Guide to the Stockton Woman's Diary MC323

Language of Material: English

Contributing Institution: University of California, Davis Library, Dept. of Special Collections

Title: Stockton Woman's Diary

Identifier/Call Number: MC323

Physical Description: 1 volume Bancroft's Pacific Coast Diary for 1881. San Francisco: A. L. Bancroft & Co. 1881. Black leatherette covers. 52 pages of printed material (including Almanac for 1881), 179 pages of handwritten entries for each day of 1881. Additional 6 pages of notes in the memoranda section, plus 13 pages in the cash account section, recording her earnings and spending. Covers have chips and wear. Contents very good with legible writing. 3 x 5 inches

Date: 1881

Abstract: Diary of an unidentified young woman teacher in Stockton who becomes governess for Albert Gallatin's children in Sacramento.

Physical Location: Researchers should contact Archives and Special Collections to request collections, as many are stored offsite.

The unidentified author records that she turned 23 on January 7, 1881. The first half of her diary records her life living at home with her mother and working as a teacher in Stockton, California. An interesting view of the everyday life of the period, including her activities of going for walks, shopping, calling on friends, receiving visitors, playing games such as Charades, Pedro, Euchre and Parcheesi; taking milk or food to sick friends; writing and receiving letters; cooking, baking, and cleaning; reading; sewing and crocheting. She attends church and Sunday school frequently and goes to Temperance meetings at the Baptist Church and meetings to start a Young Ladies Home Mission Society. Notes on May 4th that Capt. C. Weber (founder of Stockton) died. She attends his funeral at the Catholic Church on May 7. She teaches school in place of a sick friend and records her pay received.

Later in May she goes to Sacramento as a delegate for a religious convention. She records visiting Mrs. Gallatin's home at the corner of 16th and H Streets. While in Sacramento she also visits the Crocker Art Gallery and the Capitol. When she gets home, she receives a letter from Mr. Gallatin offering her a job. On June 1 she sends her reply. She then travels to Sacramento, is met by Mrs. Gallatin and has an interview with Mr. Gallatin when he returns from San Francisco. After some doubts she begins work for the Gallatin family in Sacramento. Gallatin was a prominent businessman in Sacramento and San Francisco. Later his Sacramento mansion became the California Governor's Mansion.

In contrast to the first part of the diary, the second half shows how the merchant-prince class lived. She describes trips with the children, by train, coach, and ferry, including to St. Helena (twice) and visits to vineyards there; Lake Tahoe (twice); and Monterey, where they stay at the Hotel Del Monte and visit Carmel Mission, Point Lobos, Pebble Beach, and Cypress Point among other activities. They go surf bathing, taking young Bertie (Albert, Jr.) on a hike to see an eagle's nest; fireworks on the Fourth of July; meeting Governor Wood of Oregon; steamboat ride on Lake Tahoe on the Governor Stanford; campfire and candy-pull; fishing at Lake Tahoe; playing billiards and much more. She names numerous guests who they meet either in Sacramento or on their trips ("Lord and Lady Harris" and a "Russian Admiral" among many named visitors). Between teaching and activities with the children they dress for dinner and go to the theater (Merchant of Venice; The Galley Slave; King Lear, among others.) She reads the Bee and Chronicle as well as papers from home and Bazaar magazine. She names a number of books read in this period (The Beautiful Wretch by William Black; The Last Days of Pompei; Little Dorrit; David Copperfield and Oliver Twist). They hear of the death of the President (Garfield) and go to hear a sermon on "Our National Bereavement." She often takes the phaeton downtown for shopping. She attends lectures, such as one on King James II and another on "The Spanish Armada" and a piano recital. She attends many different churches at times to hear sermons, including Catholic, Baptist and Methodist and attends a revival and a camp meeting. She and the children attend the Agricultural Society Fair several days, going to the "stock parade" and pavilion. She and "J[ane]" and Mr. Gallatin go to Howards Ball at the Pavilion. She takes music lessons in trade for giving German lessons. She does sewing and embroidery (the family has a Grover & Baker sewing machine), including making clothes, a pillow and doll clothes for the children for Christmas.

[Description provided by William Allison Books]

Collection is open for research.

Liz Phillips created this finding aid with information supplied by William Allison Books.

Purchased from William Allison Books, 2021.

[Identification of item], Stockton Woman's Diary, MC323, Archives and Special Collections, UC Davis Library, University of California, Davis.

All applicable copyrights for the collection are protected under chapter 17 of the U.S. Copyright Code. Requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Regents of the University of California as the owner of the physical items. It is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.