1862 Diary of Mary M. Baker from Orrington, Maine

Mary M. Baker is only twenty-three years old when she begins her diary. Living in Orrington, Maine, which is located along the Penobscot River (a major shipping lane to the Atlantic Ocean for Bangor), she starts nearly every entry with some report of the weather conditions. She is living with her mother, father, and a sister. The parents are also taking care of a granddaughter because both her parents have died. 1862 is when the Civil War begins to reach distant states like Maine and small towns the size of Orrington with the draft. Several of Mary's friends did enlist and served in various Bangor regiments. She does mention certain battles, but doesn't go into any description of them. At least one of her friends is killed in the war during the writing of her diary. Disease is the primary killer during this time; diphtheria, scarlet fever, and typhoid fever. Mary loses an acquaintance to one of these killers every week or two. The church is of prime importance and she, with friends, often attend church meetings or weekend sessions to hear traveling ministers. From reading the diary, it appears that Mary is studying to become a teacher like her older sister, although it is not directly stated. She is often being tutored by a friend in the evening with lessons in arithmetic and spelling. Mary also visits local schools and does teach on occasion. This diary is a rare glimpse into a young lady's life in a period of great national turmoil.