John Ambrose Chalk Diaries

1915-1918
Manuscript Collection #1235
Creator(s)
Chalk, John Ambrose, 1865-1924
Physical description
0.026 Cubic Feet, 1 archival box, consisting of diairies and transcriptions
Preferred Citation
John Ambrose Chalk Diaries (#1235), East Carolina Manuscript Collection, J. Y. Joyner Library, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, USA
Repository
ECU Manuscript Collection
Access
No restrictions

This collection consists of three diaries (1915-1917) written by John Ambrose Chalk documenting daily weather, agricultural activities, and interesting social events in Chowan County, North Carolina. He and his family were living on Mulberry Hill Farm while he managed the farm for Mr. Henry Wood of Edenton, N.C. Also included are transcriptions of the diaries provided by the donor along with family information, and indices to places mentioned and interesting events.


Biographical/historical information

John Ambrose Chalk was born in January 1865 in Perquimans County, North Carolina, and died January 23, 1924, in Hertford, Perquimans Co., N.C. He was married first to Elizabeth Skinner and they had three children. His second wife was Annie May Skinner and they had four children. Annie was born December 21, 1883, in Perquimans Co., N.C., and died August 26, 1972, in Pinehurst, Moore Co., N.C. Prior to 1915, John A. Chalk operated the Eagle Hotel and the livery business associated with it in Hertford, Perquimans Co., N.C., for Henry (Edward ?) Wood of Edenton, Chowan Co., N.C. The hotel was torn down in 1915 and Mr. Chalk moved to Mulberry Hill farm in Chowan Co., N.C., to manage the farm for Mr. Wood. He worked there for three years.

Sources: John Ambrose Chalk (1865 - 1924) - Find A Grave Memorial

Annie May Skinner Chalk (1883 - 1972) - Find A Grave Memorial

Notes provided by the donor of John A. Chalk's diaries, Dorothy Chalk Nisbet.


Scope and arrangement

This collection consists of three hardbound, pre-dated diaries kept by John Ambrose Chalk from 1915 until the early days of 1918. The diaries are complimentary novelty items from the pharmaceutical company M. J. Breitenbach to promote their "gude" Pepto-Mangan elixir. In addition to John Ambrose Chalk's daily notation, there are also medical advice and anecdotes at the top of each page. Also included in the collection are annotated transcripts of the diaries, done by John Chalk's great granddaughter, Dorothy Chalk Nisbet. These transcripts have indexes of noteworthy events, locations, and some genealogical information on the Chalk family.

John Ambrose Chalk was a farmer who managed Mulberry Hill Farm for Henry Wood in Chowan County, North Carolina. As such, the diaries are a compilation of notes on weather, agricultural work, livestock health, and some social occasions as well as family concerns. The detailed crop information is heavily favored to peanuts, tobacco, cotton, and potatoes. He keeps accurate notes of planting and harvest times and market prices. His livestock concerns are primarily focused on the breeding and slaughter of hogs; although he does occasionally mention issues regarding his cattle, horses, and sheep. This is more apparent in late 1916 and early 1917 when the region was beset by an outbreak of hog cholera. In November of 1916 Chalk took part in the new vaccinations to try and save his herd. Though in the early months of 1917 he was still mentioning hog losses. In January of 1918, Chalk moved his family to Fleetwood Farm to manage it for Thomas Skinner White.

As a farmer, Chalk wrote more expressive and longer entries during the more leisurely winter months. He included more personal details compared to the rest of the year when agricultural work was of primary consideration. Chalk also recorded the weather and the disastrous effects it could have on crops and livestock. The summer and winter of 1917 were particularly harsh. The spring and summer were beset by heavy and continual rain, and the winter was so cold that in February of 1917, the sound froze over thick enough for people to ice-skate.

Though personal information is limited, the health of his family is of particular concern to Chalk. His adolescent daughter, Louisa, was continually ill, spending long periods of time in an Elizabeth City hospital and undergoing several operations. Additionally, Chalk undertook a notable amount of travel. Though it is almost exclusively within eastern North Carolina, he traveled multiple times a week to places such as: Edenton, Hertford, Elizabeth City, and on a few occasions Nags Head, Virginia Beach, and Raleigh. In a unique circumstance, on February 11, 1916, Chalk was subpoenaed as a witness in a case against Mr. Fleming for his unlawful transport of whiskey in Halifax County.

These diaries present a unique look into the perspectives and lifestyle of an eastern North Carolina farmer in the early twentieth century.


Administrative information
Custodial History

August 21, 2014, 0.026 cu. ft.; This collection consists of three diaries (1915-1917) written by John Ambrose Chalk documenting daily weather, agricultural activities, and interesting social events in Chowan County, North Carolina. He and his family were living on Mulberry Hill Farm while he managed the farm for Mr. Henry Wood of Edenton, N.C. Also included are transcriptions of the diaries provided by the donor along with family information, and indices to places mentioned and interesting events. Gift of Dorothy Chalk Nisbet.

Source of acquisition

Gift of Dorothy Chalk Nisbet

Processing information

Processing completed 12/3/2015 by Samantha Sheffield.

Copyright notice

Literary rights to specific documents are retained by the authors or their descendants in accordance with U.S. copyright law.


Key terms
Personal Names
Chalk, John Ambrose, 1865-1924
Family Names
Chalk family
Topical
Agriculture--North Carolina--Chowan County
Farmers--North Carolina--Chowan County

Container list
Box 1 Folder a Three diaries (1915-1917) kept by John Ambrose Chalk while he managed Mulberry Hill Farm in Chowan County, North Carolina. He documents daily weather, agricultural activities, and social events
Box 1 Folder b Typescript transcription of 1915 and 1916 diaries kept by John Ambrose Chalk done by his great granddaughter Dorothy Chalk Nisbet, 2013-2014
Box 1 Folder c Typescript transcription of 1917 diary kept by John Ambrose Chalk done by his great granddaughter Dorothy Chalk Nisbet plus a page of name identifications and relationships for people mentioned in the diaries, 2013-2014