The Jefferson Historical Society

27/10/2026

This photo shows the Jefferson Nursery School class of 1952. We have identified some of the children, but we could use your help filling in the missing names and confirming those we are uncertain about.

Back row (left to right): Unknown, Van Hubbard, possibly Linda Champlin, unknown, Bonnie Dailey.

Front row (left to right): Unknown, Larry Speenberg, unknown, unknown, Janet Vamosy.

Does anyone remember who taught this group? I’m assuming the nursery school met in the old school building near the Town Green, but I would appreciate confirmation.

If you recognize any of these children or have memories of the Jefferson Nursery School, please share them in the comments. We'd love to learn more about this little piece of Jefferson history!

26/10/2026

We have heard many local Revolutionary War stories told from the perspective of the Patriots, but the Loyalists’ point of view is far less commonly presented.

On Sunday, Bob Glas brought that perspective to life when he portrayed Adam Crysler for the Jefferson Historical Society. Speaking in character, Bob described Crysler’s involvement in the Revolutionary War, including several engagements in Schoharie County and, in particular, a skirmish that took place in what is now the Town of Jefferson near Lake Utsayantha.

Bob’s presentation was thoroughly researched and delivered with the dramatic flair for which he is so well known. An excellent PowerPoint presentation complemented his performance and helped bring the history to life.

Thank you, Bob, for sharing your talents and providing such an entertaining and educational look at a lesser-known perspective on our local Revolutionary War history!

25/10/2026

Charles Hubbell built this covered bridge on his farm along North Harpersfield Road in the 1960s. The first image appeared in the 1970 Maple Festival program, while the color photograph is one I took in 2023.

Although the waterwheel is long gone, the covered bridge is still standing today.

25/10/2026

Just a reminder of our Sunday 10/25 presentation at Judd Hall.

If you have driven toward Jefferson past Lake Utsayantha, you may have noticed a historical marker at a pull-off less than a mile north of the Oorah entrance. The marker identifies the location of a Revolutionary War “Battle Site” and points toward where the fighting supposedly took place.

But was it really a battle, or would it be more accurately described as a skirmish or ambush? Even the exact location remains a subject of debate. The incident has been called both the “Battle of the Narrows” and the “Battle of Lake Utsayantha.” Historical sources also disagree on the date, with November 2 and November 15, 1781, both being cited.

On Sunday, October 25, at 2:00 p.m., the Jefferson Historical Society will explore these questions through a presentation by Bob Glas, portraying Adam Crysler, one of the participants in these events.

Born in 1732, Crysler was a Loyalist (Tory) who served as a lieutenant in Butler’s Rangers. Through his portrayal, Bob will offer Crysler’s perspective on the events leading up to the raid and the fighting near Lake Utsayantha. The presentation will also explore the divided loyalties and bitter conflicts among neighbors and families that made the American Revolution a civil war as well as a struggle for independence.

Join us at Judd Hall, 163 Main Street, Jefferson, for this fascinating look at a little-known episode of our local Revolutionary War history.

The program is free and open to the public. Sponsored by Richard Herodes.

24/10/2026

Eugene Bouton (1850–1951): Historian, Educator, and Genealogist

This portrait of Eugene Bouton (1850–1951) comes from the Jefferson Historical Society’s collection of Dibble Photo Studio images made from glass plate negatives.

Bouton is probably best known locally among genealogical researchers for his extensive work on Families of Jefferson, a project documenting the town’s founding and early families. His research covered approximately 100 families. Various portions and combinations of his work can be found at the New York State Library, the Old Stone Fort Library, and the Stamford Public Library.

Bouton was born in Jefferson to Ira Bouton, a farmer, mechanic, and blacksmith, and his wife, Emma Foote Bouton. The 1860 census shows Eugene living in Jefferson, but by 1870 he was a student in Cazenovia. In 1880, he was working as a schoolteacher in Sherburne, New York.

After attending Cazenovia Seminary, Bouton graduated from Yale University with the Class of 1875, where he served as class poet. He later earned a Ph.D. from Syracuse University. In his later years, he was recognized as Yale's oldest living alumnus.

Bouton devoted much of his professional life to education. He taught at Albany Academy and in Norwich and Sherburne, held superintendent positions in several school systems, and became the first principal of the New Paltz Normal School.

In 1887, he married Elizabeth Gladwin, and the couple had four children.

Bouton remained remarkably active well into his 90s. He lived to the age of 100, passing away in 1951, and is buried in Clifton, New Jersey.

Although his professional career took him far beyond Jefferson, his extensive genealogical research preserved valuable information about the town's early families. More than a century after he began that work, his research continues to be an important resource for those studying Jefferson's history.

23/10/2026

Jefferson’s Buttertown History and the Babcock Test

Jefferson was once known by the nickname “Buttertown” because of the large quantities of high-quality butter produced by its farmers. In the early days, butter was made on individual farms, but eventually Jefferson had two creameries that made the process much more efficient. The first creamery was built on the site of today's firehouse. The second, the Farmers’ Creamery, stood near the present-day East End Garage and is shown in this post.

The key to making butter is milk with a high butterfat content. While Holstein cows produce large volumes of milk, Jerseys are especially well known for producing milk with a high butterfat percentage.

The October 1901 article from the Jefferson Courier included in this post lists the butterfat content of milk or cream delivered by the 38 patrons of the Farmers' Creamery. These measurements were important because farmers were paid according to the butterfat they supplied, rather than simply the volume of milk delivered. Most of the reported butterfat levels ranged from 4% to 6%. Three showed unusually high figures in the 20s. Cream can have butterfat percentages in the 20s. Therefore, those three patrons may have delivered separated cream for testing rather than whole milk.

The creamery used a method known as the Babcock test, developed in 1890 by Stephen Babcock at the University of Wisconsin. This test revolutionized the dairy industry by providing a relatively simple and accurate way to measure the butterfat content of milk.

The procedure involved placing a milk sample in a specially designed glass bottle and adding sulfuric acid to dissolve the nonfat components of the milk. The bottle was then spun in a centrifuge to separate the butterfat. Hot water was added to raise the separated fat into the narrow, graduated neck of the bottle, where its percentage could be measured.

This was a major improvement over the earlier practice of purchasing milk strictly by weight or volume. Under the old system, less scrupulous farmers could increase the apparent quantity of their milk by adding water or could skim off some of the valuable cream before delivery. The Babcock test helped ensure that farmers were compensated for the actual butterfat they supplied.

One particularly interesting aspect of this story is that Stephen Babcock refused to patent his invention. By making the test freely available, he allowed it to be adopted rapidly and widely throughout the dairy industry.

It is remarkable that a scientific development at the University of Wisconsin in 1890 was already playing such an important role in Jefferson's dairy economy just eleven years later.

22/10/2026

Thanks to Bonnie and Diane for their contributions to the Jefferson Historical Society and the community in general.

Long-time Jefferson Historical Society leaders Bonnie Dailey and Diane Ericson have stepped down from their roles with the organization.

22/10/2026

Earlier this week, I posted about Dr. A.W. Clark and his career as a dentist. I also knew that he had worked as an optician and had founded Jefferson’s first newspaper, The Jeffersonian, in 1872.

I had always assumed that his newspaper career came first, followed by his work in dentistry and as an optician. However, this advertisement from the October 1901 issue of the Jefferson Courier has caused me to reconsider that timeline. It reveals that Clark was already practicing dentistry in 1865, seven years before he established The Jeffersonian.

Clark gave up editing and publishing the newspaper around 1880. After that, he was practicing dentistry again—or perhaps he had never stopped.

I need to do some more research on FultonHistory.com to determine when his work as an optician fit into the picture. I would also like to find out whether there was a time when he was simultaneously running a newspaper, practicing dentistry, and working as an optician. Could anyone have managed to do all three jobs well at the same time?

Of course, by 1904, Clark had apparently put all three professions aside when he opened a bakery.

Dr. Clark certainly seems to have been one of Jefferson’s more versatile businessmen. I wonder what prompted him to pursue such a remarkable variety of careers.

21/10/2026

Alonzo Clifford Brackett (1877–1946)

The portrait of Alonzo C. Brackett featured in this post was taken at the Dibble Studio on Main Street in Jefferson on April 10, 1905. His life took him from New York City to several Midwestern states, with careers in the ministry, military, banking, and business.

Alonzo was born in Manhattan, New York, to Albert C. Brackett and Mary (Lyon) Brackett. The 1880 census listed his father as working in nickel plating. Alonzo was two years old at the time, and his maternal grandmother was also living with the family.

In 1898, Alonzo married Edna Wolford in Livingstonville, NY. By 1900, the couple was living in Summit, where Alonzo was working as a clergyman. Both were 22 years old. Census records indicate that he completed four years of college.

By 1905, the Bracketts were living in Tama, Iowa. In 1910, they were living in Union, Iowa, where Alonzo continued his work as a minister. The couple had two daughters, then ages nine and six.

In August 1917, shortly after the United States entered World War I, Alonzo joined the Army as a second lieutenant. He continued serving after the war ended and received an honorable discharge in June 1919 with the rank of captain.

By 1920, Alonzo was living in Des Moines, Iowa, with his 19-year-old daughter. His wife Edna was no longer listed in the household, although it is unclear whether she had died or the couple had divorced. Alonzo had also changed careers and was working as a bond salesman with the Federal Reserve Bank.

The 1933 Minneapolis City Directory listed Alonzo as a salesman, living with his second wife, Freda W. Brackett.

By 1940, Alonzo and Freda were living in Ishpeming, Michigan, with their son Donald. Alonzo was then employed as an organizer for the Credit Bureau Bulletin Service.

In 1942, at the age of 64, Alonzo completed a military draft registration form during World War II. He was listed as unemployed and identified himself as a captain in the Infantry Reserve.

Alonzo died in April 1946 at the age of 68 and was buried in Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

It is interesting how a single portrait taken in Jefferson more than 120 years ago can lead us through the life of an individual whose experiences extended far beyond our small community. His photograph is one of the many portraits preserved in the Dibble Studio collection.

20/10/2026

Would this advertisement for Dr. A.W. Clark’s dental anesthesia set you mind at ease before having up to 32 teeth removed? Is it no longer politically correct to recommend your techniques are safe even for those exhibiting “senile decrepitude?” This advertisement was published in the Jefferson Courier in February 1898.

Dr. Clark was the founder of Jefferson’s first newspaper The Jeffersonian in 1872. He lived in what is now the Middle Brook Café and ran the paper operation out of what is now being developed for the Jefferson Art Room next door. After he sold the paper he became a dentist and optometrist in the Clark Block immediately east of today’s Breakfast Club. Later in life he operated a bakery in the same building.