The following books about Meredith’s history are available from Meredith Historical Society.
(A printable order form is at the bottom of the page.)
Meredith’s District Schools
By Frank M. Waterman
In the early 1900s, Meredith had eighteen district or common schools, each of which was independent and funded by State aid supplemented by taxing the residents of the district. School was taught through the 8th grade and students desiring a high school education had to attend either the Delaware Academy and Free Union School in Delhi or the Oneonta High School. By the 1920s bus transportation was possible and there was a movement to consolidate the district schools to form larger central districts that could support a school that taught both elementary and high school […]
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John T. McDonald: Meredith’s Legendary Farmer
By Frank M. Waterman
John T. McDonald was the most prominent farmer in Meredith until Francis W. Ayer founded Meridale Farms in 1889. He was a progressive farmer who developed his own unique farming philosophy and unique marketing strategy, and he became so successful doing things differently than most farmers, that he caught the attention of the “who’s who” of agriculture, several of whom came to visit his farm. To the press, he was the model of a successful farmer and at least ten articles were written about him and his farm in local and national publications. The U.S, […]
Meredith’s Dairy Barns: Past and Present
by Frank M. Waterman
Meredith’s dairy barns are a threatened icons of our rural heritage. Of the more than 230 dairy barns that once graced our hills, a scant 71 survive today. The purpose of this book is to preserve a pictorial and historical record of Meredith’s remaining barns and many of the barns that are now gone. It includes pictures and histories of 119 barns, 48 of which are no longer standing. In addition a chapter is devoted to describing how Meredith’s barns evolved with time in response to the health of the dairy industry, the introduction of […]
Raising Lincoln’s Army
By Frank M. Waterman
The Union army was almost entirely made up of volunteers who were recruited, not by the federal government, but by the States which passed the responsibility down to the towns, each of which had a quota of men to provide. If the quotas were not met, deficiencies were made up by a draft. The towns went to a great expense to avoid having their men drafted. The townspeople dug deep into their pockets to create increasingly greater financial incentives for men to volunteer. Raising Lincoln’s Army tells the story of the recruitment effort in Delaware County, and […]
Bisbee’s General Store 1900-1976
by Bob Rosen
Bisbee’s General Store in Meridale, NY, first operated by Everett Bisbee and later by his son Ruez, was the heart of the community from 1900 until it was destroyed by fire in 1976. People congregated there to shop, get their mail, and chat with their neighbors. This book, which is based on an exhibition of historical materials presented by the Meredith Historical Society at the Delaware County Historical Association in Delhi, NY September-December 2010, records the history of the store with pictures and recollections of some who remember it. This book is a must for anyone who remembers […]
Mother, You Mustn’t Worry So About Us
Ed. by Frank M. Waterman
Brothers James and Clark McDonald from the town of Meredith enlisted in the 8th NY Independent Battery on October 7, 1861. As with most Civil War soldiers, they wrote many letters home. This book contains 168 letters written to their immediate family members during the course of the war. James died of disease on December 7, 1862, but Clark, who thrived in the military, served the entire war and was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant. These letters relate their experiences, opinions, and chronicles the history of the 8th NY Independent Battery. 297 pages.
Price $20 plus $4 shipping […]
History of East Meredith
Elma Heterington Mitchell published three volumes of the History of East Meredith: volume 1 in 1973, Volume 2 in 1976, and Volume 3 in 1986. These volumes, which have been long out of print, were republished by Meredith Historical Society combined into a single book.
Price $20 plus $4 shipping and handling
Meridale Farms
by Frank M. Waterman
Francis W. Ayer, a self-made millionaire, founded Meridale Farms in 1888 where he began to improve the Jersey breed of cattle, a hobby that blossomed into a business empire operated under the name of Ayer & McKinney. This book chronicles the rise of Meridale Farms to preeminence during the lifetimes of F. W. Ayer and W. W. Fry and its decline until only a vestige remains. This book, however, is not just about the history of the farm. It is the also the story of the Meredith Inn, the farm’s extensive network of creameries, and about the Ayer […]