Until We Sleep Our Last Sleep
The Diary of Emily Millikan Blair
Genre: Historical Women's Nonfiction
Blurb
Emily Millikan Blair was a descendant of North Carolina’s Millikan and Blair
families who have a history of saving patriots during the Revolutionary War and
supporting the abolitionist movement of the Civil War, though you wouldn’t know
it from this diary.
Instead, her devotion to her husband John Addison Blair, her Quaker church
Springfield Friends, New Garden Boarding School which later becomes Guilford
College and God figure most prominently.
As a whole, the diary feels like an anthropological look at Quaker womanhood,
but isn’t. Emily doesn’t cook or bake, wash, clean or raise her children as most
women in her community. She requires lots of help and she writes about it as a
form of therapy.
The redundancies of her plain speak in 1889 evolve with modern times as we
enter 1920. She speaks of her daughters most often as Mrs. Dougan Moffitt,
Mrs. Arthur Lee Stilwell or later Mrs. J.W. Peace versus their given name. Her
sons are mentioned frequently by their full name Fred C. Blair and Jesse C.
Blair. As Emily matures, her children and grandchildren are mentioned in a
slightly less formal manner. However, it is evident that she is writing for future
readers. Providing an historical record of who she and her family are in their
community of Randolph County, N.C.
What is unsaid is the mystery we seek answers to. She doesn’t mention that she
and John A. Blair were courting during the Civil War, but the facts are evident
where she mentions being a student at New Garden Boarding School in 1864
and their marriage record in 1864. She also doesn’t provide details as to
whether she became disabled or was born such.
The diary is exact and unedited. These are her words, as she wrote them. She
was a farmer’s wife and though disabled, she gave birth to five children. She
writes honestly about her physical challenges and depression in plain Quaker
speak. She shares daily gratitude to God for each day she is permitted to live
and records deaths as a devotional practice.
Her message of daily self-encouragement and appreciation are timeless.
Index of 680 North Carolina Family and Friends Included
Instead, her devotion to her husband John Addison Blair, her Quaker church
Springfield Friends, New Garden Boarding School which later becomes Guilford
College and God figure most prominently.
As a whole, the diary feels like an anthropological look at Quaker womanhood,
but isn’t. Emily doesn’t cook or bake, wash, clean or raise her children as most
women in her community. She requires lots of help and she writes about it as a
form of therapy.
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Excerpt
7thmonth 17th 1889
When I reflect that another whole year of suffering has past, notwithstanding I am still unable to get about only in my wheel chair & have not been able to sit up an half a day at a time, in this length of time. Yet as I have been spared to keep my dear little family together whilst there has been many little ones left Motherless, my soul cries out again and again what shall I render unto my God for all his benefits to me.
7thmonth 18th 1889
Unto thee oh Lord do I lift up my soul, I thank Thee for even strength sufficient to use my pen. For there has been months at a time since my afflicted days, that I could not do this, no matter how great the desire to do so.
7thmonth 19th 1889
I desire to be thankful for all my blessings. This day I have enjoyed the company of my own dear aged Mother. For which I rejoice.
7thmonth 20th 1889
My mind has been deeply inpressed this morning by reading a letter printed in a Tract form, written by Elizabeth Webb to Anthony William Boehm. She sailed from Bristol to America in the 9th month of 1697 with her companion Mary Rogers.
AUTHOR BIO
Emily W. Skinner is the author of Hollywood romantic suspense series "Marquel"
and young adult paranormal series "St. Blair: Children of the Night."
Both series are named for her two daughters.
When Emily isn't working her day job as a marketing consultant or writing novels,
she enjoys screenwriting and producing short films with her daughters.
Author Web & Social Media links:
www.emilyskinnerbooks.com
Facebook.com/emilyskinnerbooks
Instagram.com/emilyauthor
Twitter.com/emilyauthor
Thefilmmom.blogspot.com https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6982753.Emily_W_Skinner
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