Transcribed by Edward and Margaret Olson

Sarah Jenckes Shaw (1785 - 1863) was the wife of composer, musician and teacher Oliver Shaw (1779 - 1848), who spent his professional life in Providence, R. I. The following quote appears in a small 1884 memorial volume to Mr. Shaw: "Mrs. Shaw was more than an ordinary woman, and greatly assisted her husband in his arduous career. Her house was a hive of industry and a home of music; especially so when it became filled with pupils".

This journal of Mrs. Shaw describes a trip she took to the White Mountains in 1850, when she was 65 years old. Her husband had died just over a year earlier. Part of the trip was by railroads, which had just been opened, so she was something of an early rail traveler. Her verbatim description of that trip is contained in this article.

Mrs. Shaw had taken her first ever trip to our nation's capitol in April, and this section of her journal immediately follows the description of that trip.

I have transcribed everything as it appears in the hand-written journal. Her writing is sometimes ungrammatical and her spelling creative. Uncertain words appear in square brackets []. My added comments are in italicized in curly brackets {}. She usually begins sentences with lower-case letters and these I have kept. Often dashes separate sentences, making reading a bit difficult.

The original journals, five in number, will eventually be given to the Oliver Shaw collection of the Rhode Island State Historical Society.
E.C.O.

During my May Month at home
..............................
... I shall take the cars to Boston

14 June, Friday. at 4PM.... my little visit to the Dales was closed by an invitation to go with them & journey north which I shall mention at length -

June 15 - 16 1850.
Center Harbor Belknap Co. N H.

Dining at two oclock - the rest of our party had been all over this romantick spot, all the Dales on [horsback]. took our seats in the stage for cornish and the White M.. a glorious ride over hill and dale the beautiful Country looking in its fairest green, our Crufts family have joined us now for the far formed hills of N Hampshire - after a travel of more than 20 miles from C.H. - the above Town we reach Cornish {not the present Cornish; probably West Ossipee} and so on to Conway - found good clean beds - the others took supper but I went to my couch which was a real treat after a long stage ride.

old Mr. Cruft is a perfect fund of amusement and mirth. no spot here for any kind of aristocracy all was plain pure republican simplicity - but - E. Dale on the upper story deprived us inhabitants of these lower regions of his wit and constant pleasantry - all the time he is giving information & knowledge of where he is and where he is going to, by these respectable and well informed [drivers] - many of these we found were land holders and part owners of the line of stages - anna young is the most congenial spirit - nothing of any kind of interest escapes her observant eye -

Conway still in N Hampshire

This Hotel is kept by John Hill a very obliging Landlord - here our breakfast was not exactly what we might expect from the size of the house. old Mr. Cr- says the Lord gave the Bounties of life here - but the Devil made the [Cooks].

Hence we started early for the "White Mountains".. - the good roads we were beginning to part with and to fully realize we were in the old Granite State.

our way was thro some six or 8 town's Moultry {Moulton...?} or some such name - sandwich - sandwich center Tamworth from [...] - 9 miles, so on to another Tamworth - seven miles to Eaton Corner {Center?} - a hilly mountainous little village.

The town of Bartlet is situated in a pleasant highly cultivated county.

only stopped long enough to water our horses. The way was very pleasant sometimes all the Dale family on the stage-top looking at this beautiful country

For miles we were in sight of a high mountain at its very top was a house built of small dimensions - the habitation of some romantic adventurer - did not learn his name here Caroline {Dale} pointed out many of the wonders of scenery in this beautiful wild country -

Conway
State N. Hampshire still

I took my seat with the people above us in the open air - and such an air we seldom find twas pure and the day so fine - yes one of Junes most glorious.

Still we are in sight of the house on the mountain which I term the "light house". -

we pass but seldom now as we approach the mountains any habitations are but few the route is in a beautiful valley for miles before we reach the M-ns - the country altho thinly inhabited seems to be highly cultivated - we spoke of the talented men that have been reared in this state -

The town of Bartlett is a large town perhaps 10 or 12 miles and we have been long in it riding

The remarks of the gentlemen Crufts and Dale were truly amusing on our way along

This day we reached
Crawford House - near the first range of the White Mountains.

Tired but delighted with our jaunt every moment we saw amidst these venerable old Hills such sights - such cascades - the falling of beautiful water courses among the high overhead passes -

I never expect to find language to describe these wonders of nature

in fact it was years before there was discovered any passable rout for a road - at length Providence seemed to point to the only kind of [crossing] where a highway for a team or any kind for the conveyance of strangers who began years since to cluster around this lofty range of mountains.

[The eve] we stopped to rest - when several families from different parts arrived - on the same errand as ourselves - Dr. Ware and Lady - Mr Rice and [Miss T...] all from Boston. twas sweet in this [wildings] to meet those from our own Home or so near - the Dales were acquainted; here they told interesting old stories of the bygone events of these mountain fastnesses had a good drink of the sweetest water the wide world ever saw - Just rested and off for Mt. W. - where some of our [epicures] were wholly absorbed about a good supper - the ride was rough -

Mt. Washington Coos County
State New Hampshire

Can hardly realize I am in this wild and grand spot of earth. there cannot be any thing more striking in the [broad] old N. England.

This part of Mountain of worlds (as well it might be called) is much more cultivated and the valley more broad than the Crawford or first range we pass thro - where the Willey family were swept off is the most wild and romantic ever formed by nature. There is not in sight of the road one vestige of cultivation. How man or beast is here sustained I know not but they must of course depend on other lands

We pass by every few moments men and teams at work repairing and endeavoring to widen the road.

There are often each side of us water brooks and chasms of every size from away up where the waters patter along and fall from one height to another, and one is obliged constantly to look up to the very skies to see the top of these rushing brooks

every now and then some of our party are up one the sides of the hills as far as they can well climb - Dear anna young how she did enjoy every moment and caroline Dale, and little Mary how they [culled] the wild flowers which abound here

Mt. Washington House N H.

We here found the most delightful accommodations; every possible attention - a well spread table - clean beds, and in fact every [...] away up here so far from the Metropolis - these enterprising men both [Fabins], {Horace Fabyan} and Clark, do so understand the properties of life. Clark is a shrewd Yankee; a man of good talents with rather better Education than common, has been a member of the legislative body of this state - once clerk of the house, yet he enjoyed the driving our whole party with his own Team across these Mountain fastnesses - with a happy zest that did us all good - full of sunshine and cheerfulness - with a thousand anecdotes of all these far formed Mountains - Eben Dale did enjoy the [treat] of this mans accumulated knowledge and experiance at a rate of gratification that would do one so much good -

at his house we parted with old [...] Mr Crufts and their daughter - they were very companionable - pleasant and [inteligent] but at our first meeting they seemed to feel we were rather plebian - but now had to believe there were those [...] [...] that are as wise and had as good experiance of the world as themselves and had money and [...], also - why they soon [became] quite social as was desirable.

Franconia Notch. N. Hampshire

Left Fabans Mt. Washington house {burned in 1853} with Mr. Clark for our escort and driver, over high hills, over rough roads and on the sides of mountain crossing often deep as well as well as shallow streams some times these brooks and rivers appear to go uphill and then would foamingly course down deep ravines.

Is impossible to describe this ride of 20 miles, over a circutous rout of the most extreme [wildness] - with such grand and beautiful flowers and thro all our Mountain pass - how have these sweet white lilly flowers greeted us beside their [pure] fragrance it was altogether like little angels telling of a better and an unalloyed rest above these everlasting hills

At this house so well kept by Mr Gibbs {J. L. Gibb} we enjoyed these scenes with a new zest - as the mountains are higher than any we have yet seen - on every side it seems as if there were no possible way of escape to level land, direct before us is the distance so high among these clouds - that we are obliged to look quite up over our heads and the entire mountains on every side seem to lay along on the clouds.

How did the Dales enjoy this even the children were wild with delight - how did they instead of going into the only house in sight (even for miles) go direct to the mountains base, and perhaps try their skill at climbing or try the voice of Echo - by an invitation from their own

Sure I am of never forgetting anna young, and Mrs. Dale. when we alighted from our carriage at this spot with seeming new cause for adoring admiration they were in perfect [extises].

And I did after a moment of silent wonder exclaim "The Lord God omnipotent".

The keeper of the House seeing our enthusiasm walked up and said at once now is the best time in the 24 hours to view the old mans profile - or in other words the "Profile Mountain" 200 [yards] from here, when Mr Dale and Denison darted off. and soon we were joined by other travelers and all [bound] to see the new wonders.

At the very peak of this high Mtn is the most perfect features of an old man - and appears as tho some wonderful artist, with more than human hands had chiseled this remarkable face on this everlasting high Hill.

Just after dark we found our little party seated at the bountiful board of our hotel - also accompanied with the most sweet cold water. we all aver that it is the most pure we ever saw or tasted - this is true of all the waters of these M-ns

we all sleept quietly and soundly until a late hour the following morning. I believe Anna and Denison were off early to see some new wonder

Franconia Notch Grafton Co. N. Hampshire
June - I forget the times nowadays

after breakfast all hands prepared for a ride to the flume, another wonder of these flashing waters; which are to be seen on every hillside and deep ravine - almost every half hour as you travel on thro the almost entire range of these mountains -

at one oclock all return (but one who was glad enough to rest my weary limbs from entirely glorious fatigue) with a good appetite for dinner - and I shall never forget the remark made simultaneously by more than one that "oh; if we could only see a shower and its effects from these or upon these M-ns - this was at 2 P.M. - and little more than one hour a heavy threatening cloud rested on the North M-n and soon we heard the great heavy artillery of heaven, nearing us with a rapid stride and accompanied with most vivid and constant flashes of lightning - with the most severe storm of hail - How well was it described in the words of Handel's Great Chorus "fire mingled with the hail ran along upon the ground"

Those of our party who had visited niagra, said the sound of the rain and rushing of these furious waters down the hills were more like that great cateract than any other noise they could compare it.

at 6 oclock PM. - Mr Dale ordered our team. His name or word has become familiar like a household word and as much more substantial and republican in these regions especially; than "my coach or my carriage"

we were soon enjoying the most delightful air - as the day had been before the shower very sultry and oppresively hot - rode some 4 or 5 miles and often met deep gullies but nothing to retard our progress - until coming to a large well known river found people on each side the waters, swollen to an immense overflowing of meadows -

Soon Mr Willis the famous stage agent came hurrying on to our driver with the astonishing news of bridges and roads gone and that a terrible freshet was everywhere before us- but Eben Dale was not the man to go back - and another route was pointed to our driver over a high ridge of mountain - and soon the whole country were seemingly arroused and we started off for this new rout over broken [roads] and terrible presipices - the kind farmers turning out to aid us by taking us in their arms over the rushing water brookes and gone roads and keeping our team from [oversetting] - Mrs D- walked 2 miles the rest mostly inside - the kindness of these mountaineers is deserving all praise [thro] this town of Bethlehem - while I shall never forget.

sometime in the night reached a tavern. soon had fires made to dry our clothes from a shower poured upon us during the evening.

There are ten hundred most thrilling little adventures that happened during this night on the mountain.. too numerous to speak of but how I should like to recount, with the said personages who were transactories in this neither comical or magical drama

The ride on the following [morning] was neither cold or hot - cloud in the heavens was dark and threatening very damp and [rain] air few of us had slept but little. our destination was Littleton a large village and his go ahead Mr Dale and the quiet Mr Dennison stoped not in any effort to reach said place. now and then a hearty laugh from some one with a wise remark from Nancy - we can never [...] admire these New Hampshire horses - how they do move forward there long graceful bodies - - but of all people we ought to have a jubilee of rejoicing to think of our escape where - already we have heard of the loss of life during the storm of Thursday (yesterday) the 20 June 1850 a day never to be forgotten by myself or I presume by any of this family how much of this storm we have seen

Claremont Sullivan N. Hampshire

This day has brot us to the grand focus of r. roads reached Wells river which is the terminus of the several or grand central road - took the 12 oclock train went down following the stream of the noble Cont {Connecticut} and never shall I forget how looked this lovely valley after emerging from high mountains great big hills and rough roads - to see smiling nature so wonderfully adorned by cultivation - we pass on the railroad thro part of several Counties [...]. Grafton, Orange and Windham with part of Sullivan - pass in sight of Lebenon, Hanover and Dartmouth College -

this day part with Mr D. W Dennison he for [GuldHall] {Guild?} and we for the railway - after 14 miles this rout with all the Dales and dear ones they take the northern road for Montreal and I the southern for this Claremont - I here one and half miles from the depot find with no kind of difficulty conveyance to Mrs Washburns my own dear relitive - - she was Nancy Chandler and so resembles my departed aunt that I could love her most affectionately - is happily situated with a good and plentiful home - June [...] left after a good visit with these kind relitives. the cars to Bellows Falls were nearly filled with passengers there are several way stations from Claremont to B. F. and Walpole where we take the stage to

Brattleboro State Vermont

reached this with a large company by stage yesterday over highly cultivated lands of hill and dale.

This is a mighty city lays along one way for nearly half a mile on the bank of the beautiful Conntt. River which here is very wide. A high hill or as they call it a mountain with a name, lays at its base. on the side of the river and from our hotel looks beautiful

.... took the stage for Marlboro (have now been in this state two days - after a week I spent in N. Hampshire) at 2PM and soon found a kind of new country indeed - Just about what I thought of Vermont - the roads very uncomfortable and rough. we were 5 hours going 12 miles. the roads had been all injured by the terrible rains and teams were out at work on the roads - reached hotel Adams in Marlboro as my cousin directed me in his letter about 6 or 7 PM. they were truly hospitable and kind. stoped one night and took tea and breakfast for which they would take nothing only urged me to visit them again. they took me two miles to my uncles old Mansion house there [was] in the midst of hills and mountains. Just room to set a large house with several aditions and large barns with various outhouses -