Note: This site uses Javascript extensively. While you will still be able to read articles, it is recommended you turn on Javascript for your browser. CLICK HERE if you are unsure how to do that...

New England Weather

1749 Drought

Signs of the Times 18th Century Society The American Revolution Apple Butter Making Architectural Styles Church Customs The Conestoga Wagon The Cooper Coverlets Foursquare Gardens Gunter's Chain The Long S New England Weather Tanning

Chapters Overview 1635 Great Storm 1638 Earthquake The Earthquake of 1663 The Comet of 1664 1667 Strange Appearance 1676 Storm and Shipwreck The Comet of 1680 1682 Strange Appearance Dark Day of 1716 1716-1717 Winter 1718 Wreck of the Whidah 1719 Aurora Borealis Storm of 1722-23 1727 Earthquake 1740-1 Winter 1744 Earthquake 1747-48 Winter 1748 Hurricane 1749 Drought 1755 Great Earthquake 1759 Hurricane 1762 Drought 1768 Lightning 1768 Gale 1769 Summer 1770 Great Freshet 1770 Summer The Storm of October 20, 1770 Summer of 1771 1773 Hurricane The Storm of 1774 The Dark Day of 1780 1782 Hurricane 1785 Great Freshet 1786 Tornado 1786 Snow Storms The Cyclone of 1787 The Meteor of 1787 1788 Gale 1794 Whirlwind The Long Storm of 1798 1799 Hail Storm 1801 Freshet 1802 Great Snow Storm 1804 Storm 1806 Solar Eclipse The Freshet of 1807 The Meteorite of 1807 The Cold Friday of 1810 The Freshet of 1814 The Tornado in 1814 The Gale of 1815 The Cold Summer of 1816 The Tornadoes of 1821 Spring Freshet of 1823 The Spring Freshet of 1826 1826 Avalanche 1827 Gale and Freshet 1827 Wreck of the Almira1830 March Storm The Great Freshet of 1830 1833 Meteoric Display Winter of 1835-36 1839 Storms 1841 October Gale 1842 Snow Storm The Freshet of 1846 1849 October Storm 1851 Lighthouse Storm 1851 Tornado Storm of April, 1852

1748 Hurricane

1755 Great Earthquake

THE spring of 1749 was uncommonly dry, and by the end of May pastures yielded but little feed for the cattle, the grass being so scorched and burned by the sun that the ground looked white, and shortly afterward several pastures in Dorchester, Mass., and vicinity took fire and burned over like tinder. As the season advanced there was less and less for the cattle to live upon; after eating the dried up grass till they could get no more, they suffered greatly for the want of food, a writer of that time alleging that they strongly appealed to their owners for relief by the expression on their faces. Water was also scarce, for the drought had its effect on the brooks and springs, and even some small rivers were dried up. Many wells that had never been known to fail before now became dry, and the water was so shallow and so warm that many fish died in streams and ponds. The earth was as the finest dust to a considerable depth, and in many places the ground cracked open. The heat was so severe, and everything so intensely dry, that where fragments of broken glass lay on the ground the combustible material lying near it caught on fire.

The grain was shrunken and sapless, and Indian corn rolled up and became badly wilted, There were also great quantities of caterpillars and similar insects throughout New England, which was another source of destruction. The drought probably continued longer, and therefore was felt more severely than any one the people had before experienced.

It seemed as if rain was hardly sufficient to revive vegetation which was so thoroughly parched and lifeless; and the only ray of hope was in the coming of immediate showers. Consequently the government here ordered that June 9 be a day of public fasting and prayer on account of the drought. About three weeks later the weather changed, and rain began to fall, at first only a very little at a time, but by the sixth of July there were plenteous showers, which greatly changed the face of nature. The grass sprang up, and the season took on the appearance of spring. The Indian com also revived, and a good crop was harvested. The fields yielded a considerable second growth of grass, but not more than one-tenth of art ordinary crop of hay was cut. The salt marsh failed as much as the fresh meadow, though it had the benefit of tide water. The fields of barley and oats yielded but little more than sufficient grain for seed with which to plant them again the next season; and many farmers cut their grain for fodder while it was green. Flax and herbs of all kinds were also a failure. August 14 was appointed by the government as a day of public thanksgiving for the rain and its consequent good.

Rather than go to the great expense of keeping all their cattle through the winter, the farmers killed many of them in the autumn. This made meat very cheap at that season, but there were so few animals left, butter sold in the spring as high as seven shillings six pence per pound, and in the following May beef and mutton were also very dear.

Only a small number of cattle died during the winter for want of sustenance, for some of the farmers purchased hay which was imported from Pennsylvania and England, paying for it as high as three pounds ten shillings per hundred weight. The practice of browsing

cattle in the woods also greatly helped out their maintenance. The people were carried comfortably through the winter, suffering but little for the lack of many things that they had been accustomed to have in plenty.

Source: Historic Storms of New England by Sidney Perley, 1891

Comments (0)

Don't be shy, tell us what you think! →