Henry Harrison Williams, who referred to himself as
"Harry" in his personal, yearlong diary, faithfully recorded his law studies in
Sidney, the "unfortunate" weather, his longing for his new wife who lived in New
Carlisle, the price of gold, and the breaking news of the Civil War he had been forced to leave
because of wounds at the Battle of Shiloh.
His successful practice of law assured a place for him in written Miami Valley
history (Genealogical and Biographical Record--GBR, Miami County, Ohio,
Lewis Publ. Co., 1900). The unresolved mystery is how his diary ended up lost in a Texas
school over 130 years after it was written.
Found in Texas. Thanks to Ken and Lois Carlson of
The Woodlands, Texas, the diary has come back to Sidney. Mrs. Carlson, a schoolteacher,
brought the lost diary home. When no one inquired about it for over a year, Mr. Carlson,
noting the diary’s reference to "Sidney, Ohio," called the Amos Memorial
Public Library and was directed to Barbara Adams of Shelby County’s Genealogical
Society.
Subsequent discussion between Adams and Carlson brought the faded, barely legible diary
to Shelby County for Adams to laboriously transcribe. "Copying it was difficult,
with a few words illegible," Adams reports. "While Harry did well in
spelling, his punctuation marks were scarce. The only changes I made to the original were
the addition of more capital letters which clarify his meaning." Entries
began January 1, 1864, and concluded December 31, 1864. The diary features a rich
combination of everyday concerns and a more far-reaching concern with the war and other
national issues.
Born a native of Clark County in 1840, Williams had taught school for a couple years before
embarking on the study of law with J. S. Conklin in Sidney. He soon left his studies to
join the 15th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, serving under General McClellan in the
West Virginia campaign. "…in December, 1861, he again enlisted in the 71st
O.V. I. and served as a private until discharged in 1863; was engaged in the Battle of
Philippi, in the McClellan campaign of 1861; also the battles of Columbus, Miss., and
Shiloh, in which last engagement he was wounded in the right hip and disabled for life; he
was taken prisoner by the rebels, but after a four months’ confinement paroled and
exchanged, receiving his discharge on account of disability in 1863" (The History
of Miami County, Ohio, W.H. Beers & Co., 1880).
Williams began his diary as a law student who solidly condemned Sidney’s climate.
"Friday, January 1, 1864: Intensly cold Colder than I have felt for years Snow 3
inches deep Too cold for study or pleasure Done but little to day It has not been so cold
for 7 years 15 (degrees) below zero Spent the day most unpleasantly Am thinking of leaving
here and remaining at home a month or two."