Why I am Passionate About History: Anne S. Frobel’s Diary

Sometimes, in the throes of research, when one is least expecting it, comes a moment when a particular kind of light shines on a word or phrase, and in that moment one’s purpose becomes clear. One experiences an epiphany of sorts. Just such a moment occurred for me when I read the first page of Anne S. Frobel’s diary.

May 25, 1861

This day I thought of and determined to keep a daily account of all that occurs, or that we know anything of, hoping, that if either, or both of us die before these troubles are over or if we are destined never to see any of our relatives again, this book may by some lucky chance find its way to the hands of some one who may feel an interest in our fate.

Anne Frobel’s diary documents her day-to-day life during the Civil War. She lived with her younger sister, Lizzie, at Wilton Hill, the 114-acre family farm in eastern Fairfax County, Virginia. Their father, John Jacob Frobel, died in 1851, their mother, Mary Scott Marshall Frobel, in 1857. Anne and Lizzie lived together on the farm for almost 80 years, by themselves most of that time. Diary pages describe the challenges and heartaches that faced the sisters as the war came and went, and came and went, through Wilton Hill and neighboring farms and towns. Even in her loneliest and saddest times, when Wilton Hill itself crumbled under the weight of soldiers boots – both Union and Confederate – she took pen in hand to record her thoughts.

This is why I research and write –to learn about, and share these stories. Stories that sometimes fall into darkened corners or library shelves, waiting for a bit of light to reveal the true history of a person, a place, a time. These words comprise our collective history – not just the words of generals or presidents – but also the words of everyday people who find themselves in an extraordinary time or place.

And so, Anne Frobel, I do feel an interest in your fate. I have read your compelling story and am grateful to you for writing it. Trust that I will treat your words with great care.

This week’s art project begins a different type of journal, one that will bind together words from many diaries and accounts of the civilians’ stories during the Civil War in northern Virginia. For the cover, I rescued the boards from a disintegrating old book. I removed the remaining pages and gave the covers a coat of matte gel medium on both sides. Next, I created the first pages. I thought Anne’s words should start the journal out, as they capture the spirit of my writing, especially my current project.

I want to keep the art simple and uncluttered, so that the writers’ words are the focus. To hold it all together, I am using grommets and ribbon so that it will be easy to add pages as I go. I will post photos here on my site as I add new pages.