Thomas Francis Cordis, 1843-1915

This week's History Notes shares the letter a 19-year-old Tommy Cordis wrote home to his family in Longmeadow in 1863 during the Civil War. He shares an experience he had talking with some Confederate soldiers. Such a treasure!

Thank you to the Cordis family for sharing it with us!

Thomas (Tommy) Francis Cordis was born in Longmeadow in 1843 and enlisted in the 46th Mass. Volunteers in September of 1862, at the age of 18. Enrolled as a private, he was honorably discharged in July of 1863 with the rank of sergeant. During his time in North Carolina, Tommy wrote letters to his parents at home in Longmeadow.

Thomas Francis Cordis

715 Longmeadow Street

Here is an excerpt from a letter written April 6, 1863 to his father.

"When I was out scouting I went over to see the Rebel Pickets and had quite a long talk with them. We go down to the river and lay down our guns and they do the same. Then we talk with one another. They have five on a post. They are very large fellows dressed in butternut-clothes and look like thunder. I asked them how they was and they said that they wished they were out of it. We asked them all kinds of questions. They say they don’t like Old Lincoln’s proclamation. They have got good rifles and carbines. They don’t offer to fire on us so we can talk with them all we want to without any fear of being shot at."

Sources:

Cordis Family Archives

Contributed by Betsy McKee, Board member, Longmeadow Historical Society

Originally published July 9, 2020

Boarding House for Newell Button Factory Employees

This History Note shares information about the Boarding House for Newell Button Factory employees. The 1860 census inspired this research.

Samuel and Nelson Newell operated a button factory at what is now 19 Chandler Avenue (the yellow house in the distance in photo below). Most of the employees were young women from surrounding towns such as Granville, West Springfield, Wilbraham, and Southbridge.

The young women lived together in a boarding house where they could be supervised. This was the “Lowell” model that had been employed at the huge mills in eastern Massachusetts and was done in part to convince the parents of these women that they would be safe away from home.

The boarding house, which was across the street at 766 Longmeadow Street (see Figure 1 below), was run by Elmina Hunt, a widow. Elmina lived in the house with her two sons, Josiah and Charlie in 1860. Josiah, age 17, was apprenticed to learn brass finishing. Sixteen young women and one man, all employees of Newell Brothers, boarded at 766 Longmeadow Street in 1860 (see Table I below). In a house that had just over 3,600 square feet of living space, twenty residents must have lived in close quarters.

Figure 1- 766 Longmeadow Street

Table I- 1860 US Federal Census

We don’t know the stories of most of the boarders, but have been able to follow the trail of one of them, Ann E. Beach, who caught the eye of housemate Josiah Hunt. In May, 1861, Josiah Hunt joined many Longmeadow and Springfield men by enlisting in the Massachusetts 10th Infantry Regiment. He served in Company F of the regiment as a drummer until September 19, 1862 when he was mustered out due to disability. He recuperated at home in Longmeadow and married Ann Beach a few months later on April 21, 1863.

Josiah Hunt reenlisted as a private on February 18, 1864 in Company E, Massachusetts 3rd Cavalry Regiment and served in this capacity until September 28, 1865. Returning to his family in Longmeadow, he worked as a mechanic for several years before dying of consumption in January, 1868 at only 25 years old. He is buried in the Longmeadow Cemetery.

Now a young widow, Ann Hunt moved to Springfield. On February 26, 1873, she married Edwin B. Skinner, a Springfield police officer. Edwin, a widower with four children, had also lived in Longmeadow (in 1850). Ann and Edwin had one child, Clarence, and the family lived at 44 Sumner Avenue in Springfield until Edwin’s death in 1901.

After Edwin’s death, Ann moved to Southwick with her son, Clarence. In 1925, she moved to St. Sturgis, Michigan to live with two of her nieces and she died there in 1931 at the age of 91.

The Newell Button Factory outgrew its space in Longmeadow and moved to Springfield in 1863, around the time that Ann Beach married Josiah Hunt.

Sources: U.S. Federal Census: 1850, 1860, 1900, 1910, 1930 1865 Massachusetts State Census Springfield Republican, August 20, 1901 Massachusetts, Death Records, 1841-1915 Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 Michigan, Deaths and Burials Index 1867-1995 U.S., Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles 1861-1865 U.S., Adjutant General Military Records 1631-1976

Contributed by Elizabeth Hoff, Board Member, Longmeadow Historical Society

Originally published July 2, 2020

The Ford Drug Company

The Ford Drug Co. was Longmeadow's first drug store

It opened in 1917 and was located in the newly built large block of businesses at the corner of Bliss Road and Longmeadow Street. This block was called the "Colonnade". William M. Kennedy was the President and Treasurer of the Ford Drug Company. He and his wife Winifred lived in Springfield, MA. In 1936 Mr. Kennedy retired and sold his business to Longmeadow, MA resident Frank M. Smith.

Mr. Smith and his wife Sophia T. had built a house at 54 Hopkins Place in 1923. He was a pharmacist and had graduated from the Massachusetts School of Pharmacy in Boston, MA. Before purchasing the Ford Drug Co., Frank M. Smith had worked in drug stores in this area. After buying this business the name was changed to the Smith Pharmacy and it also became a family business. Their son Donald V. graduated from Western Massachusetts College of Pharmacy in 1942. He took over the business after his father died in 1955. Donald V., his wife Tessie A. and children Donald and Dianne lived at 40 Birnie Road in Longmeadow.

It's also interesting to note that in 1936 there were 2 gentlemen named Frank Smith that lived and worked in Longmeadow, MA. Frank Madison Smith was a pharmacist and owned the Smith Pharmacy. Frank Everdell Smith was the Town Clerk, Treasurer and Tax Collector for Longmeadow, MA.

Sources: Springfield Union- Nov. 18, 1955,

Jan. 26, 1984, Springfield Republican- Jul. 13, 1917, 1920/1930/1940

U. S. Federal Census

and WWI Draft Registration Record.

Contributed by Judy Moran, Genealogist, Special Projects-Longmeadow Historical Society

Originally published June 11, 2020