Publisher's Synopsis
This is the diary of James McCullogh, a Scot-Irish immigrant farmer who settled on the Pennsylvania frontier in the mid-1700s. The small, leather-bound book was purchased in Belfast, Ireland, on April 27, 1745, a fact McCullogh noted on its opening page. In its 116 pages, he jots notations from his daily life, from planting to business accounts to the secret places where he hid his tools during bloody Indian raids. The book records life-altering events such as the loss of his brother John and the kidnapping of his two small sons---the younger of which he never saw again---at the hands of Indians. He includes Bible verses and writes some entries in code, somewhat curiously, since he also provides the key.In this volume, you will find the actual facsimiles of the diary's pages, along with a transcription for clarity (it is sometimes difficult to decipher) and useful commentary providing context and background. This book is a companion to James McCullogh's Book: A Glimpse into Life on the Colonial Frontier by John Stauffer and Calvin Bricker, which shares the narrative of James McCullogh's fascinating story.The sum of both books is a rare glimpse into the colonial past, of one man who may also be called a "Founding Father," the type on whose life and labor this country was truly established.
