Popular Natural History by Rev. J. G. Wood
“I have been reading an old book.”
Coon, Burton. Trail’s End Farm Notes. p. 354.
My first observation was that Charles Hesselgrave of Ogdensburg, NY stamped his name and address five times in the first three pages of Popular Natural History dated 1885. As I continued to read, I found many more such stamps. Who was Charles Hesselgrave? A quick search reveals that a man with his name and location attended Ogdensburg Free Academy, graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont and was the first college graduate in his family. Charles married Susie Frances Wilder, another Middlebury graduate.
Although I am fascinated with a total of five hundred vintage illustrations, I am including only one from the chapter entitled “Mammalia”.
The Lion– This stately lion possesses the ruler’s demeanor with the crossed paws of a gentle house cat.
Update June 27, 2026: Wood’s description of the lion is beautifully phrased and perfectly complements the image. From a library of old books, those passed down from the Trail’s End Collection and those I have acquired, the world is before me. What a mindful activity, opening an old book. Of all the skills that I developed in acquiring my degree in library and information science in 2026, it is the love of the book that reigns supreme. Touching the leather covers, the endpapers, the title page and verso, the table of contents, the font, paper, and images from another age begins the journey, yet it is the reading and viewing that makes the experience whole.
Keeping NY History Alive 