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Accessioned and minimally processed in February 2010 by Ute Schechter, Warren E. Burger Archivist. Further description by Marty Limber, SCRC staff, in March-April 2010.
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Diary, 1826-1946, of Lydia Wasson (1800-1853) of North Carolina and La Porte, Indiana, her daughter Charlotte Wasson Cox, and her grandson William Wasson Cox (b. 1857). At the beginning of the diary, Lydia Wasson, a devout Quaker, chronicles her life from birth to 1826 when the regular diary entries begin. Toward the end of her life she dictated her entries to her daughter, who after her mother's death continued to write in the diary a few more times at irregular intervals. Charlotte Wasson also titled the diary "A brief sketch of the religious exercises and varied experiences of Lydia Wasson written by herself - age 52 years - at her death in 1852."
Also included are a few entries by Lydia Wasson's grandson, William Wasson Cox, as well as a watercolor painted by him, a 1946 newspaper article about him and Lydia Wasson's 1853 obituary.
For a more detailed description, provided by the seller, see finding aid link below.
The following description was provided by the seller: "The diary belonged to devout Quaker woman by the name of Lydia Wasson from La Porte Indiana. She and her husband and many members of their family are buried in the Quaker Cemetery near there; see http://www.dunelady.com/laporte/cemeteries/quaker.htm "The diary starts out on 1826 when Lydia is about 25 years of age. She writes about life starting from her birth and then continues writing until a few months before her death at the age of 52 in 1853. …on her death bed when she couldn't write anymore, her daughter Charlotte took over writing for her. On the first page of the diary you'll find her original obituary from 1853. " "Lydia's diary consists of 105 pages of which 86 are devoted to her life here on earth and finally her death. The rest of the pages were written by other members of the family and their thoughts on their mother and grandmother. At the end of the diary, her grandson William Wasson Cox writes a tribute to his grandmother and [painted a watercolor] " "A brief synopsis of what I learned from reading the diary and also what kinds of entries you'll find between the pages: Lydia was born on February 3rd, 1800 in North Carolina. She and her family did not stay there long and ended up traveling to Whitewater and Middle Fork Indiana. She tells about how her grandfather, Edward Bond had a "false paper" drawn up against him for teaching the truth and it was brought up at a Quaker meeting and he almost lost his life over it. She had a very difficult life during her young teenage years and her sister Sarah died at the young age of 18. Her father sold his place at Whitewater and bought some land and built a cabin at Flat Rock. See: http://www.hcgs.net/quakers.html " "She married Jebial Wasson and soon after in 1823 her daughter Charlotte was born. Among other things, her entries are full of traveling throughout the area to the quarterly meetings mentioning many names of the old pioneers. Her life is very difficult but she is an amazing woman full of core Quaker values. She also has a son by the name of Jesse. Around 1833 is when the family moves to St. Joseph's county near La Porte where they start their own Quaker meetings and community. Finally, in 1853, she ends up passing away." The following excerpts were also provided by the seller. The spelling has been left unchanged: "A brief sketch of the religious exersises and varied experiences of Lydia Wasson written by herself. She was 52 years at her death in 1852. C. W. C." "1800. I was born in North Carolina 3 day of the 2 mo of relidgious parents who removed thair affairs and seteld at the little miami and stayd a year but it appeared not to be the place for us so we came to Whitewater Then father baught a place or a peace of land about four milds from Whitewater meeting. This was the nearest meeting to us and it vary small. The nearest neighbours to us about a mile this being a new settled place often Indians passing by. After some years troublesome times came on. Some people kild so thair was menney moved away awhile till times come to settle……"