1898 antique DIARY GRACE SMITH newfield me SCHOOLGIRL CHILDHOOD FAMILY HISTORY For Sale

1898 antique DIARY GRACE SMITH newfield me SCHOOLGIRL CHILDHOOD FAMILY HISTORY
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AI Disclosure: AI assistance was used in preparing this description. While every effort has been made to accurately identify and describe the item, occasional errors or omissions may occur. Please rely on the photographs for details and condition, and feel free to ask questions before purchasing.

Original 1931 handwritten daily diary attributed to P. J. Milliken of Portland, Maine, measuring approximately 3.5 x 5.75 inches, with a textured black leather cover. The inside rear cover contains the handwritten identification "P. J. Milliken," followed by "Theatre P.O. Box 186, Portland Maine."

This extensively handwritten diary documents daily life in Maine during the Great Depression, with particularly detailed accounts of automobile ownership, mechanical repairs, regional travel, household activities, family relationships, church attendance, weather conditions, and social events.

The writer frequently traveled throughout Maine, particularly between Portland, Rockland, Camden, Bangor, Augusta, and surrounding communities. Entries often record departure and arrival times, road conditions, temperatures, barometric readings, and the mechanical condition of automobiles.

Automobile history is a particularly significant feature of this diary. The inside front cover contains a handwritten reference to a 1931 Pontiac, No. 104592, while the daily entries describe automobile repairs, replacement parts, wheel servicing, lubrication, license plates, garage visits, and mechanical difficulties encountered during travel.

Among the subjects documented are:

• Automobiles and early motoring: References to a 1931 Pontiac, automobile repairs, replacement parts, wheel bearings, lubrication, garages, and automobile maintenance.

• Maine travel: Numerous automobile journeys involving Portland, Rockland, Camden, Augusta, Bangor, Lewiston, and other locations.

• Road conditions: Accounts of rain, snow, muddy roads, automobile difficulties, and seasonal travel.

• Weather observations: Extensive daily records of temperatures, barometric pressure, wind direction, precipitation, and changing weather conditions.

• Family and genealogy: Numerous references to Emma, Maurice, Mrs. Priest, Mrs. Simmons, and other relatives, friends, and acquaintances.

• Church activities: Religious services, sermons, church meetings, and community gatherings.

• Household life: Painting, carpentry, gardening, furniture purchases, home repairs, and seasonal preparations.

• Local businesses: References to furniture dealers, automobile establishments, garages, and the S. A. Lawrence Oil Company.

• Fire department: An October 14 entry mentions the Augusta Fire Department during an automobile trip.

• Christmas 1931: Detailed accounts of Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, including family visits, gifts, holiday preparations, and automobile maintenance.

• New Year's Eve: The December 31 entry documents correspondence, visitors, and plans for the coming year.

The diary contains numerous interesting passages concerning automobile maintenance. On December 25, the writer describes removing the front wheels from a Pontiac, servicing and greasing the automobile, and completing mechanical repairs.

On December 30, the writer records a trip to Rockland, including a visit to the police department concerning automobile license plates.

Other entries describe automobile excursions, purchases of mechanical supplies, visits to garages, and travel arrangements.

The inside front cover contains several handwritten names, addresses, and personal notations, including:

• Captain W. W. Torrey, dated December 25, 1930.

• G. W. Torrey, with a reference to Pike & Kilby.

• Mrs. Davis Austin, Atwater, Kentucky.

• Norman Fuller and David French.

• Royal Protective Insurance Company, 38 Newbury Street, Boston, Massachusetts.

• An insurance claim notation dated March 31, 1931, mentioning furs and an automobile.

• Personal reminders mentioning Nancy Turner, Walter Staples, and Susan Summers.

The inside rear cover contains the handwritten name P. J. Milliken, together with a Portland, Maine, mailing address and additional numerical calculations.

A memorandum near the end of the diary records gasoline consumption and automobile mileage, including a calculation involving 659 miles and 72 gallons of gasoline.

Another handwritten entry records a death on December 30, 1931, together with funeral arrangements for January 1, 1932.

An additional loose handwritten diary sheet accompanies the book.

This diary provides a personal record of life in Maine during the first years of the Great Depression. Its extensive automobile references are particularly noteworthy, documenting the practical realities of automobile ownership and travel during a period when motor vehicles were becoming increasingly important to everyday American life.

The numerous references to named individuals, communities, businesses, and family activities also offer potential genealogical and local-history research value.

Authentic period piece related to family, historyor local heritage - well-suited for historical collections, genealogical /genealogy research, or museum acquisition.Vintage or Antique.

CONDITION: See listing description and photos.































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