Call Number:

Ms. Codex 2260

Repository:

University of Pennsylvania: Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts

Extent:

1 volume(s)

Language:

English

Preferred Citation:

Notebook of a woman from Atlanta, Georgia, 1916, Ms. Codex 2260, Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, University of Pennsylvania

Date:

1916

Form:

Notebooks, Diaries, and Lists (document genres)

Abstract:

This notebook was written by an unidentified woman from Atlanta, Georgia in 1916. The notebook contains a wide range of notes, including daily diary entries, lists, recipes, addresses, and basic finances.

The creator of this volume is unknown, but was possibly a Jewish woman from Atlanta, GA. Based on information in the notebook, this woman appears to have been middle class or wealthy, a wife, and a mother.

This notebook was written by an unidentified woman from Atlanta, Georgia in 1916. The seller indicated that the creator was Jewish, but the notebook contains little, if anything, about Jewish life or the Jewish experience in America. The notebook contains a wide range of notes, including daily diary entries, lists, recipes, addresses, and basic finances.

The daily diary entries (p. 2-13, 65-67) date from November 24 through December 10, 1916 and mostly document the creator's social outings and schedule.

Many of the lists record gifts that the creator either gives or has received, such as gifts for others (p. 17-25), wedding gifts (p. 31-53), and presents possibly given to the creator's daughter (p. 106-108). There is also a list of items in the creator's silver collection (p. 134-135) and a list of callers (p. 184-185).

This volume contains 34 recipes (p. 26-30, 90-105, 108-111, 128-131, 172-173). Some examples include egg Louisiana (p. 26), chocolate puffs (p. 30), chicken gumbo (p. 101), and cooked fondant (p. 128-129).

There are also health and diet notes that possibly relate to pregnancy (p. 72-79), addresses and contacts (p. 112-115, 148-149, 166-171), and accounts and financial notes (p. 138-139, 146-147, 154-159). Finally, the notebook also appears to have been used for scratch paper as there is basic arithmetic and scribbles dispersed throughout.