Mary Emma Jocelyn diary, 1851-1852.

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  • UPenn Ms. Codex 1770
  • Born in New Haven, Connecticut to antebellum abolistionist, clergyman, and engraver Simeon Smith Jocelyn (1799-1879) and Harriet Starr (d. 1877). The Jocelyn family moved to Williamsburg, Brooklyn in 1844 where Simeon Smith Jocelyn was installed as the pastor of the First Congregational Church. Mary Emma was the fifth of eight children born to the Jocelyns. Her siblings are Harriette Luceannah (1823-), Simeon Starr (1825-), Albert Higley (1827-), Caroline Eliza (1830-1868), Nathaniel (1835-1852), Cornelius Buell (1838-1864), and Frederick Henry (1841-).
  • This volume contains the diary of Mary Emma Jocelyn spanning ten months from November 1851 to September 1852. The first entry in the diary was recorded on Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 1851. At the top of the page is written "Journal continued." Jocelyn made daily entries in her diary and recorded her life with her family and friends while living in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York. A brief note on the weather begins each entry. Jocelyn described her daily activities including sewing, reading, seeing family and friends, and distributing tracts. She attended church on Sundays chiefly at her father's church, the First Congregational Church, and singing class with her sisters Carrie (Caroline) and Harriet. She was often visiting or receiving friends including Mary Reeve and Hannah Hudson among others. Jocelyn attended lectures and events at the Lyceum in Brooklyn. She also visited her sister in Brooklyn and mentions ferrying over. The Jocelyn family and the Hudson family appeared to be close friends and the Jocelyn siblings spent much time with brothers George and Henry and their sister Hannah. Jocelyn wrote often of Henry Hudson and worried about his crisis of faith. Major events in the family are described throughout the ten-month period, including the joyous wedding of her sister Harriet to Douglas Murphy on June 30, 1852 and the death of her brother Nathaniel (Natty) in August 1852. Thirty pages in the diary were dedicated to Natty's illness and death. This lengthy entry is dated September 27, 1852 and describes the family's anguish and grief over Natty's passing. Other notable entries include her father Simeon's travels, her lengthy description of a dream, helping a young Irish immigrant, her interest in an essay by Edgar Allen Poe, and the celebration of the founding of Williamsburg in January 1852. The diary is in chronological order from November 27, 1851 through April 1, 1852. After April 1 the diary is arranged as follows: July 8 to August 8, 1852; 23 pages dated September 27, 1852; April 29 to June 8, 1852; April 3 to April 28, 1852; June 9 to July 5, 1852. Bound in at the end are seven pages continuing the September 27th entry. Laid in the volume is a printed flier for an exhibition and sale at Montague Hall, Brooklyn for "articles offered for sale at the Anti Slavery Fair" November 30, 1851 with notes on the verso by Mary Emma Jocelyn.

    Pages

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    Friday.. Pleasant. Mary Emma looking about for something to do came to the conclusion that the pastors wanted attending to and going briskly to work she soon, as Morty said, "made the pastors shine." Harriet came home in the morning and returned again in the afternoon. She left Carrie better, but still unable to be left entirely Her visit, short as it was, was a real comfort to me who deeply feels the need of a sister's constant love and society. What shall I do when they are gone? as I tell Mother, I am afraid Ishall have to leave too. Mrs Joseph Hudson sent us all an invitation to take tea with her which we declined. In the afternoon Sarah and I promenaded fourth [Dr?] where we met a number of acquaintances, also stopped at a jeweller's and a confectioner's and returned in time for tea. Samuel, Sarah and Mr Wilde spent the evening here. Mrs Hudson and Phineas also called to bid us farewell. They have been detained all the week by the unpleasant weather but hope to get away to-morrow Saturday. Pleasant. The Hudson's left early in the morning. Sarah said their house looked so strange and deserted now that they were gone, and I thought so too when I came to think of it. There will be no fun in looking over that way now. After a very busy day, Sarah and I took a walk out with Natty; rather late in the afternoon. Met Mary Reeve and Ellen Dickinson. Natty made himself very troublesome before we reached home. Father returned from Boston in the morning Sarah spent the early part of the afternoon in watching the the graceful figure of G. B. H. as he stood on his piazza ordering the men who werecarrying away the furniture and occasionally lending

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    Needs Review

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    Sunday. April 18th Cloudy. In the morning Sarah, Natty and I attended our church. Father preached. In the afternoon we all attended. Sarah, Mary Emma and Albert sat in the choir. Mr. Thomas Beecher preached on the unpardonable sin. I heard him preach the same sermon last summer and liked it then much better than I did this time. That was preached on a lovely summer evening to a full house and an attentive audience by an enraptured lover just on the point of marriage, and of course the sermon was elevated to a corresponding height of love and romance, and accordingly frequently wandered as far from the subject in hand as can be imagined. Yet there was a poetry, grace and enthusiasm about it that pleased me much. But on this cloudy, dull afternoon with but a scanty audience and he himself a married man of several months standing it could not be expected that his imagination would be worked up to so high a pitch as on the former occasion even though he went over the same ground and said the same things: and as it is to this fertile fancy of his that he is chiefly indebted for whatever interest his sermons may possess I could not help thinking (begging his pardon) that the discourse was on the whole rather stale and flat. So coming to this conclusion I did not listen very attentively but consoled myself with thinking that as I had heard it before there could be nothing lost. Albert, Mary E. Sarah and Natty wanted to hear him again in the evening. I spent the evening at home in reading. [Dr?]. W walked home with Sarah & I in the morning but leaving us rather abruptly we punished him for it in the afternoon by running away from him when he attempted to join us.

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    Monday. April 19th Rained all day. Busy as usual and sewed some.

    Tuesday. Weather the same -- dismal enough. In the afternoon gave Sarah a lock of my hair and received a beautiful long black tress in return. Sarah received a letter from her Mother in the evening. Wednesday. Drizzling still when I arose, but cleared off at noon; so soon after dinner Sarah and Natty packed up and went over to the city. On his return from the city in the evening Albert presented Mother with a beautiful silver cake-basket. Thursday. Pleasant. Unwell. Went to bedsoon after breakfast and slept tillnoon; afternoon in reading. Joseph Wilde spent the evening very pleasantly with me. Friday. Half sick and disinclined to do much. This is April weather certainly. Rain and shine succeed each other so quickly that it seemed rather a risky business to venture out. Father went to see Carrie in the evening and found her better. E. Daniel called. I forgot to say on Wednesday that George Hudson called in the morning and spent an hour or so very pleasantly with Sarah and I. G. and I exchanged locks of hair and parted quite affectionately but it was evident that there was a little more irony and a little less earnestness on his part than in hers. Neverttheless both seemed to enjoy the fun and so did I.

    Last edit over 1 year ago by keenyas
    p. 149
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    Saturday April 24th Mary had a very bad cold. In the afternoon I called on Mary Willet. Did not find her at home and called on Mary Reeve. Staid about an hour and went into Grand st. of an errand. Evening in reading. Sunday.. Pleasant. At home in the morning. Felt unusually serious and thought a great deal of my Sophy. Attended S. School and church in the afternoon but was not well enough to enjoy either. Mary Emma was confined at home with a heavy cold Albert attended our church all day and assisted in the choir

    Monday Rainy. Mary Emma was better. We spent the afternoon together sewing and chatting.

    Tuesday. Very pleasant. Harriet came home early in the morning and we were glad to see her. Her bright presence seemed to make a great difference in the household Mary Emma was overjoyed to have someone nearer her own age to talk to, and I followed her round improving every chance I could get to inform her of all the perplexities and annoyances I have had since she left us and found her ready sympathy quite a comfort. Oh a sister is every thing!__ and indeed who else can be so worthy of all confidence, so disinterested and affectionate

    Last edit over 1 year ago by keenyas
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    Needs Review

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    And then to complete my happiness just before sundown Mr Murphy came in after that of course, for the fact that he has not once called when she was not at home is proof enough that he don't care much for anyone else in these quarters, notwithstanding which he kissed & hugged his "little pet," as he calls me, lite I was wellnigh smothered. I went to the door when he rang and so received the first embraces. Hattie did'nt care, and why should she? __ her share came next: and besides she saw him in Brooklyn this morning, and last night, and in fact every day during her stay there, and frequently more than once a day I should judge from what the loving couple had to say to each other. They are an affectionate pair, indeed and it would be well for some married folks to try to be a little like them I'm a thinking. A. & M. for instance! Oh dear! how can they do so?__ Hearts should be joined as well as hands in the nuptial tie; and then what word of difference can come between?__ what could darken the calm clear sunshine of their love? Well! __ I Should think I had been taking lessons! or else had taken the matter into very serious consider-ation. one would suppose I had been peeping into that forbidden closet, the mysterious future, and if some quarrelsome [Dr?], in the shape of a husband did start up from a dark corner and present himself

    Last edit over 1 year ago by keenyas
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