[Rarebooks] FS: Handwritten Woman's Diary, Springfield, MA area

[Bob Petrilla]

Ballou, Mrs. Frank. MASSACHUSETTS FARM WOMAN'S HANDWRITTEN DIARY,
1914-1920. Original manuscript. pp: 1-233, 281-289. Written in pencil in a
legible hand on lined paper, few entries fading. Bound in leather-backed
marbled boards, spine ends chipped. Each entry is dated, and the average
length is 2-4 lines per entry.  8.25" x 5" Good . Leather-backed boards.
Our diarist lives in central Massachusetts, probably Hampden County. She
writes of "going to the city" of Springfield, MA, as well as to "the
village," nearby. Other towns mentioned in the diary are Palmer, Wilbraham,
Monson, East Longmeadow, Indian Orchard, Stafford, Forest Park, and
Hazardville (CT). Local family names include: Kibbe, Larson, Sullivan,
Smith, Handy, Hulett, Sessions, Pease, and others. She also records
neighborhood milestones such as births, marriages, deaths, funerals, etc. ~
Although we do not know our diarist's maiden name, by 1919 she is married
to Frank Ballou, but no wedding is mentioned in the diary. Mrs. Ballou's
diary provides a vivid picture of rural life in that place at that time.
Besides keeping house, she does paid housework and farm work such as haying
for others. She gives music lessons as well, traveling even to homes "over
the mountain." Her farm work includes "peddling" the milk, eggs, fruits and
vegetables that she and Frank nurture, along with baking, washing, ironing,
white-washing, dyeing, sewing, and feeding the hired men (all named). ~
Besides giving music lessons, she attends rehearsals for her piano and
organ-playing at concerts and at several local churches. She notes who
preached, and who sang; listens to the gramophone, buys phonograph records;
attends pig/ham/clam suppers as well as picnics and lawn parties. ~
Accompanied by "ma," our diarist attends suffrage meetings, a suffrage tea,
and a suffrage parade--attending seven such in 1915. ~ She routinely names
the farm horses and cows, the births of foals and calves, &c. Typical
entries: "4/2/1916--Prince sick." "4/3--Took care of Prince and did
chores." "4/4--Churned and took care of Prince." "4/6--Shot old Prince. I
went to the village with butter, etc." ~ World War I is mentioned only in
passing, first alluded to three months after war was declared, e.g.: "Lewis
left for good to enlist....Kate and I went to play show for Red
Cross....purchased war songs...." Final word on WWI is June 17, 1919, when
"Frank and I drove to big celebration for soldiers." The influenza epidemic
is mentioned frequently, including the names of those struck down; &c., &
c. (#036697)        $250.00

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