Historical Snapshots

SummaryA short biography of journalist Nellie Bly, who's daring exposé in a New York insane asylum revealed shocking truths and drove reform.

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In 1887, 23-year-old Elizabeth Cochrane, who would become known to the world as Nellie Bly, was an inspiring journalist looking for her next assignment. She had just moved to New York and began pitching ideas to publications there.

One publication, The New York World, responded to Nellie, asking her to proceed with one of her ideas. The plan was for Nellie to fake insanity and get admitted to Blackwell's Island Insane Asylum to conduct first-hand research. "Write up things as you find them, good or bad," her editor requested. "Give praise or blame as you think best, and the truth all the time."

Nellie wasted no time. After checking into a women's boarding house, she began her performance. Speaking incoherently and wide-eyed, she convinced those around her she was mentally unwell. Arrest followed, and soon, she found herself at Blackwell's Island. For ten harrowing days, Nellie endured the asylum's horrors until the editors got her released.

Speaking of her experience, Nellie said, "What, excepting torture, would produce insanity quicker than this treatment?…I would like the expert physicians who are condemning me for my action, which has proven their ability, to take a perfectly sane and healthy woman, shut her up and make her sit from 6 a.m. until 8 p.m. on straight-back benches, do not allow her to talk or move during these hours, give her no reading and let her know nothing of the world or its doings, give her bad food and harsh treatment, and see how long it will take to make her insane. Two months would make her a mental and physical wreck."

Nellie published Ten Days in a Mad-House about her experience, which would help drive more funding and change in New York City's insane asylums.

About a year later, based on the book Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne, Nellie became famous for attempting to travel the world in less than eighty days. Going by steamship, train, and any means available, she raced against time and expectations. Seventy-two days later, she completed the journey. Covered extensively in The New York World, her trip captivated the public's imagination and made her a national celebrity.

Nellie continued to write and report on social issues until her death from pneumonia on January 27, 1922, at the age of 57.

Sources:

* Bly, Nellie. “Ten Days in a Mad-House.” Published by Ian L. Munro, 1887.

* Ehrlich, Elizabeth. Nellie Bly. United States, Chelsea House Publishers, 1989.

* “Nellie Bly.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nellie_Bly

* Nellie Bly. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2002697740/>.

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Summary: snapshot biography of Sarah Josepha Hale, writer of the nursery rhyme "Mary Had a Little Lamb," and an advocate for Thanksgiving as a national holiday.

Sarah Josepha Hale is known as the "Mother of Thanksgiving." It's a well-deserved nickname. In 1846, Sarah, who became famous in part for creating the nursery rhyme "Mary Had a Little Lamb," began lobbying U.S. politicians to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. Advocating consistently and passionately for nearly two decades, Sarah saw her efforts come to fruition when President Abraham Lincoln made the official declaration in 1863 amidst the Civil War years, hoping to do as Sarah believed would happen - help bring a divided nation closer together.

Born in 1788 in Newport, New Hampshire, Sarah grew up in a family that valued education and moral conviction. Her father, a Revolutionary War veteran, and particularly her mother encouraged Sarah's intellectual curiosity. As Sarah would later say about her mother's impact,

"I owe my early predilection for literary pursuits to the teachings and example of my mother. She had enjoyed uncommon advantages of education for a female of her times, possessed a mind clear as rock water, and had a most happy talent of communicating knowledge. She had read many of the old black letter chronicles ... and innumerable were the ballads, songs and stories with which she amused and instructed her children."

Sarah's upbringing instilled a lifelong commitment to education, self-improvement, and the belief that women could and should contribute meaningfully to society. These convictions became even more pronounced after tragedy struck when in 1822, Sarah's husband passed away suddenly, leaving her a widow with five young children. Sarah turned to her pen to support her family.

Sarah's first major literary success came in 1827 with the publication of Northwood: A Tale of New England. A thoughtful exploration of life in rural New England, the novel also contained a bold critique of slavery, making Sarah one of the first American writers to address the issue in fiction. The book's success earned her an offer to become editor of Ladies' Magazine in Boston.

Sarah embraced the opportunity, and under her guidance, Ladies' Magazine became a platform for advocating women's education and societal influence. When the magazine merged with Godey's Lady's Book in 1837, Sarah continued as editor, shaping it into the most widely read women's publication of the 19th century, championing issues from women's rights to preserving historical landmarks, and of course, establishment of a national day of Thanksgiving.

While Sarah is remembered for her literary contributions, arguably her most enduring achievement remains her campaign to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. At the time, Thanksgiving was celebrated sporadically and at different times across the states. Sarah believed a unified day of gratitude could help foster a sense of shared purpose and national identity. She wrote governors, legislators, and five U.S. presidents, arguing for its adoption. And she argued for it in her editorials, writing in one from 1861, "What could do more to arouse and preserve the fraternal feelings which should exist." It was a vision that resonated deeply during the Civil War time.

When President Lincoln issued his Thanksgiving proclamation in 1863, Sarah's nearly two decades of persistence bore fruit. The following year, she wrote in an editorial,

"Who can estimate the benefits and blessings which may flow from the faithful observance of this happy Festival? For one day the strife of parties will be hushed, the cares of business will be put aside, and all hearts will join in common emotions of gratitude and goodwill. We may even hope that for one day war itself will cease by common consent, as was the custom in the Middle Ages during the solemn church Festival known as the "Truce of God;" and it is not impossible that sentiments may then be awakened which will aid in bringing on that return of true union and peace which is so earnestly desired."

Sarah would continue writing and advocating for social progress. She passed away in 1879.

Sources:

* Finley, Mrs. Ruth. The lady of Godey's Sarah Josepha Hale. United Kingdom, J.B. Lippincott Company, 1938.

* Norwood, Arlisha. "Sarah Hale." National Women's History Museum. 2017. www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/sarah-hale.

* Straus, Doris. “Fashion, The High Life, and ‘The Duties of Married Females’: 19th Century Fashion-Plate Magazines.” New York Public Library, https://www.nypl.org/blog/2014/09/25/19th-century-fashion-plate-magazines

* “The Thanksgiving editorials of Sarah Josepha Hale from the pages of Godey's Lady's book.” Pilgrim Hall Museum, https://www.pilgrimhall.org/pdf/SJH_Editorials.pdf

* Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia Foundation, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Sarah_Hale_portrait.jpg

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Summary: Snapshot biography of Gertrude Ederle, who was a champion swimmer and the first woman to swim across the English Channel.

On a breezy morning in August 1926, nineteen-year-old Gertrude Ederle jumped into the cold waters of the English Channel. With her muscles relaxed from some rest after months of grueling training and her body coated head to toe in a mixture of lanolin, petroleum jelly, and grease for insulation against the chill and protection against the swarms of jellyfish, she felt determined and excited to attempt what no woman and only five men had ever done: swim across the Channel.

What followed would make Gertrude an international sensation.

Gertrude Caroline Ederle was born to German immigrant parents in New York City on October 23, 1905. The third of six children, she grew up in a lively household in Manhattan's Upper West Side, where during summer months, Gertrude's family would take outings to the New Jersey shore. It was on these sunny childhood days that a passion for swimming blossomed.

Soon, she turned the joy into a pursuit of competitive swimming, where success came quickly. Gertrude set her first world record at the age of 12. Between the ages of 15 and 19, she set 29 national and world records. In 1924, she represented the United States at the Paris Olympics, earning one gold medal in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay and two bronze medals in individual freestyle events.

Yet, she wanted to challenge herself more, to push her physical limits. And she also wanted to challenge the societal expectations placed on women. Which were many at the time.

Gertrude set her sights on swimming across the English Channel. Often referred to as the "Mount Everest of swimming" for its cold, rough waters teeming with jellyfish, the twenty-one-mile span was considered the ultimate test of endurance. Many believed that women were not physically capable of such a feat. Gertrude became determined to prove them wrong.

Her first attempt in 1925 ended in disappointment. Thinking she was in distress, her trainer touched Gertrude as he attempted to pull her from the water, disqualifying the swim. Though upset, Gertrude thought of her motto, if at first you don't succeed, try, try again. "I am going to attempt to swim the English Channel again next July," she said to herself.

For her second attempt, she hired a new coach and developed a rigorous training regimen, swimming four hours a day. She also designed a pair of goggles to better protect her eyes and a more aerodynamic swimsuit that minimized drag in the water.

On August 6, 1926, she started the swim at Nez, France with a tugboat carrying her coach and supporters trailing, offering encouragement and supplies of broth and sugar cubes for energy. She gave her team of supporters strict instructions about taking her out of the water: "until I get there or I can't move."

The swim was a battle from the start. Just a few minutes in, rough swells made her consider quitting. "But I thought I had to make a showing so I just kept on and on and on. When I got a few miles out I was confident I could make it and kept on," Gertrude later said.

Pushing through while singing her favorite song, Let Me Call You Sweetheart, she swam and swam. Even when her coach encouraged her to stop, Gertrude continued. "It's today or never, Pop," she shouted to her father and supporters on the tugboat. He replied, "Kiddie finish it."

After 14 hours and 39 minutes, Gertrude emerged from the water onto the shores of Kingsdown, England. Her time was over two hours faster than the fastest man to have swum the Channel. Exhausted but triumphant, Gertrude became an international sensation. Newspapers worldwide hailed her achievement, and she was welcomed home to a ticker-tape parade in New York City attended by an estimated two million people. President Calvin Coolidge called her "America's Best Girl," a title she cherished throughout her life.

Gertrude soon retired and largely retreated from the public eye. She spent her later years teaching swimming to deaf children, a cause close to her heart as she herself became partially deaf after a childhood accident. On November 30, 2003, she passed away at the age of 98.

Sources:

* Hasday, Judy L.. Extraordinary Women Athletes. United States, Children's Press, 2000.

* “Life Story: Gertrude Ederle (1906–2003).” Women & The American Story, https://wams.nyhistory.org/confidence-and-crises/jazz-age/gertrude-ederle/

* Lillian Cannon, of Baltimore, Md., offering her best wishes to Gertrude Ederle, as she starts out from Cape Griz Nez, France, on her successful attempt to swim the English Channel. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/95503395/>.

* National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution, https://www.si.edu/object/gertrude-ederle%3Anpg_NPG.80.230

* Parade for Gertrude Ederle coming up Broadway, New York City, with large crowd watching / photo by staff photographer. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/98510485/>.

* “She was the First Woman to Swim Across the English Channel.” American Masters, PBS, https://www.pbs.org/video/she-was-first-woman-swim-across-english-channel-r8r7td/

* St. Croix avis. (Christiansted, VI) 20 Aug. 1926, p. 3. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/sn84037526/1926-08-20/ed-1/.

* The Milwaukee leader. (Milwaukee, WI) 8 Aug. 1926, p. 12. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/sn83045293/1926-08-08/ed-1/.

* The Washington times. (Washington, DC) 7 Aug. 1926, p. 1. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/sn84026749/1926-08-07/ed-1/.

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Summary: Snapshot history of the world's first car.

Transcript:

The world was changing rapidly in the late 19th century. Railways crisscrossed continents, and factories hummed with the sounds of industrialization. Yet, transportation in cities and towns remained stubbornly tethered to horse-drawn carriages. In 1884, over 15.4 million draft horses were used to transport goods and people across America. That was until an inventive German engineer named Karl Benz introduced the world to a revolutionary idea: a self-propelled vehicle.

In 1886, Karl unveiled what is widely regarded as the first actual automobile: the Benz Patent-Motorwagen. The three-wheeled machine, powered by an internal combustion engine, looked nothing like the sleek cars we see today. Its spindly frame, wooden wheels, and single-cylinder gasoline engine producing less than one horsepower resembled a high-tech tricycle more than a modern vehicle. But it was groundbreaking—an invention that would change transportation.

At the time, Karl's creation was, to many, a mechanical curiosity. But it was a masterpiece of engineering. The heart of the Motorwagen was its internal combustion engine, an innovation refined by other inventors for use in industrial equipment, agricultural tools, and other areas. Karl took the concept and paired it with a lightweight chassis, pioneering the integration of engine and vehicle into a cohesive system. And with that, the car was born.

But inventing the first car was one thing; convincing the world to adopt it was another. Skepticism abounded. Critics dismissed the car as impractical, noisy, and even dangerous. Many doubted it could replace the reliability of horse-drawn carriages. Then came a pivotal moment, a breakthrough. But it didn't come from Karl. Rather, it resulted from a decision made by his wife, Bertha.

In 1888, Bertha took matters into her own hands. Literally. Without informing her husband, she took their two teenage sons and drove the car from home to her mother's house, a distance of about 66 miles. This was no small feat. Roads at the time were not designed for automobiles, and she encountered numerous challenges, from refueling at pharmacies (gasoline was sold as a cleaning solvent) to fixing mechanical issues with her hairpin and garter.

But it was worth it. Bertha's journey captured the public's imagination, proving that the automobile was more than an eccentric invention—it was a viable means of travel.

The Benz Patent-Motorwagen marked the dawn of an industry that would transform the world. Over the next few decades, inventors and entrepreneurs worldwide built upon Karl's foundation, making cars more affordable and accessible to the masses. Roads expanded, cities sprawled, and societies reorganized themselves around the freedom of mobility. By the mid-1890s, public perception began to shift, and demand for cars quickly outpaced supply.

One magazine captured this change: "Those who have taken the pains to search below the surface for the great tendencies of the age, know what a giant industry is struggling into being there. All signs point to the motor vehicle as the necessary sequence of methods of locomotion already established and approved. The growing needs of our civilization demand it; the public believe in it, and await with lively interest its practical application to the daily business of the world."

Today, it is estimated that 1.475 billion cars exist in the world.

Sources:

* Flink, James J. “Three Stages of American Automobile Consciousness.” American Quarterly, vol. 24, no. 4, 1972, pp. 451–73. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2711684. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.

* “The Automobile Age.” The Wilson Quarterly (1976-), vol. 10, no. 5, 1986, pp. 64–79. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40257092. Accessed 20 Nov. 2024.

* Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia Foundation, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:1885Benz.jpg

Note: read our latest eBook, The Biography of Raoul Wallenberg.

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A snapshot biography of Dr. James Barry, who unbeknownst to most was a woman practicing medicine for decades as a man during the 19th century.

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Snapshot of the Boston Tea Party, which was an act of defiance that helped ignite the path to the American Revolution.

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A snapshot biography of Isaac Burns Murphy, who is widely regarded as the greatest jockey of all time.

Sources and text: https://historicalsnaps.com/2024/11/11/the-greatest-jockey-isaac-burns-murphy/

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On the morning of December 7th, 1941, Doris Miller, or Dorie as his friends called him, was working as a mess attendant, serving breakfast and collecting laundry, on the battleship West Virginia in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. He had been a U.S. Navy veteran for two years now, joining at the age of twenty after years working on his father's farm in Texas. But this morning would be unlike any he had ever experienced.

Shortly before eight am, the tranquility of the harbor was shattered as the Japanese Air Force launched a surprise attack on the U.S. ships stationed in Pearl Harbor. The West Virginia was one of the ships hit.

Amidst the chaos, Doris, who wasn't injured, sprang into action, helping move wounded soldiers to safety, including the ship's captain. Then, despite being untrained in combat, he took command of an anti-aircraft machine gun and began firing, officially shooting down two planes, though he and others believe it was more. Then came the call to evacuate.

Doris continued to serve in the Navy with distinction as the U.S. entered World War II after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Tragically, however, his life was cut short two years later when the aircraft carrier Liscome Bay, on which he was serving, was torpedoed and sunk near Butaritari during the Battle of Makin. Initially listed as missing, he was later declared deceased by the Navy.

In recognition of his valor, Doris was awarded the Navy Cross, becoming the first black American to receive this honor. He also received the Purple Heart and other decorations for serving his country with remarkable courage and dedication.

Sources:

* “80-G-408456 Doris Miller, Mess Attendant Second Class, USN (1919-1943).” Naval History and Heritage Command, https://www.history.navy.mil/content/history/nhhc/our-collections/photography/us-people/m/miller–doris/80-G-408456.html

* “Doris Miller.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doris_Miller

* Portrait of Doris Miller taken on May 27th, 1942, after he was presented with the Navy Cross – “Dorie Miller – Restoration, full.” Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dorie_Miller_-_Restoration,_full.jpg

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In profession, Leonie von Zesch was a dentist. In personality, she was the greatest of adventurers. Nothing seemed to scare her, and she found creative solutions to seemingly any problem.

Leonie grew up in a time when women rarely went to college and even less earned advanced degrees. Yet, she graduated as a Doctor in Dental Surgery at the age of nineteen in 1902. But still, she faced much criticism. As one person said to her, "A woman dentist? You are the first one I've seen or even heard of. You don't really expect to make a living practicing dentistry?" with the accent on the word 'living.'"

Well, she would certainly make a living. She would also do much more. Leonie moved to San Francisco, where she quickly became an important part of the community, especially after the devastating 1906 earthquake. During this time, she was crucial in providing dental care to people, helping to treat their injuries, infections, and pain.

After establishing herself in San Francisco, Leonie expanded her work to Arizona. Here, her innovative spirit began to show. Understanding the transportation challenges of the time, as few Americans had cars then, Leonie set out to make access to care easy. She purchased a Model T Ford and converted it into a mobile dental clinic. Doing so allowed her to travel across the state, providing much-needed services to underserved communities.

Leonie's adventurous spirit then led her to Alaska in the early 1920s, where she served the population, including the local Inuit communities, for fifteen years. Here, Leonie adapted to the harsh weather and terrain conditions with her trademark ingenuity and resilience. Often traveling great distances to reach her patients, she at times utilized a custom sixteen-foot dog sled to navigate the snowy terrains. In addition to the dog sleds, Leonie sometimes relied on airplanes for transportation, a rare and risky method given the time. Leonie herself would survive a plane crash here.

Towards the end of her life, Leonie wrote,

"My mind always urged me to live a tranquil, ordered existence because that is the professional ideal. But my spirit hungered for the unusual. I rebelled against the prosaic mold into which the majority of the human race was being poured. I wanted adventure: beautiful, joyous, and romantic. Most of the dreams I have dreamed have been realized, though every silver lining has had its cloud."

After many years of serving many patients, Leonie passed away on September 12, 1944.

Sources:

* Alaska Women’s Hall of Fame

* “Leonie von Meusebach–Zesch.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation.

* Photograph of Leonie taken in 1902 - Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia Foundation.

* Zesch, Leonie von. Leonie: A Woman Ahead of Her Time. United States, Lime Orchard Publications, 2011.

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December 22, 1849, Saint Petersburg, Russia. Fyodor Dostoevsky, just twenty-eight years old, stands with five other men facing a firing squad, awaiting execution. But then, just as the firing squad prepares to begin, a messenger arrives. He delivers a reprieve from the Tsar - there will be no execution.

Later that day, an elated Fyodor writes his brother,

"There the sentence of death was read to all of us...Then three were tied to the pillar for execution. I was the sixth. Three at a time were called out; consequently, I was in the second batch and no more than a minute was left me to live.

I remembered you, brother, and all yours; during the last minute you, you alone, were in my mind, only then I realized how I love you, dear brother mine! I also managed to embrace Pleshcheyev and Durov, who stood close to me, and to say goodbye to them. Finally the retreat was sounded and those tied to the pillar were led back, and it was announced to us that His Imperial Majesty granted us our lives...

There has never yet been working in me such a healthy abundance of spiritual life as now. But will my body endure? I do not know. I am going away sick, I suffer from scrofula. But never mind! Brother, I have already gone through so much in life that now hardly anything can frighten me. Let come what may!"

It would later come out that the death sentence was a hoax by the Tsar to instill a deep sense of fear and humility in Fyodor and the other prisoners for their roles in a group that advocated for political and social reforms in Russia and for their distribution of banned literature. The trauma was certainly a goal accomplished, as the harrowing experience would stay with Fyodor for life.

The Tsar commuted Fyodor's sentence to four years of hard labor in a prison camp in Siberia, where conditions were absolutely brutal. The prisoners were housed in overcrowded, filthy barracks and subjected to relentless physical labor. Food was scarce and of poor quality, and the guards often mistreated the prisoners. Disease was rampant, and many inmates succumbed to illness and malnutrition. Fyodor himself suffered from severe health issues, including epileptic seizures, which plagued him throughout his life. Fyodor described the camp as,

"In summer, intolerable closeness; in winter, unendurable cold. All the floors were rotten. Filth on the floors an inch thick; one could slip and fall...We were packed like herrings in a barrel...There was no room to turn around...Fleas, lice, and black beetles by the bushel."

After his release in 1854, Fyodor served five years of compulsory military service in the Siberian town of Semipalatinsk.

After the end of his military service in 1859, Fyodor settled in St. Petersburg with a woman he met in Siberia who was now his wife. Here, he resumed a life of writing with renewed vigor, building on the success that had come early in his life with his debut novel, "Poor Folks," published in 1845 when he was in his mid-20s.

These latter years of his career brought Fyodor into the realm of one of the world's writing greats. His works, unsurprisingly, delve into psychological depth and philosophical exploration of complex themes such as faith, doubt, free will, and the nature of evil. His characters often grapple with intense moral dilemmas and existential crises.

Though one can say this was the result of his near execution and harsh years after, Fyodor had already begun exploring these topics in his early life years. "To study the meaning of man and of life — I am making significant progress here. I have faith in myself. Man is a mystery: if you spend your entire life trying to puzzle it out, then do not say that you have wasted your time. I occupy myself with this mystery, because I want to be a man," he wrote in a letter in 1839.

Of all his works, "The Brothers Karamazov," published in 1880, is considered Fyodor's magnum opus. Amongst the many wisdoms that come out of this story is the following: "A man who lies to himself, and believes his own lies, becomes unable to recognize truth, either in himself or in anyone else, and he ends up losing respect for himself and for others. When he has no respect for anyone, he can no longer love, and in him, he yields to his impulses, indulges in the lowest form of pleasure, and behaves in the end like an animal in satisfying his vices. And it all comes from lying — to others and to yourself."

Fyodor wrote many other great novels including, "Crime and Punishment" (1866) and "The Idiot" (1869). He passed away on February 9, 1881, at the age of 59.

Sources:

* Dostoevsky, Fyodor. Brothers Karamazov. United States, Random House Publishing Group, 2003.

* "Fyodor Dostoevsky." Wikiquote, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Fyodor_Dostoyevsky

* "Notes from the Dead House." University of Iowa Libraries, https://www.lib.uiowa.edu/gallery/exhibit-media/notes-from-the-dead-house

* Portrait of Fyodor is by Vasily Perov from 1872 – Wikimedia Commons, Wikimedia Foundation, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vasily_Perov_-_Портрет_Ф.М.Достоевского_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg

* "Under the Gun." Lapham's Quarterly, https://www.laphamsquarterly.org/time/under-gun

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