Sepia Saturday 110: "Give my Regards to Broadway"

Winter Garden (Right Front); Library of Congress

Mira Rockwell Main made several trips to New York City in 1913 and 1914; some were visits with family and others nursing assignments. The wealthy hired a private nurse to provide personal medical care in their homes. Mira enjoyed the opportunity these visits gave her to attend concerts and plays.

Mira had a preference for opera attending Madame Butterfly on Thursday,  January 22, 1914. In subsequent weeks, Mira went to several performances at Carnegie Hall and the Opera House. Her February 10, 1914 entry was a departure from the norm, "Went to Winter Garden in the evening with Loretta." No raptures of delight or scathing reviews? What did Mira hear at the Winter Garden Theater?

Ragtime Arabian Nights
 

Lillian Lorraine

Clearly not Opera, The Whirl of the World was a musical revue composed by Sigmund Romburg - his first theatrical score. "Ragtime Arabian Nights" was one of the few pieces that attained acclaim. The musical review was soundly criticized by most of the newspapers of the day. "The beauty of the production is Miss Lillian Lorraine, who wears her many magnificent costumes with the immodesty for which she is deservedly famous. It is always to be regretted that Miss Lorraine finds it necessary to sing .... " Many more critical reviews can be found in Lillian Lorraine: The Life and Times of a Ziegfeld Diva.

Viewing the key sheets (below), I wonder what Mira thought of the performance. Did her mind wander to think of her fiance back in Massachusetts? Charles was certainly missing her. When Mira returned home, Charles picked her up at the train station. Soon after a date was set for their wedding.

Click here for link to larger view

Click here for link to larger view

"Whisper of how I'm yearning to mingle with the old time throng; Give my regards to old Broadway and say that I'll be there ere long." - George M. Cohan



This virtual tour has me yearning to visit New York City; Mama Mia! is now playing at the Winter Garden. For more virtual theatrical performances, see Sepia Saturday 110.

Sources:
"Broadway north from 38th St., New York City, showing Winter Garden, Maxine Elliott's, Casino, and Knickerbocker Theatres" digital image, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Online Catalog (http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2003689020/ : accessed 24 January 2012).

"The Whirl of the World Keysheets (1914)." NYPL Digital Gallery. (http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/ : accessed 24 January 2012).

Hanson, Nils. Lillian Lorraine: The Life and Times of a Ziegfeld Diva. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFArland, 2011, p. 18. Quote from a New York Critic.

Stratton, Mira Rockwell (Main). "Line-a-Day Diary." MS.  Lee, Massachusetts, 1913-1923.  Privately held by Liz Stratton, [ADDRESS FOR PERSONAL USE,] Cincinnati, Ohio. 2011.

Wikipedia. "Give My Regards to Broadway" Rev. 13:47, 31 August 2011.

Wikipedia. "Lillian Lorraine," 22 August 2012, citing Lillian Lorriane image, Theatre Magazine, 1909. Wikipedia citation of the image is incomplete. The image is in the public domain.

Updated: 13 September 2012, fixed broken photograph link.

Sepia Saturday 109: Go to Sleep my Little Dolly

"Bye-Lo-Baby" Wee Babies (1882)

"Bye-Lo-Baby" is from Wee Babies, a book belonging to Mira Rockwell (Main) Stratton (1881-1926). Published in 1882, the Bye-Lo-Baby dolls in the poem are not the ones made famous by Grace Storey Putnam in the 1920s. Putnam's 'babies' resembled a three-day-old newborn -- a  departure from the more mature dolls depicted in Wee Babies.

Mira's dolls would have been like those in the illustrations, young children with faces of porcelain or bisque. Beautiful as the dolls may have been, they cannot compare to Mira's own joyous children pictured below. I can't help but wonder what prank was afoot ....

Mira Rockwell (Main) Stratton, Charles W. Stratton III, Virginia Stratton
Reprint, J. Will Hawes, photographer, ca 1920

"Mira Main Stockbridge Mass," is inscribed on the first page of Wee Babies in an immature cursive scrawl. Mira's mother died when Mira was young. Mira's father, unable to care for his girls, made arrangements for them to attend a convent school. When Mira became ill, she recuperated with her aunt and namesake, Mira Rockwell, in Stockbridge, Massachusetts.

Mira's father, Isaac Main (ca 1836-1891), strove to bring the family together, moving closer to Stockbridge and applying for a Civil War service pension; he died before receiving it. Auntie Mira Rockwell filled the void, caring for Mira Main as if she were her own. Mira (Main) Stratton refers to 'Auntie' frequently and affectionately in her diary. I like to think of the two Miras sharing bedtime verses from Wee Babies.

"Go to sleep my precious baby, 

Let me think what mama sings, 

All about the stars and lammies, 

By-lo-land and lots of things."

"By-lo-Land and lots of things" await you at Sepia Saturday 109.

Sources:
"Bye Lo Babies." Article. Byelobabies.com. http://http://www.byelobbabies.com/ : accessed 20 January 2012.

Blanchard, Amy E., poetry, and Ida Waugh, illustrations. Wee Babies: Printed in Colours from Original Designs. New York: E.P. Dutton & Co.; London: Griffith and Farran, 1882.  This book was a gift from Charles W. Stratton III and Marita (Dick) Stratton in 1990. The book was part of the family's collection of books.

Civil War and Later Pension Files. Department of Veterans Affairs, Record Group 15. Mira Main, minor's application no. 8541, for service of Isaac G. W. Main. National Archives, Washington, D.C.

Massachusetts. Berkshire County. 1890 U.S. census, 'Special Schedule - Surviving Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines, and Widows." Lenox, Enumeration District (ED) 37, p. 4, Isaac Main. Digital images. Ancetry.com. http:www.ancestry.com : accessed 25 December 2010.

Massachusetts. Berkshire County. 1900 U.S. census, population schedule. Stockbridge, Enumeration District (ED) 83, p. 1818 (penned), Mira Rockwell household, dwelling 118, family 126. Digital images. Ancestry.com. http:www.ancestry.com : accessed 27 December 2010.

Massachusetts. Berkshire County. 1910 U.S. census, population schedule. Stockbridge, Enumeration District (ED) 88, p. 3451 (penned), Mira Rockwell household, dwelling 17, family 17. Digital images. Ancestry.com. http:www.ancestry.com : accessed 27 December 2010.

Prisant, Carol. Antiques Roadshow Collectibles.... New York: Workman Publishing, 2003, p. 275.

Stratton, Mira Rockwell (Main), Charles W. Stratton III and Virginia Stratton. Reprint of a photograph by J. Will Hawes. ca 1920. Privately held by Liz Stratton, [ADDRESS FOR PERSONAL USE,] Cincinnati, Ohio. 2012. The photographer was identified by comparing the reprint to original photographs that include Charles W. Stratton III and Virginia Stratton wearing the same clothing in front of the same background.

Stratton, Mira Rockwell (Main). "Line-a-Day Diary." MS.  Lee, Massachusetts, 1913-1923.  Privately held by Liz Stratton, [ADDRESS FOR PERSONAL USE,] Cincinnati, Ohio. 2011.

Stratton Family Traditions. Liz and Dick Stratton, compilers. MSS notes, ca 1991-present. Privately held by Stratton, [ADDRESS FOR PERSONAL USE,] Cincinnati, Ohio.

Sepia Saturday 108: Shall We Dance

"The way you wear your hat, The way you sip your tea, The mem'ry of all that No, no! They can't take that away from me!" - George and Ira Gershwin, Shall We Dance

Kathryn Agnes (Mahoney) Dick (1887-1985), photo 14 June 1917

Kathryn Mahoney and Walter Dick surely danced at their wedding and created many musical memories in their 59 years of marriage. Kathryn Agnes (Mahoney) Dick (1887-1985) is shown here in her wedding dress and hat in 1917.

Though Kathryn worked as a teacher prior to her marriage, she also played violin in local orchestras. It was at one of these musical events where she met her future husband, Walter Augustine Dick (1888-1976). Walter had aspired to become a professional flutist but like many musicians had a 'daytime' job as well. A talented builder and contractor, Walter gifted his bride with fine furniture made by his own hand and in later years, a hand-made violin.

"As the bridal party entered the church, Prof. Thomas F. Leonard played Mendelsshon's wedding march. At the offertory Herbert Proctor rendered the 'Ave Maria' and as the bridal party left the church, the wedding march from Lohengrin was played on the organ." - Newspaper Clipping in Mahoney History and Genealogy

 

JOHN MICHEL CELLO-BACH AVE MARIA

 
Their daughter, Norma (Dick) Filios, wrote "Their children remember going to bed and listening to their music. As the children grew, one by one they played an instrument and joined their parents. Eventually, they had their own family orchestra."

The tradition has continued with many talented musicians, woodworkers and artisans amongst Kathryn and Walter's descendants. The family history is preserved in the Mahoney History and Genealogy written by Norma (Dick) Filios. Norma researched the family ancestry from Kathryn's grandfather, John Mahoney (1818-1904) through six generations.

"Leave everyone wondering which is the more interesting piece of work...you or your hat." - Unknown. I tip my hat to Auntie Norma and leave you to find more hats and memories at Sepia Saturday 108.

The version of 'Ave Maria' included here was found on Wikipedia and has a creative commons license for reuse. 'Ave Maria' was written by composer Charles Gounod by superimposing the melody over Bach's 'Prelude No. 1 in C major, MWV 846' - a mash up! The performer is John Michel, a cello professor at Central Washington University. I have been wanting to post about the Mahoneys and Dicks and can think of no more fitting tribute than a musical one.

Sources:
Filios, Norma (Dick). Mahoney History and Genealogy. N.p.: n.p., n.d.

The Hat Ladies of Charleston. The Hat Ladies. "Enjoying Hat Quotes." http://www.hatladies.org/enjoying_hat_quotes.htm : accessed 12 January 2012.

Wikipedia. "Ave Maria (Bach/Gounod)." Rev. 09:04, 12 January 2012.

Wikipedia. "Shall We Dance (1937)." Rev. 08:04, 29 December 2011.

Dick, Kathryn Agnes (Mahoney).  Portrait.  1917.  Digital image.  Privately held by Liz Stratton, [ADDRESS FOR PERSONAL USE,] Cincinnati, Ohio. 2012.

Motivation Monday: January 2012

I really liked the approach to goals being taken by Stephanie over at Corn and Cotton. I'm late for the first Monday of the month but rather than miss a month, I'm posting a week late. So what are my archiving goals for January?

One Small Goal
'Stack' all the duplicate photographs imported into Lightroom to make it easier to evaluate and digitally archive duplicates. With Lightroom, there is no need to keep different photo sizes or formats on my computer. I was stunned to learn that my previous cataloging software had duplicated the images each time they were used in a project. For some favorite photos, I have over 20 copies! (Guess I won't be needing that larger hard drive after all.)

One Bigger Goal
Scan and archive newspaper clippings collected in 1999 and 2003 (See Archiving Newspaper Clippings.) The supplies have arrived I have no more excuses!

One Long Term Goal
Finish photo restoration for the next story in my mother's book and add to the Picaboo book in progress.

It is amazing how breaking things down into 'bite-size' pieces makes it seem so much less daunting!

Follow Up Friday, January 13
One Small Goal: 6,180 photos reviewed and stacked, 4261 to go!

One Bigger Goal: Blocked out time to scan the newspapers Saturday morning. I'm hoping for some warmer days to complete the deacidification and encapsulation!

One Long Term Goal: The pictures have been restored other than fixing a little red fading on the edge of one of the photographs. I will need to learn how to use some additional features in Lightroom to fix that! I still need to add them to the book along with the text.

Sepia Saturday 107: Mad as a Hatter

Alice in Wonderland typically gets the credit for coining the phrase 'mad as a hatter.' My second Great Grand Aunt, Alice Morehouse, was neither mad nor a hatter and I doubt she ever went down any rabbit holes. Alice's grandmother was not mad either but family lore tells us that she was a hat and mantua maker (dressmaker). Fortunately for Sarah (Markins) Morehouse (June 1784 - 1 July 1861), women's hats did not prominently feature felt. The mercury used in the production of felt is what caused some hatters of the 18th and 19th centuries to lose their minds.

Mantua maker was one of the few honorable professions available to an urban widow to support her family. Widowed in 1817 at the age of  33 with five (possibly six) young children, Sarah  (Markins) Morehouse likely supported her family by making hats and dresses first in New York City and later in Cincinnati. Below are a few of the fashions that might have inspired her creations. The general absence of felt is reassuring!

1817 Walking Dress from La Belle Assemblee

Newest Fashions for May 1829: Morning and Evening Dresses

Evening Dress, 1836; Library of Congress

Fashions for August, 1844

1853 Outerwear

Godey's Fashions for December 1861

Confirmation of Sarah (Markins) Morehouse's profession has been hard to come by. From the settlement of her husband's estate, we know that Sarah was not left with sufficient funds to support her family. Sarah is included in the New York City directories but no profession is given. There are a scant few directory listings in Cincinnati that likely apply to Sarah and her spinster daughter, Mary. They had a variety store at the corner 6th and Broadway where Mary sold fripperies ca 1860.

Perhaps it is I who is 'mad as a hatter' as the mere photograph of a hare sends me off to wonderland but thankfully not down any rabbit holes. For other posts inspired by the hare, see Sepia Saturday 107.

Sources:
Wikipedia, "Mad as a Hatter," rev. 04:47, 26 December 2011; "Dressmaker," rev. 22:49, 3 December 2011; "1795-1820 in Fashion," rev. 05:25, 1 January 2012; "1820s in Fashion," rev. 21:16, 3 December 2011; "1830s in Fashion," rev. 04:06, 18 December 2011; "1840s in Fashion," rev. 14:21, 9 December 2011; "1850s in Fashion," rev. 00:48, 23 December 2011.

"Evening Dress," digital image, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Online Catalog (http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/97511063/ : accessed 7 January 2012).

"Godey's fashions for December 1861 / Capewell & Kimmel, sc.," digital image, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Online Catalog ( http://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/97511046/ : accessed 7 January 2012).

Opening Day 5: Archiving Newspaper Clippings

The first day of each month, I open a box of memorabilia for archiving and digitizing. Opening Day 5 is a collection of newspaper clippings that includes the death notice of Dr. Charles W. Stratton I (See Sunday's Obituary: Charles W. Stratton I). So many of our obituaries are news clippings that have been tucked away in drawers and diaries! My goal for this month is to scan and digitally catalog a collection of documents and newspaper clippings taken from the office and diaries. (See Creating an Archival Finding Aid with your Digital Cataloging Software.)

Why newspapers and documents when I have all those wonderful photos to explore? Mainly because the fragile nature of the newspaper clippings make them a top priority. My first goal is to make not only a digital copy but also an archival quality print copy for archival storage. Newspapers were never intended to be a permanent record and even with the greatest care, may not survive.

Newspapers are printed on poor quality paper with a high acid content. If a newspaper clipping is stored in a book or next to other documents, the acid is likely to cause discoloration of the other items. Because of the acid in newspapers, clippings should be stored separately from photographs.  A spray deacidification product can be used on black-and-white newsprint items to neutralize the acid prior to storage. (Do not use on color newsprint.) The effects of the deacidification spray are not permanent. The spray will need to be reapplied after 7-10 years.

Lamination - a frequently used preservation technique in the past is no longer recommended. Lamination damages the clipping and ultimately when the lamination fails, the clipping may disintegrate!

Protect clippings by storing them in Mylar or Melinex Polyester sleeves or by encapsulating them in Mylar or Melinex. The Library of Congress (LOC) recommends deacidifying the newspaper prior to encapsulation. Placing an alkaline buffered sheet behind the clipping is also recommended. Because of the high cost of preserving newsprint, an alternate storage method is to interleave clippings with buffered paper and bundle. This preservation method should only be used if the clippings will not be frequently handled.

Ideal storage conditions for newspapers are similar to those of other archival items - store in a cool, dry place free from insects and rodents who find newspapers the perfect nesting material! Temperature and humidity variations, pollution, dust, mold and light exposure are all damaging to newspapers. Using a HEPA filter in the storage location can reduce exposure to pollution, dust and mold.

Why bother? Despite the growing number of newspapers being made available online, many are missing one or more issues - maybe just the one you have in your clipping.  Surprisingly, the obituaries and death notices were not always included when newspapers were microfilmed. Most of the online collections come from microfilmed newspapers.

Provenance is also important. A clipping saved by an ancestor likely pertains to a family member or close associate. Then there are the more sentimental reasons. Holding Charles W. Stratton I's obituary clipping and knowing it was carried by his young son in 1886 along with poems of solace is a poignant experience. If properly archived the experience can be shared with future generations.

Sources:
"Preservation, Collections Care: Preserving Newspapers." Article. The Library of Congress. http://www.loc.gov/preservation/care/newspap.html#skip_menu : 2011.

"Preservation and Conservation: Protect your Newspapers and Clippings." Article. Florida Department of State Division of Library & Information Services. http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/archives/preservation/Newspapers/index.cfm : 2011.

"Preservation and Conservation: Encapsulation." Article. Florida Department of State Division of Library & Information Services.http://dlis.dos.state.fl.us/archives/preservation/Encapsulation/index.cfm : 2011.

Long, Jane S. and Richard W. Long. Caring for Your Family Treasures, Heritage Preservation, A Concise Guide to Caring for your cherished belongings. New York: Harry N. Abrams, 2000.

Sunday's Obituary: Charles W. Stratton I (1832-1886)

Charles W. Stratton I (28 May 1832-10 February 1886), death notice, diary insert

Opening Day 5 is a box of newspaper clippings that includes the death notice of Dr. Charles W. Stratton I. So many of our obituaries are news clippings that have been tucked away in drawers and diaries! (See companion post, Opening Day 5: Archiving Newspaper Clippings).

1885 Diary Insert

1885 Diary Insert

Except as noted, these newspaper clippings were taken from the 1885 diary of Charles W. Stratton II (1876-1945) on Opening Day 3: Dear Diary .... The 1885 diary was never used as a diary but does contain notations of charges incurred by boarders. Within a month of Dr. Stratton’s death, Lucy (Baker) Stratton had begun converting the house to a boarding house. Dividing doors were installed to separate the boarding house from the family’s private quarters. Lucy was fortunate to find a way to support her family as life was not kind to widows in the 1880s.

Charles W. Stratton II (1876-1945), 1885 diary

Death notice clipping ca 1886

Another death notice was found in Charles W. Stratton II's office desk.

"Dr. Stratton, after two weeks illness, died last week at his residence on Park street. He was about 52 years of age. His practice extended to a number of places out of town and he was well known as a good doctor and citizen. He leaves a wife and two children." 

Charles W. Stratton I and II have been featured here before in The "Horse-and-Buggy" Doctors of Lee, Massachusetts and Wordless Wednesday (Nearly): Stratton Family Photo. Just another Cock and Bull Story, Bringing Home the Bird and The Best Medicine - New Clues tell more of Charles W. Stratton II.

Sources:
"A Little While." Undated clipping. Ca. February 1886, from unidentified newspaper. Privately held by Liz Stratton, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Cincinnati, Ohio. 2011. Clipping from the 1885 Diary of Charles W. Stratton II. Stratton diaries were a gift from Charles W. Stratton III, son of Charles W. Stratton II of Lee, Massachusetts.

"Rest in Resignation."  Undated clipping. Ca. February 1886, from unidentified newspaper. Privately held by Liz Stratton, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Cincinnati, Ohio. 2011. Clipping from the 1885 Diary of Charles W. Stratton II. Stratton diaries were a gift from Charles W. Stratton III, son of Charles W. Stratton II of Lee, Massachusetts.

"Lee Locals." Undated clipping. Ca. February 1886, from unidentified newspaper. Privately held by Liz Stratton, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Cincinnati, Ohio. 2011. Clipping from the desk of Charles W. Stratton II. Clippings were a gift from Marita Stratton, daughter-in-law of Charles W. Stratton II of Lee, Massachusetts.

Stratton, Charles W., I, death notice. Undated clipping. Ca. February 1886, from unidentified newspaper. Privately held by Liz Stratton, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Cincinnati, Ohio. 2011. Clipping from the 1885 Diary of Charles W. Stratton II. Stratton diaries were a gift from Charles W. Stratton III, son of Charles W. Stratton II of Lee, Massachusetts.

Stratton, Charles W., II. "Diary." MS.  Lee, Massachusetts, 1885 [diary used in 1886].  Privately held by Liz Stratton, [ADDRESS FOR PRIVATE USE,] Cincinnati, Ohio. 2011.