Blogging the Days in the Life of William Cobbett Skinner
1888 Journal is posted online as the year unfolds.

William Cobbett Skinner (1857 – 1947) 1888 Journal

In 1888, William Cobbett Skinner was 31 years old, working under his father’s guidance at Skinner and Sons Manufacturing in Holyoke, MA. Wistariahurst Museum’s blog entries will track Will’s 1888 journal. Each week new entries will be transcribed and uploaded to the Wistariahurst Museum website for interested readers to follow.

“The journal entries will unfold like a mystery” remarked Penni Martorell. “It is all new material to us. We’ve never had the time to transcribe this journal and we thought we would share the discoveries as they happen along in the year.”

Follow along as Will’s journal lends insights into his business dealings, family relationships and social life.

Dale Platenik, a select volunteer with skills at deciphering handwriting has stepped up to take on this time consuming and yet intriguing process. “I love the challenge of decoding Will’s handwriting and I am learning all sorts of things about Will and the Skinner Family. It is quite fun.”

You can find the entries at wistariahurst.org/experience-history/wcs-journal.  Scroll down to the weekly blog entries.

-Submitted by Michelle Fredette