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Preferred Citation:

Diary(Connecticut), Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.

Acquisition Information:

Purchase.

Processing Information:

Accessioned and minimally processed in January 2010 by Ute Schechter, Warren E. Burger Archivist.

Scope and Contents

Diary and commonplace book, 1841-1844, of an unidentified man, probably from the Hartford, Ct. area.  Most of the diary is taken up by summaries of about 70 sermons the author attended, interspersed with personal comments, while the last pages are filled with information on work done by author or others, mostly of agricultural nature.

Most of the sermons were preached by Dr. Porter, who was probably Dr. Noah Porter, a minister of the Congregational Church in Farmington, Connecticut.  He was the son of Dr. Noah Porter, President of Yale College beginning 1871.

The following information was provided by the seller:

Entries "contain the sermon outlines, who preached, and some comments by the writer.  The back of the journal or 47 pages are mosty written in pencil and list weather, farm chores, like killing hogs, planting crops etc.

Some of the pastors listed are Noah Porter, Bushnell of Hartford (Horace Bushnell?), President Nott of Union College. Others are Giles Porter, Dr. Davenport, Chancey D. Cowles, Rev. Southgate, Mr Perkins, President Humphrey, Rev. Mr. Richardson, Rev. Amos A Phelps, and Mr Lyman of Plymouth and others.

One interesting sermon mentions the belief that the Lord was going to return in 1843 which the pastor debunks and the writer did attend a meeting of one of the preachers associated with Miller of the Adventists. Another interesting admonition was against going to the Post Office on Sunday."

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Congregational churches
• Connecticut--Economic conditions--19th century
• Connecticut--Religion--19th century
• Connecticut--Religious life and customs
• Diaries
• Porter, Noah, 1811-1892
• Sermons, American--19th century