Business Diary of 1862, 1863
Hardin County, Iowa

Scope and Content:
This handwritten ledger diary was begun on January 1, 1862 in Eldora, Hardin County, Iowa. Unknown writer discusses property purchases and disposals; loans and payments; tax information; names of those people with whom he (or she) dealt; on one occasion, the writer asks, “Is he a judge entitled to my respect?” (March 10, 1862). Diary includes long discourses on business dealings (see April 19, 1862). May 20, 1862 entry includes some pressed leaves and a flower. October 4, 1862 entry includes a larger pressed flower.

Last entry on February 6, 1863: “I gave up key of the office I occupied up to today in the Court House in Eldora to Ellis Parker(?) as the agent and proper officer of the Eldora Court House joint stock company who claim to own the building. I left some things in the room ….Started about middle of afternoon from Eldora for Grinnell, Iowa, designing to make Grinnell my residence.”

Provenance: Unknown. Found among some old papers on shelves in the back of the vault.

Suggested citation: Business Diary, Grinnell College Libraries, Department of Special Collections, Grinnell, Iowa. Ms.01.95.

Processed by Cheryl Neubert, September, 2004.