first edition Contents fine, some boards detached. Full inventory as follows: (Carter, John). "Vol. 1. Daily Memoranda from 11m.20d.1862 to 4m
1862-1893
by [Religious History - Quakers - Abolitionism and the Civil War - Historical Climate Studies] Carter, John (1800-1877); Carter, Sarah (1845 - ?)
1862-1893: Philadelphia. Contents fine, some boards detached. Full inventory as follows: (Carter, John). "Vol. 1. Daily Memoranda from 11m.20d.1862 to 4m.23d.1866 (sic)." (Philadelphia, November 20, 1862 - April 23, 1866). Oblong folio, 12" x 5.5"; 305mm x 140mm. Quarter calf over marbled boards; scuffed and rubbed, front board detached and crudely reattached with modern cello-tape. 383 hand-numbered pages manuscript text in brown and black ink; evenly toned, text generally crisp and bold. Unpaginated front matter also contains an holograph index and notes on barometry, back matter some undated Quaker meeting memoranda and a short postscript collection of original animal folk stories. [idem]. "Vol. 2. Daily Memoranda from 4m.24d.1866 to 12m.31d.1868 (sic)." (Philadelphia, PA, April 24, 1866 - December 31, 1868). Folio, 10" x 8"; 254mm x 203mm. Quarter calf over marbled boards; front board detached, exterior scuffed and bumped, &c. 240 hand-numbered pages manuscript text (with pages 234-240 blank); some ink-staining to front matter and front paste-down, old glue residue at page 1, some scattered chipping. 1868 newsprint election results affixed to rear paste-down. [idem]. "Vol. 3. Daily Memoranda from First m.1d.1869 to 4m.30d.1874 (sic)." (Philadelphia, PA, January 1, 1869 - April 30, 1874). Folio, 13" x 8"; 330mm x 203mm. Quarter calf over marbled boards; scuffed and bumped, front board detached with back board loose at joint. Unpaginated, unfoliated, approximately 300 pages manuscript diary text on feint-ruled paper; generally bright and clean. [idem]. ("Volume 4"). (Philadelphia, PA, May 1, 1874 - june 3, 1877). Oblong folio, 12" x 5.5"; 305mm x 140mm. Quarter calf over marbled boards; shows scuffing and rubbing and generally expected wear as in the preceding companion volumes. 280 pages manuscript text, unpaginated, on feint-ruled paper. A few tipped-in manuscript property maps. Carter, Sarah. Untitled Manuscript Journal. (Philadelphia, PA, March 28, 1893 - n.d.). 4to, 8 1/2" X 7"; 216mm x 178mm. Quarter calf over marbled boards; front board detached, moderate exterior wear. 8 pages manuscript text (on 60 otherwise blank feint-ruled pages); internally very clean, some related loose manuscript material laid in. John Carter (November 28, 1800 - June 3, 1877) was a professional chemist, amateur naturalist, Quaker leader, and, perhaps above all, proud Philadelphia family man. He was also a prolific diarist, and, in the four manuscript volumes on offer here, he left for posterity an historically detailed compendium of the events of his time, replete with copious notes and commentary. Carter's journals give an extensively detailed account of life within the Quaker community during the period, with a particular interest in the plight of enslaved African-Americans and conscientious objectors to the conflict. Carter was the co-founder of the Carter & Scattergood firm, which, according to the Hagley Musuem where its records are held, "was the first in the United States to produce yellow prussiate of potash (ca. 1834), and red prussiate of potash (potassium ferrocyanide), chemicals used in dyeing, calico printing, blueprinting, and other industrial applications." (https://findingaids.hagley.org/repositories/3/resources/841, retrieved 4/24)
At the outset of Volume I, he articulates the specific reasons for preserving these memoranda: "At the suggestion of my daughter Sarah, I commence making records of desultory character acknowledging the correctness of her remark that they might be found in future to have an interest and value which was not apparent at the time of making them." The four extant diaries span nearly fifteen years, and conclude, it would appear, on the very day of Carter's death in June, 1877.
Carter pens his memoranda methodically, typically arranging content in a four-part sequence. First, as a man of science, he invariably gives a thorough meteorological summary of the day's weather; second, he offers a narrative of any world-historical event of the moment, especially those at variance with his Quaker pacifism; third, he recounts his religious experience of the day, both in his interior spiritual life, and in organized Quaker worship and praxis; and fourth, he makes lovingly detailed note of any developments in the lives of his children and friends. A synoptic reading of the journals suggests that he perceives all of these topics to be correlated, sometimes even dramatically interdependent. Carter's observations on his life are lyrical and self-reflective. In volume II, page 43, he writes:"It is will often to number our days, with the desire that we may so do it that for may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Very solemn and affecting has been the changes made by death wither a short period, and what a few month, more may bring us know not; though we do know that it behooves us to make all diligence in our heavenward journey, watching unto prayer, with our affections set on things above, and earnestly endeavoring that the days wish may keep pace with the day."
Each day's memorandum begins with a weather report. These reports are highly technical, and, in concert with data he has collected with his own instruments, Carter cites data from many other sources. These sources may be local (e.g. the Pennsylvania Hospital) or far afield, with Carter receiving regular telegraph transmissions on the subject. Notably, he begins Volume I with a brief summary of the principles of barometry, because, in spite of the cruciality of that field, he expects that the anticipated reader (i.e. his descendants) would not be skilled therein. Carter's background as a chemist and scientist informs his fastidious attention to detail, and much information about the climate of Philadelphia may be gleaned from these volumes, and his forays into other branches of science - for example describing in detail an eel getting stuck in a pipe at his factory, the seasonal pollution of the Schuylkill river or many descriptions of crop quality - show an overall interest in scientific subjects outside of chemistry.
Where relevant, he then proceeds to report any daily events deemed to be of historical importance with respect to future interpreters. These, too, are often painstakingly recorded, because, as Carter himself notes at the outset and throughout his diaries passim, they will provide needful lessons for later readers. The author shows almost prescient judgment here, inasmuch as he treats themes which remain even now current and salient e.g. violence, power, gender, race, oppression, mass extinction, pollution, &c. He often quotes notable texts verbatim, for example on March 11 of 1863, when the Pennsylvania Society of Friends submitted a formal message to the Pennsylvania Legislature recommending the decriminalization of the transport of African-Americans into Pennsylvania. He often describes the Philadelphia meetings, including notes on who speaks and what sentiments are aired. Describing a meeting in 1863 discussing the Friends Indian School, he adds that "The condition of the Indians does not show any marked improvement within the year." Carter's copious notes on the varied meetings and committees would provide a detailed complimentary source to the minutes and publications of the Philadelphia Meeting.
Carter recounts, for example, the unjust and often violent treatment of those Quakers who objected to participating in, or even indirectly endorsing, the United States Civil War. He follows the trial and imprisonment of Edward Smedley, a Quaker conscientious objector, from beginning to end. In one entry on April 26, 1863, he describes a young Quaker who is being prosecuted for refusal to enlist: "Benjamin Cope, son of Cobb Cope living in West-Chester, was brought to the city yesterday as a prisoner. He is one of the drafted and not-answering the requisition had been arrested shipped and uniformed and sent to the city... for trials." He later notes Cope's acquittal on charges. He describes the violence which Union authorities inflicted on many other objectors to forced conscription, including public humiliation and physical assault. He verbatim transcribes speeches read by Quaker delegations before the U.S. House of Representatives and letters written to Edward Stanton, the U.S. Secretary of War.
Carter pays particular attention to the institution of slavery and the execrable treatment of Indigenous persons in the United States; he is particularly invested in the hope of access and upward mobility amid these populations, and notes Quaker efforts in the form of advocacy and activism on behalf of African and indigenous Americans. The Friends Indian School and Quaker involvement with indigenous groups is a constant theme. "The colored people are our brethren," he states in an entry, and describes a law passed by Pennsylvania limiting African-American migration as "retrograde." In a meeting note for July 2, 1863, he describes discussion of the plight of African-Americans from the Cumberland Valley, " When a statement was made of the sad condition of the colored refugees from the Cumberland Valley and the parts of the state which had been invaded by the Southern Army. It was stated that good numbers of these unhappy people, chiefly women and children, were now in the city, in a state of utter destitution. It was concluded to hold a Meeting in the Colored Institute Lombard St. this afternoon for the purpose of adopting sufficient measures for their relief, and as friends were immediately needed a subscription was given and $1100 was promptly contributed by those present..." He praises Thadeus Stevens and his "radical actions,"
describes post-war efforts on behalf of African-Americans including the Philadelphia Shelter for Colored Orphans, and comments on the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment.
In short, Carter was a keen observer of contemporary life and a sagacious, often quasi prophetic, social critic. Other topics noted in the journal include, to name a few, Gettysburg, the Austria-Prussia War, Johnson's impeachment, Grant's inauguration, Nathan Blackburn, the DuPont explosion, the Committee for the Improvement of Indian Nations, cholera in Philadelphia, Minnesota indigenous land theft, the Chicago Fire, wildfires in Canada, pollution, and many others.
Despite his attention to world affairs and scientific nuance, Carter seems to have been a mild soul, never failing to emphasize the central importance of his family, his faith community, his close friends, and his broader social network. There are daily recollections of precious time spent with his children until the very end, and, very movingly, he includes for their delight a selection of animal stories which he told them in their youth.
Finally, John Carter's love for his family may also be seen in conjunction with a short companion volume, written in 1893 by his daughter Sarah Carter (b. ca. 1845 - D.O.D. unk.), which is also included in this manuscript lot. In her prologue, she writes:
"Some two or three weeks ago the thought recurred to me that I would never regret it if I wrote down incidents in my father's life as he might relate to me from time to time. Obviously, they are not arranged in chronological order as they will be scattered events of a lifetime, which it seems to me are well worth remembering." The bulk of Sarah's short journal is comprised of a transcription of a story told by her uncle about her father.
Altogether, a very substantial record of the Philadelphia Meeting, the life of the Carter family, the inner spiritual life of a prominent Quaker during the period, and the weather and climate of Philadelphia, with scholarly interest across a range of subjects, and comprising many hundreds of pages in fastidious detail. (Inventory #: List2536)
At the outset of Volume I, he articulates the specific reasons for preserving these memoranda: "At the suggestion of my daughter Sarah, I commence making records of desultory character acknowledging the correctness of her remark that they might be found in future to have an interest and value which was not apparent at the time of making them." The four extant diaries span nearly fifteen years, and conclude, it would appear, on the very day of Carter's death in June, 1877.
Carter pens his memoranda methodically, typically arranging content in a four-part sequence. First, as a man of science, he invariably gives a thorough meteorological summary of the day's weather; second, he offers a narrative of any world-historical event of the moment, especially those at variance with his Quaker pacifism; third, he recounts his religious experience of the day, both in his interior spiritual life, and in organized Quaker worship and praxis; and fourth, he makes lovingly detailed note of any developments in the lives of his children and friends. A synoptic reading of the journals suggests that he perceives all of these topics to be correlated, sometimes even dramatically interdependent. Carter's observations on his life are lyrical and self-reflective. In volume II, page 43, he writes:"It is will often to number our days, with the desire that we may so do it that for may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Very solemn and affecting has been the changes made by death wither a short period, and what a few month, more may bring us know not; though we do know that it behooves us to make all diligence in our heavenward journey, watching unto prayer, with our affections set on things above, and earnestly endeavoring that the days wish may keep pace with the day."
Each day's memorandum begins with a weather report. These reports are highly technical, and, in concert with data he has collected with his own instruments, Carter cites data from many other sources. These sources may be local (e.g. the Pennsylvania Hospital) or far afield, with Carter receiving regular telegraph transmissions on the subject. Notably, he begins Volume I with a brief summary of the principles of barometry, because, in spite of the cruciality of that field, he expects that the anticipated reader (i.e. his descendants) would not be skilled therein. Carter's background as a chemist and scientist informs his fastidious attention to detail, and much information about the climate of Philadelphia may be gleaned from these volumes, and his forays into other branches of science - for example describing in detail an eel getting stuck in a pipe at his factory, the seasonal pollution of the Schuylkill river or many descriptions of crop quality - show an overall interest in scientific subjects outside of chemistry.
Where relevant, he then proceeds to report any daily events deemed to be of historical importance with respect to future interpreters. These, too, are often painstakingly recorded, because, as Carter himself notes at the outset and throughout his diaries passim, they will provide needful lessons for later readers. The author shows almost prescient judgment here, inasmuch as he treats themes which remain even now current and salient e.g. violence, power, gender, race, oppression, mass extinction, pollution, &c. He often quotes notable texts verbatim, for example on March 11 of 1863, when the Pennsylvania Society of Friends submitted a formal message to the Pennsylvania Legislature recommending the decriminalization of the transport of African-Americans into Pennsylvania. He often describes the Philadelphia meetings, including notes on who speaks and what sentiments are aired. Describing a meeting in 1863 discussing the Friends Indian School, he adds that "The condition of the Indians does not show any marked improvement within the year." Carter's copious notes on the varied meetings and committees would provide a detailed complimentary source to the minutes and publications of the Philadelphia Meeting.
Carter recounts, for example, the unjust and often violent treatment of those Quakers who objected to participating in, or even indirectly endorsing, the United States Civil War. He follows the trial and imprisonment of Edward Smedley, a Quaker conscientious objector, from beginning to end. In one entry on April 26, 1863, he describes a young Quaker who is being prosecuted for refusal to enlist: "Benjamin Cope, son of Cobb Cope living in West-Chester, was brought to the city yesterday as a prisoner. He is one of the drafted and not-answering the requisition had been arrested shipped and uniformed and sent to the city... for trials." He later notes Cope's acquittal on charges. He describes the violence which Union authorities inflicted on many other objectors to forced conscription, including public humiliation and physical assault. He verbatim transcribes speeches read by Quaker delegations before the U.S. House of Representatives and letters written to Edward Stanton, the U.S. Secretary of War.
Carter pays particular attention to the institution of slavery and the execrable treatment of Indigenous persons in the United States; he is particularly invested in the hope of access and upward mobility amid these populations, and notes Quaker efforts in the form of advocacy and activism on behalf of African and indigenous Americans. The Friends Indian School and Quaker involvement with indigenous groups is a constant theme. "The colored people are our brethren," he states in an entry, and describes a law passed by Pennsylvania limiting African-American migration as "retrograde." In a meeting note for July 2, 1863, he describes discussion of the plight of African-Americans from the Cumberland Valley, " When a statement was made of the sad condition of the colored refugees from the Cumberland Valley and the parts of the state which had been invaded by the Southern Army. It was stated that good numbers of these unhappy people, chiefly women and children, were now in the city, in a state of utter destitution. It was concluded to hold a Meeting in the Colored Institute Lombard St. this afternoon for the purpose of adopting sufficient measures for their relief, and as friends were immediately needed a subscription was given and $1100 was promptly contributed by those present..." He praises Thadeus Stevens and his "radical actions,"
describes post-war efforts on behalf of African-Americans including the Philadelphia Shelter for Colored Orphans, and comments on the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment.
In short, Carter was a keen observer of contemporary life and a sagacious, often quasi prophetic, social critic. Other topics noted in the journal include, to name a few, Gettysburg, the Austria-Prussia War, Johnson's impeachment, Grant's inauguration, Nathan Blackburn, the DuPont explosion, the Committee for the Improvement of Indian Nations, cholera in Philadelphia, Minnesota indigenous land theft, the Chicago Fire, wildfires in Canada, pollution, and many others.
Despite his attention to world affairs and scientific nuance, Carter seems to have been a mild soul, never failing to emphasize the central importance of his family, his faith community, his close friends, and his broader social network. There are daily recollections of precious time spent with his children until the very end, and, very movingly, he includes for their delight a selection of animal stories which he told them in their youth.
Finally, John Carter's love for his family may also be seen in conjunction with a short companion volume, written in 1893 by his daughter Sarah Carter (b. ca. 1845 - D.O.D. unk.), which is also included in this manuscript lot. In her prologue, she writes:
"Some two or three weeks ago the thought recurred to me that I would never regret it if I wrote down incidents in my father's life as he might relate to me from time to time. Obviously, they are not arranged in chronological order as they will be scattered events of a lifetime, which it seems to me are well worth remembering." The bulk of Sarah's short journal is comprised of a transcription of a story told by her uncle about her father.
Altogether, a very substantial record of the Philadelphia Meeting, the life of the Carter family, the inner spiritual life of a prominent Quaker during the period, and the weather and climate of Philadelphia, with scholarly interest across a range of subjects, and comprising many hundreds of pages in fastidious detail. (Inventory #: List2536)