The diary of Elijah P. Smith

Note

Microfilm of typed transcript of original dairies (carbon copy, 35 leaves) in Henry County, Iowa.

"This folder contains a copy of three diaries written by Elijah P. Smith, a pioneer, teacher minister of early Iowa. The first diary is in the possession of Mrs. H.H. Smith ... Cedar Rapids ... the second original is the property of Dale E. Jonshon ... The third unit was copied from a diary now in the Olds Congregation Church by Nellie Huston Miller ... This copy is not complete since only historical material is re-typed and the Christian Doctrines, etc. are omitted.".

Elijah Parson Smith was born at Madison, Geauga County, Ohio, in 1825. His family migrated to Michigan ca. 1835 but returned to Madison in 1837. In 1839, they migrated to Illinois, and in 1842 to Wayne, Henry County, Iowa. He married Catherine Hanes in 1850. They had at least one son, Quincy Knud, who was born in 1854 and died a few months later. They adopted a girl, Cecilia Evangeline (b. 1866) and had one other child at the time at the time of his wife's death in 1875. He first diary, 1848-1855, records events in his life, national events and politics, school teaching activities, happenings in the lives of neighbors, deaths of neighbors and a sister, etc. The second diary, 1864, records his Civil War experiences while he was under appointment of the Christian Commission to labor with soldiers at Vicksburg. Includes a list of soldiers with their company, regiment, and comments. Most the soldiers listed were from Iowa, Illinois, or Ohio. The third diary tells chiefly of work as a minister, few years are given. The end tells of the death of his wife in 1875.

With: Session book, 1841-1858 / United Presbyterian Church (Crawfordsville, Iowa) -- Notes on the history of Henry and Washington Counties, Iowa.

Argomenti

Argomenti (cognome)

Argomenti (località)

Argomenti (Biblioteca del Congresso)

Note relative al materiale microfilmato/digitale