Skip to main content

Laduska Walker Sears Diary

 Collection
Identifier: MS-107

Scope and Contents

Laduska Walker Sears' diary and recipe book contains a short entry for nearly every day from January-August 1876, when she was about 19 years old. Most entries are 2-3 sentences long and most describe her daily housework as a young unmarried woman, living in her parents' home. She mentions her "duties" each day, including washing, cooking, ironing, sewing, gardening and scrubbing floors. She also mentions numerous visits with friends and family. After August, almost all of the diary entries are obscured by recipe clippings that were pasted on top of the pages. Several handwritten recipes are also present. See also the diaries by James Knox Sears, Laduska's husband, written several years after her death (MS.108).

Dates

  • Creation: 1876

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Pacific University owns the copyright to some, but not all, of the materials housed in its archives. Copyright for materials authored or otherwise produced as official business of Pacific University is retained by Pacific University and requires its permission for publication. Copyright status for other collection materials varies. Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.) beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Works not in the public domain cannot be commercially exploited without permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

Biographical Note

Laduska Jane Walker Sears lived from 1857-1903 in Polk County, Oregon. According to her obituary, she was the daughter of pioneers Walter Montgomery and Jane Walker. She was born in the log cabin on their donation claim in Spring Valley, which was a community about 10 miles northwest of Salem, later known as the town of Zena. She married James Knox Sears in 1878 and lived most of her adult life in the town of McCoy, Polk County. She died in 1903, leaving five children: Maude, Dora, Winnette, Bernice and Earl.

Extent

1 folders (1 folder)

Language of Materials

English

Summary

Laduska Jane Walker Sears lived from 1857-1903 in Polk County, Oregon. Her diary and recipe book contains a short entry for nearly every day from January-August 1876, when she was about 19 years old, as well as recipes.

Location

Housed in MS File Box 3.

Accruals

No additions to this collection are expected.

Title
Guide to the Laduska Walker Sears Diary
Status
In Progress
Author
Eva Guggemos
Date
2014
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Code for undetermined script
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English.
Sponsor
Sponsored by a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission

Repository Details

Part of the Pacific University Archives Repository

Contact:
2043 College Way
Forest Grove OR 97116 United States