Monday, October 6, 2025

Farmer's Almanac - Spooky Edition!

Almanacs mark holidays throughout the year, and while the late 18th and early 19th century volumes in our collection don't mention All Hallows Eve or Halloween, that doesn't mean that their content doesn't veer a little creepy sometimes! This month, our Collection Spotlight case features The Farmer's Almanac from 1793, 1807, and 1816, all of which are on theme for October.

Looking for cures to remove freckles, pimples, or corns? Then grab your elderflower and oil of tartar and check out the 1793 edition for those recipes. While we don't have potions in our collection, these home remedies come close! We’ve transcribed the recipe “to cure a pimpled face and sweeten the blood below:”

Take jena, one ounce; put it in a small stone pot, and pour a quart or more of boiling water on it; then put as many prunes as you can get in, cover it with paper and set it in the oven with household bread; and take of this every day, one, two, three or more of the prunes and liquor, according as it operates; continue at least half a year.

For rural farmers without easy access to medical care, the home remedies provided in the almanacs were useful resources, even if they do read a little bit like spells! Pictured above are the other recipes that were published in the 1793 edition. 

Moving into the 1800s, we came across a section of useful tips in the 1807 edition that included instructions "For Restoring to Life Those Apparently Dead." The phrasing conjures up images of a coven performing a resurrection, or the actions that are going to lead to a zombie apocalypse. In actuality, it is medical advice for administering first aid if someone has drowned or has been exposed to the elements and frostbitten/frozen. After a drowning, though, we aren't sure how beneficial it would be to be "gently rubbed with flannel, sprinkled with spirits; and a heated warming pan, covered, lightly moved over the back and spine." You can read the full text in the image to the right.

Rounding out our almanac display is the 1816 edition open to October. Each month in the 1816 almanac included an illustration of its Zodiac sign and a short verse that related to the month. October’s Scorpio sign, represented by a scorpion, gives off decidedly creepy-crawly vibes. And the verse below creates a spooky atmosphere:

                            The pale descending year yet pleasing still,
                            A gentler mood inspires, for now the leaf
                            Incessant rustles from the mournful grove,
                            And slowly circles through the waving air.


For more information on The Farmer’s Almanac, and the content that doesn’t lean creepy, check out our previous blog post. And visit us from October 7 through November 4 to see these issues on display – if you dare!


Elizabeth Roscio
Preservation Librarian

Friday, October 3, 2025

The 2024 Official Edition of the Massachusetts General Laws Is Here!

The Massachusetts General Laws (MGL) are the laws of the Commonwealth that apply generally across the state and to its citizens. The official MGLs are published every two years on the even year. The set is published by Thomson Reuters (West) and is known for its signature blue and maroon covers which alternate with each edition.


Going beyond the basics, the official edition is important for a few reasons. One reason is that the print edition contains the line numbers. The line numbers are referenced in bills, acts, the laws themselves. They are key access points to reading, understanding, and amending legislation. You cannot find the line numbers anywhere else other than in print.

The other significant reason is that Massachusetts is still a print official state; meaning that the print copy of the general laws is the only official copy. While the general laws are accessible on the Legislature website, this is an unofficial version with a disclaimer:

NOTICE: This is NOT the official version of the General Laws of Massachusetts. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure the accuracy of the data provided, do not rely on this information without first checking the Official Edition of the General Laws of Massachusetts. If you require legal advice or counsel, please consult a lawyer.

This site is periodically updated to reflect any changes made to the General Laws. This site includes all amendments to the General Laws passed before January 10, 2025, for laws enacted since that time, see the 2025 Session Laws.

The newly published 2024 edition supersedes the 2022 edition which the library keeps. In fact, the library has the superseded sets of the official MGLs back to the first edition printed in 1984. Prior to 1984, there was a gap in printing and no official copy of the general laws existed. If you need to see how a law looked prior to 1984 that is a more complex research question, so please reach out to our Reference Librarians.

Similarly, throughout the state’s history, the general laws have gone through different revisions and compilations. You may come across citations to these compilations when tracing the history of a statute. The library has these compilations in print and also digitized: Massachusetts General Law Compilations. The older compilations begin with the Colonial Laws and end with the 1932 Tercentenary Edition. As mentioned previously between 1933 and 1983 there is a gap in printing an official version, but that picks back up in 1984! Below is a helpful citation key to the older compilations provided by Social Law Library.

Colonial Laws of Massachusetts (Cited C.L.) 1887
Revised Statutes of 1836 (Cited R.S.) 1836
General Statutes of 1860 (Cited G.S.) 1873
Public Statutes of 1882 (Cited P.S.) 1882
Revised Laws of 1902 (Cited R. L.) 1902
General Laws of 1921 (Cited G.L.) 1921
General Laws, Tercentenary Edition (1932) 1932

The arrival of the 2024 edition of the MGLs was much anticipated this year. The library’s reading room, located in room 341 of the State House, has two sets of the official MGLs available to all to consult.


April Pascucci
Legislative Reference Librarian

Thursday, October 2, 2025

State Library Newsletter - October Issue

What do spooky almanacs, pocket Constitutions, and a new Legislative Biography Database have in common? They are all featured in our October newsletter, out now!

Pictured here is a preview, but the full issue can be accessed by clicking here. And you can also sign up for our mailing list to receive the newsletter straight to your inbox.


Monday, September 29, 2025

Would You Buy Eggs at the State House?

This post is jointly written by our two Special Collections interns, who have been working their way through unprocessed collections, arranging and describing them so that they'll be accessible to researchers. While working with the recently donated State House Press Association Records, they stumbled upon an interesting character! 

Charlsie and Erin surrounded by records

Eggs, freemasons, and corporate greed: three pieces of Grover C. Hoyt’s fall from grace. A member of the State House Press Association in the 1920s, Grover C. Hoyt grew up in Biddeford, Maine and moved to Boston as a young man where he started work as a freelance news reporter and founded the Legislative Reporting Service (from the Portland Press Herald, 1960). He was also heavily involved in the freemason community, serving as the Massachusetts State President of the National League of Masonic Clubs.

Hoyt fell into hot water for a variety of rule violations, which resulted in a 1929 hearing before the Executive Committee of the Massachusetts State House Press Association. The first of Hoyt’s offenses was selling eggs out of the Press Association office. Hoyt claimed that it should be of no concern to the Association or Legislature as the eggs were from his farm in Maine and were sold as a convenience for his friends and some members of the custodial staff. However, in a letter read during the hearing, Wendell D. Howie testified that “...in Hoyt’s absence the other persons in the room have frequently been asked to act as egg salesmen.” This does not align well with Hoyt’s argument as it is one thing to casually sell eggs to friends, and another for him to ask his peers to sell eggs on his behalf. He argued that there is nothing in the Association’s constitution that explicitly forbade his actions, but if the Association asked, he would cease sales without complaint.

Furthermore, a Mr. Doherty claimed he saw Hoyt using letterhead for an external fraternal organization that bore the State Seal, which was not only improper but implied that the organization had an office within the building. Hoyt countered that no such letterhead existed, but the letterhead for the Canopy Club, an organization comprised of employees of the state, used an image of the State House’s golden dome which may have elicited confusion.

However, Hoyt later admitted that he did use State House letterhead to conduct correspondence as Massachusetts State President of the National League of Masonic Clubs. He also admitted to receiving mail from the organization at the State House. Conducting such correspondence within the State House was not only against the rules of the Press Association, but it could also indicate to others that the Freemasons had an office in the building.

At one point, Hoyt claimed that letterhead was stolen from his desk, and a letter criticizing a member of the House was forged and sent on his behalf despite no such letter being mentioned in proceedings. He believed that it was a part of a larger scheme to get him kicked out of the Press Association and that the former President, Wendell D. Howie, was appointed to that position specifically to ruin his career.

Finally, the Executive Committee accused Hoyt of obtaining information about the actions of the legislature before it was a matter of the public record and selling it to corporations through his Legislative Reporting Service. Corporations could subscribe to this service and Hoyt would send them copies of recently enacted or amended bills. Hoyt claimed that he only sent bills after they were officially enacted, thus making them public record. However, there was sufficient reasoning to believe that he was obtaining said information through questionable means prior to its announcement to both the public and other reporters.

Even if Hoyt was telling the truth, there was still concern surrounding him conducting his work in the press office as it wasn’t considered newspaper work. The Press Association constitution specifies that members of the Association are not to engage in any work outside of their reportorial responsibilities while in the office. Hoyt protested this accusation claiming that the rules specify “reportorial work” and do not name newspapers as the only outlet for such work. Howie also reported that at times, Hoyt would use nearly all of the desks in the room to keep up with the work required for his service and he would do a poor job of cleaning up after himself.

Hoyt also served as the Secretary of the Board of Appeal under the Motor Vehicle Liability Act and admitted he was conducting work for that position in the press office and recognized that it was against the rules. Hoyt’s defense was simply that he had no other place to do it. He claims that the Board of Appeal was promised quarters in the State House but have yet to receive them despite repeated requests.

Using the press office to sell eggs, conducting unrelated work, and selling information to corporations was a clear violation of Section 4, Article IV of the constitution of the Press Association, which prohibits reporters from using the rooms for unauthorized purposes. As a result, the Executive Committee voted to dismiss Hoyt from the Press Association.

All of this to say, working in the Special Collections Department, you never know what kind of hidden gems you’re going to stumble upon. Sometimes it’s a rare book, or an unexplainable receipt for 25 ocarinas, and other times it’s a scandal involving selling eggs in the State House.

All of this information and more can be found in the State House Press Association Records now open for research in the Special Collections department. Contact special.collections@mass.gov to schedule an appointment!


Erin Wood and Charlsie Wemple
Special Collections Interns

Monday, September 22, 2025

Author Talk with Susan Wilson

  • HEAVEN, BY HOTEL STANDARDS: The History of The Omni Parker House — 170th Anniversary Edition
  • Wednesday, October 8th, 2025. 12pm - 1:00pm
  • In-person and Virtual event. No registration required.
  • State Library of Massachusetts - Room 341, Massachusetts State House
  • Livestream on YouTube
  • Books available for purchase; $30.00 cash or check
The State Library of Massachusetts Author Talks Series welcomes back author and historian Susan Wilson on October 8th! Join us in our historic reading room within the State House to hear the history of the Omni Parker House from the official House Historian, Susan Wilson.

This is an in-person and virtual event. The livestream available on our YouTube channel courtesy of the Massachusetts House of Representatives Broadcast Services. Tune in at noon!

Be sure to sign up for our Author Talks newsletter and follow our social media channels (InstagramFacebook, and X) for the latest information on our visiting authors. If you are unable to attend, the recording will be posted to our YouTube channel to watch anytime - view all past recordings here!

About the book: In this special release, Heaven, By Hotel Standards, celebrates the 170 year history of Boston's Omni Parker House Hotel. Since 1855 the hotel has been a landmark and center for culture, writers, artists, and politicians. The hotel is also renowned as the birthplace of the Parker House Roll and the Boston Cream Pie! Wilson makes the history of the hotel entertaining with well researched anecdotes and lots of pictures.

About the author
: Susan Wilson is an author, historian, and photographer. She serves as the official House Historian for the Omni Parker House in addition to being a Scholar at Brandeis University Women’s Studies Research Center. Susan has had a long career teaching history at both the secondary and college level. She then moved into journalism, her writing regularly appearing in the Boston Globe. Susan’s passion for local history is engaging and she has written several books including: Women and Children First: The Trailblazing Life of Susan Dimock, M.D. Susan spoke at the State Library in 2024, watch that author talk here!

As always, this author talk is free and open to all. Assisted listening devices will be made available upon request. If you are able to join us in person for this talk, attendees will be able to participate in a question-and-answer session with the author. Books will be available for purchase; $30.00 cash or check.

Any questions or concerns, please email us at AuthorTalks.StateLibrary@mass.gov. For more information on the State Library Author Talks series, please visit our site.


April Pascucci
On behalf of Author Talks Working Group

Monday, September 15, 2025

From Card to Click: Discover the Massachusetts Legislative Biographical File

For just shy of two centuries, the State Library of Massachusetts has been a vital resource for those seeking information on past and present legislators. At the core of this legacy are two biographical card files—collections of both typed and handwritten index cards that together chronicle over 300 years of Massachusetts political history. Thanks to a three-year collaboration with our dedicated partners on the Application Development Team in the Executive Office for Administration and Finance Office of Information Technology (“A&F IT”) and our passionate, history-obsessed interns, we’re excited to announce the beta launch of the Massachusetts Legislative Biographical File Database! You can bookmark and access it directly—just choose “Search State Library” to begin exploring!

From card catalog to new database!

Digitizing a Legacy

Once available only in-library, these index card files were digitized and then transcribed into a searchable database. Each entry will eventually include the card image and links to related materials such as photographs and manuscript letters in the State Library’s collections, creating a unified, one-stop research experience.

Two Files, One Mission

The first file, located in the Main Reading Room, spans from the colonial era to today. The second, housed in our Special Collections Department, covers the late 18th century through approximately 1915. Together, these files contain over 20,000 cards, each offering biographical details such as names, birth and death dates, residences, education, occupations, party affiliations, and legislative service. Many cards include information on both sides and may reference letters or additional documents in the library’s collections.

Manuscript 151: The Tillinghast Legacy

Much of this collection owes its existence to Caleb Benjamin Tillinghast (1843–1909), Massachusetts’ first State Librarian. A passionate genealogist, Tillinghast sent over 75,000 letters and questionnaires to compile biographical data on legislators. These letters, now digitized and housed in Special Collections as Manuscript 151, are often cited directly on the cards and will be linked to the individual database entries.

Manuscript 138: Boston Journal Memoranda

Also digitized is Manuscript 138, a set of printed questionnaires sent to legislators between 1868 and 1892 by the Boston Journal. These offer rich biographical sketches and will also be integrated and linked to the individual database entries.

For more background on both of these collections, check out our previous blog post.

Preserving History, Enhancing Access

This database project has faced its share of challenges—from missing or inconsistent data on the original cards to shifting geographic names over time. Still, the State Library remains committed to preserving and enhancing access to this valuable historical resource, while working to verify and expand the information contained in the database. Whether you're a researcher, historian, or just curious, the Legislative Biographical File offers a unique glimpse into the lives of past Massachusetts lawmakers and Massachusetts history. If you have information that could help us authenticate the information or fill in the gaps, we’d love to hear from you! Just reach out via email or the form on our website!


Judith Carlstrom
Head of Technical Services

Thursday, September 11, 2025

A Collection of Corvids in the Library!

It's a four-for-one special in this month's Audubon! Featured in plate 362 is I. Yellow billed Magpie; 2. Stellers Jay; 3. Ultramarine Jay; 4. Clark's Crow (which is also known as Clark's Nutcracker). The magpie is in the center, with two jays above and crows below. All of these birds are members of the Corvidae (Corvid) family, which includes over 139 species! So why are they being displayed for September? In keeping with the month's back-to-school theme, we're highlighting the print full of corvids because they are known to be amongst the most intelligent birds. Species in this family have tool-making abilities, memory skills, and show self-awareness. Young corvids have also been observed participating in complex games.

Also shown in the print is a rather large acorn, this is a significant addition to the print because, similar to squirrels, some corvids engage in scatter hoarding. They bury acorns in different locations and then retrieve them at a later date. There's that good memory in action!

Find some inspiration to be head of the class this school year by visiting the library and checking out the corvids. They are on display from September 10 through October 14, and you can read more about each of them in the Audubon Field Guide: Yellow-billed Magpie, Steller's Jay, Western Scrub-Jay, Clark's Nutcracker.


Elizabeth Roscio
Preservation Librarian