MASSIVE 1898 - 1907 HANDWRITTEN MANUSCRIPT TEN YEAR DIARY OF IMPORTANT ATTORNEY AND CITIZEN OF SCRANTON PA

SCRANTON PENNSYLVANIA PA. Good. 1898. Leather. On offer an incredibly comprehensive handwritten and significant 10-year manuscript diary of former Yale University student Attorney Thomas J. Wells of Scranton, Pennsylvania chock full and spanning ten full years of his life beginning January 1st 1898. Importantly, beginning in 1898, the diary contains significant legal and Spanish American War entries. [BIO NOTES: The Wells (or Welles as it was sometimes spelled) family was quite prominent during the 1800s and early 1900's research suggests there is a connection with Henry Wells, co-founder of Wells-Fargo.] There are three thousand six hundred plus of entries. The title page of the diary reads, in his own hand, "Ten Years of My Life, Thos. J. Wells, Scranton PA" and "Compliments of E.B. Sturges". The journal is beautifully appointed with gilt edges and gilt stamped day/date headings on each page through to 1907. Of notable interest are many, many passages relative to the Spanish-American War. On 2/16/1898 Atty. Wells tells us of the, Battleship Maine being blown up. On 5/20/1898 he speaks of the President calling for 75,000 volunteers and the bombing of Santiago Cuba on 6/6. On 7/3 he goes on to tell us there has been bad news from the war that 8,000 were wounded and killed, and on 7/4 he speaks of "our fleet had totally destroyed Admiral Cerveras Spanish Fleet." and then on the 17th of July tells us, "Our army formally enters Santiago and our Flag floats over the city" and again reports, "Our soldiers under General Miles laid and raised our Flag in 'Porto' Rico". The wartime references are stunning in their own right, however, there are many legal battles that Thomas J. Wells, Esquire, tells us about in this journal as well. A sharp barrister for certain, Wells, speaks of receiving awards and working on cases such as Thomson-Houston Electric Company, which in Wells' day merged with Edison Company to become the giant known as General Electric Company. One will find many a handwritten testament to life, politics, law and war within the many pages of this very thick and well preserved account. G.; Manuscript; 4to - over 9¾" - 12" tall; DIARY, DIARIES, HANDWRITTEN, MANUSCRIPT, DOCUMENT, LETTER, AUTOGRAPH, KEEPSAKE, WRITER, HAND WRITTEN, DOCUMENTS, SIGNED, LETTERS, MANUSCRIPTS, HISTORICAL, HOLOGRAPH, WRITERS, AUTOGRAPHS, PERSONAL, MEMOIR, MEMORIAL, PERSONAL HISTORY, AMERICANA, ARCHIVE, NEW YORK, DIARY, DIARIES, PRE CIVIL WAR, ANTIQUITÉ, CONTRAT, VÉLIN, MANUSCRIT, PAPIER ANTIKE, BRIEF, PERGAMENT, DOKUMENT, YALE, YALIES, SKULL AND BONES, NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ALUMNI, ALUMNUS, ALUMNAE, OTJKUABCDEF, .