WASHTENAW COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY - Founded December 17, 1857 MARCH 1984
WASBTENAW IMPRESSIONS
ARGUS CAMERA, SPECIAL SPADE, TEA CUPS, POT, YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS CAN
DRESSES, CITY DIRECTORIES GIVEN T,o WCHS MAKE HISTORY, BRING
Several gifts have been flowers and gold and a silver-glazed :THEM TO MARCH MEETING
presented to the Society this year tea pot which belonged to long-time You can give some of your pho-
and been displayed at meetings or Ann Arbor resident Grace Rash were tographs of Washtenaw County
elsewhere but not yet mentioned given by her nephew, John Allison. people, places and events a place in
here. Many thanks, donors. - A circa 1880 gray taffeta history by bringing them to be copied
A circa 1940 Argus camera and wedding gown which belonged to at the Sunday, March 11, WCHS
flash in original box was presented the great-aunt of the late Adelaide meeting at 2:30 p.m. at the American
by Cal Foster, retired long-time Rueger, a k>cal teacher, was given Legion.
employe, who previously gave us a by the Thrift Shop, courtesy of Mrs. Sam Breck of Ann Arbor will
collection of printed materials about Robert Goldsmith and Mrs. George copy and return the photos then and
the company. Hall. there, free of charge. Copy negatives
A ceremonial spade used An unusual open-work braid will be placed on file at Bentley
November 3, 1962 by Keeve Siegel at , dress of the early 1900's, displayed Library on the U-M North Campus.
groundbreaking for Conductron at "A Century of Fashion" last fall, There they will be part of the Michi-
Corporation, one of Ann Arbor's first was given I5y JanetWolfe White, a gan Historical Collections available
high technology firms, was pre- former neighbor of WCHS Treasurer to researchers.
sented by James Parker in memory Elizabeth Dusseau . Each person may bring up to
of a friend, Owen Sutherland, a part- Ronald D. Dosher of the Ann ten unframed black-and-white or
ner of Siegels. The firm moved away Arbor Credit Bureau gave us a col- color photographs no larger than 11
about 1970 but the building still lection of old city directories which by 14 inches. IMPORTANT: Each
stands on Plymouth Road. have been placed on loan to the re- picture must be accompanied by a
source center at Kempf House 3 by 5 inch card, typed or clearly
A set of six white tea cups and where the public may use them . written, listing names (left to right),
saucers, with a border of pink. I
place, date, occasion and signifi-
HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS cance - in other words give as
Chelsea Historical Society: to be announced. Call 426-4839. much information as you can about
7:30 p.m. second Monday, McKune Ypsilanti Historical SOCiety: it.
Memorial Library, 221 South Main. Museum, 220 North Huron, open 2-4 He cannot copy slides or "silk-
Chelsea will be celebrating its 150th p.m. Friday-Sunday. Special small finish" prints. He will make introduc-
anniversary this summer. exhibit ott'iffany vases and Tiffany- tory remarks about the value and
Dexter Historical SOCiety: Elev- type window and lamps by local care of photos for historical pur-
enth annual craft fair with about 60 craftsman, a Mr. McCollum. poses, also how to copy and store
demonstrators, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sat- them.
urday, March 17, in Dexter High
School gym. Luncheon, bake sale ."
~ . :-::- ~ ~. . .
DUFF GIFT WILL HELP
WITH LOCAL HISTORY
by Heritage Guild. New demonstra- Last fall it was announced the
tors include-makers of Nantucket SECOND EXHIBIT DEBUTS
Society Board voted to give a $100
baskets, violins, wood inlay, porce- A second traveling exhibit of memorial gift to Bentley Library in
lain dolls and a Victorian hair "what's it?" items from the WCHS honor of the late Lela Duff, author of
weaver. Admission, $1, adult; chil- collections has been put together by Ann Arbor Yesterdays, to microfilm
dren K-12, 50~. Brad Taylor and President Patricia the Washtenaw Tribune.
Manchester Historical Society: Austin. It is now being tried out at Since the Tribune has already
8 p.m. third Monday, Schneider Ann Arbor's Angell School and will been microfilmed the Board will
Blacksmith Shop museum. March be available to other schools. For authorize the library to use the gift
19, Manchester history 1920-1960. information call Mrs. Austin at 663- "for some project involving preser-
Milan Historical SOCiety: 7:30 5281. vation of materials documenting the
p.m. third Wednesday, Hack House, history of the county."
775 County Street. AUTOMOTIVE HISTORIAN
Northfield Historical Society:
Tom Hennings, Eastern Michigan
WILL SPEAK IN APRIL ~.IJ~~m!1
University English professor, and A noted Michigan historian, BRAUN APPOINTED
his committee are busily preparing George S. May, author and editOr of
an illustrated history of the town- several volumes on Michigan and WCHS member David C. Braun
ship they hope to have ready this automotive history, will speak at the has been appOinted to fill out the
summer. Sunday, April 8, WCHS meeting on term of Bradley Taylor, on the Board
Webster Historical Society: the development of the auto of Directors. The term expires in
Meet first Monday, time and place industry. June.
AMERICAN COOKBOOK HISTORY which became baking powder -
Jan Longone Brings It to WO!~~'s Attention pearlash, a staple in households
taken from the from the fire ash, as
Jan and Dan Longone's Cakes from the Imperial Plum a chemical leavening. All quick
recent exhibition of American to Plain Cake - Adapted to This cakes come from this.
cooking and wine books at the Country and All Classes of The next important American
U-M's Clements library was Life. cookbook was Mary Randolph's
the first ever such exhibition "tvfany times the title was big- The Virginia Housewife, 1824. It's
anywhere, Mrs. Longone said ger than the book in those days. the first regional American cookery
in introducing her talk at the There are five known copies in exis- book. One of the few first edition
February WCHS meeting. tence," she said, "one in Clements." copies in existence is at Clements.
There is growing interest "No onw knows who the auth- It mentions catfish, okra, gum-
in American food history, she or, Amelia Simmons, was except bo and barbecued shoat (a fat young
said. She gets requests for she tells us she was an American hog).
information from all over the orphan and people pick on her be- The first COOKbOOK written by a
world, the last being from Eth- cause sh~'~_~r'I orphan." Black appeared in 1827 but it's not a
iopia. ' very "Black" cookbook. The author,
NOTORIOIJS SWeET TOOTH
Their Catalogue, really a Robert Roberts, was the maitre 'd'
.history, of American cook- and From time immemorial people have in the household of Governor and
wine books, prepared for the commented that Americans have a Senator Gore of Massachusetts.
sweet tooth th~l nobody_else has. One
exhibit, !Jas be~.D called aJand, - (jf my -favorite quOtes about this is by
- Thlfbl)Ok, Tlfe House SetVant's Di-
mark study by James Beard, an Englishman named Charles rectory, is believed to have been
who was first to call and con- Latrobe, later governor·general of Aus· used by leading caterers and house-
gratulate them. tralia, who v~sited Ai'nerlca in the hold managers.
He did an article about it, 1830's. By about 1830 you begin to get
which, judging from her mail, He wrote, "No where is the stomach famous woman writers and several
appeared in about a hundred of the traveler or visitor put in such popular themes emerged - econ-
newspapers all over the constant peril as among the cake· omy and frugality, household man-
country. inventive housewives and daughters agement or domestic economy, pre-
Mrs. Longonefoundedthe of New England. Such is the universal occupation with baking and des-
attention paid to this particular
Ann Arbor Wine and Food li- branch of epicurlsm in these states
serts, and perhaps surprisingly, veg-
brary ten years ago. One of that I greatly suspect that some of the etarianism, diet and health, she ~aid.
only three such in the world, Pilgrim fathers must have come over Not many books were pub-
it is both a library or collection to this country with a cookery book lished during the Civil War but after-
and a bookshop in her home, under one arm and the Bible under the ward three astonishing thin·jJs hap-
conducted by mail or appoint- other." Jan Longone pened. Charity cookbooks, starting
mentonly. as fund raisers for veterans or any-
There was not a cookbook Mrs. Longone read Miss Sim- one damaged by the war, swept the
physically printed in the United mon's disclaimer, a favorite quota- country.
States until 1742. A Williams- tion: "One of the reasons for this
burg printer, William Park, ''The Author. of American Cookery, talk and the exhibit has to do with
published Eliza Smith's The not having an education sufficient the fact that I was asked to give a
Complete Housewife or Ac- to prepare the work for the press, lecture at Oxford University on the
complished Gentlewoman's the person that was employed by history of American cookbooks in a
Companion that year, a British her and entrusted with the receipts seminar about world cookbooks.
book first publ1shedin-london to prepare them-f-er publication, with - - --- "There-were peopte-there from
in 1727. ' a design to impose on her and injure every corner of the world. People
"It was not until 1796, the sale of this book, did omit seve- spoke on the most esoteric subjects
after the Revolution, that a ral articles, very essential in some of - Arab trade patents of the fourth
cookbook was printed in Amer- the receipts, and placed others in century, Indonesian highland cook-
ica, written by an American. their stead which were highly injur- ing. Everybody there understood all
One,of the most interest- ious to them, without her consent." that.
ing and scarce English cook- "It was the first time in history "I got up and read the titie of
books published in this any recipes were printed using corn~ this book, a regional American cook-
country, The Frugal Housewife, meal. Corn is indigenous to the new book published in Cleveland in 1842,
by Susanna Carter, printed in world. This book contains five reci- Philomelia Pardon'S Everybody's
. Boston in 1772, had copper pes using cornmeal - three for In- Cook and Receipt Book, More Parti-
plates by Paul Revere. dian pudding, one for johnny or hoe cularly Designed for Buckeyes,
The first American cook- cake and one for Indian slapjacks. Hoosiers, Wolverines, Corn Crack-
book was entitled American "She also mentions cranberry ers, Suckers and All Epicures Who
Cookery or the Art of Dressing sauce and turkey, both indigenous Wish to Live at the Present Time. "
Viands, Fish, Poultry, Vegeta- to the new world, and using water- Mrs. Longone also mentioned spi-
bles and the Best Modes of melon to make American citron be- ders and johnny cake.
Making Pastes, Puffs, Pies, _ Icause she couldn't get citron." "My husband was in the audi-
Tarts, Puddings, Custards and Most importantly she men- ence and the whole time, everybody
PreseNes and All Kinds of tioned use of a chemical substance was going 'What is she talking
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about?, " He said her talk was the ana decorated by women. The first giving should be made a national
most foreign of all. electric kitchen and first gas kitchen holiday in the hope of it having a '
"The Kentucky Housewife, in history were displayed. healing effect.
1839, I think is one of America's fin- A beautiful art nouveau cook- Eliza Leslie's books "are among
est cookbooks. There is a book book was put out by the lady mana- the most elegant ever written. She
called Miss Pound's Carolina Cook- gers at the fair. The book was wrote reCipes for cornmeal that are
book, and the first cookbook pub- offered in cheap, middle price and absolutely spectacular - 200 reci-
lished in the "west," Table Receipts deluxe editions with proceeds help- pes for cookies, cakes, waffles us-
Adapted to Western Housewifery, ing women attend who coul,dn't ing cornmeal that you could use to-
New Albany, Indiana. have otherwise. day.
Before 1914 there is a record of The depression and wars What's American Cooking?
3,000 charity cookbooks that were brought about their own iiterature, HERE'S MARK TWAIN'S IDEA
published in the U.S. I, myself, have and of course, we mustn't forget
the great waves of immigration. Mrs. Longone's answer to a fre-
held in my hand another 3,000 such quent question, "Is there such a thing
books never reported. If I could only The first generation had cookbooks as American cooking?" is a quote
speak at every historical society in in their native tongue with recipes. from Mark Twain, who after touring
the country we could probably make A 19th century Danish cookbook Europe in 1878 wrote: '
it five or six times as many. had reCipes for johnny cake, New "It has now been many months at
"If you have any charity cook- England clam chowder and baked the present writing since I have had a
books, while you may not want to beans. nourishing meai, but I shall have one
part with them, please call me and The next generation cookbooks a modes,t private affair, all to myself. '
"I have selected a few' dishes and
let me record the names for r . . -ter- would be in English with a mix of
American and old country reCipes made out a little bill of fare, which will
ity."
and by the-third generation they go home in the steamer that precedes
The second thing is that with me and be hot when I arrive home, as
industrialization, companies intro- were trying to teach them about old follows:
ducing baking powder, stoves and country food. "Radishes, baked apples with
other new equipment began to pub- Before 1920 the following na- cream, fried oysters, stewed oysters,
lish pamphlets. In 1900 the Jello tionalities had published cookbooks frogs, American butter, American cof-
company published 15 million in America, either in their own lan- fee with real cream, fried chicken,
pamphlets. guage or English - Chinese, Japa- southern-style, porterhouse steak,
nese, Jewish, Bohemian, Austro- Saratoga potatoes (chips), chicken
iJ.~~~O
Hungarian, Polish, French, German, American-style, hot biscuits, south:
Central American, South American, ern-style, hot wheat bread southern-
Italian, Mexican, Spanish, Greek, style, hot buckwheat cakes, American
toast, clear maple syrup, Virginia
Norwegian, Danish, Swedish, Fin- bacon, bluepoints on the half-shell
nish, Dutch and Belgian. cherrystone clams, San Franclsc~
"The nineteenth century was mussel soup, oyster soup, ciam soup,
dominated by the most remarkable Philadelphia terrapin soup, oysters
group of women I have ever had the roasted In the shell, northern-style
pleasure to read about. They wrote soft-shell crab, Connecticut shad
cookbooks, they were active in anti- Baltimore perch, brook trout fro~
slavery and temperance, suffrage, Sierra Nevada, lake trout from Tahoe
women's education, child welfare, sheepshead and croakers from Ne~
farm problems, widows, orphans, Orleans, black bass from the Missi-
ssippi, American roast beef, roast
sailor's wives, working conditions turkey Thanksgiving-style, cranberry
, -jList everything you can imagine. sauce, Boston bacon and beans
Their books went through as succotash (an American indlgenou;
many as 83 editions. Some of the dish invented by Indians), potatoes
writers were Lydia Maria Child, Sara roasted In ashes southern-style,
Josepha Hale, Eliza Leslie and Cath- peach cobbler, apple pie, apple frit-
erine Beecher. ters, all sorts of American pastry,
, Mrs. Child (no relation to Julia) . pumpkin and squash pie (both indi-
The third post-Civil War develop- author of The American Frugal genous) and fresh American fruits of
ment was cooking schools formed Housewife, was a very active anti- all sorts, including strawberries which
all over - Boston, New York, Phila- slavery personality and southerners are not be doled out as if they were
delphia, Chicago, Cincinnati. jewelry, and ice water, not prepared in
quit buying her book. Wendell Phil-
"Also we have a lot of national the ineffectual goblet but in the sin-
lips, the noted abOlitionist, spoke at c:ere and capable refrigerator,"
magazines and the wonderful 1893 her funeral and wrote an appendix
World's Fair. Godey's Lady's Book, "We had a press reception at
to a volume of her letters, published
founded in 1830, was most influen- Clements. Among the foods I served
posthumously. John Greenleaf was a butter cooky make with corn-
tial. There was Harper's Bazaar, Whittier wrote the introduction.
1866, and Woman's Home Compan- meal taken by James Beard from
"Mrs. Hale was editor of God- Miss Leslie. It was a hit.
, ion, 1873. These had many refer- ey's for 40 years. She wrote 'Mary
ences to cooking. Catherine Beecher was of the
Had a little Lamb' - I always hate family of,the Reverend Lyman '
The 1893 World's Fair had a to tell people that because that's all
woman's building for the first time Beecher, the Reverend Henry Ward
they rememb~r. She persuaded Ab- Beecher and a sister of Harriet \
in history. It was entirely d~sig~.ed raham Lincoln in 1~6~that Thanks-
'", Beecher Stowe, who wrote Uncle
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Tom's Cabin. The sisters together "They come here the moment pean grapes and those who wanted
wrote half a dozen cookbooks. they're engaged, Miss Farmer tells to grow American.
. Juliet Corso - founded the New me, and you see they do the work CHELSEA PICKS HEPBURN
York Cooking School. Then we had themselves, prepare the lunch, take
the famous Boston Cooking School turns serving it and eat." Max Hepburn is the new presi-
where Mary Johnson Lincoln was The wine section of the exhibit dent of Chelsea Historical Society,
the first principal, then Fannie and book were dom by Mrs. Long- and his wife, Marge, vice-president.
Farmer. one's husband, Dan, a professor of Lynda Longe is secretary and
Fannie Farmer's cookbook was chemistry at the University of Mich- Angela Smith, treasurer.
probably the most printed in history. igan.
Since it appeared in 1896 it's gone While Mrs. Longone had to WEBSTER OFFICERS NAMED
through 12 editions, 70 printings and choose from thousands of books, Jim Parker was re-elected pres-
~old over 3 million copies. he had no such trouble. Very few ident of Webster Historical Society.
A man who traveled in America wine books were published in nine- Marjorie Smyth is vice-president,
in 1910 wrote in a French-language teenth century America. Almost all Dr. Karl Grube, secretary, and Mrs.
book, now translated: of them were in the display. Linda Oberto, treasurer. Trustees
"The second school I saw was - .. One book was written by a are Paul Kleinschmidt, May Mast
a cooking school. A woman rented a Swiss named Dupore, who as a and Vida McCray-Gardner. Gloria
few rooms in some house or other, child read accounts of French sol- Brigham is program chairman;
had a luxurious brochure printed on diers helping the brave Americans Kathy Vigue, ways and means;
i - Holland-type paper;-and voila--= -a- a
- .dur-i-n.g the Revoftltion-:::,-"rhey s- 1d-' - --Unoa ehapman, blacksmittfshop;
new school. everything was wonderful about Mrs. Agnes Sullivan, membership;
"The director, Miss Farmer, is America except the wine was ter- and Parker, history.
a lady' in her 40's, very lively, fair rible. _ . ,_
with gOld-framed gleaming glasses He decided to go to America GSWCWILL HEAR
on her nose, a pretty little lace cap and devote his life to making good BURTON LIBRARIAN
on her head, a bodice of white pique wine there. He traveled to every cor-
and white apron. ·ner of the US, visited Jefferson's Joe Oldenburg of the Burton
"She explained her system vineyards, and went as far as the Historical Collections at the Detroit
which Is very Simple. Irish girls ar- Mississippi river. Public Library will speak at the Gen-
rived from their homeland, knowing He settled in Kentucky and ealogy Society of Washtenaw
nothing, seeking a Situation, for the tried to grow European grapes there. County meeting at 1:30 p.m. Sunday,
.sum of $3 6r $4 Miss Farmer has Th~t failed and he moved to Vevay, March 25 in Hale Auditorium in the
them Into the kitchen for two weeks Indiana, named for a wine city in U-M School of Business Administra-
and they come out cooks. SWitzerland, where they still grow tion, Tappan and Hill Streets, Ann
"She also teaches them to wait grapes. Arbor, His topic is "Genealogy
at tables, Instructs them In clean She then showed some original Through Documents."
teeth, neat nails, tidy hair and how and facsimile examples of early GSWC will conduct workshops
to pick up table crumbs. But the books, including Dr. Chase's Reci- from 9:30 a.m.-noon Saturday,
school was founded to teach middle pes or Information for Everyone, March 24, at Manchester High
and upper class girls how to do their Published In many editions in Ann School, and 7-9 p.m. Tuesday, March
own cooking and run a house. Arbor and elsewhere. 27, at the Chelsea Senior Citizens'
"They enroll in groups of eight "He was the most important Center.
which makes a class. They pay $1 or author, maybe in all nineteenth cen-
$1.50 a lesson. There are six courses tury America. His building at Miller Editor: Alice Ziegler, 663·8826
- -consistlng -of-10 lessons-eaeh~+saw-:- ._anciMainJn.AnD~r.9.PLstiJlstaAds __ Keylining: Anna Thorsch
Mal fin~Karei'-M ufp1ly;~65-.5844 -
these girls putting on their caps and and he is buried in Forest Hill Ce-
Published monthly September through May
aprons as they arrive. They seemed metery. except December and January
to be having great fun playing "There was a big fight between
housekeeper. those who wanted to grow Euro-
Non·Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
WASHTENAW COUNTY PAID
HISTORICAL SOCIETY Permit No. 96
Ann Arbor. Mich.
MEETING
2:30 P.M. SUNDAY
March 11, 1984
AMERICAN LEGION
1035 South Main \ Susan Wineberg
Ann Arbor, Michigan . 311 E. Ann, #1
\ Ann Arbor, Ml 48104
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