Box 1

Scope and Contents

Top edges of pages read "Galloway Cheston and James Carey Thomas (Guardians) in ass. With E.D. Brown Acting Executor of John Clapp (deceased)". Entries relate to disbursements, commercial and other payments, and accounts. Many of the disbursements went to members of the Thomas family.

Scope and Contents Diary of 1869 gives descriptions of daily life as well as notable events including Friends discussion of Seneca Indians. The diary also describes subscriptions, including those to Haverford College. Author meticulously took notes of Friends meeting speakers and topics (as well as committee news). In August 1869, family moves from Philadelphia to 'Fairland' properties near Darlington, Maryland. At the back of the diary, there is a drawing of an outdoor gazebo, and a separate drawing of a...

Scope and Contents

Diaries include Chas. Y Thomas Fairland Memorandum of Farm Work, 1881 Farm Work Journal, 1882 Rough Endpaper Journal, 1883-84 Farm Work Journal, and 1885 ledger notebook. While primarily focused on farming and business, the journals and ledger include some social and family news.

Scope and Contents

Diaries include day-to-day tasks of Chas. Y Thomas and family related to the farm, generally in greater detail than the farm work journals. The Thomases attend meeting regularly, sometimes with their children, othertimes without. Author regularly describes business deals including what is owed to him, what he has purchased, and what he has sold, to whom.

Scope and Contents

3 small diaries per year. In 1890, Thomas writes about attending both Friends Meeting and the sermon of an Episcopal bishop. Other details include financial matters, farm work, social news (illnesses, deaths, funerals), and furniture making. Writing is fairly similar in 1891, with changes in the seasons and social news. Financial records are recorded in extensive detail related to the farm.

Scope and Contents

Daily records of farm work are recorded. Friends meetings news and occurences regularly recorded- in May 1892, Thomas writes about an interesting Temperance meeting, and also a beautiful prayer from the Episcopal minister in Darlington. Similar entries are made in 1893 and 1894. The 1893 diary is not bound, with folded sheets only. In the back of the 1st Month-2nd Month 1894 diary is a recipe for "Cough Mixture". 1894 is 8 small diaries.

Scope and Contents

3 small diaries per year. In 1895, Thomas writes about social engagements, Friends, and the farm. In the 9th month-10th month 1895 diary, Thomas includes trip expenses to Washington, DC and Baltimore with other miscellaneous purchases. Similar writings in 1896, with a mention of a large revival meeting in Berkley in January 1897. The final 1896 book is only partially completed, and the year as a whole has sporadic entries.

Scope and Contents This is the first diary to be marked private. Notable events include attending stockholder meetings for the Darlington Cemetery Co. and meeting Claude Taylor and Stephen Hobhouse (two English Friends visiting meetings in the United States) in September. With the attending of English Friends, Thomas describes the large gathering at the meeting house and the interesting subject matter. Much of the diary concerns the day-to-day work of running a farm, interspersed with social and Friends...

Scope and Contents 3 diaries. Notable events from 1913 include September 19th: "went to an entertainment at Town Hall given by 2 old Confederate Soldiers and a colored Quartet," and November 14th, which describes a meeting in M and E. At this meeting, missionaries from Spain, China, and Africa are present, and Thomas is appointed to a committee to bring the Havre de Grace race track (horse racing) before legislation. Writing from the opposite ends of the diaries, Thomas includes prayers, notes from yearly...

Scope and Contents

Thomas repurposes a "Dove Diary" from 1912 for 1914, changing the dates as necessary. Notable events include receiving a letter from Rufus Jones in April and visiting his son Edgar in Cleveland. On the trip to Cleveland, Thomas records notes of the Friends meetings they attended, including examining the "books" of said meetings. In Cleveland, Thomas describes going to a moving picture show. Throughout the year Thomas types notes and covers books to deliver to Darlington.