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There is no evidence that iconic 19th century American authors Walt Whitman and Louisa May Alcott ever met… But… In later years, it is very likely they had heard of each other, to include shared experiences as volunteer nurses in Continue reading
It certainly was an “oddity.” Two Winfield Scotts running for President. Winfield Scott, Consummate General Winfield Scott (1786-1866), arguably the country’s first professional soldier, was born to be a general, despite his William and Mary education and a law degree. Continue reading
Medical knowledge was still hit-and-miss in the early 19th century, but both Dolley Madison and Louisa Adams had the good fortune to have Dr. Physick treat their serious problems. The Good Doctor Physick Philip Syng Physick (1768-1837) was born to Continue reading
President Grant had just won his second term. Inaugural Balls in General When George Washington took his first oath of office in New York City, in 1789, it was a solemn occasion. His wife Martha did not arrive for another Continue reading
Poetry often evokes emotional memory, and I am old enough to remember when it was an important part of a grade school curriculum. We were taught to recite lines of poetry from memory even in the fourth grade. I can Continue reading
April 15, 1945 When Franklin D. Roosevelt died in Warm Springs GA, only six weeks after his unprecedented fourth inaugural, it was a shock to the world. Those who knew FDR more intimately, knew well that he had battled infirmity Continue reading
Women in the Arts Art, to include music and literature with all its sub-sections, has been an acceptable venue for women – for centuries. But always (with exceptions) as a pastime. A hobby. For every Elizabeth Vigee Lebrun, court painter Continue reading
Spoiler alert: Andrew and Rachel Jackson had no children of their own… Plus… Andrew Jackson had no blood relatives of his own. Two months before Andy was born, his father died. His mother and two older brothers had all died Continue reading
Lincoln and the Fair Sex Abraham Lincoln had comparatively little personal involvement with women or even young girls. His mother died when he was nine. His sister Sarah, older by two years, died in childbirth at age twenty. While Continue reading
The Great Little Madison Many historians include numerous worthies in the category of “Founding Fathers,” i.e. those men in mid-eighteenth century America who rose to prominence as the country established itself as a sovereign nation. Patrick Henry, Samuel Adams, George Continue reading