Journal kept in 2 volumes by Bradley N. Cumings of Boston. Cumings, a worker at the dry goods firm of Albert Hobart & Co. and later a partner with Aaron Hobart in Hobart, Cumings & Co., began his diary in 1828 at the age of 16, continued it almost daily through 1836, and more sporadically from 1837-38, 1842-45, 1847. The first year includes both diary and commonplace-type entries, including anecdotes, verses, etc., and the first 12 pages of the second volume contain solely commonplace entries. Entries from 1828-36 describe in detail his attendance at numerous sermons, often of various denominations even within a given day, lectures on a variety of topics, and meetings, including the Young Men's Benevolent Society of which he was a member, the Antimasonic Party, anti-slavery groups, temperance societies, and later the Whig party. Among the other topics discussed in some detail are the weather; current political news, particularly local, state, and national election results; business news, including the departure and arrival of ships and failures of local businesses, particularly in 1829; fires; crimes; accidents and deaths; theater attendance and other social activities; the cholera epidemic of 1834; and numerous short trips, mostly in New England. Entries from 1837 relate primarily to elections and travel to Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Washington, and Montreal. The collection also contains a phrenological sketch of Mr. Cumings done in 1838.
