We are lucky in Rochester that so many of the residents who came before us took to pen and paper to leave us records of how life used to be. We’re doubly lucky that so much of their writings can be found in the museum. We have ledgers that give us an idea of business activities as far back as the 17th century. Then there are daybooks like the ones of C.L. Maxim that let us take a peek into a farmer’s life in the 1800-1900s. His writings tell of the work on the farm, the weather, crop yields, and even the occasional Sunday drive. We have letters from a mother to her son who had gone whaling and others from sons to their mothers while they were away at war. There are diaries and stories written by successful men about their naughty boyhoods. Longer memoirs have been written with different formats and aims.
Vera Bisbee Underhill wrote ” Blessings of a Legacy” to pass on the history of her family in North Rochester. This book was inspired by the large collection of legal papers, letters, and other documents that she found after moving into her family homestead in 1950. There are pictures and copies of some of the old bills and deeds, like the one for Elizabeth Ellis’s sale of the title and interest in pew # 19 at the First Congregational Church in Rochester Center to William Stetson in 1846.
Abraham Holmes’ memoirs (1754-1839) were written expressly for the ” amusement and information” of his children and grandchildren but also for posterity. His writings are extensive and have formed the basis for several articles. They provide us with a deep look into the history and daily lives of residents in 1800s Rochester and Massachusetts.
L.C. Humphrey’s Papers were gathered between 1940 and 1953. Born in 1864, he left school in 1884 and began his adult life as a dairy farmer among other occupations. Most of his papers include his answers to questions being asked of him. They are particularly interesting because they touch on topics not covered in history books. While he discussed Rochester’s long history, he interspersed that with personal stories. We learn that he tried many different things to keep his dairy barnyard dry and clean for his cows. He tried corn husks, seaweed, pine needles, and lastly and most successfully, cranberry vines. He made and sold butter to New Bedford families for $0.35 a pound. In 1906, he set the boulder marking the site of Rochester’s first meetinghouse using his stone machine and a team.
In a section on roadways, Humphrey recounts an experience he had around 1930. After going to a woodlot to find a man who was in the process of cutting logs for the Hathaway Mill, he was then headed to Marion. The man told him that he could save a mile of travel by taking the old road and crossing the river on an old bridge made of oak stringers and planks. Taking that advice, he approached the apparently ancient bridge and, since it looked safe and his horse showed no reluctance, the two of them proceeded. The horse went down the center of the bridge, which was set on a solid timber, but as they moved forward the wagon jolted and, looking back, he saw that his wagon wheels were cutting off the old, decayed planks. Speeding up he was able to cross the river safely, but it was the end of the bridge.
We also should thank, not just the authors, but also the dedicated people who figured out the faded cursive writing and inventive spelling that characterize these documents.
By Connie Eshbach
