OXFORD – Charlotte Stafford, the much-loved scion of one of Oxford’s oldest families and the village’s long-time historian, passed away on Friday, at the age of 91.
In the words of Steve Behe, Stafford was “a wonderful lady who loved Oxford,” and who epitomized the definition of a lady.
“It was an honor and a privilege to know and work with her,” said Vicky House. As caregiver, companion and friend, House worked alongside the lady historian in her historical research for close to a decade. “Her work here is done, but it will be treasured for years to come.”
Stafford was uniquely qualified to document the village’s history, as she was a piece of that history herself. Until her death, the Oxford native lived in the same State Street home in which she was born. Built by her grandfather Richard Lewis Stafford in 1870, the stately white home was also the birthplace of the Oxford Review. The newspaper was founded by her father, George Lewis Stafford, who installed one of the town’s first printing presses in an upstairs bedroom. In 1915, he acquired the Oxford Times and joined the two newspapers into the Oxford Review-Times. He owned the paper for more than 40 years.
Stafford chose not to follow her father into the newspaper business, however. Instead, she studied History and French at Elmira College, earning her undergraduate degree in 1941. Two years later, she earned a master’s degree in Library Science from the University of Albany.
Known as “Miss Charlotte” to many, Stafford began delving into Oxford’s past in 1977, following her retirement from her position as librarian at the Norwich Junior High School. She served as the historian for both the town and village of Oxford for a total of 33 years.
In a 2008 interview, Stafford recalled that when she first accepted the appointment to the position, there were no formal records to be passed down. But after more than three decades as historian, she had amassed an extensive archive. She began by reading every newspaper published in Oxford from 1812 forward, creating a card file for each family, diligently cross-referenced with information gathered from grave stones at local cemeteries. She also accumulated countless letters, postcards, photographs and even journals from a variety of sources, including those found in attics, trunks, inside walls of houses and even on eBay.
But these records were nothing compared to the encyclopedic knowledge retained in her own mind, which remained sharp well into her ninety-first year, despite her growing frailty. Stafford delighted in sharing her knowledge, and loved to regale visitors with stories of Oxford’s rich past, all of which were infused with her quick wit and lively sense of humor.
