The Construction of a Gendered Memory in Philadelphia and Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, 1860-1914

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The Construction of a Gendered Memory in Philadelphia and Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, 1860-1914 FOR THE LOVE OF ONE’S COUNTRY: THE CONSTRUCTION OF A GENDERED MEMORY IN PHILADELPHIA AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA, 1860-1914 _______________________________________________________________________ A Dissertation Submitted to the Temple University Graduate Board ________________________________________________________________________ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor Of Philosophy ________________________________________________________________________ By Smadar Shtuhl May, 2011 Examining Committee Members: Susan E. Klepp, Advisory Chair, History Wilbert L. Jenkins, History Jonathan Daniel Wells, History Rebecca T. Alpert, External Member, Temple University © by Smadar Shtuhl 2011 All Rights Reserved ii ABSTRACT The acquisition of the home of George Washington by the Mount Vernon Ladies Association in 1858 was probably the first preservation project led by women in the United States. During the following decades, elite Philadelphia and Montgomery County women continued the construction of historical memory through the organization and popularization of exhibitions, fundraising galas, preservation of historical sites, publication of historical writings, and the erection of patriotic monuments. Drawing from a wide variety of sources, including annual organizations’ reports, minutes of committees and of a DAR chapter, correspondence, reminiscences, newspapers, circulars, and ephemera, the dissertation argues that privileged women constructed a classed and gendered historical memory, which aimed to write women into the national historical narrative and present themselves as custodians of history. They constructed a subversive historical account that placed women on equal footing with male historical figures and argued that women played a significant role in shaping the nation’s history. During the first three decades, privileged women advanced an idealized memory of Martha and George Washington with an intention to reconcile the sectional rift caused by the Civil War. From the early 1890s, with the formation of the Daughters of the American Revolution, elite women of colonial and revolutionary war ancestry constructed a more inclusive memory of revolutionary iii soldiers that aimed to inculcate the public, particularly recent immigrants, in patriotic and civic values. An introductory chapter demonstrates the social, political, and economic vulnerability of the elites and the institutions and historical memory they forged to shore up their privileged status from the colonial period to the Civil War. Through the organization of the Great Central Fair held in Philadelphia in 1864, the fundraising campaign on behalf of the Centennial Exposition, the preservation of George Washington’s Headquarters at Valley Forge, the formation of the Historical Society of Montgomery County, and the activities of the Valley Forge Chapter DAR the dissertation demonstrates that women employed their experience to expand their activities beyond regional boundaries while also tending to local history. The dissertation contributes to the discussion regarding the construction of memory by adding gender and class as categories of analysis. It also adds to the historical debate regarding the professionalization of history by exploring women’s historical writings during the period of institutionalization of history. iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS During the work on this study I have been extremely fortunate to have the support of many individuals and organizations. I am most fortunate to have insightful committee members who provided me with support, guidance, and encouragement. This project may not have existed without my main advisor, Dr. Susan Klepp. An accomplished scholar and mentor, she offered me invaluable advice and support. Our meetings kept me focused and enabled me to develop and grow. I particularly appreciate her patience and encouragement with my writing. As an immigrant who arrived at this country with rudimentary knowledge of the English language, I have continually strived to improve my vocabulary and writing skills. Dr. Klepp’s continuous support sustained me through months of struggle of finding my voice in a rich language, filled with subtle nuances that often eluded me. I am grateful for all she has done. I very much appreciate Dr. Wilbert Jenkins for his support, enthusiasm, and helpful comments. As his TA, I observed a caring professor whose passion about his subject sparked interest among his students. He was similarly passionate about mentoring his TAs and about the success of my project. I would like to thank Dr. Jonathan Wells, who graciously agreed to serve on my committee when the dissertation had been in its last stages. I greatly appreciate his insight and suggestions. Thanks to my external reader, Dr. Rebecca Alpert, for her meticulous editing and insightful comments – they improved my work at its last stage. I would like to thank Dr. Elizabeth Varon whose remarks on the introductory part of my dissertation helped v shape my thinking on historical perspectives. I would also like to extend special thanks to Dr. Richard Immerman who, as a department chair and graduate chair, provided me with all the help I needed to continue my project. None of this work would have been possible without the funding and the help of librarians and archivists from various institutions. The Library Company of Philadelphia and the Historical Society of Pennsylvania awarded me the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation Fellowship, which enabled me to conduct research in their incredible collections. This financial assistance was greatly appreciated. I would like to thank the librarians of both institutions for taking interest in my project and help with my research requests, and particularly to Nicloe Joniec, who accommodated my request for image copies. I offer a special thanks to Florence R. J. Young and Jeff McGranahan who willingly shared their great knowledge and enthusiasm about the history of Montgomery County. Their warm welcome and unrelenting assistance advanced my project and made my time at the society exciting and enjoyable. I very much appreciate the help provided by Donna McDermott and Scott Houting from the Valley Forge National Park who patiently filled my research requests and willingly shared their perspective of public history. I would also like to thank Rebecca Baird of the DAR Office of the Historian General for filling my research requests. Thanks to Kate Shier, the Regent of the Valley Forge Chapter DAR, for allowing me to access the chapter’s archival materials. I extend special thanks to Deb Scholl, a chapter member, who graciously opened her home and allowed me to research the materials for as long as I needed. Special thanks to Celia vi Mullins at the Stack’s Bowers and Pontorio for giving me permission to include the image of Martha Washington’s medal in this work. I would like to thank the support of fellow graduate students and my friends who encouraged me and were willing to listen and discuss my research and findings. Thanks to my Diana Reinhard, Janet Galley, Jen Fry, Uta Kresse, Darryl Mace, Lynette Deem, Julia Oestreich, and Sharon Sidorick. Thanks to Pat Williams and Vangie Campbell, the department coordinators, for their assistance and support. Special thanks to my dear friends Sarah Kligman, Lydia Sardinas, Neil Sardinas, and Liz Ziets for their friendship and encouragement. They never tired of hearing about my findings and my writing process and provided me with great advice and encouragement. Finally, I would like to thank my family who supported me throughout my entire college career. Thanks to my sons, Orr, Tal, and Nir who had seen me studying through most of their lives and encouraged me to pursue my goals. Special thanks to Orr and Nir, who edited my work, and to Nir, who also patiently helped me decipher some of the difficult manuscripts. And above all, I thank my husband, Shlomo, who encouraged me to pursue my interest. Thank you for your patience, your help in keeping things in good order, and for your endless support. I could not have done it without you! vii TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………...iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……………………………………………………….v LIST OF FIGURES……………………………………………………………….x INTRODUCTION………………………………………………………………..xi CHAPTER 1. FORGING ELITES: CLASS AND GENDER FROM THE COLONIAL ERA TO THE CIVIL WAR……...……………………..1 2. CIVIL WAR : LOCAL MEMORY ON DISPLAY…………………54 3. BOSTON TEA PARTY REVISITED: WOMEN’S CAMPAIGN FOR THE CENTENNIAL EXPOSITION……………...…………...96 4. HISTORICAL PRESERVATION IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA………………………………………………….158 5. PATRIOTIC HONOR: THE VALLEY FORGE CHAPTER DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, 1894- 1914…………………………………………………………………229 viii 6. CONCLUSION……………………………………………………..276 REFERENCES CITED…………………………………………………………287 APPENDICES A. PERMISSION FROM THE LIBRARY COMPANY OF PHILADELPHIA……………………………………………….….309 B. PERMISSION FROM STACK’S BOWERS GALLERIES……….312 ix LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. CIRCULAR OF THE WILLIAM PEN PARLOR COMMITTEE……………….79 2. MRS. LARDNER BROWN IN A MARTHA WASHINGTON COSTUME……....................................................................................................120 3. MARTHA WASHINGTON MEDAL……...……………………………............134 4. GEORGE WASHINGTON’S HEADQUARTERS, VALLEY FORGE NATIONAL PARK……………………………………………………………....171 x INTRODUCTION On the evening of March 30, 1875, a large group of enthusiastic privileged women and men congregated at the residence of Mrs. J. G. Thorp in Madison, Wisconsin. They intended
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