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Biographical history
The diaries of Rev. J. H. Shoults provide details of his life history over the period 1870-1884. Rev. Shoults worked as a minister with the Christian Church during this period. The majority of diary entries relate to his work with this church though reference is also made to his work as a teacher, family affairs, farming and gardening activities, shopping and errands, prices of food and farm goods, his personal finances, social visits (Rev. Shoults had many friends and acquaintances), and to weather conditions.
Rev. Shoults was born on Mar. 27, 1843. At the time of writing the diaries he has already married and many references are made to "Mrs. Shoults" or "Mrs. S." Diary entries also include references to his three children - Ella, Herschel, and Bertha. Rev. Shoults appears to have begun his career working as a school teacher and in 1870 (the first year for which the diaries are available) he was teaching and living on a farm in Whitevale, Ont. During this year he was also involved in the activities of both the Baptist and Christian churches, and he began to play a small part in preaching for the Christian Church working with Elder Jesse Tatton. In 1871 Rev. Shoults became involved in working as a Minister of the Christian Church on a full-time basis preaching in Bloomington, Ringwood, Markham, and Brougham. Rev. Shoults writes increasingly of his preaching, church meetings, funerals, and baptisms, and other activities of the Christian Church.
In Apr. 1872 Rev. Shoults moved from Whitevale to Altona, Ont. and in 1873 he moved from Altona to Little Britain, Ont. In 1879 he took up a new position as an Evangelist under the direction of the Mission Board and lived in a rented house in Newmarket, Ont. During 1880 Rev. Shoults moved from Newmarket to Kettleby and later in this same year he moved to live in J. Steven's house called "Mt. Pleasant" on the third line of King Township.
In 1883 Rev. Shoults' circumstances suddenly changed when he decided to rent a store and dwelling at 345 Yonge St., Toronto. However, his plan to open a store selling stationery and books was never realized, as he returned to the country and resumed working as a Minister with the Christian Church, first living at Bro. George's residence in Markham, and then in Oct. 1883 moving to Orono. In Feb. 1884 Rev. Shoults' daughter Bertha died of an illness. The final year covered by the diaries is 1884.
(Source : Materials in GA 110 Rev. J. H. Shoults Fonds.)
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Scope and content
Ca. [60] p. ms. diary in notebook kept by J. H. Shoults. The first section of this diary was written from Shoults' home in Whitevale, but from Oct. 26, 1870 he writes from his new home in the 9th Concession of Pickering Township. The last entry contained in this diary is dated Oct. 15, 1871.
This diary includes entries recording personal, social, and professional activities as well as accounts of weather conditions. Initially the entries are written daily, but the latter entries are sporadic. A synopsis of 1870 written by Shoults is also contained in this diary.The diary entries indicate that Shoults has given up teaching at this point and is engaged in working for the Christian Church full-time. Reference is made to the sermons which he prepared and delivered, to church services and meetings he attended, to a Christian conference, and to baptisms and funerals. Some lists of names of converts to the church are included in this diary along with the the name of the place where these individuals first embraced this new religion, the date of their baptism, and the date when they were first united with the church. Reference is also made in this diary to family, social, and parish visits (including the names of many friends and acquaintances), to farming activities, and shopping and errands run by him. Details of farm product and food prices are also included in this diary.