Norwich bulletin., 1909-09-28

Connecticut is the only one or the New England states which has the rec ord of five generations in one family who have been almanac makers, be- ginning with the year 1772 and being still in that avocation. Nathan Dab0ll of Groton was the originator of the Dabol almanac and published his work annually until the year of his death, 1918. The copies of this almanac from 1772 until 1924 are not common. In the Watkinson library of reference and the Connecticut Historical society can be found the fullest set in the state. The Historical society has a copy of the almanac that was issued in 1773. The first of the series in the Watkin- son library was issued in 1775. It has a copy of the issue of 1793, also of the issues of 1796. 1797, 1799 and 1S00 From that year there is hiatus until ! 1865. Issues of 1905, 1908, 1872, 1874 and 1916 are kept in. the package which is tied up in red tane of the last century. The years ISIS, 1921, 1922, 1929 and 1924 are also preserved. The collection of old Dabolls in the Connec- ticut Historical society cannot be changes now in progress in the libra ", connecting it with the Colt and Morgan memorials, the collection has been stored and will not be accessible for months.
 The Rhode Island Historical society has only two numbers of the ancient Dabolls. being for the years 17e3 and 1901. It has some of subsequent years. The Rhode Island Historical society characterizes the Daboll almanac as meeting the special wants of seafaring men, particularly of the whalemen of New London. The founder of the Da- boil almanac was not pioneer in the art. An almanac was published in Cambridge in 1639 James Taylor's al- manac was issued in Philadelphia in 1705. The first almanac maker in Connecticut was Daniel Travis, 1716. He was followed by Joseph Moss, 1720, and Robert Treat. 1723. From TIPS un- til 1752 there were no almanacs pub lished in Connecticut. Roger Sherman, Nathaniel Ames, James Davis and Jo- seph Prindle were the almanac makers from 1753 until 1773. Sherman and Ames held the field chiefly in astro- nomical diaries. In 1756 Ames, Davis and Sherman had almanacs in circula- tion.1 There was college almanac in 1761 and in 1762 by student at Yale college. Poor Rogers American Coun- try Almanac was issued in 1763. Sam uel Ellsworth of Hartford took to all manac making in 1765, Clark Elliot in 1767 and Nathaniel Low in 1772.
 The period of Nathan Daboll's work began in the same year with Lows and lasted until 1918. Freebetters New England Almanac, which was Dabolls, was first issued in 1773. Da- boil assumed the name of Edmund Freebetter. Under that cognomen much of his best work was done. In 1775 he issued "The Gentleman's and Lady,s Diary" and published it an- nually for years. DabolPs name was dropped for that of Edmund Freebet- ter in 1775. The Freebetter almanacs had gained a popularity hardly in- ferior to those published with the name of Ames. In 1793 DabolPs New England Almanac was issue. The Gentleman's and Lady's Diary appear ed as late as 1900. For the year 1792, and annually thereafter until 1900, with the exception of 1795, Greens Register for the state of Connecticut contains the Dabol1 almanac.
 There was a general similarity run ming through the old Daboll a1manacs Besides the weather forecasts there were court terms for Connecticut, Rhode Island and the United States courts, wit and humor, anecdotes and recipes.
 Dissatisfaction with the weather is one of the features of his line of thought. The almanac for 1775 con- a IdflAo dh lIuSlfdLlOA OI HIS treatment. Every month through the year is sig nalized by verse relative to the topic in mind. In January he notes:
 The people of certain place
 Refused pastor to embrace.
 Unless that he would undertake
 The weather to their minds would
 make.
 The forecast for St. Valentines day. Feb 14, 1775. was prepare for more snow," 'old, shivering weather with those that have no fire nor money to buy fuel" For March 24 he says: I'm prove the good weather while you may. for it of short duration" On account of the uncertainty of the elements in May some accused the pastor that he had grossly them abused" Forward the vegetable kingdom" was Almanac Maker Daboll's order of the day for