This collection contains the diaries of Gilbert and Edith Bushong.
The first diaries in this collection (Folder #1), written by Gilbert Bushong who is 14 years old, are dated from 3m 17 1850 - 5m 29 1852 and April 20, 1853. The topics covered are the everyday events of family life and farming activities. He also writes about school life, and butchering hogs, and trips to visit family and friends.
The second part of this collection (Folder #2-5) was written by Edith Paxson Bushong and dates from December 31, 1858 - April 5, 1862, after Gilbert presents her with a new diary journal on his return from a trip to Lancaster. Edith writes mostly about the welfare of her family and friends, including news of marriages, births, illnesses, and deaths.
She also writes about life on the farm, her housework routine, and news of the Civil War, including the battle at Gettysburg.
Admin/Biographical History
Gilbert Bushong was the son of Henry Bushong and Esther Valentine. He was born on 2 December 1836 in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania and died on 10 December 1911 in Chester County, Pennsylvania. He was a farmer in Eden Twp., Lancaster County. Gilbert was a member of the Society of Friends (Quakers) and an abolitionist who helped, with family members Henry and Jacob Bushong, to run the Underground Railroad for runaway slaves during the Civil War at Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania.
Edith D. Kinsey Paxson was born on 14 January 1836 and died 2 December 1914 in Chester County, Pennsylvania. She was the second daughter of Elwood H. Paxson and Elizabeth Moore White. She married Gilbert Bushong on 20 December 1855. The Bushongs owned a farm along what is now Valley Road, Route 372, on the eastern side of Eden Twp. and received their mail at May Post Office. They are buried together at Sadsbury Meeting Cemetery in Chester County.
Children of Gilbert and Edith Bushong:
1. Dr. Charles Henry Bushong (1 October 1856-20 December 1903). He was married twice, to sisters who were twins, Anna W. Keene and Nora E. Keene. One died and he married the other.
2. Frances E. Bushong (18 May 1858-16 November 1861).
3. Marion E. Bushong (20 March 1860-March 1937). She married Sanders M. Collins on 20 December 1884. Their children were Edith Bushong Collins (1886-1966) and Wallace Collins (b. 1899). Edith never married. She kept house for her father and was a school teacher. Wallace married Marion Chandler.
4. Marvin E. Bushong (7 June 1878-27 October 1936). He married Lydia Rakestraw on 10 September 1903. Their children were Henry Rakestraw Bushong (b. 28 July 1904) and Gertrude (b. 4 August 1909). At 21, Marvin was appointed a Justice of the Peace of Eden Twp. and in 1908 was elected Clerk of Quarter Sessions at Lancaster County. Later, he was associated with the Pennsylvania Water and Power Company, and in 1933 was vice-president of the Safe Harbor Water Power Corp.
This record group contains canceled orders that were issued by the county commissioners for payment to be made by the county treasurer. The orders show date, order number, amount, name of payee, purpose, and signatures of the county commissioners. In the case of "poor children," teachers were reimbursed by the county for tuition and/or the supplies purchased for students whose parents were unable to pay. Orders include: Poor Children, Almshouse, Bridges, Coroners Inquests, Prisons, Roads, Court House, and Tax Exonerations.
System of Arrangement
The record group is organized chronologically, then arranged by order number within each year.
This record group contains canceled orders that were issued by the county commissioners for payment to be made by the county treasurer. The orders show date, order number, amount, name of payee, purpose, and signatures of the county commissioners. In the case of "poor children," teachers were reimbursed by the county for tuition and/or the supplies purchased for students whose parents were unable to pay. Orders include: Poor Children, Almshouse, Bridges, Coroners' Inquests, Prisons, Roads, Court House, and Tax Exonerations.
System of Arrangement
The record group is organized chronologically, then arranged by order number within each year.
Bolton, William. Father of Bolton, Harriet, age 8.
Bowers, _____ Mrs. Widow. Mother of Bowers, Isabella Eliza, age 11; Bowers, Mary Ann, age 11.
Bowers, Christian. Father of Bowers, Mary Matilda, age 10.
Bucher, Charles. Father of Bucher, Mary Ann, age 8; Bucher, Usilla, age 6.
Caffry, _____ Mrs. Widow. Mother of Caffry, James, age 7.
Caffry, William. Father of Caffry, John, age 11.
Church, John. Father of Church, William, age 10.
Clark, _____ Mrs. Widow. Mother of Clark, Catharine, age 8.
Clark, John. Father of Clark, Samuel. age 7.
Clark, Thomas. Father of Clark, Joseph, age 7.
Cowen, David. Father of Cowen, Sarah, age 11; Cowen, Margaret, age 9.
Dalby, John. Father of Dalby, Jacob, age 7; Dalby, Lydia, age 9.
Doyle, Rosetta. Mother of Doyle, Caroline, age 7.
Dunlap, Enoch. Father of Dunlap, Andrew, age 6.
Evans, Nathan. Father of Evans, Caroline, age 9; Evans, John, age 11.
Evans, _____ Mrs. Widow. Mother of Evans, David, age 7; Evans, John, age 10.
Fielty, James. Father of Fielty, Catharine, age 8; Fielty, Patrick, age 11.
Fiester, _____ Mrs. Widow. Mother of Fiester, James, age 10.
Fiester, Rudolph. Father of Fiester, Catharine, age 8; Fiester, Rudolph, age 6.
Galagher, James. Age 10.
Gault, William. Father of Gault, James B., age 11; Gault, William, age 10.
Gilbert, Benjamin. Father of Gilbert, Benjamin, age 7; Gilbert, Rebecca, age 8.
Goodman, Samuel. Father of Goodman, George, age 11; Goodman, Nancy, age 9.
Green, Benjamin. African American. Father of Green, Mary, age 8; Green, Nancy, age 10.
Griffith, _____ Mrs. Widow. Mother of Griffith, George, age 7; Griffith, Isaac, age 9.
Harrington, Samuel. Father of Harrington, Rebecca, age 8.
Holliday, William. Father of Holliday, Jane, age 9; Holliday, John, age 10.
Iler, John. Father of Iler, Davis, age 10; Iler, George, age 8.
Irwin, James. Father of Irwin, Christian, age 8; Irwin, George, age 6.Irwin, Robert. Father of Irwin, John, age 10; Irwin, William, age 7.
Johnson, Jane. Orphan. Age 7.
Keller, Benjamin. Father of Keller, Samuel, age 8; Keller, Sarah, age 9.
Landis, Margaret. Mother of Landis, Jane E., age 7.
Lawry, Jacob. Father of Lawry, Barbara, age 8; Lawry, Mary, age 6.
Lemmon, Archibald. Father of Lemmon, Jacob, age 11.
Linecum, Peter. Father of Linecum, Catharine, age 9; Linecum, Elias, age 7; Linecum, Peter Longnecker, Jacob. Father of Longenecker, Henry, age 11; Longnecker, Joseph, age 7.
Lynch, Joseph. Father of Lynch, Alexander, age 11; Lynch, Ann, age 10.
Martin, John. Father of Martin, Joseph, age 10.
Mayberry, William. Father of Mayberry, Jane, age 7.
McCormic, Nathan. Father of McCormic, Thomas, age 11; McCormic, Margaret, age 9.
McNelly , Michael. Father of McNelly, James, age 10; McNelly, Jacob, age 8.
Miller, Catharine. Mother of Miller, Philip, age 10.
Miller, Peter. Father of Miller, Hugh, age 9; Miller, James, age 11.
Moore, Moses. Father of Moore, Hiram, age 9; Moore, James, age 8.
Morris, Stacy. Father of Morris, Joseph, age 8; Morris, Ruth Ann, age 11.
Murphy, John. Father of Murphy, Jane, age 10; Murphy, Washington, age 8.
Murray, Thomas. Father of Murray, Livina, age 8; Murray, Mary, age 6.
Noker, _____ Mrs. Widow. African American. Mother of Noker, Martha, age 10; Noker, Mary, age 10.
Platt, Henry. Father of Platt, Richard, age 9.
Russel, David. Father of Russel, Ann , age 11; Russel, Maria, age 9.
Shaw, _____ Mrs. Widow. Mother of Shaw, Jane, age 11.
Shaw, _____ Mrs. Mother of Shaw, Johanna, age 7.
Showalter, Daniel. Father of Showalter, Amos , age 7; Showalter, Rueben, age 10.
Simons, Charles. Father of Simons, James, age 11, Simons, Margaret, age 7.
Smith, Stephen. African American. Father of Smith, Elizabeth, age 8; Smith, Harriett, age 10.
Spece, William. Father of Spece, Maria, age 8.
Spots, John. Father of Spots, Catharine, age 10; Spots, Ellin, age 8.
Stewart, Benjamin. Father of Stewart, Samuel L., age 7.
Stewart, John. Father of Stewart, James, age 8; Stewart, Margaret, age 6.
Strammel, Elisha. Father of Strammel, John, age 7.
Taylor, Elizabeth. Mother of Sargason, Edmund, age 9.
Thorn, Charles. Father of Thorn, Barraba, age 7; Thorn, Charlotte, age 8.
Todd, Enos. father of Todd, John, age 9; Todd, Sally Ann, age 8.
Townley, Elizabeth. Mother of Olds, Rosetta. age 10.
Trouger. Susana. Mother of Trouger, Sarah, age 6.
Walton, Henry. Father of Walton, Isaac, age 11; Walton, Richard, age 10.
Walton, William. Father of Walton, Juliann, age 9;Walton, Isaac, age 7.
Weaver, Daniel. Father of Weaver, Jacob, age 10; Weaver, John, age 8.
Wood, James. Father of Wood, Edward, age 8; Wood, Mary Ann, age 10.
Worthington, Mary. Mother of Worthington, Margaret, age 11.
Zell, Peter. Father of Zell, Adam, age 10.
Zell, Houston. Father of Zell, Sally, age 6; Johnson, Jane, age [not given].
Zell, Catharine. Mother of Hays, Oliver H., age 11.
Zell, Susanna. Mother of Clemson, Davis, age 11.
1 item. 1 piece.
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Request at research desk. Photocopy made by staff member.
This record group contains canceled orders that were issued by the county commissioners for payment to be made by the county treasurer. The orders show date, order number, amount, name of payee, purpose, and signatures of the county commissioners. In the case of "poor children," teachers were reimbursed by the county for tuition and/or the supplies purchased for students whose parents were unable to pay. Orders include: Poor Children, Almshouse, Bridges, Coroners' Inquests, Prisons, Roads, Court House, and Tax Exonerations.
System of Arrangement
The record group is organized chronologically, then arranged by order number within each year.
This record group contains canceled orders that were issued by the county commissioners for payment to be made by the county treasurer. The orders show date, order number, amount, name of payee, purpose, and signatures of the county commissioners. In the case of "poor children," teachers were reimbursed by the county for tuition and/or the supplies purchased for students whose parents were unable to pay. Orders include: Poor Children, Almshouse, Bridges, Coroners' Inquests, Prisons, Roads, Court House, and Tax Exonerations.
System of Arrangement
The record group is organized chronologically, then arranged by order number within each year.
This record group contains canceled orders that were issued by the county commissioners for payment to be made by the county treasurer. The orders show date, order number, amount, name of payee, purpose, and signatures of the county commissioners. In the case of "poor children," teachers were reimbursed by the county for tuition and/or the supplies purchased for students whose parents were unable to pay. Orders include: Poor Children, Almshouse, Bridges, Coroners' Inquests, Prisons, Roads, Court House, and Tax Exonerations.
System of Arrangement
The record group is organized chronologically, then arranged by order number within each year.
This record group contains canceled orders that were issued by the county commissioners for payment to be made by the county treasurer. The orders show date, order number, amount, name of payee, purpose, and signatures of the county commissioners. In the case of "poor children," teachers were reimbursed by the county for tuition and/or the supplies purchased for students whose parents were unable to pay. Orders include: Poor Children, Almshouse, Bridges, Coroners' Inquests, Prisons, Roads, Court House, and Tax Exonerations.
System of Arrangement
The record group is organized chronologically, then arranged by order number within each year.
This record group contains canceled orders that were issued by the county commissioners for payment to be made by the county treasurer. The orders show date, order number, amount, name of payee, purpose, and signatures of the county commissioners. In the case of "poor children," teachers were reimbursed by the county for tuition and/or the supplies purchased for students whose parents were unable to pay.
This record group contains canceled orders that were issued by the county commissioners for payment to be made by the county treasurer. The orders show date, order number, amount, name of payee, purpose, and signatures of the county commissioners. In the case of "poor children," teachers were reimbursed by the county for tuition and/or the supplies purchased for students whose parents were unable to pay.
