New England Women And Their Families In The 18th And 19th Centuries

by Roberta Ridley

These materials, a part of the “Research Collections in Women’s Studies,” were filmed from the manuscript collections of the American Antiquarian Society. The collections contain filmed original, handwritten documents from letter writers and diarists. These documents provide valuable glimpses into the everyday lives of families during the 18th and 19th centuries. An introduction to the collection advises, “Manuscript collections such as these are among the best places to recover the voices of women which are so often missing from newspapers, government documents, advice books, and other published sources.” The detailed accounts within these manuscripts offer the reader a personal window into the past.

The collections are not just the voices of women, but also provide illuminating correspondence from men concerning business, education, finance, government, health, neighbors, travel plans, weather, and of course, romance. While some diary entries reflect the most routine daily occurrences, personal and business relationships are often detailed at great length.

The range of the correspondence is as wide as it is interesting and includes many New England families and their family connections throughout the country. For this reason these collections offer much to be discovered about New England families and perhaps some insight into the lives of one’s ancestors.

The following can be found in the ACPL microtext area:

• 33 rolls – Series A, Part 1; Personal Papers, Letters, and Diaries – Manuscript collections from the American Antiquarian Society
• 17 rolls – Series A, Part 2; Dewy – Bliss Family Collection
• 16 rolls – Series A, Part 3; Maine and Massachusetts Collection
• 22 rolls – Series B, Part 1; Personal Papers, Letters, and Diaries – Williams and Robinson Collection
• 44 rolls – Series B, Part 2; Personal Papers, Letters, and Diaries
• 26 rolls – Series C, Part 1; Personal Papers, Letters, Diaries – Selected Collections
• 27 rolls – Series C, Part 2; Personal Papers, Letters, and Diaries – Selected Collections

Article taken from the GENEALOGY GEMS[1]: News From The Fort Wayne Library
No. 6, August 31, 2004