The Goldthwait family of Longmeadow had several talented and artistic members: Jonathan Hale Goldthwait (1811-1870) was an engraver, creating many detailed and beautiful maps; his niece Martha Chapin Goldthwait (1862-1934) was a talented watercolorist, producing delightful illustrations of Longmeadow homes, and Flavel Goldthwait (1799-1836) was a cabinetmaker and maker of musical instruments.
Longmeadow Historical Society is very fortunate to have a collection of early maps--from the 1831 map of Longmeadow, an 1833 map of New England, and an 1855 geological map of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, among others. One of this author's favorites is a small map titled "A Miniature County Map of the United States, 1842." The map, measuring a modest 15" by 12 1/2", indeed has all of the counties at the time written out in minuscule text onto a map of the then United States. Surrounding the map are small vignettes of famous places, including Niagara Falls and the State House in Boston. To the right is the proud signature of the map's engraver--J. H. Goldthwait, for Jonathan Hale Goldthwait. We had always wondered about the small size of the map, and the paper it was printed on--a glossy, cardboard-like material.
Goldthwait also created maps of railways, bridges, and other local towns such as Chicopee. He advertised a business location at the Springfield Hotel in 1834, and the state census of 1865 lists his occupation as "engraver of maps."
The Longmeadow Historical Society's collection includes the 1831 map, the Miniature map of 1842, and a map of Springfield from 1835 by George Colton, engraved by Jonathan.
According to a 2017 blog by Historic Deerfield's now-retired Librarian and Curator of Maps, David Bosse, Jonathan Hale Goldthwait traveled to Boston c.1828 at the age of 17. He planned to learn the trade of engraving by apprenticing to a bank note engraver. J.H. Goldthwait returned to the Longmeadow area by 1834 to engrave the George Colton map.
Goldthwait owned a copy of George Bickham's "The Universal Penman," from which he may have learned how to create beautiful and intricate fonts. This edition of the book, published in London in 1743 was later owned by Jonathan's half-brother Flavel, and later by William Goldthwait.
It may be seen today in the Library at Historic Deerfield, having been donated by Trustee Emeritus Joseph Peter Spang.
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