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Private journal of James S. Doran
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Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]181 South College Avenue, Newark, DE 19717-5267
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the University of Delaware Library Special Collections. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
The journal is a personal narrative of James S. Doran who served in the capacity of engineer on several steamships, including the Merrimack, the Thomas Kelso, the San Pelago, and the City of Mexico from May 17, 1866, through April 25, 1872.
The G. W. Blunt White Library at Mystic Seaport has records of registry for the City of Mexico from 1869 to 1887 and the Thomas Kelso from 1868 to 1885.
"Merrimack (steamer)," "City of Mexico (steamer)," "Thomas Kelso (steamer)." Mystic Seaport. http://www.mysticseaport.org (accessed February 7, 2007). Additional information derived from the collection.
The journal is a personal narrative of James S. Doran who served in the capacity of engineer on several steamships, including the Merrimack, the Thomas Kelso, the San Pelago, and the City of Mexico from May 17, 1866, through April 25, 1872. Doran described some sights and travels in Germany, the Isle of Wight, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, and Cuba, and occasionally mentioned current events such as the race riots in New Orleans in 1866 and the completion of the Transatlantic cable in July of 1866.
The journal entries consist of engineering and navigational data and life on board. The author also includes personal reflections about ports, the ship, home life, and personal business. Remedies for curing yellow fever and pleurisy as well as some personal financial information are mentioned in some entries.
The journal is one paper-covered, bound volume, circa 120 pages, with entries in ink.
- Item 0023: Shelved in SPEC MSS 0097
A digitized copy of the journal is available at the University of Delaware Digital Institutional Repository.
Purchase, 1960.
Processed and encoded by Norieta Hagerty, January 2007.
People
Organization
Subject
- Seafaring life--History--19th century
- Steam engineers--19th century--Diaries
- Steamboats--history--19th century
Occupation
- Publisher
- University of Delaware Library Special Collections
- Finding Aid Author
- University of Delaware Library, Special Collections
- Finding Aid Date
- 2007 February 19
- Access Restrictions
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The collection is open for research.
- Use Restrictions
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Use of materials from this collection beyond the exceptions provided for in the Fair Use and Educational Use clauses of the U.S. Copyright Law may violate federal law. Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. Please contact Special Collections, University of Delaware Library, http://library.udel.edu/spec/askspec/