Thursday, April 5, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Remember the Alamo
I should have posted this yesterday, March 6, because on that date in 1836 the Alamo fell to General Santa Anna's Mexican Army after a 13 day siege. 187 Texans fought against 6,000 Mexicans. So remember, "the Alamo" isn't just a college football bowl game.
About a month later, The Army of Texas, commanded by Sam Houston, soundly defeated Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto. The battle cry for the feisty Texans at San Jacinto was "Remember the Alamo!" Now a giant 567.31 foot tall monument stands at the site of the Battle of San Jacinto near Houston, TX; it's the world's tallest monumental column, approximately 12 feet taller than the Washington Monument.
More Information:
On the Alamo:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Alamo
http://www.thealamo.org/battle/battle.php
On the San Jacinto Monument:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Jacinto_Monument
http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=6702
Illustration from the Deseret Evening News, Salt Lake City, UT, August 29, 1903
Article from The San Juan Islander, Friday Harbor, WA, November 26, 1904.
The Alamo, San Antonio, TX, photo by me
About a month later, The Army of Texas, commanded by Sam Houston, soundly defeated Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto. The battle cry for the feisty Texans at San Jacinto was "Remember the Alamo!" Now a giant 567.31 foot tall monument stands at the site of the Battle of San Jacinto near Houston, TX; it's the world's tallest monumental column, approximately 12 feet taller than the Washington Monument.
San Jacinto Monument, Harris County, TX, photo by me
More Information:
On the Alamo:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Alamo
http://www.thealamo.org/battle/battle.php
On the San Jacinto Monument:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Jacinto_Monument
http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=6702
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Hood's Sarsaparilla Testimonials
Recently I published a post about a distant cousin, M. L. Cheuvront, who in 1894 had written a testimonial in an advertisement for Hood's Sarsaparilla cure:
http://miscellaneousmar.blogspot.com/2012/02/marshall-lloyd-cheuvront-in-agony.html
Hood's Sarsaparilla was a prolific advertiser in the late 1800's through the early 1900's so there were lots of testimonials. I decided to go back to the Library of Congress' Historic American Newspapers collection and look for other testimonials. I found Hood's Sarsaparilla advertisements in newspapers from Florida, Hawaii, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, and Texas; I'm sure I could have found them in every other state if I had more time. Here are 21 more people who wrote testimonials.
Some Men:
The testimonials for Hood's Sarsaparilla Cure stated that it cured many illnesses and health problems such as spring humors, eczema, scrofula, catarrh, and loss of appetite. Here are three examples of typical advertisements with testimonials/claims that it cured them of deafness, rheumatism and salt rheum (eczema):
Sources:
People/Newspapers ( in the same order as shown above):
http://miscellaneousmar.blogspot.com/2012/02/marshall-lloyd-cheuvront-in-agony.html
Hood's Sarsaparilla was a prolific advertiser in the late 1800's through the early 1900's so there were lots of testimonials. I decided to go back to the Library of Congress' Historic American Newspapers collection and look for other testimonials. I found Hood's Sarsaparilla advertisements in newspapers from Florida, Hawaii, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, and Texas; I'm sure I could have found them in every other state if I had more time. Here are 21 more people who wrote testimonials.
Some Men:
Mr. Harvey Heed, Laceyville, OH; Mr. Herman Hicks, Rochester, NY; Mr. A. H. Smith, St. Louis, MO
Some Women:
Mr. and Mrs. H. C. Richardson of Siloam, NY
Often Hood's Sarsaparilla printed half or full page advertisements with testimonials from several people.
Miss Jessie Fremont, Saddle River, NJ; Mrs. F. H. Andrews, S. Woodstock, CT;
Miss Margaret Smith, Hebron, OH
Miss Etta Hilbert, Lawrence, MA; Deputy Sheriff R. D. Wheeler, Burlington, VT;
Rev. Wm. Hollinshed, Sparta, NJ; Miss Lettie Huntley, Cortland, NY
Mrs. Carleton, Ayer, MA; Mrs. Gee, Stoneham, MA; Mrs. Gray, New Bedford, MA
Miss Julia C. Tison, Jacksonville, FL; Seymour L. Hotchkiss, Wallingford, CT;
Charles L. Clark, Westbrook, ME ; Mrs. S. L. Carleton, Ayer, MA
The testimonials for Hood's Sarsaparilla Cure stated that it cured many illnesses and health problems such as spring humors, eczema, scrofula, catarrh, and loss of appetite. Here are three examples of typical advertisements with testimonials/claims that it cured them of deafness, rheumatism and salt rheum (eczema):
Library of Congress, Chronicling America, Historic American
Newspapers, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/
Heed; Evening Dispatch. (Provo, City, Utah), January 25,
1894
Hicks; Daily Herald. (Brownsville, Tex.), January 16,
1894
A. H. Smith; The Courier. (Lincoln, Neb.), May 12, 1894
Gray; Evening Bulletin. (Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii), May 29,
1895
Buckholz; The Courier. (Lincoln, Neb.), April 13, 1895
Griggs; Evening Bulletin. (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii), May 18, 1895
Richardson; Daily Herald. (Brownsville, Tex.), August 25,
1893
Fremont, Andrews, Smith; St. Paul Daily Globe. (Saint Paul, Minn.),
April 17, 1895
Hilbert, Wheeler, Hollinshed, Huntley; St. Paul Daily Globe.
(Saint Paul, Minn.), March 26, 1892
Carleton, Gee, Gray; The Pensacola Journal. (Pensacola,
Fla.), April 28, 1907
Tison, Hotchkiss, Clark, Carleton; New York Tribune. (New
York [N.Y.]), April 01, 1906
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Vintage Leap Year
Editorial cartoonists in the past thought that the Leap Year/Day tradition of "Ladies Privilege" was very amusing.
The Tacoma Times, December 23, 1903
The Evening World, New York, NY, December 31, 1904
New York Tribune, February 28, 1904
But not just cartoonists found the Leap year tradition an entertaining subject. In the leap year of 1892, popular authoress, Edith Sessions Tupper wrote "But some philanthropist, to whom women should be eternally grateful, ordained that once in four years they should have a whack at proposing.... Rouse maids and widows! the battlefield is open for conflict."
The Salt Lake Herald, January 1, 1892
Los Angeles Herald, December 25, 1892
An article in the Los Angeles Herald on December 25, 1892 gave this bio for Mrs. Tupper:
"Mrs. Edith Sessions Tupper is a daughter of the Hon. Walter
Loren Sessions, ex-member of
congress and prominent in New York politics, and
was born at his home in Chautauqua county,
N. Y., about the beginning of the
civil war. Her early opportunities were of the very best. She
was reared in an intellectual atmosphere,
educated at Vassar and acquired all the varied
knowledge and social standing
possible to a congressman’s daughter in Washington city. Ten
years ago she married Mr. Horace E.
Tupper, a railroad manager, and went to live in Chicago,
where she launched
into journalism and made a brilliant success from the start.
After doing much good work for The Herald, Tribune and Inter
Ocean she removed to New
York and soon became known as one of the most
versatile writers in the country. In
poetry she
has decided talent for society verses as they are called and her
lines beginning,
Painted and perfumed, feathered and pink,
Here is your ladyships fan,
have been much quoted.
As a closing personality it may be added that she weighs 150 pounds,
is most “unfashionably healthy” and has a wealth of light brown hair that is the admiration of
is most “unfashionably healthy” and has a wealth of light brown hair that is the admiration of
all her friends and the envy of many."
Some books she wrote were By Whose Hand?, Heart's Triumph, and The Stuff of Dreams. Her short stories were published in many magazines; some magazines that published her stories were All Story Weekly, Love Story, Breezy Stories and Women's World.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Happy Birthday George!
Illustration honoring George Washington
From the newspaper
The Rice Belt Journal, Calcasieau Parish, Louisiana
February 19, 1904
Weems attributed the story to "...an aged lady, who was a distant relative, and, when a girl, spent much of her time in the family...," who referred to young George as "cousin." The Cherry tree story has never been independently verified and is believed to be a parable/fable concocted by Parson Weems to illustrate Washington's honesty. Personally, I could believe it.
The history for Corby's Mother's Bread, the company who offered the free souvenir hatchet, is convoluted. Corby's Bakery was sold/merged to/with Continental Baking Corporation in 1925. Continental was originally Ward Baking Company in New York. Continental also bought Taggart Baking Company the original maker of Wonder Bread in 1925. The corporation went through many mergers and is now known as Hostess Brands, the maker of "Twinkies."
There is some interesting history behind the holiday Presidents Day. The official federal holiday designation is Washington's Birthday. You can read all about about it here:
Free Hatchet Giveaway
In Honor of Washington's Birthday!
Alexandria Gazette, Alexandria , Virginia
February 19, 1904
The story about George Washington and the cherry tree was first told in the biography A History of the Life and Death, Virtues and Exploits of General George Washington by Mason Locke Weems in 1809.
"The following is a case in point. It is too valuable to be lost, and too true to be doubted; for it was communicated to me by the same excellent lady to whom I am indebted for the last.
"When George," said she, "was about six years old, he was made the wealthy master of a hatchet! of which, like most little boys, he was immoderately fond, and was constantly going about chopping everything in his way. One day in the garden, where he often amused himself hacking his mother's pea-sticks, he unluckily tried the edge of his hatchet on the body of a beautiful young English cherry-tree, which he barked so terribly, that I don't believe the tree ever got the better of it. The next morning the old gentleman, finding out what had befallen his tree, which by the by, was a great favourite, came into the house; and with much warmth asked for the mischevious author, declaring at the same time, that he would have taken five guineas for his tree. Nobody would tell him anything about it. Presently George and his hatchet made their appearance. "George," said his father, "do you know who killed that beautiful cherry tree yonder in the garden?" This was a tough question; and George staggered under it for moment; but quickly recovered himself; and looking at his father, with the sweet face of youth brightened with the inexpressible charm of all-conquering truth, he bravely cried out, "I can't tell a lie, PA; you know I can't tell a lie. I did cut it with my hatchet." "Run to my arms, you dearest boy," cried his father in transports, "run into my arms; glad am I, George, that you killed my tree; for you have paid me for it a thousand fold. Such an act of heroism in my son is worth more than a thousand trees, though blossomed with silver , and their fruits of purest gold. "
"The following is a case in point. It is too valuable to be lost, and too true to be doubted; for it was communicated to me by the same excellent lady to whom I am indebted for the last.
"When George," said she, "was about six years old, he was made the wealthy master of a hatchet! of which, like most little boys, he was immoderately fond, and was constantly going about chopping everything in his way. One day in the garden, where he often amused himself hacking his mother's pea-sticks, he unluckily tried the edge of his hatchet on the body of a beautiful young English cherry-tree, which he barked so terribly, that I don't believe the tree ever got the better of it. The next morning the old gentleman, finding out what had befallen his tree, which by the by, was a great favourite, came into the house; and with much warmth asked for the mischevious author, declaring at the same time, that he would have taken five guineas for his tree. Nobody would tell him anything about it. Presently George and his hatchet made their appearance. "George," said his father, "do you know who killed that beautiful cherry tree yonder in the garden?" This was a tough question; and George staggered under it for moment; but quickly recovered himself; and looking at his father, with the sweet face of youth brightened with the inexpressible charm of all-conquering truth, he bravely cried out, "I can't tell a lie, PA; you know I can't tell a lie. I did cut it with my hatchet." "Run to my arms, you dearest boy," cried his father in transports, "run into my arms; glad am I, George, that you killed my tree; for you have paid me for it a thousand fold. Such an act of heroism in my son is worth more than a thousand trees, though blossomed with silver , and their fruits of purest gold. "
Weems attributed the story to "...an aged lady, who was a distant relative, and, when a girl, spent much of her time in the family...," who referred to young George as "cousin." The Cherry tree story has never been independently verified and is believed to be a parable/fable concocted by Parson Weems to illustrate Washington's honesty. Personally, I could believe it.
The history for Corby's Mother's Bread, the company who offered the free souvenir hatchet, is convoluted. Corby's Bakery was sold/merged to/with Continental Baking Corporation in 1925. Continental was originally Ward Baking Company in New York. Continental also bought Taggart Baking Company the original maker of Wonder Bread in 1925. The corporation went through many mergers and is now known as Hostess Brands, the maker of "Twinkies."
Read more about the history of William S. Corby and his company in the book American Biography: A new Cyclopedia, volume 47, on pages 180 - 183 :
Here's a more recent article about the bakery:
Read about Wonder Bread here:
Saturday, February 18, 2012
In the Shadow of the Pines - The Song
This is the final installment of a series of three posts about an old song from 1895 "In the Shadow of the Pines"
The other two entries can be found here:
http://miscellaneousmar.blogspot.com/2011/07/in-shadow-of-pines.html
http://miscellaneousmar.blogspot.com/2011/08/composer.html
The song, “In the Shadow of the Pines” was written by Hattie Lummis and the music composed by Sylvester Legg, under the nom de plume “G. O. Lang.” The sheet music was published by Legg Brothers, Kansas City, Missouri in about 1895.
“In the Shadow of the Pines” was recorded by several singers in the early 1900s. One copy of the song’s sheet music stated on the cover that it was “sung by J. H. McQuaid, Whitney Opera Co.” and included a photo of the singer. Recordings of the song by the performers Vernon Archibald and Royal Fish in 1913 and Byron G. Harlan and Frank C. Stanley in 1903 are available at the Donald C. Davidson Library at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Iconic country musicians, the Carter Family Singers recorded their own personalized version of “In the Shadow of the Pines” in 1937 on Decca and in 1939 Montgomery Ward label on 78 rpm records. The group modified the lyrics, changing some words and deleting some lines, so in their version the first letters of the first verse no longer spelled out “WABASH” which was the case in the original Lummis/Legg composition.
The sheet music for “In the Shadow of the Pines” can be found for sale on eBay. Musicians still record this 100-year-old song and you can hear several recent versions on YouTube.
A Kansas City newspaper reported in 1897 that sales of the song had broken the 100,000 mark but even with these record breaking sales the publisher of the sheet music, Legg Brothers Music Store, went out of business by 1898.
Edward Legg’s father-in-law was a prominent Kansas City businessman, David S. Gordon. Mr. Gordon was a trustee for their music store. In 1898 a newspaper ad publicized a Trustee’s sale being held at the Legg Bros. Music Store with all the merchandise being sold at a discount of 66 2/3%.
Other Connections and Coincidences
The Carter Family recorded a version of the popular folk song, “Wabash Cannon Ball” in 1929. “Wabash Cannon Ball” was a “descendant” of an older song, “The Great Rock Island Route!” The composer of the original version of this song was named J. A. Roff. The sheet music for this song was published in 1882. The publisher and copyright holder was the J. M. W. Jones Stationary & Printing Company, Chicago. Apparently this is the only song that Roff ever wrote; an internet search uncovered no other Roff compositions.
“Wabash Cannon Ball” has different lyrics than the song “The Great Rock Island Route!” but the refrains of both songs are very similar.
I believe it’s possible that composer “J. A. Roff” may have been Sylvester Legg. The name “J. A. Roff” is similar to “G. O. Lang” and could have been another nom de plume. The song composed by J. A. Roff seems to have originally been written as an advertisement for the railroad, as was the song “In the Shadows of the Pines.” "The “Great Rock Island Route” was dedicated to the General Ticket and Passenger Agent for the Rock Island Railroad; “In the Shadow of the Pines” was commissioned by General Ticket and Passenger Agent for the Wabash Railroad. The songs were written within about 12 years of each other. Both songs were recorded by the Carter Family Singers; both songs sound musically similar to me, but I’m not a musician.
In 1882 when “The Great Rock Island Route!” was written, Sylvester Legg was about 25 years old and had played the piano since he was a child. He had a connection to the railroad since his older brother, Augustus, worked as a clerk for the railroad and possibly worked with C. S. Crane, the General Ticket and Passenger Agent for the Wabash Railroad.
One difference between the two songs is that J. A. Roff was both lyricist and composer of the music, while G. O. Lang, aka Sylvester Legg, only composed the music for “In the Shadows of the Pines” and Hattie Lummis wrote the lyrics. Legg did compose lyrics and music for some of his other songs. Another difference is the sheet music for “The Great Rock Island Route” was published in Chicago, while “In the Shadow of the Pines” was published in Kansas City by Mr. Legg. I have not found anything but circumstantial evidence that Sylvester Legg could have been original composer for the song “Wabash Cannon Ball” but I plan to keep searching for more information.
Sources, Links and Further Reading and Listening:
Newspaper article:
Library of Congress, Chronicling America, Historic American Newspapers – Kansas City Journal, August 27, 1897, page 1, “Written As An AD.”
“In the Shadow of the Pines” Sheet Music:
Library of Congress Historic American Sheet Music Collection, Duke University Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library –
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/dukesm:@OR%28@field%28AUTHOR+@band%28Lang,+G.+O.%29%29+@field%28OTHER+@band%28Lang,+G.+O.%29%29+%29
http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/sheetmusic/b/b07/b0732/
Recordings of “In the Shadow of the pines”:
University of California Library Recordings:
http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/mp3s/4000/4283/cusb-cyl4283d.mp3
Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project, Department of Special Collections, University of California, Santa Barbara -
http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/search.php?query=IN+THE+SHADOW+OF+THE+PINES+&queryType=%40attr+1%3D1016
For Sale on amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/In-Shadow-Pines/dp/B005MW5EDY
YouTube Old recording:
http://youtu.be/iqbkls6yGb0
YouTube Recent versions:
http://youtu.be/yEyUeeVMFuA
http://youtu.be/M3A9shOciJY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIfEfGuczYg&feature=related
Carter Family Links:
YouTube "Wabash Cannonball"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMiU_aknPDA
Carter Family music CD with "In the Shadow of the Pines"
The other two entries can be found here:
http://miscellaneousmar.blogspot.com/2011/07/in-shadow-of-pines.html
http://miscellaneousmar.blogspot.com/2011/08/composer.html
Sheet Music cover for "In the Shadow of the Pines"
published by Legg Brothers Music, Kansas City, Missouri,circa 1895
“In the Shadow of the Pines” was recorded by several singers in the early 1900s. One copy of the song’s sheet music stated on the cover that it was “sung by J. H. McQuaid, Whitney Opera Co.” and included a photo of the singer. Recordings of the song by the performers Vernon Archibald and Royal Fish in 1913 and Byron G. Harlan and Frank C. Stanley in 1903 are available at the Donald C. Davidson Library at the University of California, Santa Barbara.
Iconic country musicians, the Carter Family Singers recorded their own personalized version of “In the Shadow of the Pines” in 1937 on Decca and in 1939 Montgomery Ward label on 78 rpm records. The group modified the lyrics, changing some words and deleting some lines, so in their version the first letters of the first verse no longer spelled out “WABASH” which was the case in the original Lummis/Legg composition.
The sheet music for “In the Shadow of the Pines” can be found for sale on eBay. Musicians still record this 100-year-old song and you can hear several recent versions on YouTube.
A Kansas City newspaper reported in 1897 that sales of the song had broken the 100,000 mark but even with these record breaking sales the publisher of the sheet music, Legg Brothers Music Store, went out of business by 1898.
Kansas City Journal, August 27, 1897, Page 1, "Written as an AD."
Edward Legg’s father-in-law was a prominent Kansas City businessman, David S. Gordon. Mr. Gordon was a trustee for their music store. In 1898 a newspaper ad publicized a Trustee’s sale being held at the Legg Bros. Music Store with all the merchandise being sold at a discount of 66 2/3%.
Advertisement, Kansas City Journal, May 8, 1898
Other Connections and Coincidences
The Carter Family recorded a version of the popular folk song, “Wabash Cannon Ball” in 1929. “Wabash Cannon Ball” was a “descendant” of an older song, “The Great Rock Island Route!” The composer of the original version of this song was named J. A. Roff. The sheet music for this song was published in 1882. The publisher and copyright holder was the J. M. W. Jones Stationary & Printing Company, Chicago. Apparently this is the only song that Roff ever wrote; an internet search uncovered no other Roff compositions.
Sheet music cover for "Great Rock Island Route!"
Published by Jones Stationary and Printing Co., Chicago, Illinois, circa 1882
“Wabash Cannon Ball” has different lyrics than the song “The Great Rock Island Route!” but the refrains of both songs are very similar.
♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪ ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪ ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪ ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪
Great Rock Island Route! By J. A. Roff
Now listen to the jingle, and the rumble, and the roar,
As she dashes thro' the woodland, and speeds along the shore,
See the mighty rushing engine, hear her merry bell ring out,
As they speed along in safety, on the "Great Rock Island Route."
The Wabash Cannon Ball by Alvin P. Carter
Listen to the jingle the rumble and the roar
As she glides along the woodlands, through the hills and by the shore
Hear the mighty rush of the engine, hear those lonesome hobos call
While travelling through the jungle on the Wabash Cannon Ball
♫♪♫♪♫♪♫ ♪ ♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪ ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪ ♪♫♪♫♪♫♪♫♪
In 1882 when “The Great Rock Island Route!” was written, Sylvester Legg was about 25 years old and had played the piano since he was a child. He had a connection to the railroad since his older brother, Augustus, worked as a clerk for the railroad and possibly worked with C. S. Crane, the General Ticket and Passenger Agent for the Wabash Railroad.
One difference between the two songs is that J. A. Roff was both lyricist and composer of the music, while G. O. Lang, aka Sylvester Legg, only composed the music for “In the Shadows of the Pines” and Hattie Lummis wrote the lyrics. Legg did compose lyrics and music for some of his other songs. Another difference is the sheet music for “The Great Rock Island Route” was published in Chicago, while “In the Shadow of the Pines” was published in Kansas City by Mr. Legg. I have not found anything but circumstantial evidence that Sylvester Legg could have been original composer for the song “Wabash Cannon Ball” but I plan to keep searching for more information.
Sources, Links and Further Reading and Listening:
Newspaper article:
Library of Congress, Chronicling America, Historic American Newspapers – Kansas City Journal, August 27, 1897, page 1, “Written As An AD.”
“In the Shadow of the Pines” Sheet Music:
Library of Congress Historic American Sheet Music Collection, Duke University Rare Book, Manuscript, and Special Collections Library –
http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/dukesm:@OR%28@field%28AUTHOR+@band%28Lang,+G.+O.%29%29+@field%28OTHER+@band%28Lang,+G.+O.%29%29+%29
http://scriptorium.lib.duke.edu/sheetmusic/b/b07/b0732/
Recordings of “In the Shadow of the pines”:
University of California Library Recordings:
http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/mp3s/4000/4283/cusb-cyl4283d.mp3
Cylinder Preservation and Digitization Project, Department of Special Collections, University of California, Santa Barbara -
http://cylinders.library.ucsb.edu/search.php?query=IN+THE+SHADOW+OF+THE+PINES+&queryType=%40attr+1%3D1016
For Sale on amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/In-Shadow-Pines/dp/B005MW5EDY
YouTube Old recording:
http://youtu.be/iqbkls6yGb0
YouTube Recent versions:
http://youtu.be/yEyUeeVMFuA
http://youtu.be/M3A9shOciJY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIfEfGuczYg&feature=related
Carter Family Links:
YouTube "Wabash Cannonball"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMiU_aknPDA
Carter Family music CD with "In the Shadow of the Pines"
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Marshall Lloyd CHEUVRONT - In Agony
While searching in old newspapers for information about my husband’s family, I came across a distant cousin, M. L. Cheuvront, who had written a testimonial for Hood’s Sarsaparilla Cure. His testimonial letter was featured in an advertisement found in newspapers in many states including Hawaii, Kentucky, and Missouri. The ads featuring Cheuvront’s glowing recommendation were published from about 1894 until 1896 under the heading “In Agony.”
Here’s what he wrote in the advertisement:
“Hood’s Sarsaparilla is an excellent medicine. I had eczema in my left leg for fifteen years. Part of the time my leg was one mass of scabs, and about every other week corruption would gather under the skin and the scabs would slough off. The itching and burning sensation made me suffer indescribable agonies. I spent a great deal of money for different remedies but did not get relief. About a year ago, leading physicians advised me to take Hood’s Sarsaparilla. I did so and have taken five bottles. Now all the sores, scabs and pain have vanished and I am enjoying perfect health. I think Hood’s Sarsaparilla is second to none and gladly recommend it to all suffering humanity.”
Marshall Lloyd Cheuvront was born about 1851 in Lewis County, Virginia. He was the son of James M. Cheuvront and Mary E. Parr and a great-grandson of Joseph Cheuvront who was born in Strasbourg, France and came to America in 1774. I dug deeper and discovered that M. L. Cheuvront met an untimely death just a few years after he wrote his testimonial for Hood’s Sarsaparilla.
On the evening of July 22, 1897 Mr. Cheuvront was strolling in the park in Shelbina, Missouri when a jealous husband, who believed Cheuvront had been following his wife, shot him three times. Mr. Cheuvront lingered overnight, but died at 7:00 a.m. the next morning. He was 46 years old and left a wife and two sons. According to a newspaper article the shooter was a man named Tol Smock.
Tol Smock’s full name was Allan Tolbert Smock. He was married to Miss Edna Pearl Swift of Shelbina Missouri on November 14, 1894. In a description of the shooting, Mrs. Smock was described as “fair of face.” Mr. Cheuvront was described as a “citizen of good character, inoffensive and peaceable,” and “very deaf.”
The Kansas City Journal reported on August 11th that “Druggist Smock, who killed M. L. Cheuvront at Shelbina, Mo., because his wife said he followed her, has been refused bail and remanded to jail to await the action of the grand jury. Public sentiment is strongly against Smock.”
A summary of the trial of Mr. Smock and the outcome is written in the book, General history of Shelby County, Missouri, published by Henry Taylor & Co., 1911:
“Mr. Smock took change of venue and his case was tried in Macon county, December, 1897. J. H. Whitecotton, of Paris, Mo., was leading attorney for the defense and Prosecuting Attorney Cleek had valuable assistance. A good many witnesses were sworn on both sides. The state sought to prove that Mr. Cheuvront was a man of unquestionable christian and moral character. The jury hung after a hard fight on both sides, four standing solidly and determinedly for conviction. The trial was taken up again at the Macon Circuit court and all the witnesses re-examined, and the defendant found guilty of manslaughter and punishment fixed at six months in jail and a fine of $100. The Macon Times-Democrat said this among other things concerning the verdict: "The verdict is an outrage upon this community and it is just such mockery as this that disgusts the people with juries and courts and causes them to take the law into their own hands and mete out justice."
Tol Smock ended up with a lenient six month sentence for murdering Marshall Lloyd Cheuvront, but his story didn’t end happily. He committed suicide on July 20, 1921, by swallowing carbolic acid poison. His occupation listed on his death certificate was Physician and Druggist.
Apparently the use of carbolic acid as a means to commit suicide was a problem in the early 1900s as documented by this interesting news article from 1904:
Sources and More Info:
Internet Archive, Ebooks and Texts Archive, The Library of Congress, General history of Shelby County, Missouri:
http://www.archive.org/details/generalhistoryof00bing
Library of Congress Chronicling America, Historic American Newspapers:
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/
Missouri Digital Heritage, Missouri State Archives, Missouri Death Certificates:
http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/resources/deathcertificates/
Thursday, January 5, 2012
Politics Never Really Changes
Political Cartoon from The Tacoma Times, December 21, 1903
This political cartoon, from 1903, reminded me a little bit of this year's election campaign with all the candidates that have come and gone. In this cartoon the various factions are building up a potential candidate in snow, but soon he'll be melted away by the Sun. The characters are: the Southern Republican, the Ohio Republican, the anti-administration Republican, Wall Street, Snowman (Hanna) and the Sun (Roosevelt). The artist was NEA (National Enterprise Association) cartoonist Robert W. Satterfield. I saw it in the the Tacoma Times, December 21, 1904, on the Library of Congress Historical Newspaper Collection website.
I don't know that much about the 1904 election, but read that Ohio Senator Mark Hanna was a potential candidate against incumbent Republican President Teddy Roosevelt. Some members of the Republican party considered TR too radical and wanted Hanna as the candidate. Hanna died in February 1904 and ultimately wasn't able to participate in the election.
Mark Hanna photographed in 1896 by W. J. Root from wikipedia
A search of the term "Hanna Boom" brought forth the following article from the publication The Country Gentlemen, Albany, New York, Volume 69, January 21, 1904, page 65:
"Review of Passing Events
The leading political event of the week was the emergence of the Hanna boom. Such a boom has been known to exist for some time subterraneously, its object being to make Sen. Hannah instead of President Roosevelt the presidential nominee of the next Republican convention. Senator Hanna has denied strenuously that any such boom was under way; but last week one of his supporters was brought to admit that while in no sense a candidate for the nomination, if duty calls and the rank and file of the party desire him to become a candidate, Senator Hanna will waive his personal feelings in the matter and permit his friends to nominate him. Of course the call of duty may not be sufficiently urgent to interfere with Pres. Roosevelt's program; but the senator, as a practical politician is apt to do considerable preliminary sounding, and if he hears the call, he will undoubtedly mean business.
While the Republicans appear to have more candidates than they need, the Democrats are still engaged in an uncertain search for presidential timber. Many of those who turned toward Mr. Cleveland at the first are now inclined to fix their hopes on Mr. Richard Olney of Massachusetts, who was Cleveland's Atty. Gen. and Secretary of State. The radical wing of the party still have Mr. Bryan, whose return from Europe with fresh oratorical laurels and new ideas has been made the vacation of several rallies in New York City. Then there is William R. Hearst, proprietor of the New York American and other such newspapers, who is laboring industriously to stretch his neck to the presidential height, and who is said to be setting up a complete newspaper outfit in St. Louis, where the Democratic nominating convention is to be held July 6, in order to exercise his journalistic charms upon the delegates at close range."
Sources and Further Reading:
Cartoon Source:
Library of Congress, Chronicling America, Historic American Newspapers website:
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/
See more Teddy Roosevelt cartoons in the book, T. R. In Cartoon, Collected and Edited by Raymond Gros:
http://www.archive.org/details/trincartoongros00raymrich
Read more on the 1904 election and Senator Mark Hanna:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_1904
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Hanna
This political cartoon, from 1903, reminded me a little bit of this year's election campaign with all the candidates that have come and gone. In this cartoon the various factions are building up a potential candidate in snow, but soon he'll be melted away by the Sun. The characters are: the Southern Republican, the Ohio Republican, the anti-administration Republican, Wall Street, Snowman (Hanna) and the Sun (Roosevelt). The artist was NEA (National Enterprise Association) cartoonist Robert W. Satterfield. I saw it in the the Tacoma Times, December 21, 1904, on the Library of Congress Historical Newspaper Collection website.
I don't know that much about the 1904 election, but read that Ohio Senator Mark Hanna was a potential candidate against incumbent Republican President Teddy Roosevelt. Some members of the Republican party considered TR too radical and wanted Hanna as the candidate. Hanna died in February 1904 and ultimately wasn't able to participate in the election.
Mark Hanna photographed in 1896 by W. J. Root from wikipedia
A search of the term "Hanna Boom" brought forth the following article from the publication The Country Gentlemen, Albany, New York, Volume 69, January 21, 1904, page 65:
"Review of Passing Events
The leading political event of the week was the emergence of the Hanna boom. Such a boom has been known to exist for some time subterraneously, its object being to make Sen. Hannah instead of President Roosevelt the presidential nominee of the next Republican convention. Senator Hanna has denied strenuously that any such boom was under way; but last week one of his supporters was brought to admit that while in no sense a candidate for the nomination, if duty calls and the rank and file of the party desire him to become a candidate, Senator Hanna will waive his personal feelings in the matter and permit his friends to nominate him. Of course the call of duty may not be sufficiently urgent to interfere with Pres. Roosevelt's program; but the senator, as a practical politician is apt to do considerable preliminary sounding, and if he hears the call, he will undoubtedly mean business.
While the Republicans appear to have more candidates than they need, the Democrats are still engaged in an uncertain search for presidential timber. Many of those who turned toward Mr. Cleveland at the first are now inclined to fix their hopes on Mr. Richard Olney of Massachusetts, who was Cleveland's Atty. Gen. and Secretary of State. The radical wing of the party still have Mr. Bryan, whose return from Europe with fresh oratorical laurels and new ideas has been made the vacation of several rallies in New York City. Then there is William R. Hearst, proprietor of the New York American and other such newspapers, who is laboring industriously to stretch his neck to the presidential height, and who is said to be setting up a complete newspaper outfit in St. Louis, where the Democratic nominating convention is to be held July 6, in order to exercise his journalistic charms upon the delegates at close range."
Sources and Further Reading:
Cartoon Source:
Library of Congress, Chronicling America, Historic American Newspapers website:
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/
See more Teddy Roosevelt cartoons in the book, T. R. In Cartoon, Collected and Edited by Raymond Gros:
http://www.archive.org/details/trincartoongros00raymrich
Read more on the 1904 election and Senator Mark Hanna:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_presidential_election,_1904
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Hanna
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