Manuscript diary, approx. 130 pages, written in ink. 6¾x4, flexible morocco lettered in gilt “Helen Jesup Grinnell,” all edges gilt.

Well-written and extremely legible diary written by the mother of naturalist, author and ethnologist George Bird Grinnell, founder of the Audubon Society. The diary is written as if to her daughter Helen Jesup Grinnell (Jan. 4, 1859 – “Dear Helen, This is to be your own book to read when you are older, and know how. Poor little thing, you are so sick…”), beginning when the child was two years old and in precarious health. Helen’s mother keeps the diary more as a comfort to her own soul, it seems, than for her daughter’s future reading. It reveals her thoughts and activities over an important decade, and also the trend of events during the Civil War years, social, political, economic and military. The family knew the famous Audubons, and young George (or Georgie, as his mother calls him) attended school on their spacious estate. This association with the great naturalist, as well as his own bent, led him to found the Audubon Society in 1886. But it is the years covered by the diary that are of significance here, and they come alive through the observations and impressions of an obviously educated, insightful, and sensitive woman of the upper middle class in America at a seminal point of history. A few excerpts follow: Jan. 24, 1859 – “Georgie (George Bird Grinnell) went to school today and enjoyed it very much, was put in the first class, his ambition is excited, and I think he will do well He was nine years old last Sept. the 20th…” * Feb. 5, 1859 – “I took you to dancing school to day, and you were delighted with the sight of so many children dancing and running around. You are very well. The weather is fine. Mr. and Mrs. Morton started today for Washington to be absent a week.” * Jan. 21, 1860 – “My dear little Helen just think it is nearly two months…since I have written one word in yr. Journal… Little Laura was born on the 12 Nov. and on the 19 Nov. Mortie was taken down with the Scarlet Fever, on the 23 Nov. Frankie was attacked, and on the 28 Nov. Helen, and on the 15 Dec. Millie was taken, all with that dreadful disease, and all but yourself dangerously ill… I am going to write now about the Scarlet Fever, describing the case of each child, as nearly as I can recollect…” [this description takes up nine pages]. * April 16, 1861 – “War is almost upon us, and where it will end no one can tell…” * June 10, 1861 – “…If we could only tell where the end will be, I should be glad. Papa is feeling in low spirits, for he has lost all he has, and we are compelled to lessen our expenses every possible way: our carriages, and horses are to be sold, and then the coachman goes: our seamstress goes tomorrow, and then the burden of sewing comes upon me.” * July 19, 1861 – “…It seems almost wrong to be happy when we think of our brave soldiers, fighting, wounded, dying: they are even now in the midst of a terrific battle – oh! Sad, sad war, where will the end be, and what will it be.” * Sept. 26, 1861 – “This is fast day, throughout the Northern States, Mr. Lincoln, our President, issued a proclamation, some time ago, appointing this for a day of fasting, humiliation, and prayer…” * April 10, 1862 – “We have today received news of a most fearful battle in the north of Mississippi, at Pittsburg Landing, a few miles east of Corinth: it is said that there were five thousand on our side killed and wounded, and many more on the side of the rebels. We rejoice over the victory achieved in this battle, but deplore the loss of life.” * July 23, 1863 – “…after spending a week at Greenfield we moved to this place…not being able to return to N.Y. on account of the fearful riots there: the city was in a terrible state for a few days last week, riots, murder, incendiarism, robbery and bloodshed taking the place of law and order – the people were determined to resist the draft, and from that arose the trouble… We are having many victories now – Vicksburg was taken on the 4th, and Port Hudson on the 8th of this month…” * April 16, 1865 – “Easter Sunday, This day instead of being joyful, bright and happy, as all had anticipated, is a day of mourning and woe all over our sorrow-stricken land: We had news yesterday morning of the assassination of our good, tender-hearted and benevolent chief magistrate President Lincoln.” * Feb. 9, 1866 – “…Georgie is preparing to pass the examination at Yale, on the 12th of this month, and I am very nervous and anxious for fear he will not be able to as he had not anticipated it on leaving Mr. Churchill’s school…” * Sept. 20th – “This is Georgie’s seventeenth birthday and he is at Yale College… He likes is so far very much, but he is compelled to study very hard…”