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ANDREW C. WALCH : 1892 - 1897 ORIGINAL ARCHIVE OF SIX [6] MANUSCRIPT DIARIES HANDWRITTEN BY A NOTED KANSAS NEWSPAPERMAN

12mo - over 6¾" - 7¾" tall. On offer is an archive of six [6] original manuscript diaries handwritten by Andrew C. Walch a newspaper man who worked mostly in Mankato Kansas in the 1890s. The diaries represent 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895, 1896, and 1897. The early diary begins with Andrew living in Seymour Wisconsin, in the fall he moves to Mankato Kansas. The next four diaries, 1893-1896 show him still in Mankato and finally in the 1897 diary he's in Manawa Wisconsin. Andrew is an unstinting diarist rarely failing to write and all the diaries are full save for 1897 which is about ¼ full. Historians and collectors of late 19th Century Kansas and journalism will find an open book in Walch. Here are snippets: "March 18th, 1892 Seymour Wisconsin, Got up at 4:45 a.m. Helped do the chores and then walked to town and took the train for Black Creek to attend District Lodge. At the depot Edith Standard met us and Charles and I went off with Alfred Holz. We saw John Heintz and his two pretty sisters. At 8:30 met Mr. Burgogne and we went to school until recess then went to lodge. I was appointed press reporter. At 5 o'clock Mary Tubbs, Charles, Flora Stevenson and I took in the town and at 6:56 took the train for home. Saw Mary to Merehl's store and then went to Mr. Conner's to practice for the church. Afterwards met Chief Fuller, Bert Flint and Lafey Sherman and went home. Retired at 11 o'clock." "October 5th, 1892 Seymour Wisconsin, Got up at 8 o'clock. Went to call on Ella Raw, Mrs. Flint and then home to dinner and at 11 o'clock after bidding al the folks "Good Bye" started on my journey. Arrived at Oshkosh at 4 o'clock and put up at the Tremont. Went to the city hall where the G. L. was being held and met all my Good Templar friends. In the evening took the R.W. G. L. degree with 23 others. Frank McKinny and I caught Ruth Willia and Myrtle Thresher and went for a walk and then took them home. Went back to the Tremont and wrote to mother and at 12:50 left for Chicago. Truth one." "November 1st, 1893 Mankato Kansas (on a trip) Ft. Atkinson Wisconsin. Got up at 7:30 and Otto and I took in the town and the High School buildings and then drove over to Whitewater to see Emma, Will and George. Took dinner with them and then we drove back to the Fort and at 2:30 took the train for Beloit arriving there at 7:00. Charles met me at the depot and we took in the town a little and went to the salvation army barracks and then went back to the house and had a chat with some of the college boys and Charles and I rolled in about 11:45." "November 13th, 1893 Got up at 7 o'clock and after breakfast Charles and I went downtown and up to see the water works and at 10 o'clock I left for Chicago. Went immediately to Simmons and then went down on Wabash Ave. to see Dr. George Westcott. Had a good visit and went to supper with him and met Mrs. Westcott. About 9 'clock went back to Simmons and Maud was the only one home. Visited an hour and at 10:23 left for Mankato. The train was crowed and I had to spend the night in the smoker. Did not get much sleep." "July 15th, 1894 Mankato Kansas, Got up at 6 o'clock. At 8 Clifford and I stared for Esbon. Went to the U. B. Church and afterwards went out to White Mound and got the girls and drove to Burr Oak. We went to Roger's and had a fine time. About 8 o'clock we went downtown and had some cream and then started back to White Mound. Yum Yum. After bidding Minnie goodnight, drove to Esbon where Clifford soon joined me and we rolled in at the Mallory House at 1:15 a.m." "July 4th, 1895, Mankato Kansas, Worked a little while in the a.m. at the office. Received a letter from mother. Took a bath and then went down and played tennis awhile. At 10 o'clock took Lillie Allen and we went to the picnic in Black's grove. A shower came up and we took refuge in Grundy's granary and had our lunch there. At 6 o'clock it cleared off and about 6:30 14 of us went to Montrose to see the fireworks. Left Montrose about 8:45 and got caught in a terrible storm but we were well protected and did not get wet. Arrived in Mankato at 11:15. Tony Chapman rolled in with me at 12 o'clock. All in all it was one of the most enjoyable fourths I ever spent.""June 27th, 1896 Mankato Kansas, Got up at 6 o'clock and walked up to Joe Harrison's and got my washing. Worked at the office in the forenoon and in the afternoon went to Concordia. Frank Thompson, Bertha Fuson and Nettie Lindgrove were on the train going to Jewell. Lillian and Pearl Allen met me at the depot and I went up with them to supper and spent the evening. Met Billie O'Reilly and rolled in at the Barons House at 11:30. A man was shot on the pavement directly under my window about one o'clock but got away and no one knew how bad he was hurt." "August 24th, 1896 Mankato Kansas, Worked at the office. In the evening Clifford, Lynn and I called on the girls at Dr. Spencer's and we all went to the depot to let the train in and then to the Medicine Show and afterwards for a walk. Viva and I went down to the house and hid the hammock and then went for a stroll and did not get back until 12 o'clock. Cliff and Mara had disappeared so we swung the hammock and had a time until 1 o'clock and I was about to leave when Cliff and Mara showed up. They had been eaves dropping on us. We all had a good laugh and then Cliff and I left." "December 27th, 1897 Manawa Wisconsin, Worked at the office. Went to Green Bay to attend the Masonic Installation of officers in the evening, it being St. John's Day. Had a pleasant time and good supper. Prosser and Dittmer went down from Seymour. Nat Stewart's wife was on the train and Charles and I went over to supper with her. Rolled in at the Commercial Hotel at 12:30." BIO NOTES: Online research finds a biography on Andrew in "Pioneers of Little Wolf, Wisconsin" and in part it says: "The first printing office in Manawa was located in a small building back of the old Central House Hotel that is now Peterson's Tavern. From here the Advocate office moved to rooms facing Second Street in the First National Bank which today is the Eastling Building. Mr. Andrew C. Walch came to Manawa from Mankato, Kansas in 1896 to take over the Advocate. He began his career in the newspaper field while still a student at Seymour High School. After graduation in 1890 with the first class to finish four years of study at Seymour High School, Mr. Walch went to Mankato, Kansas where he helped an uncle put out a weekly newspaper, continuing there until he purchased The Advocate. Following the Christmas rush of 1898, Mr. Walch locked his print shop and returned to Kansas where he was married on December 27, to Lillian Allen, daughter of the Reverend and Mrs. E. W. Allen. Mr. and Mrs. Walch established their home in Manawa and observed their Golden Wedding Anniversary here in 1948. Three years prior to this, Mr. Walch had marked his 50th year in newspaper publishing. Around 1915 The Advocate office was moved from the bank building to its present location on Union Street. This building had previously housed a general store and at one time the Diehl sisters operated a millinery store and dress making shop there. For a number of years Mr. Walch was assisted in the business by his eldest son, Allen "Pete" Walch. Later the ownership passed to another son, James Walch who continued as editor and publisher until February 1956, when he sold the business to Francis Byers of Marion, plus other stockholders who formed a corporation." Adding further depth to this broad look at Kansas in the 1890s we find numerous newspaper clippings between the pages. Each diary, other then the early one, is a nice "Standard" diary, hard cover and a good size measuring about 4" x 6 ¾". The 1892 diary has a soft cover and is in good shape measuring about 3 ½" x 5 ¾". Overall VG.. Manuscript. Book Condition: Very Good

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