Martha Ballard was a midwife, healer, and diarist who lived in colonial Maine in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.–world history and facts
Martha Ballard was a midwife, healer, and diarist who lived in colonial Maine in the late 18th and early 19th centuries–world history and facts Her diary, which covers a period of 27 years, provides a rare and valuable window into the daily life, medical practices, and social customs of the time. Martha Ballard was born in 1735 and lived in Hallowell, Maine, which was a remote frontier town at the time. Despite the lack of formal medical training, she became a respected and skilled midwife, who was often called upon to attend births in her community. Over the course of her career, she recorded information about each birth she attended, including the mother's name, the date of the birth, and any difficulties or complications that arose. Her diary provides an important record of the challenges faced by families on the frontier and the role of midwifery in colonial society. Martha Ballard was not only a midwife but also a healer and a valuable member of her community. Her diary provi