UCLA Library Department of Special Collections
 Exhibition checklist
They Tell Us More Than the Weather:
Eighteenth Century American Almanacs

Curated by Susan M. Allen

Introduction:

The ninety or more almanacs on exhibition are a small part of the American Almanac Collection held by the UCLA Young Research Library Department of Special Collections. This collection consists of more than five thousand separately issued almanacs published in North America chiefly in the 18th and 19th century. Most of these almanacs are in English, but a few are in German.

The research value of almanacs lies in the texts, illustrations, and astronomical tables they contain and in the material evidence such as marginalia added over the years by their various owners. They are a key to both the cultural tastes of their times and to the daily lives of the people who read and relied on them for useful information as well as entertainment. The collection here at UCLA has the depth to allow researchers to make many historical and literary comparisons over time and place. The American Almanac Collection is available to any registered reader in the Department of Special Collections.

"Throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, almanacs were the principal practical guides for farmers, tradesmen, navigators, fishermen, physicians, lawyers, educators, clergymen, and anybody else who simply wanted to know what day it was, how to get rid of rats, how to cure a corn, or how to get from Boston to New York.

The almanac was, perforce, a miscellany: it was clock, calendar, weatherman, reporter, textbook, preacher, guidebook, atlas, navigational aid, doctor, bulletin board, agricultural advisor, and entertainer. The entire colonial family consulted its almanacs freely and regularly; these served the various family members not only as their general handy helper but even as their diary, memorandum book, and early-day Reader's Digest." [Early American Almanacs: The Colonial Weekday Bible by Marion Barber Stowell (New York: Burt Franklin, 1977) ix.]

Nathaniel Ames, Father and Son:

Of three generations of Nathaniel Ameses, two were almanac-makers. "It was the second Nathaniel Ames who died in 1764. This second Nathaniel was the first Ames almanac-maker; the first Nathaniel was an astronomer. When the second Nathaniel Ames died in 1764, the work was continued by Nathaniel the third until 1775..." [Early American Almanacs, p. 72.]

On display are Ames Almanacs from 1725 to 1774.

Nathanael Low:

"There were many excellent almanacs in the last half of the eighteenth century. Although those of the Ameses are generally conceded to be the most outstanding, another Nathanael started a remarkably successful almanac series which lasted from 1762 to 1827. Nathanael Low, born in Ipswich, Massachusetts, in 1740, eventually settled as a physician in South Berwick, Maine. He prepared almanacs from 1762 until his death in 1808, except for the year 1766." [Early American Almanacs, p. 86.] This exception may have been due to the Stamp Act of 1765.

On display are Low Almanacs from 1781 to 1800.

Case 1:

  1. Travis, Daniel. An Almanack of Celestial Motions and Aspects for ... 1722. Boston: B. Green, 1722. The earliest almanac on display.
  2. Ames, Nathaniel, jun. An Astronomical Diary or, an Almanack for ... 1727. Boston: B. Green, 1727.
  3. Ames, Nathaniel, jun. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1728. Boston: B. Green, 1728.
  4. Ames, Nathaniel, jun. An Astronomical Diary or an Almanack for ... 1729. Boston: B. Green, 1729.
  5. Ames, Nathanael, jun. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1730. Boston: B. Green, 1730. Marginalia in this copy indicates that the Parkman family used their almanac to preserve important family birth and death dates.
  6. Ames, Nathanael, jun. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1731. Boston: B. Green, 1731.

Case 2:

  1. Ames, Nathanael, jun. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1732. Boston: B. Green, 1732. Front and back covers displayed.
  2. Ames, Nathanael, jun. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1733. Boston: B. Green, 1733. "Of the Eclipses 1733."
  3. Ames, Nathaniel, jun. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1734. Boston: Printed for the Booksellers and sold at their shops, 1734. Open to a discussion of the "Copernican Hypothesis."
  4. Ames, Nathaniel, jun. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1735. Boston: Printed for the Booksellers and sold at their shops, 1735. More Parkman family records in the margins.
  5. Ames, Nathaniel, jun. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1736. Boston: J. Drapen, 1736. The printer was John Draper. This copy has a typographical error in the imprint.
  6. A second copy of Ames's Almanack for 1736. This copy tells that "Mr. Stodder's workhouse burnt" early in December. The imprint gives the printer as "Draper." Two settings of type may have been used to print the same almanac.

Case 3:

  1. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1737. Boston: John Draper, 1737. Parkman records a viewing of the "Northern Lights."
  2. Ames, Nathanael. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1738. Boston: John Draper, 1738. This almanac concludes with a note from Ames to his readers.
  3. Ames, Nathanael. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1739. Boston: John Draper, 1739. An owner of this almanac added extra leaves on which to record the comings and goings of ships.
  4. Ames, Nathanael. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1740. Boston: John Draper, 1740. Thanksgiving Day was celebrated on 13 November.

Case 4:

  1. Ames, Nathanael. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1741. Boston: John Draper, 1741. "A table of simple interest at 6 per lent."
  2. Ames, Nathanael. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1741. Boston: John Draper, 1741. Another copy. "An Essay upon the Microscope."
  3. Ames, Nathanael. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1742. Boston: John Draper, 1742. Almanacs were often hung above the hearth at the heart of the colonial home. This copy shows the cord from which it hung.
  4. Ames, Nathanael. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1743. Boston: John Draper, 1743. The marginalia records a public fast on 24 March.
  5. Ames, Nathanael. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1744. Boston: John Draper, 1744.
  6. Ames, Nathanael. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1745. Boston: John Draper, 1745. "A brief chronology of remarkable Events" gives the number of years since the world began as 5,695.

Case 5:

  1. Ames, Nathanael. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1745. Boston: John Draper, 1745. The price for a single copy is now nine pence. In 1736 it was six.
  2. Ames, Nathanael. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1746. Boston: John Draper, 1746. "A Dialogue between a Scholar and a Clown." Note the cord for hanging over the hearth.
  3. Ames, Nathanael. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1747. Boston: John Draper, n.d. Poetry: "Victory implor'd for Success against the French in America."
  4. Ames, Nathanael. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1748. Boston: J. Draper, n.d. The price is now sixteen pence for a single copy.
  5. Ames, Nathanael. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1749. Boston: J. Draper, n.d. Ames discusses life on the planets!

Case 6:

  1. Ames, Nathanael. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1750. Boston: J. Draper, n.d.
  2. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1751. Boston: J. Draper, n.d. Nathaniel Ames advertises a public house he owns outside of Boston.
  3. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1752. Boston: John Draper, n.d. The owner of this copy, Daniel Cony, used it for his own diary.
  4. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack for ... 1752. Boston: John Draper, n.d. Ames asks the "Courteous Reader" not to believe "idle Reports" regarding his public house.
  5. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or, an Almanack for ... 1753. Boston: J. Draper, n.d.
  6. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or, an Almanack for ... 1754. Boston: J. Draper, n.d. This copy was owned by a minister who recorded where he preached each Sunday.

Case 7:

  1. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or, an Almanack for ... 1755. Boston: J. Draper, n.d. Ames writes about "Exercise."
  2. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or, an Almanack for ... 1756. Boston: J. Draper, n.d.
  3. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or, an Almanack for ... 1757. Boston: J. Draper, n.d. N.B.: a comet is coming!
  4. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or, an Almanack for ... 1758. Boston: J. Draper, n.d. "America is a Subject which daily becomes more and more interesting ..." In this essay, Ames dreams of an America which will be settled and united from coast to coast.
  5. Ames's Almanack 1759. Boston: Draper, Green & Russel, & Fleet, n.d. A copy is now five "coppers" for a single issue, and "at the writing this, it was not determined whether the Comet would appear or not, as expected."
  6. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or, an Almanack for ... 1760. Boston: John Draper; Richard Draper; Green & Russell, and Edes & Gill; Thomas & John Fleet, n.d. Poetry: "When proud Quebeck must fall ..."

Case 8:

  1. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary, or an Almanack for ... 1761. Boston: John Draper; Richard Draper; Green & Russell, & Edes & Gill; Thomas & John Fleet, n.d.
  2. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or, an Almanack for ... 1762. Boston: John Draper; Richard Draper; Green & Russell and Edes & Gill; Thomas and John Fleet, n.d. Conversion tables for money.
  3. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or, an Almanack for ... 1762. Boston: John Draper; Richard Draper; Green & Russell, and Edes & Gill; Thomas & John Fleet, n.d. "A Page for the Ladies."
  4. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or, an Almanack for ... 1763. Boston: J. Draper; R. Draper; Green & Russell, and Edes & Gill; and T & J Fleet, n.d. "On Raising Flax."

Case 9:

  1. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or, an Almanack for ... 1764. Boston: R. and S. Draper; Edes & Gill and Green & Russell; and T & J Fleet, n.d. Ames's long time printer, John Draper, has now dropped from the imprint.
  2. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or, an Almanack for ... 1765. Boston: R. and S. Draper; Edes and Gill and Green and Russell; and T. & J. Fleet, n.d. Poetry: "An Elegy on the Death of the late Dr. Ames." Ames died in 1764.
  3. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary; or, an Almanack for ... 1766. Boston: W. M'Alpine and J. Fleeming, n.d. This is the first almanac authored by Nathaniel Ames the third. "Distance of the Principal Towns in New-England" covers five pages.
  4. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary; or, an Almanack for ... 1767. Boston: William M'Alpine, n.d.
  5. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary; or, an Almanack for ... 1768. Boston: Printed and sold by the Printers and Booksellers, n.d.
  6. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary,or, an Almanack for ... 1769. Boston: Printed and sold by the Printers and Booksellers, n.d. "On the Manufacture of Silk."

Case 10:

  1. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary; or an Almanack, for ... 1770. Boston: Printed and sold by the Printers and Booksellers, n.d.
  2. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary; or, an Almanack, for ... 1771. Boston: William M'Alpine, n.d.
  3. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary; or an Almanack for ... 1772. N.p.: n.p., n.d. The cover shows a woodcut of Miss Emma Leach whose story is told on page two.
  4. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary; or an Almanack for ... 1772. Boston: Ezekiel Russell, n.d. The "Patriotic American Farmer" is shown resting on the "Magna Charta."
  5. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary; or, an Almanack for ... 1773. Boston: T. Gre ... This copy has been trimmed and part of the imprint is lost.
  6. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary; or, an Almanack for ... 1773. Boston: R. Draper, Edes & Gill, and T. & J. Fleet, n.d.
  7. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary; or, an Almanack for ... 1774. Boston: R. Draper, Edes & Gill, and T. & J. Fleet, n.d.

Case 11: Signs of the American Revolution: Almanacs as Proganda.

  1. Ames's Almanack revived and; or, an Almanack Diary, for ... 1766. By a late student at Harvard College. Boston: R. & S. Draper; Edes & Gill; Green and Russell; T. & J. Fleet; T. Leverett; Wharton & Bowes; J. Perkins; B. Emerson, n.d. This almanac shows the threat of The Stamp Act of 1765. The cover shows a "Mourning Border," and the price is given as "more than double" should The Stamp Act, a tax Parliament placed on paper, take place.
  2. Low, Nathanael. An Astronomical Diary: or, an Almanack for ... 1775. Boston: John Kneeland, n.d. "If Prayers and Tears th' Patriot's Life could save, None but usurping Villians Death would have." The Patriot is shown lying on his death bed on the cover. An essay follows which addresses "The alarming situation of our public affair."
  3. Anderson, John. Anderson improved being an Almanack, and Ephemeris for ... 1775. Newport: Solomon southwick, n.d. In address "To the Public," Anderson charges his readers to "stop all trade with Great- Britain."

    These five almanacs date themselves from the first year of American Independence
    "Which began July 4, 1776."

  4. Low, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary; or, an Almanack for ... 1777. Boston: J. Gill and T. and J. Fleet, n.d.
  5. Low, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or an Almanack for ... 1778. Boston: J. Gill and T. & J. Fleet, n.d.
  6. George, Daniel. An Almanack for ... 1779. Newbury-Port: John Mycall, and Draper & Folsome of Boston, n.d.
  7. Low, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or an Almanack for ... 1783. Boston: T. & J. Fleet, J. Gill and N. Willis, n.d.
  8. Stafford, Hosea. An Astronomical Diary, Kalender or Almanack for ... 1790. New Haven: Thomas & Samuel Green, n.d.

Case 12: In the second half of the Eighteenth Century, Almanacs were often illustrated with simple woodcuts.
A few typical examples are shown.

  1. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary; or, an Almanack, for ... 1766. Boston: Printed and sold by the Printers and Booksellers, n.d. A chart of an eclipse is shown.
  2. Brumbo, Father Jacobus. An American Almanack, for ... 1785. Philadelphia: T. Bradford, n.d. "The Anatomy of Man's Body, as governed by the Twelve Constellations."
  3. Americanischer stadt und land Calender unf das 1791 ste jahr christi ... Philadelphia: Carl Cist, n.d. Another version of "An Anatomy of Man's Body ... ;" This time in an almanac printed in German.
  4. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary, or, an Almanack, for ... 1760. Boston: Printed for and sold by the Printers and Booksellers, n.d.
  5. Ames, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary, or an Almanack, for ... 1761. Boston: D. and J. Kneeland for D. Henchman; J. Phillips; J. Edwards, & T. Leverett; M. Dennis; J. Winter; S. Webb, J. Perkins, and W. McAlpine, 1761.
  6. Anderson's Almanack, 1773.
  7. Low, Nathanael. An Astronomical Diary; or, an Almanack for ... 1774. Boston: J. Kneeland, 1774.
  8. Low, Nathanael. An Astronomical Diary or Almanack, for ... 1780. Boston: N. Willis and White and Adams, n.d.

    Almanacs were usually printed on the cheapest newsprint. However, here are two examples printed on blue paper.

  9. Bickerstaff, Isaac, Esp.. An Astronomical Diary, Kalendar, or Almanack, for ... 1788. Hartford: Hudson, n.d.
  10. Bickerstaff, Isaac, Esq.. An Astronomical Diary, Kalendar, or Almanack, for ... 1793. Hartford: Nathaniel Patten, n.d.

Case 13:

  1. Stafford, Hosea. Astronomical, Ephemeris, Kalendar, or Almanack, for ... 1776. New Haven: homas and Samuel Green, n.d.
  2. Stafford, Hosea. Stafford's Almanac, for ... 1778. New Haven: Thomas and Samuel Green, n.d. "Rules for Preserving Health in Eating and Drinking."
  3. Stafford, Hosea. Stafford's Connecticut Almanack, for ... 1779. New Haven: Thomas and Samuel Green, n.d. A nice woodcut image of "America."
  4. Stafford, Hosea. Stafford's Almanack, for ... 1780. New Haven: Thomas and Samuel Green, n.d. "War. A New Song. To Several Tunes." A hook for hanging by the hearth is still attached.
  5. Stafford, Hosea. Stafford's Almanack, for ... 1781. New Haven: T. & S. Green, n.d. "A Table of Interest at Six per Cent."
  6. Low, Nathanael. An Astronomical Diary or Almanack: for ... 1781. Boston: T. & J. Fleet, J.G.U. and N. Willis, n.d. "A Moral Reflection at the Close of Last Year."
  7. Low, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or Almanack, for ... 1782. Boston: T. & J. Fleet, J. Gill and N. Willis, n.d. N.B.: The imprint now gives Boston as in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Case 14:

  1. Pocket Almanack for the Year of our Lord 1783. Boston: T. & J. Fleet, n.d. This almanac is unusual for its small size, and its lack of an obvious author. T. and J. Fleet were printers for Nathanael Low's almanacs. (On loan for this exhibition from Arthur Friedman.)
  2. A German-American almanac for 1784. A portion of the titlepage is missing.
  3. Low, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or Almanack, for ... 1785. Boston: T. & J. Fleet, n.d.
  4. Low, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or an Almanack, for ... 1786. Boston: T. & J. Fleet, n.d. Under their names, the Fleets included this reference to the Pocket Almanack: Where may be had their Pocket Almanack for 1786 and Massachusetts Register enlarged and improved.
  5. Low, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or Almanack, for ... 1787. Boston: T. & J. Fleet, n.d. Again a reference to the Fleets' Pocket Almanack.
  6. Low, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or Almanack, for ... 1788. Boston: T. & J. Fleet, n.d. Notice the ornaments the Fleets have added around the border.
  7. Low, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or Almanack, for ... 1789. Boston: T. & J. Fleet, n.d. "To Kill Rats." This would have been important information in 1789.
  8. Low, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or Almanack, for ... 1790. Boston: T. & J. Fleet, n.d. A copyright statement appears here: "The only Proprietors of Dr. Low's Copy Right."
  9. Low, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or Almanack, for ... 1791. Boston: T. & J. Fleet, n.d. The entries for April and May.

Case 15:

  1. Low, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or Almanack for ... 1792. Boston: T. & J. Fleet, n.d. "Federal Courts."
  2. Low, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or Almanack, for ... 1793. Boston: T. & J. Fleet, n.d.
  3. Low, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or Almanack, for ... 1794. Boston: T. & J. Fleet, n.d. Agricultural methods and poetry all on the same page!
  4. Low, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or Almanack, for ... 1795. Boston: T. & J. Fleet, n.d.
  5. Low, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or Almanack, for ... 1796. Boston: T. & J. Fleet, n.d. A travelers guide to roads and "Houses of Entertainment" not only for Boston but for the "Continent."
  6. Low, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or Almanack, for ... 1797. Boston: T. & J. Fleet, n.d.
  7. Low, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or Almanack, for ... 1798. Boston: John & Thomas Fleet, n.d. "A Table for reducing the Lawful Money of Massachusetts to Dollars, Cents, and Mills, from One Farthing to Fifty Pounds."
  8. Low, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or Almanack, for ... 1799. Boston: John and Thomas Fleet, n.d. See if you can guess the riddle.
  9. Low, Nathaniel. An Astronomical Diary: or Almanack, for ... 1800. Boston: John and Thomas Fleet, n.d. Welcome to a new century.

For further information contact: UCLA Young Research Library Department of Special Collections, 310-825-4988.

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