Planting the Broom Corn
May 28, 2003
Broom Corn Project
The Enfield Junior Grange will be learning about Broom Corn -planting,
harvesting, and making brooms this summer. I thought this might be an
interesting project because of the "Rumsey Broom Business" which was operated
here in Enfield by the Rumsey Family before 1922. Some people say that
the family raised their own broom corn and some say they bought the broom
corn to make their brooms. In 1922 the barn and house, located on Woodard
Road, burned, stopping all production of broom making. According to the
1914 Agricultural Directory, Alonzo and Elmer Rumsey were broom makers.
Mary and Eric Rumsey, currently of Enfield, said they had a testimony
from Benjamin Franklin Rumsey, Sr. (Eric's grandfather), Alonzo Rumsey
went into the broom-making business in 1866 with a man named Bagordis/Bagardus/Bogardus.
Alonzo was Ben Sr.'s grandfather. Ben Sr. was born in 1892 and he remembered
this business and Mr. B. If anyone has additional information on this
business or remembers their family owning one of these brooms give me
a call, Sue Thompson, Enfield Town Historian – 272-6412 or sdt1@cornell.edu.