Samuel Danforth’s Independence Day

In 1788 Samuel Danforth was a seventeen-year-old apprentice carpenter living in Providence, Rhode Island.

The previous year he had started to keep a diary—fitfully at first and then more regularly. This was connected with his education since he recorded signing up for a school and kept track of what library books he borrowed and read.

On 3 July 1788, Samuel recorded a job with a deadline:

Work over on Camp hill to build Benches for to Dine upon Independence Day.

However, the next entry makes the holiday sounds like a disappointment:

a scanty meal for such a numerous train of people

Young Samuel Danforth’s diary is now in the collection of the American Antiquarian Society in Worcester.