Charcoal Iron

Local historian Dennis Picard holding a charcoal box iron

This charcoal or charcoal box iron is of a style developed in the 19th century to replace the older “sad” or “flat” iron. The older irons would be heated on a trivet over hot embers, or on a stove, and used in pressing clothing. The sad irons were used in pairs so that one could be heating while the other was in use. Soot would have to be wiped from the bottom of the iron before it came in contact with cloth. Charcoal irons were kept hot by burning fuel inside their box-like body. No reheating or soot problems. The face shaped door allowed fresh air in to the fuel to control the rate of burn and the “chimney” kept the fumes away from the cloth and the person ironing.

Contributed by Dennis Picard, Local Historian

Originally published March 5, 2020

Georgiana Bliss McQueen

Have you ever wanted to travel to distant lands? Georgiana Bliss did.

The daughter of Ebenezer and Marilla Bliss, grew up in Longmeadow and graduated from Mount Holyoke Female Seminary in 1847. In July of 1855, she sailed to Africa to become a missionary on the island of Corsico, which is in what is now Equatorial Guinea on the west coast of Africa. On July 26, 1855 she married Rev. George McQueen, another missionary, and they served together at the Ugobi mission station on Corsico. At the mission, George ran the school for the boys and Georgiana ran the school for the girls, teaching academic subjects as well as domestic skills such as sewing. The missionaries learned the native tongue (Benga) and the students learned English. Rev. George McQueen died in 1859 and Georgiana and their son, Charles, returned to Longmeadow by 1860. Georgiana lived in Longmeadow for the rest of her life and was one of the original directors of the Longmeadow Historical Society. She was buried in the Longmeadow Cemetery in 1901. Sources

• Longmeadow Historical Society archives

• 1860 U.S. Federal Census

• Annual Report of the Board of Foreign Missions of the Presbyterian Church, in the United States of America, Issues 14-19

Contributed by Elizabeth Hoff, Board Member- Longmeadow Historical Society

Originally published February 24, 2020