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Seth Dame Diaries
Collection Description:
Seth Dame was a lifelong resident of Nottingham, operating a printing press out of his home on Lucas Pond Road. He was a selectman for the town, and he was a columnist for the Exeter Newsletter for 50 years, from 1880 to 1929, keeping readers informed of the happenings in West Nottingham. Seth Dame maintained diaries, ten in all, from the age of nineteen to seventy-four, and nine of these original diaries were donated to the town.
In his diaries, which are beautifully written, Seth describes everyday activities such as visiting friends and neighbors (where many familiar Nottingham names are mentioned), playing the fiddle for dances at Freeman Hall, working at his printing press, and participating in local town politics. He also makes note of national events, like the elections and deaths of presidents and the San Francisco earthquake, as well as world events, including the sinking of the Titanic and sighting of Halley’s Comet. At the conclusion of each year, Seth lists marriages, births, and deaths that occurred in Nottingham, as he knew them. He also documents weather conditions which have proved to be invaluable to scientists studying weather patterns in this area.
Managing Organization:
Nottingham Historical Society >>
Contact Name:
Leanne Gast
Contact Email:
lrgast@comcast.net
Contact Phone:
(603) 942-5627
Building/Location:
Van Dame Museum
Geographical Focus:
Town: Nottingham
Time Period:
1881-1936
Collection Size:
9 diaries
