The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-07-18
THE OLD ALMANAC MAKER.
Death Of David A. Daboll. Editor of the
Farmers Friend"

David A. Daboll. who represents the
third generation of the makers of the
famous Daboll's Almanac. is dead at his
New London Comm home. He was 80
years old.
The almanac has been issued by the
Dabolls since 1713, and it will probably
remain in the family for several genera
tons longer. David "A. Daboll was of the
third generation that published the
Farmers Friend" says the New York
Sun. His grandfather, Nathan Daboll.
conceived the idea and produced the first
cross compound Allis-Corliss of 60O-hOrse
mathematics at Plainfeld academy, and
the author of the famous old Daboll
arithmetic and schoolmaSter'S assistant,
and a work on navigation. Nathan Da-
boil made the calculations for the almanac
until 1918. From then until 1864 his
son, also named Nathan, was the alma
nae maker; and since that time David A,
one of the six sons of Nathan III, has
figured out the astronomical problems.
''The New England Almanac and
Farmers Friend" was one of the first
in the field. Every farmer throughout
New England has an almanac, which al.
ways hangs at THE side of the Old-tashoned
fireplace in the kitchen. 1t is the recOg-
nized authority on the weather and the
workings of the sun, moon and stars.
Steamships and Sailing vessels that
cruise from &. .ew England seaport towns
invariably have the Farmers Friend
hanging in the cabin also. So many of
the farmers this almanac furnishes good
reading the year round. 1t has been said
that no farmer in New England would
think of doing any work ON his place
without consulting this almanac. If he
contemplated planting on certain day,
and the representations in the little
book should declare unfavorable meteor
illogical conditions, he would not plant,
and no one could induce him to under
the circumstances In addition to good
deal of valuable information, the al
manac furnishes jokes for the recreation
of the farmer. They are good old jokes
that have stood the = test of time. and
they are none the less appreciated fer
that fact
The almanac Office is in the wing of
the DabOil house. Its furniture now is
antique, and there for many years Mr..
Daboll has worked out his calculations
by the glow of the kerosene lamp. Until
almost his last days his eye was bright,
his brain active and his memory excel
lent. He made his calculations from the
'Nautical Almanac" work issued by
the Royal Observatory of Greenwich,
several years in advance. for the special
use of astronomers and navigato1s. To
the astronomer it furnishes a great: mass
of valuable information. Mr. Daboll
gave in his almanac a daily forecast of
the weather for the entire year. These
forecasts represented the almanac makers
personal opinion, but to the farmers they
were worth a good deal. for Mr.. Daboll's
long practice in almanac making made
n h. 4 10
know what the weather a year in advance
would be he figured out the exact posi-
lions of the sun and the moon, and then
searched his journal until he found them
in similar positions. If frosts or rain or
snow prevailed on that day, he calculated
that there would be frost or rain or snow
on the day in question. 4.