1892 Handwritten Diary Fisher Boston Brookline Socialite Civil War Surgeon Heard

Description

WELCOME TO SALLY’S DIARIES:
Before I get started describing this diary I want to let you know that I have a podcast. I’ve taken some diaries from my private collection and shared them on our podcast called “Diary Discoveries.” We’ve got 31 episodes out now and you can find it on all the usual podcast venues. So if you enjoy the compelling and adventurous stories from vintage diaries then please check it out.
Again, this is going to be another long description but there is just way too much to share when it comes to this amazing historical diary. This 1892 diary has about everything you would want in a collectible diary. It’s not only got her handwritten entries but it acts as a scrapbook also as she has pinned quite a few pieces of ephemera on the pages having to do with each entry she has written for the day. For instance our author is a VERY social young lady and attends numerous dances, teas, theatrical events etc. and some of the invitations, name cards and even coat checks are pinned to her pages representing these events, including pressed flowers and foliage. One of the events was called the “Back Alley Ball” and it took place at the studio of Evelyn Purdie who was a famous artist at the time, born in Turkey and studying in Paris. Soon Purdie moved to Boston and was associated with the Grundmann Studios and was part of the Cambridge art scene.
Another fascinating entry has to do with the “Harvard Class Day” of 1892. She attends this event and writes about it in great detail which takes up 10 pages! There’s also ephemera inside having to do with this special day.
And there’s more! She is close friends with the John Theodore Heard family and writes all about them in her diary. In fact on June 25
th
(see part of the quote below) she spends several days at the Heard family home in Magnolia Massachusetts. That entry takes up several pages and she’s even pressed some flowers taken from the Heard home in Magnolia. See the scans above. She talks about John Theodore Heard Jr. as being a close friend and on one occasion he gets drunk and makes a fool of himself, so she says. John Jr. also graduates from Harvard this year and is mentioned in the “Harvard Class Day” excerpts. The incredible thing about the Heard family is that John Theodore Heard Sr. was a surgeon in the Civil War, fought and was captured as a prisoner of war in the Battle of Gettysburg, was a close adviser to Lincoln and worked as a doctor at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. During the battle of Gettysburg he remained in the town at the now famous Foster house and he and another doctor helped the wounded as they came in the house. He has a remarkable background and family history. The Heard family is mentioned all throughout this diary.
Our author’s family is also an historical family so before I go any further I must tell you a little bit about the Leslie and her family, namely her father who help begin the Boston Vigilance Committee in 1850 which helped runaway slaves.
As I read this diary I knew our author came from a wealthy and prominent family. There were many entries that lead me to believe this but this particular one stuck out…..
“
March 26
th
, 1892.
This has been a day of joy and delight for the Fisher family!!! First Sallie, Alice, Eleanor and I went to sewing school. When we got home there was a big bundle for daddy and box for mamma and another for me!! Papa’s was a beautiful oil painted by Aubry Hunt, which papa Hunt had sent to daddy Fisher because when we were rich and the Hunt’s were poor, papa did a lot for this now famous artist. Mama’s present was a huge box of oranges and mine a lovely suit, a dress, coat, and hat from Mrs. Papendeck….”
And that famous artist I believe was Edmund Aubrey Hunt who was an American painter; primarily of landscapes and rural scenes, although he also created Orientalist works. Hunt’s father was the entrepreneur and inventor, Edmund Soper Hunt (1827-1909), who operated a fireworks factory, made ladies' fans, and devised improvements to the line-throwing cannon, used in marine rescue operations.
When I went to look up or author (as her name is on the front of the diary) I found out that Leslie Lepington Fisher was born on December 8
th
, 1872 to the parents of George Jabez Fisher and Cornelia Walley (Curtis) Fisher. She was born in Brookline Massachusetts. Her father owned and ran a major meat packing company and also a purchasing agent for the Eastern Railroad. I found the following information concerning his work with the Boston Vigilance Committee, and I quote…..
“
The estate at 16 Warren Street in Brookline Massachusetts had been sold ca. 1852 to
George Jabez Fisher
(our author’s father) of Fisher & Chapin, commission merchants and meat packers, who divided the property and sold 30 Warren to his partner Nathaniel Chapman. On October 15, 1850, George Jabez Fisher, together with Edward Atkinson, William P. Atkinson, William I. Bowditch, and E. G. Loring, had been part of a meeting at Faneuil Hall that formed the
Boston
Vigilance Committee.
For ten years these men worked on behalf of runaway slaves and were concerned in all the noted fugitive slave cases. When Shadrach was seized, in February 1851, E. G. Loring was the first to volunteer for his defense. Later the same gentleman made the first contribution of money when funds were needed to bail out abolitionists arrested for aiding fugitives. The whereabouts of many of the meetings are unknown, but it is certain that several were held at Mr. Philbrick's and at Mr. Bowditch's…...(And then another site says)
At a meeting in Faneuil Hall, on October 15, 1850, several Brookline citizens assisted in forming the
Boston Vigilance Committee
, namely, Edward Atkinson, William P. Atkinson, William I. Bowditch,
George J. Fisher
, and E. G. Loring, who was chosen on the finance committee. For ten years these men rendered active and efficient service in behalf of runaway slaves, and were concerned in all the noted fugitive slave cases.”
Leslie had six siblings: Elizabeth, Maud, William, Caroline, Richard and Eleanor. She married John Wheeler Bemis in 1893 and they had two children: Leonora and George Fisher. He passed away in 1902 and she then married William Brackett Stearns in 1908. Leslie passed away in 1936 in Shelburne New Hampshire.
Now she lists her address in the front as “72 Chestnut Street Boston” so I’m assuming her family either moved by the time this diary was written or they had a second home in Boston.
Her diary represents a full year (very full as every page is complete with handwritten entries and it’s a large diary measuring about 6 1/2” x 8”) and then some as she’s placed more pages in the back for more writing. And please note the two photos of Leslie that you see in the scans are just ones I found on the web and copied them off. The other pieces of ephemera and diary are all original.
She is just 19 years old when writing this diary and they are marvelous entries, so expressive and detailed. Here are a few examples……
1892
“
January 8th
,….Went to the concert with Sallie and we took the 5.15 out to Chestnut Hill. Had great fun
dressing for the Brookline Assembly. Alice and Sallie had one room and Bunny and I the other. At 7 O’clock we were all dressed and so as soon as the men came we trotted down stairs. The dinner was fine. We sat around the table like this
(she then draws the table and their seating).
I did miss C.F.A. but T.B.A was fine and he asked me to supper at the assembly. We drove down 6 to a carriage…..Had my first waltz with that dear boy Talbot and then I just went as I sat up in the balcony with 5 men once and often I had three to walk with. I did have a perfect lark. My blue dress was lovely and all together it was fine. Had supper with T.B.A. and sat next to Alice. After supper had a lovely waltz with T.B.A. when the hall was empty! I have quite lost my heart to David Grey. He certainly is a charmer. I had my last waltz with Bert Garland and with Frank Newell. Got to bed at 4:30 A.M.”
“
January 15th
,…..
Went out to Cambridge with Edith Porter and we got to the Pudding Rooms at 10. First girls there! Saw a lot of swell girls. Emery, Shattuck’s, Dans, etc. When I first went in I was “dumped” but Fred Burlingham came to my rescue and from then on I had a perfect spree and danced a lot. I went up into the library and it was awfully interesting, all the old “shingles” and the Pudding
photos. Saw quite a lot of David Guy and he was dear. Had a “poo poo” at supper. After supper I had a fine time till I got a bad fall when dancing with Bobby Greenough but it wasn’t his fault at all. I sl
i
pped on some girls train. Still after I got over the effects of the blow, I had great fun and danced steadily till 2:30 A.M. The stage was all fitted up with lamps and chairs and big
green trees, so it made a lovely tete-a-tete room.”
(She gets sick with Typhoid but still writes. She’s sick from January 27
th
to February 4
th
)
“
February 17th
,….P.M. T. B. A. and Bunny came in and then
Oh
dear,
I hate
to put it. J. T. Heard Jr. and he was
so full
that he did not know what he was doing. At last
I had
to send him home! Poor fella, how can he be so weak!….
(She then writes this on t
he side at a latter days as she dates it March, 16, 92’).
This was the
sad
d
est day of my life but as it seems to have done the dear J. L. H. Jr. good, we all feel that it was a case of good coming out of evil. But oh, it was dreadful to see Teddy half sea’s over.”
“
February 22nd
,….
At 5:30
I received a note from Teddy Heard asking if he could come over to see me at 8 P.M. I wrote the most “trembling handed” reply saying for him to come. Well at 8.3 (!) he came and absolutely my heart nearly stopped when I heard the bell ring. It was simply awful to receive him and I was so afraid that I should seem cold, when though I can’t get over the horror of last Wednesday
(see the entry I quoted above, February 17
th
.)
I want teddy to feel that I will be a true friend. He was simply grand! He did not try in the least to shield himself or offer any excuses. Poor boy, I never saw a man look so unhappy and changed. I had a fine talk with him and he was splendidly brave I think. Really as he says it “is the bitterest lesson he has ever had” but he will be the better for it I am sure. Oh poor boy, how infinitely sad it was to hear his voice break and to see those big gray eyes full of tears. I wanted to cry dreadfully. Now what ever comes I will stand up for him and I am sure he will do better and if any friend can do anything for him I am sure I shall try to be a faithful one.
”
“
February 25
th
,
...Later Sallie and Alice came in and at 6 I began to dress for Miss Jewell’s dinner. Eleanor called for me at 7:20! Had a very jolly dinner. Sat between Irving Mott and Mr. Jewell. The other men were Teddy Bremmer, Mr. Bates and a Mr. Richardson. Eleanor and I the only girls beside Helen J. and Elsie Thayer. At 10:30 we went over to the last Harvard Assembly. Met Sallie and Alice there. Talbot like a dear sweet thing, took me out as soon as I had curtsied to the Nations. I had a perfect spree in every way, danced a lot and very steadily till supper with all sorts of men! Had supper with Frank Newell (and I suggested the clever scheme of eating it out in the entry at the little round table where the tickets were taken). Sallie and T. G. Bremmer and Alice and Mr. Sewell sat with us and oh didn’t we just cut up! A lot of fellas came and chat
t
ed with us and we just raised cain….
.(much more on the dance and then…)
the girls
spent the night here and we talked till 4:30! The two sofa’s we put up beside the bed and we had merry sport talking it all over.”
“
April 20th,
(The Harvard Advocate sent her a letter, which is in this diary, asking her to help at their tea)
….My dress is ravishing and everyon
e
perfectly loved it. The queer figured Japanese crape made “The Russian Coat” and the vest and shirt and sle
e
ves were of pink crape and a big lace front over the vest and the same lace on the collar and sleeves. Then I wore my black and pink rose bonnet with lovely new strings. We got out to Hastings Hall at 4:45 and Mr. Brewer and Mr. DeWolf met us at the door. The tea was jolly good fun. Sarah and I poured from 5:30 to 7, that’s the hour and we had Teddy Heard, Frank Newall, George McKay at our sides most of
the time…..The Advocate is made up of men of brains, there was a
rather funny crowd of “Gov’
s,”
long haired kinds and their girls but we kept to our own gang and had a festive spree. After the tea the “Advocate” men gave us a little supper and Sallie and T. G. Brewer and Leslie and Gorden Bell had theirs under some big palm trees on a nice window seat. Each girl who poured had 6 lovely “Jack” roses with very long steams…...”
The House Party at Grasmere Falmouth
(She then lists all the girls that are there and this part of the diary, this trip, takes up 13 pages)
“
Here it is a pouring rain and we all go to Falmouth today. Left our house with my valise at 8.30 and went over for E. B. A. We drove over to the “Old Colony” and meet Sarah, Alice and the two maids. Our train left at 9 and we had great fun going down.
We read the Ladies House journal etc. Reached Falmouth about 11.35 and got into a barge and drove up to Grasmere, our only stops being to let off a forlorn damsel who got into our wagon thinking we were some of the “teachers who had come to the coronation!!!” Rather sporty teachers we must have looked! Reached Grasmere a little a
fter
12 and the house seemed so cheerful with the huge wood fires in all the rooms.
(They unpacked, ate lunch and got into their “old duds” to gather flowers. Then drove down to get the “men”. She lists their names and then at night after dinner they read aloud, “The Unfinished Story.” Men joined each other for a smoke and then they all retired. Next day they had a baseball game, played “puss in the corner” and hopscotch. Played tricks on the men that night. The men got back at them the next morning. The next day they all take wagon rides around Falmouth including the Heights and pier. And as they were getting ready for dinner that night, she writes this….)
“
Oh, I forgot to say that just before dinner while we girls were dressing we thought our beds looked a little funny and on opening them, we found 4 pieces of small rubber pipe, and peacocks feathers, matches, bits of Corn Bloom, etc. We each of us made a crown on the rubber pipe and put the peacock's father in our hair and so adorned went down to diner.”
(They play more tricks on the men that night and then the next day some fun in the barn before they all had to pack up and leave. She writes this at the end of her adventures….)
“
We parted at the station and I must say that I never, never, never have had or dreamed of such fun. Even after I got home I was so lonely and at 8 both R.A.F. and E.F.E. had to go out so as the parents were away. I could have wept from my forlorn state of mind.”
“
May 24
th
,
Hot and clear. Started right in on looking up some K. G. work and I tell you old friend diary, I felt so blue and longed for the jolly good times at Falmouth and the persons who were there….”
(She spends a lot of her summer at Chestnut Hill.)
“
June 23
rd
,
(Kennedy Spread and H. & Y. Games, which are Harvard and Yale games)...
At 7.30
we drove up to the Kennedy’s spread. It was just like a fairy scene. The beautiful grounds were doubly lovely, lighted by hundreds of lanterns. There were lots of spooky garden paths and places that were not lighted except by the stars which obligingly came ou
t
fine and clear. (The rain held up at about 5 P.M.) there was one huge tent for dancing and one for supper which was served at little tables...it was a glorious success…….”
“
June 24
th
,
Harvard Class Day….I got up at about 11 and Alice and I dressed ourselves up thusly. A. in a white mull with pink flowers on it and it was trimmed with moss green ribbon. A leghorn hat with moss green ribbon and pink roses. She was a perfect picture. I wore my organdy and it also had mossy green ribbon and my hat was a huge leghorn with pale lavender morning glories on it and white and lavender ribbon. The hat just matched the dress in every way and
was as the papers say,
“Very Chic.” After a light lunch Alice and I got into the carriage and drove up to the Morse
(?)
smiling at each other with sighs of contentment for the sun had come out and was itself smiling on 92’…….We went first to the Pudding Spread but as we saw no men we knew, we only stayed about 15 minutes looking at the photos of the different years….It was so fine to see all the seniors in the renowned cap and gown and it was a most becoming costume to nearly all and lent a grace and dignity to the scene…..I went out doors where under the trees on the green between the gym and the law school were the little tete-a-tete tables…..We took great interest in watching the classes file in, and also the graduates. Then after having looked over the seats and found some of our friends we just waited for 92 to come in. The seats looked like a fairy garden with the hundreds of lovely dresses and hats! At last after having heard them cheering the buildings in the yard, 92 came in to the music of
P. Pappirias
(?)
(
L. Thompsons
)
and marched around the enclosure…..
(She goes on to say who was in the graduating line that she knew including Theodore Heard.
“A picture that I never can forget.”
At the end they all sang “Fair Harvard.” Then came the eating and dancing. Again, 10 pages take up this part of the diary)
“
Jun 25
th
,
Magnolia House Party at Mrs. J. Theodore Heard’s.
What a perfect Jonah’s we are! Here it is rain again just as we start for our second house party. Alice and I met Sallie at 9.25 and we went into town together and then over to the Eastern Station where we all met Mrs. Heard and Dr. H. had taken the early train. This is how we sat down.
(she then mentions all of the names)...
We got down to Magnolia at 12.15 and after a delightfully cordial greeting from Dr. and Mrs. H. we went up stairs and unpacked and then had luncheon. P.M. went to walk in two’s…..
This
house is lovely and right on the rocks. There is no other house near it….”
“
June 26th,….After a very jolly breakfast we loafed around until the sun came out and then Eleanor and Sarah and the L.O. and Mr. J. M. and J.H. went in bathing. Sallie has just made herself a fine new bathing suit with a sailor collar and a little front piece of white with a big blue 92 on it!!! Eleanor too had a new suit. The rest of us watched them from the rocks. Mr. Hubbard and Theo. H. are perfectly “stunning” in their bathing suits. They are a fine looking pair and have such lovely “crew” muscles! After dinner all 10 of us went for a 30 mile drive around Cape Ann and I never enjoyed anything more but we did act like crazy things. Eve. sat out and walked in “twos” on the piazza. S. C. M. and the L. O. have “got it” bad and they are great fun to watch! They simply are never apart…..”
“
June 28
th
,
Sad day this. Our Magnolia house party is over and we are all going to part for the summer and its the last time that we shall ever have the boys when they are not business men!….
We said a fond farewell to Mrs. H. and Dr. H. and came up in the 10.15 train….After we parted in the station and had said a last goodbye to Theo. Heard.
T
he triplets let themselves get bluer and bluer and when on Chestnut St. we caught a glimpse of Henry Heard, we could of wept to think of what fun we had in astonishing him when he was down Sunday. I lunched at home and then went out to J. P. Alice and I sat and talked all the evening about Magnolia and when Sallie turned up at 9 P.M.
W
e went all over it again and in fact S. C. M. and I talked Magnolia and the boys till we fell asleep….
It is simply fine to see how Theo. Heard is improving and how attached he is growing every day and dropping off his old blasé manner. Honestly Class Day was a glorious proof too as all that what he said in March he meant. Now it’s all over and like Falmouth will ever be a most delightful memory.”
(And on this page are pressed flowers and above them she writes…
“From the Heard’s Place.”
)
I think I better stop now as this is getting way too long. I did speed read through the rest of the diary and here’s a little more of what you’ll find:
Summer trip to their farm near New Bedford Massachusetts, a trip in the fall to Mashpee Massachusetts, more dances and social events, glorious holidays, election day and so much more. Then on her birthday she writes…
“
December 8
th
,
Twenty years ago today I entered this glorious world. After all I have had pretty good time for 20 years but how I do hate to grow old…..”
In the back of the diary she has several pages of handwritten names and dates and I’m assuming those are the people she saw on those particular days.
Finally here is a list of some of the ephemera:
Business Card from William L. Townsend
Magazine Cutout of the “Hasty Pudding Club House”
“
Junior Dance” card with her name. Entrance admission
Admittance card for the “Brookline Assemblies”
Hand painted name card for her table seating
2 Hand Painted “Clover” name tags/invites, hers & Miss Aldrich at- Fisher’s Hall.
2 Handwritten Invites “Spinsters Gathering” at Fisher’s Hall
Pressed Flowers
2 Handmade Coat Checks with the number 313
“
Back Alley Ball” handwritten guest list
Handwritten letters, one from “Harvard Advocate”
8 page printed program for musical “The Sphinx”
Memorabilia of a game they played on train called “Consequences
“
Hotel Attaquin” Business Card with engraving of hotel
And more.
There is SO much more than what I’ve quoted here. Now, as far as the condition...it’s fair to poor. Poor because the back cover has fallen off but is accounted for. The covers are also very worn and a bit torn. Pages are securely attached to the binding and there is some foxing so it really does need some archival repair.