James Madison, Sr., Daily Record at Montpelier, Orange County, Virginia, January–March 1792

Library of Congress: Jefferson Papers, Series 1 (General Correspondence, 1651–1827).

In the hand of James Madison, Sr., 1 page.

Weather observations for January 1–31, February 4, 7, 8, 13, 15, 18, and March 5, 1792. Heading at top: “A list of the weather & degrees of Cold by Farenheits Thermometer in Orange County, Virginia for the Month of January 1792”; column headings: “1792,” “Themr. Sun Rise,” “Wind,” “Weather at Sun Rise,” “Thermr. 2 & 4 O’Clock P.M.,” “Weather at 4 O’Clock P.M.”; note on back in Madison Sr.’s hand: “The Ground was chiefly covered with Snow from Jany. 7 to March the 5th. inclusively. This has been a hard Winter”; endorsed by Jefferson: “Mr. Madison’s in Orange. 1792. Jan. Feb. Mar.” 

Although the keeper of this record is not named in it, the writing matches that of James Madison, Sr., who lived at Montpelier in Orange County. His son, the better-known James Madison, was in Philadelphia as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives during the period covered by this meteorological record.