About the Lovejoy Journals

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Photograph of the Lovejoy Diaries

The Lovejoy Journals, four bound folios, were discussed in an article published in the Dubois Frontier, on March 29, 2007, that announced the acquisition of four volumes written by Wyoming pioneer Fred Lovejoy. The article also briefly describes the potential importance of these volumes in understanding life in South Pass City, Wyoming in the 1880s and 1890s. 

The journals had suffered some damage in storage and portions were lost or are illegible. However, most of these journals have since been transcribed. Following transcription, it became clear that Fred Lovejoy had authored only one of these volumes. Nevertheless, the promise of the journals in providing insight into life in South Pass City is undiminished.

The dates spanned by each journal and its authors are:
journal 1: September 1, 1886 to October 26-27, 1887-- Walter Lovejoy
journal 2: May 15, 1889 to June 8, 1890-- Walter Lovejoy 
journal 3: January 1, 1895 to June 30, 1895-- Fred Lovejoy
journal 4: April 12, 1902 to Summer and fall of 1903 to Winter 1904-- Walter Lovejoy and his sons, James and Addison

In these pages, I will explore the Lovejoy Journals as they describe life in South Pass City, in particular, and frontier Wyoming, in general. Emphasis will be given to the journals written by Walter Lovejoy because they are more voluminous and generally more detailed. 

"The Fred Lovejoy Legacy: His Adventures and Enterprises in Wyoming and South Dakota," provides a biographical sketch for Fred Lovejoy (Wilhelm, M. J., 2006, Root Cellar Publications, San Luis Obispo).

Below, I will develop a biographical sketch of Walter Lovejoy, which I believe is important to fully understanding his writings. Please note, this is a work in progress, so it will be periodically updated and revised.

 








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