Diary of Richard Marshall Scott, Jr., 1846 February-1847 November

Richard Marshall Scott, Jr. began keeping this diary when he moved back to the Bush Hill plantation from Alexandria, where he had been reading law with Francis L. Smith since October of 1845. On the first page, he records the names of all of his slaves living at Bush Hill plantation. He writes about work done on the plantation; the weather, including a heavy snow; social visits; his joy at having the Bush Hill plantation as his property at last; an injury to his slave, Aaron, while cutting timber; the construction of a new barn; church attendance; his first mention of his future wife, Virginia Gunnell (March 15, 1846); the illness, death and burial of his housekeeper, Isabella, who was treated by Dr Fairfax and Dr. Richard (April 7-21, 1846); his runaway slave, George, eventually sold to Richard Windsor (April 22-31, 1846); his friendship with Dr. Gunnell and his sister, Virginia; his suffering with mumps; attendance at events, such as the Great National Fair in Washington (May 21, 1846), various sessions of Congress, the anniversaries of national events, and his viewing of paintings in the Rotunda at the Capitol; mention of the Mexican War and General Taylor (June 8, 1846); the sale of slave woman, Catherine, for "improper conduct" to Joseph Bruin (August 10-11, 1846); national and state elections; his marriage to Virginia Gunnell (September 15, 1846); the birth of his daughter, Eleanor Marshall Scott (August 7, 1847); and the hiring out of some of his slaves at Samuel Catts on the first of January each year, beginning in 1847. This diary account continues in volumes marked "Notebook" in Box 4.