1882-1885 Diary of a Rural New Hampshire Matriarch Richly Detailing Daily Life in Belknap County

On offer is a fascinating, hand-made diary that was written in 1882 in rural New Hampshire by a middle-aged woman from a well-known New Hampshire family, who marries a prominent New Hampshire Colonel, businessman and politician. Substantial internal context clues clearly indicate that this journal was written by Cassandra Swasey Stevens (1818-1901). Cassandra was the descendant of two important early New Hampshire families. On her father’s side, Cassandra was a descendent of Ebenezer Swasey, and on her mother’s side she was a descendant of Daniel Ladd. In 1846, Cassandra became the second wife of Ebenezer Stevens, a prosperous local blacksmith and businessman. Mr. Stevens was a Colonel in the New Hampshire militia and also served as a Justice of the Peace. He was one of New Hampshire’s electors for "Honest Abe" Lincoln in the 1860 election. [SEE BIO NOTES BELOW FOR MORE ON EBENEZER’S BUSINESS, MILITARY AND POLITICAL CAREER]. The Stevens family lived in the village of Meredith in Belknap County, New Hampshire. Cassandra S. Stevens and Ebenezer Stevens were parents to Alice S. Stevens (1849-1935). Ebenezer also had three children from his marriage to his first wife, Therina Stevens (nee Osgood) , who died in 1845. At least one of his children from that marriage, Celestia, lived with Cassandra and Ebenezer. Cassandra kept this diary from 1882 to 1885, when she was 64 to 67 years old. Entries are not made for every day but there is a flow to Cassandra’s writing and the effect is to give a very good, overall sense of life in this northern corner of rural New England. In the opening pages, she describes how this little book was made by her uncle. After her uncle passed away, she took it and, excising several of her uncle’s pages, used it for herself: "I have just taken this little blank book made and once used by my dead uncle Tim Ladd as a diary. I had cut out what he had written fearing it would some time meet the eye of those that do not love his memory as I do" [Mar 14, 1882]. The opening entries describe her intense worry for her adult daughter, Alice, who is in the late stages of pregnancy, and references Alice’s husband, Henry William Lincoln, about whom she only refers to as "Mr. Lincoln": "Pleasant sunny day though cold and sleighing bad as usual at this season. Mr. Lincoln just called. Says all well at home. I shall feel so relieved when Alice gets through her confinement…" [Mar 14, 1882]. She recounts an accident with her horse when returning from a visit to Alice: "We have just returned from Alice’s. Went up after meeting. Very bad sleighing, half bare ground and Billy fell down and broke the shafts and frightened me very much…" [Mar 19, 1882]. Alice gives birth to a daughter named Mary Alice on March 23, 1882, and Cassandra goes on to enjoy watching Mary Alice and her siblings grow up: "Mr. Lincoln brought by Alice, Eben [her grandson]…and dear baby [Mary Alice] down this afternoon. The first time the dear little one had been down. Cassandra [her granddaughter, one of Alice’s older children] stayed down last night. It was the annual Rail Road meeting today…" [May 29, 1882]. She recounts the deaths of many member of family and of the community and it is clear she is affected by these: "Received a letter from Mary this morn saying that Mr. Stowell is very sick and the Dr. Feared the worst. Had advised sending for Alice. Oh dear! God help poor Celestia and the girls…His brother Charles is with them which will be a good help and comfort to Celestia, I think…" [Feb 10, 1883] [BIO NOTE: Mr. Stowell refers to Edward Stowell, who was the husband of Cassandra’s step-daughter, Celestia]. "A day to remember. Mr. Stevens went to Laconia. Came home on the noon train about two o'clock. Mrs. Wiggin called, and brought a Telegraph dispatch to him saying "Your brother hung himself today about noon." …Fanny was the first to find him hanging in the barn, and took him down herself. It had been barely 1/2 an hour since he was out of her sig.…