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Finding aid for the Wesley Powell Lipp Diary, 1887-1889
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Title: Wesley Powell Lipp Diary, 1887-1889
Dates: 1887-1889
Collection Size:
1 folder
Repository: The
Society of California Pioneers.
San Francisco, California 94107-1272
Abstract: Daily diary kept by Wesley Powell Lipp from January 1887 until November 1889 which notes his activities working as a miner,
farm laborer and store clerk in the areas of Placerville, Wheatland, and Marysville, California.
Physical location: Stored on-site at the Society of California Pioneers
Languages:
Languages represented in the collection:
English
Collection is open by appointment for research.
Property rights reside with The Society of California Pioneers. All requests for permission to reproduce or publish must be
submitted in writing to the Librarian.
Wesley Powell Lipp Diary, 1887-1889. The Society of California Pioneers.
| 1887/1889 | Wesley Powell Lipp Diary, 1887-1889 |
Scope and Content of Collection
The diary is small in size and contains the daily entries of Wesley Powell Lipp from January 10, 1887 to November 17, 1889.
Entries are made in pencil and use non-standard spelling. The author provides details of his daily activities working as
a miner, field hand, shop clerk, and carpenter among other jobs, in the areas of Placerville, Wheatland and Marysville, California.
He mentions attending church meetings and services on almost every Sunday, but did not appear to have a fixed religious affiliation
as he visited Baptist, Catholic and 7th Day Adventist services equally. The entries usually mention weather including temperature,
direction of the wind and rainfall. At different periods of the three years represented the author notes specific amounts
of money that he earned for eggs raised and sold in town as well as farm and other labor done for specific individuals. He
also notes what he had for dinner in most entries. During the year of 1887 for instance, when the author appears to have
spent the majority of his time alone at the mining camp some distance from town, he often mentions killing and eating squirrels
and rabbits as well as having sour kraut and bean suppers. The author prospected for gold, as well as copper and quartz on
behalf of the claim owner. The author notes deaths and marriages, as well as gives brief mention of elections and arrests.
He also commends certain sermons and the ministers who delivered them. The entry for January 1, 1889 notes that he witnessed
a total eclipse at 2pm, which is one of two solar eclipses that occurred that year.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in
the library's online public access catalog.
Lipp, Wesley Powell -- Diaries
Frontier and pioneer life -- California
Wheatland (Calif.)
Marysville (Calif.)
Placerville (Calif.)