This diary provides a detailed record of the daily activities of all members of the family, such as farm work (planting, maintaining, and harvesting crops); building a hog pen; helping a neighbor move a carriage house; washing the buggies; canning; preparing for market; attendance at several Mennonite churches in the area; the processes involved in moving from one house and barn to a new house and barn on the property; frequent visits between relatives and neighbors; and a few mentions of school; and the leisure activities of the young men. Daily Journal for 1879, published annually for the trade, from I. B. Seeley's Truss & Bandage Establishments, 1347 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia and No. 737 Broadway, New York. The volume also contains a counting-house calendar, rates of postage, and interest tables.
Admin/Biographical History
In 1879, Franklin E. Witmer (1855-1931), at age 23, was the eldest son of Aaron L. Witmer, farmer of West Lampeter Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and his wife Mary Ann (Herr) Witmer. The household also included his younger brothers Abraham (Abram), 21, and Jacob Elam (Elem), 19; two school-age girls Sarah Dunlap, 13, an apprentice servant, and Hettie Fritz, 8, a ward of Mr. and Mrs. Witmer; and for part of the year a teen-age boarder-farm hand , Thaddeus (Thad) Brackbill. In Frank's diary, each person's activity was recorded daily, almost as if he had set himself a deliberate project to do so.
Mr. Witmer's truck farm embraced fields of grain (wheat, oats and rye), several acres of tobacco, a varied fruit orchard, a large truck garden, and a greenhouse for vegetables and flowering plants, a small herd of dairy cattle, some hogs and chickens; enough variety to make year-round weekly visits to market in Lancaster. During the year the family moved into a new house, raised a new barn, stables, hog-pen and chicken-house, and rented the old house and barn to a tenant farmer, Jacob Dieter.
The Witmers were Mennonites, regularly attending church in Lampeter Twp. and Strasburg, and occasionally in New Providence and Lancaster. Sarah and Hettie and briefly Elam, attended the Lampeter School. Their chief source of entertainment seems to have been visiting among their extended Witmer and Herr families and neighbors, although Abram and Elam sometimes attended "singing school" and the Lampeter Lyceum and did some "driving about" of an evening. Only Abram seems to have had a special girlfriend.
Although all the men of the family did everything in the way of farm chores, each of the boys also had a specialty. Frank, the oldest, had his own corn and tobacco patches to tend and market, Abram tended to concentrate on the greenhouse and truck-garden, and Elam helped his father provide veterinary services to other farmers in the area.
Frank Witmer married Mary Ann Herr on November 30, 1881; he continued general farming in West Lampeter Township, died there on December 10, 1931, and was buried in the Mennonite cemetery in nearby Willow Street, Pennsylvania.
This history was prepared by Dr. David H. Wallace.
1 item, 146 pages to scan (26 pages are loose), 13.75 x 4.25 inches
Object Name
Diary
Language
English
Object ID
MG0847_F001
Location of Originals
LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Related Item Notes
Transcription: MG0847_F002
Index: MG0847_F003
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Please use transcription and index, MG0847_F002 and MG0847_F003.
Original diary may be used by appointment--contact research@lancasterhistory.org at least two weeks prior to visit.
Copyright
Images have been provided for research purposes only. Please contact research@lancasterhistory.org for a high-resolution image and permission to publish.
LancasterHistory retains the rights to the digital images and content presented. The doctrine of fair use allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission from the copyright holder. Fair use includes comment, criticism, teaching, and private scholarship. Any images and data downloaded, printed or photocopied for these purposes should provide a citation. All other uses beyond those allowed by fair use require written permission.
Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory. Persons wishing to publish any material from this site must assume all responsibility for identifying and satisfying any claimants of copyright or other use restrictions. Publication fees may apply.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Diary of Clara L. Myers, a young teacher in Terre Hill, Pennsylvania. She may have been an assistant teacher before she took the certification exam. The day-in-the-life entries include weather, family outings, updates about animals, school assignments, daily chores, family health reports, and local news. On April 8, Clara recorded that there was a fire at Diller's Stables. There is a brief record of salary and expenses, as well as a list of letters received and answered from January to May. The Standard Diary, published by The Standard Diary Co.
Photocopied pages from Dickinson Gorsuch's diary. 6 September to 21 September 1851.
Admin/Biographical History
The Christiana Resistance, commonly referred to as the "Christiana Riot" occurred in September of 1851 in Christiana, Pennsylvania, a borough in Lancaster County. The events known as the Christiana Resistance include an attack from slaveholders in Maryland on the inhabitants and home of William Parker a free black man living in Christiana, Pennsylvania. The slaveholders crossed the state border, and attempted claim and return the freedom seekers as their property, under the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850.
The violent confrontation resulted in the death of Edward Gorsuch, a slaveholder, and the escape of William Parker to freedom in Canada. Edward's son, Dickinson Gorsuch, was wounded and taken to the farm of Levi Pownall, where the Pownall family nursed him back to health. Historically, this event challenged the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 and is considered a precursor to the Civil War.
System of Arrangement
Series 1 Manuscript and Printed Material, 1803-1955
The digital images of the manuscript and printed material are 300 dpi JPGs; the photographs are 600 dpi JPGs.
Object Name
Diary
Container
Moores Memorial Library Series 1 Folder 5 Diary Photocopied pages from Dickinson Gorsuch's diary. 6 September to 21 September 1851. 6 September to 21 September 1851.
Language
English
Object ID
Christiana S01 F05
Location of Originals
Unknown
Copies
Moores Memorial Library
9 West Slokom Avenue
Christiana, PA 17509
chrlib@christianalibrary.org
610-593-6683 or 610-593-6687
Related Item Notes
Christiana Resistance Collection (CHRISTIANA RESISTANCE) https://collections.lancasterhistory.org/en/permalink/1287a022-e430-4f3f-bc97-330571018105
Access Conditions / Restrictions
The attached images have been provided for research. The original items are restricted for preservation purposes.
Copyright
The attached images may be used for research purposes only.
Please contact Moores Memorial Library for a high resolution image and permission to publish:
Moores Memorial Library
9 West Slokom Avenue
Christiana, PA 17509
chrlib@christianalibrary.org
610-593-6683 or 610-593-6687
Credit
Christiana Resistance Collection, Series 1, Folder 5, Moores Memorial Library
Classification
CHRISTIANA RESISTANCE
Christiana S01 F05
Description Level
Folder
Custodial History
Moores Memorial Library (Christiana, Pa.) owns some of the most significant manuscript material relating to the Christiana Resistance. The staff of Moores Memorial Library, part of the Library System of Lancaster County, and the Lancaster County Historical Society worked together to arrange and preserve the collection and create a finding aid to make the materials accessible to the public.
The collection contains correspondence to and from the Pownall family regarding the incident, notes regarding kidnappings in the area from 1850-1851, photocopied pages of Dickinson Gorsuch's diary, and published accounts. An 1896 photograph shows Peter Woods and Samuel Hopkins, survivors of the riot. There are also photographs of the Christiana Riot House, the Pownall farm, and key figures in the riot and at the Treason Trials of 1851.
The staff of Moores Memorial Library, part of the Library System of Lancaster County, and the Lancaster County Historical Society worked together to arrange and preserve the collection and create a finding aid to make the materials accessible to the public. Funds for this project were provided by the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) in 2001.
Diary entries of Rev. John Wallace, June 1835 to January 1836
Description
Diary entries of Rev. John Wallace dating from June 1835 to January 1836. Wallace describes his activities throughout Pennsylvania in these months as well as who he sees and where he preaches. He notes many prayer meetings he attends as well as which passages he preaches from.
Admin/Biographical History
Rev. Wallace (d.1866) was pastor at Pequea Church, Gap, Lancaster County from 1833-1866. The family is from Chester and Lancaster counties.
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Rev. John Wallace Papers (MG0869), Object ID, LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL if applicable. Date accessed (day, month, year).
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Please use digital images and transcriptions when available. Original documents may be used by appointment. Please contact Research Center Staff at Research@LancasterHistory.org prior to visit.
Copyright
Collection may not be photocopied. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at Research@LancasterHistory.org. Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Diary entries of Rev. John Wallace, April to November 1855
Description
Diary entries of Rev. John Wallace dating from April to November 1855. Reverend Wallace describes his sermons and activities, including which Bible passages he will preach from and which event he is speaking at. Additionally, Rev. Wallace describes the surgery he underwent to remove a tumor from the side of his neck and the recovery process he experienced.
Admin/Biographical History
Rev. Wallace (d.1866) was pastor at Pequea Church, Gap, Lancaster County from 1833-1866. The family is from Chester and Lancaster counties.
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Rev. John Wallace Papers (MG0869), Object ID, LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL if applicable. Date accessed (day, month, year).
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Please use digital images and transcriptions when available. Original documents may be used by appointment. Please contact Research Center Staff at Research@LancasterHistory.org prior to visit.
Copyright
Collection may not be photocopied. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at Research@LancasterHistory.org. Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Diary entries of Rev. John Wallace from 1860 in which he notes where he and his wife traveled in Pennsylvania to visit friends and deliver sermons. He details the weather throughout the months by keeping track of the temperature and noting weather conditions. Additionally, Rev. Wallace notes the five year anniversary of having the tumor from his neck removed; he further reflects on his recovery and his faith.
Admin/Biographical History
Rev. Wallace (d.1866) was pastor at Pequea Church, Gap, Lancaster County from 1833-1866. The family is from Chester and Lancaster counties.
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Rev. John Wallace Papers (MG0869), Object ID, LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL if applicable. Date accessed (day, month, year).
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Please use digital images and transcriptions when available. Original documents may be used by appointment. Please contact Research Center Staff at Research@LancasterHistory.org prior to visit.
Copyright
Collection may not be photocopied. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at Research@LancasterHistory.org. Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
Diary entries of Rev. John Wallace, May to July 1866
Description
Diary entries of Rev. John Wallace from May to July 1866. Wallace describes the weather throughout this time period, the sermons he preaches and the inspiring Bible passages, as well as the individuals he saw. He records the temperature and weather conditions everyday. The diary entries show Wallace and his wife taking small trips throughout Pennsylvania.
Admin/Biographical History
Rev. Wallace (d.1866) was pastor at Pequea Church, Gap, Lancaster County from 1833-1866. The family is from Chester and Lancaster counties.
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Rev. John Wallace Papers (MG0869), Object ID, LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL if applicable. Date accessed (day, month, year).
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Please use digital images and transcriptions when available. Original documents may be used by appointment. Please contact Research Center Staff at Research@LancasterHistory.org prior to visit.
Copyright
Collection may not be photocopied. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at Research@LancasterHistory.org. Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
History of Pequea Church and diary entries for October 1866
Description
History of Pequea Church and diary entries for October 1866. Rev. Wallace gives a description of the Pequea church and the history behind the building. Additionally, he provides diary entries in the last few weeks of October 1866, preceding his death. He recorded the weather, noted with whom he visited, and the Bible passages he preached from.
Admin/Biographical History
Rev. Wallace (d.1866) was pastor at Pequea Church, Gap, Lancaster County from 1833-1866. The family is from Chester and Lancaster counties.
Preferred Citation: Title or description of item, date (day, month, year), Rev. John Wallace Papers (MG0869), Object ID, LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. URL if applicable. Date accessed (day, month, year).
Access Conditions / Restrictions
Please use digital images and transcriptions when available. Original documents may be used by appointment. Please contact Research Center Staff at Research@LancasterHistory.org prior to visit.
Copyright
Collection may not be photocopied. Please direct questions to Research Center Staff at Research@LancasterHistory.org. Permission for reproduction and/or publication must be obtained in writing from LancasterHistory.
Credit
Courtesy of LancasterHistory, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
