Orange County, Indiana diary
Collection — Folder: S2479
Identifier: S2479
Scope and Contents
This collection includes photocopies of a daily diary kept by a teenager living in Orange County, Indiana from June 1856 to February 1858. The author never identifies himself, but the diary may have been kept by Francis M. Morris, the son of Washington and Mary Catherine (Jackson) Morris. The diary entries are usually short and mention the weather, farm activities, going to town and the mill, going to "meeting," and his father's activities. Some names of relatives mentioned include his uncles Levi Jackson and Walker Morris, his aunt Sarah Morris, and his grandmother Morris. A number of friends and neighbors are mentioned, including William Bond, Samuel Elrod, Eli Faucett, James Faucett, Joseph Hamilton, William Hobbs, John Waldrip, and Eli P.F. Wells. The diarist's noted on December 4, 1856 that it was his 15th birthday. He also noted on September 4, 1856 that his oldest sister had died the night before.
The collection also includes photocopies of two 1886 receipts from Peter M. Walker, proprietor of Ruggless Flour Mills of Loogootee, Martin County, Indiana; the 1886 Democratic ticket for state offices and Martin County; accounting pages that list items received from Levi Dawson, outgoing postmaster for Trinity Springs (Martin County) and stamps sold in 1886; lists of numbers from October 1886 to February 1887; a notation regarding the case of the State of Indiana v. Frank Dew dated November 14, 1892; notations about the weather on December 25, 1898 and January 1, 1899; and an undated, handwritten copy of the "Obligation" pledge for the Farmers' Alliance.
The collection also includes photocopies of two 1886 receipts from Peter M. Walker, proprietor of Ruggless Flour Mills of Loogootee, Martin County, Indiana; the 1886 Democratic ticket for state offices and Martin County; accounting pages that list items received from Levi Dawson, outgoing postmaster for Trinity Springs (Martin County) and stamps sold in 1886; lists of numbers from October 1886 to February 1887; a notation regarding the case of the State of Indiana v. Frank Dew dated November 14, 1892; notations about the weather on December 25, 1898 and January 1, 1899; and an undated, handwritten copy of the "Obligation" pledge for the Farmers' Alliance.
Dates
- 1856-1899
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Historical Note
Orange County, Indiana was organized in 1816 and was named for Orange County, North Carolina, from which many of the early settlers emigrated from. The principal towns of the county include French Lick, Paoli, Orleans, and West Baden Springs. Unincorporated communities include Chambersburg, Millersburg, Orangeville, Prospect, and Valeene.
Sources:
History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington Counties, Indiana: From the Earliest Time to the Present, Together with Interesting Biographical Sketches, Reminiscences, Notes, Etc. Chicago: Goodspeed Bros. and Co., 1884.
Orange County Historical Society. "A Brief History of Orange County, Indiana." Accessed January 6, 2021. https://www.historicorangecounty.org/index.php/a-brief-history.
Sources:
History of Lawrence, Orange, and Washington Counties, Indiana: From the Earliest Time to the Present, Together with Interesting Biographical Sketches, Reminiscences, Notes, Etc. Chicago: Goodspeed Bros. and Co., 1884.
Orange County Historical Society. "A Brief History of Orange County, Indiana." Accessed January 6, 2021. https://www.historicorangecounty.org/index.php/a-brief-history.
Extent
0.01 Cubic Feet (1 folder)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged chronologically.
Custodial History
This collection was received by Rare Books and Manuscripts as a donation.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Processing Information
Collection processing completed 2022/01/06 by Laura Eliason. EAD finding aid created 2022/01/06 by Laura Eliason.
- Title
- Orange County, Indiana diary
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
