In our Curator’s Show: Part1 exhibit that was on display from May – October of 2021, we displayed several journals kept by past residents. Some were logs of former road inspectors, while others were business records. In our collection, we also have a variety of “daybooks.” It seems that daybooks were a type of diary, often kept by farmers as a record of crops and weather. We are lucky to have two of these that belonged to C.W. Maxim. Inspired by his daybooks, I decided to look for more information about him. Unfortunately, for a while I was confusing C.W. with his brother, C.M. Maxim. In my mind, they were one person, but I soon realized my error.
Charles Maurice Maxim and Clarence Wilbur Maxim were brothers who grew up in North Rochester in a home at 562 North Ave. Charles Maurice (CM) was the elder brother born in 1842. Clarence Wilbur (CW) was born in 1849. Charles, of whom we have several pictures in the museum, served in the Civil War. Upon returning, he built a home at 544 North Ave., married and he had “vast acreage” and became prosperous growing fruits and vegetables.
C.W., the younger brother, married Lucy Fuller Clark. They lived at the family home (562 North Ave.) and he was also a farmer. Looking at area maps from 1936 and 1941, you can see the section marked CW Maxim farm. It continued as such until 1970, when the land was purchased to build the Old Colony Vocational School. The two daybooks of C.W. cover the years 1892 – 1902 and 1903 – 1912. They are written in faded cursive and somewhat hard to read, but they include records of the weather, the jobs he accomplished on his farm, crops cultivated and sold and some entries on how he spent his leisure time.
C.W. died in 1931. The Rochester Town Reports list Trust Funds created from money left to the town by C.W. Maxim. The interest provides money for various town organizations, including the Red Cross, School Athletics, Library and Boy Scouts.
By Connie Eshbach