Aging

George Dillwyn was a Quaker minister, and his commonplace book includes poetry, short stories, hymns, extracts from letters and meeting minutes, and quotes from famous authors such as Shakespeare, Milton, and Chaucer. The majority of the volume is composed of lists of extracts organized by topic, including topics such as: anger, affectation, old age, ambition, abstinence, religion, books, revenge, praise, sincerity, death, and temperance.

Mary Meigs was born on April 27, 1917, and served in the U. S. Navy during World War II as a WAVE. She later became a painter, writer, and activist for elderly lesbians, and she had close ties with several other painters, writers, activists, and social commentators throughout her life. The collection is divided into four sections: Correspondence, Writings, Artwork, and Other Materials and includes letters from throughout her life, journals, manuscripts, research, reviews, and her artwork.

Esther Fisher Wistar's diary entries focus on family news, social calls, religious reflection, descriptions of Quaker meetings, and discussions of aging and death.