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Longfellow House Bulletin, Vol. 7, No. 1, June 2003

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Longfellow House Bulletin, Vol. 7, No. 1, June 2003 on fellow ous L g ulletinH e Volume 7 No. 1 A Newsletter of the Friends of the Longfellow House and the National Park Service June 2003 New Research on the Earliest HouseholdsB at 105 Brattle Street ew research by Longfellow National American Revolution, Sam- NHistoric Site’s Museum Manager Jim uel Batchelder’s 1917 Shea and others has helped piece together writings on the Vassalls the story of the pre-Longfellow residents at the Cambridge His- and the composition and activities of the torical Society, and a earliest households at 105 Brattle Street. Vassall family genealog- It is well known that John Vassall built ical website. He also and occupied the Georgian mansion in culled information from 1759, but only fragments of information Washington’s papers and existed about his slaves Anthony and Cuba account books in the Vassall and their children who lived with Library of Congress. him. Henry Longfellow cherished his Susan Long, an anthro- house because George and Martha Wash- pology student at Har- ington had lived there, but little was known vard College, combined “Washington’s Headquarters at Cambridge/Present residence of Mrs. Craigie,” about the “servants” they arrived with. Robert Tracy Jackson’s c. 1830. One of the earliest known images of 105 Brattle Street, now the Longfellow To fill in the gaps in our knowledge of 1907 history of the Vas- National Historic Site. The elms became diseased and were removed in the 1840s. the early inhabitants, Shea compiled materi- sall and Royall family houses, Massachusetts explore the early history of the House and als from such sources as Harry Dana’s court records and deeds with archaeological all its residents, a project close to the hearts papers, African American historian William excavations on the grounds of the House. of Longfellow’s family and an unfolding Cooper Nell’s 1855 book Colored Patriots of the Many articles throughout this issue topic for our archivists and other researchers. Longfellow House to Participate in “Patriots of Color” Celebration n June 16, 2003, the 228th anniversary of color experience in the Revolutionary Oof the Battle of Bunker Hill, the War. Performances will include period Longfellow NHS will join a wide range of music and a Revolutionary War re-enact- Massachusetts historical and cultural orga- ment by the Natick Indian Plantation nizations to honor African American and Group, simulating the multi-racial regi- Native American soldiers who fought in ment at Bunker Hill. Neil and John Brooks, this early battle of the American Revolu- descendants of Barzillai Lew—an African tion. Sponsored by the Boston National American Cambridge resident who fought Historical Park, the Massachusetts Histori- at Bunker Hill—will be guests of honor. cal Society, the Old South Meeting House, The “Patriots of Color” celebration and the History Channel, the “Patriots of derives from the National Park Service Color” celebration will take place at report entitled “Patriots of Color, ‘A Pecu- Boston’s Old South Meeting House on liar Beauty and Merit’ African Americans Washington Street from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. and Native Americans at Battle Road and The evening will be moderated by Bunker Hill” by George Quintal Jr. Quintal Massachusetts State Representative Byron examined militia rolls, pension rolls, town Rushing, former director of Boston’s histories, and other military records to iden- Museum of Afro-American History. Prof. tify American soldiers in the initial years of James Horton of George Washington Uni- the Revolution with African or Native versity and adviser to the NPS on this sub- American ancestry and created a kind of ject will be the keynote speaker, giving an Detail of Alonzo Chappel’s 1859 painting “The Battle biographical dictionary of approximately of Bunker Hill” showing African American soldiers. overview of the complexities of the patriot Courtesy of the Chicago Historical Society (continued on page 2) 1 - In the Churchyard at Cambridge VWX by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow In the village churchyard she lies, Who shall tell us? No one speaks: Friends of the Longfellow House Dust is in her beautiful eyes, No color shoots into those cheeks, Board of Directors No more she breathes, nor feels, nor stirs; Either of anger or of pride, Barclay Henderson, President At her feet and at her head At the rude question we have asked; Robert Mitchell, Clerk Gene A. Blumenreich, Treasurer Lies a slave to attend the dead, Nor will the mystery be unmasked Frances Ackerly But their dust is white as hers. By those who are sleeping at her side. Peter Ambler J.L. Bell Was she a lady of high degree, Hereafter?—And do you think to look Hans-Peter Biemann So much in love with the vanity On the terrible pages of that Book Polly Bryson And foolish pomp of this world of ours? To find her failings, faults, and errors? Charlotte Cleveland Or was it Christian charity, Ah, you will then have other cares, Dick Dober And lowliness and humility, In your own shortcomings and despairs, Diana der Hovanessian The richest and rarest of all dowers? In your own secret sins and terrors! Carol Johnson Layne Longfellow Laura Nash Marilyn Richardson Lynne Spencer Susan Wood Advisory Board Ruth Butler LeRoy Cragwell Diana Korzenik Richard Nylander Stephen D. Pratt Marc Shell Charles Sullivan Lowell A. Warren Jr. Eileen Woodford Newsletter Committee Marilyn Richardson, Editor Glenna Lang, Designer J.L. Bell James M. Shea “The most impressive of all [the tombstones] was the Vassall monument, raised on opq pillars above the rest, and bearing no words, only the carved goblet and sun (vas–sol), —the monument beneath which lies, according to tradition, the bodies of two slaves.” National Park Service [Nearby were some of the markers with] “eloquent fissures in the flat stones where the Myra Harrison, Superintendent leaden coats of arms had been pried out to be melted into bullets for the Continental Army.” James M. Shea, Museum Manager —Thomas W. Higginson, Cheerful Yesterdays (1898) Nancy Jones, Education and Visitor Services Janice Hodson, Museum Curator Paul Blandford, Museum Educator “Patriots of Color” Celebration (continued from page 1) Anita Israel, Archives Specialist Peggy Clarke, Museum Technician 120 individual soldiers at the Lexington and diers at that Battle, this would mean that David Daly, Collections Manager Concord, and Bunker Hill battles. It in- men of color might have been five percent C. Sue Rigney, Planning & Communications cludes invaluable information about their of the total, which makes the percentage Liza Stearns, Education Specialist military careers and lives beyond the war. almost as high as at the Battle of Mon- Emo Dewitt, Horticulturalist “Every once in a while a piece of schol- mouth, New Jersey, when an estimated 800 Ed Bacigalupo, Chief of Maintenance arship comes along that changes the way men of color were seven per cent of a likely Scott Fletcher, Facility Manager you look at a historical event,” writes Alfred army of 12,000 soldiers.” F. Young in his introduction to the report. Martin Blatt, historian for the Boston Printed by Newprint Offset, Waltham, Mass. “After almost three years of research National Historical Park, was the main George Quintal reports that there very organizer of this event. This celebration is likely were 103 ‘patriots of color’ at Bunker free and open to the public and will be web- 1234 Hill (and may have been as many as 150). If cast live by the History Channel at there were as many as 3000 American sol- WGBH.org. - 2 Interview with a Friend…Meet Jim Shea Jim Shea came to the Longfellow House lic programs that highlight the art in the house in 1791. This is a very important site as Site Manager and Museum Curator in house, or the rare books, or Longfellow and because it is such a wonderful capsule of 1992, continuing a distinguished career that his circle of friends, among other topics. American history in one place. included senior positions with the National LH: Tell us about some of your current LH: This research is real detective work: Park Service in Virginia, Cape Cod, and six research. JS: Uncovering information on these historic house museums in Manhattan. JS:There are really compelling stories of many people does take a lot of detective Longfellow House: What were some of the many families that called this house work—following a lead from a footnote in your impressions of the House when you their home over the years. Only recently we a book, or digging for the original source first arrived? learned the names of the children of John of a particular quotation, or searching the Jim Shea: I really didn’t know as much and Elizabeth Vassall, most of whom were internet for relevant material.The internet about the Washington connection when I born in this house. Also, the names of the makes a huge difference. I can sit at home came here. Also, I was told that everything children of Tony and Cuba Vassall, all born and search archives around the country. But was finished here—that everything was cata- into slavery and some born in this house. it is still a slow process. logued. That was not the case at all. In every The white Vassalls were loyalists who fled There is an enormous amount of infor- room, closet, and drawer throughout the to England at the start of the Revolution- mation on the Web pertaining to Washing- House, there was a vast array of paint- ton and his headquarters in Cambridge. ings—some by Corot and Allston—and One of the best sources is the Library of books, clothing, and thousands upon thou- Congress website with Washington’s letters, sands of family letters, journals, and artwork.
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