Mary Lee Hosbrook Diary, 1871 - 1872

Item — Box: 4259.03, Volume: 002

Scope and Contents

The ninety-five page diary spans the years 1871-1872 in the life of this young woman living in Madeira, Ohio. Diary entries reveal that she took great joy in outdoor winter activities such as ice skating and going for sleigh rides. Her diary for this short time period shows an intelligent, educated, witty young woman who spent only a minimal amount of time engaged in domestic duties. Most of her short entries describe leisure time spent with friends and family. She received many male callers in this short time period and corresponded with several. The latter portion of the diary includes many entries describing her time at art school, perhaps in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Dates

1871 - 1872

Conditions Governing Access

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Access to portions of this collection has been restricted by Archives and Special Collections in order to preserve the original materials. Contact University Libraries Special Collections at archives@ua.edu or 205.348.0500 for information on access to the restricted portions of this collection.

Biographical / Historical

Mary Lee Hosbrook was born around 1848 in Ohio, the second of three children born to John and Deborah Hosbrook. She had an older brother named Daniel and a younger brother named Asaph. In the early 1870s Mary lived at home in Madeira, Hamilton County, Ohio, where her father, a surveyor and farm owner, was a wealthy and prominent member of the community. Mary lived a comfortable life filled with recreational activities such as ice skating and visits with friends and relatives. In addition, she took art lessons in 1872. She had a beloved pet dog named Brick Pomeroy, presumably named after her contemporary Marcus "Brick" Pomeroy, a journalist known for his sensationalism and satire. Mary Hosbrook married Milton Pritchett, an architect, sometime between 1879 and 1880.