This monring, while browsing at my favorite flea market (in northern NJ) I found -- and bought -- an 1876 diary of a PA school teacher. The seller labeled it from Lancaster County, but when I returned home and read bits of it I found that it was from Jackson Twp. in Dauphin County (-- coincidentally, the ancestral home of my Witmer ancestors. I found the teacher/author, Cornelius B. WILBERT in the 1880 census for that area and his occupation is listed as "Teacher Public School." Some of the names that I saw mentioned were: - ENDERS (many) - BOWMAN (briefly) - LOOSE (the preacher) - KILLINGER (another teacher) - EISENHOWER (very brief mention) - HELT - MILLER - KNOUFF (?) - BALTZELL (preacher) and more, I am sure. The entries are not long and although I may be dead before I finish, I am happy to start transcribing this and sharing it somewhere. The chores of the teacher are not described in great detail at all and more attention is given to his extraneous activities -- and only brief mention of those, too. One of the amusing parts is that he and his friends apparently meet regularly to debate issues. They eventaully come to a conclusion about the issues and declare a resolution about them. The end of the diary has the following resolutions: 1. Resolved: That Washington deserves more honor for liberating his country than Columbus for discovering it. 2. Resolved: That poverty develops character better than riches. 3. Resolved: That foreign emigration should be encouraged. 4. Resolved: That war produces more misery than intemperance. 5. Resolved: That Major Andre should not have been executed. 6. Resolved: That there is more pleasure in the pursuit of an object than in the possession of it. 7. Resolved: That education is a better safe-guard against crime than punishment. 8. Resolved: That Major Arnold deserves all the censure that has been given him. 9. Resolved: That the U.S. requires more skilled labor than she is able to furnish. 10. Resolved: That the works of art are more pleasing than the works of nature. 11. Resolved: That a lawyer is justifiable in defending a person whom he knows to be guilty. 12. Resolved: That parents are more responsible for the training of their children than teachers. 13: Resolved: That public opinion not be regarded as a standard of right. 14. Resolved: That the pillary and whipping post should be established in Penn. 15. Resolved: That the time put to the study of history in this school be better utilized by taking something else in substitution. 16. Resolved: That it was expedient to extent a general amnesty to the school. 17. Resolved: That wisdom is more desirable than military power. 18: Resolved: That cooperation will provide the virtue and happiness of mankind to a higher degree than competition. 19. Resolved: That genius is gradually declining. 20. Is woman better adapted to teach the young than men? 21. Should the negro be enfranchised. 22. That Daniel Webster was a better statesman than Henry Clay. Can the Dauphin County Rootsweb list members suggest a proper place for me to post the contents of this diary once I have it transcribed? Also, would it be possible for me to post it in, for example, four parts, so that the entire rest of the list does not pass away waiting for me to finish the transcription? Thanks Lynne

That area is in the today, Lebanon Co.,PA. So A copy should got to the Lebanon Co. Historical Society, 924 Cumberlnad St., Lebanon, PA 17042. Sounds nice. Thanks ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lynne Ranieri" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, February 01, 2004 1:25 PM Subject: [PADAUPHI] Re: 1876 Teacher's Diary > This monring, while browsing at my favorite flea market (in northern NJ) > I found -- and bought -- an 1876 diary of a PA school teacher. The seller > labeled it from Lancaster County, but when I returned home and read bits of > it I found that it was from Jackson Twp. in Dauphin County (-- > coincidentally, the ancestral home of my Witmer ancestors. I found the > teacher/author, Cornelius B. WILBERT in the 1880 census for that area and > his occupation is listed as "Teacher Public School." > Some of the names that I saw mentioned were: > > - ENDERS (many) > - BOWMAN (briefly) > - LOOSE (the preacher) > - KILLINGER (another teacher) > - EISENHOWER (very brief mention) > - HELT > - MILLER > - KNOUFF (?) > - BALTZELL (preacher) > > and more, I am sure. > The entries are not long and although I may be dead before I finish, I am > happy to start transcribing this and sharing it somewhere. > The chores of the teacher are not described in great detail at all and > more attention is given to his extraneous activities -- and only brief > mention of those, too. One of the amusing parts is that he and his friends > apparently meet regularly to debate issues. They eventaully come to a > conclusion about the issues and declare a resolution about them. The end of > the diary has the following resolutions: > > 1. Resolved: That Washington deserves more honor for liberating his > country than Columbus for discovering it. > > 2. Resolved: That poverty develops character better than riches. > > 3. Resolved: That foreign emigration should be encouraged. > > 4. Resolved: That war produces more misery than intemperance. > > 5. Resolved: That Major Andre should not have been executed. > > 6. Resolved: That there is more pleasure in the pursuit of an object > than in the possession of it. > > 7. Resolved: That education is a better safe-guard against crime than > punishment. > > 8. Resolved: That Major Arnold deserves all the censure that has been > given him. > > 9. Resolved: That the U.S. requires more skilled labor than she is able > to furnish. > > 10. Resolved: That the works of art are more pleasing than the works of > nature. > > 11. Resolved: That a lawyer is justifiable in defending a person whom he > knows to be guilty. > > 12. Resolved: That parents are more responsible for the training of > their children than teachers. > > 13: Resolved: That public opinion not be regarded as a standard of > right. > > 14. Resolved: That the pillary and whipping post should be established > in Penn. > > 15. Resolved: That the time put to the study of history in this school > be better utilized by taking something else in substitution. > > 16. Resolved: That it was expedient to extent a general amnesty to the > school. > > 17. Resolved: That wisdom is more desirable than military power. > > 18: Resolved: That cooperation will provide the virtue and happiness of > mankind to a higher degree than competition. > > 19. Resolved: That genius is gradually declining. > > 20. Is woman better adapted to teach the young than men? > > 21. Should the negro be enfranchised. > > 22. That Daniel Webster was a better statesman than Henry Clay. > > > Can the Dauphin County Rootsweb list members suggest a proper place for me > to post the contents of this diary once I have it transcribed? Also, would > it be possible for me to post it in, for example, four parts, so that the > entire rest of the list does not pass away waiting for me to finish the > transcription? > Thanks > Lynne > > > > ==== PADAUPHI Mailing List ==== > List admin can be reached at [email protected] >

David, Thank you for the information about Lebanon County. I spoke to someone there and there is clearly a bit of confusion as to where this belongs. The diarist mentions going to Halifax to have breeches cut -- and I gather Halifax is in Dauphin County. According to information I found on a Web site, the diarist's parents may be buried in an Enders Cemetery -- and I gather that is in Dauphin County, too. The 1870 and 1880 census records in which I found the teacher state that he was in Jackson Twp, Dauphin County, in (near?) Lykens -- and Lykens is in Dauphin County. I believe I was also told that Jackson Twp became part of Lebanon County long before these censuses were done. I think I will e-mail a transcription of the diary to both county historical societies and see if we can determine exactly in which county this belongs. Thanks for the help. Lynne > That area is in the today, Lebanon Co.,PA. So A copy should got to the > Lebanon Co. Historical Society, 924 Cumberlnad St., Lebanon, PA 17042. > Sounds nice. > Thanks

maybe I can help you - Lived in that area all my life until 4 years ago - moved to a retirement community I have records of the cemetery at Enders, etc. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lynne Ranieri" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, February 02, 2004 4:14 PM Subject: Re: [PADAUPHI] Re: 1876 Teacher's Diary > David, > Thank you for the information about Lebanon County. I spoke to someone > there and there is clearly a bit of confusion as to where this belongs. > The diarist mentions going to Halifax to have breeches cut -- and I > gather Halifax is in Dauphin County. > According to information I found on a Web site, the diarist's parents may > be buried in an Enders Cemetery -- and I gather that is in Dauphin County, > too. > The 1870 and 1880 census records in which I found the teacher state that > he was in Jackson Twp, Dauphin County, in (near?) Lykens -- and Lykens is in > Dauphin County. > I believe I was also told that Jackson Twp became part of Lebanon County > long before these censuses were done. > I think I will e-mail a transcription of the diary to both county > historical societies and see if we can determine exactly in which county > this belongs. > Thanks for the help. > Lynne > > > > That area is in the today, Lebanon Co.,PA. So A copy should got to the > > Lebanon Co. Historical Society, 924 Cumberlnad St., Lebanon, PA 17042. > > Sounds nice. > > Thanks > > > > ==== PADAUPHI Mailing List ==== > DAUPHIN COUNTY PA GEN-WEB site > http://www.maley.net/dauphin/ > > >

I forgot to say - Halifax (area) has its own historical society ----- Original Message ----- From: "Lynne Ranieri" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, February 02, 2004 4:14 PM Subject: Re: [PADAUPHI] Re: 1876 Teacher's Diary > David, > Thank you for the information about Lebanon County. I spoke to someone > there and there is clearly a bit of confusion as to where this belongs. > The diarist mentions going to Halifax to have breeches cut -- and I > gather Halifax is in Dauphin County. > According to information I found on a Web site, the diarist's parents may > be buried in an Enders Cemetery -- and I gather that is in Dauphin County, > too. > The 1870 and 1880 census records in which I found the teacher state that > he was in Jackson Twp, Dauphin County, in (near?) Lykens -- and Lykens is in > Dauphin County. > I believe I was also told that Jackson Twp became part of Lebanon County > long before these censuses were done. > I think I will e-mail a transcription of the diary to both county > historical societies and see if we can determine exactly in which county > this belongs. > Thanks for the help. > Lynne > > > > That area is in the today, Lebanon Co.,PA. So A copy should got to the > > Lebanon Co. Historical Society, 924 Cumberlnad St., Lebanon, PA 17042. > > Sounds nice. > > Thanks > > > > ==== PADAUPHI Mailing List ==== > DAUPHIN COUNTY PA GEN-WEB site > http://www.maley.net/dauphin/ > > >

Evelyn, I have tried and failed on many occasions to get into the Halifax Historical Society. I know there hours are limited, do you have a contact there who I could call or write to? I've often tried to stop in on my way to the Perry Historians. Thanks very much , Marcia Fronk ----- Original Message ----- From: "Evelyn Hartman" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, February 02, 2004 4:41 PM Subject: Re: [PADAUPHI] Re: 1876 Teacher's Diary > I forgot to say - Halifax (area) has its own historical society