Diary (Connecticut)

Access and use

Location of collection:
College of William and Mary
Special Collections Research Center
Earl Gregg Swem Library
College of William and Mary
400 Landrum Drive
PO 8795
Williamsburg, VA 23187-8795
Contact for questions and access:
Phone: (757) 221-3090
Fax: (757) 221-5440
Restrictions:

Collection is open to all researchers. Manuscript collections and archival records may contain materials with sensitive or confidential information that is protected under federal or state right to privacy laws and regulations, such as the Virginia Public Records Act (Code of Virginia. § 42.1-76-91); and the Virginia Freedom of Information Act (Code of Virginia § 2.2-3705.5). Confidential material may include, but is not limited to, educational, medical, and personnel records. If sensitive material is found in this collection, please contact a staff member immediately. The disclosure of personally identifiable information pertaining to a living individual may have legal consequences for which the College of William and Mary assumes no responsibility.

Terms of access:

Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.

Preferred citation:

Diary(Connecticut), Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Summary

Extent:
0.1 Linear Foot
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Diary(Connecticut), Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Background

Scope and content:

Diary and commonplace book, 1841-1844, of an unidentified man, probably from the Hartford, Ct. area. Most of the diary is taken up by summaries of about 70 sermons the author attended, interspersed with personal comments, while the last pages are filled with information on work done by author or others, mostly of agricultural nature.

Most of the sermons were preached by Dr. Porter, who was probably Dr. Noah Porter, a minister of the Congregational Church in Farmington, Connecticut. He was the son of Dr. Noah Porter, President of Yale College beginning 1871.

The following information was provided by the seller:

Entries "contain the sermon outlines, who preached, and some comments by the writer. The back of the journal or 47 pages are mosty written in pencil and list weather, farm chores, like killing hogs, planting crops etc.

Some of the pastors listed are Noah Porter, Bushnell of Hartford (Horace Bushnell?), President Nott of Union College. Others are Giles Porter, Dr. Davenport, Chancey D. Cowles, Rev. Southgate, Mr Perkins, President Humphrey, Rev. Mr. Richardson, Rev. Amos A Phelps, and Mr Lyman of Plymouth and others.

One interesting sermon mentions the belief that the Lord was going to return in 1843 which the pastor debunks and the writer did attend a meeting of one of the preachers associated with Miller of the Adventists. Another interesting admonition was against going to the Post Office on Sunday."

Acquisition information:
Purchase.
Processing information:

Accessioned and minimally processed in January 2010 by Ute Schechter, Warren E. Burger Archivist.