KING CITY — Pearl’s Diary will be the featured topic for the San Antonio Valley Historical Association Fall Lecture and Annual Meeting planned for Saturday, Nov. 18.
The event will be held at St. Mark’s Church in King City at the corner of Bassett and South Third streets. It will begin at 1 p.m. with a luncheon, followed by a talk at 2 p.m. The public is invited.
Featured speakers will be Marvin Daniels of Pismo Beach, Dan Daniels of King City and Redding, and Marlene Daniels Thomason of Parkfield. The siblings have been working for nearly four years to transcribe 45 years of entries in the diaries of their mother, Pearl (Rist) Daniels.
The writings are a fascinating glimpse into the life of a Southern Monterey County ranch wife, including references to national and local events.
Starting Thanksgiving weekend 2019, Marvin Daniels began transcribing the diary that was given by her mother Virginia Belle (Bousfield) Rist in 1936 as a Christmas gift. Pearl started writing in the diary New Year’s Day 1937 and continued until shortly before she passed away Feb. 10, 2002.
With help from brother Dan and sister Marlene, Marvin has spent a portion of each day for the past four years deciphering the tiny handwriting, then sending it to his siblings for clarification of spelling and details. Once approved, several days of the diary entries have been texted to a growing list of about 100 family and friends.
Pearl (Rist) Daniels was born and raised in the Peach Tree area, east of King City. She attended Peach Tree Elementary School, then King City High School, graduating in the class of 1931. She married Clarence Daniels and lived on Lynn Street helping care for her grandfather, Henry M. Rist, while raising her family.
After her grandfather’s death in 1946, she moved to the Rist family ranch in the Peachtree Valley on Highway 25 where she remained until her death.
Cost for the event is $15 per person for SAHVA members or $20 for non-members. Payment in advance is required and reservations can be made before Nov. 1 by calling 831-385-0323 or 805-472-2780 or emailing sa****@gm***.com and sending a check to SAVHA P.O. Box 145, Lockwood, CA 93932.
