1880 Excelsior Diary. An amazing eye into history. Kept by a student of Knox College. Frequent encounters and mentions of the president of the college, Newton Bateman, who was a personal friend of Abraham Lincoln. Mentions seeing President Rutherford Hays and General Sherman at the train station on their tour before the election, also mentions the 1880 election of Garfield. Mentions attending a speech by Union General / Senator John Logan. Also mentions attending the circus and seeing Tom Thumb. Mentions attending a couple of sermons by evangelist DL Moody. Mentions seeing famous opera singer Emma Abbot. The writer was an active member of the Temperance Society. At the back of the diary is a financial ledger and notes pages where he wrote thoughts and favorite quotes. Nearly every day is full, save for some of August and a few days in a later month. Has a list of books purchased for school in the front. Cover condition is pictured. Only a few pages in the back are torn. (Sample Images Above)