Collections : [University of Michigan William L. Clements Library]

Samuel L. Young of Reading, Pennsylvania, kept this 108-page journal "during a tour through the United States" between June 1, 1846, and October 12, 1846. He traveled by railroad, steamship, and stagecoach, and recorded his impressions of major cities, local scenery, and fellow travelers. Young ventured as far west as St. Louis, Missouri; as far north as Niagara Falls, Canada; and as far south as Lexington, Kentucky.

Samuel L. Young of Reading, Pennsylvania, kept this 108-page journal "during a tour of the United States" between June 1, 1846, and October 12, 1846. He traveled by railroad, steamship, and stagecoach, and recorded his impressions of major cities, local scenery, and fellow travelers. Young ventured as far west as St. Louis, Missouri; as far north as Niagara Falls, Canada; and as far south as Lexington, Kentucky.

Young's journal, which contains descriptions and anecdotes from his travel, begins with an entry expressing his sadness upon leaving his loved ones (p. 1). He departed Reading for New York City, where he remained for 4 days; there, he witnessed a procession by the Sons of Temperance. Young then traveled to Connecticut and Massachusetts, where he commented on Boston's Chinese residents (p. 8). He continued to Niagara Falls, Detroit, and Chicago. In Detroit, he received copper samples from Morgan Bates, a prospector (p. 31); in Chicago he recorded his disappointment with the city and its construction. While in western Illinois and Iowa, Young visited a smelting furnace and mine (pp. 43-44), a "lead cave" and mine (pp. 48-49), and the Mormon temple at Nauvoo, Illinois (pp. 56-58).

When Young reached St. Louis, Missouri, he boarded a riverboat bound for Louisville, Kentucky, though he and three other travelers opted to walk the final stretch of the trip (pp. 70-71). Young recalled a stagecoach conversation about slavery, though he declined to participate (pp. 74-75). Upon his arrival in Lexington, Kentucky, he met with Henry Clay at his Ashland estate (pp. 87-88). Young spent much of September in Cincinnati, Ohio. Between Cincinnati and Wheeling, Virginia (now West Virginia), he met Lewis C. F. Fatio, former captain of the United States revenue cutter Wolcott, who was on his way to contest a charge of disobedience in Washington, D. C. (pp. 101-102). Young began the last leg of his journey on October 10, 1846, heading for Philadelphia and, later, Reading, where he returned on October 12 (p. 108).

Young occasionally encountered dangerous situations, including a narrowly avoided stagecoach accident between Kalamazoo and St. Joseph, Michigan (p. 33), a fire next door to his Chicago hotel (pp. 36-37), and a suspicious stagecoach passenger at Rockford, Illinois (p. 42). He made acquaintance with many fellow travelers, and often joined them for excursions. Young played the accordion, read local newspapers and the works of Friedrich Schiller, occasionally measured the distances he traveled or noted the costs of transportation, and recorded the name of every hotel at which he boarded.

The Robert Dayton Williams journal recounts the author's voyage to Europe on the steamer Australia in September 1870. Williams described stormy weather, seasickness, daily activities, and navigation errors during the ship's passage from New York to Glasgow. The journal entries are accompanied by ink drawings.

The R. Dayton Williams journal (21 pages), entitled "Yankee Vandals Abroad, or Our Trip to Europe," is an account of the author's voyage from Albany, New York, to Glasgow, Scotland, from September 15, 1870-October 1, 1870.

The journal begins with a 2-page preface in which Williams pays tribute to the advances in nautical travel between the 1770s and 1870s and explains his reasons for visiting the British Isles. The account opens with the Williams' trip from Albany to New York, accompanied by family members, and their search for Anna's trunk on the day they were to set sail; a humorous poem recounts the latter episode. The preface and opening remarks are followed by daily entries dated September 17, 1870-October 1, 1870, during the Australia's time at sea. The opening lines of many entries, including the preface, are colored or otherwise illustrated. Illustrations (see list below) accompany most of the entries.

During the transatlantic journey, Williams commented on the food, the scenery, and his pastimes, which included games of quoits and backgammon with the captain and other passengers. Early in the voyage, the ship encountered stormy seas, which resulted in flooded passenger cabins, injuries to members of the ship's crew, and prolonged seasickness. Williams described cod fishermen along the Grand Banks of Newfoundland and compared the Anchor Line's ships with the faster vessels of the Cunard Line. Entries often report the distance the Australia had traveled and the remaining distance to Derry, Ireland, the ship's first destination. On September 29, Williams mentioned the captain's recent navigational error, which led to confusion about the ship's current position and course; the mishap resulted in a slight delay, though the course was later corrected. In his entry of September 30, Williams recalled the Hibernia, an Anchor Line steamer that had remained missing for four weeks after being blown to sea in a gale off the coasts of Ireland and Scotland. The same day, the Australia reached Derry and soon left for Glasgow, where Williams and his wife disembarked on October 1. A printed drawing of the Australia and a newspaper clipping about the Williams' journey are pasted into the first page of regular entries, and the entry of September 30 contains a table of observed latitude and longitude for September 19, [1870]-September 28, [1870].

• Two men searching for Anna Williams's trunk at the Wescott's Express freight office (page 7)
• A man and a woman on the deck of the Australia (page 7)
• Log floating at sea (page 8)
• Australia and other ships engulfed by stormy seas (page 9)
• The Williams' stateroom on the Australia (page 10)
• A man "Before and After Sea Sickness" (page 11)
• Codfish (page 11)
• Rings and target from game of quoits (page 12)
• "Cod Fishing on the New Foundland Banks" [sic] (page 13)
• Driftwood board (page 13)
• "Mr Brown's Circus Blanket," a colorful coat (page 14)
• "Forecastle Passengers" (page 17)
• Sounding line (page 19)
• Map of British Isles and coast of Holland, Belgium, and France, showing the Australia's erroneous and corrected courses (page 20)

William Quitman Wilkins kept this daily diary from January 1, 1869, through April 27, 1869, largely while attending medical school at the University of Louisiana and receiving clinical training at the Charity Hospital of New Orleans. He reported on case studies, operations, recommended treatments, pharmaceuticals, post mortem examinations, tests, and other aspects of his education. Wilkins also reported on his evening and weekend social activities, including attendance at concerts, operas, "varieties," Mardi Gras, and other events.

William Quitman Wilkins' kept this daily diary from January 1, 1869, through April 27, 1869, largely while attending medical school at the University of Louisiana (now Tulane University) and receiving clinical training at the Charity Hospital of New Orleans. He reported on case studies, operations, recommended treatments, pharmaceuticals, post mortem examinations, tests, and other aspects of his education. Wilkins kept his diary in a pre-printed "Patent Self Closing Diary for 1869."

The physicians he studied under included Drs. Frank Hawthorn, J. D. or S. M. Bemiss, Stanford E. Chaille, Warren Stone, and others. Examples of conditions represented in Wilkins' notes include dysentery "from alcoholic poison," pneumonia, typhoid, gangrene of the penis, delirium tremens from the use of opium, malaria, syphilis, constipation, chorea (in a ten year old), opium poisoning, suffocation from hemorrhage, and other ailments. He also wrote of smallpox vaccination and amputations. In one instance, he witnessed an African American woman's operation for "skirrus" (i.e. scirrhous) cancer of the breast (February 27).

In the evenings and on weekends, he attended concerts, "varieties," operas, and plays. He met Tom Thumb and visited Henry Clay's monument on Canal Street (January 9), watched James Robinson & Son (January 18), attended a performance of Fire Fly (January 21), assisted in the wedding of his aunt Sallie and uncle John (January 28), reported on Mardi Gras (February 9), and witnessed the Fireman's Festival and Parade (March 4).

W. Q. Wilkins had apparently received a gunshot wound in his leg/hip and toward the end of the term he underwent surgery to remove bone fragments (March 12). He left New Orleans on March 18, and arrived home in Oxford, Mississippi, the next day. After his arrival, he suffered for weeks with chills, a fever, and leg abscesses. During this time, he briefly mentioned family visitors, reading, taking invoices of drugs, and much bedrest. On April 3, Dr. Isom (possibly Dr. Thomas Dudley Isom [1816-1902]) removed two more bone fragments from his leg. By April 27, his health had improved and he began to study his textbooks once again.

The final 24 pages of the diary contain notes for one of Dr. Chaille's tests, lists of medicines, Medical Association of Lafayette County's fees for various medical treatments, names and addresses, and other notes.

Helen L. Wild kept this diary immediately following the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. Wild described the state of the city, fires, her family's experiences, residential and commercial displacement, and other effects of the event on the city and its residents.

Helen L. Wild, a San Francisco teenager, kept this diary, titled "The San Francisco Earthquake, Being the Impressions of One H. Wild Who Stood it all Even to Eating Relief Food and Is, So Far, Alive to Tell the Tale," during and in the days following the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. Wild described the state of the city, fires, her family's experiences, residential and commercial displacement, and other effects of the event on the city and its residents.

Wild began the diary on April 18, 1906, with a description of the earthquake and immediately resulting fires. Later that day, she visited some heavily damaged sections of the city, including the downtown business district, and commented on the flames then engulfing Market Street and other areas. She and her family temporarily evacuated their home and slept in a tent alongside others at a local park. Wild continued to write throughout the following weeks and reported on aspects of the rebuilding process, such as relief efforts and the gradual restoration of normalcy. She also included some personal reflections about the disaster. Wild maintained the diary until May 2, 1906.

The Francis Wickham diary contains entries for August-October 1796, when Wickham served with the British Royal Navy in Martinique. He wrote about Martinique's wildlife, navy life, travels, and other topics.

The Francis Wickham diary contains approximately 75 pages of entries, covering August 23-October 5, 1796, while Wickham served with the British Royal Navy in Martinique. In his diary, Wickham wrote articulately about the climate, plant and animal life, habits of the British sailors, places he visited, and the ubiquity of illness among the sailors.

In early entries, Wickham showed a particular interest in Martinique's wildlife and climate. He described birds and speculated about their migrations (August 24, 1796), discussed fruits, reptiles, and insects, and in several entries, expressed sadness at the high mortality rate for the British in Martinique, which he attributed to the "vile" climate (September 20, 1796). He also frequently commented on the habits of the British sailors, including their tendency toward melancholy (August 27, 1796), the "riot and debauchery" in which they participated, and their love of "accursed grog" (September 4, 1796).

In later entries, Wickham wrote more frequently about travel and political events. On September 10, 1796, he described a trip to Lamantine, a small town in eastern Martinique, where he visited a market and was offended by several Frenchmen playing billiards on a Sunday. He also noted his surprise about a visit from Sir Hyde Parker, Jr., and gave accounts of several political developments, such as Admiral Joseph de Richery's escape from Cadiz, Spain, and the activities of privateers, whom he called "perfect desperadoes each arm'd with a brace of pistols and cutlass" (September 14, 1796). In late September, he expressed anxiety that he and others would be stationed in a more dangerous climate, and gave an account of magical powers used by a local woman after the poisoning of several slaves (September 23, 1796). In early October, he described his trip to Fort Royal and St. Pierre, Martinique, and a play he attended called "Two Misers." Wickham's last entry in the volume on October 5, 1796, is lengthy; it describes an upcoming exchange of prisoners with the French, as well as the annoyance Wickham and other sailors felt in the presence of Admiral Parker, who had been "order'd from this station."

This diary (4"x5.75", 105 pages) contains a traveler's impressions while visiting Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C., from November 9, 1816-November 26, 1816.

This diary (4" x 5.75", 105 pages) contains a traveler's impressions while visiting Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C., from November 9, 1816-November 26, 1816.

Whitney began his travels in New York City on November 9, when he embarked for Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After remaining at Philadelphia for several days, he traveled to Baltimore and Washington, D.C. Following a brief return to Baltimore, he set out for New York, where he arrived on November 26. Throughout his travels, done primarily by steamboat and stage, Whitney noted the quality of his accommodations, both in the major cities and in smaller towns. He wrote more detailed descriptions of his main destinations and of his activities, which included visits to famous locations such as the White House, United States Capitol, and Fort McHenry. While in Washington, D.C., Whitney attended a session of Congress. In addition to sightseeing, he took an interest in mechanical processes, and described visits to a cannon foundry and two glassworks, among other excursions.

Eliza "Phebe" Whitford kept her diary between January 1 and December 31, 1862, recording her itinerant life away from home with various relatives in Cattaraugus County, New York, and reflecting on her psychological and religious inner life. She recorded her diary entries in the regular blank pages of a small (3.25 x 2.5") printed volume, "Daily Texts, with Verses of Hymns: Adapted for General Use" (N.Y.: American Tract Society, n.d.). Phebe Whitford was a Seventh Day Baptist and attended regular services and meetings. She ruminated on her faith and on her anxious and nervous state, noting that when disappointed she was apt to distrust God. She remarked on hearing Elder [Julius M.?] Todd (passim) and Silas Burdick (March 22) preach, friends going off to fight in the Civil War (June 30), attendance at a Gerrit Smith meeting (July 20), the arrival of a "real smart" fugitive slave in town (August 8), and the presence of an African American man named West at their meeting (August 10). She also attended singing school and practiced on the melodeon.

Eliza "Phebe" Whitford kept her diary between January 1 and December 31, 1862, recording her itinerant life away from home with various relatives in Cattaraugus County, New York, and reflecting on her psychological and religious inner life. She recorded her diary entries in the regular blank pages of a small (3.25 x 2.5") printed volume, "Daily Texts, with Verses of Hymns: Adapted for General Use" (N.Y.: American Tract Society, n.d.).

Phebe Whitford was a Seventh Day Baptist and attended regular services and meetings. She ruminated on her faith and on her anxious and nervous state, noting that when disappointed she was apt to distrust God. She remarked on hearing Elder [Julis M.?] Todd (passim) and Silas Burdick (March 22) preach, friends going off to fight in the Civil War (June 30), attendance at a Gerrit Smith meeting (July 20), the arrival of a "real smart" fugitive slave in town (August 8), and the presence of an African American man named West at their meeting (August 10). She also attended singing school and practiced on the melodeon.

This volume contains a journal and two essays composed by New Hampshire native John Wheeler in 1859. He kept the journal between December 1858 and September 1859, detailing his experiences after moving to Albemarle County, Virginia, to teach school. He later wrote an essay in which he reflected on the cultural differences between New England and Virginia. In a second essay, he discussed "the three learned professions": law, medicine, and divinity.

This volume (205 pages) contains a journal and two essays composed by New Hampshire native John Wheeler in 1859. He kept a journal of his travel to, and experiences teaching in, Albemarle County, Virginia, between December 1858 and October 1859 (pp. 1-137); wrote an essay based on his experiences, focusing on cultural differences between New England and Virginia (pp. 139-174); and composed an essay on the professions of law, medicine, and divinity (pp. 187-216).

The first, and largest, portion of the volume is the journal Wheeler kept between December 1858 and October 1859, while he traveled to Albemarle County, Virginia, to teach school. The first two pages contain an introductory essay on the virtues of traveling, and pages 3 through 21 recount his journey from New Hampshire to Virginia, beginning on December 21, 1858. He mentioned multiple sightseeing destinations along the way, including Plymouth Rock (p. 5), and arrived in Charlottesville, Virginia, on December 31 (pp. 16-17). There, he made the acquaintance of the Durrett family, with whom he remained close throughout his stay in the South.

Wheeler began to keep regular journal entries on January 1, 1859 (p. 21), and thoroughly described his life as a schoolteacher, as well as his impressions of southern scenery and customs. Many entries mention the violent treatment of slaves, including men being lashed for stealing a pig (p. 77) and a legal case that ended with the sentence of execution (p. 84). Wheeler often attended religious services, commented on southern hospitality, and described the scenery, particularly the Blue Ridge Mountains. Wheeler did not keep his journal between January 23 (p. 67) and July 4 (p. 70), though he recorded the dates of planting and ripening of several crops (p. 68).

Wheeler left Albemarle County on September 26 (p. 121) and traveled to Luray, Virginia, where he witnessed the hanging of a female slave (pp. 123-126). From there, he traveled to Alexandria, where he provided a detailed account of a visit to Mount Vernon, home of George Washington (October 8, pp. 132-137). The journal concludes with a brief closing statement on page 137.

In the second section is an essay that Wheeler composed after he returned to his home in New Hampshire (pp. 139-174). He wrote about his impressions of the South and his experiences, often commenting on the differences between customs in Virginia and in New England.

The third part of the volume contains an essay about the history and characteristics of "the three learned professions": law, medicine, and divinity. It begins on page 197 and continues through page 216, though pages 176 to 184 are blank.

Three clippings from published works are laid into the journal: an image of King Umberto I of Italy, recently assassinated (pp. 174-175); and two pages of poetry (pp. 180-181).

This collection is made up of one diary of Robert Waterston of Boston, Massachusetts, and a diary of his son, Unitarian minister Robert Cassie Waterston. Robert C. Waterston kept his diary from May 1, 1832, to March 27, 1833. He wrote about attendance at meetings for The Association for Religious Improvement, religion, literature, life, philosophy, travel in New England (with a corresponding mileage log and related expenses), and weather observations. The elder Robert Waterson kept his diary between February 10 and April 7, 1861. He reflected on national politics, the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln, secession, and the Civil War. He also noted weather observations and provided frequent religious mediations.

This collection is made up of one diary of Robert Waterston of Boston, Massachusetts, and a diary of his son, Unitarian minister Robert Cassie Waterston. Robert C. Waterston kept his diary from May 1, 1832, to March 27, 1833. He wrote about attendance at meetings for The Association for Religious Improvement, religion, literature, life, philosophy, travel in New England (with a corresponding mileage log and related expenses), and weather observations.

The elder Robert Waterson kept his diary between February 10 and April 7, 1861. He reflected on national politics, the inauguration of Abraham Lincoln, secession, and the Civil War. He also noted weather observations, provided frequent religious mediations, and included a log of letters sent and received. On the rear cover are "A Few of the Last Words of Baron Bunson", attributed to "Review Chretienne, 15 December 1860".

The Vanderpool religious journal contains religious diary entries from three authors over the course of 52 years.

The Vanderpool religious journal contains religious diary entries from three authors over the course of 52 years. The journalists began their portions of the volume with brief biographical introductions, and offered numerous musings on their relationships to religion. The first, and most prolific, writer began his biographical note with an account of his conversion, and on August 14, 1833, started his daily diary entries, which focused on the impact of religion on his life. After August 31, entries became more sporadic until a final note on January 1, 1841.

The second portion of the journal is dated November 14, 1866, and contains a brief autobiographical note about the author, likely C. W. Vanderpool, including indications of strong religious convictions. A loose paper inserted into this section of the volume indicates that the book was a gift to C. W. Vanderpool from his mother, Helen Elmira Vanderpool, of Buffalo, New York.

The third body of material in the journal consists of two pages written in January 1885 by a member of the Young Men's Christian Association, and relates primarily to attendance at several religious meetings and other events. This section of the volume concludes on January 30, 1885.

The journal also contains "Exertations from the following texts," which is a list of Bible verses and brief lines taken from them.