Mrs. George E. Brewer- Reporter and Storyteller

Mrs. George E. Brewer in her later years.
Courtesy of the Wood Museum of Springfield History
Springfield, MA

In the early 20th century Mrs. George E. Brewer was the Longmeadow correspondent for the Springfield Republican!  It was the newspaper that was published in Springfield, MA.  For more than 30 years this talented woman carved out a successful career at the newspaper by writing stories about Longmeadow's day to day events and its residents.  She was very well known and respected in the Longmeadow area.  Whenever she was credited with writing a story or presenting a paper to a group her name was formally given/ introduced as Mrs. George E. Brewer- as was the custom of that time period. 

Mrs. Brewer was a wealth of information about the history of Longmeadow, MA and the Connecticut River Valley.  She was also very proud of her heritage.  She was a lineal descendant of Quartermaster George Colton through the line of Thomas Colton, his son.  As we all know, Quartermaster George Colton was one of the founders of Longmeadow, MA.       

This talented lady was born in 1842 in Somers, CT.  Her name was Caroline A. Coomes with the nickname- "Carrie".  When she was a young girl her parents Bela and Julia Sexton Coomes and family moved to their new residence in Longmeadow.  It was the Capt. Gideon Colton house at 1028 Longmeadow Street.  Her father had been born in Longmeadow in 1802.

Carrie attended Wesleyan Academy in Wilbraham, MA.  Her first husband and infant daughter passed away and then she remarried in 1869.  Carrie and her new husband Ohio resident George E. Brewer moved to Longmeadow.  Later, they purchased and lived at 912 Longmeadow Street.  The Brewers raised 3 daughters- Sarah, Corinne and Blanche.

912 Longmeadow Street
Courtesy of Digital Commonwealth/ Longmeadow Historical Society

Carrie was always interested in current events and reported on current affairs at meetings of the Women's Political Class in Springfield.  She was a charter member of the Longmeadow Women's Club.  Carrie Brewer was also the Historian for the Longmeadow Historical Society.  Whenever researching for a report of local interest she drew on her knowledge of the past history and of the past residents of Longmeadow.

There were so many interesting stories that Carrie Brewer wrote!  "Marchant" Samuel Colton was always an interesting topic and she wrote a fascinating story about his life and his house.  The article was published in the Springfield Republican in 1916 with the following introduction.

Springfield Republican
Sept. 17, 1916
(Click image to enlarge.)

"Marchant" Samuel Colton's house was demolished in 1916.  However, the front door was gifted to the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.  This museum credited Mrs. George E. Brewer with information about "Marchant" Colton's house and the door in their Bulletin (1921).

(Click to enlarge.)

The 1909 Longmeadow Street Directory included her name- Mrs. George E. Brewer along with her occupation- reporter.

The 1915 Longmeadow Street Directory listed her name differently- after her husband George E. Brewer died in 1911.

Caroline Brewer was not just a reporter.  Caroline Brewer was a storyteller.  She had a wonderful style of writing and her stories were factual and interesting.  They always informed the reader more about a topic or taught a reader about a new subject.  This wonderful lady lived in Longmeadow for so many years and witnessed many events during her lifetime.  She was a historian and a wonderful role model for future Longmeadow historians to follow.

Carrie Brewer's husband died in 1911.  She continued her career as a reporter for the Springfield Republican.  Caroline A. Brewer died in 1925 at the age of 83. 

~Written by Judy Moran 

Guns and Skates in Longmeadow

1870 Map of Longmeadow

The Warner Pistol Factory was a small fire arms manufacturing company located in Longmeadow, Massachusetts just south of the Pecowsic (Pecousic) Brook (see arrow).  The factory was established in the early 1860s by James Warner, who was a skilled gunsmith and inventor. 

Warner Pistol Factory

Date of photo is unknown
[click to enlarge image]

Today, the Warner Pistol Factory is remembered as an important part of the history of American firearms manufacturing.  James Warner made significant contributions to the industry, including his numerous patents and innovative designs.  In 1857, Warner received a patent for a new type of cartridge revolver that used self-contained cartridges. This breech loading design was a significant improvement over the previous percussion revolvers, which required the user to manually load each chamber with gunpowder, a ball and a percussion cap.

James Warner and Everett Hosmer Barney had a significant connection in the history of American firearms manufacturing.  In 1863, James Warner was granted a patent for a new breech-loading, single shot cartridge-based firearm that became known as the Warner Carbine.  Shortly before the end of the Civil War, Barney began working for James Warner at the Pistol Factory in order to provide some assistance in fulfilling a contract for the manufacture of army carbines for the US government. 

Warner Army Carbine- Civil War
Single shot- breech loading

The partnership between Warner and Barney continued for several years, and they collaborated on several other patents related to firearms design.  It was during this time at the factory that Barney discovered the beauty of the Pecowsic Valley where he later built his home.

Everett Hosmer Barney

Barney was also a prolific inventor and had many patents to his name, including patents for ice skates for which he became famous.   After the Civil War ended, there was significantly less demand for guns so Barney had time to work on an improved design for ice skates.  He leased the gun factory and made 500 pair of skates with a new metal clamp-on skate design which proved to be a winner with locals.

clamp-on skate design

 

 

With the successful proof of concept with the new clamp-on skate design John Berry- an old friend and associate in Boston joined Barney as a business partner in the skate business.  Together they moved from the former gun factory in Longmeadow and set up a manufacturing operation in Springfield near the Mill River in 1866.  After two years Barney bought out Berry’s interest and Berry retired from the firm in 1869.

In 1872 a larger manufacturing plant called the Barney and Berry Skate Company was built on Broad Street.  For over fifty years the company was one of the most prosperous in the city of Springfield.  At the height of its operation, the Barney and Berry Company were manufacturing over 600,000 skates per year and employing 250 workers.

Barney & Berry Skate Factory
1886 Sanford Map Section

Barney & Berry Skate Company
Broad Street, Springfield, MA

Through his successful business ventures Everett Barney became a rich man and in 1882 purchased 105 acres of land in the Pecousic Valley which was later to become part of Forest Park.  He built a majestic home called Pecousic Villa on this property overlooking the Connecticut River.

Pecousic Villa- Home of Everett Hosmer Barney

In June, 1890 a portion of Longmeadow extending south from Pecousic Brook to Forest Glen Road which included King Philip’s Stockade was granted to Springfield by the Massachusetts State Legislature for the later use in the creation of Forest Park.   Barney played a key role in the passage of this bill- “An Act to Annex a Part of the Town of Longmeadow to the City of Springfield”.  

On October 23, 1911 Everett H. Barney donated his land to the City of Springfield which eventually became part of Forest Park.

With declining demand for guns at the end of the Civil War the Warner Pistol Factory building was repurposed and used by the American Papier Mache Company to manufacture various items for sale.  The building was eventually demolished.

References

1.  Early Springfield and Longmeadow Massachusetts by Harry Andrew Wright, (1940)

2.  Springfield- Present and Prospective, by Eugene C. Gardner et al, (1905)

3.  Springfield Republican, September 6, 1872- The Papier-Mache Works

4.  Everett Hosmer Barney- His Family Connections- A Record of His Life Work by George Murray Barney,  (1912) Privately published

5.  The Original B& B: The Barney & Berry Company,  Skate Guard Blog, November 16, 2017

6.  Springfield Republican, November 9, 1870- The Best Skate in the World

7.  Springfield Republican, February 25, 1873- Mr. Barney’s  New Factory

8.  Springfield Republican, June 10, 1880

Written by Jim Moran/ Invited Historian