Papers of George Kirby (1794-1882), farmer and local official, of Dartmouth, Mass.; his wife, Abigail H. (Smith) Kirby (1825-1895); their daughter, Rebecca (Kirby) Howland (1825-1895); her husband, Weston Howland (1815-ca. 1901), businessman and merchant, of Fairhaven and New Bedford, Mass.; and their children, Weston, Jr. (1852-1878), Rachel (1853-1934), and Abby S. (1861-1950) Howland, and Alice H. (Howland) Garrett (b. 1867). Chiefly includes personal diaries (1820-1891) of Howland family members and Abigail H. (Smith) Kirby, containing observations on the weather, trips taken, social activities, and daily and family affairs. Diaries of Weston Howland, Jr., include notes on the arrival of whaling ships in New Bedford and details of a controversy over the New Bedford-Fairhaven bridge; those of Abby S., and Rachel describe a trip taken by Abby to New York, N.Y., and Washington, D.C. (1888) and women preaching at Friends meetings; and diaries of Abigail H. (Smith) Kirby reflect her philosophical and religious life as well as involvement in the Dartmouth Friends meeting. Also contains correspondence, diaries, poems, property records, and other papers of Weston Howland, his wife, daughter, Alice H. (Howland) Garrett, and his mother, Abigail (Hathaway) Howland (1774-1867); papers of George Kirby including town records (1827-1849) of Dartmouth, Mass., particularly relating to his duties as town treasurer; and genealogical materials.
