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OLIVE WHIPPLE PEABODY : 1900 - 1904 ORIGINAL ARCHIVE OF NINE [9] MANUSCRIPT NOTEBOOKS HANDWRITTEN BY THE YOUNG ADOPTED DAUGHTER OF A BOSTON FINANCIER AND PHILANTHROPIST AT THE START OF THE 20th CENTURY

8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. On offer is an unusual collection of diaries dating from the turn of the 20th century. This collection of 9 notebooks, each measures 8.5 inches by 7 inches and contains 38 pages. The condition of all is generally good. Some covers show wear marks and in some cases the covers are loose. All pages are intact and the handwriting is legible. The author of the diaries is Olive Whipple. Whipple was born in 1886 in Massachusetts to Albert and Grace Whipple. They lived in Hamilton, MA. What makes her particularly enigmatic is her relationship to Philip G Peabody. Peabody was a noted American financier and philanthropist who lived in Boston in the early years of the 20th century. He was the son of a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States and was himself an attorney by profession. He also got involved with several social campaigns of his day. In particular, he was active in the anti-vivisectionist movement and a supporter of a major project of the nascent NAACP. Peabody was an avid world traveler and in his lifetime, he crossed the Atlantic an astounding 113 times and visited 43 different countries. How she came to know Peabody as a 14 year old girl and how he came to adopt her when she was 18 was and remains a mystery. Records much later show that she married a James Beardwood and they had 1 son, Jamie. Olive passed away in 1969 at the age of 83. By 1900, Olive was certainly part of Peabody's life. He gave her gifts and money, took her places, and showed her the world he lived in. Peabody was married and had a son, Charles. He lived in Boston, MA and his wife lived in New York. At that time, if one had money couples would often just live separately rather than to divorce. Peabody's son, Charles, was born in 1880, and was 6 years older than Olive. At one point in 1903, Olive was introduced to Charles when it appears that she and Peabody accidentally met up with him while waiting for a train out of Essex. Olive's diaries commence in 1900. She was 14 years old at that time. It contains several stories and appears to possibly be a school assignment book. Her subsequent diaries are dated: o 1901, July & August (vacation time) o 1902, January 4-June 27 o 1902, June 28-Sept. 24; 1903 (age 17) o June 19 -Oct. 10 o 1903-1904, Oct 11 to Jan. 31 o 1904, Feb. 1-June 10 o 1904, June 11-Oct. 20. On the front of each one of these diaries she adds her age. She is very popular and has numerous friends; mostly males. In Sept. of 1902, when she is 15 years old, she writes "in three years from today" suggesting that she knows that at the age of 18 Peabody will be adopting her. Her 1901 diary recounts her day-to-day activities, from meeting friends to family activities: "Warm, cloudy still Got up at 7. West to depot with Papa. Took Miss Gusty D to Preston's. Picked string beans. Went to Beverly at 6. Came home at 10. Nelson walked home with me." [July 31]. She notes the assassination of President William McKinley: "Pres. McKinley died at 5 a.m. ..." [Sept 14]. In her 1901 diary she refers to him as Mr. Peabody: "... I received letter from Mr. Peabody in 4:30 mail..." [July 8]; "... wrote letter to Mr. Peabody (Russia) ..." [July 9]. The diary contains her school schedule on the inside front cover. From 1902 and there on, she almost always refers to him as P.G.P. In her 1900-1901 diaries early on she writes of school, doing her housework, cooking and taking her brother Percival on walks. Her mother is ill a great deal of the time and the doctor is called frequently. She is very comfortable taking the train, the electric and the 'carriage' with her friends She frequently goes to Lynn, Revere Beach, Ashbury Grove, Salem, Essex, Beverly and Marblehead on the ferry. Visits also include Idlewood, Hampton Beach, Plum Island, Ipswich Beach, Danvers. She stays overnight with her Aunt Emma for long periods of time. Her mother is quite ill by now with pleurisy and her father is ill as well. She records deaths of neighbours from diphtheria and smallpox. Olive is quite popular yet spends much of her time alone. Even at this early age she takes the train everywhere on her own. Then in 1902 she is sitting on the train next to "Mr. Peabody," who by now has taken a host of cruises, has quite possibly been around the world once or twice, and is full of wonderful true and exciting stories which beguile Olive. Shortly after sitting with Peabody on the train, he starts coming to the house to visit. How this relationship with her and her family developed remains a mystery. It does however appear that his motives are above reproach and he really does have her best interests at heart. The fact that her parents are often ill may have been a factor. Peabody gave her clothes, took her shopping, gave her money and opened a whole new world to her. It may well be that he sees in her a daughter that he would not otherwise have. At the end of 1903-1904, Frank Balch of Essex comes into the picture. He is a bit older than Olive, has an automobile and is a fervent suitor for her attention. She is also seeing a young man named Fred. Peabody seems quite fine with these friendships. In 1904, she begins working in his law office: "went to Boston on the 7:30 train. Sat with Fred Nelson. Began work at P.G.P's office. He & I came to Hamilton on the 7 P.M. train. It rained. Took carriage down. Wrote to Frank & Dr Mudge. Sept. 27, Went to Boston, 7:30 train. P.G.P. gave me watch & chain - desk & cabinet. Introduced to Mr. Fuller. Bought tables, chiffonier, paper weights, etc. Started bank account. Sept. 30, Went with P.G.P. to look at horses. Wrote a letter to Frank. To bed by 11:00" [Sept 26]; "Mama sick. Dr. came up 11:30-3:00. P.G.P. came at 12. He & I left for Boston on 4:00 train & from South Station to Fall River on 6:00 train. Took boat to New York. Bed at 10:30" [Nov 12]. Peabody took her to Chicago, New York, Washington and St. Louis for the World Fair: "In train all day. Reached Chicago at 8:30. Went for a walk. Bed at 12:05 at the Auditorium Hotel" [Nov 16]; "Breakfast at a German restaurant. Went to see 'Way Down East' in Chicago theater. Took train at 11:36 for St. Louis. In train all night" [Nov 17]; "Reached St. Louis about 8:30. Came to new St. Jame's Hotel. Went to the Fair about 2. Bed at 9:30" [Nov 18]; "Went to walk in A.M. & to Olympia theater at 2 P.M. to see 'Ben Hur' Bed at 9". [Nov 19]; "Left St. Louis for Washington at 7 A.M. on B. & D. Railroad. In train all day & night." [Nov 20]. It is a fascinating and rather unique relationship that this wealthy man has with this young girl. Without a doubt, it changed her life. Not much more is known about Olive. She was indeed adopted by Peabody. She travelled with him and certainly corresponded with him as late as 1915. As noted above, she married a James Beardwood, had a son named Jamie in 1930 and passed away in 1969 at the age of 83. The diaries present a wonderful window into the life of a young girl growing up in New England at the beginning of the 20th century. It is a treasure trove of details for a local historian. A social historian would have a clear picture of daily life and personal relationships in a small community at the outset of the century. Genealogists would find the many names mentioned valuable in tracing family lines and relationships.. Illustr.: /. Manuscript. Book Condition: Good

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