Praise for Everything Worthy of Observation
Everything Worthy of Observation is a delight to read. Not only does one see State landmarks such as Niagara Falls through fresh eyes (a neatly foiled snake attack at the Falls is recounted) but one almost feels the dust of stage coach travel. The hazards of canal travel are made clearthe large number of low bridges on the Erie Canal required that canal boat passengers lie down flat on the Deck or get down below to avoid receiving severe blows and getting knocked down. No doubt the pleasure of reading this book is greatly enhanced by the scholarship of Paul G. Schneider Jr. His extensive research is evident in the wonderful notes he provides that furnish context for the reader. I highly recommend this book.
Margaret Lynch-Brennan, author of
The Irish Bridget: Irish Immigrant Women in
Domestic Service in America, 18401930
Carefully transcribed and meticulously edited, the travel journal of Canadian Alexander Stewart Scott provides a close-up view of life in upstate New York in 1826. A cultivated devotee of the theater and of books and reading, Scott records many details during his canal and lake voyage. He describes meeting many interesting people during his travel, which included transportation not only on canal boats but also by stagecoach and steamboat. Scott has left us with a fascinating depiction of New York State during a significant period in its history.
Paul R. Huey, Retired Senior Scientist (Archaeology),
New York State Office of Parks,
Recreation & Historic Preservation
Everything Worthy of Observation
Everything Worthy of Observation
T HE 1826 N EW Y ORK S TATE T RAVEL J OURNAL
OF A LEXANDER S TEWART S COTT
Edited by
PAUL G. SCHNEIDER JR.
Cover art: Erie Canal, 1831 watercolor on board by J. W. Hill.
Courtesy of the Union College Permanent Collection.
Published by State University of New York Press, Albany
2019 State University of New York
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.
Excelsior Editions is an imprint of State University of New York Press
For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY
www.sunypress.edu
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Scott, Alexander Stewart, 18051846, author. | Schneider, Paul G., Jr., 1945 editor, writer of introduction, writer of afterword.
Title: Everything worthy of observation : the 1826 New York State travel journal of Alexander Stewart Scott / edited with an introduction and afterword by Paul G. Schneider Jr.
Description: Albany : State University of New York Press, [2019] | Series: Excelsior editions | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018036281 | ISBN 9781438475158 (hardcover : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781438475165 (paperback : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781438475172 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Scott, Alexander Stewart, 18051846TravelNew York (State)Diaries. | New York (State)Description and travel.
Classification: LCC F123 .S43 2019 | DDC 917.4704dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018036281
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Contents
T HE 1826 N EW Y ORK S TATE T RAVEL J OURNAL
OF A LEXANDER S TEWART S COTT
Foreword
Every day, librarians help people identify resources and access a wide variety of information. As ever more information is available digitally, it is easy to forget that there is much information that can only be found by reading unique handwritten sources like letters and diaries. The Manuscripts and Special Collections unit of the New York State Library is the repository of thousands of these manuscripts. One such resource is The 1826 [New York State] Travel Journal of Alexander Stewart Scott (BD13145).
Paul Schneiders transcription has made the contents of Alexander Scotts journal accessible to even a casual reader. The journal documents a three-month trip Scott took in 1826 from his home in Quebec, Canada, south to Albany, then west to Buffalo on the Erie Canal, and back to Quebec.
Having recently spent a week traveling on the Erie Canal, I could relate to many of Scotts comments about that portion of his trip, but anyone who has traveled or visited family and friends in other locations will be able to relate to his experiences. I particularly appreciated one of the entries he made about the last leg of his trip in Canada: a long passage this; and which is rendered the more dull by the want of Books or something else to help one to kill time: a small Library is a very desirable thing on board of these public Packets, in this respect we are far inferior to the Americans, who and even in their Canal Boats have generally got a pretty good collection of works of different natures for the use of the Passengers
It is extremely gratifying to those of us in the New York State Library when this happens.
Kathi L. Stanley
Associate Librarian (retired)
Manuscripts and Special Collections
New York State Library
Acknowledgments
Many people contributed their expertise, support, and encouragement toward making this publication possible. Matthew DeLaMater eagerly shared his discovery of, and enthusiasm for, Scotts travel journal and urged its eventual publication. The task of transcribing the journal would have proven far more time-consuming and onerous without the continuing assistance of the New York State Librarys Manuscripts and Special Collections staff, among whom Vicki Weiss, Paul Mercer (now retired), Victor DesRosiers, and Kathi Stanley (now retired) deserve my warmest gratitude. When the possible publication of the journal was first mentioned, Vicki and Kathi immediately supported the idea. Kathi, as the head of Manuscripts and Special Collections, helped secure the librarys permission to proceed. My thanks to former State Librarian Bernard Margolis (now deceased), who agreed to its publication.
Mary Doehla gave unstintingly of her time, critically reviewing and contributing insightful suggestions and corrections through several early drafts of the manuscript. Her practical help, excitement, and encouragement were enormously beneficial. Vicki Weiss willingly volunteered to proofread and comment on all the later manuscript drafts. Her sharp eye and knowledge caught many embarrassing errors, and her comments immeasurably improved the final text. I simply cannot thank her enough for her remarkable perseverance and assistance. She deserves great credit for helping make the publication of Scotts travel journal possible. Margaret Lynch-Brennan translated some of Scotts French phrases, helping me make sense of his intended meaning. The anonymous readers who reviewed the original manuscript and offered their probing insights, suggestions, and corrections have helped immeasurably to improve the final publication. The editorial and production staff of State University of New York Press deserve my special gratitude for their commitment to publishing Scotts journal, their patience with my many questions and unavoidable setbacks, and their dedicated efforts toward making this volume a reality. My thanks are extended to all these people, along with the acknowledgment that any remaining errors are mine alone.
