Historical note:

            Sarah Bartlett Bullock (1840-1921) was the daughter of Samuel B. Bullock (1810-1889) and Abby E. (Bartlett) Bullock (1815-1894). She was born on July 8, 1840 in Providence. The family were active Congregationalists. Her brother Sam H. Bullock (1850-1939) was manager of Earl Carpenter & Son Ice Company for many years, and also treasurer of the Home for Aged Men. Her father, at the time these diaries commenced, was a stable keeper, and the family home was at 154 South Main street in Providence. The family moved to the corner of Pitman and Ives Streets in the Fox Point neighborhood of Providence around 1867. Sarah lived in Providence for all her life, in her parents' home through 1889, and then in rented apartments in various locations on the city's East Side. She never married nor had regular employment, and was apparently supported by largely by her well-to-do brother, and by her friend George Burroughs (1851-1918). She shared addresses with Burroughs at 279 George St. and 53 Waterman St. from 1891 through his death in 1918. Sarah Bartlett Bullock died on June 19, 1921.

Bibliography:

1900 U.S. Census, Providence enumeration district 6, page 8.

Obituary of Sam H. Bullock, in R.I.H.S. vertical file

Providence city directories.

(no obituary was found for George Burroughs in the Providence Journal)

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Scope and content:

            This collection consists of 52 diaries kept by Sarah Bartlett Bullock from January 1, 1864 through June 9, 1921 (fifteen days before her death). There are no diaries for 1879, 1880, 1881, 1888, 1909 and 1917. The diaries document the author's reading habits, family and friends from age 23 through age 80. They rarely touch on political affairs. Some contain cash accounts, addresses, news clippings and bits of poetry. Also included in the collection is a letter written by Bullock to her niece in 1910, explaining much of their family history in depth.

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Provenance:

            The diaries were donated in 1968 by Abby (Bullock) Burgess, daughter of Sam B. Bullock and a niece of the author. The letter was donated in 1975 by Mrs. Robert Schact Jr.

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Inventory:

Folder 1. 1864, 1865, 1866, 1867

Folder 2. 1868, 1869, 1870, 1871

Folder 3. 1872, 1873, 1874, 1875

Folder 4. 1876, 1877, 1878, 1882 (no 1879-1881)

Folder 5. 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886

Folder 6. 1887, 1889, 1890, 1891 (no 1888)

Folder 7. 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895

Folder 8. 1896, 1897, 1898, 1899

Folder 9. 1900, 1901, 1902, 1903

Folder 10. 1904, 1905, 1906, 1907

Folder 11. 1908, 1910, 1911, 1912 (no 1909)

Folder 12. 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916

Folder 13. 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921 (no 1917)

Folder 14. Letter to niece Abby Burgess, July 25 1910 (with typed transcription)

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Subjects:

Bartlett Family

Bullock, Sam H. (1850-1939)

Bullock, Samuel B. (1810-1889)

Burgess, Abby (Bullock)

Burroughs, George H. (1851-1918)

Diaries - 1864-1878

Diaries - 1882-1921

Providence, R.I. - Social life and customs

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RIHS1822