A Guide to the Ezra M. Minnick Sr. Diary, 1900 SC 0051

A Guide to the Ezra M. Minnick Sr. Diary, 1900 SC 0051


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James Madison University Libraries Special Collections

820 Madison Drive
MSC 1706
Harrisonburg, Virginia 22807
Telephone: (540) 568-3612
library-special@jmu.edu
URL: https://www.lib.jmu.edu/special/

Tiffany Cole

Repository
James Madison University Libraries Special Collections
Identification
SC 0051
Title
Ezra M. Minnick Sr. diary 1900
Quantity
0.06 cubic feet, 1 letter folder
Creator
Minnick, Ezra M., Sr., 1865-1939
Language
English .
Abstract
The Ezra M. Minnick Sr. Diary, 1900, comprises one Excelsior Diary with daily entries by Timberville, Virginia farmer and government inspector, Ezra M. Minnick Sr. General subject matter includes weather reports, local and state politics, business dealings, and personal news and events.

Administrative Information

Use Restrictions

The copyright interests in this collection have been transferred to the James Madison University Special Collections Library. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu).

Access Restrictions

Collection open to research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the James Madison University Special Collections Library to use this collection.

Preferred Citation

[identification of item], [box #, folder #], Ezra M. Minnick Sr. Diary, 1900, SC 0051, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA.

Acquisition Information

Acquired from M. Benjamin Katz Fine Books/Rare Manuscripts, Toronto, Ontario, Canada in November 2016.


Bio/Historical Note

Ezra M. Minnick Sr. (1865-1939) was a native of Timberville, Virginia. He married Joanna C. Bowman (1861-1934), daughter of David Bowman, on April 24, 1888 at the bride's father's home north of Timberville. They had four children, but only two survived into adulthood - Ezra M. Minnick Jr. (1890-1973) and Millard B. Minnick (1902-1979). Minnick was engaged in farming as his primary occupation, but was also appointed fertilizer inspector for the 7th Congressional District in March 1900. By 1910, Minnick was listed in the federal census as a merchant of farm implements, but eventually went back to farming exclusively. Minnick was an active member of the Lutheran church, specifically Rader's Lutheran Church on the outskirts of Timberville. He served his local congregation in many leadership capacities as a member of the executive committee and secretary of the church council. Minnick was also elected corresponding secretary of the Evangelical Lutheran Tennessee Synod at the annual convention in August 1902. He is buried in Rader's Lutheran Church Cemetery.

Scope and Content

The Ezra M. Minnick Sr. Diary, 1900, is comprised of one Excelsior Diary with daily entries by Timberville, Virginia farmer and government inspector, Ezra M. Minnick Sr. General subject matter includes weather reports, local and state politics, business dealings, and personal news and events.

The bound pocket diary, sold by William F. Murphy's Sons Stationers in Philadelphia, includes printed calendars, moon cycles, information on domestic and foreign currency, interest tables, and "valuable information for business men." Minnick completed diary entries for each day in 1900. On most days Minnick travelled into the town of Timberville to conduct business. He commented daily on weather patterns, made regular mentions of visitors to his home and visiting he did, described his weekly church attendance, local deaths, marriages, other major community happenings including court days. He discussed his interactions with community members including Jonathan Calhoun, Casper Tussing, William J. Arehart, and Peter J. Knupp.

After Minnick was appointed to fertilizer inspector of the 7th District in March 1900, many of his diary entries discuss his duties and responsibilities related to that position. For example, on Wednesday, May 23, 1900 Minnick was "This morning in Winchester at the Taylor House...then went about the place to see the different Fertilizer agents as to how much fertilizer they had received." Entries also include meetings with George B. Keezell (1854-1931), member of the Virginia Senate, and George W. Koiner (1852-1939), commissioner of agriculture in Virginia. Minnick made frequent mentions of his son Ezra Jr., wife Joanna, and 16-year-old live-in servant Mamie in his diary entries.

Other entries of note include:

Tuesday, January 9, 1900 - "Went to Mt. Jackson and attended the annual meeting off the stock holders of Mt. Jackson Natl. Bank. I rode in superintendent E. Ryder's private car from Timberville to Mt. Jackson."

Monday, January 15, 1900 - "I had my petition which I sent to Hon. G. B. Keezel this p. m. to present to Geo. W. Koiner Comr of Agriculture...as I am an applicant for Fertilizer Inspector for the 7th Congressional District."

Monday, March 19, 1900 - "I had a long talk with Geo. B. Keezel in reference to my appointment as fertz. Inspector for the 7th District."

Wednesday, March. 21, 1900 - "I noticed in the Baltimore daily papers I received my appointment as fertilizer Inspector from the 7th district."

Tuesday, March 27, 1900 - "This morning I went down to Mr. Bowman's & found him no better, then to Timberville and there was a letter from G. W. Koiner Commis. Agriculture Richmond Va. Notifying me to be in Richmond next Tuesday."

Saturday, July 28, 1900 - "This morning to Timberville and made ready and went to Fisher's Hill to attend the Reunion of the farmers of Shenandoah Co. On getting on the train I found the Hon. G. W. Koiner on the train, on his way to Fisher's Hill. I had a considerable talk with him, on the way. Not a very large crowd present. Prof. Hughs spoke on the subject of Fruit raising."

The end of the diary includes notes and memoranda for eggs and other farm products sold for the year and miscellaneous accounting notes.

Arrangement

The diary is housed in one letter folder.

Related Material

Per the minutes of the November 13, 2014 and February 12, 2015 Timberville town council meetings, Beverly Garber, town historian, acquired historic documents from the Minnick family, including two diaries, through Ebay.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

  • Agriculture -- Economic aspects
  • Agriculture -- Virginia -- Rockingham County -- History -- Sources
  • Diaries
  • Farm life -- Virginia -- Timberville -- History
  • Farmers -- Virginia -- Timberville
  • Local government -- Virginia -- Timberville
  • Rockingham County (Va.) -- History
  • Virginia -- History, Local -- Sources
  • Weather diaries

Bibliography

"Find A Grave – Ezra M. Minnick Sr., 1865-1939." Find A Grave - Millions of Cemetery Records and Online Memorials. Accessed February 15, 2017. https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=31706844.
"Lutheran Synod's Doings," The Richmond Dispatch, August 26, 1902.
"Married," Our Church Paper, May 2, 1888
Stirewalt, Jermone Paul. A Brief History of Rader's Lutheran Church Near Timberville, Virginia (Rockingham County) from May 20, 1765, to April 11, 1921, To Which is Added an Appendix . New Market, Va.: Henkel & Company's Lutheran Publication Establishment, 1922.
"United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMJ3-NYF : accessed 14 February 2017), Ezra M Minnick, Plains Township (Timberville Precinct) Timberville town, Rockingham, Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 64, sheet 1A, family 4, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,726.
"United States Census, 1910," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MPGC-NCF : accessed 14 February 2017), Ezra M Minnick, Plains, Rockingham, Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 77, sheet 13B, family 250, NARA microfilm publication T624 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1982), roll 1647; FHL microfilm 1,375,660.

Significant Places Associated With the Collection

  • Rockingham County (Va.) -- History
  • Virginia -- History, Local -- Sources

Container List

Mixed Materials [1000886509] box: 1 folder: 1
Ezra M. Minnick Sr. diary
1900