James G. Vail Diary, 1889

Archive

-

Genesee Country Village & Museum

Name/Title

James G. Vail Diary, 1889

Entry/Object ID

2008.002.7

Scope and Content

Diary of James Gardner Vail dated 1889. Written while Vail lived in Victor, NY. He writes about a church fundraising carnival where the ladies of the church dressed up as various professions. His wife Libby dressed as "Curtice the Undertaker", based on the actual undertaker in the town. He sent in to another contest, this one being a house floor plan. He talks about outings and shopping trips. Their preacher Rev. C. W. Backus moved to Kansas and a town member set off a cannon in salute and scared the townspeople. Libby was so sick she couldn't keep anything down and she lost 23 pounds. They didn't realize at this point she was pregnant, them having been married for 10 years and having no children. And at the end of the diary James writes about his father being taken suddenly ill while visiting for Christmas and that they realized he was dying. That evening James held the light for the post-mortem and explains in great detail what they found.

Context

James Gardner Vail was born in Romulus, NY in 1842. He was a prominent photographer In Geneva, NY. He married Mary Elizabeth "Libbie" Broughton of Victor, NY on December 3rd 1879. In 1881 he moved to Victor, NY. For many years he worked there in the store of William Gallup, his wife's uncle. Aside from five years spent in the south, including Morganton, NC, they lived in Vitor until 1908 when they moved to Romulus to live on the old Vail homestead. After his wife passed away James lived the last years of his life with his son, Robert W. G. Vail in New Rochelle, NY. James Vail passed away in 1929. Enos Smith Vail, the father of James, was instrumental in the formation of the Romulus Female Seminary. The building was moved to the GCV&M in 1970.

Collection

James Gardner Vail Collection

Archive Details

Creator

Vail, James Gardner

Date(s) of Creation

1868 - 1925

Archive Size/Extent

10 small volumes, several with loose documents associated

Primary Language

English

Archive Items Details

Title

1889 Diary of James G. Vail

Description

Diary from 1889

Creator

Vail, James Gardner

Date(s) of Creation

1889

Search Terms

Contains one sheet of paper outlining the "Duties of the Republican Committee".

Dimensions

Height

5 in

Width

3-1/8 in

Depth

1/2 in

Relationships

Related Person or Organization

Person or Organization

Vail, James Gardner, Vail, Mary Elizabeth Boughton (Libbie)

Related Places

Place

Town

Victor

State/Province

New York

Country

United States of America

Continent

North America