West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown,
WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536 / Fax: 304-293-3981 / URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/
Language
English
Abstract
Diary of Margaret V. "Jennie" Watson, a resident of northern West Virginia, with most entries dating from 1877 to 1879 during
the period of her single life. These entries provide a glimpse of the day-to-day life of the author, including giving music
lessons, sewing, entertaining, traveling by horse-drawn carriages and trains, and her courtship with Clarence Smith, whom
she married on 21 May 1879. A 26 June 1877 entry mentions the "Mystics" having a "Grand Meeting" at Governor Pierpont's. On
22 July 1877 she mentions the "railroad war" being "hot" in Pittsburg [Pittsburgh]; the following day's entry refers to a
depot near Philadelphia being burned by a mob of strikers while women and children were killed. She reports on 25 March 1878
of a lynching that occurred on 23 March involving a man named "Wallace"; he was lynched for the alleged murder of his sister-in-law,
her 8 month old child, and a fifteen year old girl. Locations mentioned in the diary include towns in West Virginia (Barracksville,
Clarksburg, Grafton, Fairmont, Mannington, Palatine, Phillipi, and Rivesville) and Pennsylvania (Bobtown, Carmichaels, East
Liberty, Pittsburgh [Pittsburg], Washington, and Waynesburg).
Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. For more information, please see the Permissions and Copyright page on the West Virginia and Regional History Center website.
Conditions Governing Access
No special access restriction applies.
Preferred Citation
[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Margaret V. Watson Diary, A&M 3671, West Virginia and Regional History
Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.
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