New England Historical Society Newsletter

One Item I look forward to seeing in my inbox is the newsletter of the New England Historical Society. They always have interesting stories. In the December 3^rd edition they had the story of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow who had a tragic life. And still he wrote a beautiful poem that became the Christmas Carol “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day”. With what happened to him in his life most people would have never made it. Here is a link to his story: http://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/heard-bells-christmas-day-hope-surfaces-despair/. Inside the story there is a link that leads to a story of the courtship of his wife.

There are usually three to four interesting stories in each issue. The headline story of the January 28^th issue is Louisa May Alcott, dangerous fanatic, kisses a baby.  She volunteered as a nurse in a Washington hospital during the Civil War. She was brought up a strict abolitionist in New England.  That really didn’t go over well with the Southern Sympathizers in Washington.  Here is the link: http://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/louisa-may-alcott-dangerous-fanatic-kisses-a-baby/  she wrote a book on this adventure called “Civil War Memoirs”

Another of the stories in this edition is about Percy Spencer and the chocolate bar that changed the way you cook. With a fifth grade education he helped the WWII effort and invented the microwave oven In this life he had over 300 patents. Here is his story: http://www.newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/percy-spencer-and-the-chocolate-bar-that-changed-the-way-you-cook/  

Dale Thomas will be coming out with a new book this summer "Cleveland in WW I" about the Lakeside Nurses.  We have 2 of the Lakeside nurses buried in Butternut Ridge Cemetery Helen Briggs Elliott  Daughter of Henry Harrison  Briggs and Damie Henry Broadwell, daughter of Rev. Isaac Henry minister of the First Universalist Church. Isaac Henry bought the Thompson house from Alden Thompson in about 1855.