Manuscripts Department
Library of the University of North Carolina
at Chapel Hill
SOUTHERN HISTORICAL COLLECTION
#4670-z
ROSWELL ELMER DIARY
Inventory
Abstract: Roswell Elmer (b. 1808) was the editor of the
North Carolina Spectator and Western Advertiser, a weekly
newspaper published in Rutherfordton, N.C., 1830-1835 or 1836.
He moved to Rutherfordton from Virginia in 1829. Manuscript
diary, 178 pps., kept by Elmer, 29 August 1829 - 7 February 1830,
with almost daily entries varying in length from a few sentences
to several pages. The diary begins on 29 August 1829 when Elmer
left Charlottesville, Va., for Salisbury, N.C., where he hoped to
earn a living gold mining. Diary entries document his frustrated
mining efforts in the Morganton-Lincolnton-Rutherfordton area,
near Salisbury, and his successful work in recruiting subscribers
to support a newspaper and printing office in Rutherfordton,
which began operation on 1 February 1830. Most early diary
entries contain extensive descriptions of the lands he passed
through and conversations he had with fellow travellers on this
journey from Charlottesville. Entries written after his journey
ended document his integration into town life. These include
descriptions of hunting trips; excursions, often in the company
of young ladies, to waterfalls and other scenic places; parties
he attended; and activities in various towns where traveling
courts were in session. He also described his service with the
local militia, which seems to have consisted chiefly of his
forgetting to attend drills. He also wrote of specific
occurrences, including his meeting, on 25 November 1829, a group
of slaves en route to Alabama where they were to be sold; on 27
November, the general disappointment in Rutherfordton when a
slave, convicted of an unnamed crime, was ordered out of the area
rather than hanged; and, on 9 December, a case of spouse abuse in
which both husband and wife were alcoholics.
Online Catalog Terms:
Alcoholism--North Carolina--History--19th century.
American newspapers--North Carolina--History--19th century.
Diaries--North Carolina--History--19th century.
Elmer, Roswell, b. 1808.
Family violence--North Carolina--History--19th century.
Gold mines and mining--North Carolina--History--19th century.
Lincolnton (N.C.)--Social life and customs--19th century.
Morganton (N.C.)--Social life and customs--19th century.
North Carolina spectator and western advertiser.
North Carolina--Description and travel--1775-1865.
Printers--North Carolina--History--19th century.
Rutherfordton (N.C.)--Social life and customs--19th century.
Slavery--North Carolina.
Slaves--Legal status, laws, etc.--North Carolina.
Travelers--Diaries--North Carolina--History--19th century.
Travelers--Diaries--Virginia--History--19th century.
Virginia--Description and travel--1775-1865.
Size: 1 item.
Provenance: Purchased from Lowell S. Newman & Co.,
Auctioneers, Inc., of Weehawken, N.J., in June 1993 (Acc. 93101).
Access: No restrictions.
Copyright: Retained by the authors of items in these papers, or
their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
HISTORICAL NOTE
Roswell Elmer was the editor of the North Carolina Spectator
and Western Advertiser, a weekly newspaper published in
Rutherfordton, N.C., first on Fridays and later on Saturdays. It
began publication in 1830, shortly after Elmer set up his press,
and seems to have ceased in 1835 or 1836. Late in its run, the
Spectator adopted the motto: "Cherish every measure which may
foster our brotherly Union, and perpetuate a Constitution of
Government destined to be the primitive and precious model of
what is to change the condition of man over the globe"
(Jefferson).
In a February 1835 issue, the following notice appeared.
Among the signatories were men who were involved in underwriting
the purchase of the press and the first order of printing
supplies.
To Printers:
The publication of the North Carolina Spectator and
Western Advertiser and the printing business connected
with it for some time under Editorial management of Mr.
Roswell Elmer, Jr., being about to be relinquished by him,
for some other pursuit, it becomes necessary to engage the
service of another competent individual, to take charge of
the concern. ... [The Spectator has now a quite
respectable list of subscribers, and an extensive and
profitable circle of job work. ... It may not be amiss to
say that the political course and principles hitherto
supported by the Spectator have been those of the
"Jeffersonian school" and it is believed a majority of
this community entertaining the same principles, would be
more likely to patronize a continuance than a departure
from them.
G. Walton
Edm. Bryan
T. F. Birchett
Thos. Dews, Jr.
J. M. D. Carson
It is not known what "other pursuit" called Elmer or if he
actually left the Rutherfordton area to pursue it. It may be
that the search for a new editor was unsuccessful, since there is
no evidence that the Spectator was published after 1835 or 1836.
DESCRIPTION
Manuscript diary, 178 pps., kept by Roswell Elmer (b. 1808),
29 August 1829-7 February 1830. The almost daily entries vary in
length from a few sentences to several pages. A few entries
contain remarks written in a simple alphabet code;
transliterations for most of the coded comments are included. It
is possible that Elmer rewrote entries. Except for the last
gathering of pages, the diary has a neat appearance and the
writing is uniform and controlled within entries. It gives the
impression of having been rewritten, perhaps daily, probably by
Elmer himself, who may have been interested in preserving a clean
copy of the record of his activities and thoughts.
The diary is titled "A Journal of My Travels to N. Carolina in
1829," and entries until mid-September reflect the thoughts of a
mind in transit. Elmer began his journey on 29 August 1829, a
stormy day in Charlottesville, Va., with Salisbury, N.C., as his
destination. On that day, he wrote, "I must aspire to something
higher than a journeyman printer." His aspirations centered
largely on gold mining, which he began investigating as soon as
he reached the Morganton-Lincolnton-Rutherfordton area, not far
from Salisbury. By 13 September, however, he was discouraged in
his efforts because of difficulties, real or anticipated, with
leasing land and equipment and his doubts about his own ability
to manage the gangs of labor required for mining ventures to
succeed. On 19 September, Elmer wrote that he was " ... a poor
luckless elf in pursuit of a phantom, vis, wealth or
independence, by honest and honorable means!"
At this time, he was in Rutherfordton where he became friendly
with a Judge Forman, who seems to have been instrumental in
persuading Elmer to return to his old profession. Starting with
a small "committee" of investors, Elmer combed the region to
recruit subscribers willing to support a local newspaper. By the
end of November, Elmer had enough funds to order a press and
supplies. On 15 November, he wrote of looking for suitable rooms
to house the press, and, on 13 January 1830, of contracting for
benches and tables to furnish the pressroom. The entry of 20
January documents his search for apprentices, and the entry of 26
January notes the long-awaited arrival of the press. On 1
February, Elmer wrote that he had "done the first printing in
Rutherfordton." The diary ends on 7 February with a few short
entries.
Besides documenting the establishment of Rutherfordton's first
press, Elmer's diary contains many detailed descriptions and
observations. In most of the early entries, Elmer wrote
extensive descriptions of the lands he passed through and their
prominent inhabitants. He also described conversations he had
with people he met along the way and things he learned about the
world. On 3 September 1829, he wrote what he had heard about
Moravians: "They allow no intercourse between the males and
females ... much to the dissatisfaction of the young ladies." On
the journey, he also tried to assess his own abilities and wrote
of self-doubts, frequently mulling over whether he was too
trusting of other people or not trusting enough.
Entries written after his arrival in the Morganton-Lincolnton-
Rutherfordton area show that he continued the painful process of
evaluating his worth, often punctuating his prose with "Alas,
poor Yorick" or complaining of having a case of the "blue
devils." Although he wrote of feeling like a stranger in
Rutherfordton, many entries document his integration into town
life. These include descriptions of hunting trips; excursions,
often in the company of young ladies, to waterfalls and other
scenic places; parties he attended; and activities in various
towns where traveling courts were in session. He also described
his service with the local militia, which seems to have consisted
chiefly of his forgetting to attend drills. He also wrote of
specific occurrences, including his meeting, on 25 November 1829,
a group of slaves en route to Alabama where they were to be sold;
on 27 November, the general disappointment in Rutherfordton when
a slave, convicted of an unnamed crime, was ordered out of the
area rather than hanged; and, on 9 December, a case of spouse
abuse in which both husband and wife were drunkards.