One More Face of 734 Longmeadow Street

One additional "face" of the Brewer-Young mansion that lasted for almost 60 years was the one shown in the above photo in which the windows look dark. Heavy gauge screens (see photo below) were installed on the outside of the windows by Mary Ida Young in the early 1930s as a security measure against intruders and break-ins.

It is believed that the Lindbergh baby kidnapping in 1929 was one of the reasons that prompted Mary Ida Young to make this change. The Great Depression happening during this period may have been another factor.

These screens remained in place until 1989 when the BY mansion was purchased by Tim Paige and Gerry Ross. Removal of the screens was one of the first changes made by the new owners.

One other security measurement in the house was a large walk-in safe in the basement that was built into the foundation. The date of installation is not known but it is thought to have occurred in the early 1930's. A recent photo (courtesy, of MassLive) of the safe is shown below.

Contributed by Jim Moran, Former Board Member, Longmeadow Historical Society

Originally published May 14, 2020

The Many Faces of 734 Longmeadow Street

Recently the Longmeadow Historical Society was able to acquire a previously unknown photo of the Wolcott mansion as it appeared in 1890s. This photo was taken by E.J. Lazelle, a prominent photographer in the Springfield area primarily from the mid-1870s thru the 1890s. The original Wolcott mansion built in 1885 had brown shingles as seen in the above photo. The date of this photo is ~ 1890-1900 which is earlier than the first Paesiello Emerson Collection photos of the house (~ 1907). The structure on the right side of the photo is the "carriage house" that is still in existence today with many significant structural changes.

After Edward and Corrine Brewer purchased the Wolcott mansion in 1901, they made significant changes to its exterior appearance including the replacement of the brown shingles with white clapboard. They also made numerous structural changes. Comparison of the above two attached photos (pre-1901 vs. July 1911) show some of the major differences in appearance including the addition of a portico to the front of the mansion as well as the addition of a porch on the south side of the building. Edward Brewer died in 1911.

Upon the death of Corrine Brewer in 1921, the mansion was then purchased by Mary Ida Young. It remained in the Young family until the mid-1980's.

Starting in the mid-late 1980s after the Young family sold the mansion, it gradually fell into significant disrepair and after a series of owners ended up in foreclosure.

Through the efforts of the Longmeadow Historic Preservation Partners- a group of local investors- the property was purchased, rezoned and then converted into a professional office building. The mansion today has regained its position as a true gem on the Longmeadow Town Green.

Source: Historic Home Closeup- The Widows at Number 734 Longmeadow Street by Linda Abrams- Curator Emeritus, Longmeadow Historical Society- May 2009

Contributed by Jim Moran, Former Board Member, Longmeadow Historical Society

Originally published May 7, 2020

Matthew's Swamp

How did colonial communities in Massachusetts deal with outbreaks of highly communicable and deadly diseases?

Like now, one solution was to isolate the afflicted persons to contain the spread of the disease. In Longmeadow and Springfield, the sick were sent to David Burt's pest house in Matthew’s Swamp (exact location is not known.).

Note: A pest house, plague house, or fever shed was a type of building used for persons afflicted with communicable diseases such as tuberculosis, cholera, smallpox, or typhus.

Prior to the smallpox vaccination in 1796, you could obtain immunity from smallpox either through contracting the disease or through inoculation (exposure to a milder version of the disease). Since a small percentage of inoculated persons acquired the full-blown disease, patients were treated as if they were as infectious as those who had acquired the disease naturally and they were isolated from the general population until the disease had run its course (3-5 weeks).

Depiction of the smallpox inoculation process

In mid-January, 1761, Samuel Williams and several other men from Longmeadow were inoculated and subsequently went to live in isolation at Matthew’s Swamp. Rev. Stephen Williams, Samuel’s father and the first pastor of Longmeadow, visited them frequently (at a distance) during their month-long stay and wrote of his concern for them in his diary:

• January 26 – “We are concerned about ye people at Matthew’s Swamp. Some of them begin to break out. They are in God’s hands. His tender mercies are all over his works and his creatures.”

• January 29 – “Ye account from Matthew’s Swamp comfortable about 2 o’clock, but toward night we heard that my son and Abner Bliss had a purge – the Lord graciously relieve and help them – and prevent any ill effect of it – and annodine was sent out in the evening.” On January 30 he reported that the annodine treatment was helpful.

Other groups of men were inoculated on February 24 and March 11. These men also recuperated at Matthew’s Swamp and all of the inoculated men recovered.

On October 31, 1765, David Burt deeded Matthew's Swamp and all of the buildings on it to his sons, David and Elijah.

Sources

Stephen Williams Diary, Volume V

Deed Oct. 31, 1765 David Burt to Elijah and David Burt

Longmeadow Historical Society archives

Contributed by Elizabeth Hoff, Longmeadow Historical Society Board Member

Originally published April 30, 2020