Josselyn, Thomas. Diary
Collection History
Please note that as of January 2022, the Thomas Josselyn diary, 1743-1775, and all future digital collections are now hosted on the library's new digital archive.
Thomas Josselyn (1702-1782) of Hanover and Hingham, Massachusetts was a deacon of the First Church of Hingham and proprietor of a forge. He kept a diary from 1743-1775, and on the first page describes his intent "to keep an account of the affairs of Divine providence, concerning myself and my family and the Church of God…". The diary focuses on his work, meetings, church attendance, visits with friends and family, and travel to Boston and other locales.
The original manuscripts in this collection are owned by our project partners, the New England Historic Genealogical Society. Further information about the collection can be found in the NEHGS catalog.
Digital Materials
This bound diary consists of daily entries between 1743-1775, in which Josselyn usually devotes a sentence or two to the description of his activities. His son Isaiah continues the diary for a few pages after his father's death in 1782. The outer pages of the physical volume are in poor condition and some pages have broken in two due to iron gall ink damage.
Special Thanks
These digital resources have been made possible in part by the Council on Library and Information Resources, through a Digitizing Hidden Collections grant.
Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this resource do not necessarily represent those of the Council on Library and Information Resources.
