The diary recounts our shipwright’s everyday activities at work, the ships he works on, the types of jobs he does, getting hurt on the job, the hard work, interactions with other men at work, fight with a Jewish coworker ( the “Jew” [sic] was dismissed), he also recounts his social life, his friends and their activities like going to shows, concerts, visiting Fairmount Park, walking around downtown Philadelphia, etc. He also gives an account of the amount of his paychecks, when he gets raises, and what he spends his money on such as everyday expenses like carfare, every day necessities, or purchasing bonds, sending money back home, or going out at night with a woman he met named Marie Madden, who he started dating.

The diary offers a look at a 20-year-old, later 21-year-old Midwesterner, who came to Philadelphia to work as a shipwright during World War One.

       Leonard Ehret Williams (1897-1918)

Leonard Ehret Williams was born 23 March 1897 in Conway, Missouri. He was the son of Leonard B. Williams (1865-1932), a house carpenter, of Franklin, Simpson County, Kentucky and Louisa Ellen Haymes (1870-1952) of Webster County, Missouri. Ehret was one of at least six children. He appears to have attended Conway High School, Conway, Missouri, before moving to Philadelphia to take work as a shipwright at the Philadelphia Naval Yard.

On his World War One draft application of 1 June 1918 he was listed as a shipwright at the Navy Yard in Philadelphia. Williams mentions in his diary many of the ships he was working on at the Navy Yard: U.S.S. Henderson, U.S.S. Sterling, U.S.S. Stockton, and others, the histories of these ships show they had stops at the Philadelphia Navy Yard.

The diary ends on 24 Sept 1918, because Williams became ill. He died a week later, on 2 October 1918, at Philadelphia’s Jefferson Hospital. Records give his cause of death as “labor pneumonia”, however, it is very possible that he may have succumbed to the influenza pandemic then ravaging the world. His family transported his body back to Missouri where he was buried at Twilight Church Cemetery at Conway, Laclede County, Missouri.

Examples from the diary:

“Jan. 1, 1918

Got up at 8:20 and began the new y3ear by taking a shave and a bath. Went to see New Year’s parade after breakfast. Got some pictures of it. Bill came in the afternoon. Cleek and Bailey came to see about a room. Went to a show at Broadway with Duf. His treat. Began ‘The Honorable Senator Sagebrush.’ Started the year with $32.00 on bond, $16.80 cash, spent 40c for film and 54c for candy & drinks.”

“Jan 2, 1918

Worked on transport boat until about 4:00 then on Henderson boring holes in decking to 6:30. Talked to Steen again about raise. Don’t know whether it di any good or not tho. Letter from home. Mary Paul and Mamma all wrote. Can’t get used to the new in-law. Wrote a fatherly letter to Dolph. Spent 25c for candy, 15c for stamps and 2c for matches.”

“Jan 3, 1918

Worked to 4:30 on winch scuppers, then to 6:30 on linoleum carrying sandbags. Walked home. Cold was something awful. Got shoes out of hock, cost $1.65. Bought sweater from Gortner for $1.30. Read “Honorable Senator Sagebrush’ a while. Had bad pain in back, hit the hay about 9:20.”

“Jan 4, 1918

Got the scupper job done before noon. Sent back on transport boat then to help Bill plug up. Worked to 4:30 only, & went out and got a haircut after supper, 25 cents. Spent 10c for horehound tablets and 5c for carfare. Read ‘Hon. Sen.’ Until about 9:15 to bed soon after.”

“Jan 5, 1918

Weather somewhat warmer today. Worked on transport boat until noon. Then on stage on Henderson awhile. Then back to transport to 4:30. Got postal card from Melva saying gift arrived. Got film and printed some pictures. Paid board. Left Mrs. Gowing me $1.80 Paid $1.10 for film and [Neperea] Solution, paid 10c for large bottle for solutions.”

“Jan 8, 1918

Worked to noon on linoleum. Then on margin around ventilator to 6:30. Clerk got time mixed. Counted Fri too much. Took 3 hrs off today to make up. Pay day got $35.42. Paid $28.00 on Liberty Bond. Brings it to $60.00. Spent 22c for canvas gloves and carfare. Got readers card from Phila Free Library and got first book. Mr. Tallman signed for me.”

“Jan 14, 1918

Still on Henderson, 6:30 again. Worked on strong backs to about 11:00 then with Bailey loading two motor boats to go to France as cargo. Brought home a piece of pine. Read to about 9:00 after supper. Then to bed. Spent 5c for carfare.”

“Feb 1, 1918

Colder today. Worked to noon only. Went up town sold bond for $96.54. Sent $100.00 home via American Express money order. Bought $24.80 of tools. Styed home eve. Spent 28c carfare, and 30c fee for A.Ex order. Bed about 9:45. Sent a short letter home with order.”

“Feb 5, 1918

5˚ below zero today and windy, didn’t go to work it was so cold. Went to library a.m. Overcoat was stolen from chair in library, gloves in pockets. No trace of them whatever. Inconvenient? Very! Home p.m. Began ‘Col. Carter of Cartersville,’ by F.H. Smith after supper. Paid 3c for stamps for letter home and gave Ted 2c for his birthday.”

“Feb 12, 1918

Still fine weather. Moved to target rafts. Worked to 6:30. Moved to 2542 S. Broad St after supper with Gortner. Borrowed $7.00 from him to pay rent. Tried to patch old pants; no luck. It’s awful to be a bachelor. Bed a little after 10:00. Spent 5c for carfare.”

“May 4, 1918

Cloudy today but very little rain. Worked to 4:30 only. Home, cleaned up, had supper and went down to see the little miss. Walked to City Hall and then on to Logan Square, then out to Market, had ice cream, down Chestnut and rode on home…. Good time on the whole. Spent 23c carfare, 40c for pictures, 30c ice cream, and 5c life savers. Bed about 12:45.”

“June 3, 1918

Clear and hot. Worked to noon only or rather 11:45. My adze got tangled up with my shin bone and the doc gave me 6 days’ vacation. Am afraid it’s going to be terribly sore. Hurt awfully bad after supper. Hobbled up and got pictures I took May 19 at Fairmount Park Some were pretty good. Cost 57c. Spent 10c carfare. Bed about 9:30.”

“June 7, 1918

Rainy greater part of the day. Stayed inside all day except to run up the Navy Recruiting office and back. Can get in the navy as second class carpenter’s mate, or 1^st class for service in France. Got my registration card duplicate from local board at Lebanon. Finished ‘The Virginian.’ Spent 10c carfare. Bed about 9:30.”

“June 14, 1918

Cloudy and a little rain during the days and a lot in eve. Worked to 6:30 on targets launched at 6:00. The old Jew ‘reported’ me to Steen and Steen believed it. I told him one of us must leave. Went to Roya’s for supper and spent the eve. Saw my new sister for the first time. Like her fine. Home and bed about 12:00. Spent 30c carfare. Payday got $11.90. 14c pie.”

“June 15, 1918

Fine day. Worked to noon only but got pay until 4:30. Asked Smith to transfer me. He said to go back to work that he discharged the Jew on sight. Decided to await developments…”

“June 18, 1918

Cloudy with some rain. Worked to 6:30 on targets counter boring with Maurice. Had it easy all day. Wrote a letter to Clyde after supper sending him a blank application in answer to his letter rec’d Sat. shaved and took a swim and massage afterwards; a case of preparedness. Bed about 10:00. Spent 10c carfare. Have heard nothing of Jew trouble yet.”