A Farmer’s World

About the Book

Harvey Devoe (1828-1914) farmed most of his life, and kept a diary for one significant year of that life, 1861. The diary, transcribed here in its entirety, gives a day-by-day view of the life and hard work of a mid nineteenth entury farmer, and the coming of a national tragedy. Illustrated with family pictures and annotated for a clearer view, Devoe’s words are both humorous and sarcastic, and although brief, give a unique look into a vanished world.

About the Author

Alan Borer is retired from the Toledo-Lucas County Public Library and now works part-time for the Otterbein University Library. A native of Ohio, he holds advanced degrees in Library Science from Kent State University and in History from the University of Toledo. He has published articles on the history of Northwest Ohio and of farming/rural culture. Married to Sunny and father to Frederick, he gardens and ruminates in Westerville, Ohio.