Ella refers repeatedly to a number of people by first name (or abbreviation thereof). I've been able to identify most of them, I believe. This information is based primarily on the 1920 U.S. Census records, but also some other census years. Ella - the diarist, aged about 71 at the time the diary beings. Mark … Continue reading Ella Warner’s People
Introducing Ella Warner
In August, I purchased a diary at the Mansfield Flea Market. The seller told me it was part of a lot of paper items he'd recently bought at the Brimfield Antique Show. I paid him $1 and brought it home, and started reading about the everyday life of a rural housewife in 1923-1924. It's not … Continue reading Introducing Ella Warner
Another Vintage Pamphlet Post
I picked up five more items for the collection at the Brimfield Antique Show yesterday. I was particularly taken with this one, which I think is from some time in the 1920s: It's one of many recipe/advertising booklets produced by the Lydia E. Pinkham Medicine Company of Lynn, MA (producer of Lydia E. Pinkham's Vegetable … Continue reading Another Vintage Pamphlet Post
Research is not always fun (civil commitment)
Sometimes you just run across a tidbit, and you know the whole story is probably lost somewhere in that distant past, but you also know that whatever the details are, it's a sad story. Like this: At a Court of Probate holden at Danbury in and for the District of Danbury on the 2nd day … Continue reading Research is not always fun (civil commitment)
Reading notes: “mainstream academic professionalism”
"The concept of 'mainstream academic professionalism' is fairly straightforward. It involves a suspicion of grand theory and of epistemological quibbling, a preference for concrete and clearly manageable projects, a penchant for technical methodological refinements, and, above all, attention to aspects of the social sciences and humanities least likely to be mistaken for political advocacy, cultural … Continue reading Reading notes: “mainstream academic professionalism”
Census 1860 : State Prison : Details of the Women’s Cases
I was able to find mentions in The Hartford Courant (which is available online) of five of the twelve female inmates. Most of these were brief and sometimes tantalizing mentions. I was interested to notice that Jane M. Brown, the woman imprisoned in 1859 for adultery, was described by the paper on July 20, 1859 … Continue reading Census 1860 : State Prison : Details of the Women’s Cases
Kristen Noble Keegan, Historical Geographer 