Seitz family papers

The account books in the Seitz Family papers document the daily operation of two different farming operations in Wood County, Ohio. The first is a fruit-growing farm along the Maumee River, in Washington Township, Wood County, Ohio during the late 19th century, and the second farm operated by his son, Charles S. Seitz in Plain Township, Wood County, during the early 20th century.

The information available in the ledgers and accounts confirm that Michael Seitz bought 80 acres located along the Maumee River, in January 1863, although for some time afterwards his work journal/diary from 1862 to 1871 indicates he was still working as a farm laborer for a neighbor, Henry Huffman. There is also indication that a lot of his effort at this time was directed at clearing land (chopping, burning, ditching, and logging).

The ledgers dating from the 1870s shows that farming operations had begun, relating primarily to the cultivation of various fruit crops, such as grapes, dwarf pears, peaches, currants, and quinces. One feature of interest in the account book of 1871-1897 are lists of fruit stock bought during the season of 1883 from W.M. Demuth, including such peach varieties as Amsden, Alexander, Foster, Crawford, Wheatland, and White Imperial; grape varieties including Concord, Salem, and Delaware; pear varieties of Flemish Beauty, Bonne D'Jersey, Vicar of Winkfield, and Duchesse, and orange quinces. It is apparent from sales records that Seitz was successful in his fruit crops as well as producing corn, wool, wheat hogs, and sheep.

Also of interest in the Michael Seitz material is an off-hand reference to his local reputation for being able to predict the severity of winter weather by reading goose bones, an old Teutonic folk tradition. His prediction for the winter of 1899 is found in the cash receipt book of 1892-1901.

The later ledgers and accounts of Charles Seitz are more sporadic and portray a typical farm operation, with poultry, eggs, cream, and hogs produced. The account book from January 1923 through May 1925 is particularly good at illustrating the typical income and expenses of agricultural operations listed on facing pages.

Although the collection doesn't provide a lot of personal information or narrative, it provides detailed information on the daily operations as agriculture developed in Northwest Ohio.