Steamboat Arabia: A Historian’s Blog

Providence Savings Bank ledger 1853-1864

2012-01-21T09:38:00.000-08:00

Welcome back to my blog. January seems to be the month I am renewing my energy to get cracking on my book. My blog today reminds us to be good stewards and pay off your credit cards- The depression is not (completely) over.

If you've been following my blog, I promised to write an article about my daguerreotype of Mary Ella Jenks with her Izannah Walker doll and came across some interesting information that can be, somewhat, indirectly related to the Steamboat Arabia. It's a ledger for the Providence Saving Bank in Pawtucket, Rhode Island.

Arabia sank prior to the depression (Panic of 1857) when many banks failed. A majority of her cargo was purchased on credit. Like many, storekeepers and wholesalers some could not pay off their bills and had a difficult time getting new stock.

Providence, Rhode Island was an industrial area manufacturing tools and textiles (and The Arabia Steamboat Museum has a great deal of tools and textiles). In fact, the earliest mills in Providence are still standing. The Jencks History Center and the Slater Mill has been restored. If you've ever been in a operating mill, the noise is deafening (must see/hear LOL). Per the Slater Museum's web site:

Today, Slater Mill is a museum complex that includes the Old Slater Mill, built in 1793 and restored to its c. 1835 appearance; the Wilkinson Mill, built in 1810; the Sylvanus Brown House, built in 1758; archival materials, collections of hand-operated and powered machinery, a 120 seat theatre, 2 gift shops, a gallery and a recreational park. Highlights of the site include a short film bringing to life the industrial history of the Blackstone River Valley, demonstrations of flax processing, cotton spinning, and weaving in an 18th century artisan's home, exhibitions of 19th and 20th century machinery, and an operating 16,000 pound water wheel. Interpretive programs examine the transition from home manufacture to factory production and the role of water and steam power in the industrial revolution.

If you recall, last year the Arabia Steamboat Museum's Facebook posted the bolt of fabric and the paper label for a fabric Mill in New York from their collection.

PANIC OF 1857 (thank you Wikipedia)
The Panic of 1857 was a financial panic in the United States caused by the declining international economy and over-expansion of the domestic economy.

I purchased a bank ledger for the Providence Country Saving Bank in North Providence. Pardon Jencks was a relative to Mary Ella Jenks and Vice President of the new bank that incorporated in May 1853 (the Jenks name was also spelt Jencks). This ledger listed the customers and their account numbers, the annual meeting required by law, loans, and cash deposited, dividends paid and cost of operating the bank from 1853-1864.

The ledger revealed Mary's father Stephen A Jenks opened a saving account for his daughter about the time of her 3rd birthday in 1857. About the time this dag most likely was taken.

Paging through the ledger I found a statement showed the bank's deposits between July 1856- Jan 1857 dropped by $80,000 less than prior six months. The spread sheet continues to show a low deposits until 1859.

This would have been the time when the storekeepers debts were due for 1856. The ledger reveals, if manufacturers and wholesalers could hold out, they would be able to recover.

I read debts that were discounted, shares from other banks purchased, and loans extended.

This bank was very sound since it was had a balance of $186,500 in the roughly times.

Three years later, the real impact hit this bank and they depleted their dividend reserves to $2.41 in order to not scare their investors. That's $1,724.32 to keep a public face they weren't affected.

The following six months, they gained reserves of $991.50. So, that tells me the manufacturers were recovering.

Wikipedia continues
In December of 1857, President Buchanan revealed his new strategy of “reform not relief,” which focused on the idea that “the government sympathized but could do nothing to alleviate the suffering individuals.”^[12] To avoid further financial panics, President Buchanan encouraged the United States Congress to pass a law to provide an immediate forfeit of a bank charter in the event that the bank suspended specie payments. He also asked state banks to keep one dollar in specie for every three issued as paper and discouraged federal or state bonds to be used as security on a bank note to avoid future inflation.^[12] Additionally, the Tariff of 1857 was enacted. It was enacted as a revision of the Tariff of 1846, which had, been “slowly destroying…thousand[s] of industrial enterprises.”^[13] The Tariff of 1857 lowered the tax on the items from the Tariff of 1846, yet the tax was still in “favor [of] the American industry” to help improve the economy.^[5]

Here's the complete page- Click the image to enlarge
Deposits

Interest, Expenses, Dividends, Money held in Reserve

My Road Map for 2012...2013...2014....2015

2012-01-09T11:51:00.000-08:00

Above: Council Bluffs, Iowa stereoview, street scene shows an arch, two welcome signs and a hanging boot sign (on left blocking the welcome sign).

Welcome to 2012. This year will marks:

the 156th year the Steamboat Arabia Sank,
the 20th year the Arabia Steamboat Museum opened (November 2011) and
the 20th year my first visit to the Steamboat Arabia Museum.

If you haven't checked out Arabia Steamboat Museum's facebook page- More boots have been cleaned and perserved and only 24,000 more to go! I take my hat off to the staff and their great patience and care they take ensuring these artifacts will be around for the future generations.

Last year, I completed my book proposal, and now, I will begin writing up the draft. Ellen Dunlap, who is President of the American Antiquarian Society, has generously offered to meet to discuss my proposal and it greatly pleases me that so many people have helped me along the way.

Above- CDV, backstamp W. Mitchell's National Art Gallery, No. 77 Felix Street, St. Joseph. Idenified in pencil as Col. McDonald. Possibly the McDonald who was a partner to Saxton & Donnell. Notice the diamond ring on the pinky and the artist's attempt to reflect McDonald's personality with the devilish details.

Here in 888 words is my proposal in a nutshell. Doesn't this open your eyes to how the Arabia Steamboat Museum represents 1850s America?

The Arabia Steamboat Museum: Exploring American Businessmen through Ephemera

The Arabia Steamboat Museum exhibits the best and largest random sample of pre–Civil War Americana in existence, all of it from the Arabia, a commercial side-wheeler, that operated on the inland waterways for three years and sank in the Missouri River in 1856. Since the opening of the museum in 1991, over two million people have visited it. These include tourists, historians, academics, collectors, school children, Civil War reenactors, and archaeologists.

The museum exhibits include:

• Most of the two hundred tons of 1856 merchandise found in the steamboat’s hull, arranged according to the type of ware, for example, hardware, clothing, dishes, and boots

• Parts of the steamboat, i.e.,for example, hull, boiler, stacks, and a reproduction working paddle wheel

• A video about the personal experiences of those who discovered and excavated the steamboat

The museum does an excellent job telling the story of the excavation by twentieth century treasure hunters and scratches the surface of the boat’s context and historical importance. This might be enough for casual visitors, but a growing majority wants to know more. They see this collection as a unique gateway into America’s past, and as mysterious as King Tut’s tomb. John Falk’s book The Museum Experience points out, “Visitors go to an aquarium expecting to see live fish in tanks and read information about them”; ergo, visitors go to a nineteenth-century steamboat museum expecting to see the steamboat’s artifacts and gain an understanding about the businessmen who were involved. The proposed book, The Arabia Steamboat Museum: Exploring American Businessmen through Ephemera, will document the stories hidden within this collection and satisfy those who hunger for the deeper history.

My personal experience with the collection began in 1992, when, on my first visit to the museum, I saw a wooden crate of shoes and after reading the names and towns that were painted on the side of the crate I wanted to know who these merchants were. As I looked at other artifacts, I began to ask a wider scope of questions:
• Who were the businessmen who consigned all these goods?
• What were their experiences selling goods in the towns where they set up their shops?
• Why did they need these items for the winter of 1856?
• What events happened aboard the steamboat Arabia during this hectic time before the Civil War?

The curator at that time was Greg Hawley. We discussed a joint project and agreed that I should begin researching Arabia’s deeper stories, even if finding any paper trail would be difficult. However despite this obstacle, I accepted the challenge to answer my own questions and chose to see Arabia as a stage and focus on the businessmen who owned her, worked aboard her, consigned their goods to her, contracted with her proprietors and agents, and walked her decks, or waved to her from the shore.

I found that commercial boats, like Arabia, worked on a packet line with a hierarchy consisting of a managing office, captains, clerks. In Arabia’s case, she was part of three lines, the first packet line shipped the U.S. mail, then second, the U.S. military’s troops and their provisions and last for St. Louis steamboat commission firms. This went on for three years until she sank near Parkville, Missouri September 5, 1856, with undelivered freight for sixteen landings extending over six hundred miles along the Missouri River. These lost crates resulted in fifty-one stores in Nebraska Territory, Missouri, and Iowa being deprived of their merchandise for the winter of 1856. It took a week for the St. Louis wholesalers to learn in the Daily Missouri Democrat that the freight they sold lay at the bottom of the Missouri River.

The majority of the cargo represented the lifeblood for two new towns in Nebraska Territory, that were Florence and St. John’s City, and the rest was for other businessmen who tried to make a living while serving a variety of consumers. It was these businessmen that I wanted to know more about and in that way, I felt they held the key to understanding what this cargo was all about. These men, either aboard the boat or waiting in their towns, were real people, representing all economic levels and business strategies. I would find, some of these men became witnesses to the repercussions of the Kansas-Nebraska Act of 1854 when the territories of Kansas and Nebraska were in the initial stage of organization, a few cut out a decent living, others became the casualties of the depression known as the Panic of 1857 and several participated in the Civil War.

At the end of my twenty years of research, I had answered my questions and I learned the essential truth, what these mid-nineteenth century businessmen were striving to accomplish with the merchandise that now makes up the artifacts in the Arabia Steamboat Museum and how much shipping was affected by current events, much like today. Moreover, I was able to generalize their experiences to the general population of 1850s businesses. Last, I learned the foundations of credit reporting history and how these indicators for a good credit report still apply today. They were much like people in the twenty-first century, just trying to make a living during the hectic times, when changing markets, land speculation and borrowing on credit ruined many.

More on Izannah Walker Doll

2011-12-04T22:19:00.000-08:00

Welcome back to my blog....As you can see by the image above, I am still hypnotized by the little girl above holding her Izannah Walker doll. I bought this image last May at Brimfield Antique Show near Sturbridge Village Massachusetts and posted it several blogs ago. The image needed conservation and if you remember I promised to do just that. It looks great doesn't it? Click the image to see an enlargement.

So, just before I sent it up to Canada to Mike Robinson (centurydarkroom@sympatico.ca), I ordered a couple of doll books and learned a bunch about the back ground about early dolls. You know it's funny how something can stir your curiosity to the point you surf the web, buy a book or email several historical doll makers, just like I did. Dixie from the blog Izannah Walker Chronicles and Gail Wilson were so willing to share information and I certainly appreciate hearing about how passionate they are about their field.

I have high hopes to have a copy of this first generation Izannah Walker doll made to keep with the daguerreotype. There is something better about seeing the object in 3-D rather than seeing a photograph. That's why it is so great to go to the Arabia Museum....but you already know that.

So, again I am side tracked from my Steamboat Arabia project while writing up an article for the Daguerreian Society's Newsletter. It might seem like this scenic path keeps me from my project, but, in reality anything I learn adds to understanding the 1850s better- Yes-- even dolls.

OK, I hear you, what did I learn this time? My list could be very long....but I was reminded that nothing I think is cast in stone and I need to be open to new information. Let me cite one example. I posted in my previous blog,

"Just who this little girl was....we will never know....and since the frame or mat did not have any identification marks, we don't know where this photograph was taken or who took it. It could be anywhere U.S.A."

I really thought I would never find any solid documentation who this little girl was, but I did. I decided to open up the back of the frame and check if anything was written on the back. To my delight I saw a name. Mary Ella Jenks. Ancestory.com helped me find that she was born in 1850 in Pawtucket, Rhode Island (aka. Central Falls) in the same town the doll maker, Ms. Izannah Walker lived. Mary died in 1923 and I can only assume the image was kept in the family until recently when the dealer attended an antique show in Providence, Rhode Island.

Books mentioned that Ms. Walker was close friends with the Jenks family who were the original founders to Pawtucket Rhode Island. Also, there is mention that Ms. Walker gave dolls to Martha Wheaton Chase (another doll maker, cousin to Mary and born 1851) and other children in town. Then there is a reference to a a memoir by Mary's father I haven't read yet and I might be able to get a copy from the Providence Historical Society.

Obviously, Mary inserted her name in the frame when she was 49 on the card stock dated 1899. I had this documentation turned facing outward and covered with a piece of glass. Mike found the second name identification for Mrs. N. Howard Easton (aks Mary Ella Jenks). Lastly, I had a tag taped on the frame that says, Collection of Elizabeth B. Isenburg and conservation by Mike Robinson 2011 because we are part of history too.

Here's a close up of the doll's head. I am so glad I had it cleaned because this image should be around another 150 years. Enjoy the image and hopefully you will find something inspiring to investigate too. I promise to get back on track working on my book after the holidays.

The Canal System

2011-11-02T10:01:00.000-07:00

Welcome Back to my Blog.....I've been doing some traveling and attended the Photo History symposium at the George Eastman House.

While driving there the highway crosses the Erie Canal and I always wish I had worked in time to stop and get a closer look. There are many canals, not just the Erie Canal. Whether privately funded or supported by government grants or loans, these helped our country expand at a faster rate.

These waterways were very important in transporting large quantities of goods and navigate around dangerous waters and elevate boats up hill, such as the one the Steamboat Arabia used which ran from Portland to Cincinnati around the Ohio River's falls. Arabia was a small enough to squeeze into the small locks which many side wheelers could not. The image below is from Erie Canal Wikipedia and shows a man opening a lock.

The above ambrotype in my collection shows a lesser known canal in Upper State New York. As you can see by the photo above, it had a boat supply store for groceries, dry goods and other needed items much like the stores along the St. Louis Levee. The canal boat in the image was pulled by mules and it must have been a sight to see Arabia waiting for its turn to go into the lock surrounded by these boats. You have to wonder if the noise from the stacks made the mules nervous.

Let's hope that I manage my time better and work in a extra few hours next time I head up that direction. I do have an open invite at the Strong Museum to see the Izannah Walker doll in their collection so I would like to find the time.

In the meantime, I have to get back to working on my book. Thank you for all the emails and encouragement that the Arabia is an important story and you believe there is a sufficeint audience out there. I do too!

I am never dishearted because it is very common to go thru lots of editors before one is willing to accept a proposal. If this was easy everyone would be doing a book. Since I blogged I received a wonderful letter from Wes Cowan who wrote:

Elizabeth, I would be remiss if I did not also thank YOU for your hospitality and your willingness to share with me your book proposal. The work you have done on the consignors to the Arabia is first rate! I marvel at how you came upon the credit records. What a gold mine of information. I urge you not to abandon your project, but complete the manuscript, find a good editor, and then resubmit it to the XXXXXX Press. It will make an invaluable contribution to the history of commerce on the Middle Missouri River, and provide the real "window" into the degree to which the emerging communities on the Plains were dependant upon merchants from the East.

Also, I received a upbeat email from Ellen Dunlap who is the President of the American Antiquarian Society. I sent her my book proposal with all the images I send the University Press and she wrote:

I have some ideas that I want to pursue and will get back to you just as soon as I can. The story is a fascinating one and I’ve loved every minute I’ve been able to spend with your write-up and the photos.

So, let me work on time management and make some more progress on my manuscript.

Making Progress With Baby Steps

2011-09-28T14:23:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to my blog..... above you see Wes Cowen having a cup of coffee in my kitchen.
Sorry to have taken so long to update you on what's been happening. First off, I am holding off on discussing the Frozen Charlotte doll because I will be visiting the Strong Museum later this fall and since they have such a good toy collection, I am sure I'll learn much more and then I'll report back to you.

Secondly, as I mentioned last summer we have lots of company coming through and the most recent guest has been Wes Cowen who is on the PBS program called the History Detectives. This program is in its 10th year! Although I have known Wes for many years, I didn't know that he had a PhD in Anthropology.

Per Wikipedia- "Social Anthropology is one of the four or five branches of anthropology that studies how contemporary human beings behave in social groups. Practitioners of social anthropology investigate, often through long-term, intensivefield studies (including participant observation methods), the social organization of a particular person: customs, economic and political organization, law and conflict resolution, patterns of consumption and exchange, kinship and family structure, gender relations, child rearing and socialization, religion, and so on."

When I first met Greg Hawley, he mistook me for a teacher and others could mistake for a social anthropologist. Either one is a compliment. As some of you know, I have a a masters in social work- specifically social administration and community planning and I worked as a social worker so I always take the stance of the social anthropologist. My first semester in college, I took sociology and learned how much a person can learn when going through someone's trash.

He read my book proposal cover to cover (all 20 plus pages), then he reviewed Greg's book, Treasures in a Cornfield and said he really was impressed at the depth and grasp I have on Steamboat Arabia's history and that of the consignees. He wanted to know where I was with my book and this turned into a long hour conversation.

I replied that I heard back from my first book publisher which was a university press. It was turned down, for the following reasons (per the editor):

Oversized format with full-color illustrations are very expensive to produce and that we almost always had to have some sort of subsidy in order to publish them.
Having reviewed your proposal, I regret to say that the project does not appear likely to lead to a book for our list.
The tack you take—moving from the artifacts outward to the businesses that never received the cargo—is certainly a distinctive one and has some educational value, but such a book would probably not appeal to a sufficient audience to justify the large expenditure for its production.

I really do appreciate all this advice. All these comments will be addressed and corrected.

I offered to cover the expense of the copy right for the images and other expenses, but it seems they needed grant money to cover their printing costs, which I was unaware they needed. So, now I do.

I loved the feedback I received from the editor because it gave me a stamp of approval that my idea was ahead of the curve. It was a new idea of looking at the collection and that makes it priceless (if this was a Master Card commercial). I admit that University Presses are looking to sell their books as text books for college courses and he could not see a demand at the university level for a history class.

So for the last few weeks, I have began to seek out publishers that print books for social anthropology courses and I think it wouldn't hurt to talk to a few college professors.

Then again, maybe Jeanne was right that the book should be published under the Arabia Steamboat Museum's press because they could control reprints of the book when a university or other press may not reprint 2nd, 3rd and 4th editions.

So, life is good and I am moving forward to a better book. I would like to hear from anyone who has any suggestions how I can justify that people want this book published.

Izannah Walker Doll

2011-08-16T02:04:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to my blog....Since my last blog dealt with children's games, I thought I would show one of my Brimfield Antique Show's finds from last May.....The dealer who sold it to me asked if I was a doll collector. I am not, but I thought, "What an interesting image & wrote a check." While walking back to the car, my friend Barb Googled on her phone and I began to learn more about this Izannah Walker doll. Check out this web site Izannah Walker Chronicles. Great site and you can learn how to make these dolls.

(This posting is dedicated to one of my blog member's, Robin Egg Bleu, who has a blog called Art Dolls with Historical Sentiment

Let's compare another photo on the web site with the daguerreotype. Although the daguerreotype needs to be cleaned and the glass replaced, there is no question this is the same doll.

I wanted to know when was this doll manufactured and I found another site called Laurel Leaf Dolls- History of the Izannah Walker that gave the doll's background.

Per Lolly Yocum's article, "Izannah F. Walker, one of America's earliest known female doll makers, was born in 1817 in Bristol, Rhode Island. On June 28, 1873, at the age of 56, Walker applied for a patent for "improvement in the manufacture of dolls." In her application Walker claimed "my doll is inexpensive, easily kept clean, and not apt to injure a young child which may fall upon it. It will preserve its appearance for a long time."1 As witnessed by the surviving examples of her work, we know that this is true. Izannah was granted a patent on November 4, 1873. However, it is known that she had been making dolls for quite some time before she applied for her patent. Research has uncovered a documented case of her making dolls as early as 1828:"From Philomena Hart's Column in the Providence Bulletin.
Mrs. N.M.R. (Norma H. Robertson, grand-niece of Miss Walker) wrote me a fascinating account of a doll which she thinks is the predecessor of the Chase doll of Pawtucket. It was made in Central Falls by Miss Izannah Walker.(1817-1888) She was the aunt of my correspondent who says of her, "Always inventive, she had created a stockinette doll as early as 1848 when my mother was a little child in New London, Conn. Family tradition tells of her struggle to perfect her work and of the long wrestling with one problem, how to obtain a resistant surface to the stockinette heads, arms, and legs, without cracking or peeling. With this problem on her mind, Aunt Izannah suddenly sat up in bed one night to hear a voice say "use paste (the article continues)."

This doll was manufactured for years before a patent was issued....and is an example when a patent dates can mislead. Here's the Izannah Walker Patent

Just who this little girl was....we will never know....and since the frame or mat did not have any identification marks, we don't know where this photograph was taken or who took it. It could be anywhere U.S.A. That's where ephemera can help to show how wide spread these dolls were sold.

We do know that the (daguerreotype) photographic process began in 1839 and continued strong into1850s and into the 1860s. We do know that the thermoplastic frame began before cases and the doll wasn't invented until 1848- so I date this roughly 1850s- and could be as early as 1848 to 1860-ish.

I have to say there were no dolls found in Steamboat Arabia's hull except for one small frozen Charlotte and I will discuss this doll in my next blog. If children were on board, you'd find dolls and perhaps there was an Izannah Walker doll carried off the Arabia in a child's arms. (I promise to have this image restored)- The little girl is a cutie.

The Game of Life by Milton Brady (aka Checkered Game of Life) was first sold in 1860- Really!

2011-08-06T00:22:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to my blog....Today, I was looking online for a copy of the 1960s version of The Game of Life and stumbled on the history of this game. I played this as child and never realized how much this game changed along with culture. The 1992 current version gives points for recycling. The game was first known as Checkered Game of Life and the section above gives points for happiness and wealthy....and for a crime you go to prison which is almost at the beginning of the game.

UPDATE
My friend Lauren Sodano, Social Media Coordinator (and Collections Manager at The Strong, Rochester, New York) directed me to their Web Page for the

Strong National Museum of Play

If you are able to get to this museum, do...it is a great place for adults and kids. (I surfed this site checking out what games, dolls & Toys were available during the 1850s & a must do for fun) This site gives me more information:

The Checkered Game of Lifegame board1866Have you ever played The Game of Life? The Milton Bradley Company developed the game in 1960 to celebrate its hundred-year history, which began in 1860 with The Checkered Game of Life. But don't expect to collect that dream job, car, spouse, and kids when playing this 19th-century game with a similar name. The Checkered Game of Life is not about money - it's about virtue and morality. One of the earliest board games in the country, it offered Americans a welcome alternative to card games. Combining chance and skill to negotiate life's many challenges, players traversed a checkered board of colored squares representing the virtues of honor, truth, and temperance, or the vices of idleness, crime, and drink. Naturally, players could not use dice, because they were associated with gambling; instead, they used a teetotum - a top with numbered sides. The game was tremendously popular, selling out its first run of 45,000 copies in less than a year. Reviewers praised the game for offering families an entertaining way of instructing children in the advantages of moral behavior. Bradley skillfully promoted his product, including it in his collection of "Games for Soldiers" - nine games on lightweight pasteboard marketed to Union soldiers during the Civil War.

Manufacturer Milton Bradley Co.

Material cardboard | paper | wood | rubber | wire | glass

Origin Springfield, MA

Object ID 104.803

Manufacturer	Milton Bradley Co.
Material	cardboard \| paper \| wood \| rubber \| wire \| glass
Origin	Springfield, MA
Object ID	104.803

It begins in infancy and follows thru school and yes...even to college.....don't you love these words ...disgrace, influence, ambition, poverty honesty and industry.

I found this jpg in Wikipedia which says Milton Brady was a printer in his working life.

Milton Bradley (November 8, 1836 – May 30, 1911), an American game pioneer, was credited by many with launching the board game industry in North America withMilton Bradley Company.

A native of Vienna, Maine, in his late teens Bradley chose to pursue the printing trade, including lithography. In 1860, he set up the first color lithography shop in Springfield, Massachusetts. Eventually, Bradley moved forward with an idea he had for a board game which he called The Checkered Game of Life, an early version of what would later become The Game of Life.

The version I played as a child had the Poor House and in the 1860 version, influenced by the depression during 1857, they have Ruin and Suicide (and this is a children's game).

And the last section shows the upper right hand corner is labeled Happy Old Age 50.... I never realized I would be considered a senior citizen back in the 1850s.....Here again there are words that remind me of the Franklin Maxim plates I have....bravery, ruin, cupid, speculation, idleness and success.

Google books posted a book A Board Game Education see page 85

Here's the entire board. If you have never played it, you start on the infancy block and roll the dice and count the squares on the bottom row to the right. Once at the end of this row, you go up one row to Ruin and count in the opposite direction across to the end and up to Congress....eventually you work your way to Happy Old age at 50....

Although this is an old game I think these values are pit falls are valid today. Anybody else agree with me?

Finally, My Book Proposal Has Been Mailed!!!

2011-08-03T09:35:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to my blog.....Today I mailed my book proposal to a university press. When I began this, there was snow on the ground and now its in the high 80s here in August.....Keep your fingers crossed for me.
Ok, I hear ya....what is a book proposal?
It's a plan & an outline at the same time. The sections include: an overview, table of contents, book description, promotion, competing books, chapter outline and about the author. It took me years to get my arms around this subject and only 5 months to design a table of contents that is breaks my research in chronological bite size sections. As I wrote in my cover letter to the editor, "This exercise has provided me with a road map and I feel much more confident that I can accomplish the work ahead of me."

I submitted a sample of the images I wanted to use in this book....this is Figure 22: Newspaper, Oregon News. July 11, 1856, Donnell & Saxton Forwarding & Receiving Commission Merchant, wood cut.

My working title is Arabia Steamboat Museum: Exploring American Businessmen through Ephemera. As a proposal, I needed to write a chapter outline and this is part of my chapter one

I describe steamboat Arabia’s tragic accident and the Arabia Steamboat Museum that houses the excavated artifacts, suggesting that the museum can be seen as a gateway into a time when Kansas and Nebraska were in the midst of organization. I propose a new paradigm, which interprets the artifacts from the point of view of the businessmen who made use of the side-wheeler. For example, the objects hoe, plow, corn, have little meaning until these items are connected to an occupation, and in this case it is the farmer. Now there can be a discussion on: the farmer’s view of farming tools he found desirable to buy, innovations in farming tools, what crops were grown in this region, and how he sent his harvest to market.

Here are some photos I took when I drove to the post office to document sending off my proposal.

As I mentioned, I live on the Connecticut shoreline in a sleepy country town that is listed in the National Registry as:

"The Hadlyme Ferry Historic District contains an architecturally significant collection of well-preserved Colonial and Federal style houses that reflect the prosperity of this river landing settlement between 1790 and 1820. The site of one of only two colonial ferries still in operation on the Connecticut River, the Hadlyme Ferry Historic District is historically significant as a representative example of the type of settlement that developed around these important transportation links across this major waterway. Although a ferry had been in operation there since the late seventeenth century, the Hadlyme Ferry Historic District was settled primarily after it was officially established by the Connecticut Colony in 1769 and prospered as both a ferry landing and a small maritime port."

It hasn't changed very much in a hundred years, there is the small country post office that closes during lunch. Years ago this post office was part of the country store, very much like it was for many 1850s post offices. I recall telling Greg Hawley abt a land dispute case where the man who owned a dry goods store testified he delivered the mail. It was a sad story because Mr. Crocker had to read the letter to the literate man that his wife was not moving to the Nebraska Territory.

It seems to be hash living anywhere in the 1850s. Here in southern Connecticut, which still is mostly wetlands and lots of mashes, people died then in great numbers from typhoid fever, cholera and the King's evil.

This is my favorite postmaster who is keeping her fingers crossed for me that I will hear something soon. There are many uncontrolable factors that could reject my proposal....they may have already committed to other authors....they may have had funding cut back....but whatever happens, I will find some press that is interested in the Arabia Steamboat Museum.

Experience isn't what happens to you, it's what you do with what happens to you.

2011-06-25T21:59:00.000-07:00

Above: Dr. David P. Schmidt Associate Professor of Business Ethics at Fairfield University and Elizabeth

Welcome back to my blog.....Recently, I went to a picnic with the Rotary Club and heard an incredible lecture about business ethics.
Ethics is a hot topic right now after the greed and speculation from wall street. I told Dr.Schmidt that I've been working on a book for the Arabia Steamboat Museum and back then the same thing was happening which resulted in the Panic of 1857.

Scmidt's lecture gave me the perfect thought to tell myself every time I feel overwhelmed with my project.

It has to do with the Kew Gardens incident when a women was stabbed and afterwards witnesses said they thought someone else would have called the police. It took her hours to bleed out-Hard to believe, isn't it?

“On the evening of March 13, 1964, a young woman was assaulted and stabbed to

death in front of her home in the Kew Gardens district of Queens, New York. The victim was twenty-eight years old. Her name was Kitty Genovese.. . .

[T]he events took place in the full view (and hearing) of most of the residents of the victim’s immediate neighborhood. Over thirty persons acknowledged, after the event, that they had observed what was going on. The murder itself took well over half an hour to accomplish, during which time the murderer took himself oﬀ for a brief interim and then returned some quarter of an hour later to complete the job. The victim’s screams were fully audible for the whole period she was under attack as were her cries for help during the period of the murder’s absence. But no one went to her aid.”

Geoﬀrey Brennan and Loren E. Lomasky, Democracy and Decision (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993), 125.

There are 4 questions to ask yourself when you see something that needs to be done and here's my example with the Arabia Steamboat Museum..

1. Is this serious? Yes, the Arabia Steamboat Museum is very important.

2. Do I have the skills to accomplish this? My background in college sure helps and I've had many mentors. At times I lack experience, however, so far, I have raised the bar and purposely put myself in many new situations. I look at it this way what I don't know how to do, I'll make a plan to learn it or find someone who can help me.

3. Am I in close proximity? Yes.I am, 1,392 miles (22 hours driving time) away from the Arabia Steamboat Museum but I am on the east coast where most of my research libraries are.... and the internet is helping more and more.

4. Am I the last resort? There are lots of people out there who are as smart as me, but if I think I am the last resort, my doubt is dispelled and I will get on with it. So, I will invest all my effort in getting this book done and do the best job I can.

Many Thanks to the NARA's Legislative Archive

2011-06-20T23:43:00.000-07:00

above: Capital, ca. 1848. Collection of Matthew R Isenburg

Welcome back to my blog....As I mentioned in the last posting I've been reading Congressional Bills online and submitted a request to find one document. It's just a letter, a request from some citizens in Paducah, Kentucky (aka a piece of ephemera).

So, here is how I dotted my I's and crossed my T's. Just remember, when submitting a request be clear and ask one question.

I wrote the National Archives & Records Administration

Hello,
The LOC [Library of Congress] has directed me to your office to obtain a copy or scan of a petition. Journal of the House of Representatives of the United States, 1854-1855

FRIDAY, January 12, 1855.
"By Mr. Boyd: The petition of citizens of Paducah, Kentucky, that
Glover and Mather be remunerated for losses sustained by them on
account."

I am researching the mail contract for Glover & Mather and I think this letter explains why their contract was cancelled.
Thank you for your assistance,
Elizabeth Isenburg

The Legislative Archives responded with some surprisingly good news. The record was missing, but the wonderful man at the Archives found 20 pages that will give me better insight. He wrote:

Dear Ms. Isenburg:

Thanks to the American Memory project of the Library of Congress (http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/amlaw/lawhome.html , pages 176-177 of the House Journal are online for January 12, 1855, and I could see the reference to the receipt of the petition and its referral to the Committee on Post Office and Post Roads.

Some decades ago after House records had come to the National Archives in 1946, archivists organized the mass of materials to make them accessible to researchers. As part of that organization, I looked under the category HR33A-G16.36 (Petitions from the 33rd Congress referred to the Committee on Post Office and Post Roads concerning "payment of indemnities for losses sustained in relation to contracts for the transportation of the mail, December 13, 1853 - February 21, 1855). Regretfully, the Paducah petition was not there, leading me to think that it is no longer extant.

However, in looking through the three folders in question, I located something else that may well address your concern: a petition of William R. Glover and T. W. Mather for relief in relation to a mail contract upon the Ohio and Mississippi rivers forwarded to the committee on July 26, 1854, by Representative Breckinridge.

It is 19 legal pages (plus information on the back of the 19th page). We can provide you with electrostatic copies of the Glover-Mather petition at 75 cents per page for what amounts to our minimum charge for mail orders.

How I am spending my summer (so far)

2011-06-16T16:47:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to my blog....

Summer is here and all my friends are out and about. Joan Severa is headed back after the Costume Conference in Boston, Lois is in Aruba and other friends are in Newport....

What am I doing you ask?

Well, yesterday I read U. S. Congressional bills online.... what a great site. I wanted to read the original proposal for a bill and then each revision and here are a few covers of bills I've read.

Now, I want to see what exactly did the Congressmen/Senators said...like TV does today and that is in in the Congressional Globe.

You know when the Bill 353 to organize Kansas and Nebraska territory was first proposed, the issue of states rights- aka- allowing Kansas to vote on being a free or slave state wasn't in there- Pretty cool...hun?

Doing Copy Work

2011-06-14T23:00:00.000-07:00

Hello and welcome back to my blog...My book proposal is progressing and I was taking some photographs to include in my package.

As you can see above- I am using a copy cube which is a white wooden box with an opening for the camera len. The light inside the box bounces equally so there is no shadows.

Here I am cleaning the daguerreotypes glass with a paper towel with a little windex.

The camera is on an auto setting and focused for close ups (I am not a professional photographer). Then, I turned off the flash and popped the len into place.

Looking thru the len, I adjusted the image so the auto focus will focus on these faces

These men are midshipmen ca. 1846-1850, taken at the United States Naval Academy, Ft. Severn, Annapolis, Maryland.

Per Wikipedia
The Navy turned Fort Severn into a classroom building at United States Naval Academy for young naval recruits and midshipmen. The Naval Academy started in October 1845 with 56 midshipmen and seven professors.

The leaders developed a new curriculum requiring midshipmen to study at the Academy for four years (equivalent to classical college education) and to train aboard ships each summer. That format forms the basis of the far more advanced and sophisticated curriculum at the Naval Academy today. The curriculum in the nineteenth century included mathematics and navigation, gunnery and steam, chemistry, English, natural philosophy, and French.

And Finally

Ephemera Society's Video: What do I value?

2011-05-31T13:23:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to my blog.

During the Ephemera Society's trade fair I was asked, "What do I value? Listen to the video below or pull it up on You Tube and see how others answered this question.

In this video you'll see me digging thru a notebook about 20 feet away from where I found the Terrill & Boyd Steamboat Card for Arabia's replacement called the steamboat Emigrant.

Enjoy the video and many thanks to Lauren Sodano, Facebook web master for the Ephemera Society who so thoughtfully made it. Do go to their site to see other video's.

John Brown: Concord Museum & the Black Jack Battle

2011-05-25T13:07:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to my blog....Above you see, one of my editors, Craig who's reading my St. Louis Salesman's Journal and checking my work. I am lucky to have such a professional copyeditor who loves history.

I am still working on my book proposal and thanks for the continued emails of support.

My other life-line/mentor is Jeanne and she recently wrote another article for the Maine Antique Digest about the Exhibit at the Concord Museum. READ IT ONLINE

You might think it doesn't relate to the Steamboat Arabia,after all it is over 1,400 miles from Kansas.

But do read it- I know I learned something new. Jeanne's article talks about how the tensions built towards slavery and led to the civil war.

The Concord Museum exhibits many artifacts and one is an 1859 pledge list to help John Brown who just four months later tried to capture the U. S. armory in Harper's Ferry. Of course, this is years after May 1856 when Lawrence Kansas was attached by pro-slavery men.

To know more watch this video from the Black Jack Battlefield that will be having a reenactment June 4, 2012 in Baldwin City, Kansas.

Back from Brimfield Antique Show 2011

2011-05-20T12:54:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to my blog...its good to be home. The weather was good and there was lots to see. Everyone needs a break away and the conversations I had with friends were priceless.

The morning began at 4:30am so we could go to the first show at 5am.

Continuing the discussion about Arabia's Red Flannel Shirt....

2011-05-09T10:35:00.000-07:00

above- Gold Miner is wearing a woolen shirt. Collection of Matthew Isenburg

Welcome back to my blog.....I am continuing my blog on shirts.
Per my hubby, who gave me his scans & cited the 1851 American Clothier Catalog:

From left to right 1, 2 ,3

Jim Miller was kind enough to send me the article he cited from the Magazine of the Midwest Open-Air Museum Fall 1995 Vol. XVI No. 3 by Thomas G. Shaw.

This article shows the same #2 shirt (middle) from the Reed Brothers & Co. Clothiers and Importers of Dry Goods Catalogue 1853....I'd love to have a copy of this entire catalogue!

I found it a good read about the overshirt. He quotes from The Prairie Traveler: A Hand Book for the Overland Expeditions, that reads,

"He recommends shirts of red or blue flannel such as can be found in almost all of the shops on the frontier."

which I found on Google Book (thank you Harvard). You might like to read the whole book!

The prairie traveler: A hand-book for overland expeditions
by Captain Randolph Marcy, 1859.

It reads:

Thomas Shaw's article mentions that shirt were ornamented with crescents, stars trefoils, etc.. and cites Holcombe, History of the First Regiment Minnesota Volunteers Infantry 1861-1864 1987, pg 12. (So that is a start to understanding the meaning of this heart...but 1861 is 5 years later than 1856 so there is more work to do)

I have a copy of the Merchant's Memorandum Book, All Varieties of Goods Kept by Country Merchants, 1853 by Luke Shortfield. This was a thick book listing almost anything a country merchant needed to buy for his store and it lists under Ready Made Clothing Red Flannel undershirts & overshirts. This primary source makes me agree that Red was the most popular color.

I compared the Red Heart shirt from the Steamboat Arabia next to a close up of the young miner's shirt (which I added more red by increasing through the magic of photoshop). These two flannel shirts are similar sewing design with the same buttons.

So, what conclusions can be drawn so far....

Red was a popular color for flannel shirts
white buttons were typical
flannel over and under shirts were considered ready made clothing

I've read the 1850 state census' and ready made clothing was often made by several factories, even ones that made only the button holes. So that might quiet the discussion why the buttons on these two shirts were sewn in different places. Remember thousands of these were needed so everyday clothing may not have been so carefully manufactured.

My curiosity make me wonder if there is a case of these shirts are still in the Arabia Steamboat Museum's freezer waiting to be opened. (did I ask loud enough?)

I appreciate that Thomas Shaw were to the trouble to write up such a good article so others could begin to exam the most common apparel. And if I ever met him I'd thank him for the kind compliment he gave:

In the midwest, two of the best sources for learning about mid nineteenth century overshirts are the museum of the salvaged Missouri River steamboats Arabia and Bertrand. Significant numbers of these shirts were part of each vessels' cargo. Other shirts may have been shipped as well but only the woolen ones survived over a century under water and mud. These shirts were intended for miners, teamsters and other laboring men of the upper Missouri River.

Thanks again to Jim for the article and I am packing to join a group of friends for the Brimfield Antique Show near Sturbridge Mass.....Hopefully to do a day at Sturbridge Village when hundred of kids are on there for a field trip.....It's just like what happens at the Arabia Steamboat Museum....and you have to start with the young to educate them so they gain an appreciation for our past and that way they will ensure our history is preserved.

The Arabia Steamboat Museum's Facebook has awesome videos!!!

2011-04-30T08:57:00.000-07:00

Above: Red Heart Shirt from the Arabia Steamboat Museum

Welcome back to my blog.....Watch the facebook video on Arabia Steamboat's Museum's Facebook page
This is exciting and I wonder if anyone has any ephemera or early images of a man wearing this heart shirt?

And what is the meaning of the red heart?

The museum suggests Red Shirts with the symbolic red heart ... The Border Ruffian's symbol of solidarity to the pro-slavery movement. Does any have any primary sources to verify this?

I want to learn more....don't you?

I've recently added this textile saleman cdv to my collection. Notice the sales tag attached to the coverlet or shaw on the lower right hand corner.

On a personal note, thanks for all your well wishes as I plow my way to write my book proposal. It is shaping up and with my team's guidance, I hope to be submitting to publishers soon.

UPDATE-

Many thanks to Jim Miller for his response to my question about Arabia Steamboat Museums Red Shirt. It led me to a wonderful site called the Midwest Open Air Museum Coordinating Council...I have going to spend time reading (just loved the blog and I could have helped the museum looking for an early sewing machine).

http://www.momcc.org/index.html

Jim also has an interesting blog: http://www.jimsfortheloveofhistory.blogspot.com/

What I'm doing here is documenting my personal expression of "hands-on history" from a craftsman's perspective. I've been on this path for a large part of my life and it's taken me to some interesting and challenging places. I hope to share the processes and the historically inspired objects I've crafted along this journey into our past. This adventure has deepened my appreciation for past craftsmanship and the intelligence of common place things in 19th Century America. Besides, now I have all this cool stuff to play (teach) with.

AND I AM IMPRESSED!! Like the Rubber hat.....

Greetings Elizabeth,
   Thank you very much for posting the picture of the "Heart Shirt"
from the Arabia Museum. I remember a similar one there years ago but
this one is different I believe. I thought you might be interested in
the following quote.

   The information is from "The Magazine of the Midwest Open-Air
Musueums Coordinating Council", Fall 1995, Vol. XVI No.3. In an
article entitled "Overshirt Overview"by Thomas G.Shaw, he describes
what the volunteers of the First Regiment Minnesota Infantry wore in
Spring 1861.

     The men were wearing woolen shirts of various colors, red
predominating, "....of the kind affected by steamboat men and men of
the frontiers.....some of them were fancifully ornamented with
crescents, stars, trefoils, etc." The quote is from Holcombe, History
of the First Regiment Minnesota Volunteer Infantry 1861-1864.

     There could still be a border-ruffian connection but the passage
suggests that the shirts might have been quite common. I thought you
would be interested in the information since it refers to Steamboat
Men.
                      Yours,
                          Jim Miller
                          www.jimsfortheloveofhistory.blogspot.com

I asked Jim if there he could send me the complete article for my records? I am a primary source lady and always follow up on footnotes.

Head to the Movie theater & see the Conspirator- starting April 15, 2011

2011-04-12T10:41:00.000-07:00

Watch the Preview- THE CONSPIRATOR, One Bullet Killed the President but not one man

Besides being a great picture, do see it to understand the mind set the military had when it contracted with the Steamboat Arabia to send troops & provisions to Ft. Pierre in 1855.

Lincoln 'Conspirator' a hit in Ford's Theatre

By Arienne Thompson, USA TODAY

Updated 21h 13m ago |

12 |

Reprints & Permissions

WASHINGTON — Drama on the Hill almost derailed the drama on the screen as a narrowly averted government shutdown threatened the premiere Sunday of The Conspirator at Ford's Theatre.

By Alex Brandon, AP
Director Robert Redford arrives at Ford's Theatre for the premiere of his film The Conspirator.Budget squabbles in Washington almost conspired to prevent the film's premiere.

Enlarge

By Alex Brandon, AP

Director Robert Redford arrives at Ford's Theatre for the premiere of his film The Conspirator.Budget squabbles in Washington almost conspired to prevent the film's premiere.

Times Today. 99c For First 4 Weekswww.NYTimes.com

But everything proceeded as planned for director Robert Redford and his team at Ford's, which is part of the National Park Service.

Stars Robin Wright, James McAvoy, Kevin Kline, Tom Wilkinson, Evan Rachel Wood and Alexis Bledel also hit the nation's capital to support the film, which tells the story of the persecution of Mary Surratt (played by Wright), a woman accused of being a conspirator involved in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln.

"The movie was inspired by telling a story that nobody knew about, tied to an event that everybody knows about," Redford explained at the screening.

Before making the film, "I knew nothing about her,"

I love Redford's comments, "I knew nothing about her," and this goes to show how important it is to tell our past's stories through the eye of those who witnessed it, rather than citing facts and dates.

There has been a lot of talk that this is a must see & must be talked about film. I saw a private viewing of this last January at the American Historical Association Conference in Boston & blogged

January 20, 2011 Calling All Civi War Round Tables

I was surprised to read that Ford's Theater where Lincoln was shot is now part of the U. S. Park Service- which it should be.

My blog stirred lots of attention, I received emails and one asking me to write a review for a University. I do wish time grew on trees but as you might be aware I am writing up my book proposal right now for a university press and it is going well.

Recently, my blog was mentioned in the Daguerreian Society's Newsletter and for their benefit let me post a stereoview of the hanging and the back of the card compliments of Jeff Kraus who has this one for sale for $1600.

Click on Picture to see a larger view

Ephemera Society Show contined......

2011-03-24T11:13:00.000-07:00

While at the Valentine Club's dinner, I met Cameron Nickels who published his book in 2010, Civil War Humor. Google books give some sample pages
The preface gives some background why he wrote the book.
In college I took a course called Death, Dying & Bereavement and humor is a way to begin to heal and deal with difficult times.

It was a lively dinner with about 20 people and I sat next to Kathy who keeps a blog on 2oth Century Trends called On Trend Design

You'd think we'd have nothing in common- after all I am interested in the 1850s, but that's just not true, and people in the 1850s had trends too. (Kathy Alpert is on the left- the lady on the right collects civil war valentines). I mentioned I was working on a book proposal and that started a lengthy conversation.

As you can see lots of people were chatting, networking and listening to different views and new ideas.

The web master for the Ephemera Society's Facebook page is Lauren Sodano. She works for the Strong Museum in Rochester NY. She was asking people,

"How do you see value in Ephemera."

Of course, my eye candy is 1850s pamphlets that aren't colorful but they support my findings...another person might think value means its gotta cost a lot of money. My hubby always says, "Best in bred and best in class...and something that tells a story." I'd love to hear what you think value means to you.

After the banquet, a dozen of us dashed over in three cars to have dessert in a diner.
Before dessert

After dessert- I had an apple tart & coffee.

Anne Stewart O'Donnell passed around a Arts & Crafts book that she wrote all the catalogue descriptions- that's impressive!!!
Barb & Donny from Canada are taking the Titanic Memorial Cruise in 2012 Just 380 days from now....I've seen the exhibit twice and it is still gives me chills.

Perhaps I have encouraged you to join a group, get involved and meet some interesting people.

1840-1860 Valentines: Hidden messages....What's "The Cause" mean for the Civil War Reenactor

2011-03-21T12:15:00.000-07:00

Hello and yes, I am back. For those wondering what I've been up to for weeks, I have been glued to my laptop working on my book proposal outline. I did sneak out last weekend to attend the Ephemera Society's Conference in Greenwich, Connecticut. During the event, I purchased three valentines to use in my book.

I do have a question for my civil war round tables. What does "The Cause" mean to you???

Email me your answers ElizabethCT@gmail.com or post them below.

Saving time is critical right now, so here's an email I sent to Jeanne who's my sounding board for my book proposal. We have company at the end of the week and like you I have chores to do.

Hello Jeanne,
The Ephemera Society Meeting Rocked! We had the best time and it was like a 
shot of Vitamin B in the arm. The people are just such gems and really 
think out of the box. A dozen of us went to a diner in Greenwich, had dessert

and talked shop. One lady who is a museum exhibit designer was talking about

the new exhibit at Thomas Jefferson's home Monticello and how they included

Jefferson's offspring from Sally H.

I talked about Steamboat Arabia's lawsuit when a slave that fell over

the boat and how I was going to discuss Dred Scott's lawsuit for his freedom

since Scott was living in St. Louis when the steamboat company was defending itself in

court. She was fascinated but never heard about the Arabia, so you can guess

who my next email will be.

The Dred Scott Decision

Dred Scott v. Sanford

Besides that, the lectures were such entertainment and I learned a lot

(as I always do)! At the trade show, I bought some booklets and the prices

they were charging were outrageous- I broke into my piggy bank and I hope I

didn't buy anything I could have read on Google Scholar for free.


One type of new ephemera in my collection are three 1840-1860 
Valentines. I was surprised, I thought they'd be hundreds of dollars, 
but they weren't. I asked about seeing the box of civil war and the 
lady (who is such a nice lady & honest) said, they are in the 
thousands, so I didn't look at those since all I wanted was some eye 
candy for my book at a reasonable price (in this case $45). She said

sometimes you can find them miss marked and get them cheaper.

Well, she had one miss marked....and I didn't tell her or rather I saw

the card differently. According to her, the words "The Cause" applies

to Cupid striking someone with an arrow. However, to people during

the Civil War, especially confederates would refer to the Rebellion as

"The Cause"....I can't recall where I learned that...but I've seen it

repeatedly in primary sources. The card had a tear on the corner of

the lace, but for me the middle of the card is all I needed with the

stamp size cupid.

Why do I need these you ask? One of my consignees was in love with a

Confederate women spy but she was engaged to his friend. However, his

letters are printed in a book and are dripping about his feeling towards her and the war.


The other two cards, A flower of Loveliness is mechanical and moves the 
peddles over the lady and the Friendship that is constant is another 
phase repeated in my consignees letters.

I am making excellent progress on my book proposal and it certainly is 
not a list anymore.

My best to you & Bob,
Elizabeth

What a modern world we have in 1853!

2011-03-02T08:37:00.000-08:00

Old Newspapers can be the vehicle that brings history to life....just read what the editor of the Evansville Daily Journal printed in August 1, 1853 edition....as he reflects what a modern world we have in 1853.

Old Times

A correspondent of the Cincinnati Register of May 1827 thus writes:
"I have seen the time when the only boat that floated on the surface of the Ohio was a canoe, propelled by poles used by two persons, one in the bow and the other in the stern.
I have seen the day when the introduction of the keel-boat with a single roof was hailed as a mighty improvement in the business of the West.
I remember the day when a passage of four months from Natchez to Pittsburgh was called a speedy trip.
I remember the time the canoe of a white man dared not be launched on the bosom of the Allegheny.
I remember the day when the borders of the Ohio were wilderness, and New Orleans was literally cut off from the whole world.
I have lived to see the day where a visit to New Orleans and Cincinnati required no more preparation than a visit to a neighboring country town. I remember when it required as much previous arrangement as a voyage to Calcutta.
I have lived to see steamboats of 300 tons arriving in twelve days from New Orleans to Cincinnati, and I calculate upon living to see them arrive in ten days.
I have lived to see a number of splendid cities spring up, where in my boyhood, nothing appeared like civilization but the hut of the soldier or of the settler.
All these things and many more have I seen and yet I feel myself entitled to be still numbered among the young men of the West."
[*Boats of double that tonnage now occasionally arrive at Cincinnati from New Orleans in five days.]

Spend that Extra Minute Checking the Facts

2011-02-16T17:55:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome back to my blog.....

Recently, I ran across the ambrotype while surfing Ebay. It is called an occupational- Let's call it, "Young tailor with a 1856 Watson Paw Foot Sewing Machine." It is a great image, but is it 1850s?

"Buyer Beware."

Dealers, on Ebay or at a flea market will tell you about the photo & realize they might be right or they might be wrong and that's where you need to check the facts.

At first, I worried if this was 1850s or not.

LET'S GO OVER THE CLUES
Clothing
So, I looked for clues. At first I looked at his clothing and thought he might be wearing a tie....but then I remember what Joan Severa said in a recent posting that the caveat could be loosely tied and realized it was loosely tied and was tucked into his coat which might be an occupational hazard for a tailor.

What do I already have in the subject of clothing?
I do have a Button Hole Salesman already in my collection- A picture of a young man who has a sewing machine would add enhance my occupation images.

I do have a bonnet factory

Can I find out more by googling????

In seconds I was a site called Meeker's Mechanical Nature Antiques page for Early American Patented Antique Sewing Machines- and the sewing machine is 1856!!!!

As I scrolled down, it reads

"1856 Watson Patent Paw Foot Sewing Machine The Watson patent sewing machine is a nice example of one of the earliest patented American sewing machines having a patent date of 1856. The machine sports a small brass plaque with the patent info, date, and Watson name on the main cross arm. The firm was located in Bridgeport CT according to Carter Bay's book on the subject."

The machine has been japaned (painted black) and decorated with a flowers. The gold scroll detail may have been a stencil.

Now, I go back to check the sewing machine in the image to see if the feet match and they do.

Although we can't see the color, we can see the design matches the machine above.

And we get a chance to see the underside

In the end, I am satisfied and this image has became part of my collection. I invite you to find a photograph and begin looking for clues and seeing what you can find out googling. Good Luck!

More from Joan Severa: Fashion Prior to the 1850s

2011-02-08T22:52:00.000-08:00

Hello & Welcome back to my blog.... Above you see the daguerreotype I sent Frank DeFreitas to see if he could make a hologram (3-D image).

I initially blogged about this May 19, 2010 and finally succeeded about a month ago.

He wanted to know more about this image and all I could say was its in an 1840s mat and thanks to Joan Severa, my clothing expert, she once again, opened me up to the fashions prior to the 1850s.

Enjoy the emails, back and forth- and for those that sew, you'll enjoy reading every word.

Hi Joan,

Hope you are staying inside! And you are OK-
I know you'll like this dag....Frank a hologram photographer made a hologram of this dag and now is writing an article for the Dag
Newsletter. He wanted to know about the image and so I am writing you will some close up details. Maybe you are rubbing off on me. I see a bell sleeve- and the bow she's wearing has a wonderful leaf pattern.

So, all I know is the mat is 1840s- what do you see?
Elizabeth

Elizabeth--
This portrait was made ca. 1846, when the slwwv
Joan

Elizabeth--

This is a lovely shot of daydress , ca. 1847. The bell sleeve you noted is still quite modest, as it was just introduced in 1846 magazines. The undersleeve too is extremely plain, narrow and made to close at the wrist. The very open bell came about in the '50s, when undersleeves were either large puffs banded at the wrist, or open bells with lace edging. The boned bodice has a long but rounded frontal dip, indicating the last half of the '40s. It is finished with piping, and the skirt fullness is accomplished with cartridge pleats, a typical '40s technique. You will remember that she cannot be wearing a hoop, as they were not in use in America much before1855.

About the neck bow--the general effect, before the closeup, made me think lace--that rather coarse kind, with worked motifs. If you think it's printed, I bow to your better eyesight. Printed neck ribbons were more common, but most were plaid.

The hairdo, always so telling, is definitely late '40s: from a center part, frontal hair was carried down to the earlobe, then bent up to fasten at the crown. Back hair was drawn up separately to this fastening, and made into a bun or a twist, leaving the neck bare. The loop of hair at the ears was variously puffed out throughout the end of the '40s and the entire '50s--sometimes with extra hair, which could be bought in "switches" in specialty shops.

While the dress is made of expensive silk, and is professionally sewn, the plainness of the cut and lack of frills make me think of religious dress restrictions--except for the neck ribbon, and all the gold jewelry!. Anyway, a not-poor young woman of rich but conservative taste.
And thanks--this brightened up my day.
Joan

Elizabeth---
Forgot one sure clue: the small collar. 1850 saw the introduction of wide collars--the sitter here wears a typical '40s collar.
Joan

Hi Joan,
You never cease to impress me! I feel like I am in a fashion show when you describe the dress. This is all good info for Frank, thanks a lot for brightening my day.
True story, I was in my elementary school fashion show in the 6th grade. My mom narrated the PTA show in the all purpose room. It was the 60s and I wore a Marlo Thomas "That Girl" type dress and navy cape with a white straw bowl hat and a peach "poke a dotted" two piece bathing suit. It was the new fad called bikini and boy did I get kidded during recess. LOL-
Elizabeth

Thank you Montclair Public Library & Joan Severa- dating the Broadnax family photo

2011-01-23T08:43:00.000-08:00

Welcome back to my blog

Above- This albumen print shows Amos Broadnax with his family in St Louis, Missouri I date this image to be ca. 1856-1859 based on the info below.

Before Christmas, December 12, 2010 I sent a letter to the Montclair Pubic Library asking them for a copy Amos Broadnax's family photograph (he was the St Louis Salesman who wrote the 1855 journal I own). In quick time, according to research standards, I got a reply January 4, 2011 that they found it and I can come in with a camera to Montclair, New Jersey. It took me another couple weeks to follow up with them and then a couple of days to talk with my experts about dating this image. So, really from start to finish on this one project, it was- as my friend Greg French would say, wickedly fast!

How did I get the image? In my younger days I would have jumped in the car and drove. Google maps says its only 2 1/2 hours but with traffic, this would have been 3 1/2 or maybe 4 hours. So, what's a researcher suppose to do if they can't hop in the car?

1. Remain calm, crying or complaining that a document is too far away to get it doesn't help.
2. Be thankful we do live in a digital age and the internet can be your best friend.
3. Ask politely if the image can be scanned and sent electrically.
4. Remember publishers need a quality image (400-600 dpi) which your email can't download
5. Ask for the image to be emailed to SendSpace which can take up to 30MB files
6. Remember to thank them for their help & make sure you get the correct citation they want (so others who want the image can easily locate it).

I hear you, what's the link for SendSpace

The Montclair Public Library was wonderful and sent me a 20MB image and I promised them I would forward this to Joan Severa & see when she thought this picture was taken.

My husband Matthew says this is an albumen print (and I agree), Amos is wearing the style of southern gentleman attire and we both agree St Louis is a southern city. The clothing is definitely attire for the summer months. The child is William who was born in 1853. Since he is wearing pants and shoes, I figure his is about 4 to 6 years of age.

The image is a copy on 20th century paper taken most likely of a CDV in St Louis, Missouri where Amos and his family lived until 1860-1861.

Enjoy the emails back and forth with Joan:

Subject: Now I have an image you can see

Hi Joan,

I sure hope you are OK with all this snow. I don't even think about

Leaving the house when its bad. Our governor would prefer us to stay off the

Roads and so I watch a good movie or work on my blog.

Two weekends ago we attended the American Historian's Conference, it was

huge and we really enjoyed getting out. We had dinner with Greg and Evelyn

his soul mate and several other Boston friends.

The Montclair Library sent me a good scan and here's the image pics.

This is a copy of an albumen....1850s....no photographer stamp (because

It was probably on the back).

Amos Broadnax was in St Louis until 1860-ish when he moved back to NY

And then NJ.

It is hard to see the Mrs. collar but the left side dress is white

Because the photo has chipped off. So, What do you think now? Hairdo, shoes,

clothing et al. Love to hear-

With Warm Regards,

Elizabeth

ENLARGE BY CLICKING IMAGE - the flounce appears to have a colored

netting sewn on and topped with lace.

Elizabeth--

Brief response:  I could be more specific if I could tell how wifey's

Hair is done, but I' m THRILLED to see the rare flounced skirt--cut "`a

disposition", or lengthwise, as the border striped bands are printed the

long way of the fabric.  I believe it to be a mid-'50s fashion, but that

isn't very precise.  Also, the white at her bosom and neck is a chemisette,

made something like a dickey, with ties at either side at the waist and

under the arms to hold it in place under the dress.  The large oval brooch is

also not early '5os, but at least mid.

I don't have time to look it up now--more later if I find anything more

specific about it.

Joan

Hi Joan,
Thanks for the citation.....wow!

I see I have several more emails from you, but this will have to 
wait cause we are headed out the door. I promised the guys at the
library that I'd be posting some info about this image and here- 
you have saved the day...I mean night!

We are off to see a play we have season tickets for and my 
gallbladder has been acting up (feeling sea sick)and I am going 
to give it a good try and wear something comfortable. If I feel 
really too bad, we'll come home early.

Elizabeth



Elizabeth--

Found it!  On P. 96 of "Dressed for the Photographer" I quote Godey's, April
1855:  "A handsome flounced dress is always more expensive than one with 
a plain skirt, and ladies of ample fortune are apt to give a preference to what 
only a limited number can afford to wear."  I go on to say that flounces,
especially those `a disposition, were used through 1859.  
There are no portraits with flounces in that book, which dealt with poorer
and middle-class subjects.

In "My likeness Taken", the  focus is on a wider economic range.  The image
on p. 106 features a summer flounced dress of pale sheer fabric, with a bertha 
of the same fabric, a tiny belted waist with the bodice tightly gathered in, 
full long sleeves over full white undersleeves, and a flounced skirt. Too
sweet.  It is dated 1850.

Jenny Lind, p. 116, had her image taken by Southworth & Hawes in a
full-flounced costume in 1850. She surely had money!

Now I'll leave and go magnify the image of the gentleman.  More later!

Joan 
For those want to know more, click on the Jenny Lind Link above for Wikipedia. She was the singing Nightingale and toured the USA with P T Barum...her name was promoted and attached to many wares such as this Jenny Lind Bed.
Elizabeth--

Amos is wearing a narrow ribbon tie in a popular loose bow, and the white
trousers could be summer pants from anywhere 
In the States.  We see them with both black coats and white linen ones.  Not
so often with tail coats, and I do not profess to 
know whether this is a southern affectation. I wish I could see his hair,
too--if he has the oiled top puff so frequently seen, 
the portrait would likely be dated ca. 1852---that is, give or take a
year--the common interpretation of "ca." Then, however, 
his tie would almost certainly be folded to about 2" wide, and tied in a
level bow, with one side pulled further out than the other.
I'll stick with mid-'50s.

By the way, on closer examination, it seems the small print of the lady's
bodice matches the skirt of the dress (very blurred) and 
may not be open over a chemisette, but with a small opening filled with a
sheer ruff, which may indeed be part of a small plain 
chemisette.

Lord that's a homely little boy.

Joan

Hi Joan,
Yes, tell me more...love more to post. What is Amos wearing around his 
neck? Matthew thought he was wearing a Southern fashion with the light 
colored pants and tails on his jacket. I see William's boot and it 
laces up but doesn't look like it had a tongue.
 
Glad to hear you think its mid-1850s because it was a St Louis 
photographer and that is a home run for me.
 
Elizabeth



Elizabeth--

Amos is wearing a narrow ribbon tie in a popular loose bow, 
and the white trousers could be summer pants from anywhere 
In the States. We see them with both black coats and white 
linen ones.  Not so often with tail coats, and I do not 
profess to know whether this is a southern affectation. 
I wish I could see his hair, too--if he has the oiled top 
puff so frequently seen, the portrait would likely be dated 
ca. 1852---that is, give or take a year--the common 
interpretation of "ca." Then, however, his tie would almost 
certainly be folded to about 2" wide, and tied in a level bow, 
with one side pulled further out than the other. I'll stick 
with mid-'50s.

By the way, on closer examination, it seems the small print 
of the lady's bodice matches the skirt of the dress (very blurred) 
and may not be open over a chemisette, but with a small 
opening filled with a sheer ruff, which may indeed be part of a 
small plain chemisette.

Lord that's a homely little boy.

Joan

Elizabeth--

Just took another look, and I should mention a couple more details:

that is an expensive black Chantilly lace shawl, and it is worn over

very full bell-shaped sleeves, somewhat short on the arm, with narrow

black trim, and there is a bracelet pushed high on the forearm seen

through the shawl.

Amos' turned-up collar is early- mid '50s.  Also, I THINK his beard hangs

over the knot in the tie--otherwise, if that blob is the tie, it is a

silk kerchief knotted loosely, with one pointed end hanging free.  Hope

you can manipulate Photoshop to clarify! I sure know my notes would have

been more clear if I had the photos in hand as I wrote.  Should have

printed them.

Joan

Thanks for reading until the end...I know Robins Egg Bleu loved this one-

Talking about fashion is a good time of the year, since many reenactors

are sewing new dresses to wear.

Calling all Civil War Round Tables- The Conspirator

2011-01-20T08:28:00.000-08:00

Hello & Welcome back to my blog. Mary Surratt was hung for being a conspirator in the assassination of President Lincoln.

Calling all Civil War Reenactors, Living History Bluffs, National Park Service, Historians and Civil War Round Tables to a new movie coming out in April..

The Conspirator
AMERICAN FILM COMPANY

I was lucky to see a previewing of this film on January 8, 2011 at the 125th American Historical Conference in Boston.....and like the film people say, This is a must see....and moreover must be talked about. I sat in the front row with my husband Matthew and two attendees...one whom was a PH. D. Candidate at Arizona State and recently had lunch with Congresswoman Giffords...yes that Congresswomen Gabrielle Giffords- shot in the head on the very day we saw this movie!!!

I first heard about the shooting when I left the Trade show and was passing Star Bucks and saw CNN. I had a hard time finding the facts until my husband went on the Huffington Post and there I heard there were more victims to this tragedy.... The news mentioned there might be an accomplice and flashed a security photo on the screen of a man with shoulder length black hair, baseball cap and blue dress shirt- he turned out to be the taxi cab man who took the shooter as a fare.

Below see the panel from the American Film Company which included the CEO, historians, Webster Stone, Executive Producer and screenwriter James Solomon- they wanted to hear what the historians had to say.

Some people were emotional and a true historian is able to see all sides without getting drawn into judgement. The discussion was enlightening- Mary Surrat owned slaves and was Catholic.

The staging was top drawer- Being from the Washington DC area, I had been in Ford's Theater and saw Jesus Christ Superstar in the 1970s and went across the street and inside the townhouse Lincoln was carried....and I have been in the Mary Surratt's tavern in Clinton Maryland. And knew staff who think there is a ghost there on the second floor end of the hallway. Hopefully this movie will move you to visit these sites- I know the Ford Theater which is privately owned and not a National Park Site is in need for donations and recently my son & his wife attended a performance there.
However, the important outcome from seeing this movie made me reflect-

I left wanting to know how this Jan 8th shooting would play out. Thus far, I can understand how citizens in April 1865 felt, looking for blame for President Lincoln's death. It was the mood of the country and it outweighed any rational facts in the case. This movie really brings us to 2011 & makes us question, are we all accountable for our actions...for our words....for our attitude?

The Round Table question here is, "What if....What if the jury could have allowed the facts to overcome their emotions & hated... would Mary Surrat still have been hung?"

I spoke in length to all of them and thanked Stone for his use of natural and artificial lighting and he credited Robert Redford who was the Director. (The man in the middle is Solomon's film professor from Harvard.) I found Solomon an excellent writer and interested in my feedback. There is minor corrections and those I privately shared with Solomon who gave my husband his email address.

During the evening, our new friend Pat was getting lots of tweets about the incident and to say again, we were swept up in the same mindset as when President Lincoln was assassinated.

Refresh your memory with the Library of Congress web site on the Lincoln Papers

(Home for LOC Lincoln Papers)

On the evening of April 14, 1865, while attending a special performance of the comedy, "Our American Cousin," President Abraham Lincoln was shot. Accompanying him at Ford's Theater that night were his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, a twenty-eight year-old officer named Major Henry R. Rathbone, and Rathbone's fiancee, Clara Harris. After the play was in progress, a figure with a drawn derringer pistol stepped into the presidential box, aimed, and fired. The president slumped forward.
The assassin, John Wilkes Booth, dropped the pistol and waved a dagger. Rathbone lunged at him, and though slashed in the arm, forced the killer to the railing. Booth leapt from the balcony and caught the spur of his left boot on a flag draped over the rail, and shattered a bone in his leg on landing. Though injured, he rushed out the back door, and disappeared into the night on horseback.
A doctor in the audience immediately went upstairs to the box. The bullet had entered through Lincoln's left ear and lodged behind his right eye. He was paralyzed and barely breathing. He was carried across Tenth Street, to a boarding-house opposite the theater, but the doctors' best efforts failed. Nine hours later, at 7:22 AM on April 15th, Lincoln died.

President Lincoln's funeral procession in New York City.
From Harper's Weekly, May 13, 1865. (Library of Congress, Stern Collection, Rare Book and Special Collections Division. )

At almost the same moment Booth fired the fatal shot, his accomplice, Lewis Paine, attacked Lincoln's Secretary of State, William Henry Seward. Seward lay in bed, recovering from a carriage accident. Paine entered the mansion, claiming to have a delivery of medicine from the Secretary's doctor. Seward's son, Frederick, was brutally beaten while trying to keep Paine from his father's door. Paine slashed the Secretary's throat twice, then fought his way past Seward's son Augustus, an attending hospital corps veteran, and a State Department messenger.
Paine escaped into the night, believing his deed complete. However, a metal surgical collar saved Seward from certain death. The Secretary lived another seven years, during which he retained his seat with the Johnson administration, and purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867.
There were at least four conspirators in addition to Booth involved in the mayhem. Booth was shot and captured while hiding in a barn near Bowling Green, Virginia, and died later the same day, April 26, 1865. Four co-conspirators, Paine, George Atzerodt, David Herold, and Mary Surratt, were hanged at the gallows of the Old Penitentiary, on the site of present-day Fort McNair, on July 7, 1865.

The Time Line on the LOC site is helpful...but the movie continues after the hanging making a real conclusion about this incident

1865
March 17	A plot hatched by John Wilkes Booth to kidnap President Lincoln is aborted when the President fails to make a scheduled trip to a soldiers' hospital. The possibility of political assassination increasingly enters the mind of the bitter and restless Booth.
April 14	While attending an evening performance of "Our American Cousin" at Ford's Theatre, the President is shot by John Wilkes Booth . After a medical examination by Dr. Charles Leale, Lincoln's body is carried to a bedroom in the nearby Petersen House. Booth and his accomplice David Herold escape Washington into southern Maryland.Confined to a sickbed at his home on Lafayette Square, Secretary of State William Seward is nearly killed from a vicious knife attack administered by co-conspirator Lewis Paine. George Atzerodt fails to follow through on a plan to assassinate Vice President Johnson.
April 15	President Lincoln dies at 7:22 a.m. At his bedside, Secretary of War Edwin Stanton remarks, "Now he belongs to the ages." Having broken his right fibula while jumping to the stage at Ford's Theatre, Booth stops at the house of Dr. Samuel Mudd near Bryantown, Maryland, to have his leg splinted and bandaged.
April 21	Lincoln's body departs Washington in a nine-car funeral train. The 1,700-mile trip back to Illinois would essentially be over the same tracks that carried the then President-elect east in 1861. Cities along the route that hold funeral processions include Philadelphia, New York City, Buffalo, Cleveland, and Chicago.
April 26	Booth and Herold are apprehended in a tobacco barn near Bowling Green, Virginia, by a cavalry detachment under the command of Lieutenant Edward Doherty. After Herold gives himself up, Booth is shot and killed by Corporal Boston Corbett.
May 4	Abraham Lincoln's body is finally laid to rest in a tomb at Springfield's Oak Ridge Cemetery.
May 10	An army military commission is convened to try Mrs. Mary Surratt, David Herold, Lewis Paine, George Atzerodt, Edman Spangler, Michael O'Laughlin, Samuel Arnold, and Dr. Samuel Mudd for their parts in the conspiracy to assassinate President Lincoln. Surratt, Herold, Paine, and Atzerodt will eventually be given the death penalty, while the remaining defendants are sentenced to imprisonment.
July 7	George Atzerodt, David Herold, Lewis Paine, and Mary Surratt are executed by hanging at the Old Penitentiary in Washington, for their part in the assassination conspiracy.

Do see the movie and spread the word. Do visit the web site for the American Film Company and post on their blog......Do review the Lincoln Papers on the LOC site and buy the book.

Let me close, that the Steamboat Arabia's story would make a great movie too...Its 1850s prior to the civil war...Smuggling guns into bleeding Kansas....Setting up Forts to protect emigrants...Homesteading & Gov Land grants.....Murder, Slave Lawsuits & a Catholic Colony that failed. Any Screenwriter's out there?

Working on my Outline

2011-01-12T10:11:00.000-08:00

Welcome back! While in Boston I had dinner with one of my favorite friends, Linda who has been patiently asking me how I am doing on writing my book on the Steamboat Arabia for the last ten years. She has been telling me to establish a time for writing, don't answer the phone or don't do anything else until the draft is written and she's right.

I took her lecture and the Univ of Missouri's editor's suggestion to heart. So, after waking up to 18 inches of snow here in Connecticut I began my outline- Notice my coffee cup is full. There is nothing like having a big piece of butcher paper to roll out on the table and a black marker to get my thoughts down.

As you can see below, by my second cup of coffee I have a good first draft for an outline. Since I know the subject like the back of my hand, it was easy to incorporate my strongest ephemeral pieces and significant events into Outline. I am going to write this up today.

American Historical Association Meeting: Talking to Publishers

2011-01-10T23:27:00.000-08:00

I am back from Boston where I attended the 125th Annual Meeting of the American Historical Association. When the trade show opened, I walked booth to booth talking to book publishers about my research on the Arabia Steamboat. It was an enlightening experience checking out which presses were a good fit for Arabia's Story while at the same time, the presses were checking me out.

Above is the University of Missouri booth. I visited this one three times. This editor visited the Arabia Steamboat Museum with his son....so he knew the collection well and that meant a lot to me.

He mentioned tourism should increase at the Arabia Steamboat Museum like it had at the Winchester House when the Captive of the Labyrinth came out.

And then he showed me the book Animals Always- 100 Years at the Saint Louis Zoo and thought it might be a good format for my research. I was very impressed with the quality of the paper used in the coffee table book. This one reminded me how Time Life Books (before merging with Warner) would layout their books.

I explained my background and how I donated my time et al. He gave me some suggestions and asked me to submit an outline and a chapter and he would give me some feedback. Like other presses the University of Missouri Press receives many proposals and they have to cherry pick several to print for the year. None of this frightens me because I have a good story.

Enjoy the rest of my photo's- here's the Harvard Press booth. They gave me their card.

I shared my blog with the ladies at the McGraw-Hill Create - I like the idea of having a digital course. (I need to read over their site.)

By the end of the afternoon, I began to think about....

which type of format is best.....book, journal, coffee table book, text book or digital book
the advantages and difference between a large press like Random House and a University Press
if I need to submit a proposal thru a literary agent or directly to the editor
who buys their books and how many do they reprint additional editions
what's the cost of the book
what am I responsible to pay for (photographic rights fees, obtaining permission for quotations...)
what would benefit Arabia Steamboat Museum best

Before leaving, I chatted with the ladies at the National Archives Booth how much I adored their collection.

And chatted with the United States Dept of State Office of the Historian. They are digitizing their Presidential papers and are just beginning to scan the President Carter Administration.

City Directories online- Thank you Google Books, Internet Archive

2010-12-20T12:50:00.000-08:00

Welcome back to my blog....and Thank you to all the web sites for City Directories.
Since last Friday, I have been working at a snails pace revising my St Louis Salesman's ledger. Amos Spent four days in Cincinnati and it has taken until Monday for me to thread in the new info I learned from the City Directories and the credit reports.

That's where the Online City Directories helped- If a credit report mentioned a wholesaler in NYC or Boston, I found the city directory. Like Edward E. Huggins of Huggins, Bro. & Anderson had a Crockery Store operating in 1840 that was still in business in 1856.

I also found some City Directories for Cincinnati and found Amos Broadnax, our St Louis Salesman, mentioned three of the earliest crockery dealers in town. See online William's Cincinnati Business Directory 1856

I can see the paragraphs I was revising makes a deeper story and I am impressed.

If you have ever swam in the Ocean- it's like having the big wave coming right at you- that's the National story and then the undertow pulls the water out to sea and with it hundreds of sand grains- that's the local story.

I will be the first one to say, I am a researcher and writing is like eating an egg sandwich at the beach on a windy day. But, someone has to do keep pushing on and it might as well be me. I am grateful, extremely grateful for having an editor and one that I don't feel stupid asking a question about quotations this morning.

Yes, It Didn't Snow!!!- Cincinnati Coffin Manufacturer

2010-12-17T10:33:00.000-08:00

Welcome back to my blog....it was a good week since it didn't snow and I made it to Harvard Business School Library to check the R G Dun & co. ledgers.
For those who liked details, I left the house at 7:20am with a temp of 9 degrees with a cup of hot coffee. Traffic was very light and I arrived at 9:30am. I left at 3:45pm and got home at 6:20pm. One tank of gas, $7.40 tolls and $12 parking- $49.40 in all.

I called up 14 ledgers in all and made lots of work for the library staff who have a ritual of bringing the ledger box to your table and removing it from the acid proof case and laying it on the form triangle pads. I step back and wait and thank them every time. These volumes are priceless and if I were the guardian, I would do the same.

Preparation saves time and back in 2003 another researcher gave me the idea to make up my own form. I had 25 firms to look up and realized when I was printing the pages the night before this was too much for one day. However, I tried my best, taking ten minutes for lunch (which I packed) and three stretching breaks of 5 minutes, and was pleased I got thru Cincinnati, East Liverpool, Kentucky and Pittsburgh---- leaving Boston, NYC, Baltimore, New Jersey and Bennington Vermont to tackle on another day. I will have to go back to all these ledgers at some point to read page by page for any queensware, crockery, chinaware establishment that Amos Broadnax did not mention by name and that will take a considerable amount of time, patience and serious eye strain. (Did I mention, I love doing this- LOL).

As I said, I was happy with my results (even if I couldn't find the listed report for Gray & Hemingray! Pages are often renumbered in these ledgers and index are not always helpful.)

That all was yesterday and today I am working on my draft including some of the new info I learned from the credit reports and Google Patents Beta. Let's take the paragraph Amos Broadnax visits George W Sholl in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The red words are the revision- How's this sound?

I had a long talk with Mr. George W Sholl of the firm G. W. Sholl & Bro. who had just obtained a Patent for the manufacture of earthen ware coffins. To be precise, David who is the Bro. in G W Sholl & Bro, patented the idea to add to their trunk manufacture- since what is a coffin but a large trunk, indeed. They planned ahead in ’53 and moved into a larger store with and now are the largest manufacturer in Cincinnati with profits of 17,000 annually. I was shown the first ones they made and some very handsome as the one resembling a heavily veined gray marble and another coated with white glaze used for common chamber pots. I doubt not that they will bye and bye, they be making them really beautiful. Mr. Sholl was greatly pleased with the appearance of iron in our kaolin and wants two barrels sent to him. He says that if it will answer his purpose for manufacturing durable coffins, then our fortune is made and that he can afford to give more for ours than any other man in the Union. My head is reeling, as I doubt not that he will soon realize a very large fortune out of his invention whether we sell him material or not… Still, I think thousands of tons of kaolin are destined to be worked up into coffins. That very thought ran chills up my spine for my own loved ones and I noticed this evening the weather turned a little cool and I remain fine to this present writing.

Enlarge the text by clicking on the image

Amos Broadnax- Montclair Historical Society, New Jersey

2010-12-13T10:28:00.000-08:00

Welcome back to my blog-

I worked late into the afternoon trying to get my new Kodak Printer 7250 to print one letter to the Montclair Historical Society. My old printer was worn out and going Green, I chose Kodak. What I needed was to download a program called a driver. Its like a key to a car.

So, I went on the Internet without realizing I needed to use the disk in the packing box. I only realized that after I went to the Kodak site and followed the visual instructions.

Computer Problems can be so frustrating and its a good thing to get a formal instruction on how to use and more importantly to maintain your computer (disk Clean & Defragmentation). Years ago, my close friend Brian Pohanka had his computer crash and I had no clue how to fix it. His writing was his occupation with Time Life Books. And I definitely don't want that to happen to me.

http://support.en.kodak.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/19531

Finally, the printer worked and I headed to the post office so this letter would go out first thing Monday morning.

Elizabeth B. Isenburg

XXXXXX

XXXXXXX

December 12, 2010

Montclair Historical Society
108 Orange Road
Montclair, NJ 07042

Dear MHS,

I am a historian for the Steamboat Arabia Museum and I have journal written by one of your earliest citizens Amos Broadnax when he lived in St. Louis, Missouri. I am seeking a copy and permission to use a photograph printed in the book, Images of America Montclair (New Jersey) page 13. The caption reads, The Amos Broadnax Family.

Although this journal did not have his name written inside the cover, it has taken months to properly identify the author as Amos Broadnax. Through contact with my clothing expert, Joan Severa, we believe this image was taken in St Louis perhaps with a photographer’s stamp. We also believe the child would be William who was the first born in 1853. With your vast collection, I wonder what other ephemeral pieces you have for this family.

Amos was a remarkable man and I have been posting his journal in installments since March 2010 on my blog, Steamboat Arabia Museum: Exploring thru Ephemera, otherwise known as Steamboat Arabia: A Historian’s Blog. http://steamboatarabiamuseum.blogspot.com/ This is a draft and not the finished piece that I hope to publish.

Please advise me how to proceed. I can be contacted in the afternoons at XXXXX or by email at ElizabethCT@Gmail.com.

With Warm Regards,

Elizabeth B. Isenburg

Historical Consultant for the Steamboat Arabia Museum

Moving Along- Doing the Work

2010-12-12T09:06:00.000-08:00

Welcome back to my blog.
Here in Connecticut, it is raining and just two days ago we had a dusting of snow.....Mark Twain who visited St Louis said when he lived in Hartford, Connecticut, "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes."
Doing the Work
This morning I am working on my draft of the St Louis Salesman's Amos Broadnax adding in the details I learned in his bio. I promised my editor, Craig, I would make a trip up to Harvard Business School to look up the Chinaware et al. Amos visited. So, last night I went thru the journal making a list and will call the library tomorrow and book an appointment. It's a 2 hour drive one way and if it snows, the trip is called off.

(In a recent blog, I showed two sentences which disputed my salesman was Amos Broadnax- so today let me mention I found an additional piece of supporting info I haven't mentioned- while in NYC he received a letter from his brother Chas B.- which means my salesman's last name began with B- so I feel pretty good.)

Over the weekend, I found time to read a the first two chapters of Adam Arenson's book, The Great Heart of the Republic- St Louis and the Cultural Civil War. Thus far my only criticism is the footnotes aren't at the bottom of the page. Maybe most people don't read them, but I do, so I am constantly flipping back and forth. At least he lists them so why should I complain?

Like Arenson's, I too agree that the fire of 1849 moved St Louis to becoming a major wholesale market. As he quotes a letter printed in the Missouri Republican, June 10, 1849,

"At this Critical moment the fire came and swept away the old tenements, leaving the ground lately occupied by the principal business houses of the city- an opportunity was thus afforded...."

He makes me want to do interlibrary loan to read all these letters.. He also tempts me to get a copy of William Greenleaf Eliot's diary that details the fire as he moved cholera victims... Looks like I will be calling the Missouri Historical Society.

St Louis- Getting Perspective- Reading

2010-12-10T11:24:00.000-08:00

New Book is out- The Great Heart of the Republic- St Louis and the Cultural Civil War by Adam Arenson 2011 published by Harvard University Press.

I often feel overwhelmed with the bits of info I've gathered about the Steamboat Arabia's businessmen. It isn't a comfortable and I can lose sight of the bigger picture and drown in a sea of meaningless facts that don't translate into the big picture. That's why I try to read as much as possible to keep myself focused.

I ordered this book before it was even printed and it arrived. Why did I order this book because the Arabia sank in 1856 you ask? Well, the businesses were still operating and because several of my consignees took opposing sides during the Civil War..... and I wanted a some serious research quickly giving me the foundation I need to understand. You know how fussy I am about good primary sources and this one is good. This book does that-

Just thumbing thru the acknowledgements, it lists key people I should contact and grants he recieved were top drawer- St Louis Mercantile Library, the State Historical Society of Missouri and Yale to name a few.

By the title you' think it is only about the Civil War, but it is not. It picks up when my research begins and that puts me right back into my comfort zone that my judgement was on the right path all along.

The ephemeral pieces inside the cover made my heart sing when I saw the the lithos below my St Louis Levee Photograph- Compare the Photo with the litho. (It confirms my St Louis Levee photograph location and gives me another primary source.)

This is the Corner of Olive and the Levee (26-29 N.Levee)- Follow the four story building on the right in the litho below- it was one of the fireproof buildings that survived the 1848 fire started by a Steamboat the White Cloud. Under the awning in the next building to the left is the store where the Steamboat Arabia's clerk, Nicholas Springer worked in the firm of James Carson & co.
Go back to my second blog- 1856- The Real Gateway to the West now the site of the St. Louis Gateway Arch

It was redrawn from the David Rumsey Map collection from the Plate of the Pictorial St Louis, the Great Metropolis of the Mississippi Calley: A Topographical Survey Drawn in Perspective AD 1876....

The red block shows the photo above on the Birds Eye View. There are four more building to the left of the image taken.

The X's show the photo and check out where the 1848 fire damage was....Great starting point for me, because Snowden's business partner Carson and his previous partner owned the White Cloud when it started this fire....

More on my St Louis Salesman- Henrietta Broadnax' dress

2010-12-07T18:13:00.000-08:00

Welcome back to my Blog.....This evening I received a response from my clothing expert Joan Severa. If you recall Joan has written several books.

I wrote

Hi Joan,
Hope you had a good Thanksgiving. We celebrated the week before and
good thing we did, I came down with a virus and I am just now getting back to normal.

I would like your opinion dating this photo I posted on my blog. 
It is a poor image, but the best I can do right now. Read my blog- 
I think it is late 1850s.
Elizabeth

Joan Wrote

Elizabeth--

I m sorry you have been ill!  Haven't you had enough of that?

Your image drives me nuts, as I want to see the man's and the child's 
hairdos, and more detail on the woman's too.

One thing argues for LATE '50s--the extreme width of the skirt, and the hoop 
under it.  This formal type of dress  wouldn't show the ordinary bodice 
detail changes anyway, unfortunately.  The woman's hair is done in the 
rather modest manner of ca. 1859 too.  But I would have to see a clearer 
image to be sure of anything.

Joan

And then Joan Wrote Again

Elizabeth--

Having checked out your blog AFTER I sent your message, I believe this is 
little William, and the date of the photo must be closer to 1855.  It HAS to 
be, because this in NOT an 1860s dress!  The skirt appears huge, but that 
may be due to the thick flounces, which were at their most popular 
mid-decade.  Oh, to see her hairdo!  That would tell the tale. It must be 
fuller than I at first thought.

I do love these little detective jobs.

Joan
Now, I can't wait for the Montclair Library to respond and will keep you all posted as I always do.

More on my St Louis Salesman- Amos Broadnax

2010-12-06T23:00:00.000-08:00

Welcome back to my blog. Above-An earlier photograph of Amos Broadnax, his wife Henrietta and their son most likely William (date of birth 1853-54) or Frank (date of birth 1862-63).
This image seems to capture the character I found in Amos's journal. He loved his wife and son William dearly.

NOTE- for those new to my blog- Amos Broadnax's Journal begins with this link (April 10, 2010). The authors name was never written in the book so I have spent months blogging his journal in a revised historical narrative and the research to determine who was this St Louis Salesman.

Salesmans Journal: Glassware, Chinaware, Queenware and Pottery 01

My fly in the ointment
The entry made September 25, 1855 while aboard the steamboat Clifton slowly paddling up the Ohio River headed east for two months perplexed me for months. Throughout the journal, his writing is fragmented and confusing so I had to rewrite the knots out of the sentences to make sense out of it.

I know we all have off days and this may have been one for Amos Broadnax. The day was humid and "unpleasantly warm" resulting in a cold drizzling rain the next morning and the steamboat was moving unusually slow.

He was writing in his small 5 3/4" X 3 3/4" journal at the bottom of the page and continued on the next page. His pencil rests and he may have lost his train of thought. It all looks like clear writing on the surface, but the day of his marriage was months earlier April 10, 1848 in NYC under the name Broadrix, another variation of his last name. I can only think he squeezed in two thoughts.
First, this might be the anniversary when Henrietta G. Hall said yes or.....the marriage was performed in two places and ancestory.com doesn't have all the entries or the person entering the info misread the line (wish I could see the actual ledger)- all of these are possible. The entry continues to confuse me with the words 22 years and I think he meant 22 months when his son William was born. I believe that especially after seeing the uncommon pose where he is holding the child and not the Henrietta.

This is the anniversary of my marriage. This day twenty two ~~years~~ [months]

[next line] ago. I was made as happy as I could desire, so far as

[next page] one of the loveliest and

[next line] sweetest girls in the world

[next line] could make me so [dash

][next line ]Blessed day –

[next line] I ever hail thy return

I stand by my decision the Journal was written by Amos Broadnax
I stand by my educated decision that the previous blogs provide ample supporting documentation that this can only be Amos Broadnax. Further, just to appease myself this afternoon, I pulled out the copies from the NARA RG patent office and found a letter signed by Amos Broadnax and the penmanship is similar enough to the journal to match...... If you wish to refresh yourself, search "Seeking a name for my Salesman." If you have been reading my blog, you'd know I'd be the first to say I made a mistake.

Back to the Photograph above
I found this photograph on Google books - Images of America Montclair (New Jersey) page 13. Of course, I bought a copy for my documentation and then looked at the credits where I can obtain a copy for my book.

I emailed the Montclair Public Library with a request and hopefully I will get a reply back during the week.

Taken in St Louis????
I am interested to find out if there is a photographer name stamped on the mat. Broadnax was listed as a Patent Agent in the 1860 St. Louis City Directory, so perhaps this image was taken in St Louis. I will ask my clothing expert Joan if she can date Henrietta's dress. Any guesses from my reenactor bloggers? My guess is based on two clues.

1. The son William looks like he's over five, so that would make it 1858.

2. Also, Henrietta's dress has a tier on her skirt. When I was reenacting in Harper's Ferry, I wore a plaid dress with the skirt raised which revealed a black taffetta skirt under. My friend raised the hem higher saying it was a late 1850s style. Further, if the child was the second born, Frank, then Henrietta's dress would be more pulled behind her.

Border Dispute between Iowa & Missouri 01

2010-12-03T16:03:00.000-08:00

Welcome back!

For many years, there was a dispute where was the border of Iowa and Missouri. This matter came to a head in 1855, when tax collectors from Missouri were taxing Iowa citizens and a new survey began. That meant that the survey books listing the township and range of each deed needed to be re-recorded and all land offices' suspend selling or granting land until the new track books were completed in Washington City.

This greatly affected Council Bluffs which was orginally part of Missouri, but was now in Iowa.

Watch the video from Iowa Public Television- Iowa Pathways-

The Register of Land in Council Bluffs was Enos Lowe, who was ordered to stay and keep selling land prior to July 1855. It was so busy that one of Arabia's consignee's Cassady was authorized to complete deeds. However, when the office was frozen there was no work and so he waited and waited for the new survey books to be sent to him.

Finally, Lowe sent a request to his superiors to travel to Washington. In his letter below, Lowe mentions he has been holding onto money he received for land and wanted to deposit it in St Louis. I saw his visit as an effort to speed up the books he needed. He was granted the leave and stayed in Washington until August 12, 1856..

The timing is right for Enos Lowe to have been aboard the Steamboat Arabia. I always wondered what was in the one box for Cassady & Test listed on the manifest. As Attorney's and Land Agents, it had to be something the firm needed.....and it had to be forms or perhaps the leather books to record deeds....which would have dissolved in the river.

Filing, Filing & Decisions- What's the Best System?

2010-12-01T12:51:00.000-08:00

Welcome back to my blog....I have been filing for the last three days for proper storage of archival paper. (click to enlarge- Savannah Mo. was the one of the landings for the consignee E & F Impey & co.)

I favor the binder method using acid free plastic sheets because I can flip through everything without damaging it. I also think I can find whatever I need quickly. It works great if the paper is small, but when I had something large like this ledger I had to put it in a large box.

Everything was going well until I stumbled onto two Promissory notes.... Should I file this under the town (Linden Missouri) where one of my consignee's store was located or merchant paper?

So, I confess, I panic'd and then stopped filing for the afternoon and watched the squirrel getting into my bird feeder.

I felt sorry for the birds an squirrels for the upcoming winter and decided to feed everyone. Already, Connecticut had a dusting of snow and today it is raining buckets and the wind is howling loudly off the Connecticut River.

As many of you know, trying to make a decision can be difficult and what else can one do, but step back and attack the question later.

Later came this morning after I made my coffee. I needed to come up with some ruling about filing. Whatever system I used, I needed to be able to find something when I wanted it...... And my system had to be catalogued to support my story, not simply a survey what was out there......So, I paced back and forth in the library and took additional papers out for filing, praying I could come up with a better system. That only made things more complicated and more decisions to be made.

Finally, I sat down and did an exercise I learned from my writer's club. I looked at the clock and for ten minutes I wrote whatever came into my head, listing the main themes. My pen moved smoothly and I felt I knew unconsciously what to write, almost as if directed by the consignee's themselves. I blinked my eyes as I watched the essence of my project emerge on paper. When I finished I had a spider web. It was so simple, so easy and each theme was connected to other themes and this would be my guide and the system for filing as well as the boundries for my stories.

You Tube 17,560 dominos video

As you can see, the theme of free/low cost land is at the heart of everything, like lining up domino's. Also, the Steamboat Arabia is involved with each theme.

The main themes are;

Land Offices (opened) Military, Steamboat Building (better transportation), Mail (better, faster system), Merchants Needed (to financing new towns), St Louis (grew as a result of western expansion). The consignee's are my secondary themes and therefore need their own files.