Purcell

1910 · 0008097 — LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA. Fair. 1910. On offer is a pair of leather bound diaries written by Marian I Purcell. The diaries cover parts of 1910 1913 1914 and 1915. This first diary is a small leather-bound notebook measuring 6 inches by 3 1/2 inches. It is in fair condition. It covers the period Sept 16 1913 to Sept 14 1915. The bulk of the entries are in the last half of 1914. Marian Purcell was born Sept 16 1892 in Fort Wayne IN where she lived until she was 17. The first book covers the period July 19 1910 to Jan 6 1911 but there are many gaps in entries. They are typical of a teenage girl of the time. They note essentially social interactions with friends and family. "Slept till quite late . fooled around all day" July 19 1910. "Delight A and her mother were over in A.M. and P.M. …just fooled around in eve went over to Tad Werner and Charlie called over We went to " July 28 1910. Just laid around all day in eve ma and pa and I all went walking in late" Aug 21 1910 She notes on Oct 1 1910 that her family is moving to Los Angeles CA. She makes it very clear that she does not want to move: "Left . for California hated to come" Oct 1. The second book is a 5-year diary. However the entries do not cover all of the time period. Entries begin in Sept 1913. In the Memoranda section she notes: "Went to Business College to learn shorthand from April-14-13 - June 14-1913". Although here are frequent gaps there is enough information to know when she was married her husband's name some addresses where they lived and what type of work she did. She married William L Harris June 18th 1914. They note that she worked in an office likely the Los Angeles Herald Examiner which was a major Los Angeles daily newspaper of the time. There are numerous references in 1913 about . at the office . On May 2nd 1914 she notes: "Quit work at Examiner to get ready to be married" May 2 1914. There are no further references to her working. Subsequent entries focus on interactions with friends and social events. It appears she never worked again outside of her home. There are no references to children or other family members although some of the named individuals may well be related There are no references to outside events and she seems very focused on her own life and experiences. "At office all day. In eve went to see "The Quaker Girl". It was fine". Sept 14 1913. "To the office. Did not come back for afternoon. In eve stayed home" Nov 18 1913 "Payday Gribbeu's were over Velma Billy and I went to picture show & Porters" Nov 26 1913. "My wedding day. The day of my life. Married at 8:00 in evening by Deacon Mac Cormack on roof gardens of the Pickwick Left that night stayed at the left the next A.M. for Catalina" June 18 1914. The last entry was made in August 1915: "Stayed home all day - in eve was home ." Aug 9 1915. Additionally there are newspaper clippings mostly referring to her wedding several photographs that appear to be of her and her new husband and several post cards. There is also a copy of her formal wedding invitation. These two diaries give a look into the life of a young woman in the early years of the 20th century. A historian especially on studying daily life in pre-WWI Los Angeles would find this to be an interesting description of social life at that time.; Manuscript; 16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall; KEYWORDS: HISTORY OF MARIAN PURCELL WILLIAM L HARRIS LOS ANGELES HERALD EXAMINER SOCIAL HISTORY LOS ANGELES CALIFORNIA FORT WAYNE INDIANA UNITED STATES EARLY 20TH CENTURY 1910s PROGRESSIVE ERA BUSINESS COLLEGE STUDENTS PRE-WW1 LOS ANGELES PROGRESSIVE ERA WOMEN IN 1910s AMERICA YOUTH LIFESTYLE IN THE EARLY 20th CENTURY ENTERTAINMENT THE EARLY 19th CENTURY WOMEN'S OCCUPATIONS IN 1910s WORKING WOMEN IN 1910s AMERICANA HANDWRITTEN MANUSCRIPT DOCUMENT LETTER AUTOGRAPH WRITER HAND WRITTEN DOCUMENTS SIGNED LETTERS MANUSCRIPTS DIARY DIARIES JOURNALS PERSONAL HISTORY SOCIAL HISTORY HISTORICAL HOLOGRAPH WRITERS AUTOGRAPHS PERSONAL MEMOIR MEMORIAL ANTIQUITÉ CONTRAT VÉLIN DOCUMENT MANUSCRIT PAPIER ANTIKE BRIEF PERGAMENT DOKUMENT MANUSKRIPT PAPIER OGGETTO D'ANTIQUARIATO ATTO VELINA DOCUMENTO MANOSCRITTO CARTA ANTIGÜEDAD HECHO VITELA DOCUMENTO MANUSCRITO PAPEL . hardcover