Apple River Fort Event--August 3

[Robert Braun]

Here's the event script from site director Susan Gordy, who reminded me that even though she is still on vacation she has provided this script for our guidance and general enlightenment. Towit...

MOURNING EVENT AT APPLE RIVER FORT

The past few days at the Apple River Fort had been joyous. The war was over, while Blackhawk remained free, nearly all of his band lay dead, injured or escaped. Amidst the celebrating the settlers of the fort decided to celebrate by charging off a cannon they had fashioned from lead early on in the war. A young single man by the name of John Grey volunteered to shoot the cannon as part of the celebration. Unfortunately the cannon of lead blew apart killing John Grey instantly.

Now the time of celebration has turned to solemn tasks involved in burying a second young man. At the fort, his coffin will be on the table in the house. Chairs will be placed around for the vigil by his side. On top of the coffin is a platter with mounds of salt and earth, one representing the immortality of the soul, while the other represents the mortality of the body. The walls and furniture are covered with sheets.

Outside, some of the women are working on a mourning sampler, a mourning picture and pieces of hair jewelry. Other women are busily baking funeral cakes. Some volunteers are posted at the gate to the fort, greeting “visiting neighbors” (actually warning them about the funeral event). The volunteers outside invite interested neighbors to attend the death watch, because “nobody who touches a dead body will be haunted by its spirit.”

The menfolk are outside under the tents or in the blockhouse telling stories of John’s bravery as well as others who lost their lives during the war. While talking and drinking one of the men writes the letter to Mr. Grey’s parents informing them of their son’s death. Other men can be posted on the hill “helping” to dig the grave.

Around 3:15 p.m. the ceremony will begin. First one of the men will take Mr. Grey’s clothes which he died in and burn them in the fire. As the clothes burn, the group will sing a gospel song (probably Jacob’s Ladder). The group then turns and returns to the fort for the coffin. The men go into the house carrying the coffin out, making a big deal about carrying it out feet first. The coffin will be placed on the hand cart to be carried to the grave with the men nearby to make sure the coffin stays in the wagon.

Visitors are invited to follow the funeral procession to the gravesite. At the gravesite the coffin is very gently lowered into the ground (Reminder: this is an original coffin from the 1870s, still don’t know for sure if we will lower it or not, if we do DO NOT LET GO OF THE ROPES AT ANY TIME, UNLESS YOU WANT TO CRAWL INTO THE GRAVE TO RETRIEVE THEM). Our circuit riding preacher will be there to say a few words at the grave, say a prayer, and sing a song. The funeral is then over. Visitors are invited back to the fort for refreshments. Once everyone returns to the fort and after refreshments, the sheets are pulled from the walls and everything put back into place.

Betsy.. did you see the part about hair jewelry??

r.

[B]

Susan had already asked me to do some hair work. I'll be working on hair flowers.

[Marge Smith]

This funeral sounds pretty high class. Would this have happened on the frontier?

[Robert Braun]

"Betsymaid," you raise an interesting question.

Here are some thoughts:

1. You know from your own research that the Apple River country was among the first settled when news broke about the mineral available in the region. It is my understanding that by 1832, the Apple Rvier settlement had existed for almost 10 years. While there is no doubt that the Mineral District was considered the frontier, many settlers had been established in the region for some time;

2. Once ladies enter into the district, they bring with them the customs and traditions of their Eastern and Southern recollections. These ladies restore most of the former domestic customs and rituals conveniently forgotten by hordes of young men in the region enjoying the "bachelor's hall" lifestyle. Just an inventory of the ladies and girls holed up at Apple River Fort on June 24, 1832 shows a significant increase in female population in the district, which had grown significantly since 1827;

3. While Apple River was a settlement, Galena, with its warves, steamboat and keelboat traffic on the Fever River, and access to the goods shipped from St. Louis and New Orleans, certainly had its share of finery. With only fifteen miles seperating the two population centers (a five hour walk or much less by horse) goods not normally associated with frontier poverty could be had for ready money. Archaeology at Apple River Fort suggests that, at least before the depression in lead prices before the Sauk War, this may well have been the case. People then, as now, are continually striving to improve their lives. The presence of women in the region adds to the general increase in the keeping of one's household, an increase in the observance of custom, tradition, and ritual (like funerals) and an overall increase in domesticity... placing the onus on husband to provide better for their families than they had done for themselves when they were single.

4. My first inclination with Susan's scenario is that she is trying to deal with the restrictions of time (a one afternoon event) and trying to compress activities that would have otherwise been spread out over say a week into a few hours;

5. Taken piece by piece, Susan's re-creation is actually rather simple. With the exception of a coffin (which would have needed to have been constructed) most of the activities suggested are in keeping with custom of the period, while "making do" with those goods and items generally available at Apple River in 1832. Covering household items with linen or cotton cloth was certainly plausable; sewing a sampler was a common domestic art of girls learning to sew, and women continuing in this artform; cake-baking, generally done only on special occasions (which a funeral certainly would be) is done rather easily with the commodities then available in the district.

In truth, my readings indicate that, depending on social stature, funerals in the East would have been far more elaborate. Susan's rendition impresses me as well-connected with the period and its people, mindful of their social class and means.

These activities, taken together, show the powerful influence of female and male recollection of custom and ritual ingrained in them from their youth, and practiced into adulthood. I think it a very interesting scenario, particularly for some modern people who have little connection to the customs and rituals of their ancestors.

Will you be able to attend the August 3 event?

[Marge Smith]

1. There are few people at the Apple River Settlement. I think the fort was built around a log furnace and a couple of houses per a plat of 1830 for a license to smelt lead. The people there are probably four men to run the furnace, some men to cut trees to feed the furnace. At this time John D. Winters and his stage coach operation are in the Georgetown area on the Apple River. The people coming to the fort are from today's Hanover, Rush Creek area, and Jewell's Prairie (today's Woodbine). Remember the old lead mine superintendent had opened up the land for farming in 1830 which brought these people out.

2. Apple River was a Diggins. I know Mrs. Kenzie and Hamilton's mother visited Hamilton's Diggings, but they don't speak of dances. There are no well-to-do people at Apple River like at Gratiot. And I never heard that Apple River was settled before Fever River. Galena had the Indian traders but I known of none in Apple River. I know that Thomas Forsythe visited in 1817. Galena had some very well-to-do people. The owner of the Apple River Furnace has a store in Galena, he is not operating it, he has hired Charles Baur to do that.

3. The fort people have lost their animals, their crops, their clothes, their food. Maybe some of the young men employed by the Apple River Furnace carried on some antics with a cannon. But I believe the families went home trying to recoup their losses.

4. I know of no carpenter at the fort that could build a coffin. I'm told they use to take a measuring stick to the coffin maker for him to build a coffin. Then why not just take the body home to his family in Galena, if you would have to go there to get a coffin. I believe they used a shroud.

5. I read someplace that the town of Elizabeth looked for Gray's grave and couldn't find it. So they put up a stone in the early 1900's to honor him.

6. And where did the minister come from. And no horses to fetch one.

7. This was raw frontier land, but it grew and did well.

[Robert Braun]

You present some interesting information.

Have you acquainted Mrs. Susan Gordy with your findings? It might provide some interesting situations for the coming scenario.

Some of your notations, I think, are not pertinent to our discussion. For example, I have already stipulated that farming indeed took place, as a result of the response to falling lead prices and raising commodity prices in the district.

I respectfully disagree with some of your findings. For example, the construction of the fort alone indicated significant carpentry skills and not just among a select few individuals. Construction of a coffin, if done at all, would have need a small matter compared to the techniques and skills required to raise Apple River Fort. This does not take into account the skills necessary to raise the original structures later incorporated into Apple River Fort.

Your suggestion that a shroud, say a blanket, may have been used. This is a reasonable assertion, and may well have been the case in Gray's funeral. I, for one, simply don't know.

For your scenario of the people gathered at Apple River Fort on June 24 to be coming from such a wide area, they would have to have been concentrated in a reasonably small area, in order to react as swiftly as contemporary accounts suggest, to the arrival of BH's war-party. I don't doubt that some peopel initially lived over a wide area. I am suggesting that the diverse people would have to have been initially concentrated in a small area for them to have reacted so quickly.

You are suggesting that a people ravaged by the June 24 assault probably did nothing for Gray, concerned with only their own personal situations and attempting to consolidate/recoup their own losses. I find this suggestion inconsistant with the sense of duty and community that a.) raised the initial "Apple River company"; b.) raised the Apple River fort; c.) raised Clack Stone's company; and d. survived the June 24 attack. It does not seem plausable that, with BH still at large, the people felt such a complete sense of security that they would very shortly disband to go about their personal affairs, after weeks of banding together, after a fashion, for mutual safety and protection.

Wouldn't you agree that some sort of funerary observance would be consistant with the humanity and Christianity of a lead digging people already forged by wartime experiences? Even George Herclerode, apparently unknown to many in the fort when killed in the June 24 attack, reportedly was buried with apparent honors.

That Gray's grave was lost from the recollection of local people does not surprise me. For example, the graves of most BHW veterans killed or died during the war and previously known to many local people at the time, became unfortunately lost to history after a short time passed. Most remain lost to this day. A few, like Gray and the Spafford Farm massacre victims, are recollected by the fortunate erection of a cenotaph in their honor. Others, like George Herclerode, presumptively remain buried in places "know but to God."

Will you be joining us on August 3?

[Marge Smith]

I don't know about Aug. 3rd, depends on the weather.

We know somewhat where the homes of the fort inmates were from their government depositions and first-hand accounts that have come down. I know where they purchased land in 1847, and because of the desire for a preemption they did not move from their 1832 home unless necessary. They had to prove occupancy by a certain time. They did come and live at the fort prior to June 24th for their mutual protection.

The miners were north and west of the fort and certainly would have been readily available for a funeral.

I have only seen one funeral in the Galena newspaper for this period. It was for a big-time wealthy smelter. That reported how to line-up for a parade to the burying ground, which organization goes in what order. He died in New Orleans and had to be shipped to Galena.

When they hanged Patrick O'Connor in Dubuque in 1833(?) even the steamboats brought people to observe. But they thought there would be an uprising throughout the mining area of Irishmen protesting the hanging.

Susan has all my info on the families and the government depositions. Now I'm reading up on funerals on the frontier.

Question: where does the mounds of salt and earth come from? Someone said it sounded Egyptian.

[Robert Braun]

Many thanks, betsymaid, for your continued perspective and insight.

I suspect, but don't know, that the reason Gray's "funeral," interrment or whatever was not in the Galena papers is a) as you suggest, he wasn't some sort of local "big bug," b) noone wrote a letter or article that the paper could/would publish. I speculate that such a freak accident and tragic result would have made a story of interest to a Galena editor... provided he knew about it.

I have no idea whatever on the salt and earth mention in Susan's monologue. That would be a question she might address.

I look forward to your findings on antebellum funerary practice!

Kind regards, Bob.

[Chris Gordy]

After just coming home from the Apple River Fort Funeral Event I am still excited about the wonderful early American traditions and culture that was taught to over 150 people today. My hat goes off to everyone that came and helped us demonstrate these early mourning customs. Visitors to the Fort were not only entertained by the scene before them but also left with a better understanding of where most of our modern traditions come from. The things we do today, celebrating Christmas or mourning a loved one, stems from these early traditions.
Mr. Grey was laid to rest in an appropriate spot outside the fort. Originally, the people of the Apple River Settlement searched out a proper burial which can now be seen at the Elizabeth Cemetery. A wonderful photograph of his headstone was contributed to this message board. Even though we did not do as much as the original mourners for Mr. Grey, I think he would still be proud of a job well done by all of us.

[Robert Braun]

Well, "bestymaid," et al, you missed an excellent event!

It seems that antebellum funeral practice is a particular area of expertise for Susan Gordy. She quite literally buried me Friday night with many inches of material gleaned from dozens of sources on funeral custom, tradition, superstition, and letters-- many relating to the "upland Southern" traditions from which eminated numerous lead diggers and their families. Even a cursory reading of the material, or even half-listening to Susan discourse on this subject, would convince the most hardened skeptic of her mastery of the subject.

Regarding your closing question above: the earth and salt on the casket is, I am informed, an old traditon recreated directly from Upland Southern references. So too were numerous simple yet appropriate funerary observances mentioned by Susan in her breif on the event. Susan has amply documented these and numerous other traditions not incorperated into this particular special event.

So.. no Egyptian priestesses, no resins or linen bandages, but instead a wholly unique interpretive presentation that showed a grim and all to omnipresent reality of life in antebellum America. I have done historical events for many many years, and found this one to be particulalry good, and the fort's spectators especially interested and inquisitive.

By the way, we were graced with a special visitor.. the curator or registrar for the Elizabeth Cemetery. She had with her the original 1905 cemetery register. Interestingly enough, John Grey (or Gray, both spellings were listed side by side) was the cemetery's first interrment. The names of the two men who identified the burying ground for Gray-- one surnamed Hughett (sp?); the other I've forgotten-- are listed as is a very specific location fo the grave. A second interment, a preacher (!) who passed away in 1835, established the ground as the de facto burying ground for the emerging community of Elizabeth. All this suggests that the stone in the Elizabeth cemetery may not be a centotaph at all... since the location of the grave seemed to be well recalled and documented up to 1905.

The monograph in the record seems to indicate that the burial process for Gray was a deliberate one-- certainly not as hasty as I suspect Herclerode's interment was. Again.. this supports Susan's interpretation of funerary custom and ritual as a deliberate process, in keeping with the general post-conflict situation.

Our thanks to Susan and Chris Gordy, and the hard-working staff of Apple River Fort. Another great event!

[Marge Smith]

I am so glad everyone enjoyed themselves at the Apple River Fort on Saturday. It was too hot for me.

I've learned about funerals, I too found the salt and earth practice in Albion's Way, page 700, among the backcountry Scotch-Irish. Many of my ancestors are part of that group from North Carolina. My New England ancestors object, calling it voo-doo. I wonder how they ever got together.

John Gray has now being given two burials. I hope that Father Mazzuchelli also gave him a Catholic prayer at some time.

I wish Susan Gordy the best and always have. From my searching on the web I have not found another site like this that mixes an Indian attack on the raw frontier. stage coaches, lead mining and smelting. She has much work ahead of her to tell this story.

[Chris Gordy]

Yes. Albion Seed is a great reference book which concentrates on the Scotts-Irish, or Upland-Southern culture in early America. There is a nice section which explains some of the early mourning customs. More importantly, however, for those out there that are wanting to study and learn more on the early American traditions and culture this is a great work. From gender issues, children, typical farm life and other typical traditions, such as those used in mourning, this book does a great job at giving the reader a great picture at how many of us came to be the way we are today. It hasn't been out for too long and one should be able to find a copy online somewhere.
On another note, Susan and myself have suddenly realized that there really may be an interest in early funeral and mourning customs. It is our hope that we will have a little time soon to list some great works on this message board for people look up and study.

[Marge Smith]

Chris - isn't the next step to prove these fort people believed in this method of burial. Can we go from the general to the specific. Shouldn't there be some investigation into their history prior to Jo Daviess County, their neighbors, church membership. As historians don't we have to prove conclusions.

I have contacted a historian of Southern Illinois to see if we can get some input on burial customs in the 19th century.

[Chris Gordy]

A hard conclusion to a specific instance in time would be a great thing to have for any historian. However, as most of us are aware even first hand accounts of specific events in history vary greatly between each other. The duty of the Public Historian is to take the generalizations of events and limited hard facts of instances to be able to bring these ideas and customs to the visitors in a way that they can understand. To not interpret these things would be to deny the public a view of their own past cultures.

The wonderful research you and other fellow genealogists have done is a great stepping-off point. That research is what led us to Upland-Southern traditions since many people came from that region. Unfortunately, we cannot perform a ceremony that would represent all cultures that existed in northwest Illinois at that time.

The next step for Apple River Fort is to take all the secondary sources and the limited primary sources on early Jo Daviess County and continue the research to try and narrow it down to more specific conclusions as you suggest.

I do find your statement on generalization interesting. These "generalizations" stem from factual evidences of how early American cultures evolved through time into the present day. The cultures we utilize are from the early nineteenth century or, to be more specific, 1800-1840. I agree that if it is not based on some type of fact then generalizations can be dangerous and misleading when teaching the public. For example, to say that "I know of no carpenter at the fort that could build a coffin" is a dangerous generalization that could lead visitors to the idea that the people of the Apple River Settlement did not have a concept of basic construction. To say that people, not only at the Apple River Settlement but reaching across most cultures, buried their dead in ceremony leads the visitors to the realization that their own traditions have come from somewhere.

In order to study a particular group of people in any time span it is important to study whole societies. This gives you the comparisons needed to come closer to understanding a way of life. Whether it is the Upland-Southern or more Eastern cultures, it all stems from the shoulders of those who have gone before them.

Susan plans to post all of her sources used for this particular event later today. This list should provide you with a rich variety of knowledge to help you in your quest for further understanding how historians lead to these "generalizations".

[Susan Gordy]

Here are a few books to get you started on Mourning and Funeral Customs....

"The Hour of our Death" by Philippe Aries

"Secure the Shadow: Death and Photography in America" by Jay Ruby
(While this one is past 1832, the first chapter identifies and discusses post mortem painting and other remembrances)

"A Time to Mourn- Expressions of Grief in 19th Century America" by Martha V. Pike and Janice Gray Armstrong of the Museums at Stony Brook in New York. This exhibit catalog is out of print but it may be found at Half.com or ABE Books. This book is fabulous for discussing the material culture left behind to commemorate death in the 19th century.

Alas the rest of my sources are at work in the famous notebooks of which Mr. Braun spoke of. I will get them posted ASAP.
;D