| Quantity: | 3 boxes (1.0 cubic ft.) |
|---|---|
| Access: | Open to research |
| Acquisition: | Gift: David Goodman, Palo Alto, Calif., January 1996 |
| Processed By: | Fred Bassett, Manuscripts and Special Collections, February 1996; revised July 2014 |
George A. Fairley was born in October 1851, apparently the only child of William (1824-1883) and Mary M. (Safford) Fairley (1820-1908). He worked almost his entire life on the family dairy farm located in the Town of Argyle, Washington, County, New York. George Fairley was married three times. First, he was married to Elizabeth "Libbie" Safford, the daughter of Nathan Freeman (1813-1880) and Elizabeth Ann "Betsey" (Gilis) Safford (1819-1899), on January 1, 1879. She was born December 10, 1856, and died December 30, 1900. They had no children. He was married again May 28, 1905, to Dora B. (Sammis) Dickens, the widow of the late Alfred Dickens of Ridgefield, Connecticut. Dora was born October 11, 1856 and passed away September 2, 1909. George was married the third and final time sometime between 1910 and 1915 to Martha M. [?], who apparently survived him when he died on May 18, 1935. There were no offspring from the latter two marriages either.
This collection of diaries kept by George Fairley, a farmer who resided in the Town of Argyle, Washington County, New York, cover most years from 1867 to 1929. Although there are a number of gaps in the record, the diaries provide a good depiction of farm and rural life in upstate New York during the time period. Weather conditions are a recurrent theme as are details of farm chores before and after mechanization. The diaries also provide information about livestock production, personal and family finances as well as news about community happenings including births, deaths, and marriages.
| Box | Volume | Contents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | Diary, 1867 (ca. 200 p.; 12 cm.) |
| 1 | 2 | Diary, 1869 (ca. 150 p.; 16 cm.) |
| 1 | 3 | Diary, 1870 (ca. 150 p.; 15 cm.) |
| 1 | 4 | Diary, 1871 (ca. 150 p.; 15 cm.) |
| 1 | 5 | Diary, 1872 (ca. 150 p.; 15 cm.) |
| 1 | 6 | Diary, 1873 (ca. 130 p.; 12 cm.) |
| 1 | 7 | Diary, 1874 (ca. 130 p.; 12 cm.) |
| 1 | 8 | Diary, 1875 (ca. 150 p.; 16 cm.) |
| 1 | 9 | Diary, 1877 (ca. 200 p.; 15 cm.) |
| 1 | 10 | Diary, 1879 (ca. 200 p.; 15 cm.) |
| 1 | 11 | Diary, 1880 (ca. 200 p.; 16 cm.) |
| 1 | 12 | Diary, 1881 (ca. 200 p.; 16 cm.) |
| 1 | 13 | Diary, 1882 (ca. 150 p.; 15 cm.) |
| 1 | 14 | Diary, 1883 (ca. 200 p.; 16 cm.) |
| 1 | 15 | Diary, 1884 (ca. 150 p.; 15 cm.) |
| 1 | 16 | Diary, 1885 (ca. 150 p.; 15 cm.) |
| 1 | 17 | Diary, 1886 (ca. 150 p.; 12 cm.) |
| 1 | 18 | Diary, 1887 (ca. 150 p.; 15 cm.) |
| 1 | 19 | Diary, 1888 (ca. 150 p.; 15 cm.) |
| 2 | 20 | Diary, 1890 (ca. 200 p.; 12 cm.) |
| 2 | 21 | Diary, 1891 (ca. 200 p.; 12 cm.) |
| 2 | 22 | Diary, 1892 (ca. 200 p.; 12 cm.) |
| 2 | 23 | Diary, 1893 (ca. 200 p.; 12 cm.) |
| 2 | 24 | Diary, 1894 (ca. 200 p.; 12 cm.) |
| 2 | 25 | Diary, 1895 (ca. 200 p.; 12 cm.) |
| 2 | 26 | Diary, 1896 (ca. 200 p.; 15 cm.) |
| 2 | 27 | Diary, 1897 (ca. 200 p.; 15 cm.) |
| 2 | 28 | Diary, 1898 (ca. 200 p.; 16 cm.) |
| 2 | 29 | Diary, 1899 (ca. 200 p.; 16 cm.) |
| 2 | 30 | Diary, 1900 (ca. 200 p.; 16 cm.) |
| 2 | 31 | Diary, 1903 (ca. 200 p.; 16 cm.) |
| 2 | 32 | Diary, 1905 (ca. 200 p.; 16 cm.) |
| 2 | 33 | Diary, 1906 (ca. 200 p.; 16 cm.) |
| 3 | 34 | Diary, 1907 (ca. 200 p.; 16 cm.) |
| 3 | 35 | Diary, 1908 (ca. 200 p.; 16 cm.) |
| 3 | 36 | Diary, 1909 (ca. 200 p.; 16 cm.) |
| 3 | 37 | Diary, 1911 (ca. 200 p.; 16 cm.) |
| 3 | 38 | Diary, 1915 (ca. 400 p.; 16 cm.) |
| 3 | 39 | Diary, 1918 (ca. 400 p.; 16 cm.) |
| 3 | 40 | Diary, 1920 (ca. 400 p.; 16 cm.) |
| 3 | 41 | Diary, 1921 (ca. 400 p.; 16 cm.) |
| 3 | 42 | Diary, 1924 (ca. 400 p.; 16 cm.) |
| 3 | 43 | Diary, 1925 (ca. 400 p.; 16 cm.) |
| 3 | 44 | Diary, 1928 (ca. 400 p.; 16 cm.) |
| 3 | 45 | Diary, 1929 (ca. 400 p.; 16 cm.) |