Martha McMillan Research Papers
Document Type
Research Paper
Publication Date
8-8-2016
Keywords
Martha McMillan, Cedarville, diaries, journals, domestic help, farming
Abstract
In nineteenth century America, middle-class families often had domestic servants in their home. Domestic service looked different in various parts of the country and at different points in the century, but a common theme of racial tension and class struggle defined servant/employer relationships throughout the hundred year period. In Ohio, Martha McMillan recorded the events on her family’s farm in a series of journals from 1867 up until her death in 1913. Thousands of pages portray the day-to-day events of a farmer’s wife, her children, and her relationship with farm employees. In contrast to nineteenth-century employer/employed attitudes and practices, Martha treated her employees with respect and kindness making them a part of her family rather than a member of her workforce.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Krus, Victoria E., "Martha and Her Help: A Different Kind of Relationship" (2016). Martha McMillan Research Papers. 13.
https://digitalcommons.cedarville.edu/mcmillan_research_papers/13
Included in
Agriculture Commons, Animal Sciences Commons, Christianity Commons, Civic and Community Engagement Commons, Education Commons, Family, Life Course, and Society Commons
About this Collection
The McMillan Journal Collection is an archive of the journals of Martha McMillan of Cedarville, Ohio, who maintained a daily journal from 1867 until her death in 1913.
