The Mystery of the Seaman's Journal

Front Piece of a Seaman's Journal

The Mystery of the Seaman's Journal

Recently rediscovered in the archives of the Storrs House Museum is a journal stored in a box labeled “Seaman’s Journey 1852-1853” by an earlier museum curator. The journal, 13¼ inches by 8¼ inches in size, dutifully records the wind, knot speed, and weather of three ocean voyages:

- Entries from May 21, 1852–October 17, 1852

- Entries from November 2, 1852–January 18, 1853 on a trip from San Francisco to Calcutta

- Entries from March 3, 1853–June 10, 1853 on a trip from Calcutta to Boston

Many of the pages are stained, possibly by ocean water during the voyage. Even more interesting than the notations in the journal, perhaps, is the information that the book does not contain – the identity of the author, the name of the ship that he traveled on, and how the journal came to be in the collection of the Longmeadow Historical Society. Board members of the Longmeadow Historical Society have been working together to try to answer these questions.

What ship was the author on?

There were several commercial vessels that sailed the Boston–San Francisco–Calcutta route in the 1850s. By comparing the dates recorded in the journal with ship lists documented by Massachusetts newspapers of the period, we determined that the author was sailing on the barque Kate Hastings.

The Kate Hastings left Boston for San Francisco on May 21, 1852 and was in San Francisco around October 17. It then left San Francisco on October 19, stopped in Singapore for repairs, and was in Calcutta on January 21, 1853. The Kate Hastings then left Calcutta around March 1 and returned to Boston June 28, 1853.

Daily Atlas, April 21, 1852

From the Journals of the Bostonian Society, we learned that the barque Kate Hastings was built in Newburyport in 1847 by W. & B.W. Picket. What is a “barque”? According to Webster, a barque is “a three-masted vessel, having her foremast and mainmast square-rigged, and her mizzenmast schooner-rigged.”

Barque sail plan, from Wikipedia

Who is the author of the journal?

Now that we knew the name of the vessel, we were perhaps able to narrow down our search for the name of the sailor. The author of the journal left a few breadcrumb clues as to his identity. In addition to the strict observances of weather and speed, the author often made notations in the journal that were directed to his mother, who he evidently anticipated reading the journal at some time in the future.

-Seventeen days into the first voyage, he mentioned that he had finally learned the name of the ropes. So, this was likely his first adventure at sea. “I have learned nearly all of the names of the ropes and hope to be able to say, that I have learned all by next Sunday.”

June 6, 1852, Seaman's Journal

On July 4, 1852, he is thinking about the Springfield fireworks that he is missing. So, he was likely from the Springfield area. “Only think of it mother today is Independence day. And as I think of it I cannot help thinking what a difference there is between my situation now and what it would be ashore…I have been thinking most of the day of what will happen in Springfield tomorrow, of the boys with their fire crackers and cannon. Of the show and parade that will happen and of the fireworks in the evening in the Barnes lot, and a great many other things to numerous to mention.”

July 4, 1852, Seaman's Journal

On July 24, he mentions that he expects that “you” (his mother) will enjoy having George and Clara at home. So, he likely was related to George and Clara. “As I am standing my watch on deck at night, half frozen, with nothing to do but to keep warm, I very often cannot help comparing my present condition with what it was last year at this time. Then I will imagine what you are all doing, how, instead of being half frozen you are half melted, how you are enjoying having George and Clara at home together…”

July 24, 1852, Seaman's Journal

On July 5, 1852, he ruminates about “George and Jim Rumrill” probably being home from vacation. So, it was likely that he was close to Jim Rumrill. “In a little while now George and Jim Rumrill will be home for their summer vacation, and I think that I can imagine just how they feel…”

July 5, 1852, Seaman's Journal

Following these breadcrumbs, we started researching. Diving into the vast resources available on the Internet, a Google search of the barque Kate Hastings brought up an abstract from the Online Archives of California for an 1873 charter party agreement made in San Francisco, California between the master (James S. Dwight) and the agent for owners of the American ship “Springfield” of Boston. The very thorough author of the abstract included this biographical information about the master: “In 1853 at the age of seventeen he went to sea, sailing from Boston in the barque ‘Kate Hastings’.” Was this our lad? Did his life include the clues left in the journal?

Research on James S. Dwight revealed that in 1850, he was a 14 year-old schoolboy, living in Springfield, Massachusetts with his parents, George and Mary, his sister Clara, and his brother George. The family lived in dwelling 1583, family 1731. On the previous page of the census at dwelling 1576, family 1723, lived 13 year-old James Rumrill, likely his close neighbor.

1850 U.S. Census, Springfield, Massachusetts

The 1855 Massachusetts Census listed 19-year old James Dwight’s occupation as sailor, further connecting him to our author. We felt confident that James S. Dwight wrote the entries in our seaman's journal.

1855 Massachusetts Census, Springfield, Massachusetts

How did James S. Dwight's journal enter the collections of the Longmeadow Historical Society?

It is likely that James S. Dwight’s journal of his voyages on the barque Kate Hastings traveled to Longmeadow through the sister, Clara Dwight.

James’s sister, Clara Dwight, married William Shurtleff, in 1857. They lived in Springfield until 1892 when they bought the Nathaniel Ely House at 674 Longmeadow Street and moved to Longmeadow. Sadly, William died four years later. His widow, Clara, and their daughter, Mary, remained in Longmeadow for a few years, boarding with John and Anna Hitchcock at 836 Longmeadow Street in 1900, as reflected in the 1900 U.S. Census. Clara moved back to Springfield in 1900 and she sold the Nathaniel Ely House in 1905.

1900 U.S. Census, Longmeadow, Massachusetts

It is likely that Clara Dwight Shurtleff inherited her brother’s journal from her mother and, if so, she would have brought the journal with her when she moved to Longmeadow. And she probably left it with her friend (and landlady) Mrs. Anna Hitchcock. Accession records for the Longmeadow Historical Society show that Mrs. Anna Chandler Hitchcock, a member of the newly formed Longmeadow Historical Society, donated an “Old Account Book” to the collection on October 17, 1916. We are fairly confident that this “Old Account Book” is the seaman’s journal.

Accession book, Archives of the Longmeadow Historical Society

We are fortunate to have this seafaring tale in our collection. Stay tuned for next week when we will explore contents of the journal, the challenges of sea life from the eyes of a young man, and what became of James S. Dwight.

Contributed by Beth Hoff, but ably assisted by Al McKee and Melissa Cybulski, Longmeadow Historical Society Board Members

Sources:

Archives of the Longmeadow Historical Society

https://www.ebooksread.com/authors-eng/bostonian-society/proceedings-of-the-bostonian-society-annual-meeting-volume-7-tso/page-13-proceedings-of-the-bostonian-society-annual-meeting-volume-7-tso.shtml

Daily Atlas, April 21, 1852

https://oac.cdlib.org/search?group=Items;idT=UCb161964928

1850 U.S. Census

1855 Massachusetts Census

1900 U.S. Census

Linda Abrams, Seaman's Journal, The Town Crier Issue No. 24, May 2011

Charles W. Chapin, History of the “old high school” on School Street, Springfield, Massachusetts, from 128 to 1840, Springfield, 1890, p.121-2

Bliss Road Intersection c. 1956

Recent eBay acquisition

Longmeadow, 1956

Here’s another neat little eBay find we recently acquired! How do you like this postcard image of the intersection of Bliss Road and Longmeadow Street? What really sold us on it was all of the vintage automobiles!

Looking back at the 1956 Annual Town Report shows that it was another period of rapid growth. The estimated town population in 1956 was 9,000 residents. There was lots of talk in town meetings about sewer work, street paving, and sidewalk building. Wolf Swamp School was brand new. The first ever Longmeadow High School was, too. The Police Department was petitioning for a new facility so they could move out of the two rooms they occupied in the basement of Town Hall. The Community House showed movies, the Yacht Club was granted a building permit, the streets around Center School were too congested at drop-off and pick-up time, and 50 people were treated for communicable diseases from dog bites.

Enjoy this little snapshot of life from not too long ago, and share your memories if you were here in town in the 1950’s! Tune in to next week's History Note when we share the story of a deadly 1905 Trolley Crash just south of where this image was taken.

All of the following images are from the 1956 Town of Longmeadow Annual Report

Originally published October 27, 2022

Dairy Farming in Longmeadow

Jarius R. Kibbe and oxen of Frank B. Allen. Image courtesy of Stephen Forbes.

Until the turn of the century, most Longmeadow families made a living by farming. Census records show that in 1880 Longmeadow (which at that time included East Longmeadow) had 155 farms and 7,723 acres of improved land. Most farmers raised crops (such as tobacco, corn, and potatoes) and livestock (cattle, sheep, swine, and poultry). Longmeadow had a strong dairy industry. In 1880, we had 719 milch cows which produced 181,739 gallons of milk and 48,545 pounds of butter. In 1896, trolley service began down Longmeadow Street and agricultural land in town began to be sold for residential housing development. Many farms remained as late as 1910 (after the split with East Longmeadow) when we still had 226 cows in town.

1894 Map of Longmeadow

The 1894 map of Longmeadow shows a neighborhood of five farms near the intersection of today’s Longmeadow Street and Maple Road. At the top of the hill on the west side of Longmeadow Street was Hillbrow Farm, a dairy farm which was owned by H. M. Burt.

Hillbrow Farm May 17, 1920. Image from the Pasiello Emerson Collection.

Springfield Republican, June 18, 1905

South of Hillbrow Farm was the farm of Jarius R. Kibbe. The farmhouse, which is today’s 1390 Longmeadow Street, was built by Gaius Bliss in 1789. Gaius was both a farmer and a tanner. After Gaius’s death in 1843, the house and farm were sold several times. Jarius Kibbe bought the farm from Simeon Simons in 1870 and he and his wife, Abigail, and daughter Julia, age 5, moved to Longmeadow. Jarius was a dairy farmer, but he also grew tobacco and potatoes and had 40 apple trees.

Kibbe farmhouse, 1390 Longmeadow Street. Image courtesy of Stephen Forbes.

Jarius R. Kibbe, barn, and farmhouse. Image courtesy of Stephen Forbes.

Kibbe farm looking west towards Connecticut River. Image courtesy of Stephen Forbes.

South of the Kibbe farm was the tobacco farm of Gideon J. Burt. Gideon died in 1893 and the 1894 map shows the farm as owned by his widow, Elmira. Across Longmeadow Street south of Maple Road lived another tobacco farmer, Walter Beebe. North of Maple Road and across the street from the Kibbe family was the home of Frank B. Allen. Today we refer to this house as the “Keep House” and it is still standing at 1401 Longmeadow Street. The home was built in the 1700's by Samuel Keep, a farmer. Frank’s father, Britton P. Allen, bought the house in 1864 from one of Samuel’s descendants, Henry Keep. Frank grew up in this house and he took over the farming responsibilities after his father died in 1879. He built it into the largest dairy farm in Longmeadow.

Keep House, 1401 Longmeadow Street. Image courtesy of Stephen Forbes.

Community ties became stronger in 1886 when Jarius’ only child, Julia Kibbe, returned from Mt. Holyoke Seminary and married her neighbor across the street, Frank B. Allen.

Julia Kibbe, 1885. Image courtesy of Stephen Forbes.

Frank B. Allen. Image courtesy of Stephen Forbes.

Longmeadow farmers sold their milk to customers in urban Springfield. Especially in the days when refrigeration was not commonplace, milk had to get to market speedily before it would sour. Longmeadow dairy farmers collaborated with other Hampden County dairy farmers to efficiently deliver their product to consumers. By 1885, the Springfield Co-operative Milk Association was advertising its wares to Springfield residents.

Springfield Republican, March 5, 1885. Note the telephone connection that was available to Springfield residents.

I

n 1899, the Springfield Co-operative Milk Association became a stock-owned corporation; Frank Allen became one of the first shareholders. In 1901, the Association invested in a “100-gallon Pott’s pasteurizer, because of the growing demand for cream of good quality served in a clean and wholesome manner.” By 1906, the Association boasted that it handled milk from 500 farms. Residents of Springfield depended upon milk delivery from Longmeadow as much as Longmeadow farmers needed its Springfield markets. In 1888, after a heavy snowstorm, the Association plowed a path to Springfield so that the perishable milk could be sold.

Springfield Republican, March 15, 1888. Note that milk was delivered to Springfield before prominent Longmeadow citizens snowed in at the train depot were rescued.

Frank B. Allen was an active member of the Association, serving as President, Clerk, and Director. In 1904, Frank and Julia partitioned the Keep residence from the dairy farm and sold the farm to Howard A. Cleveland. Several years later, Mr. Cleveland sold the land to Bay State Realty Trust and the Trust developed the Greenwood Manor subdivision. The Allen family built a new house on the west side of Longmeadow Street, 1428 Longmeadow Street, and they moved there prior to 1910.

Springfield Republican, Sept. 26, 1904

Today, there are no dairy farms in Longmeadow, but we are fortunate to have some of the beautiful residences in which the farmers made their homes.

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Contributed by Beth Hoff, Longmeadow Historical Society Board Member

Originally published October 13, 2022 Resources: Archives of the Longmeadow Historical Society Stephen Forbes Nate Chittenden, Dutch Hollow Farm 1880 Agricultural Census Schedule Longmeadow Annual Report 1910 Massachusetts, U.S., Marriage Records, 1840-1915 Springfield Republican: Mar. 5, 1885; Mar. 15, 1888; Mar. 24, 1899; Mar. 20, 1901; Sept. 26, 1904; June 18, 1905; Mar. 21, 1906