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• The Journal
• Names Mentioned
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The Journal of Charles Rawn
September 14, 1850 to October 15, 1850 (Book 22)

Edited by Joseph Yanosik

This transcription of the Rawn journal covers a one month period from September 14, 1850 to October 15, 1850.¹ This short time span gives an inside view of a middle-class family and society in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania in the middle of the nineteenth century. It showed both the constants and changes of life. Rawn’s entries follow basically the same format: weather, shopping with costs, receipt of money and its sources, the law practice, and family and personal time.

It was early fall, and the weather was changing. The entries concerning the weather were generally "Clear ~ fine ~ pleasant," with an increase in such terms as "Cool, "Coolish," "Windy," "Cloudy," "Heavy Rain," "Thunder lightning," "bracing," and then "very hard white frost." On September 26-27, 1850,² the weather was extremely bad with heavy rain, wind, and thunderstorms. On October 10, 1850,³ Rawn had a leaky roof repaired on his house and privy. Rawn did not comment whether the two incidents were connected.

In the middle of the nineteenth century, refrigeration was non-existent and food shopping was a daily occurrence. The meticulous entries showed the groceries purchased and the prices paid. With the changing of the seasons and the coming of fall, Rawn stocked up for the winter. This included the purchase of additional bushels of peaches, apples, and quinces. The quinces and a portion of the apples were used to make quince butter. He then detailed and computed the cost of each quart produced. With winter approaching, Rawn purchased coal and wood for the house and hay and grain for the horses. The wood was cut and split.

The entries concerning the receipt of money usually involved Rawn’s law practice. This included the collection of money from the tenants of the rental properties owned by the heirs of James Trimble as well as for other professional services he provided. Occasionally Rawn was paid for his services in goods rather than currency.

Rawn did not always mention the services performed in the law practice. However, those mentioned included the collection of rent, problems with a circus, an advertisement in a publication, and the representation of three runaway slaves charged with horse stealing in Virginia. This last service was the most interesting. The entry for September 28, 1850 was both intriguing and confusing. In it he wrote, "Bal. Fee $10.50 (1:24 iml[?]) the same being for my profl,, [professional] services last Aug/, 6 on behalf of the 3 Col,d [Colored] Men charged with horse stealing in Va [Virginia], they to apply especially to the heavily on the Hab [Habeas] Corp. [Corpus] the issue for them, (1-2 Buel.[?]) My other Services on the Hab. [Habeas] Corp. [Corpus] for the Slave holders here incidentally commenced with the former but formed no part of my engagement[?] for a fee of $25."⁴ The entry for September 30, 1850 was interesting and informative. Rawn wrote, "Negroes ([?] acy[?] + St[?], Cart[?]) taken from town to day by Taylor their Master after ~ hearing on part of claimant (Taylor) by his oath and that of only one other Witness before Rcite[?]:. McAllester [McAlister?] – App. [Application?] Sem[?]:. under Fugitive Slave law just passed by Congres [Congress]. The law is an abomination and the hearing a farce [.]"⁵ This was the application of the new Fugitive Slave Act (1850) and Rawn’s opinion of the law. The Fugitive Slave Act, approved by Congress on September 18, 1850 as part of the Compromise of 1850, required northerners to apprehend runaway slaves and return them to the southern slave holders; it also made it a crime to assist the slaves in any way.⁶ Notes and Queries, Historical and Genealogical describes Rawn on this subject. It states, "He was an ernest [sic] antagonist of human slavery and during the days of the Fugitive Slave law, was the eloquent pleader in behalf of the poor black."⁷ Rawn accepted the case on August 6, 1850; it was adjudicated on September 30, 1850, twelve days after the passage of the Act. This was a fractious time for both Rawn and the nation.

The entries under the subjects of personal, family, and community occurrences vary. Children are a major theme in the document. Journal entries concerned with daily life usually mentioned Chas, or son Charles Rawn, Jr. The evening carriage rides and walks always included the children. Deaths of children within the community are also mentioned. In the short one month period covered, Rawn attended the funerals of two young children. The first was "Milliaws little boy" on September 14, 1850⁸ and the second was "Young son between 2 + 3 yrs old of Wm. [William] L. McGeneby" on October 13, 1850.⁹ In fact, Rawn’s carriage struck and almost seriously injured or killed a young boy, Nilliam [William?] Alcocks, on the return trip from the Milliaws funeral. By the fall of 1850, Rawn’s wife Frances had given birth to seven children. Of these, three had died at an early age: Elizabeth Rawn, born 1835, died March 19, 1838; James C. Rawn, born 1840, died April 12, 1842; and Joseph Rawn, born 1840, died April 12, 1842.¹⁰ Rawn’s sister-in-law, Frances’ sister, Mrs. William[?] Bealty, gave birth to a daughter on October 3, 1850.¹¹ Additional entries included Rawn’s critique of a theatrical performance on September 17, 1850¹² and voting a straight Democratic ticket on October 8, 1850.¹³ Rawn was interested in culture and Democratic politics.

Rawn’s family and personal time included carriage rides with the family, horseback rides, and evenings at Herr’s Hotel, where he socialized and read the newspaper. The entries were generally short and plain. Rawn did meet Governor Porter and General Purvcanie at the hotel.

The Journal

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Transcriptions for this section of the journal begin September 14, 1850 and end October 15, 1850. Click on a date to begin reading.

List of Names Mentioned

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• Alcock?, William - (9/14/50)
• Acsscoye?, Sude - (9/18/50)
• Bacbaugh, Mr. - (9/28/50)
• Bank, Hon. Ephraim - Judge? (9/20/50)
• Bealty, Mrs. - Wife of William Bealty and sister of Frances Rawn (10/3/50)
• Bealty, William P. - Husband of Frances Rawn’s sister? (10/2/50)
• Becks, Peter - Farmer, orchard? (10/5/50, 10/8/50)
• Ben, Rev. C. - Minister (9/22/50)
• Berry?, Samuel - (10/4/50)
• Biggs, Hillary - Chambersburg, PA (9/17/50)
• Bisly?, Joseph [Joseph B. Siles?] - Roofer? (10/10/50)
• Boas, Bill - Born Sept. 1803; purchased interest in Reporter; cashier and clerk in the State Treasurer’s Dept. in the administrations of Bickel, Bailey, Magraw, and McGreth - 1866-68 one of the publishers of the Patriot (9/24/50)
• Buchanan, Mr. - Possibly Mr. James Buchanan, future president of U.S. (9/20/50)
• Buffington - (9/18/50)
• Buffington, Hill - Involved in the Buffington business (9/19/50)
• Buffington, B. + L. H. - Wood and coal business? (9/30/50)
• Bunckle, William H., Esq. - (10/12/50)
• Calvin - John Calvin Rawn, son (9/14/50, 9/15/50, 9/22/50)
• Charles - Charles C. Rawn, Jr., son (10/1/50)
• Charley - Charles C. Rawn Jr., son (9/18/50)
• Chas - Charles C. Rawn Jr., son (9/14/50, 9/28/50, 10/13/50)
• Children - Charles C. Rawn, Jr., Mary Scott Glendin/Clendenin, Frances Glendin/Clendenin Rawn, and John Calvin Rawn (9/22/50, 9/24/50, 9/25/50, 9/28/50, 9/29/50, 10/2/50, 10/3/50, 10/4/50, 10/5/50, 10/6/50, 10/8/50)
• Clendenin, Frazer - Related to Mrs. Rawn? Possibly brother or cousin? (9/28/50)
• Clendenin, Mary Scott - Daughter (9/22/50, 10/13/50)
• Cunkle?, Cesula - Tailor? (9/16/50)
• Eldred, [Elderly?] + Robinson - Circus (9/20/50)
• Elderly - Circus owner (9/16/50)
• Eldrid, [Elderly?] Robinson - Circus Productions (9/17/50)
• Evans?, Church - (10/9/50)
• Fackler?, Elizabeth - (9/28/50)
• Fox office - (10/12/50)
• Frazer, Richard?, Esq. - (10/12/50)
• Galiric, J. - (9/17/50)
• Garman, Mr. Young - (10/8/50)
• Heile?, possibly Henry Heikel? - Boatman - (9/16/50)
• Helfatten?, Edward Pollock - (9/17/50)
• Helter?, Buck P. - (9/24/50)
• Henry’s Hose - Clothing store? (9/28/50)
• Huci?, Hikel I. - Circus (9/17/50)
• Hines?, William M. - (9/24/50)
• Hinnlte property, possibly Hite? - Farmer (9/17/50)
• Hionfl?, Mary - (9/19/50)
• Hos?, J. - (10/9/50)
• Hubrei?, Mary - (9/17/50)
• Hubrei, Charity - Daughter of Mary Hubrei (9/17/50)
• Hundatnia? - (9/17/50)
• Hunief?, Thaltery - (9/18/50)
• Hunkundy?, J. B., Esq. - Philadelphia, PA (9/20/50)
• Kean? Hean?, Colonel G. - (9/24/50)
• Kee Kee - (9/17/50)
• Lons - (9/17/50)
• Lykens Valley Coal - (9/19/50)
• M, Rev. J. - Minister (9/22/50)
• MacAlbiden - (9/14/50)
• Mason, Charley - Handyman? (9/14/50, 9/19/50, 9/21/50, 9/26/50)
• Mason, Elizabeth - Wife of Charley Mason? (10/9/50)
• Mcalleclin? - (10/10/50)
• McAllester?, possibly McAlister – Magistrate? (9/30/50)
• McCormick office - (10/12/50)
• McFerial, Rences - Maker of some kind (9/18/50)
• Mcffthell? - (9/16/50)
• McGeneby, William L. - Son (10/13/50)
• McKean, Samuel - Washington, D. C. (10/10/50)
• McKnight, Mr. - Agent for Eldred [Elderly?] + Robinson (9/20/50)
• McMesich, Rev. - Minister (9/14/50)
• McRudy, Old - (9/22/50)
• Miler?, C. J., Chas Q. Miller? - Germantown, PA (9/27/50, 10/10/50, 10/15/50)
• Milliaws, Son of - (9/14/50)
• Mills, Elizabeth B. - Chester, PA (9/14/50)
• Miste?, Cha - (9/20/50)
• Mohlery?, Catherine - (10/12/50)
• Orth, Mr. George - Shoemaker (10/12/50)
• Porter, Governor - Governor David Rittenhouse Porter; came from prominent family; born October 31, 1788 and died August 6, 1867; Pennsylvania governor January 15, 1839 to January 21, 1845, Jacksonian Democrat (10/11/50)
• Posles?, Joseph [Siles? Giles?] - Roofer? (10/11/50)
• Puee? Puce?, Susan H. - Letter writer (9/20/50)
• Purvcanie?, General (10/11/50)
• Rapp, Sam - Lancaster, PA (9/27/50)
• Rauch?, Bernard - Married to Sarah Wombech in 1811, six children (10/10/50)
• Rawn, Frances (9/29/50)
• Red - (9/16/50)
• Robinson - Circus owner (9/16/50)
• Ruth + Hawkins - Business, wine shop? (9/18/50)
• Seibert, Mr. - (10/15/50)
• Sey, Elizabeth - Wife of William Sey (9/16/50)
• Sey, William - Husband of Elizabeth Sey (10/3/50)
• Sharpie? J. B. - Possibly James B. Sharpe, born 1784 and died 1861 (9/27/50)
• Sights, Henry - Farmer (10/4/50)
• Slaves - Acy[?], Cart[?], St[?] (9/30/50)
• Taylor - Slaveholder (9/30/50)
• Thompson, Edward - Possibly husband of Janice B. Thompson (9/24/50)
• Thompson, James P. - Carlisle, PA, possibly related to Edward and/or Janice Thompson (10/3/50)
• Thompson, Janice B. - Possibly wife of Edward Thompson (9/16/50)
• Trimble Estate - Estate of James Trimble (10/7/50)
• Trimble heirs - Heirs of James Trimble (9/25/50)
• Trimble, Mr. H., Esq. - One of the Trimble heirs (9/24/50)
• Trimble, James - Deceased businessman in Harrisburg; Rawn collected rent on the Trimble properties for the heirs (9/24/50)
• Unger, Benjamin - Son of David Unger? (10/9/50)
• Unger, David - Blacksmith (10/9/50)
• Utz, Mrs. George - Tenant in Trimble property (10/7/50)
• Utz, Lydia - Daughter of Mrs. George Utz (10/7/50)
• Wife - Frances Rawn (9/18/50, 9/22/50, 9/24/50, 9/25/50, 9/28/50, 10/2/50, 10/3/50, 10/5/50, 10/6/50, 10/13/50)
• Williams, Mr. - Possibly Mr. Evan Williams (9/21/50)
• Williams, Ezestiel - Cleaning lady? (10/12/50)
• Wisler, Chas. S. - Germantown, PA (10/3/50)
• Yace (9/18/50)
• Yeager, Margaret - Tenant in Trimble property (9/17/50, 9/25/50)
• Ziegler?, George (9/16/50)

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Book 22: 1850-09-14 to 1850-10-15