1902 Handwritten Diary - Collectible?

Hello, I ran across this diary today while rummaging.. It is dated 1902-1916, 100 pages roughly.. It is written by someone in the Women's Foreign and Home Missionary Society. It is quite interesting, Information and names of members, voting of new members. Who was president and who's house the meetings were at. What was talked about in the meetings, etc.. What would someone value something like this at? Or how would I go about putting a value on this? Any information is appreciated.. Thank you!

 

Welcome, Sandi --

From the images you show this doesn't appear to be a diary. It appears to be some sort of book of minutes or official records of the Society.

Can you tell the location of this group? From what I can tell online, there may have been more than one group of that name. For example, the description of a book from 2005 about the Atlantic Mission Society of the Presbyterian Church in Canada (copy of the book being sold online) mentions that one of the names of the organization (from 1905-1915) was the Women's Foreign and Home Missionary Society. Prior to 1905 and after 1915 they had very similar names. Perhaps your book relates to them?

Just for information, here is the information about that 2005 book in the listing by the seller I found: http://www.doullbooks.com/?page=sho...word=MISSION&searchby=keyword&offset=400&fs=1

 

Thank you for the link, I will have to search into that.. I am not sure of an exact location, but on the first written page it refers to sending a box to the Deaconess's home in Milwaukee.. I am thinking around there? I haven't read but a few pages, skimmed though a few others.. I will read it fully this weekend sometime though.. It talks about Bulgaria and Africa, but I haven't gotten that far into it to fully understand. The meets are once a month from what I can see and go from 1902 to 1916

 

It sounds very interesting. If their Deaconess was in Milwaukee I would guess that it is an American group, then.

 

I am thinking so as well. I think they helped out women in other countries? Such as Africa and Bulgaria.. I am definitely going to read it all the way through to see what they are all doing.. I do wonder if this would be worth anything to anyone?

 

Some information about the parent group here. Sure you'll find more with an internet search.

http://www.unitedmethodistwomen.org/about/history/timeline

Debora

 

collector value...nil
returning it to the group it came from......priceless

 

Thank you Debora, I will look into that when I am able to get onto a computer. Easier and bigger to read everything..

Komokwa, Thank you. I knew it wouldn't be worth much for normal people who aren't affiliated or interested in such, but someone who's grandma may have been a member of the group might find it valuable in a personal sentimental way.. Gives a little bit of history on things they may not have heard during the Christmas or Thanksgiving family gatherings..

 

Should you decide to return it to its original owners, you will want to contact the South East District of Wisconsin United Methodist Women. (Assuming that the Milwaukee deaconess was head of the group whose minutes you found.)

http://www.wisconsinumw.org

Debora

 

You know, lifelong Methodist here (at least from the age of 8) and the Methodists don't "deacons or deaconesses" in my experience. BUT, I do have a memory of something called the Deaconess Home - either an orphanage or what was so delicately called back then "a home for unwed mothers."

Was there any mention of what that box contained?

 

Thank you, I will look into that.. I haven't read enough to know who was who yet, positions change every year for president, vice president and such

 

There wasn't any mention of what was in it, some of the info is vague. Like one where it mentions a very interesting letting that was read, but didn't say what it was about..