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WARREN, LOANDA AUGUSTINA [nee LAKE] : 1879 - 1880 ORIGINAL MANUSCRIPT DIARY OF A MIDDLE AGED NATIVE AMERICAN WOMAN MARRIED TO A WHITE MAN SHE ADORES ALL THE WHILE CEASELESSLY WORKING, FEELING DISPLACED AND HAVING FEW FRIENDS CONFIDING ALL TO HER DIARY

8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. On offer is a super, original 1879 - 1880 manuscript diary fully handwritten in a meticulous, small, perfectly legible script authored by 48 year old Native American woman Loanda Augustina Warren [nee Lake]. Loanda excels as a diarist not only describing life but in providing page after page of local events and genealogy but even more specifically a look at the unending labours of a woman maintaining a household, helping run a farm and all manner of business to provide and sustain themselves as she notes each day of the two years over 97 handwritten pages intimately sharing everything from the mundane, endless chores and also the joys of life in Olanthe Kansas. Away from her family in Western New York, long cold winters making for little social life and even in the nicer seasons she has few intimates her diary is her outlet and maybe her lifeline. Usually quite stoic she will share with her diary the feelings she has towards her neighbors and her lot in life given she not only deals with life as a Native woman but one who married a white man 12 years older than herself, Addison Woods Warren, in the late 1800s on the American frontier. Their relationship in itself is fascinating. She records the kisses of the day, the hugs and the misses. She walks on air some days from his smallest attentions and then she is hard put the next day at some indiscretion. Overall they appear to live in a loving household. Here are some snippets: January 1st - It is 3 o'clock "New Years Day" that I take my pen to write the thoughts that come to me in 1879; and record the happenings in my world. My dear husband, Addison Woods Warren, gave me this blank book as a Christmas gift, and for that purpose. I have wishes, hopes and fears. My greatest wish to have the love and approbation of my Dearie, the husband that I married because I loved him, and thought that he loved me. My hope is for a happier year than the past, and that I be true to myself and duty, and my fears are that I may fail from causes which I cannot control. There has been but an hour or two of sunshine today, and the air has been full of snow several times but little fell. Awoke this morning to receive Dearie's greeting of "Happy New Year". He built the fire, made some gems, opened the can of oysters, and put on the kettle to cook them in. I dressed, washed, combed hair, fed the hens, cooked the oysters, set table. Dearie wrote part of a letter to --- keil's folks, milked the cow, got ready to go to the shop an he gave me a kiss to keep until his return. Freddie came from Henry's Gile's, where he is boarding, put on a pair of his father's socks, and the boots that Dearie mended for him yesterday and went and got a load of wood which Dearie hires him to cut and haul, from the half-acre bought a few days hence. I worked 2 hours patching Dearie's shirt. Did not get it done. Wrote Rhyne's on slate to Ella Boynton Morrison. Dearie did not reach home until after dark and I began to feel anxious about him. He had to take the latern to see to feed and milk the cow. He sawed wood and then read newspapers to me while I knit. We did not get to bed with our jug of hot water until the clock stuck the hour of 10. (7 AM - temp. 26, 1 PM - temp.28) February 17th - Cool and cloudy. Looks as if snow ws in the air. Therm in morning is 26 degrees. Our breakfast was Dearies's baked potatoes, warm bread and milk, bread, butter, and peaches from can and fresh apples, and cookies and cream. THIS IS MY DEARIE'S 62ND BIRTHDAY, THAT IS HE IS 62 YEARS OF AGE. In my heart, I wish him many returns of his birthday and that I may be permitted to be his comfort and loving companion as the days go by, He gave me the good morning kiss and the goodbye kiss when he started for the shop. Although little Harry Gile was a witness, Harry came to borrow the boiler. I am fixing Dearie's white flannel shirt today, shall not get it done, as I wish to darn mittens and read a little, Mr. Hightower came to buy milk, let him have 2 and ¾ for 10 cents. Dearie got letters from Hannah Chase and from E.F. Warren. Emory sent the amount of my fund that he has the care of the farm mortgages. In evening, I knit and Dearie read and reckoned accounts and began his new account book. He received a postal and a paper from Mr. Green of Slamanca approbating his letter in the Investigator and c---. (Noon - 30, 3 PM - 30) (6 - eggs) February 20th - Cooler in morning, but sunshine most of the day. Therm in morning 18 degrees. Dearie baked potatoes and buck wheat gems and warmed the parsnips for breakfast. He started to shop about 9. Gave me a kiss. He took a R. Register to mail to Mina and the letter J.C. Corwin Cross. I did a good big washing for me, and am tired and hungry. Mrs. Bushnell came for the pint and 2 quarts milk today. She is a chatty little body, guess I would he passable well. She is the first woman I have spoken with since Christmas. Henry Gile came for skim milk. Gave him about a gallon. Hightower comes more. Dearie took the one half dozen eggs to Mrs. Blair. Dearie home about the usual time bringing a letter from Mina D. Hartwell and I was so glad to get a letter from my only sister. She and dearie are the only ones on earth that have much love for me, I fancy. I cherish them in my hearts of hearts. Dearie read Olathe Leader while I knit and thought of Mina and the Hammontians. (Noon - 36, 3 PM - 40) (2 - eggs). The journal, a largish 8 x 10 inch book, is dated Jan 1 1879 has a brown paper "dust jacket" is filled with Ms. Lake's naïve, calligraphic decoration. It is in poor shape with rips, chips and rubs. The bottom corner has some damage but not affecting the entries. Overall Fair+. This diary comes with a typed transcription. [Research of other archival materials not held by us provides that she was postmistress of Charlotte Center, Chatauque (Chatauqua) New York in 1858. After her husband's death November 22nd 1889 in Olanthe Kansas she returned to her home in Upstate New York largely in the towns of Chautauqua, Charlotte's Center and near Fredonia. We believe she was of the Seneca or Iroquois tribe.] FOUND ON A GENEALOGICAL SITE: Loanda A. Lake was born 1831 probably in Charlotte Center where her parents were living. She died December 31, 1896 at the home of her nephew Luther Cross in Charlotte Center and was buried in the Charlotte Center Cemetery according to the Dunkirk Observer. Her parents were Luther Lake 1790-1851 and Lucenda Walker dates unknown. She married Addison Warren August 08, 1877 in Hammonton, NJ. He was born abt. 1816 and died November 22, 1889 in Olathe, KS. Loanda's cousin Henry Clarence Lake married my ggg Aunt Margaret Mitchell Ames so I have been doing some research on the Charlotte Center Lake's. [We have listed separately a later diary of Loanda's when she returned to her upstate New York roots. Seller ID#0002060.]. Manuscript. Book Condition: Fair+

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