Joseph Price (1752-1828), was the fourth generation of that Quaker family to live in Lower Merion. He was one of the Township's important citizens ... a Renaissance man. A plaque outside of the house he built in 1803 on Montgomery Avenue (near Meetinghouse Lane) attests: "Quaker Farmer, Innkeeper, Undertaker, Militiaman, Diarist, Saw Mill Operator, Milestone Installer, Carpenter, Turnpike Supervisor, Patriot, Concerned Citizen." Price began his diary when he was 35 and the last entry was made three days before his death at age 75. His daily entries were made on odd scraps of paper (over 3,000) [see Sample] that he carried around with him, loosely fastened together with string. This extraordinary 40-year document offers a treasure trove of details of Lower Merion life in that era and a testament to the varied skills and interests of an extraordinary ordinary man. Grateful aknowledgement is made to Mary Keim, who spent three years painstakingly transcribing Price's diary onto computer. The convoluted script, the phonetic spelling and archaic phrasing was a test of her tenacity and skills. Joseph Price starts every day with a weather report ... where the wind was, whether it was cold, hot, wet or dry. He only mentions the thermometer once in 40 years so he apparently had no access to one. It was quiet. It was dark. He mentioned the Northern Lights many times; how they would wait after evenings meetings until the moon came up. He was a builder and a carpenter ... a good reason for operating a saw mill. And as a coffin maker, he attended to the burials(often at Merion Friends Cemetery). Price was an active citizen, held a number of not-so-important posts in Lower Merion, and was trusted by his neighbors. He helped them with wills and helped to resolve disputes. We find out a lot about money, food, recreation and the position of married women (all property belonged to the husbands). There were detailed reports on weddings, daily work, education, crime and punishment and various social problems. Health and mortality fascinated him. He reported treatment methods: bleeding, plasters, laxatives. Alcoholism was something that carried many men off. There were many arguments at harvest time and a lot of drinking (and fights). He talks about many suicides and, surprisingly, depression. During this project I became so close to Price and his world that, at the end, I felt I lost a personal friend. - Mary Keim The Diary of Joseph Price 1788-1789 1790 1791 1792 1793 1794 1795 1796 1797 1798 1799 1800 1801 1802 1803 1804 1805 1806 1807 1808 1809 1810 1816 1817 1818 1819 1820 1824 1825 1826 1827 1828 Notes: Diary entries for the years 1811-1815 and 1821-1823 are not available. Joseph Price either suspended his diary during these years, or the documents have not survived. Spelling in the diary is varied as was customary at the time. Spelling corrections and notes made by the transcriber are found in the text in blue letters, surrounded by brackets. Jump to selected topics in the Joseph Price diary. Burials: Baptist Indian Lost coffin Multiple grave Quaker Unfortunate burial Citizenship: Collecting federal tax Collecting federal tax Jury duty Militia service Militia service Militia service Township meeting Crime: Domestic abuse Murder Murder Theft Theft Violence Disasters: Powder mill explosion Powder mill explosion Powder mill explosion Powder mill explosion Powder mill explosion Events: Celebration of Jefferson's inauguration Hamilton-Burr duel Whiskey Rebellion Whiskey Rebellion Whiskey Rebellion Burial of Benjamin Franklin First celebration of Washington's birthday Parade for Marquis de Lafayette Memorial service for Adams and Jefferson Politics: Distrust of democracy Distrust of democracy Petition to Congress Petition to Congress Inauguration of Madison Party spirit Price house: Price house Price house Price house Price house Price house   Recreation: Fox hunting Fox hunting Fox hunting Fox hunting Horse races Horse races Bear baiting Hunting Hunting Quilting match Philadelphia amusements - balloonist Philadelphia amusements - stunt riding Philadelphia amusements - animal sideshow Philadelphia amusements - circus Wedding Wedding Wedding Sickness: Home care Hospital care Hospital care Measles Nursing Smallpox Smallpox Smallpox Tetanus Tetanus Yellow fever epidemic Yellow fever epidemic Yellow fever epidemic Yellow fever epidemic Yellow fever epidemic Yellow fever epidemic Slavery Buying freedom Buying freedom Freeing a slave Burial Sale Housing Freed slaves Social problems: Alcohol Alcohol Alcohol Alcohol Neglect of parents Out-of-wedlock birth Out-of-wedlock birth Out-of-wedlock birth Care for the poor Care for the poor County poor house County takes over Wayward and unruly children Wayward and unruly children Turnpike: First toll collected First toll collected Trip to Lancaster Milestones Weather: May snow Earthquake