Madame Knight's Extraordinary 1704 Journey from Boston to New York Documented in Rare Journal
In 1704, Sarah Kemble Knight, a 38-year-old widow, schoolmistress, and businesswoman, undertook an extraordinary horseback journey from Boston to New Haven and then to New York along the Boston Post Road. Her detailed journal, though not published until 1825, provides a rare and vivid account of travel in early 18th-century New England. Knight's journey, which began on October 2, 1704, was remarkable given that women typically did not travel unescorted over such distances during that era. Her writings describe the challenging road conditions, primitive inns, and the diverse people she encountered, offering insights into colonial life, customs, and the social landscape of the time. She documented everything from negotiating prices with tavernkeepers to observing local customs in Connecticut and the urban environment of New York.
