Home Sweet Homing
Pigeons
Believe it or not,
there were people in
the area who used to
raise and race
pigeons! Thomas
Edward Cordis
(1884-1936) raised
pigeons, in fact,
according to the
1983 Town Report,
his "racing pigeons
were nationally
renowned, having won
many racing
diplomas. His birds
were registered with
the U. S. Government
for communication
purposes throughout
World War I. T.
Edward Cordis' farm
was known as the
'Longmeadow Poultry
Farm'. It housed
prize Rhode Island
Reds."
In 1912, Thomas and
his wife Annie
purchased 705
Longmeadow Street, a
house that had been
owned by other
family members
going back to 1845.
According to his
family, he kept a
journal in 1896
(making him 12 years
old) where he kept
track of his
pigeons, their
names, birthdates
and deaths.
Thomas Edward
Cordis, 1884-1936
One event was
written up in the
Springfield
Republican in 1912:
"Sunday morning at
7:45, the young
birds were released
at East Pembroke,
N.Y., by the
American Express
company agent, and
it was just seven
hours and 17 minutes
later than the
winning bird came to
rest in the loft of
Thomas Brouillette
in Middlesex Street,
Springfield. The
winner's average
time was 1204.54
yards to the minute,
which is considered
very good with the
poor weather
conditions which
prevailed. The lack
of a strong wind at
their backs
prevented their
approaching a
record, for some
birds from this city
have gone as fast as
a mile a minute. The
speed of the other
birds and the names
of their owners are:
Thomas Cordis of
Longmeadow, 1200:
Peter Brouillette of
Springfield, 1169;
Thomas Orr of
Holyoke, 1168..."
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Two years later, the
Springfield Union
reported on another
race; "one of the
entries of Thomas
Cordis, Longmeadow,
was the first
arrival, coming in
at 11.43 o'clock,
after covering the
distance at an
average of 1295.199
yards. Mr. Cordis
also owned the
second bird to
arrive, which
averaged 1291.291
yards. Eighty-five
per cent of the
starters returned
and is considered a
good percentage.
The local club will
fly its 300 mile
race next Sunday,
from East Pembroke,
N. Y."
When Thomas died in
1936, his pigeons
were part of his
funeral services:
