(TRAVEL) Roberts Austin James Diary of a Massachusetts boys

Sale 2455 - Lot 276

Price Realized: $ 1,250

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Estimate: $ 400 - $ 600

"WE WENT UPSTAIRS TO SEE THE PRESIDENT" (TRAVEL.) Roberts, Austin James. Diary of a Massachusetts boy's visit to Washington. [72] manuscript pages. 12mo, original limp calf, minor wear; minimal dampstaining, generally clean and legible; signed inside front cover. Vp, 9 November 1843 to 9 May 1844

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Austin James Roberts (1828-after 1910) was born in England and came to the United States with his father James A. Roberts (1789-1872), a minister, in 1832. Most of the diary is written in Middleborough, MA, but the most interesting portion describes a family visit to the mid-Atlantic states from 20 March to 17 April. He describes three days in New York City, 30 March to 1 April, then goes to Norfolk, VA, where he visits the USS Pennsylvania (the nation's largest sailing warship) and attends a slave auction: "I saw two slaves put up at auction, one with 3 children sold for 555$, the other alone 125$" (6 April). On 13 April, the family met the president at the White House: "Went to the President's house. Went into the east room & an oval one, both splendidly furnished, then we went upstairs to see the President John Tyler. Mr. Smith introduced us to him. He shook hands very cordially & he is a pleasant man indeed. The house is a fine stone one with fine gardens."