Conditions Governing Access

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation

MSS 16714, Sarah Stoughton commonplace book, Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, University of Virginia Library.

Immediate Source of Acquisition

This collection was purchased from David A. Hamilton Americana Books by the Small Special Collections Library at the University of Virginia Library on 7 April 2019.

Content Description

Sarah Stoughton commonplace book filled with hand-written sentiments, poems, and inscriptions, with many signed and dated. There is genealogical information, relating to Reverend Jonathan Edwards of East Windsor, Connecticut, including "John Ellsworth married Anne Edwards daughter of Reverend Timothy Edwards, and sister of Reverend Jonathan Edwards. Their children were John, Frederick, Solomon, and Anne..." Later in the genealogy notes, "Sarah married John, son of Lemeul Stoughton..." Family names include Wetmore, Ellsworth, Bartlett, and Lockwood.

The first page starts with a December 25, 1826 inscription from Sarah Bartlett of East Windsor of which part is transcribed here,

"...The sentiment you record here will probably be [read] by many, and will have influence, perhaps too, long after your ded,either ripening them for endless usefulness and happiness or in confirming them them in a course of eternal mischief and woe. That which is written may long remain for inspection. Beware what you write!..."

Subjects and Indexing Terms

• Women's Scrapbook/ Commonplace Book Collections (University of Virginia)
• Commonplace books