Years ago, I received a hand written list of all of the important books my great grandmother, Ethel Boyd Palme had owned. She had listed information on why the book was significant and which of her sons was to receive each book. All of these awesome old family treasures had been accounted for, except one book, Elizabeth K. Boyd's diary from 1881 detailing her journey to China as a missionary for the Episcopal church.
I've kept hoping that it would be found one day and occasionally "bugged" my cousin MB about it. About a month ago, I got a txt from MB that the lost was found! I was doing a happy dance, as you might imagine.
She decided to make a road trip and bring the book to me, rather than shipping it. It is an amazing book, in good condition for its age. I've scanned it and have carefully packed it away in an archival box.
Lizzy died in Hankow, China in 1882. The journal ends about one week before she died. I'm still amazed that this story will get to be told and that the diary didn't end up getting left in China or forgotten elsewhere over these many years.
I'm grateful to my great grandmother and cousin for taking care of this and many other special documents, photos and artifacts that help tell the story of the Boyd clan.
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