this was posted to another rootsweb forum -- it has no CLOUD surname, but I thought it might give some insight into the travails of our ancestors. .................... Date: Fri, 06 May 2005 04:41:46 -0600 From: Chuck Reed <intclaim@swva.net> Source: VAFLOYD-L@rootsweb.com Subject: 1816 weather report If you think our weather is messed up now, take a look at this. 1816 Presidential Election year: The Democrat-Republicans nominated James Monroe of Virginia, with Daniel T. Tompkins of New York as Vice President. The Federalists nominated Rufus King of New York for the Presidency, but were split over Vice Presidential candidates, then they lost the election. Indiana obtained its statehood. Benjamin Harrison was elected governor. Elder Jacob Miller died. Barbara Miller, his widow, came to the Four Mile, to the home of Philip Lybrook (son-in-law/ ?brother). The Year that had No Summer! This was a very bad year, everywhere, but especially on the frontier. A popular expression was: "1816 and froze to death!" It got cold at night all summer and crops would not grow, There was a killing frost at least once during every month. June 5 and 6, the temperature dropped to below 40, then on the 7th it snowed. There were killing frosts all three nights. By June 11th, the corn was withered and dead in the field. It was replanted, then in July the new stand was killed by another killing frost. On August 20, the temperature again plunged and any remaining crops were destroyed. Sept. 27 saw the start of winter with another killing frost. 1816 (continued) WINTER. That winter was one of the worst ever experienced. Snows started early in October, and stayed on the ground until April. The snows were two feet deep with a terrible ice crust on top. Many survived only because the deer were trapped by the snows and ice and could not escape the hunters. Following that winter, deer were so scarce that they could not be depended on as a source for meat, nor was the common deerskin britches and jacket any more available. (The cause is identified as an explosion that destroyed a volcano on the island of Tambora, Java. The resulting dust cloud covered the earth and filtered the light from the sun, and thus the heat that the earth received.)