Horace Clark (1781-1842) was a substantial farmer and prominent citizen in the small agricultural community of Granby, Connecticut. He was the postmaster in Granby from 1821 to 1833, a representative to the Connecticut General Assembly in 1817, 1829, and 1835, and a justice of the peace from 1820 until his death in 1842. These excerpts are taken from his surviving diary, which was kept from January 1836 through November 1837, a time when he was in his mid-50s. Clark made entries every day that demonstrate the centrality of farming in his life; the great majority of its entries are about weather, crops, livestock and work in the fields, intertwined with scattered observations about family and community life.

Excerpts from the diary of Horace Clark, December 1836 through November 1837

1836 Thursday December 12th Month 1836
2nd Clear and Cold, husked Corn
3d Cloudy & Clear, husked Corn
6th Cloudy and Chilly—husked Corn—
12th Clear and Cloudy—Finished husking Corn & getting it in to the Corn house The bell was tolled for the death of Chauncey Clark, Aged 49
15th Clear windy & Cold, Went to Salmon Brook*, took the oath of Justice of the Peace* Rough wheeling A Case of small pox in Salmon Brook—the wife of T.K. Edwards
16th Clear—got some appletree wood and did various chores
20th Cloudy not Cold Butchered my 3rd and last hog wt 297 lbs Charles* Butchered his hog wt 270 tolerable sleighing with about 2 in. of Snow or rather ice


1837 Sunday January 1st Month 1837
4th Cloudy and Clear verry Cold L. Griffin began to thrash* my rye etc. Ther[mometer] 5 below 0 [when] hung outdoors in morning
5th Cloudy and Clear and verry Cold, Lester went to Salmnbrook for H. Holcomb. Ther down to Zero—out doors
9th Clear growing Colder, windy, Butchered a Cow [for] Polly hopkins wt 597 lbs.
16th Clear and Cold—went to Salmon brook to town meeting
25th Clear and quite Cold—Funeral of Joseph Pinney at Scotland [Conn.]—Sold my Tobin Colt to C.T. Hilyer for $40, and Bought a horse 6 yrs. old...of Samuel Benjamin—Gave him $70.00
27th Clear and verry Cold Sledded wood from Et. Woods*. Sold Bates Cow to Amasa Holcomb for $35.50—Charles sold old Eli ox to the same [man] for $55.50 Ther[mometer] 7 below 0 [when] Sun 1 hour high in morning outdoors [The temperature was seven degrees below zero, outside, one hour after sunrise.]
29th Sunday Clear and pleasant Elmore, Samuel* &c went to the Shakers* to meeting*


1837 Wednesday February 2nd Month 1837
2nd Clear and Cold or growing Cold, finished thrashing my rye
6th Cloudy and Clear—Sold 26 bu[bushels] of Rye to Wm Parmerly [of] Pinemeadow for $1.46 pr bu
9th Clear and cold—went to Newgate got 20 bu of Coal 12 ½ cts per bu. Funeral of the above [Julia Andruss], aged 17 yr…
11th Clear and pleasant, Sledded appletree limbs—Charles Eli Ox and bates cow taken away
17th Cloudy and pretty snowey day & growing Cold, Shelled seed Corn. Died at Suffield Mr. Jonathan Viets aged 86 yrs.
18th Clear and Cold—winnowed* up rye
22nd Clear and warm—Sledded 3 lodes of wood from mountain, good Sleighing
24th Cloudy not Cold, Sledded wood from Et woods—myself and wife went to Strong Mathers visiting—good Sleighing The Bell was tolled for the death [of] Capt. James Viets widow—aged 78 yrs.


1837 Wednesday March 3d Month 1837
3d Clear and Cold scarce thaws at all on south roofs—went to sawmill with logs
4th Clear & pleasant but quite Cold—Charles Sick with measels, got wood. Martin van Buren takes the seat of President of the United States. A. Jacksons term out
10th Cloudy and Clear—Chopped wood at door, went to H. Fullers with plow to be repaired The Bell was tolled, for the death of Zibah Phelps, widow of Shuball Phelps aged 72 years
14th Clear—march wind—thaws considerable, snow much gone, muddy traveling Blue birds, robbins & blak-birds a few of each have appeared
18th Cloudy—rain in afternoon, went to Salmonbrook to Caucus meeting*
25th Clear, warm and verry pleasant—Sold bay Colt 3 yr old past to Charles for $50. And a sum further, not agreed upon if she worked gentle
31st Cloudy, damp day, not Cold—worked at wood, muddy time quite


1837 Saturday April 4th Month 1837
4 Clear & Cold, Lester Griffin began to work for me for the Seven month $16.00 pr mo. Went to the Point, sold my rye to E.M. Jencks for 7/ per bu.
6th Clear & chilly wind—went with 50 bu rye to Jencks Distillery
11th Clear—Started for the Point with 54 bu rye, water so high and wind also I stored my bags this side the river, large quantities of ice floating down the river
13th Clear and warm, got the rye that was stored the 11th to Jencks Distillery making with what I sold in the winter 130 bu rye sold this year—
14th Clear & squall Cold Clouds & thunder, mended fence, measured land on plain
15th Clear and pleasant, mended fence—Painted old ketchen floor
20th Cloudy & Clear Cold squally Clouds—mended fence—Drawed logs into Logway, Phelps Sawmill
21st Cloudy raw cold wind, Drawed planks from Sawmill, mended fence etc. Ground freezes considerable every night.
24th Cloudy & Clear—Cold raw squall Clouds—got out spring manure—began in afternoon to plow for Planting on Plain—West mountain white with snow
30th Sunday—Clear and warm, turned sheep to the mountain—April showers towards night & in the evening with a trifle of Thunder. Martin birds have appeared


1837 Monday May 5th Month 1837
1st Clear high wind and Cold—plowed garden
2nd Clear windy & Cold—plowed for planting and planted Corn…The first time a Stage ever ran through from Westfield to Hartford Through Turkey hills*
3d Clear—verry strong wind but not Cold—plowed for and planted Corn
4th Clear—finished plowing for planting on plain. Planted Corn.
6th Cloudy, showery afternoon plowed for planting at middle pasture, thrashed Corn, the mold bord* or iron to my old first Newgate plow failed today being Completely worn out, and that chiefly by myself. I have followed that plow more miles than any one man did or ever will any plow whatever, in my opinion. The red thrasher* has appeared
10th Cloudy & Clear—hard rain last night and heavy shower this morning with thunder—turned youn[g] Cattle to pasture in lots as follows 5 yearlings to Johnson Lot—2 three years old & three 2 years old and a yearling Colt at Et. Woods, 3 two year old heifers to Scabby shin lot, three yearlings to Hawley orchard, 2 yearlings to the mountain, two winter Calves to the mountain, in all 21 head
15th Cloudy not Cold, finished planting Corn—worked prepairing Potatoe land
18th Cloudy and Clear not cold—plowed for and planted Potatoes—growing time for grass etc.—now and then an appletree Blossum to be seen—Saw first Humblebee, Pastures just begin to look green
20th Clear & Cloudy—Went to Hartford, got mould board for my Plow, mended fence—ground verry wet
24th Cloudy and some rain—planted potatoes. Cut bushes on plain. Went to N. Granby for boards.
31st Clear and the warmest summerlike day we have had—howed potatoes on plain hedge—Small shower last evening—Appletree Blossums principally off


1837 Thursday June 6th Month 1837
1st Clear verry warm and Summerlike, began to weed Corn, planted pumpkins
3d Clear weed Corn on plain
10th Cloudy & a trifle of misty rain—Weed Corn at middle pasture—Cold for time of year
13th Cloudy & Clear finished weeding Corn. Corn verry backward, small indeed
20th Cloudy and Steady rainey forenoon & part of afternoon Generally speaking, Corn, oats, Garden plants etc., are at a Standstill, even the prospect for the hay Crop is poor—
24th Cloudy and a few small scuds of rain, Began to halfhill* Corn & Potatoes on plain
26th Clear but verry smoakey morn—halfhilled Corn on plain—Verry thick smoakey air—the sun read as blood and yet it does not shine sufficiently bright to Cause any object or thing to Cast a shadow
30th Clear and warm, halfhilled [corn] at middle pasture The first day of Clear blue sky and yellow sun shine I have seen for 2 months or more, the sun has seamed to shine through a vail like Cloud, with the addition of a verry smoakey air, and had but little influence on the earth to warm the same for 2 months or more—the prospect for the farmer is gloomey, if July & August do not tell the right story, we are gone as to crops.


1837 Saturday July 7th Month 1837
4th Clear & pleasant except being verry windy, Began to how Corn 3d time on plain. Grass not being fit to Cut, I am Compelled to go to hilling Corn, altho small and backward—
7th Cloudy—hilled* Corn on plain
10th Clear rather Cool, began to mow 1st crop [of hay] Started for Blanford with wool to be manufactured into Cloth, at Southwick found a chance to send it
12th Clear—mowed—Carted in 4 lodes of hay (homelot) Growing time Corn and rye verry backward
14th Clear—mowed—shower with heavy thunder at sunset, mowed, carted 4 lodes [from] home lot
17th Clear and pleasant—finished mowing where I mow rowan*—Carted 4 lodes of hay (home lot)
21st Clear—mowed herds grass* Charley [mowed] garden hill & south of new barn
22nd Clear—mowed herds grass & carted in 6 large lodes (home lot)
25th Clear and windy, did various chores in forenoon, Began to reep [reap]* on plain in afternoon Began to Harvest my rye, but not sufficiently ripe to bind* as I reep
27th Clear, fine Harvest day—reaped on the plain
29th Clear and Cloudy—reaped on plain
31st Cloudy a fine shower of rain just before noon—Damp afternoon reaped on plain in forenoon


1837 Tuesday August 8th Month 1837
5th Clear, finished reaping—Carted rye for Charles
8th Cloudy with a few occasional drops of rain—turned Straw manure—Myself, Elmore, Charles, Samuel* & Norris Winchell went to Poquonock fishing
10th Clear, misted with windy black Clouds—mowed in homelot—this morning I rose early and discovered an unusual number of Shooting Stars or meteors* The bell tolled the death of David Enoc A Revolutionary Pensioner Aged 79
11th Cloudy with a trifle of Clear—Carted 50-1/2 Shocks* of rye from Et woods, which finishes [it], 186 1/2 from plain, 153 1/2 from Et woods, in all 340 Shocks—Carted in 3 lodes of hay, home lot—rain just at night Funeral of the above David Enoc
13th Sunday—Cloudy, growing time for a Cloudy time. Heard first fall cricket.
14th Cloudy—Crossplowed* & Hack in, why, Poor hayweather—15th Cloudy—Crossplowed & Hack in
17th Clear & Cloudy, mowed in home lot
19th Clear—mowed in home lot—Carted 5 large loads in from same
22 Cloudy—a trifle of Clear—mowed—Carted 2 lodes, Barker lot
29th Clear—Finished mowing after harvest grass, Carted 4 lodes from Hawly mowing—Charles had one of them—Carted 4 lodes from north barker lot, which finished.
31st Cloudy & Clear—Crossplowed—went to Hartford for plaster* 10 bu 2/p bu


1837 Friday September 9th Month 1837
9th Clear and warm,—myself, all hands & teams, work for Charles plowing in rye at Scabby shin lot and finished
10th Sunday—Cloudy & Clear—warm
14th Clear and pleasant—myself Boys &c. went to Hartford to Brigade training
15th Clear—returned from Brigade training—making the 4th that I have attended—the 1st at Windsor—2nd East Windsor—3d West Hartford 4th Hartford, the two first I did duty as a Musician—the 2 last was a mere spectator. Found frost, no damage done—
20th Clear—mowed rowen—Began to put up Cidermill. Verry dry time—
21st Clear—mowed rowen—Carted in 5 large lodes of rowen, home lot
25th Clear and quite warm—picked apples—went to mill & Carding machine*, light frost, no damage
26th Cloudy, picked apples—worked at Cidermill—brought grist* from mill, rolls* from [carding] machine


1837 Sunday October 10th Month 1837
2nd Clear & warm—made 17 barrels of Cider,—went to pinemeadow for brick, at evening frogs peep as in spring, the like I never noticed before, a remark of many, as old as myself—in the evening there passed over us a black Cloud with drops of rain and occassional flakes of snowe
4th Clear and Cold—dug potatoes &c—Found a black frost, no damage as yet—
5th Clear and Cloudy—...finished digging potatoes on plain—yield good—had about 80 bushels—Found a killing frost—...all that frost can do to vegetables is accomplished, the story is told—
7th Clear—picked two lodes of dutton corn* on plain too many hooking it, picked apples tired piece, quite a frost
9th Clear and Cold, gathered all my apples at Et. Woods—yield estimated at 25 lbs Hardest frost we have had—
14th Clear, Cold forenoon, pleasant afternoon, made barrels of Cider, 3d Cheese*—Colder than anything we have had before
21st Clear not Cold—Dug potatoes
24th Clear and warm as ‘summer’ finished digging Potatoes, pulled turnips My Birthday, 56 yrs. old today
26th Cloudy and misty—got out fall manure
27th Cloudy and rainey—thrashed
28th Clear and Chilley—finished getting out fall manure, Shingled Barker stoop


1837 Wednesday November 11th Month 1837
1st Clear and quite pleasant, picked and carted in 3 lodes of Corn
3d Clear and pleasant, Picked and Carted 5 lodes of Corn, old sort
4th Clear and warm, picked and Carted 2 lodes of Corn, old sort, from plain and fenced on plain—also picked and Carted 2 lodes from middle pasture, Dutton kind—
7th Clear & windy, husked Corn
13th Clear and pleasant Elmore Began to keep school, District No. 6
17th Clear & warm, snow wastes Considerable—husked corn & attend Chores
18th Clear & warm—husked Corn—


*carding machine - a water powered machine which brushes knots and tangles out of wool and lines up the fibers in one direction to prepare it for spinning
*Caucus meeting - a meeting of political party members, usually to choose candidates or decide on important issues
*Charles - Horace Clark's son
*Cheese - Ground or crushed apples wrapped in straw to bind them together, which is then pressed to extract the juice.
*crossplowed - plowing a field twice at right angles so that the rows cross one another
*dutton corn - An improved variety of corn introduced in 1819 by Salmon Dutton of Cavendish, Vermont. It was prolific and early maturing.
*Elmore, Charles and Samuel - Horace Clark’s sons
*Et. Woods - East Woods. Et. Woods is Clark’s personal abbreviation for a piece of property. He also refers to his homelot, middle pasture, mountain, plain, Johnson lot, Scabby shin, Hawley orchard, Barker lot.
*grist - grain which has been ground into flour
*half-hilled - to use a hoe to pull fresh soil up around the young plants to nourish them. This prevents the roots from drying and makes the plants stand more firmly. In the early nineteenth century, corn was hoed three times. The second hoeing was referred to as half-hilling. The first hoeing was referred to as weeding and no hill was made around the base of the plant. Clark began to weed his corn on June 1. The third and final hoeing was called hilling.
*herds grass - Often mixed with clover, herds grass or cat’s-tail was a particularly rich and improved variety of hay grass.
*hilled - to draw additional earth up and around the base of a corn plant using a hoe. This process occurs when the corn stalks are about knee high in order to provide fresh soil and nourishment for the plant, creating a higher and bigger hill.
*Justice of the Peace - a public official, like a judge, who hears cases and settles disputes
*meeting - church service
*mold bord - mould board: a curved iron or iron-shod section of the plow which turns the over the earth as the plow advances, making a furrow
*plaster - gypsum used for fertilizer
*red thrasher - a bird
*reep - reap: to harvest by cutting with a sickle
*rolls - the carded wool in a convenient form for hand spinning; long, sausage shaped pieces of carded wool
*rowan - rowen: the second growth of grass in a season
*Salmon Brook - a village of Granby
*Samuel - Horace Clark's son
*Shakers - members of a millenarian sect
*shocks - sheaves or bundles of grain stood up with the cut ends down
*Shooting Stars or meteors - Clarke was observing the Perseid meteor showers that occur every year about August 9 through 11.
*sufficienly ripe to bind - not yet hard and dry enough to bundle together
*thrash - thresh: to separate the kernels of grain from the straw by beating with a special wooden tool, a flail
*Turkey Hills - The stage route from Westfield, Mass. to Hartford, Conn. Passed through the Turkey Hill district of Granby, Conn. where the Clark family lived. In 1858, the Turkey Hill district was incorporated as the town of East Granby, Conn.
*winnowed - Grains like rye and wheat are threshed to remove the nutritious kernels from the stalks. After threshing the grain it is winnowed to remove the remaining unwanted “chaff.” The chaff, which is lighter than the grain, is blown away—either by a light breeze outdoors or by fanning it to produce a breeze while the grain is tossed upward or poured.

Diary of Horace Clark, Granby, Conn., 1836-1837. Old Sturbridge Village Research Library. Selected entries. Edited by Old Sturbridge Village.