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O. M. Slosson Diary and Farm Ledger

 Collection
Identifier: MS 0223
Finding aid note: Stored onsite at the Woodson Research Center.

Scope and Contents

O. M. Slosson’s diary and ledger is a bound volume of 130 pages, with entries from August 29, 1858 to June 17, 1860, depicting Northern farm life in upstate New York just before the Civil War; Slosson’s entries give a sense of the seasonal rhythms and routines of rural community life (church, social activities, local events), as well as a farmer’s daily responsibilities and financial concerns in managing a farm during this period.

Dates

  • 1858 - 1860

Creator

Restrictions on Access

This material is open for research.

Conditions Governing Access

Stored onsite at the Woodson Research Center.

Restrictions on Use

Permission to publish from the O. M. Slosson Diary and Farm Ledger, MS 223, must be obtained from the Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University.

Biographical / Historical

Nothing is known of O. M. Slosson, a farmer in up-state New York prior to the Civil War, other than what may be gleaned from his diary and ledger. He appears to have been thrifty, conscientious in repaying debts, active in church affairs, and a competent manager with broad knowledge of farm maintenance, repair, and livestock. He also seems to have had an appreciation for poetry (verse is written inside the diary’s covers), and a certain sensitivity to seasonal pleasures in the midst of farm routine, noting for example the first appearance of robins and bluebirds at the end of winter.

Extent

0.25 Linear Feet (1 folder)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Overview

Diary and farm ledger kept by O. M. Slosson, a farmer in upstate New York (Pompey, Onondago County), reflecting the life of a Northern farmer just before the Civil War; he describes daily chores, agricultural problems, livestock, church attendance and themes of Sunday sermons, deaths and other local events, social activities, weather, personal finances (including loans, debts, and purchases), and letters received, with reminders to himself noted in the margins. He also makes reference to his reading materials: "Knickerbocker’s Magazine," and "The Phrenological Journal."

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The O. M. Slosson Diary and Farm Ledger, 1858-1860, was purchased in 1956.

Related Materials

See additional Civil War collections in the Woodson Research Center.

Subjects

Record Groups

Related Names

Creator

Finding Aid & Administrative Information

Title
Guide to the O. M. Slosson Diary and Farm Ledger, 1858-1860
Status
Completed
Author
Joan Ferry
Date
2004
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Repository Details

Part of the Woodson Research Center, Rice University, Houston, Texas Repository

https://library.rice.edu/woodson
Contact:
Fondren Library MS-44, Rice University
6100 Main St.
Houston Texas 77005 USA

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Harmful Content Statement
© 2023 Woodson Research Center
Fondren Library, Rice University
Physical Address: 6100 Main, Houston, Texas 77005-1827
Mailing Address: MS-44, P.O. Box 1892, Houston, Texas 77251-1892