The Journal of Charles Rawn
June 1, 1834 to June 30, 1834 (Book 5)

Edited by Andrea Bashore

During the month of June, 1834, attorney Charles C. Rawn recorded daily entries in his journal, including brief remarks on the weather and his professional, family and personal activities. June seemed to be a cool start to the summer season, according to Rawn’s weather notations. Frequently clear and beautiful, the temperature remained low enough that he was required to "have fire" in his office during the month’s early days and wear "Big Coats" for comfort while working in his office and at the Supreme Court. Later in the month, temperatures became warmer with rain and occasional thunder gusts. Rawn left off his Muslin undershirt for the first time of the season on June 24, a day he describes as clear, cloudy and very warm.

Throughout the month, Rawn pursued certain pastimes: walking or riding horses early in the morning for exercise before the heat of the day, and walking in the cool evenings with his wife, Frances, who is mentioned in numerous entries along with members of her family, the Clendenins. Together, Charles and Frances visited and took tea with friends and family, strolled along the canal, dined on strawberries and cream and enjoyed cool ice cream.

Sundays found Rawn and his family attending DeWitt's church (Presbyterian) or visiting other congregations including the Methodist church. It was a day of rest and relaxation.

Rawn’s professional legal responsibilities occupied much of his time. He attended cases at the Supreme Court and provided legal services to many clients. Correspondence was vital to his role as an attorney, and he recorded letters received and written, accompanied by the postage costs that he paid.

Rawn used his journal to record a variety of financial transactions. The meticulous accounting includes monies owed to him from clients, payments made to clients, payments received on accounts, money expended in the purchase of land as sole owner and in partnership, and amounts paid for goods, clothing and medicine secured at a number of Harrisburg stores and hotels. Payments made to his valet, Jacob, and a black man for services rendered, are also recorded. He paid $2.00 to his mother-in-law Clendenin for boarding the black girl, Susan, on June 9, 1834. Rawn seems a generous and compassionate individual who gave small amounts of money to the poor and to children.

Attorney Rawn’s position in society is suggested by his associations with other prominent attorneys, judges and members of Congress from the Harrisburg district. These professional relationships sometimes extended into evening social engagements involving Rawn’s wife and the wives and daughters of his peers.

While Rawn recorded very few details about his wife, Frances’ wardrobe other than mentioning a silk dress, a belt, side combs, bonnet bows, and flowered handkerchiefs, he stated he received a black bombazine vest and pantaloons from G.S. Kemble (Taylor) [sic] on Saturday, June 7, 1834. These men’s garments are of interest as a clue to Rawn’s position in Harrisburg society. Black bombazine was a favorite period fabric for men’s summer formal wear and for formal mourning.1 Pantaloons were very much in fashion, also for men’s formal wear until the mid-nineteenth century, being a transitional style between the breeches of the eighteenth century and the looser trousers popular post-1825 for general use. Pantaloons fitted closely, like tights, and often had side slits that buttoned at the ankles and straps under the instep to keep them taut.2 With his matching black vest, and white shirt, collar, cravat, and frock coat, Rawn could cut a fine figure in company.

Perhaps the most significant day of the month was June 27 when Rawn attended a Town Meeting at the Court House in Harrisburg to make arrangements for a memorial service to honor the memory of the Marquis de LaFayette, supporter of the American Revolution, advisor to George Washington, and Major General who fought on the American side at Brandywine and Yorktown, and who died the previous month on May 20, 1834.3 Unfortunately, Rawn did not include details of the planned ceremony.

The month closed quietly with rain and slight illness – Frances had a "soar" throat and Rawn himself took medicine to counteract bile.

Overall, the entries made by attorney Charles C. Rawn in his journal during June 1834 described the busy, active daily round of a respectable and responsible, 31-year old professional gentleman who exhibited Victorian morals in his dedication to family, work, religion, charity and friendship.

Footnotes

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1 - Florence M. Montgomery, Textiles in America 1650-1870 (New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1984), 172,175.

2 - Norah Waugh, The Cut of Men’s Clothes 1600-1900 (New York: Routledge, 1964), 116-117.

3 - http://library.thinkquest.org/10966/data

The Journal

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Transcriptions for this section of the journal begin June 1, 1834 and end June 30, 1834. Click on a date to begin reading.

List of Names Mentioned

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  • Alricks [possibly Alricks, Hamilton] - Auditor
  • Appleton, T. A. - Defendant in court case
  • Baskin [also Baskins] - Named in court case vs Commonwealth
  • Battis - Named in court case with Crabb vs Commonwelath
  • Benners, Jas - Of D. Stukert & Co, Philadelphia, wrote letter to Rawn
  • Boas’ - Store; Rawn paid for a Stiff brush here
  • Boyd, James - Owed money to Rawn with G. E. Briggs
  • Brady - Young man who delivered letter from Dr. Fitzpatrick to Rawn
  • Brady, Danl.
  • Breed, David - Wrote to Rawn from West Chester, PA
  • Brewster, F. E. - Philadelphia attorney
  • Briggs - Met Rawn while walking
  • Briggs, G. E. - Owed money to Rawn with James Boyd
  • Buchanan, Jas. - Attorney, late minister to Russia
  • Buck, Miss - Met Rawn while walking
  • Buckley - Hotel
  • Buehlens
  • Buffington - Named in court case vs Commonwealth
  • Bulkley, Chauncey - Attorney
  • Cameron, Mr.
  • Campbell, Mrs. - Took tea with Rawn, Frances & her mother, Mrs. Cox, Mrs. Watts of Carlisle
  • Cap - Met Rawn while walking
  • Capps - Store, possibly same as Rhoads & Cappstones, Rawn paid for a Belt for Frances here
  • Carson, Charles - Bought land in Portsmouth with Rawn
  • Caspar - Went to school with W. Shunk
  • Clarke, Wm.
  • Clarkson, J. G. - Philadelphia attorney
  • Clendenin, Elizth. - Rawn’s mother-in-law
  • Clendenin, Mo. [Mr.] J. [Joseph?] - Went to Columbia with Sarah Haldeman
  • Clendenin, M. L. - Also Mary L. Clendenin [possibly Clendenin, M.S. or Mary S. Clendenin]
  • Clendenin, Mary - [Also Mary Scott] went to church with Frances
  • Clendenin, Mother - Frances’ Rawn’s mother
  • Cook - Named in court case vs Commonwealth
  • Cox - Met Rawn while walking
  • Cox, Mr.
  • Cox, Mrs. - Took tea with Rawn, Frances & her mother, Mrs. Campbell of Carlisle, Mrs. Watts
  • Crabb - Named in court case with Battis vs Comth [Commonwealth]
  • Dallas, Geo. M. - Philadelphia attorney general
  • Darie, Mrs. - Visitor from Philadelphia with Mrs. Wharton & Miss Watts
  • Davis, Mr. [possibly Davies] - Attorney
  • Douglas, Saml. - Lancaster attorney
  • Eberman’s - Sold ice cream
  • Elder, Thos. - Attorney
  • Elders, Carson & Espys - Store, sold white grafs [sic] material to Rawn for Round about
  • Evans, Mr. - [Possibly John Evans] named in court case with Heis & Lowman
  • Fahnestock, Judge
  • Fitzpatrick, Dr. Jas. - From Williamsport
  • Forster, Major Mr. [Also Forster, Mo. [Mr.] M.]
  • Fox, Mo. [Mr.] - Sheriff
  • Franklin’s - Rawn borrowed the ‘Globe’of 30 May 34 here
  • Fribel - Named in court case vs Comth [Commonwealth]
  • Galbraith, Mo [Mr.] - Member of Congress from Rawn’s District
  • Gibson - Chief Justice [also Judge Gibson]
  • Gibson, Anna Barbara - Daughter of Chief Justice Gibson
  • Glafs, Alexander - Gave deposition in court case Hetzel vs Shannon
  • Green, Ashbel - Attorney, Col. Lan. Co. PA [also Green, A. - attorney, Col. L. Co. PA]
  • Halderman, Mary - Married to R. Rofs
  • Haldeman, Sarah - Went to Columbia with Mo. [Mr.] J. Clendenin
  • Haluhens - Store
  • Hargens, John - Irish soldier who fought in Revolutionary War
  • Harris - Attorney, possibly with McClure & Harris
  • Harrisvill - Named in court case vs Comth [Commonwealth]
  • Heis - Named in court case with Evans & Lowman
  • Henderson - Met Rawn while walking
  • Henries, Natl. - Owned various horses ridden by Rawn
  • Henzy, Jos. B. - Attorney, owed Rawn money
  • Hetzel - Named in court case vs Shannon
  • Hetzel, Dr.
  • Hughes, E. P. - Named in court case with Cox
  • Johnson, Mr. - Auction
  • Jones - Store, Rawn paid for bonnet bows for Frances here [milliner?]
  • Katterman - Named in court case vs Stitzer
  • Kemble, G. S. - Taylor [sic]
  • Kennedy - Justice
  • Kennedy, Eliza - Daughter of Justice Kennedy
  • Kennedy, [?] - Another daughter of Justice Kennedy
  • King, Geo. - Wrote letter to Rawn from Bellefonte, Centre County, PA
  • Knox’s - Store, Rawn paid for Sundries here
  • Kreide [also Kreider], Gottlieb - Paid fees to Rawn
  • La Fayettee [sic] - Died 20th March 1834, mourned at Town Meeting at Court House
  • Leach [also Leech], Richd T. - County Treasurer
  • Lee, Charles - Named in court case vs Lyon & Morgan
  • Leslie’s
  • Lochman’s - Store, Rawn paid for Mineral water here
  • Lowman - Named in court case with Heis & Evans
  • Lutz’s - Rawn paid for camomile flowers & medicine for Frances’ soar [sic] throat here [apothecary?]
  • Lyon & Morgan - Named in court case vs Charles Lee
  • Lyons, Timothy - Irishman
  • Mahon - Preached at DeWitts Church
  • McClure, [Wm?] - Attorney, possibly with McClure & Harris
  • McCormick - Attorney
  • McCreary - Cut Rawn’s Round about
  • McCulloh, Rev. Mr. - Preached at DeWitts Church
  • McCulloh, Thos. G. - Chambersburg attorney
  • McKinney’s - Store, Rawn paid for Box of Blacking here
  • McKinney, Mo. [Mr.] W. - Attorney
  • Mcurdy, Thos. - Rawn’s client from Lancaster County
  • Miller - Named in court case vs Comth [Commonwealth]
  • Miner, Asher - Drank ale with Rawn & F. R. Shunk at Wilson’s Hotel
  • Minninger - Named in court case vs Comth [Commonwealth]
  • Mitchell - Canal commissioner
  • Murray’s
  • Musgrave, Mrs.
  • Oyster, Simon - Harrisburg resident, received the Saturday Courier
  • Parke – Clk. [clerk] of Supreme Court
  • Parke, B. - Attorney
  • Peacock, Jas.
  • Peacock, Miss E. [also Ele.]
  • Peacock, Mr. & Mrs.
  • Philips - Named in court case vs Comth [Commonwealth]
  • Ramsey, William - Cumberland Co. attorney
  • Rawn, D. W.
  • Rawn, Frances - Wife of Charles C. Rawn
  • Rawn, Julia Ann - Rawn’s sister
  • Rhoads & CappStones - Store, possibly same as Capps
  • Roberts, Dr. Edmund O.
  • Roberts, Mo. [Mr.] - Proty [Prothonotary] & Clk. [Clerk] of SS [Supreme] [?]
  • Robertson - Author of Chas V
  • Rofs, R. - Married to Mary Halderman
  • Rutherford, Dr. - Tended Frances’ soar [sic] throat by bleeding & vomiting her
  • Rudy, Mr.
  • Scott, Alexander - Deceased, husband of Mary [later Mary Snyder]
  • Scott, Hugh - Named in court case vs Sundry persons
  • Seach - Auditor
  • Shannon - Named in court case vs Hetzel
  • Shannons - Sold strawberries & cream
  • Sheles - Sold segars [sic], possibly same as Shelles
  • Shelles - Rawn paid for Legacy here, possibly same as Sheles
  • Shoch, Mr. Jos. C. - Attorney
  • Shoch, S. - Attorney
  • Shott, Geo.
  • Shunk, F. R. - Drank ale with Rawn & Asher Miner at Wilsons Hotel
  • Shunk, Miss Nancy
  • Shunk, Wm. - Went to school with Caspar, got a penny from Rawn
  • Simonton, James - Handled estate of his brother Mr. W. Simonton
  • Simonton, Mr. W. - Deceased with Estate handled by his brother James Simonton
  • Smith - Met Rawn while walking
  • Smith, Sarah - Poorwoman from 3 miles beyond Lebanon
  • Smull’s - Store, Rawn paid for sundries here
  • Snyder - Owned horses
  • Snyder, C. A. - Clk. [Clerk of Court]
  • Snyder, Gov. - Deceased
  • Snyder, Mary - Deceased, widow of Gov. Snyder; also widow of Alexander Scott
  • Stitzer [also Slitzer] - Named in court case vs Katterman
  • Susan - Black girl
  • Thomas, Miss
  • Wallace - Auditor
  • Walters, Jacob - Rawn’s valet
  • Walters, Mo. [Mr.] - Stranger from Linglestown
  • Watts, Miss - Visitor from Philadelphia with Mrs. Wharton & Mrs. Darie
  • Watts, Mrs. - Took tea with Rawn, Frances & her mother, Mrs. Cox, Mrs. Campbell of Carlisle
  • Weidman, Mrs.
  • Weitzels - Sold ale
  • Wharton, Mrs. - Visitor from Philadelphia with Mrs. Darie & Miss Watts
  • White, Wm. - Philadelphia attorney
  • Wilson, Miss - Sold Side Combs to Rawn for Frances
  • Wilson’s - Hotel, Rawn paid for Sundries and segars here
  • Woodside, Thomas - Property condemned

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