The collection consists of three small diaries of Joseph Manley Bushey of Brandon, Vermont, for the years 1869, 1870, and 1871, and two cash account books, 1889-1897, and 1897-1905. The diaries follow the same format: a brief paragraph concerning Joseph's work tasks and output at the scale factory, followed by a brief paragraph on his leisure pursuits in the evenings after work and on Sundays. The last two years contain entries about the weather. Notations of unusual events, such as the sale of the scale shop in Brandon to Judge Sprague in 1869, and other milestones are interspersed throughout the entries. In few words, Joseph Manley Bushey is able to paint a detailed picture of working life in the center of a prosperous and prominent Vermont town. Velocipede riding, lectures, outings to Lake Dunmore, the circus, a monkey and snake show, and a performing dog were but a few of the many and varied pastimes an average Brandon resident could enjoy. Joseph was also a musician who played fiddle, flute, pennywhistle, and dulcimer for dances, as did his father. Cash accounts may be found at the back of the journals, in addition to those in the account books.
