Memorial Day- May 30, 1922

The Memorial Boulder
Location: Longmeadow, MA Town Green
(click photo to enlarge)

Memorial Day, May 30, 1922, was a very special day!  The Memorial Boulder located on the Town Green in Longmeadow, MA was unveiled and dedicated during the morning ceremony.  The 16 ton granite boulder had been donated to Longmeadow by Mrs. Joseph Wesson with the aid of her son-in-law Flynt Lincoln.  The origin of this large boulder was the Wesson Estate in Palmer, MA.  A bronze plaque on the boulder displayed the names of Longmeadow, MA residents who had served in all wars up to and including WWI.  For more information click here to visit last year's post.

Following a parade earlier that morning, the ceremony on Longmeadow's Town Green was very well attended by town residents, residents of surrounding communities and distinguished guests.  Area American Legion Posts were invited and attended.  During the ceremony the chairman of the Board of Selectman, John G. Maxfield, accepted the Memorial Boulder for the town.  It was unveiled by two children- Thomas Francis Cordis and Sallie Wesson.  There were many special speeches that day.  Maj.Gen. Clarence R. Edwards was the invited special guest who gave the dedication speech. He had been the commander of the 26th (Yankee) Division in France in the "World war" (WWI).

In his speech Maj.Gen. Edwards spoke of the bravery of the men who had served to protect their lands and their families.  He was proud that he was related to one of these men.  That individual was Lieutenant Nathaniel Burt (1711- 1755).  Lieutenant Burt had lost his life at Lake George on Sept. 8, 1755.  His name is the first name inscribed on the Memorial Boulder's bronze plaque.  Following the dedication ceremony on the Town Green everyone walked over to the Longmeadow Cemetery on Williams Street.   There, Maj.Gen. Edwards proudly placed a wreath of white carnations and pink snapdragons on the grave of his maternal ancestor.  

Following this, a procession through the cemetery was led by members of Longmeadow's Albert T. Wood American Legion Post and members of the Longmeadow Historical Society, so other deceased war Veterans could be honored and all of the graves of war Veterans could be decorated.  Attendees walked back to the Town Green for the historical address given by Rev. Henry Lincoln Bailey, former Minister of The First Church in Longmeadow.  

May 30, 1922 was a day that Longmeadow residents and area guests would remember for so many years to come.  Today is the 100th anniversary of that date!  The day the Memorial Boulder on the Longmeadow Town Green was dedicated!

Additional interesting information: Lieutenant Nathaniel Burt's widow, Sarah Chapin Burt was the second wife of Rev. Stephen Williams, Longmeadow's first Minister of The First Church.      

Sources:  Proceedings at the Centennial Celebration- published 1884, Springfield Republican- May 28, 1922 and May 31, 1922 and Through the Lens Longmeadow Into the New Century 1890- 1920 by Judy and Jim Moran.

~Written by Judy Moran                       

Old House on the Green

Courtesy of
Longmeadow Historical Society

Mother's Day has been celebrated for many years in our country!  In our beautiful town of Longmeadow, MA there was a restaurant located on the Town Green where families could enjoy a special dinner on the special day set aside to honor mothers.  The Old House on the Green was located at 797 Longmeadow Street.  George E. and Margaret Adams had purchased the house at this address in 1921 and moved with their family from Springfield, MA.  The house had been built for Justin Colton, ca. 1833 (perhaps earlier).  Justin Colton's granddaughter, Miss Elsie Hatstat and other heirs sold this home to Mr. and Mrs. Adams.

797 Longmeadow Street in 1909
from the Emerson Collection
Longmeadow Historical Society

On October 11, 1940 Mr. and Mrs. Adams opened their home to visitors during specific hours and the next day guests with reservations could enjoy dinner at their establishment.  For many years organizations from surrounding areas enjoyed luncheons and dinners here.  The private home located at 797 Longmeadow Street became a guest house and a tea room.  The name was the Old House on the Green.

Bridal showers, wedding receptions, anniversary parties and annual banquets were celebrated at this charming destination.  Advertisements appeared in our local newspapers.

Source:  Springfield Republican
Sept. 16, 1945

In 1953 advertisements for Mother's Day reservations were found in the Springfield Union newspaper.
                

Source:  Springfield Union
May 3, 1953

The 1950 U.S. Federal Census lists this business that Mr. and Mrs. Adams owned as a "Tea Room".   An undated Luncheon and an undated Dinner menu can be viewed.

(Click to enlarge.)
Menu- undated
Courtesy of Longmeadow Historical Society

In October of 1958 Mr. and Mrs. Adams celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary.  During that month and that year they also closed their destination restaurant.  Over the years the Old House on the Green had become a treasured dining experience for so many guests.  That dining destination became a wonderful memory for so many people in our area.

Some additional background information- George Adams did have insight into running a restaurant.  In 1899 his father Leroy Adams and his uncle Edward C. Crosby had purchased the Brooks House in Brattleboro, Vermont.  The Brooks House was well known in the Brattleboro area.  Leroy Adams sold his share of this establishment in 1907 and then spent part of his time in Springfield, MA.  He became the president of The Springfield Flour and Grain Company located on Liberty Street in Springfield, MA.  His son George E. Adams was the secretary and the treasurer of the company.

Sources:  1909 Springfield, MA City Directory; 1920 U.S. Federal Census; 1950 U.S. Federal Census; Springfield Republican-  Feb. 5, 1910; Oct. 31, 1921; Oct. 11, 1940; Springfield Union- Nov. 9, 1958 and Massachusetts Historical Commission- 797 Longmeadow Street written by Peter Santos. 

~Judy Moran

Ninety Years Ago

Photo of St. Mary's Church
July 1976
Source: Seed Sown on Good Ground
A History of St. Mary's Parish
Longmeadow, Massachusetts
by Sister Mary H. Murray, S.S.J., Ph.D. 

The newly built St. Mary's Catholic Church was located on the corner of Longmeadow Street and Bliss Road. On December 31, 1931 parishioners were getting ready to attend the first Mass that would be celebrated.  It was Midnight Mass.  

On this day ninety years ago today, the first wedding in this Gothic style church took place.  The date was April 4, 1932.  Elias Andrew Baudin and Ethel Betty Miller were married by the Pastor,  Rev. John J. Rogers. 

Source:  Springfield Republican
April 6, 1932

There were other marriages that took place that year in St. Mary's Church.  Theresa Guidette lived on Maple Road in Longmeadow.  She and Francis Cuglietti of Thompsonville, CT were married on June 25, 1932. 

Source:  Springfield Republican
June 22, 1932

That year, a few months apart two sisters married their spouses.  Both young women were born in Ireland and had immigrated to the United States.  Beven Sears married Joseph E. Dwyer of Boston, MA on August 3, 1932.  

Source: Springfield Republican
Aug. 3, 1932

Her sister Anna Ita Sears married Francis M. Kennedy of Springfield, MA on November 10 that same year.  

 
Source: Springfield Republican
Nov. 9, 1932

 
Both times after each sister was married the newly married couple and their guests traveled to Springfield, MA for a wedding breakfast/ reception.  The receptions took place at the Hotel Clinton.  Before their marriages both young women made their home with their brother-in-law and their sister Mr. and Mrs. John (Nora Sears) Landers on Colton Place.          

1932 was the first year that marriages were celebrated in this new beautiful Catholic Church and these are just a few of them.  Since that date so many more couples have been married at this location at the corner of Longmeadow Street and Bliss Road.

Additional Sources: 1932 Longmeadow, Massachusetts Town Report- Marriage Records, Springfield Republican- April 6, 1932, June 22, 1932, Aug 03, 1932 and Nov 09, 1932. 

~Judy Moran   

The Estate at 588 Longmeadow Street

Deepwood Hall
Painting by Artist Arthur A. Hart
Source:  "1961 Longmeadow Annual Town Report" Cover
Currently- Administration Building
at Bay Path University

At the beginning of the 20th century George M. Hendee was very well known in the Springfield, MA area and also throughout the world.  As a young man he was a famous high wheeler bicycle racer.  Later, he and Oscar Hedstrom (another bicycle racer) formed the Indian Motocycle Company that was located in Springfield.  Mr. Hendee and his wife Edith C. began making plans to live in Longmeadow, MA.  In 1909 he purchased about 20 acres of land from J. B. Burbank. This land was part of the Ethan C. Ely estate located on Longmeadow Street.  Mr. Hendee removed the old S.C. Stebbins house that had been located on this property, so he could build his house.

(click to enlarge)

In 1910 the ground was staked out for the new Hendee residence.  However, the plans changed after the Hendees divorced. The residence was not built and the land was sold to David and James Hale.

In 1915 the Hale brothers sold this property to another distinguished and successful Springfield resident, Frank H. Page.  In 1916 the property was staked out once again for a beautiful house and the new residence was completed in 1917.  The Jan. 1, 1917 issue of the Springfield Republican stated, "Frank H. Page of Ingersoll grove has probably built the finest and costliest house ever put up in Longmeadow."  The property contained 20 acres of land and the house was built of Harvard brick.  The living room was located on the first floor and it overlooked Wheelmeadow Brook.  Some of the rooms in this beautiful home included a library, a billiard room, a dining room, a breakfast room and also a dining room for the servants.  There was an area for sewing and an elevator went to the third floor.  Chapman & Frazier of Boston, MA were the architects for this beautiful home at 588 Longmeadow Street.  A. G. Chapman of Springfield, MA was the contractor and the cost was $50,000.

(click to enlarge)

Frank H. Page was born in Holyoke, MA in 1864.  After graduating Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1885 he moved to Minneapolis, MN and worked in the knit goods industry. This led to his interest in candy manufacturing machinery.  In the early 1890's Frank H. Page and his wife Bertha moved to Springfield, MA and he founded the Confectioners' Machinery and Manufacturing Company in Springfield.  This company became the National Equipment Company.  It expanded and the location was on North Main Street in Springfield next to Bosch Magneto's property (near the Chicopee, MA boundary).

Frank H. Page
(1864- 1928)
Source: Unknown

The Page family lived in their beautiful home, known as Deep Wood, for ten years.  All three of their children were then married, so they sold their estate to Mr. and Mrs. Douglas V. Wallace.   

Douglas V. Wallace was the vice- president and treasurer of the Forbes & Wallace Company in Springfield, MA.  He died in 1930 and his wife Mary R. continued to live on this beautiful estate with their two sons, John R. and Mack F. Wallace.    

Time moved on and the property became the campus of Bay Path Institute of Commerce.  Thomas G. Carr was a Springfield businessman.  In 1945 he purchased Bay Path Institute that was located at 100 Chestnut Street in Springfield, MA.  After the Longmeadow Zoning Board of Appeals gave the "green light" to establish a private school for girls at this location, it moved from Springfield to Longmeadow.  Mr. Carr became the first president at the Longmeadow location and changed the name to Bay Path Secretarial School for Women.  It became Bay Path Junior College in 1949.  Years later, the name changed again to Bay Path College.  As of 2014, we know this institution of higher learning as Bay Path University.  The beautiful home that Frank H. Page built at 588 Longmeadow Street is now the Administration Building of Bay Path University. 
                                             
Sources:  Bay Path University: "Bay Path's 100-year Plus History", Springfield Republican- Oct 1, 1910, Jun 26, 1915, May 1, 1916, Jan 1, 1917, Dec 20, 1928, Jan 30, 1930, Jun 19, 1945, 1910, 1920, and 1930 U. S. Federal Census.  

~Judy Moran    

On This Day- July 1, 1894

On This Day July 1, 1894 the Villages of West and East Longmeadow divided into two separate towns!  It was 127 years ago today.  On May 22, 1894 when it was reported that Massachusetts Gov. Frederic T. Greenhalge had signed the bill for the separation, there was celebration in the West Village.  

Source: Springfield Republican
May 23, 1894

 
~Judy Moran         

Longmeadow's Memorial Day Celebration 99 Years Ago!

Memorial Boulder
on the Longmeadow Town Green

In 1922 Memorial Day was celebrated on Tuesday, May 30th.  This Memorial Day in Longmeadow, MA was a special celebration, because following the parade the Memorial Boulder on the Town Green was unveiled and dedicated.  Maj.Gen. Clarence R. Edwards was the invited guest speaker to address the large crowd that had gathered.  He had been the commander of the 26th (Yankee) Division in France in the "World war" (WWI).  The Memorial Boulder was a 16 ton granite boulder that had been donated by Mrs. Joseph Wesson with the aid of her son-in-law Flynt Lincoln (of 161 Forest Glen Road).  A bronze plaque located on the boulder was inscribed with the names of Longmeadow town residents who lost their lives in earlier wars and WWI, in addition to those who served during WWI.

Longmeadow Town Green- ca. 1925
Source: Longmeadow Historical Society

After the dedication and honored speakers were finished, the guests were led into the Longmeadow Cemetery to pay their respects to the brave soldiers.  In the cemetery George A. Beal was honored.  This young man was the first soldier from Longmeadow, MA who died during WWI.  He died a few months after enlisting.  There were a total of three Longmeadow men that made the ultimate sacrifice during World War I.  They were George A. Beal, R. S. McNair and Albert T. Wood.

 
Sources: Through The Lens Longmeadow Into The New Century 1890- 1920 by Judy and Jim Moran,  Springfield Republican- Jun 3, 1918, May 31, 1922, Arkansas Gazette- Feb 15, 1931 and Springfield Union-  May 25, 1959. 

~Written by Judy Moran