1845-55 DIARY JAMES CLARKE PITTSBURG, NAUVOO RUSHVILLE FARMING TRAVEL GREER

Description

This very hand hewn diary/ journal, 8" X 12" with brown paper covers has the interior pages hand sewn together at the spine.   The roughness of the covers does not belie the wonderful information contained within.   The first page states, "A journal of my business manner of employment, intercourse to.  Together with a register of .......events, political and religious.   The changes in the seasons, and their effects, seedtime and harvest, vegetable production, their quantity, quality, and time.  Also an outline of family events".
I believe it was written by James Clarke born June 17, 1800 in Ireland.   He lived in Pittsburg, PA at the time of the early entries.   His wife was Sarah.
The first entry is January 1st, 1845.   He opens by telling how  "Williby came with the threshing machine".  He compares the difference in time and money if it had been done by the usual use of flails.
April 1845 he writes about the devastating fire in Pittsburg and his trek to see it.  Says the fire consumed 1/3 of the city.  He saw nails burned into clumps.   The Monongahela Bridge burned down in 10 minutes and 1200 houses were destroyed.
On October 10,1845 he goes to Illinois and writes, "my landing may be beyond Illinois in the part of the country from which no anxious adventurer ever returned".   He has 672 lbs of salt with him.   Landed in St. Louis.  "Left wicked place (St Louis) and walked to  Rushville (4 days 136 miles expenses .40".   He had sold the salt in St Louis for 0.00 above cost.   When he was ready to return to Pittsburg, the river was frozen so spent 6-7 weeks in St. Louis.  He also came down with rheumatism which delayed his trip.   Says he made 2 gates, cut Mother's wood and helped brother John 7 or 8 days then went to Nauvoo evidently to look around.
March, 1846 he left on a raft to St. Louis where he boarded the "Oregon" for Louisville.  Then he went on an old  steam wheeler that had problems fighting the currant .  He brought back 348 brooms to sell which he was unable to sell and had been gone four months.
In April 1846 lands again in Nauvoo and on the 27th bought Mr. C. Hunter's brick house and lot in town.
In May and June he mentions friends from Rushville coming over to visit.   He has been buying land, 13 or 14 lots on the river from trustees.   Left  10 deeds with power of attorney at Carthage for recording.
On June 17, 1847 he  turns 47 years old.
January,  he writes of setting tombstones for four of his children, I believe in Rushville.  He questions his life.
1852 he says good national prosperity.   Too many imports from California.   Writes the year is memorable because of anti slavery convention which met in Pittsburg in August to nominate Hale.
No more entries after August, 1855.
Some entries are more difficult to read than others, but all are worth the effort.
The earlier entries are the more lengthy.    As time passes they become more of a short daily entry but still of interest. So much wonderful historical data written by a man who was obviously intelligent, ambitious, interested in many things, and knew those times in which he lived were important enough to be recorded.
We have enjoyed reading this journal over the years but feel its value now belongs in letting others read and learn from it.  I have entered the name Greer in the title because it seemed the only more possible modern last name link to this Clarke family.
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