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Mascarene, Margaret Holyoke, 1726-1792. Diary of Margaret Appleton Holyoke Mascarene, 1759. HUM 92, Harvard University Archives.

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The diary is written on interleaved blank pages in a 1759 almanac. The regular, brief diary entries are attributed to Margaret Appleton Holyoke Mascarene. Some entries, beginning in April, appear to be written in a different hand. The second author may have been Mascarene's sister Priscilla Holyoke (1739-1782) given that the entries mention visits by "Pater Mater Epes" and "Bets & Nancy." Priscilla, Margaret, Elizabeth ("Betsy"), and Anna ("Nancy) were the four daughters of Edward and Margaret Holyoke. After Margaret Holyoke's death in 1740, Edward Holyoke married Mary Whipple Epes, the widow of Symond Epes. Entries are typically only a few words and record domestic activities including childrearing, travel, house guests, family illness, and deaths in the community. Mascarene references British victories in the French and Indian War and the measles outbreak of 1759, including the illness of Faro, who may have been Mascarene's slave. Notably, the diary includes entries chronicling the care of Mascarene's newborn son by a nurse. Three interleaved pages at the end of the diary contain a list of expenses and payments and a list of clothing sent to the wet nurse Mrs. Cherry.

Biographical Note

Margaret Appleton Holyoke Mascarene (1726-1792), the eldest child of Harvard's ninth president, Edward Holyoke, and his second wife, Margaret Appleton, was born on September 22, 1726 in Cambridge, Massachusetts. On August 9, 1750, Margaret married Cambridge shipping merchant John Mascarene (1722-1779; Harvard AB 1741). In 1752, Margaret Mascarene returned to her parents' house in Cambridge while John Mascarene traveled to England in an unsuccessful attempt to collect pension money due to his father. The couple lived primarily apart until 1761 when John joined Margaret in Cambridge. In 1764, John received a commission as Comptroller of the Port of Salem. The family lived in Salem until 1779, when they returned to Boston. John worked in a Boston customs house until his death in September 1779. Following her husband's death, Margaret supported the family by selling off her husband's large library and mathematical instrument collection. The items that she could not sell were donated to Harvard. Margaret Mascarene died in Boston on December 21, 1792. Margaret and John Mascarene had at least five children: Elizabeth (1751-1783), Joanna (June 1756-September 1756), Paul (b. 1758; temporary member of the Harvard Class of 1778), Peggy (d. 1760), and John (b. 1766).

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1 at Dr Mayhews 2 [Mrs?] Chissy [Child?] died 3 Peg att Church [?] [Time?] 4 Paul at home M [Cerny] Club [Daned] 5 Mr Gorden's Wife here 6 att Mrs Allen 7 dind with Bets {and} Nancy att Robins 8 Great Storm Betsy {and} Nancy here 9th [Mrs?] Martin buried went to Funeral 9 [Mrs?] Mascarene {and} self went to Cambridge 10 [Betsy?] went to school to [Mr?] Reads {at} 50 [?] 12 Mrs. Perkins {and} Mrs Phillps here 13 14} Staid at home Betty Porter at work here 15 16 [G?] at Church all day Mrs [?] at Cambridge 18 Mrs Stevens here Wach. Mrs P. [Rh?] 19 Mother {and} Nancy here 20 Went to Cambridge both. [Mem.?] Recruitg Officer 21 Went with Nancy {and} Mrs. Stevens to see {Mrs.?} Miriam hot 22 Came home with Mrs. Macon hot 23 [Mr?} M. came home from Cambridge hot G Church all day very hot 25 Mrs Hutchinson here 26 Mrs Perkins here Mrs Brookes buried Fun. Sermon 27 Mrs [Irving?] Buried at Mrs Otis' 28 Fast Day [at?] [Daugher?] Marghery and [?] Mrs M went to Cambridge 29 Dind at Mrs Perkins [?] to [?] [?] 30 at Mrs Fletchers with Mrs. [Gott?] and Mrs M. [?]

Last edit about 4 years ago by lkc
(seq. 12)
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(seq. 12)

July 16th Went to Cambrdige, sent Children to Mr. Minots. Washing day 17 Mr. M. went to Cambridge 19th a great deal Company very cool 20th. at Danas Chamber [?] [?] thing in very great order a dance in the Hall in Evening 21. Let down a Saturday pretty clear of {Company}.

{August} 7th. hottest Day yet felt this Summer [?] 92 Mr. Wilmot saild for London with news of Surrender of Ticonderoga & Niagara & landing at Quebec. {August} 15th. Swept 4 Chimnies [?] back parlour front little parlour from Chamber & Kitchin Chamber 10/ & 7/6 [?]. {August} 28. Betty Raymond came to work

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(seq. 13)
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(seq. 13)

1. At Church all day Paul Chicken Pox 2. Fine Rain [Bow?] at Uncle Eliotte 3. Mr. Sims married to Nanny Gee 4 5 6 Revenge acted at {Cambridge}. Mr [?] Amory [Lielf?] there same day Sir {William} Pepperell died 7 Came home from {Cambridge}. Paul here 8 {Colonel} Hanifield and Lady at Church 9 10 Peggy went to {Cambridge}. with Debby Forten 11 12 13 14 {Colonel} dind at [?] 15 16 Peggys quater begins with Mr. Gooding same day {Colonel} dind at Mr [Ducnonery?] went to [?] Hutchinsons 17 our [?] the way absent one week [?] [?] begin 18 the 23/ 18th Commencement extreme hot 19 very pleasant [visit?] at [Ohi?] Trumballs [?] 20 [name?] day Mr. Emes married 21 See backside of this Leaf }21st John Ledhal, Wife died 22 At Meeting all day Mr. Hill preach 23 Came from Cambridge {brought} Children home Mr. [?] evening 24 Went to Mrs. Hutchinsons 25 Paul, Niagara taken 26 Abishai [Tiondaraga?] taken 27 Went to Mrs. Perkins 28 29 30 Paul here heard of {General} [?] Wolf landing [?] here near Quebec

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(seq. 14)
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1 at Col. Wendely 2 Mr.s Perkins & Hutchinson here meet S. of [Creditors?] 3 Mr.s Perkins & Hutchinson here at Cooper [Lact.?] in [Sujet?] Appletons 4 at Mr. Coopers Lecture 5 6 7 went to Cambridge with Mrs. Perkins 8 9 10 Father & Mother returnd from Journey 11 Nancy & [Paisey?] here Mr. M. went to Cambridge [Woah?] G 13 Great Rejoicings for [Saky?] Niagara, [Fionderaga & Crown Pond?] 14 15 Aunt Holyoke & Uncle here 16 Mother here 17 Mrs. Perkins here & Paul 18 G 20 21 Mrs. Cherry abor. 22 Betty Holyoke from Salem 23 [Abrihaim?] 24 25 din'd at Aunt Minots with Father G at Home all day 27 28 Paul taken very ill with a Fit & fever 29 [Wateh't?] with the Child 30 Debby Dwelly ditto Nancy & Mrs. Perkins here 31 Debby Foriter Do. put on two Blisters

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