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GLADYS BAILEY : 1941 - 1945 ORIGINAL GROUP OF FOUR [4] WORLD WAR II ERA MANUSCRIPT DIARIES HANDWRITTEN BY A HARDWORKING UPSTATE NEW YORK WOMAN RICHLY DETAILING A FULL FAMILY FARMING LIFE STEPS FROM THE SOUTH SHORE OF LAKE ONTARIO

12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. On offer is an excellent collection of 4 diaries (1940, 1943, 1944 and 1945) and ephemera from a farm woman who lived in rural upstate New York. All diaries measure 7.5' x 5.0', each contains 183 pages and memoranda, and all of them are in good condition. 1940, 1944 and 1945 diaries are 100% complete, 1943 diary is 50% complete. Gladys Bailey lived on a farm in upstate New York, quite close to Lake Ontario. She was born on April 29th, 1912. A handwritten genealogy in the ephemera indicates that she was born in 1912 (maiden name Weisner) and married to James Emery Bailey, who came from Nelson, Pennsylvania and was in the logging business. She had two children, Donald and Mae. She lived on the family farm with her extended family. The diaries portray in detail the daily events and happenings on a mixed-use farm in mid-20th century: "Washed clothes and got them dry. Ironed in afternoon. Mother called Belle Robinson done chores. Had a big dish of cooked dandelions for dinner. Got a card from Arnie saying he is going to Louisiana. Set a hen on 15 eggs." [Apr. 14, 1941]; "Mother, Alice and I gathered greens - horseradish, milkweed and dandelion. Alice sent for oil stove. The men planted beans. Went to Francis for fish supper. Emery took the horse over to Charlie' L. Tonight. Eddie and Carl got pigs. We got two also ..." [May 21, 1941]; "Very pleasant about 38 deg. We washed in A.M. and worked on rug in P.M. Kiddies gone to school. Men working in the woods and Emery drawing logs. Went to bed about 10 o'clock and slept good."[Feb. 21, 1943]; "Pleasant but darn cold men ploughing clean all downstairs and Chas. room man brought 75 gal gas & 100 kerosene put 13 chicks under hen had killing frosts hardly slept at all at night Emery ploughed until 1 A.M. so long" [May 18, 1943]; "Hear first golden robin and bobolink. Nearly all summer birds are here. We were going over to Frances but couldn't make it as men worked on cow fence until nearly noon. Let cows out first today. We were going to help Frances can greens. Mother and I cleaned and mowed lawn. Lovely day. Mother has terrible cold. Gathered dandelions to can went over to Ernest this eve" [May 11, 1944]; "It was a nice day. Emery thrashed for Bruce;.. Charlie cultivated beans in A.M. In P.M. drew wheat for [ ]. We canned 5 qts of peas ..." [July 26, 1944]; "Started sending milk to Martville boys also got some feed. Red cow came in this morn. (no good) I baked butter scotch cookies mother 2 cherry pie 2 apple It was a lovely sunny day. Carl made out his occupational Farm papers today" [Mar 1, 1945]. The entries are very local. Although there is a world war raging, there is no mention of it in her diaries. The entries paint a detailed and vivid picture of life on this family farm. A social historian would find it offers a goldmine of information - from daily weather to crops planted and day-to-day operations of the farm. The ephemera contains newspaper clippings, cards and assorted notes. What is likely the most valuable though is a four-page, handwritten genealogy of the family. What comes through is the warm relationships between the members of this family and their friends and neighbours.. Manuscript. Book Condition: Good

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