Isaac Fero was born in Montgomery County, NY, in 1817. In 1827 his father Cornelius moved the family to Stueben County NY, settling in the town of Orange, 1 1/2 miles west of West Caitlin. This secton of New York State was still wilderness, and Isaac's family cleared and established a log cabin and eventually a farm there. When they arrived in the area there was only one other nearby family. Cornelius Fero had a total of $71, and was able to buy the farm on time. Isaac attended one of the first schools in the area, which consisted of two summer and one winter semesters, the school located between one and two miles away. School may have been a welcome respite from what would have been a hard life trying to clear land and develop crops. As a boy Isaac made wood shingles and sold them in West Caitlin for $1.50 per thousand.
*In 1842 Isaac married Tryphenia Knowlton, and they built a second house on the family farm. Isaac and Tryphenia had three daughters; Alida, Esther and Robia. Esther married Milton Olmstead, they are called Et and Mit in the diaries. They lived near Avoca, NY. Their daughter Alida Olmstead spent several months with Isaac, she is there to help Allie, who is pregnant (though you wouldn't know from the diary).
Robia married William F. Hall, they had a farm near Beaver Dams. Alida married James Moore, whose family lived nearby.They are mentioned quite prominately in the diary, Alida wrote the second diary, her son-law Ed Anthony wrote the third, and her eldest daughter Alice (Allie) wrote the fourth. When Isaac mentions " went to James" he is refering to the Moores. In 1887 Allie and Ed Anthony were living with Isaac, Ed helps out on Isaac's farm while also working to fix up his own place just outside Beaver Dams.
All the pictures for each month were taken from Isaac's diary.
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