Introduction

Voice of the People illuminates the daily lives of representative men, women, and children of  rural central New York in the years prior to the Civil War through letters, diaries, and other previously unpublished or generally unavailable material.

Eight chapters comprise the site: Family and Daily Life, Education, Health/Sickness/Mortality,  Reform/Conflict, Transportation/Travel, Business/Labor, Religion, and The Outside World. The main characters and authors of this web site mostly missed inclusion in the history books; nonetheless, many of their stories are quite remarkable and include:

The 1855 story of Lucy Ann Lobdell, a cross-dressing female huntress--see Family and Daily Life;

First impressions of Delaware Literary Institute in Franklin, NY in 1856--see Education;

The most extraordinary medicine in the world (in 1849): Dr. Townsend's Sarsaparilla -- see Health/Sickness/Mortality; 

An 1823 account of a trip from Delhi, NY to Canada--see Transportation/Travel;

The Calico Indians/Anti-Renters: Farmers in revolt against the gentry--see  Reform/Conflict;

Excepts from an anonymous 1841 journal of religious experience--see Religion;

Excerpts from the 1852 diary of farmer Nathanial Arbuckle: see Business/Labor;

168 days sailing from New York to California via Cape Horn in 1851--see The Outside World 

All materials on this website are for non-profit educational use.