New York State Engineer and Surveyor Personal and Employment Histories of Western Division Employees

This single volume contains employment appointment history, educational background information, and prior work experience of employees involved in construction and maintenance of the Western Division of the Erie Canal. Single-page entries are included for division, resident, and assistant engineers; rodmen (job was to hold leveling staff while measurements of distance and elevation were made); chainmen (job was to measure distances with surveyor chain); levelers (job was to determine elevation relevant to specific reference points); and laborers. Each entry includes name of employee; date of birth; age at time of first appointment; date of each appointment, along with job title and daily wage rate; leaves of absence (generally separation dates, including reason for separation); and an abstract of the employee's education and work experience.

Alphabetical name index included at fore of volume.

The Western Division Engineer's Office initially used this volume to record information regarding bridge superstructures on the Erie Canal, but seems to have abandoned this and re-purposed the volume for collecting the data described above.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this material.