gwmain After the War, Vail worked with his father in the merchant tailor business. His occupation was listed as tailor in the 1870 census. He last lived at 143 Avenue D in Manhattan. The cause of his death was Bright’s disease. Helen Vail applied for and received a widow’s pension in 1890, certificate 287,403. Section 24, lot … Read more
WALTER (or WALTERS), WILHELM (1837-1892). Private, 72nd New York Infantry, Company A. A native of Germany, he enlisted at New York City as a private on May 27, 1861. On June 21, he mustered into Company A of the 72nd New York from which he was discharged for disability on January 5, 1863, at Point … Read more
On the evening of April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was mortally wounded by gunshot while attending a play at Ford’s Theatre. Actress Laura Keene (1826-1873) was on stage that fateful evening, starring in “Our American Cousin.” A witness to one of the most infamous moments in American history, Keene is believed to have been the first to identify the assassin as fellow actor John Wilkes Booth. It is also widely claimed, though often contested, that the actress rushed to the President’s side just moments after the shot was fired, cradling his head in her lap as her dress became drenched in his blood.
In addition, he was the major in command of the 5th at Antietam, Maryland. Promoted to colonel in 1862, he led the 5th at Groveton (as part of the Battle of Second Bull Run, Virginia). It was there that his regiment, in ten minutes, lost 297 men, including 124 killed, the greatest number of fatalities … Read more
I came to visit my great-great-uncle who served in the Civil War! I found him via your historian’s blog post. Who knew, and how beautiful…
Three generations ago, my entire Irish family made Brooklyn their home. After a brief diversion to Ohio, most of us are back in NYC – including the original immigrants who are now in Green-Wood, up near Battle Hill.
I’ve been a history buff for years, and I found my true passion – Civil War nurses – while walking through the Green-Wood grounds. Thanks, and see you out there!
I’ve always loved visiting cemeteries, and Green-Wood is the tops!
John Matthews (1808-1870), known as “The Soda Fountain King,” is famous for popularizing carbonated beverages in the United States. Though others had attempted carbonation before him, Matthews was the first to create a process that was simple and economical. In 1832 Matthews patented his “apparatus for charging water with carbon dioxide gas.” The apparatus he designed could be kept on a countertop, making it possible for a pharmacist to easily dispense carbonated drinks to the masses. Matthews also introduced the first flavorings for carbonated beverages, contributing to their booming popularity. By the time of his death, more than 500 establishments in New York City alone were using his products.
Living in New York City in the early twentieth century, artist Henry Ives Cobb Jr. (1883-1974) was inspired by the energy of the City around him. Working primarily in watercolor and oil, Cobb painted scenes of life in and around Manhattan. Jumping Rope near Cleopatra’s Needle, Central Park, pictured here, is exemplary of Cobb’s style. He whimsically depicts a group of school girls at play in the park on an early spring day. Just beyond them is the New York City landmark “Cleopatra’s Needle,” an Ancient Egyptian obelisk erected in New York during the nineteenth century.