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VOLNEY FOWLER : 1908 - 1916 ORIGINAL HANDWRITTEN MANUSCRIPT JOURNAL KEPT BY A LAND SURVEYOR DETAILING HIS LIFE, HIS WORK, AND THE TRAGIC AND SUDDEN DEATH OF HIS WIFE IN THE DEEP SOUTH

12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. On offer is a super, original diary and manuscript relic of a Mississippi man named Volney Fowler, consisting of entries for the years 1908, 1909, and 1916. Fowler seems to be an Surveyor working with a small company in Natchez, Mississippi offering researchers and historians an interesting perspective of life in the Deep South. Throughout the diary, and throughout all years of writing, Fowler writes of receiving calls from many different people in town to survey various plots of land, as well as reports from his boss ‘Forest’ and a coworker (and brother) “Orrick” For example: “April 6, 1909. While at breakfast at Osceola a phone message came from Foresh for me to return home immediately to survey ____ place for Farrar. So when cars came at Lake Bruen, I returned home....I did not wish to leave Osceola on Tuesday and would not have come away if Farrar had not got Mr. Ratcliffe to phone me to come to survey.” In between reports of his work in Natchez, Fowler writes of day-to-day occurrences and activities such as watching movies (he is especially moved by “Birth of a Nation” by D.W. Griffith), vacationing in Osceola, Arkansas. As well, Fowler is very interested in astrology, and the diary is filled with many instances of astrological movements in the sky: “Jupiter enters Leo. Mars enters Leo.”; “Venus enters Gemini”; “Venus conj. with moon in Cancer.” In addition the verso and recto of the cover are filled with Fowler’s writing on the stars and astrological movements in the year 1908. “Precession of equinoxes has caused vernal equinox to leave Aries and become Pisces.”; “Mars enters Leo 13 Sept.”; “Mercury in Taurus * Aug. 20th in Cancer.”; At the end of 1909, Fowler writes of the long sickness and death of wife: “Dr. Chamberlain is treating my wife for Angina Pectoris - which is inflammation of the chest...wife rested Tolerably last night. We think she is a trifle better at Sunrise...Dr. Beekman called 8 1/2 clock A.M. About 9 1/2 clock AM it began to appear that end was a matter of short time. Mrs. Baker came and was helpful and so Mr.s. Stamply. About 12 1/2 Clock Winnie began to show that she knew she was losing her best friend - Ida and children arrived after dark...Mamma [his wife] died at Eleven clock this night...My wife’s funeral took place this evening at 4 clock. Our boys brought a lot yesterday in city cemetery.” His entries for the year 1909 end after the death of his wife. The book is about 390 pages of which there is writing in 370 or so. The cover is in fair shape. The front cover is almost wholly detached. The spine and front cover show discoloration, tears, and signs of wear and age. The pages and writing are still in good shape. Fowler’s handwriting is easy to read, even when slightly faded or written in pencil. There are only a few entries in 1916, at the very beginning of the diary. They stop after the middle of the month in January. The entries for 1909 end after the death of Fowler’s wife, while the entries for 1908 continue throughout the year. This diary is a very interesting look into the life of a deep south surveyor living through the ups and downs of life. Excerpts of text: “January 21, 1908. I surveyed 2 lots for Jeter and dix for Hall-Fletcher women - all on Holden Lane - Gus Peale drove one home after dark.”; “August 14, 1908. Race riot in Springfield, Ill.”; “December 30, 1908. Mississippi whiskey dealing stops to-night. Orrick setn map and wrote Mrs. Austin Smith. Orrick says Sleihenrock ____ him to share his office with him - but O has too good an office in ___ to quit it. Sleihenrock thinks Orrick be reelected City Engineer next Monday”; “January 30 1909. Harry Marks (trustee) ____ in default of payment by J.C. Jenkins....Spent 5 days this week surveying for Miss Johnston near Church Hill. He reported to her this morn. He found field notes in Fayette which old C. W. Babbitt failed to find. He surveyed to ____ out land he been claiming. Bt. dime tobacco Mon morn. Lasted this eve. One week less two a day.”; “February 8th, 1909. I took my map copied for Lamar Lamberk to him and he said mine was a wonderfully good copy. Told him I charge $2.50 which he said he would collect from the Lawyer. Orrick staying out some troubles in his Clark & Miller Survey...I had a letter in my pocket then from Fulton Staling that chase was not with us...I told him I thought of writing a history of Adams Troop. J.J.L. asked me to come stay in office with Lamar tomorrow while he served as Election inspector - Told him I would.”; “January 1st, 1909. I shall try to keep this Diary for year 1909. It has served its ___ out for 1909 - but left room for 1909 also. State-wide prohibition stopped all saloons yesterday and ____ seems in mourning.”; “August 14, 1908. I mapped the four lots surveyed for S.L. yesterday eve. Went to his store 4 to 5 o’clock ____ reported. Satisfied and paid $3.00...My cousin Rule Stamply telephoned she call her tomorrow.”; “May 6 1916. ‘Birth of a Nation’ to be at Baker Grand to which I have a free ticket from Ladies Daughters of Confeds - ‘Clansman’ by Rev. Thom Dixon - 18,000 persons - 3,000 persons.”. Manuscript. Book Condition: Good

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