Mourning Lincoln - Storrs House, 1865

160 years ago on Saturday April 15, 1865, the residents of Longmeadow, Massachusetts, like the rest of the nation, would learn that President Abraham Lincoln was dead. After five long years of war and many lost lives in the war, the shock was almost unbearable. Three weeks of events were held to mourn the death and memorialize the life of the 16th President of the United States. Funeral services, a procession, and a lying in state were first held in Washington, D.C.. Then a funeral train transported Lincoln's remains 1,654 miles through seven states for burial in Springfield, Illinois. Never exceeding 20 mph, the train made several stops in principal cities and state capitals for processions, orations, and additional lying in state. Many Americans viewed the train along the route and participated in associated ceremonies, but it did not travel to New England.

About five years earlier Eleazar Storrs moved his family back from Springfield, Massachusetts to the Storrs family home in Longmeadow, the parsonage built by Rev. Richard Salter Storrs in 1786. Eleazar upgraded both the interior and exterior to reflect the fashions of the day. He added porches, roof cresting, and an ell to the rear of the house.

At some point after the completion of the exterior work Eleazar had the house photographed. Several photographs were taken, and the prints are in the archives of the Longmeadow Historical Society at the Storrs House. 

One of these photographs is different from the others. One picture shows the house decorated with bunting and ribbons wrapped around pillars.

At first glance the picture looks like a celebration, perhaps the 4th of July or the Longmeadow Centennial in 1883. Using modern technology and colorizing the picture revealed a sadder truth.

The bunting is black crepe. The Storrs' house is draped in mourning. Since Presidents Garfield and McKinley died in the fall, the green shrubs helped us focus on the Lincoln Assassination.

Further computer manipulation to create a close up of the peak pediment revealed even-rowed 35-star flags. The image in the middle is probably President Lincoln on his deathbed. These images were readily available either printed on paper or canvas in many variations based on sketches done by newspaper reporters all over the country. This one is possibly a cropped of this popular version:

Many local remembrances and ceremonies took place during the three weeks of national mourning and long after during civic engagements of all sorts. More immediately, the Storrs family was among the citizens of Longmeadow and other local cities and towns took up “the work of mourning”.

Sources:

Death bed of Abraham Lincoln - NYPL Digital Collections

Flag of the United States – Wikipedia

Longmeadow Historical Society archives

Springfield Republican Archives

State funeral of Abraham Lincoln – Wikipedia

Longmeadow's Star of Stage & Radio

Travel into the past to learn about an almost forgotten Longmeadow star of the theater and radio.

Julia Sanderson

Julia Sanderson (1887-1975) was born Julia Sackett in Springfield and was the only child of Albert Sackett and Jeanette Sanderson. Albert (1861-1939) worked for such Springfield institutions as Barney and Berry Skate Company, Smith and Wesson, and the Densmore Typewriter Company. Albert Sackett had a different calling altogether, though - acting. He eventually chose to pursue acting full time. When Julia was nine years old, Albert moved the family to Philadelphia where he launched a thirty-five year career on the professional stage. His daughter, Julia, started in show business at age thirteen acting in the melodramatic play Zorah alongside her father.  In an effort to differentiate between the two, and to give a more youthful allure to her father’s stage persona, Julia took her mother’s maiden name and became known as Julia Sanderson. By fifteen she was appearing on Broadway as a chorus girl and ultimately a leading lady. She would go on to be the star of many Broadway musical comedies including The Dairy Maids, Girl From Utah, The Sunshine Girl, No, No Nanette, Queen High, Oh Kay, Tangerine, Ziegfeld Follies, The Canary, and Hitchy Koo. Julia also performed in touring shows around the country and in London, England. In all she appeared in approximately twenty musical productions.

In 1907, she married her first husband Ted Sloan. He was a Hall of Fame thoroughbred jockey. The marriage ended in 1913. Her second marriage was to Navy Lieutenant Commander Bradford Barnette in 1916, and the couple divorced in 1922.

In 1921 she met Frank Crumit, her leading man in the play Tangerine, who had a successful career in vaudeville and musical recording. Both were married, but their professional relationship eventually evolved into love and the couple were married in 1927. The wedding took place at the First Church in Longmeadow. Julia’s parents had moved to Longmeadow in 1919 and resided on Roseland Terrace.

Following the wedding, the couple decided to retire from the theater and purchased a new home in Colony Acres in 1928. The home was called “Dunrovin” because they believed that their “roving” was over.

Crumit decided to become a stockbroker, though that career turn was short-lived. Julia stated, “we were like fish out of water and couldn’t stay away from the life we loved.”  The couple returned to show business, concentrating on the new medium of radio, initially starring in the General Motors Family Party in 1929. The couple split time between New York City and Longmeadow. Their radio broadcasts were typically Monday to Friday. They were among the most popular radio singers of the 1930s, which many consider the golden age of radio. It was said that “their program format was almost no format: a few songs with Frank strumming the guitar, a duet, some friendly banter, and that was it.”  There was a magical sincerity and affection between the couple that was deeply felt and appreciated by the radio audience. They also hosted early quiz show broadcasts including Battle of the Sexes and the Tums Quiz Show.

Frank Crumit unfortunately died suddenly of a heart attack on September 7, 1943 at age 53 years. Julia briefly attempted to carry on in radio but soon retired. She stated, “when a team separates it is hard to establish yourself.” Julia sold her home in Colony Acres in November 1943 and moved in to care for her widowed mother on Roseland Terrace. 

She remained in this home following her mother’s death in 1952 and sold it in 1959 and then she moved into the Sheraton Kimball Hotel in downtown Springfield. Julia had no other family and following her retirement remained somewhat of a recluse. She did not perform, engage in hobbies, participate in social causes or entertain. She discussed writing her autobiography to chronicle her forty year career in entertainment, but this was never completed. Julia died peacefully at 87 years of age on January 27, 1975. Both Julia and Frank are buried in Springfield’s Hillcrest Cemetery. The Paramount Theater in Springfield for a brief time was known as the Julia Sanderson Theater.  Follow this link to listen to a duet from Julia and Frank on YouTube.

Sources:

Boston Globe

Boston Herald

Springfield Republican

Springfield Union

Springfield Daily News

Evening Post

Worcester Telegram

Hampden Registry of Deeds

Ancestry.com

Find A Grave

Longmeadow Minute Men to Arms!

We’ve all been hearing about the Revolutionary War commemorations happening across the Commonwealth, including the pivotal battles at Lexington and Concord on April 19th, 1775.  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote his famous poem about the events, called “Concord Hymn.”  It was first read and sung (to the tune “Old Hundredth”) at the dedication of the monument in Concord, MA on July 4, 1837.

Because of the distance, it may come as a surprise to our readers that the momentous news of the battle reached Longmeadow’s ears by April 20th.   At just under 100 miles by today’s roads, how did the news get here so fast?  If the average horse could travel between 20-30 miles a day, this feat is still unexplained!  Perhaps they had a relay system, with each rider only riding as far as the next town.

 By the next morning, April 20th, word of the conflict arrived in Longmeadow. The Reverend Stephen Williams recorded in his diary; “This morning- as soon as it was light, the drum beat and three guns were fired as an alarm. The story is that some of the troops had marched from Boston to seize some military stores at Lexington, or Concord, and that some men had been killed, but the accounts are vague – and as yet uncertain - - we must wait. The Lord mercifully prepare us for the tidings we may have. … The minute men are gone to town and men are collecting from various parts, and we have reason to fear that much mischief is done - we are in distress…”

April 21 - this morning about 4 o’clock another message is come advising that there has been a smart engagement at Concord between the regulars and our people, and many killed, but we have but an uncertain account. ‘Tis said houses are burnt, and women and children killed - sad work, indeed - more men are collected and going forth. I prayed with a company. 

Other evidence relating to this event can be found in the store ledger of Samuel “Merchant” Colton. Many of the Longmeadow men purchased items from Colton’s store before leaving town to head to Concord.

 On page 25 from April 20, 1775, he sells to Captain Simon Colton “to 4 flints at 3 pence, and 1 pound of lead at 8 pence.” To David Burt: “2 pounds buck shot;” to Ebenezer Rumril “1 pound lead, 3 flints;” Medad Stebbins purchased 6 flints; Silvanus Hale bought 1 pound, 2 ounces of lead and 6 flints.  

Some of the men left on April 20th, and others the following day.  The group that marched on the 21st under Lt. David Burt and Lt. Jonathan Hale heard the news that the fight was over when they reached Brookfield, about 40 miles from Longmeadow, so they returned home.  For some of the men, those 3 days consist of their entire service in the revolution.