Diary of Julia Wilbur, 1865 Originals at Haverford College, Quaker and Special Collections Transcriptions by volunteers at Alexandria Archaeology The transcribed pages that follow are from the diaries kept by Julia Wilbur, an abolitionist from Rochester, New York, who lived in Alexandria, Virginia, from October 1862 to February 1865. She moved to Washington, DC, where she lived until her death in 1895. This file contains entries from 1865. The diaries are in the form of packets of paper that she assembled and dated as she went along, approximately 4 by 7 inches. The diaries go from 1844 to 1873. (She also kept journals, which were smaller, pre-printed, leather-bound booklets, one per year through 1895.) In a cooperative effort between Haverford and Alexandria Archaeology, pages of the diaries were scanned in Summer 2013 (March 7, 1860, through the early 1870s). Alexandria Archeology volunteers transcribed from March 7, 1860, through July 3, 1866. Acknowledgments Thanks go to Ann Upton and Diana Peterson at Haverford, to Alexandria Archaeology staff, especially Ruth Reeder and Fran Bromberg, and to Friends of Alexandria Archaeology, the nonprofit that helped fund the scanning project. In addition, the following people volunteered their time to transcribe and/or proofread the diary entries: Lori Arbuckle, Gale Carter (and her students at East Chicago High School), Melissa Carter, Laci Chelette, Tom D’Amore, Christopher Goodwin, Jill Grinsted, Tom Gross, Janet Hughes, Maureen Lauran, Donna Martin, Wendy Miervaldis, Patty Morison, Mary Jane Nugent, Kim Ormiston, Trudy Pearson, Janet Penn, Mary Ray, Diane Riker, Kelly Rooney, Elizabeth Schneider, Cindy Slaton, Rachel Smith, Jeanne Springman, Paula Whitacre, Karen White, and Christina Wingate. Paula Whitacre coordinated the volunteers and compiled their work. Key Each diary page is one scanned file and was transcribed in Microsoft Word. In order to avoid having more than one thousand individual Word files, they are compiled as follows: • A PDF of the entire period • Seven PDFs by year (1860, 1861, 1862, 1863, 1864, 1865, and 1866) For those wishing to consult the originals, the ID numbers given to different sections by Haverford are footnoted in regular intervals throughout the documents. 1865 Transcribed Diary of Julia Wilbur (May 2015) 1 Some common things that readers will encounter: • Dates are centered. Note that Wilbur did not consistently date the entries (i.e., month, date, year) and we have recorded them as she did (e.g., Sunday the 19th) • Many different types of dashes, underlines, and hyphens were used to indicate breaks in thought. For consistency, we have used an em-dash (—) throughout. • Where she crossed something out or underlined it, we did, too. Spellings as written (e.g., “staid” for “stayed”) • &c. means “etc.” It was commonly used convention of the time, even appearing in newspaper headlines. “And” is usually represented by an ampersand (&). • Where multiple transcribers/proofreaders were not able to decipher all or part of a word, we have indicated with [?]. Where Wilbur left a blank space or some other unusual thing, we have inserted an italicized Transcriber’s note. If you use these files and encounter an error, please let us know so we can correct it in the next iteration. Wilbur also kept parallel, smaller pocket diaries, the originals of which are at Haverford as well. They were separately transcribed, compiled, and annotated by Paula Whitacre for Alexandria Archeology in 2011-2012, using microfilmed versions in the Local History Collection at the Alexandria Public Library. 1865 Transcribed Diary of Julia Wilbur (May 2015) 2 1Alex. Va. Jan. 1st. 1865 Cold wind. Cleaned up this morning. The misses Chamberlins came & went to church & after dinner F. went with them to 3 hospitals. I have written 2 letters & done but little else. I am not satisfied with myself today. I intend to go to W. with F. to-morrow. Had a New Year’s gift from Aunt Lucy. It consists of 2 pieces of peach pie, a turn-over & a leg of chicken. Jan. 2d Monday Cloudy. Cold. Frances & I went on 10 A.M. boat to Washington. Great deal of ice in river. Called at B. Tabor’s, 467 [Transcriber’s note: Blank left in original]. Then to the Misses Chamberlins, & about 12 we all started for the White House to make a New Years call. We stood at the gate & saw the carriages containing the Foreign Ministers, Members of the Cab. &c with their families. We had a glimpse of some elegant ladies. The ministers were in court costume & gold lace was abundant. At 12 ½ P.M. the officers of the Army & Navy were admitted. We saw them enter & come out, over 500 of them & there were some noble looking men among them. At 1 the public were admitted. We were in the crowd. & were pushed up the steps of the portico & as far as the door. The breath was almost crushed out of us. At the door the policemen kept the men off at arm’s end & we passed under their arms into the ante room. The marine Band sat a long table. There were 20 or more. & they were dressed in scarlet & gold lace & wore green hats. But we were not allowed to stop here at all. We passed through the red room into the blue room. I shook hands with the President, but hardly saw him. I merely felt his presence. Mrs. Lincoln stood in the middle of the room between 2 gentlemen. She wore a purple silk trimmed with black velvet. but no one stopped to look, & some did not see even her. We paused a few moments in the East Room & then were pushed out of a window over a platform built for that purpose. It is said that 5000 & 200 persons passed into the House & all shook hands with the President. I should think his arm wd. be lame after it. If I had known how it was I should hardly have gone into that crowd. It don’t pay. I saw a few colored persons. Such had a hard time to get in, but when once in all were treated alike.— We went to Georgetown & took dinner with sis & Harry. They are expecting C. & Neddy tomorrow. Then F & I went to Mrs. Brown’s to stay all night. This family is nearly white. They are old residents, & Mrs. B. 1 Until further notation, entries correspond to Haverford scans HC13-26005_161 to HC13-26005_168 in their Folder entitled April 21st 1864 to Jan. 8 1865. 1865 Transcribed Diary of Julia Wilbur (May 2015) 3 lived at White House when Jackson was Pres. & sewed for Miss Donelson. After this she was in Edw . Livingston’s family. Went to N. Orleans with them & then to France & spent 2 yrs.— Her daughter Emma is well educated & teaches the public cold. school in W. I had an interesting visit here. Tuesday, 3d Frances went to school & I went to Mrs. Clark’s & staid while Harry & sis went to the Depot to meet C. & Ned. They waited till 2 trains came in, but C. didn’t come & they came back. I left at 2 & went to Dr. Breed’s. Then to see the agents of the New Eng. Friends Asson. They have a house & a sewing school. & have built a store where they sell goods to the Freedmen at cost. & keep wood also to sell at cost & to give away. They are doing a good work. Then I called at the Hospital, saw Dr. Rapier & C. Douglass &c. A new & better hospital is being built for the colored people. Went to Dr. B’s for the night. Mr. Hicks, there from N. Y. going to a place near Pt. Lookout to see what can be done for the colored people there. Wednesday. 4th . Snow several inches deep this morning, wind blows, & it is cold. & the snow flies, but the sun has shone bright all day. Waited awhile to see Mr. McKim, but he did not come— Then I went to 207 I St. to see the House for teachers &c. Then went to Landing and waited one hour for boat. Great deal of ice in river, got back at 1 P.M. went to dinner. Then went for rations. Wood came & Lewis sawed it & brought it in. I went to baker’s, & worked some in clothing room. Water pipe burst last night. & things in clothing room have been moved & they are all topsy turvey.—I have run up & down stairs & am very tired tonight.—Louisa is better. Jan. 5th. Very bright, but has not thawed much.— Men fixed water pipe & bothered me very much, could not wait on folks. Helped Lucinda wash &c. Cleaned my room, & this evening ironed some. Am quite tired. Have been in the cold & wet & have run up & down stairs all day. Miss Moore called. Mrs. Belden & Mrs. Seaton called.— 30 adults & 30 children draw rations now. Col. Trimble lectures at L. Hall this eve. but I am too tired & too busy to go.— Jan. 6. Rained all day. Worked in Clothing room all A.M. Ironed in P.M. & did various chores. 1865 Transcribed Diary of Julia Wilbur (May 2015) 4 Such terrible weather! Frances has not come. Have only been out to my dinner. Cheerless day. How the poor people & soldiers must suffer.— Jan. 7. Very cold. Windy. Frances came about 9 last evening. Boat did not come back. & she came on train after waiting 3 hours at Depot on Md. Avenue. It rained all day & evening & she was wet & cold & hungry & tired. This A.M. went for Passes, & to P.O. about 2 P.M. Neddy & Harry came. More than 2 hrs.