Harvest Supper

Nov. 8, 1916
The Springfield Union

In 1916 the Harvest Supper that was sponsored by the May Breakfast Association in Longmeadow, MA was held on Friday evening, November 10th!  This annual event in autumn featured a chicken pie supper and it took place in the Chapel that was located next door to the First Church.  The supper was served from 6 - 8 PM.   In addition to enjoying a delicious dinner, the guests had the opportunity to purchase fruit, vegetables, homemade candy and cakes.

Emerson Photo
Nov. 10, 1916
courtesy of Longmeadow Historical Society

According to a Oct. 25, 1913 Springfield Union newspaper article, some of the seasonal decorations in the Chapel included half husked corn that was hung in a doorway.  Over the doorway many different squash were decorated to resemble fowl.  These decorations continued to be used and can be viewed in the photograph that Paesiello Emerson took on Nov. 10, 1916!

enlarged section of above photo

Many men and women served on committees for this successful event that took place in the Chapel.

Nov. 11, 1916
Springfield Republican

Guests from Longmeadow and the Springfield, MA area enjoyed attending this event that was held before Thanksgiving Day.        

Additional Sources:  Springfield Republican- Nov. 8, 1916           

~Written by Judy Moran

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                       

Happy Birthday Paesiello Emerson!

Paesiello Emerson
Photo Date: June 10, 1918
Courtesy of the Longmeadow Historical Society

Today is February 10th. On February 10, 1832 Paesiello Emerson was born in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. It is fitting to remember him today, because 100 years ago this Union Veteran of the Civil War lived in our town at 476 Longmeadow Street.  He lived with his step-brother and step-sister Henry and Annie Emerson.

In 1891 Paesiello Emerson's wife Nancy E. (Hartshorn) Emerson had passed away in the town where they lived- Spencer, MA.  After he retired from his occupation as a boot maker, he took up the hobby of photography.  This was at the turn of the 20th century.  We Longmeadow, MA residents are so fortunate that Mr. Emerson enjoyed his new hobby when he visited Henry and Annie.  He took photographs and documented our town as it was developing as a suburb of Springfield, MA.  

After moving to Longmeadow Mr. Emerson continued to take photographs of houses, old and new.  He also took photographs of people and places in town.  Paesiello Emerson died on December 28, 1927 and his glass negatives are now in collection of the Storrs House Museum in Longmeadow, MA.

Today, on February 10th let us remember this gentleman on his birth date!

~Judy Moran    

Sources:  1832 Hopkinton, MA Birth Records, Civil War Soldier Records, 1891 Spencer, MA Death Records, 1912 Longmeadow Street Directory, 1910 and 1920 U.S. Census Federal Records,                        

"Marchant" Samuel Colton's Front Door- A Treasured Gift

"Marchant" Samuel Colton's Front Door
Courtesy of Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
Boston, MA

 
On this day #OTD- October 29, 1921- an article was published in the Springfield Republican with the news that the Boston, MA architects William T. Aldrich and Robert P. Bellows had gifted the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston with the front door of "Marchant" Samuel Colton's house.  The museum had described this door in its Bulletin as "typical of the finer houses of the Connecticut Valley during the early half of the 18th century and was well known to architects".  This gift was received during the time period of March 4- June 2, 1921.

(Click to enlarge)

During the 18th century "Marchant" Samuel Colton (1727- 1784) was a wealthy businessman.  His house had been located on the west side of Longmeadow Street, south of the Longmeadow Town Green.

He had a shipyard on the Connecticut River bank and his ships transported goods to the West Indies and to Bristol, England.  His beautiful house was built by John Steele.  

 
Attached to the rear of his house was his store that contained goods that this merchant sold to customers in the area.

 
In an interesting story that was read on October 6, 1905 to the members of the Longmeadow Historical Society at their annual meeting, Mrs. George E. Brewer (Caroline Brewer) gave a history of this house.  The information was found in "Marchant" Colton's ledgers.  Mrs. George E. Brewer was a Longmeadow resident, a reporter for the Springfield Republican in Springfield, MA and also a descendant of Quartermaster George Colton- one of the first residents of Long Meddowe (Longmeadow).  

In Mrs. Brewer's story she stated, "in June, 1754, five-days' work was done on the fore door" of this beautiful house.  She also stated that "Marchant" and Lucy Colton's only son, also named Samuel (1778- 1811), married Anne G. Warriner of Wilbraham and they "remained in the ancestral home" in Longmeadow.  After Samuel died in 1811 his widow married Rev. Gideon Leon Burt.  She survived her second husband, also, and died in 1853.  The property was purchased by the descendants of Thomas Colton who also owned the property next door.  For 45 years the house had been unoccupied and was falling into disrepair.     

Eventually, Longmeadow resident Everett B. Allen purchased it and then sold the house to W. Dillon to "remove" it.  The house was torn down in September 1916 and parts of it were saved and purchased by parties interested in antiques.  

"Marchant" Colton's door was gifted to the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston by these two gentlemen, William T. Aldrich and Robert P. Bellows, who recognized the significance of this doorway.                               

Sources:  Boston Herald:  Aug. 7, 1921; Evening Gazette:  Oct. 17, 1921; Springfield Republican:  Oct 08, 1905;  Sep. 8, 1916; Sep. 17, 1916; Oct. 29, 1921 and Dec. 8, 1925; and Map and other Photos courtesy of Longmeadow Historical Society.    

~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