Thanks and Giving: Emeline Colton's Friendship Journal

On this day of Thanks and Giving, we wanted to reach out to our friends near and far and share a recent and wonderful addition to the Longmeadow Historical Society's collection: Emeline Colton's Friendship Journal from the 1820s. In this charming book are collected small gifts of written verse and sentiment bestowed upon Emeline by friends and family. It is a prime example of how donor dollars help us to fulfill the mission of the Longmeadow Historical Society to preserve our town's history and inspire public awareness of the people, places, and events that have contributed to Longmeadow's history.

Emeline Colton's Friendship Journal Storrs House Museum Archives

Marbled cover typical of 1820's journals like Emeline Colton's

This little gem was listed on eBay this past summer as an “Antique 1822 MANUSCRIPT FRIENDSHIP BOOK Handwritten Journal POETRY New England.” It belonged to Emeline Colton (1804-1863). A bit of quick research proved a good Longmeadow connection as she was born and raised here, and made our purchase worthwhile. Such treasures inside! Dozens of pages of kind messages and copied verses by friends of young Emeline. Friendship albums served exactly this purpose: young friends could pen thoughts and wishes as gifts to each other. Based on the sheer volume and content we can imagine Emeline to be a devoted friend to those in her circle in 1820’s Longmeadow.

One of the inscriptions in particular jumped out to us as it belongs to “E. Newell” - Edwin Newell, son of local stone and grave-cutter, Hermon Newell. Their house today is at 60 Williams Street, though in 1822 at the time of E. Newell’s inscription it was located at the present site of Center School on the green.

Two pages of E. Newell's beautiful penmanship

"E. Newell, Longmeadow Nov. 30, 1822"

On November 30, 1822, Edwin inscribed a poetic sentiment in beautiful penmanship the idea that, “The true art of life is, to fill up our hours / with works for the good of mankind; /Here, here’s a vocation, well worthy the power, / Of the best and the loftiest mind...” This idea is particularly poignant considering Edwin Newell himself would be dead and buried within four years at age 24, his headstone artfully carved by his own father and featuring the symbolic weeping willow.

Newell Family Home - today located at 60 Williams Street

Edwin Newell's Headstone Carved by his father, Hermon Newell in 1826 Edwin was only 24 years old at the time of his death

Next week on Giving Tuesday, we hope you will leave us a token of friendship like those left in Emeline Colton’s journal. Please consider a donation to the Longmeadow Historical Society so we can continue to make purchases like these and uncover more clues about life in Longmeadow long ago.

Happy Thanksgiving, dear friends!

Contributed by Melissa M. Cybulski, Board Member, Longmeadow Historical Society

Originally published November 26, 2020

Gottlieb Baer of Longmeadow

Gottlieb Baer

Longmeadow has benefitted from the talents of immigrants in our community. Gottlieb Baer and his family are just one example. Gottlieb and Melchior Baer were brothers who grew up together in Switzerland. Gottlieb, the younger of the two, emigrated to the United States in 1869 and settled in Springfield. In 1886, he received a patent for an improved tip for a cigar and he opened a factory and store in Springfield, G. Baer & Sons. Why would it be a good idea to open a cigar factory in Springfield? Because tobacco was one of the major cash crops in the Connecticut River Valley. In 1880, 32 Longmeadow farmers grew over 91,000 bushels of tobacco. Farmers in neighboring towns, including Suffield and Enfield, still grow shade and broadleaf tobacco for cigar production today. And, you can still see tobacco barns dotting the landscape in many areas of the valley.

Tobacco Barn, Enfield, CT

In 1891, Gottlieb moved his operations to the Porter-McElwain block in Springfield. He lived at 264 Sumner Avenue in Springfield and was very involved in the affairs of the Forest Park community. He even knew the Geisel family and, in 1901, he served as a pallbearer for Christine Geisel, the grandmother of Theodor Geisel (aka Dr. Seuss).

Gottlieb's older brother, Melchior Baer, and his family emigrated to the U.S. in 1881 and they settled in Longmeadow. Melchior was a farmer and he lived on what is now Shaker Road; his son, Gottlieb, lived on what is now Parkside Drive.

Son Gottlieb and his brother, Rudolph, worked for their Uncle Gottlieb Baer at G. Baer & Sons. In 1911, the Longmeadow Gottlieb was elected Tree Warden of Longmeadow and he stopped making cigars. He continued as the town Tree Warden for 36 years until he retired in 1946. The town honored him in the 1946 annual report for his many years of service to our town. Sources 1900 & 1910 U.S. Federal Censuses

1946 Longmeadow Annual Report

1894 Map of Longmeadow

Annual Statistics of Manufacturers

Springfield Republican Mar. 15, 1909

Contributed by Elizabeth Hoff, Longmeadow Historical Society Board Member

Originally published November 19. 2020

Jerusha Mather Williams Colton (1783 - 1844)

Jerusha Mather Williams was born in 1783 to Ensign Samuel Williams and Lucy Burt. Jerusha's grandfather was the Reverend Stephen Williams, the Town of Longmeadow's first minister. She was born the year after Stephen's death, and so never knew her famous grandfather, but his legacy was very much alive.

Jerusha was an accomplished needlewoman, having made a sampler and family crest in the SH collection, as well as crewel-worked chair seats. The Williams family crest was almost certainly created at the Misses Patten school in Hartford, CT. The school was established in 1785 by Miss Sarah Patten. Family crests were a common theme for daughters of prominent people to create.

Detail of Family Crest

After her education was complete, Jerusha worked as a preceptress, or teacher, at Deerfield Academy from 1806-1812. While there, she was invited to a ball, one of many galas held at the Academy to celebrate the end of terms or other special occasions. Her invitation, printed on the back of playing cards, is in the Historical Society collections.

Ball Invitation

She left teaching to return to Longmeadow, and married Lyman Colton, the son of Ebenezer Chandler Colton and Phebe Barton, in 1828. When Jerusha and Lyman married, he was 29 years old and Jerusha was 45 years old. Why the age difference and why did she marry so late? The couple had no children and Lyman did not remarry after Jerusha's death.

Jerusha's gravestone in the Longmeadow Cemetery reads: Jerusha M. Colton, consort of Lyman Colton and daughter of the late Samuel Williams who died of cancer Dec. 6, 1844, aged 61.

Gravestone in Longmeadow Cemetery

The Historical Society collection is the repository of many items of Jerusha's needlework, as well as letters and diaries dating from 1802-1824).

Contributed by Betsy McKee, Board member, Longmeadow Historical Society

Originally published November 12, 2020