Introduction written by Al Baumbach.

This document is considered to be part of Hamblen County's history; however, when the diary was written, the Livingstons lived in Grainger and Jefferson Counties.

The diary depicts life in the "good old days" and is especially interesting during the war years. The Livingstons were Confederate sympathizers, I think, but it is amazing how every other week they were entertaining one side or the other. Kate sure was a busy gal!

I was interested in the diary at first because of the Manards cited in it. They were from then-Jefferson County. The Bird Manard cited in the diary later became the Rev. Dr. Birdwell Gibson Manard, a noted Baptist theologian and -- for a short time -- President of Carson-Newman College. He served as an officer with Ashby's 2nd Tennessee Cavalry CSA.

Upon further reflection, the diary is really a great indicator of how life was in those days and of what the Civil War meant to these people and how they endured.

The 167-page PDF-formatted typescript includes an index.