Our Collection

At the Institute’s core is the Gilder Lehrman Collection, one of the great archives in American history. More than 85,000 items cover five hundred years of American history, from Columbus’s 1493 letter describing the New World through the end of the twentieth century.

Sylvester, Deborah, fl. 1760-1785 [Deborah Sylvester's Journal]

Order a pdf of this item here.

Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC01144.01 Author/Creator: Sylvester, Deborah, fl. 1760-1785 Place Written: Scituate, Massachusetts Type: Diary Date: 8 November 1767-1785 Pagination: 1 v. : 36 p. : Height: 17 cm, Width: 11 cm Order a Copy

Most entries are recorded in Scituate, Massachusetts. Records accounts and thoughts as well as biblical readings, sermons and family births and deaths. On 19 April 1775, states "the Regulars march out of Bouston and march to Lexington whare the massecre furst begun and Killd six men taking over peopel at [?] but thay mustered and rove thum back to Charleston thay killd...one black and sum befor thare wos 500 of the enemy wonded and Slain." On 20 April, she writes "all the towns mustered and march the 21 [?] Scituate companis march for Marshfield one turned back one kompanis the other march thare but the Regglars wor goon for Boston and 40 or 50 tores with them." Contains various business transactions related to Sylvester's job as a weaver. She also mentions receiving payment for boarders and various goods. Cites the names of some of her clients, the type of garments she wove, and the amount of time she was paid for, among other details. Sylvester wove clothing for Captain Joshua Jacob of the Scituate militia, and transactions pertaining to Jacob range from the 1770s through the 1780s.

Sylvester, Deborah, fl. 1760-1785
Jacob, Joshua, 1737-1808

Citation Guidelines for Online Resources