Transcribing this book was a long and tedious task, for which we are grateful to Ellie Flint, a faithful volunteer.
Copies of the actual book may be found in the Northern New York Agricultural Musem at Stone Mills, NY, used with the permission of Marguerite Raineri, Director, and in the Lyme Heritage Center collection at Chaumont, NY, used with the permission of Phyllis Putnam. The accompanying map is presented with the cooperation of Mrs. Rainieri and Jon Holcomb.
In 1918, TheAMERICAN AGRICULTURALIST, a
familiar periodical in most of the farm homes of Jefferson County, both at that time
and much later published A Farm Directory and Reference Book for
Jefferson and Lewis Counties. It was an ambitious project, aimed at listing
every farmer and locating them on a map pasted inside the back cover of the
hard cover volume. We have no idea how the information was obtained, and
checking on the few farmers that we knew personally, we find it accurate.
While the information in The American Agriculturalist, a little newspaper-like publication,
covered topics of interest to farmers of the northeast, your coordinators
remember most"Eastman's Chestnut" and "The Song of the Lazy
Farmer", regular features by the editor, Mr. Eastman.
The information in this Directory is arranged as follows:
1st, Last name of individual followed by first name and second name initial (if
there is a second initial.
2nd, Wife's name (if married) in parentheses.
3d, The number of children living at home.
4th, Name of individual's farm, if it has a name.
5th, The individual's business or occupation.
6th, The chief crop or specialty. (Example, grain, pouoltry, apples or potatoes,
means that these are the specialties of the individuals to whom they refer.)
7th, The crop or specialty the individual has for sale. (Example, s fruit means
has fruit to sell.)
8th refers to the property on which individual has residence, O (figure a)
designates number of acres in farm owned. O H&L means owns house and lot. R
(figure a) designates number of acres in farm for which money rent is paid. R
H&L means rents house and lot. WOS (figure a) designates number of acres
worked on shares.
9th, is the number of the rural delivery route or street address and postoffice
from which mail is received.
10th, is the name of the township in which individual lives.
11th Is telephone indicated by the letter T.
12th H figures designates the highway on which individual has residence (see
map).
NOTE:
The map is being scanned, and will be uploaded as soon as we receive it.
Explanation: After the name Adams, Samuel (Edith), 1 ch,
"Fosseledge farm," farmer (milk, hay, grain), s milk, O141a, R1,
Rosiere, P.O. Cape Vincent town, T, appears H17. Now refer to map and you will
find that the road numbered 17 in Cape Vincent township is the road upon which
Mr. Adams has his residence. By this plan you can locate any farm included in
this book.