Overview
Diary describing farm life in Weare, New Hampshire, during the years 1892 to 1894. The diary contains short daily entries that record the weather and her daily activities as well as those of her family.
Dates
- Creation: 1892-1894
Creator
- Gove, Dorcas Breed, 1834-1916 (Person)
Language of Materials
Materials in English.
Access Restrictions:
Access. Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright. Copyright in the papers created by Dorcas Breed Gove is held by the President and Fellows of Harvard College for the Schlesinger Library. Copyright in other papers in the collection may be held by their authors, or the authors' heirs or assigns.
Copying. Papers may be copied in accordance with the library's usual procedures.
Extent
2 foldersCollection consists of one diary written by Dorcas Breed Gove, describing farm life in Weare, New Hampshire, during the years 1892 to 1894. The diary contains short daily entries that record the weather and her daily activities as well as those of her family. She mentions household chores such as ironing, cleaning, and washing, as well as farm activities like butchering and sheep shearing. Many of Gove's entries record the amount of butter she has churned, and how many eggs the chickens have laid. She also mentions maple sugaring, and a list of accounts at back of the diary provides the amount of syrup and sugar they have sold. The diary also provides a glimpse into the family's social circle; Gove mentions visits with family and friends, attending Quaker or town meetings, occasional entertainment, such as local theater performances. She also mentions outings to local attractions like Crawford Notch and the Tilton and Bradford fairs, and attending a social given by the WCTU (most likely the Woman's Christian Temperance Union). She documents illnesses, deaths, funerals, and occasionally includes a candid comment regarding her mood or physical state. The diary also contains an address book and list of letters sent. In addition to the handwritten diary, the collection also contains a typed transcript of the diary and detailed index, both created by the collection donor.
BIOGRAPHY
Dorcas Tucker Breed Gove was born February 16, 1834 in Weare, New Hampshire, to Mariane Fry and Nathan Breed. In 1866 she married John Milton Gove (1819-1902), a farmer in Weare. John Milton Gove had previously been married to Dorcas's sister, Sarah Fry Breed (1826-1865); they had four children. Dorcas and John Milton Gove had one child, Howard Milton Gove (1872-1946). Dorcas Breed Gove died in Weare, New Hampshire, on April 1, 1916.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Accession number: 2020-M135
The papers of Dorcas Breed Gove were given to the Schlesinger Library by David H. Wallace in December 2020.
Processing Information
Processed: November 2021
By: Paula Aloisio
The Schlesinger Library attempts to provide a basic level of preservation and access for all collections, and does more extensive processing of higher priority collections as time and resources permit. Finding aids may be updated periodically to account for new acquisitions to the collection and/or revisions in arrangement and description.
Genre / Form
Geographic
Topical
Creator
- Gove, Dorcas Breed, 1834-1916 (Person)
- Author
- Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America
- Language of description
- eng
- Sponsor
- Processing of this collection was made possible by gifts from the Pforzheimer Fund for the Schlesinger Library and Class of 1957 Schlesinger Library Fund.
- EAD ID
- sch02090
Repository Details
Part of the Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute Repository
The preeminent research library on the history of women in the United States, the Schlesinger Library documents women's lives from the past and present for the future. In addition to its traditional strengths in the history of feminisms, women’s health, and women’s activism, the Schlesinger collections document the intersectional workings of race and ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and class in American history.