Buy this book on-line UNIDENTIFED : 1802 FASCINATING ORIGINAL VERY EARLY 19th CENTURY 'ALMANACK' WITH MANUSCRIPT NOTES AND SOME ENIGMATIC CODED MESSAGES PERHAPS INDICATING SOME POST REVOLUTIONARY PARANOIA
16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall. On offer is a marvelous printed almanac from 1802. Containing 38 printed pages and 20 handwritten pages, it is an outstanding glimpse into what people considered important information. Paper bound, it measures 6 1/2 inches by 4 inches. The paper is in very good condition. There is a small burn scar on the leading edge of the pages but it is limited to the blank margin area. The 20 handwritten pages are about 40% complete. The volume is titled Stoddard's Diary: OR THE COLUMBIA ALMANACK, For the Year of our LORD 1802: It notes that it is the 'second year of the 19th Century and of American independence ... part of the 26 and 27 years. The author is Andrew Beers. It goes on to state that it contains: "... besides what is usual and necessary in Compositions of this Nature, many Things new, useful and entertaining." Printed sections include notes on human anatomy, interest tables, lunar almanac for each month of the year, a list of officers of the Government of the United States and the State of New York and several essays. These latter include Respect and Deference Due to the Aged , The Fortunate Hindoo, The Sham Ghost and What Industry Will Accomplish. It ends with an advertisement for the author's new Land Office and Surveying business. The author of the 20 handwritten pages is unknown. His journal entries are brief and to the point: "Died Arron Coffin", [Feb 13, 1802]; "Thomas Fotheringham Nephew to Thomas Fotheringham Esq died after a long, tedious and most Painful illness" [Feb 25, 1802]; "Derek Ten Brock son of Jeremiah Ten Brock in a fit of Insanity struck a Negro Boy about 6 years of age and hit him outright and dangerously wounded" [ ] Mr. Ten Brock his father", [Mar 12, 1802]. He notes a general election for Congress in April. Of important historical merit are the following entries: "Died Mrs. Martha Washington, widow of the late Gen'l George Washington", [May 22, 1802]; Gen'l Robt V Rensselaer was interred at Claverak with Military Honors"[Sep 13, 1802]: Robert Van Rensselaer was a Colonel and later General in the Albion County Militia and fought on the American side in the American Revolution. He later served in the New York state assembly. A curious addition is the inclusion of what appears to be a code: "the C483stz66its48 Frg3qitz 82362dfg47th 2d261 wigz" [Feb 14th, 1802]. A similar coded notation appears for the entry of Oct 17th. This is an outstanding little journal written at a time when many of the chief actors of the American Revolution were still alive and the Republic was still quite young. It would be an excellent resource for a historian, especially on studying America at the turn of the 19th century.. Illustr.: /. Manuscript. Book Condition: Good + Click here for full details of this book, to ask a question or to buy it on-line. Bibliophile Bookbase probably offers multiple copies of UNIDENTIFED : 1802 FASCINATING ORIGINAL VERY EARLY 19th CENTURY 'ALMANACK' WITH MANUSCRIPT NOTES AND SOME ENIGMATIC CODED MESSAGES PERHAPS INDICATING SOME POST REVOLUTIONARY PARANOIA. Click here to select from a complete list of available copies of this book. Bibliophile Bookbase lists over 5 million books, maps and prints including first editions, antiquarian books, livres anciens, collectables and rare books. Bibliophile Bookbase for antiquarian books, maps and prints. |