diary of an unknown young man

 Collection — Folder: 1
Call Number: RH MS P938

Overview

Daily accounting of the year 1864 by an unknown young man from the area around Albany County, New York, who traveled west and eventually settled with his parents in Monona, Iowa.

Dates

  • Creation: January 1, 1864-December 31, 1864

Conditions Governing Access

No access restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Spencer Library staff may determine use restrictions dependent on the physical condition of manuscript materials.

Extent

1 folder : Diary is 10 cm x 7 cm, written in pencil.

Language of Materials

English

Scope and Contents

In the early months of the year, the young man writing the diary describes traveling often to nearby towns Amity and Troy to fetch mail and handle other chores. By mid-April he began traveling west, spending time in and/or describing such places as Detroit, MI; Chicago, IL; St. Louis, Jefferson City, Rocheport, Boonville, and Missouri [Kansas] City, MO; Leavenworth, KS; Omaha, NE; and Council Bluffs, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Clinton, and Monona, IA. Monona is where his parents lived.

Topics generally discussed by the diarist include what he was reading, the weather, people he met in his travels, business and chores he handled as well as recreational activities, and small events he witnessed, such as attending a sanitary fair in St. Louis for the benefit of Union soldiers, or noting that General Daniel Sickles was on the same train as he.

Physical Location

RH MS P938

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Purchase, Michael Brown Rare Books Llc, 2015.

Source

Title
Guide to the Diary of an Unknown Young Man Collection
Subtitle
Diary of an unknown young man
Author
Finding aid prepared by mwh. Finding aid encoded by mwh.
Date
2016-04-08
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Finding aid permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/10407/0443686023
Preferred citation
Diary of an unknown young man, RH MS P938, Kenneth Spencer Research Library, University of Kansas.

Repository Details

Part of the University of Kansas. Kenneth Spencer Research Library Repository

Contact:
1450 Poplar Lane
Lawrence KS 66045-7616 United States
785-864-4334