Stewart's Diary for 1860

This diary was kept by John H. Calder of St. George's, Delaware, from January 1, 1860, to December 8, 1860, and contains daily entries mentioning the weather, financial transactions, local events, and social calls.

Calder’s diary entries documented life on the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal and frequently mentioned the passing of boats and the condition of the canal itself. He also detailed events occurring locally and in Delaware City, Delaware, his frequent church attendance, social gatherings, and the health of his family. There were multiple mentions of Delaware notable G.W. Townsend, with whom he served on the building committee of St. George's Methodist Episcopal Church. There are several gaps in the diary, where no entries were made. These gaps are from August 20 to August 30, September 10 to October 30, November 14 to November 30, December 6 and 7, and December 9 till the end of the year.

The diary is bound and contains 128 pages, 108 of which are used. The cover of the diary has the title "Daily Register 1860." The owner of the diary is identified in the front of the diary with the inscription "John H. Calder, St. George's, Del." The first page of the diary provides its title and a statement of its use: "containing a blank for every day in the year, for the record of interesting daily occurrences and future engagements." It also indicates that it was published yearly by "Moss, Brother & Co., Publishers, Booksellers and Stationers, Philadelphia." On the two pages before the entries begin, there is a calendar for the year 1860 and a table showing the number of days from any day in one month, to the same day in another month.

After the end of the entries on December 31 (though Calder's last entry was December 8), there are sections for memoranda and cash accounts by month. In both of these sections Calder lists purchases made and the amount of money paid for the purchases. The last section of the diary contains entries for bills, both payable and receivable, by month.