Historic Diary Found in Grandpa's Basement!

Image: JP Koehler at Wauwatosa Seminary, candid photo taken by a student.


While going through some old boxes in my grandfather's basement, I stumbled upon something truly remarkable: my great-grandfather’s diary. He was a student at the Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary from 1910 to 1912 and had the unique opportunity to learn from the famous Wauwatosa theologians of that era. As you can imagine, this diary could be a treasure trove of insights into the life of a seminary student over a century ago.

But here’s the thing—the handwriting is challenging to decipher. It’s very different from what we’re used to today, and to do it justice, I need to hire professional transcribers who can carefully decode its contents. Only then can I start the process of translating and studying it. This project isn’t just personally meaningful to me; it could also provide valuable historical insights, and I plan to use it as the basis for an article in the Wisconsin Lutheran Quarterly Journal.

Here’s where I’m asking for your help. The cost of professional transcription is about $1500. To make this project a reality, I’ve set up a crowdfunding campaign. If this story resonates with you, if you’re passionate about preserving history or just love a good discovery, I’d be incredibly grateful for your support. Whether you’re able to contribute or just share the campaign with others, every bit helps.

https://patreon.com/tlhp?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink

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• About the Host
  • Benjamin Phelps is a 2014 graduate from Martin Luther College with a Bachelor of Arts with a German emphasis. From there went on to graduate from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary in 2018.
    Ben loves all things history and enjoys traveling. A descendant of over a dozen Lutheran pastors, Ben has an interest in his family roots, especially 19th-century Lutheranism, and has written several papers and journal articles on the topic. His 2018 thesis on Wyneken won the John Harrison Ness award and the Abdel Ross Wentz prize. He is also the recipient of two awards of commendation from the Concordia Historical Institute.
    Ben is currently a doctoral student in historical theology through Concordia Seminary's reduced residency program in St. Louis.