This diary of Bethuel Church provides information about his daily life in West Michigan during the mid 1850s. Scattered throughout the margins of the diary are numerous penciled notes from an unknown source, commenting on what Church has written. The diary also provides a very good source description of daily life in the early 19th century as well as an indication of the daily weather. The volume begins with a brief autobiographical account written in 1816, religious writings, and acrostic poetry by Church.