1900 Victorian Woman Handwritten Diary, Antique Wife & Mother Life Memorial

1900 Handwritten Diary of Good Victorian Woman, Wife & Mother of Grafton Massachusetts Here is a detailed and interesting 1900 handwritten diary written by Adela Louise Usher of Grafton, Massachusetts. She writes every day from January 1, 1900 to December 31, 1900. In 1900, Adela and her husband, Edward Sr. (Dad) have four children, Roland, Abbot, Edward, Jr. and Albert. in 1900, Roland is 20 years old, Abbot is 17 years old, Edward, Jr. is 10 years old and Albert is 7 years old. Adela’s writes everyday in her diary about her daily activities, mothering four children and running the domestic household like a good Victorian wife. She discusses doing household chores, gardening, cooking, sewing and mending clothes, going to church and Sunday School, going on walks, shopping, writing letters, and reading for pleasure. Calls on and receives friends and extended family members . Also reads and teaches German and French to the boys. Unfortunately, Adela is often ill with weakness, headaches and indigestion and writes about her doctor making house calls to see her during the year. Some excerpts:January1, 1900“Snow shower, The first of the season. Clear at nightfall. Several inches of snow. Finished a dressing case for Roland and some repairs on his clothes. He and his father played together this evening. A selection from Rossini. And, “Lascia chi’s panga”. Both played by ear but kept well together.” January 3, 1900“Vey cold. A little snow. I attended the missionary meeting this aft. at the parsonage. Nine present. Subject, Progress of Missions in the Last Hundred Years. Very interesting. E’s [ Edward Jr] birth-day. He had three presents kept over from Christmas, a Birh-Day cake and I invited Lee Keith to supper & they had a nice time with the games, etc.”January 7, 1900“Colder, clear, strong west wind all day. The children did not go to church but did go to Sunday School. Sunday is rather a trying day as it is difficult to keep them sufficiently quiet. The discipline of the two is a daily problem which seems increasingly difficult. They are so lively and irresponsible.”January 21, 1900“Bright and beautiful. Felt pretty sick and sent for the doctor morn. He came & left some medicine. More comfortable in the aft. It has developed into bilious dyspepsia.”February 8, 1900“Raining. I have taken up Ruskin to read a-loud. There are biographical sketches in the magazine. And, I have a volume of lectures to select from. We are enjoying it greatly.”May 17, 1900“Pleasant. I mended the wallpaper in the cook’s room. Much of it was hanging loose or defaced. I also mended all the other rooms where it was needed. The work has gone well. Agnes experienced and adapted herself to her new surroundings readily. I have felt rather miserable. I was too tired to sleep last night & only succeeded in doing so after 3 A.M. A good deal has been accomplished this week.”July 4, 1900“A beautiful day. Johnny finished getting in the hay, Roland helping him. The children have been very happy with their pistols, torpedoes, fire-crackers. Edward has a pistol with blank cartridges but Dad does not allow him to fire it alone. We had a little show of fire-crackers, pin-wheels, triangles, etc. & the boys staid up until a little after nine.”December 25, 1900“A lovely day & mild. The boys got the breakfast. Auntie got the dinner with a little help fro the boys. I had a headache come over early & so had to keep very quiet & lost much of the fun. We had many nice presents. Edward had a genuine rifle and they have been using it to shoot at a target. It is really intended for the older boys as much as Edward.” Her diary is in good condition for being 126 years old. Tight binding. Worn and scuffed leather cover and spine. Gilt page ends. Moisture discoloration on inside front and page covers. No moisture staining on the actual diary pages or age foxing. Measures 3” x 6”.In addition to the diary, there is also a “In Memoriam Adela Louis Usher (1852-1922)" booklet on the life of our diarist. Privately printed in 1923 after her death in 1922. With family history and eulogy remembrances from her children. The adult sons tell of memories of their mother when they were growing up as children which helps to add more background to the diary. 39 pages illustrated. Measures 6 1’2” x 9”. See the photo of Adela in the booklet dated 1886. This will give you a good idea of what Adela looked like in 1900.Memorial booklet is in good condition for being 102 years old. Tight binding and clean pages. Light cover wear and discoloration. Adela Louise Payson Usher was born on 31 March 1852, in Holliston, Middlesex, Massachusetts. Her father, Edwin Payson, was 33 and her mother, Susan Soule, was 22. She married Edward Preston Usher Sr on 21 June 1879, in Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States. They were the parents of 4 sons. She lived in Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts in 1880 and Grafton, Massachusetts in 1900. She died on 21 November 1922, in Grafton, Worcester, Massachusetts at the age of 70, and was buried in Pine Grove Cemetery, Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, United States. (source: Family Search)Some housekeeping notes:1. I ship only to addresses in the United States. No P.O. or APO2. No international shipping.3. Handling time is (3) business days. (Please note that eBay considers the first day following purchase to be day one of the potential five, and does not include either weekends or federal holidays).4. I try my best to describe each item, though please bear in mind that I am not a professional appraiser. Please view the photos and ask any condition questions you still might have.