Diary of William Sommerville (box 1, folders 1b-1h)

Scope and content:

The diary of William Sommerville is in three parts, each representing a calendar year.

1. january 1 to december 24, 1810; pages 1-209
missing pages: 23-30, 55-76, 83-84, (page 84 occurs twice, numbered second time), 92-93, 96-97, (page 107 occurs twice), 110-115, 120-125, 127-130, 140-143, 158-161, 164-173, 180-187, 190-200, 207-208)

2. january 1 to december 31, 1811; pages 1-205
missing pages: 7-8, 11-14, 31-36, 47-48, 51-54, 61-62, 67-68, (page 70 not numbered), 108-119, 124-129, 136-137, 142-143, 160-161, 164-173, 180-181, 190-199, 202-203

3. january 1 to december 26, 1812; pages 1-195
missing pages: 34-39, 58-59, 74-79, 88-89, 133-134, 140-145, 154-155, 164-167, 176-179

People mentioned or commented on in the Diary include:
persons in politics and government on the national and local levels;
local residents;
members of the Sommerville family;
post office clients and officials;
military personnel;
Revolutionary War veterans;
New York, Baltimore, and local newspaper editors;
local doctors and doctors associated with the smallpox Vaccine Institution;
ministers of various church denominations;
and government officials in France and England.

Subjects mentioned or commented on in the Diary include:
post office business;
family affairs;
births;
marriages;
deaths;
apprentice[s];
slaves;
agricultural products;
methods, prices, and labor;
elections;
general store;
weather (daily);
Martinsburg and its residents (frequently);
mills;
taverns;
european affairs;
patriotism and Americanism;
churches;
schools;
reminiscences about the Revolutionary War;
opinions on ministers and religion;
lotteries -- Vaccine;
lotteries -- Delaware;
lotteries -- Susquehanna Canal;
lotteries -- Washington Monument;
lotteries -- Union College;
lotteries -- Wilmington College;
travel;
militia muster and draft;
War of 1812 -- cause;
War of 1812 -- local and national reaction;
War of 1812 -- battles;
and government policy.

Access and use

Contents