The 1899 Directory of Bath, New York, published by Interstate Directory Co., separates the names of “Colored People.” While “colored” was, or at least often was, a courteous term at the time, it’s mystifying as to why this would have been considered worthwhile. The directories of 1868, 1891, 1906, and 1917 do not distinguish racially in any way, and there were no longer any laws in New York that called for separate treatment. Bath schools were integrated as far back as 1867.

*Whatever their intent, the Directory publishers gave us a snapshot of African American life in Bath as the new century approached.

*Noting 38 families (out of 962), the Directory identifies 56 African American individuals over the age of 20 (out of an estimated 4500 of all ages in the Village and immediate environs).

*Of those 56 individuals, eight are identified as laborers, and one as a gardener. Three men are hostlers, one a teamster, and two are drivers. One works at the county jail, but in what capacity is not specified.

*There are two ministers, a teacher, and a clerk.

*Eight are identified as barbers, which was an occupation of some status at the time among African Americans, and was also one in which white Americans felt comfortable seeing African Americans excel. One woman operates a hair store, and one man is a bootblack. One woman is a dressmaker.

*Residence patterns suggest that there was no “black street” or “black neighborhood” in Bath at this time. There is some concentration on the short West Steuben (numbers 27, 107, and 124, along with the Imperial Club at 17-19, and barber shops at 14 and on the corner with Liberty), plus outliers on Buell, Howell, and West William, along with the church on Pine, but that whole section, like the rest of Bath, is predominantly white. There’s another cluster on Warden, Hudson, and Geneva, with the same caveat. Additional residences are on Rumsey, Purdy, McMaster, East Steuben, West Morris, West Washington, Hubbell, Charles, and Water Works Lane, plus one man apparently residing at the jail, next to the courthouse.

*One man operates a second-hand goods business at 24 Liberty Street rear, while another is a peddler. Two men are chefs, and one woman is a cook. One man is a farmer.

*Six barber shops are identified, along with the farmer, the dress maker, and the second-hand store, suggesting that 11 people own their own business. Some of the barber shops may be partnerships with family members, which would raise that figure a little.

*Besides the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church on Pine Street, there is also an Imperial Club at 17-19 West Steuben, for African Americans.

*ALL of the occupations engaged in by African Americans are ALSO engaged in by European Americans. This would suggest that there was no significant backlash, or possibly that the numbers just weren’t consequential enough to bother. It is also possible that the business of, say, a dressmaker, was almost entirely among African Americans, meaning that there was no real competition effect.

*Besides the farmer and the laborers, a number of people engaged in occupations which white people at the time considered “suitable” for African Americans… chefs, cooks, dressmakers, barbers, drivers, animal handlers, gardeners, bootblacks, ministers in the “colored” church.

*Farmer Jacob B. Storey of 3 Warden Street was apparently the father of barber Walter Storey, of teacher Florence Storey (who later married Reverend T. A. Auten, one of the two “colored” ministers), and of dressmaker Julia Storey, who later married William Murrell, who was born a slave but who later rose to become a state legislator, and inductee of the Steuben County Hall of Fame. This suggests that Mr. Storey had a remarkable family, but it also suggests the best-educated people of the small community gravitating toward each other (unsurprisingly). Like Colonel Murrell, Reverend Auten also had a significant career beyond Steuben County.

*None of the African American residents appear on the Directory’s list of civic officials, fire company officers, and the like. The Imperial Club is listed as one of two clubs in Bath, the A.M.E. Zion as one of seven churches.