![[logo]](https://ead.lib.virginia.edu/vivaead/logos/wm.jpg)
Special Collections Research Center
William & Mary Special Collections Research CenterFinding Aid Authors: Steven Bookman, University Archives Specialist; Eve Bourbeau-Allard, Graduate Assistant.
Before reproducing or quoting from any materials, in whole or in part, permission must be obtained from the Special Collections Research Center, and the holder of the copyright, if not Swem Library.
Collection is open to all researchers.
Munger Family Diaries, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.
Acc. 2014.018 was received by Special Collections in January 2014.
Accessioned and minimally processed by Steven Bookman, Univeristy Archives Specialist, in March 2014. Fully processed by Eve Bourbeau-Allard, Graduate Assistant, in September 2014.
Rosanna May Munger was born on March 16, 1866 in Haverhill, Massachusetts, the daughter of Rev. Theodore Thornton Munger (1830-1910) and Elizabeth Kinsman Duncan (1842-1886). Rosanna (called "Rose" or "Rosa") was diagnosed in 1870 with a serious spinal disease. As she grew up, Rosanna would help her father with his literary work, accomplish secretarial work for an office, and volunteer for a number of organizations including missionary committees and the League of Women Voters. Rosanna never married.
This collection contains 16 diaries kept by members of the Munger family from New Haven, Connecticut and Portland, Oregon.
The collection contains information about the social, religious, cultural, and intellectual lives of late 19
Also included in the collection are three diaries kept by Rose's sister-in-law, Mary Erskine Heilman Munger, the wife of Thornton T. Munger, a research scientist for the U.S. Forest Service in Portland, Oregon. The diaries cover the years 1921-1935 and are five-year diaries containing entries for each day of the year. In her diaries, Mary talks about going to dinners and dances, playing card games, doing house work, volunteering for a variety of social organizations, as well as about her husband and children's daily lives.
The final diary was kept by Rose's mother, Elizabeth K. Duncan Munger, for the year 1882 and includes mentions of her family life, housework, daily weather, and a family trip to Europe, more specifically to England, Scotland, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, and France.
The fragile nature of this material may limit handling.
Rose's first diary offers detailed entries for every day in which she relates her family life, her social life, and her education at home, consisting of readings in history and literature, sewing, and geometry and music lessons with a tutor. Rose also records her attendance to prayer meetings, exhibitions, and public lectures, as well as her appreciation of her father's church sermons. She professes her interest in literary criticism and her inclination to write. While living in New Haven, she takes occasional trips to Northampton and Boston.Great care in handling recommended as the binding is damaged; 192 pages
A continuation of the first diary on similar themes. Additionally, Rose reports the death of her mother Elizabeth on 3 October 1886 after a long illness and recounts the family's mourning. The diary also includes references to books and articles she is reading, as well as to her health and her father Theodore's travel and work schedule.Fragile condition; 199 pages
A continuation of entries narrating her daily routine. After 1887 January 5, narrative entries stop. The remaining entries consist of lists of daily readings and, occasionally, key events of the day. Binding damaged; 87 pages
(No entries between 8 September 1887 and 19 November 1905. The diary provides a detailed itinerary of the Munger family's 1887 tour of Great Britain. Rose describes English and Scottish landscapes, historical landmarks, and museums, as well as the church services she attends. Rose adds an account of a later trip to Italy with shorter entries about her experience on the steamer, and the historic and religious buildings she visits (also in Rose's Diary #6 Box 1 Folder).Cover in good condition but fragile interior binding; 141 + 32 pages. There are two loose notes placed at the end of the Italy trip, a personal card and a computation sheet. Three pages at the end of the diary detail Rose's spending during the Great Britain trip.
This diary includes entries of a few lines stating the main events of each day for five years. Topics covered include Rose's frequent attendance to church services, public lectures, and social clubs; housework; leisure activities; social calls; and small trips across the Northeast to visit acquaintances. She specifies her involvement with the [S.M.C.], the Armstrong League [of Hampton Workers?], prayer meetings, book clubs, missionary societies, county meetings, and teachers meetings. She does secretarial work at an unspecified office outside her home, in addition to helping her father with paperwork, and studying and teaching secretarial science. Cover chipping; 366 pages
In short daily entries for each day for five years, Rose notes the weather, her mood, housework, correspondence, the assistance she provides to her father, and the several social and religious meetings she attends. Rose reports her trip to Italy (also in Diary #4 Box 1 Folder 4), journeys to Washington DC, where she stays with her sister Eleanor and visits several landmarks, as well as small trips across New England.Good condition; 366 pages. A two page memorandum at the end lists some plays and operas attended.
This diary includes entries of a few lines stating the main events of almost each day for five years. Among other things, Rose comments on her health, the weather, her social activities, housework, and correspondence. She mentions working for the War Bureau, the Red Cross, and missionary clubs. While Rose resides in New Haven most of the time, she relates frequent local travel and trips to Washington DC. The diary also includes three major train journeys to Portland and the West Coast, to spend a few months with her brother Thornton and his wife Mary (1915 March 22 to May 30; 1917 February 7 to June 12; 1919 November 6 to 1920 April 30, the second half of which is recorded in Diary #8 Box 2 Folder 2).Fair condition; 366 pages. Additional entries on two pages, plus a three page memorandum that lists some plays and operas attended.
In addition to the daily weather and her health, Rose records social calls and many leisure activities, such as reading, going to the movie theater, the opera, and exhibits. She notes her involvement in the United Church auxiliary and missionary offices, the [S.M.C.], the League of Women Voters, and the Visiting Nurse Association. She also accomplishes desk work and genealogical research. Rose records another trip to Oregon to visit her brother's family, staying with acquaintances throughout her train journey via Bloomington, Chicago, and Lake Forest (1923 March 5 to July 4). She relates her brother Thornton and his wife Mary's visit to the East Coast in the spring of 1921 (also in Mary's Diary #1 Box 3 Folder 2).Interior binding damaged; 366 pages. Two memorandum pages at the end.
A continuation on similar themes, including weather, health, house chores, movies, and involvement with church-affiliated organizations, the League of Women Voters, and the Visiting Nurse Association. Rose relates her brother Thornton and his wife Mary's visit to the East Coast in the summer of 1925 (also in Mary's Diary #1 Box 3 Folder 2). Rose recounts another trip to Portland via Bloomington, Chicago, Colorado Springs, and the Royal Gorge on the Rio Grande and Union Pacific Railroads (1927 April 7 to August 9). During her stay in Portland, she also visits Seattle and Alaska (also in Mary's Diary #2 Box 3 Folder 3).Good condition; 366 pages. Includes one loose note inserted between January 14 and 15 and a three page memorandum at the end.
Rose continues her charitable and secretarial work with the aforementioned organizations, in addition to the Ladies Aid committee. She gives her appreciation of numerous movies and plays, and her attendance to classes and lectures. Accounts of two trips to the American and Canadian West Coast and the American Southwest are included (1930 September 27 to 1931 February 7; 1933 March 28 to June 29) (also in Mary's Diary #3 Box 3 Folder 4).Good condition; 366 pages. A loose note is inserted between April 12 and 13. Two memorandum pages at the end list plays attended, and one page lists books read.
In addition to daily comments on the weather, Rose notes her attendance to church services and various public lectures, her involvement in aforementioned organizations, her visits to the library, social calls, housework, as well as leisure activities like letter writing, reading and listening to the radio. Rose mostly stays in New Haven, with the exception of summer vacations and trips on the East Coast.Good condition; 366 pages. A memorandum page at the end of each month lists movies and plays attended.
While making occasional trips across the Northeast, Rose appears to still be living in New Haven. Her daily routine generally comprises social calls, housework, reading, and writing letters. A few, scattered references to the Second World War include mentions of the Pearl Harbor attack, air raid practice, and United States' victory over Japan. This is the last of Rose's diaries. By 1945, she is 79 years old.Fragile leather clasp and interior binding; 366 pages
Mary's diary has brief entries for most days of the five year period, though some days, especially in 1922, are left blank. In addition to occasional comments on the weather, Mary often reports on the health of her family members, especially her young sons Theodore, who dies at a young age, James Duncan (b. 1921 December 21), and Thornton Osgood (b.1924 June 24). Mary also notes housework like sewing, cooking, and gardening, as well as her husband Thornton T. Munger's travels and activities. Accounts of her social life include involvement in the Consumer League, the League of Women Voters, the American Association of University Women, Delta Gamma, Old People Home Society, the Board of Appeal, as well as reading and drama clubs, and movie and museum outings. Mary also records two trips to the East Coast (1921 April 4 to June 4; 1925 June 9 to August 14); and Rose's spring 1923 trip to Portland (also in Rose's Diaries #8 and #9 Box 2 Folders 2-3).Good condition; 366 pages. Additional notes at the end contain contact addresses and remedies.
Mary continues to relate her social involvement in the various organizations aforementioned, with the addition of the Housing Committee. She attends various teas, luncheons, dinners, movies, and sports games. Mary continues to note her family's health and her husband's professional and leisure activities. She also recounts trips to California (1927 December and 1929 February); to the East Coast via Chicago, where she spends a few days with her children (1930 April 20 to June 27); and to Alaska and Seattle, where she accompanies Rose (the latter two trips are also in Rose's Diary #9 Box 2 Folder 3).Good condition; 366 pages. Additional notes at the end include a few contact addresses, remedies, and measurements.
Many days are not filled in. Mary discusses the health of her family, her involvement in the aforementioned organizations. She continues to note her husband's undertakings. She recounts various activities with her family, like going to movies, fishing, and gardening, her "S.S." and pewter classes, and her sons' schooling and lessons. She refers to Rose's visits to the West Coast (also in Rose's Diary #10 Box 2 Folder 4).Good condition; 366 pages. Ten memorandum pages at the end of the diary contain trip and dinner expenses, remedies, contact addresses and menus.
Elizabeth's diary comprises short entries, three days per page for the whole year. Most, but not all, days are filled in. Elizabeth takes note of the weather, her health, her housework, her husband's activities and schedule, her children's lessons, as well as church services and meetings. She is involved in the Ladies' missionary committee of her parish. From June 10 to September 9, Elizabeth recounts a family trip to Europe by steamer and train. The Munger family visits various regions of England, Scotland, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, and France. Elizabeth records her impressions of the places and landmarks visited.Delicate diary in a detachable leather binding; 116 pages. A printed calendar and almanac open the diary. At the end, twelve memorandum pages contain accounts of expenses and contact addresses of acquaintances and stores. Additional memorandum pages have been torn out.