Social Work: Visiting and the Creation of Community

Farmer John Plummer Foster made a special trip from North Andover Massachusetts, on Monday, December 21, 1857: “I went down to Boxford, and called at Edward Foster’s, Caroline Batchelder’s, Charles Spofford’s, and Aaron Spofford’s.” After his morning sewing in April 1845, Brigham Nims made a round of visits: “started for the P.O. about 9 o’clock. Called at Mr. Adams’, Asa & Joshua, Lawrence’s, Dr. Buckministr’s, then to Wm. Nims’. Visited Laura... then I called at Uncle Rosewell’s & Wright’s, then home.” The sheer volume of visitors filtering in and out of everyday routines astounds the twentieth-century reader. Looking at a