39 UPSTATE NEW YORK FARMING and BEEKEEPING FAMILY DIARIES - ABRAM HUNT FAMILY of RODMAN, NEW YORK 1864-1918 Successful Farm with 200 Hives

The years of the 39 DIARIES are: 1864, 1871, 1874-1878 (5), 1880, 1882-1884 (3), 1887-1888 (2), 1890-1897 (8), 1899-1913 (15), 1916-1918 (3). There are also a few pieces of ephemera, folk remedies written on scraps of paper, laid in, including a quite detailed 1896 recipe for dandelion wine.

Most of the diaries are in the hand of ABRUM HUNT, 1830-1912, the owner of the farm and apiary and the patriarch of the family. After Abrum Hunt's death in 1912 his wife, "Mrs. A. Hunt", carried on the diaries from 1913-1918, She died in 1919, and so ended the diaries.

This collection of 39 single family diaries is the most comprehensive daily record of a 19th and early 20th century upstate New York family farm and apiary that I have ever seen.

Planting oats, planting corn, planting everything, cultivating, cutting wood, building fences, fixing barns, painting everything, spreading manure, digging potatoes, oiling harnesses, rolling oats, waiting for rain, dealing with floods, freezing freezing freezing weather, impossible to stay warm, shoeing horses, cleaning pastures, draining swamps, feeding everything, killing "beef", selling turkeys, calves, bulls, attending many funerals, and LOTS OF BEES BEES BEES, selling honey, building frames, painting hives, taking "swarms" into the cellar for winter, harvesting honey and pollen, busy busy bees.

Abram Hunt was a successful farmer and beekeeper who seemed to hold a special affection for his bees. In fact, even his last entry on April 30, 1912, less than two weeks before his death on May 12, 1912, was about his bees: "Feeding the Bees / they brought in lots of pollen today". Pride in his bees until the end.

CONDITION: The 39 diaries vary in condition, a number are poor, with disbound covers, missing pages, stains, etc; some are fair, with foxing, loose covers, some waviness and soiling; many are good, with normal age toning, handling, wear and use. What is impressive about these diaries is the handwriting in the daily entries is almost always fully legible. Abrum Hunt, the patriarch, wrote with a clear hand so future generations (us) could read what he had to say.

July 3, 1904: "Bees, Bees, Bees, and lots of them / that & milking is all I can do. More rain."

May 7, 1891: "Cultivated in the Oats in Swamp & Rolled It / Done Now."

About ABRAM HUNT (from his obituary in the 17 May 1912 Watertown Daily Times):

******ABRAM HUNT of RODMAN [New York] DIES OF HIS INJURIES. HE WAS TRAMPLED ON BY A HORSE.

Watertown Daily Times, Rodman, New York, May 17. Abram Hunt, one of the earliest residents of Rodman, died at his home on Sunday morning, May 12. He was 81 years old. Some ten days ago he went to his horse barn to feed grain to his horses as usual, and while in the stalls a horse became frightened and commenced rearing and kicking. Mr. Hunt fell under its feet and was trampled and he shortly passed away.

Mr. Hunt was born on Oct. 18, 1830. and was nearly a lifelong resident of this town, living on his farm near the village of Rodman for 60 years. He was an enterprising and successful farmer. On March 25, 1853, Mr. Hunt was married to Miss Betsey Jane Parker of Toronto, who has been a most worthy aid and helpmate in their long married life.

Mr. Hunt was a fine musician, especially on the violin, and was in frequent demand at numerous parties. HE WAS ESPECIALLY FOND OF KEEPING BUSY BEES AND HAD SOME 200 HIVES IN HIS CARE. Besides his wife, Mr. Hunt Is survived by four children [including] Charles Hunt of Rodman, New York, and Mrs. Clara Hunt Howard, the well known singer of Wausau, Wisconsin.*****

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