The History of the Farm Journal
Researching the history of my farm, I've come across a number of farm journals. Some, like the one kept by Mike and Dot Spence of Hebron, NY, consist of daily notations in spiral notebooks; some farmers or their wives made their entries in leather-bound journals.
Local and county historical societies have preserved a few; some, like "The Journal of Mary G. Baker Wilbur of Easton, N.Y.," or "Years of Struggle: The Farm Diary of Elmer G. Powers," have been published as books. Many more are being reprinted online.
For some weeks now, I've been driving to old family farms and knocking on doors. The farm families have generously trooped through attics and chests and graciously given (in some cases sold for small amounts) the journals and diaries of their fathers, grandfathers and great-grandfathers. They all tell powerful tales in different ways, and I am grateful to have them. I have more than 50 now, and plan to keep going. They all want these stories to be told.
From the farm journal of James W. Robertson, last entry, October 1861, written in another hand, perhaps his wife or minister:
"James W. Robertson, died October 8th, 1861, in the 77 year of his age."
"A Sinner saved by Grace."
They kept these accounts simply and faithfully, perhaps looking ahead to the day when people like me would want to read them. The language and style of these journals is similar – spare, accepting, occasionally revealing the brutally hard conditions under which these people lived and worked, and the triumphs, trials and tragedies, from weather to accidents to suicide to marriage, births and deaths, planting problems and crop failures and successes.
These early journalists recorded their tribulations faithfully, but almost never complained about them. Reading one after another, I was moved and inspired by them, and I decided to begin occasional journaling in the Spring of 2007 on my farm. Some of these journals are reprinted here, along with excerpts from a few of the journals I’ve read. |
