A Little Taste Of History (15)

Topic: Important Men of NYC #2

Burchard, Samuel Dickinson: (1812-91). An American Presbyterian clergyman, born in Steuben, N.Y. He graduated at Centre College in 1836, and soon became prominent in Kentucky as an anti-slavery and temperance lecturer. He became pastor of the Houston Street Presbyterian Church in New York City in 1839, and of the Murray Hill Church in 1879, but in 1885 he withdrew from active work, and became pastor emeritus. On October 29, 1884, toward the end of the bitter Blaine-Cleveland Presidential campaign, he was the spokesman of a large party of clergymen of all denominations, who waited upon Blaine at the Fifth Avenue Hotel in New York City to assure him of their support. Toward the end of his generally temperate address, he characterized the Democratic Party as the party of "Rum, Romanism, and Rebellion." This unfortunate alliteration, which Blaine did not at the time take the pains to repudiate, was immediately made use of by the Democrats as campaign material. The words were printed on leaflets which were spread broadcast among the voters, flaring placards, ringing endless changes on the letters "R.R.R.," were exhibited in all the large cities, and the Democratic press persistently attributed the sentiment to Blaine himself and charged him with being a rabid anti-Catholic. It is generally believed that the phrase alienated enough Catholic voters in New York State alone, where the Democratic majority was only 1047 votes, to turn the national election, which hinged on the electoral vote of New York, to Cleveland.

Damrosch, Frank: (1859---)A prominent American musician, son of Leopold Damrosch. He was born in Breslau. At first a clerk in a music store in Denver, he later drilled the chorus in the German opera in New York, which his father conducted. In 1892 he organized the People's Singing Classes in New York. Of these, now numbering about 1500 members, the more advanced form the People's Choral Union. They are most important factors in popularizing music, and their annual concerts are of a high artistic order. Damrosch also became conductor of the Oratorio society, Symphony Society, president of the Musical Arts Society, and supervisor of music in the public schools of New York City.

Damrosch, Leopold: (1832-85) A German-American musician, violinist, composer, and conductor, born in Posen, Prussia. His parents chose the profession of medicine for him, and after graduating at the University of Berlin he returned to Posen to practice; but his passionate love of music, which he had continued to study incidentally, prevailed, and in 1854 he abandoned medicine for the study of counterpoint and composition under Hubert, Ries, and Dehn. In 1855 he started out as a concert violinist in Magdeburg; became acquainted with Liszt, and under his influence began to write for the Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik. He was director in Posen and in Breslau, and in 1871 came to New York as director of the Arion Society. The credit of firmly establishing choral organizations in New York belongs entirely to Damrosch. He founded the Oratorio Society (1873) and the Symphony Society (1877), and organized several large musical festivals. All these played a most important part in the musical life of New York City. But the most brilliant achievement of his life was the successful establishment, in 1884, of German opera in New York City, at the Metropolitan Opera House, notwithstanding the obvious difficulties of the undertaking. Among the operas given, Fidelio, Tannhauser, Lohengrin, and Die Walkure were the most important as comparative novelties. He died in New York, and imposing funeral services were held in the Opera House. His works comprise several cantatas, a festival overture, beside violin concertos and songs. (14)

Sources Utilized to Document A Little Taste Of History

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Chit-Chat Over Coffee Swirls (16)

Topic: The Gold Rush

In 1848, a Swiss trader by the name of John Sutter, who was the owner of over 18,000 sheep, oxen, horses and cows, was living quite comfortably on his large land grant in the Sacramento Valley. According to historical facts,on January 24, Sutter hired a carpenter by the name of James Marshall, to help build a sawmill, Sutter's Mill, on the American River. There Marshall discovered grains of gold. Sutter's workers quit to look for gold and before long, word got out and other local gold seekers squatted on his land, ruining Sutter within a few years. Territorial governor R.B. Mason reported that there was enough gold in the country drained by the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers to pay for the Mexican War a hundred times over and that up to $50,000 in gold was being taken every day. President Polk addressed this issue in his message to Congress on December 5, 1848. Soon every one had gold fever and the gold rush was on. San Francisco's waterfront area was notorious for its brothels, bars and gambling houses. In 1849 It was named the Barbary Coast. By 1850 San Francisco was a bustling city of 25,000 and California became a state. By 1853 San Francisco had a population of 50,000.

The gold rush to California attracted immigrants from every part of the world. Much of America's workforce twas on the east coast, and before long the workers left the factories and industries to seek their fortunes out west. Everyone was looking for a piece of the action as America expanded. Steamship companies, railroad companies, state immigration bureaus, as well as industrial firms and private enterprises, turned to workers in Europe. Ruthless businessmen hired unscrupulous agents to work on commission. They were sent to Europe with a collection of enticing pamphlets, advertisements, drawings and pictures. "Remember promise them anything, just get them over here. There's big bucks in it for you."

After the California gold rush, gold and silver began to be discovered in large quantities in Colorado, Nevada, and Montana, then elsewhere in the West, and finally in Alaska. In 1877 prospector Ed Schieffelin made a major gold discovery in Tombstone, Arizona. It is said that he called the site Tombstone because soldiers scouting the Apache had told him if he went off prospecting alone in this Indian country all he would find would be his own tombstone. By 1881, 7,000 people lived in this boom town of shacks, tents, saloons, and dance halls where feuds were common. Boot Hill was the name given to Tombstone, Arizona's cemetery, because those that were buried here, died with their boots on, as a result of the frequent violent confrontations between the ethnic groups.

Then there was the Klondike/Yukon/Alaskan gold rush which started in August 17, 1896, when George Carmack, his Indian wife, and their relatives discovered a large quantity of gold in the gravel of a creek three miles from Dawson; he then named the creek Bonanza (it's a tributary of the Klondike and Yukon Rivers in the Yukon territory of Canada.

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Table Of Contents : Mimi Speaks Blog

There are many people who love to read blogs, but just don't have the time to waste, or are in the mood to go through it's entire contents trying to find something that may be of interest to them. Usually when people approach a blog, they like to go quickly from one thing to the next. As for actually reading the text, there is little evidence of that unless the subject matter should catch their eye, then it becomes worthwhile.

Since my blog was started in 2007, there have been postings of 201 tid-bits of information, which talk about history, life situations, goals and success. So my dear reader, for your benefit, I am making every attempt to improve the navigation to this treasure trove of information as quickly as possible. For this purpose I have created a table of contents divided by categories, for easy accessing. However if there is something that may catch your eye, I suggest you find yourself a comfortable chair, and while you're at it, grab a steaming hot cup of coffee and a bagel with cream cheese and you'll be all set to settle down for a while. So happy reading.

MAIN DIRECTORY

Table of Contents (2)

(A. ) Getting To Know Mimi (B.) N.Y.C. History (C.) East Harlem
(D.) Spanish Harlem (E.) Black Harlem (F.) New York State

Table of Contents (3)
(G.) Chit-Chat Over Coffee Swirls

Table of Contents (4)
(H.) Jewish Knowledge (I) Self-Improvement (J) Historical Facts On England & United States

Table of Contents (5)
(K) Miscellaneous (L) Timetables (M) Ethnic Groups (N) Legal Talk
(O) Entertainment: Backward Glances (P) Immigration

Table of Contents (6)
(Q) Women__Bio Sketches, Feminine Fancies, Recipes, Kitchen Talk.
(R) Worship

Table of Contents (7)
(S) A Little Taste of History

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Contact: miriammedina@earthlink.net

A Little Taste of History (14)

Topic: Early Banks of New York City #1

The Citizens' Savings Bank
The Citizens' Savings Bank, of 56 and 58 Bowery, at the corner of Canal Street, one of the most notable institutions of the kind in the City of New York, is in a sense the creation of its President, Mr. Edward A. Quintard. It may at least be said that he has made the history of the bank what it is. Its two highest executive offices he has successively occupied during the long period of thirty-five years, having been its Vice-President from the date of the organization of the institution in 1860, to 1867, while since 1869 he has been its President. The Citizens' Savings Bank is one of the double column" financial institutions, its assets on January 1, 1897, being $12,747,153.09. The total number of accounts which had been opened at the same date were 236,184. Of these 7,575 were new accounts for the year 1896.

The Bank of New Amsterdam
Organized in 1891 under the State Banking Act, the Bank of New Amsterdam has been successful from its inception. It is located in the Metropolitan Opera House, northwest corner of Broadway and Thirty-ninth Street, and transacts a general business, being a leading depository for business family, and personal accounts of that wealthy district. The bank is provided with every facility, has a special department for ladies issues letters of credit to travelers in all parts of Europe, and gives its depositors all the discount facilities consistent with sound banking. It does an extensive business in Eastern Exchange, and has correspondents in all the principal cities. Mr. Frank Tilford became President of the Bank of New Amsterdam on July 7, 1896, at which time the average deposits were about $1,500,000. On November 3, 1898, the average deposits were $3,500,000 with surplus and profits of $376,000, which shows a very large increase in its business.

The German Savings Bank
In the City of New York, of which Hon. Philip Bissinger has been President since 1864, is among the most notable financial institutions in the United States. At present writing its total resources reach the aggregate sum of more than $44,000,000, while the number of its open accounts is 93,000. Principally through the activity of Mr. Bissinger, the bank was organized in 1859 by twenty-five incorporators. The bank was organized in the belief that the growing tide of German immigration afforded an opening for a German savings institution. This judgment was vindicated at once, for at the end of its first year of existence the bank could boast of 1,873 depositors and deposits amounting to $259,954.87. (16)

Sources Utilized to Document A Little Taste Of History

Contact: miriammedina@earthlink.net or miriam@thehistorybox.com

A Little Taste of History (13)

Topic: Family Record of the Rapelje

The ship New Netherland, which brought to the New World the first colony of families, arrived at the bay of the Hudson river in the year 1623. The Colonists commenced at once to erect cabins for their temporary accommodation on the southerly point of Manhattan island, their cattle being turned out upon the island in the harbor now known as Governor's Island. Among these colonists were Joris Jansen de Rapelje, and the young woman who was then, or soon after became, his wife, a young couple, whose first child was born in June, 1625. This child is alluded to in the public records, at a period when she had herself become a mother, and a favor was granted her of a public nature, one of the inducements to which was that she was "the first-born Christian daughter" in the colony of New Netherlands.

The Names and Family Register of the Children of George Jansen De Rappelje, and Cataline, his Wife.

1625, the 9th of June, is born the first daughter of George Jansen de Rapelje, named SARA.
1627, the 11th of March, is born the second daughter, named MARRATIS.
1629, the 18th of August, is born the third daughter, named JANNETIE.
1635, the 5th of July, is born the fourth daughter, named JUDICK.
1637, the 28th of August, is born the first son, named JAN.
1639, the 28th of May, is born the second son, named JACOB.
1641, the 28th of March, is born the fifth daughter, named CATALYNA.
1643, the 27th of June, is born the third son, named JERONIMUS.
1646, the 8th of February, is born the sixth daughter, named ANNETIE.
1648, the 28th of March, is born the seventh daughter, named ELIZABETH.
1650, the 29th of December, is born the fourth son, named DANIEL.
SARA married with Hans Hanse Bergen, and her second husband Teunis Gisbert Bogart.
MARRETIE with Machiel Vandervoort.
JANNETIE with Rem Remse Vanderbeeck.
JUDICK with Pieter Van Niest.
JAN with Maria, but died without heirs.
JACOB RAPPELJE.
CATALYNA with Jeremias Westerhout, died without heirs.
JERONIMUS with Annetie, daughter of Teunis Denise.
ANNETIE with Marta Ryerse.
ELISEBET with Dirrick Hogalant.
Daniel De Rappelje with Sara Klock.
JUDICK met Pieter Van Niest. (15)

Sources Utilized to Document A Little Taste Of History

Contact: miriam@thehistorybox.com

A Little Taste of History (12)

Topic: Important Men of NYC #1

Thomas Coxon Acton (1823-98). An American financier and administrator. He was born in New York City, and served as assistant deputy county clerk (1850-53) and as deputy register. He was a police commissioner of the New York metropolitan police in 1860-69, and during the last seven years was president of the board. His most valuable service while in that office was during the draft riots in 1863, when for a week he personally commanded the entire police force of the city.

Samuel Adler (1809-91). A German American rabbi and author, born at Worms, Germany. He studied at the universities of Bonn and Giessen, and from 1842 to 1857 was rabbi of congregations in Alzey and vicinity. From 1857 to 1874 he was rabbi of the congregation Emanu-El of New York City. He was a learned Talmudic scholar and an earnest progressionist. His works include Jewish Conference Papers (1880), Benedictions (1882), and Kobez 'al Yad (Collections, 1886).

Phineas Taylor Barnum (1810-91). An American showman, born at Bethel, Conn. His father was a tavern-keeper; and while attending the village school, Barnum traded with and played practical jokes upon his father's customers. At the age of 13 he was employed in a country store, and at 18 went largely into the lottery business. When only 19, he married clandestinely, and moved to Danbury, where he edited The Herald of Freedom, and was imprisoned sixty days for a libel. In 1834 he removed to New York, where, hearing of Joyce Heth, alleged nurse of Washington, he bought her for $1000, and with the aid of forged documents and puffing, exhibited her to considerable profit. Reduced again to poverty, he sold Bibles, exhibited negro dancers, and wrote for newspapers, until he bought the American Museum in New York, which he raised at once to prosperity by exhibiting a Japanese mermaid, made of a fish and a monkey, also a white negress, a woolly horse, and finally a noted dwarf, styled "General Tom Thumb," whom he exhibited also in Europe in 1844.

In 1847 he offered Jenny Lind $1000 a night for 150 nights. The tickets were sold at auction, a single ticket bringing, in one case, as much as $650; and his gross receipts for 95 concerts were over $700,000. He built a villa at Bridgeport, in imitation of the Brighton Pavilion, and engaged in various speculations, one of which---a clock factory---made him bankrupt. Settling with his creditors in 1857, he engaged anew in his career of audacious enterprises, and made another fortune. Two of his museums having been destroyed by fire in 1865 and 1868, he established in 1871 his Greatest Show on Earth," a traveling circus and menagerie, with many new features. He was an unsuccessful candidate for Congress in 1866, but was four times elected to the Connecticut Legislature. His Autobiography (1854, since greatly enlarged) has at least the merit of frankness. In 1865 he published The Humbugs of the World, and 1869 Struggles and Triumphs.

Ballington Booth (1859---) . The organizer and leader of the "Volunteers of America" (q.v.) He was born in London, the second son of William Booth (q.v.), founder of the Salvation Army. In 1887 he was sent to the United States with his wife, Maud (born near London, in 1865), and had charge of the work in this country till 1896, when disagreeing with his father's plan of operations in the United States and Canada, he withdrew from the Salvation Army and organized a similar body under the name of the Volunteers of America. In order to bring the work of the new organization into closer harmony with that of the various churches, he obtained ordination as a presbyter of the Evangelical Church in Chicago. Both he and his wife are fluent writers and eloquent speakers. He published From Ocean to Ocean (1890). (14)

Contact: miriammedina@thehistorybox.com