Not So Wordless Wednesday: A Family Math Book and a Note from 1917

This math book, Arithmetical Solutions and Mensuration by L. M. Sniff, A.M., fifth edition, with copyright dates of 1879 and 1887, belonged to my great-grandfather, Francis Asbury James (1875-1950). According to the inscription, it was given to him by Henry Jacot. His son, Virgil Ray James (1901-1979), used the same book in high school (per my father's recollection to me), and he wrote a note in 1917, when he was 15, and placed it inside the front cover, where it still remains. The book was passed to my father and now belongs to my son.

I was able to identify a Henry Robert Jacot (1867-1962) who lived in Wayne County, Ohio. I don't know who he was to my great-grandfather, but if I've located the correct person, the 1910 census lists him as a probate judge (District 0187, Wooster, Wayne County, Ohio).

This historical math textbook was published in the late 19th century. It was written by Littleton Moore "L. M." Sniff, a well-known educator and long-time president of Tri-State Normal College (now known as Trine University) in Angola, Indiana.

I had not known the bit about L.M. Sniff until I was writing this post. Both my father and my brother attended, and graduated from, Tri-State University (now Trine University). It makes the history of the book even more interesting!

While my grandfather's penmanship was pretty good for a 15-year-old, I did need a bit of transcription help from ChatGPT. I believe this is a relatively accurate transcription:

Notice

This was written shortly
after my graduation from the
Geitgey school. May, 2, 3, 1917.

In the eighth grade at the—
time there were three pupils!

Names
Mary Shreve
Harold Geitgey
Virgil James.

I went to this school the
years of one thousand nine hundred
seventeen and sixteen

Wooster. Ohio.
R.F.D. #4.
Virgil James, Age. 15.
May, 21, 1917.

I was completely unfamiliar with the school name he mentioned. It took a little searching to properly identify it. Once I had the spelling correct, it revealed a bit more about the one-room schoolhouse located on the border of Wooster and Franklin Townships in Wayne County, Ohio. It was located on the Geitgey property—and I suspect Harold Geitgey was a member of that family.

The Geitgey family were early settlers of Franklin and Wooster Townships in Wayne County, dating back to the early 19th century.

The book is hardcover, but quite compact—measuring only 5" x 7" x 1/2" thick. While the book has little monetary value, at almost 140 years old, it's a priceless piece of family history.

Disclosure: I used ChatGPT to assist with transcription of the handwritten notice, a title and search description, and to review this post for clarity, punctuation and grammar. Except where otherwise indicated, the content is my own.