The Girl I Left Behind Me

 

Val Digital Art and AI

One of the songs associated with the Spanish-American War is "The Girl I Left Behind Me," which, although not originally from that period, was popular among soldiers during various American military engagements, including the Spanish-American War. The song itself dates back much further and has British origins, but it became part of American military culture. The lyrics speak to the feelings of soldiers as they leave their loved ones to go off to war. Here are the lyrics to one of the versions of "The Girl I Left Behind Me":

I'm lonesome since I crossed the hill, 

And o'er the moor and valley,

Such heavy thoughts my heart do fill,

Since parting with my Sally.

 

I seek no more the fine or gay,

For each does but remind me

How swift the hours did pass away,

With the girl I left behind me.

 

Oh ne'er shall I forget the night,

The stars were bright above me

 And gently lent their silv'ry light,

When first she vowed to love me.

 

But now I'm bound to Brighton camp,

 Kind heaven then pray guide me,

And send me safely back again,

To the girl I left behind me.

 

The bee shall honey taste no more,

The dove become a ranger,

The falling waters cease to roar,

Ere I shall seek to change her.

 

The vows we've made to one another,

Oh, they're recorded in the sky,

And never shall I wed another,

Till the day I die.

 

Though in the battle front we're placed,

And death is hovering round us,

No fear shall mine the line to waste,

Nor entwine the laurels round us.

And if we're called to face the foe,

No fear shall e'er unbind me,

 My thoughts will be with her I know,

The girl I left behind me.

 

 

John A Rodgers (1873 - 1908) - Spanish-American Soldier (repost)

                                       

Army Invalid card for John A. Rodgers, 1908

National Archives and Records Administration (NARA)

John A. Rodgers, African American, was born around 1873 in Senatopia, Mississippi. On July 12, 1898, he enlisted in Company E, 23rd Kansas Volunteer Infantry. It was a segregated unit drawn from several Kansas communities founded by freedmen in the post-Civil War era. Black units were being sent to Cuba on the theory that African Americans would have some immunity to tropical diseases. Unfortunately, this proved not to be the case.

By the time the regiment reached Santiago, Cuba, in August 1898, the shooting war was already over. The 23rd Kansas was tasked with guarding 5000 defeated Spanish soldiers awaiting transport back to Spain. During much of his tour of duty in Cuba, Rodgers was laid up with dysentery and then malaria.
 
On March 1, 1899, the 23rd Kansas boarded a transport ship for New York City. Rodgers was discharged on April 10 at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. He moved to Hot Springs, Arkansas, where he married a woman named Annie Pickett on October 3, 1900.
 
Rodgers’s military service had left him debilitated and unfit for heavy physical labor. Pension records show that he was 6 feet 4 inches , unusually tall for that era.  He became a tailor, possibly because readymade clothing did not fit him and he had to sew his own anyway. 
 
On May 26, 1906, Rodgers applied for and received a disability pension (Invalid Certificate #1022317). Owing to his bout with dysentery in Cuba, he was afflicted with large, protruding piles (hemorrhoids). Initially, he received $10 a month. Over the years, payment was increased to $17 a month.
 
In mid 1908, John Rodgers was experiencing heart problems, although he was only 35 years old. He left his wife in Hot Springs and went to Los Angeles, possibly to the Old Soldiers Home in Sawtelle. Thereafter, he moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where he rented a room at 30 North 2nd Avenue. To support himself, he placed ads in the local newspaper, asking for work repairing old carpets and refurbishing used clothing.
 
John A. Rodgers died on November 14, 1908, of aortic insufficiency, mitral regurgitation, and hypertrophy of the left ventricle.  He was buried in Rosedale Cemetery.
 
Several days after Rodgers’ death, Marshal Moore of Phoenix received an urgent letter from a Mrs. Jennie Reeves, asking the marshal to take charge of Rodgers’ body and effects. She also said that the deceased was a military veteran and asked that Rodgers’ body be returned to Arkansas for burial or sent to the National Cemetery. Her request could not be accommodated, however, because Rodgers was already buried and no one could attest to Mrs. Reeves’ legal rights to Rodgers’ property.
 
- story by Donna Carr

World War I Rations

Val Digital Art and AI

During World War I, rationing became a crucial part of life on both the home front and the battlefield, as governments struggled to manage the scarcity of food and resources caused by the global conflict. In the trenches, soldiers subsisted on a diet that often consisted of canned corned beef, known as "bully beef," hardtack biscuits, and tea or coffee. These rations were designed for long shelf life and ease of transport, rather than taste or nutritional value.

Vintage Valentine Inscriptions

Bing Images - Creative Commons

Crafting inscriptions that capture the essence of vintage Valentine's Day cards involves a blend of charm, wit, and the romantic vernacular of bygone eras. Here are three inscriptions inspired by the style and sentimentality of vintage Valentines:

To My Dearest Heart

"Within this card, so finely made, 

Lies a tender truth, brightly displayed. 

For every beat my heart doth make, 

Is a vow of love I swear to never forsake. 

So, on this day, when lovers entwine, 

I ask thee, dearest, to be forever mine."

To My Beloved Companion

"As the rose in splendid bloom doth not compare, 

To the light and joy you bring, beyond compare. 

Through every season, come what may, 

My love for you grows day by day. 

This Valentine, with lace so fine, 

Is but a token of this love of mine."

To My Sweetest Friend

"From laughter light to deepest care, 

In every moment, 

you are there. 

A friend so true, 

a heart so kind, 

In you, my dearest treasure, I find. 

So, take this card, 

a small token, it's true, 

But know it's filled with gratitude, from me to you."

These inscriptions aim to reflect the eloquence and emotional depth characteristic of vintage Valentine's Day cards, capturing the timeless nature of love and friendship.

 

Solomon Dotson (1894 - 1940) - World War I Veteran

 

Val Digital Art and AI

Although no contemporary record of his birth has been found, Solomon Dotson is believed to have been born on Christmas Day, 1894, in Jacksonville, Cherokee County, Texas.

As early as August 1916, Dotson was serving as a private in Company H, 365th Infantry, U.S. Army.  The 365th was a racially-segregated, all Negro regiment.  However, it was somewhat unusual in that, unlike most other segregated units, it had African American officers.  Dotson’s commanding officer was Captain William Washington Green.  Green was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and the Silver Star for his heroic actions during World War I.  Therefore, it seems likely that Solomon Dotson too saw combat during the War.

Solomon had several service tours throughout his life.  Promoted to the rank of private first class, Dotson continues to appear on the 365th ‘s roster until January 31, 1919, when he was presumably discharged.

Proud of his World War I service, Dotson was active in veterans’ organizations throughout his later years.   In 1936, he was the finance officer for the William F. Blake American Legion Post #40 (the post appears to have been renamed the Tilden White Post at a later date).   Dotson’s teenaged daughter Lonnie was president of the post’s junior auxiliary.  Dotson also belonged to the Virgil Bell Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1710, which still exists.

1940 was an election year, and Solomon Dotson was active in the ‘Wilkie for President’ club.  However, he didn’t live to see the outcome of the election as he died on October 15th of a cerebral hemorrhage associated with hypertension.  His funeral took place at the Calvary Baptist Church, after which he was laid to rest in the Maricopa County Cemetery (now Cementerio Lindo).

-story shortened, story by Donna Carr

Unusual Restaurants

 

Moshulu 1904 - Now a Floating Restaurant

Library of Congress

The 1800s were a period of great innovation and diversity in the culinary world, giving rise to several unusual restaurants that captured the imagination of diners of the time. Here are a few notable examples:

Automat Restaurants: While the first true automat, Horn & Hardart, opened in Philadelphia in 1902, the concept of automated dining began to take shape in the late 1800s. These establishments featured coin-operated machines where customers could retrieve pre-prepared meals without the need for waitstaff, a novelty that fascinated the public.

Theme Restaurants: The 1800s saw the emergence of theme restaurants, such as the Egyptian-themed Café des Aveugles in Paris, a cabaret where blind musicians performed. These thematic dining spaces offered patrons not just a meal but an immersive experience, blending cuisine with entertainment and exotic or historical atmospheres.

Floating Restaurants: With the expansion of empires and the increased movement of goods and people, floating restaurants began to appear in port cities and along major rivers. These establishments offered diners the novelty of eating while gently bobbing on the water, providing a unique dining experience combined with picturesque views.

 

A Menu Inspired by Mary Lee

 

Some dishes to try from our collection of cookbooks from the 1890s.  Click on the menu, complete with recipes, to download.  

Mary Lee (1862 - 1900) - Restaurant Owner (Re-post)

Mary's success was remarkable for her time, as women were not often seen in business roles.

The border vidette. (Nogales, Ariz.), 18 Feb. 1899. 
Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers
Library of Congress
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn96060796/1899-02-18/ed-1/seq-4/>

Mary A. Lee was born about 1862, and was a restaurateur in Territorial Phoenix  and Tucson during the late 1890s.  She was a single, African-American woman who was reported in the December 5, 1897 Arizona Daily Star as "...the famous caterer who is known to prepare the finest dinner, breakfast, or luncheon in Arizona.."  Not much is known about her early life, or where she was born.  However, she appeared to have rose to the Phoenix scene around 1892 in a partnership she formed with Samuel W. Slade, called "Lee and Slade".  The partnership maintained The Opera House cafe which featured "game, fish, and oysters".  At the later part of the year, they acquired a five year lease for $18,000 from the owner of the Ford Hotel to maintain a restaurant on the premises.  The partnership dissolved in 1896, and Mary ventured to Tucson where she became of the proprietor of Williams Hotel, The Alhambra, and the Orndorff Cafe.  Mary returned to Phoenix suffering from an illness, and died of tuberculosis October 26, 1900.  Curiously, her probate records states that she had an account at the National Bank of Arizona at Tucson for $325 and a trunk of personal effects in Phoenix.  Her executor later stated that these items "could not be found."  She is buried in Rosedale with no marker.  

The Mary's Cafe Fare menu is dedicated to her.  It consists of breakfasts, lunches, and dinners found often in the home and restaurants of the 1890s, and consists of three planned meals with recipes.  The recipes are found from cookbooks of the era that are posted on Project Gutenberg.  References available on request.  The menu is written and designed by Val Wilson.

Black History Month - To Honor and Preserve

 

Black History Month evolved from a week-long celebration to a month-long observance in the United States, reflecting a growing recognition of the contributions and history of African Americans. The evolution of this observance is a testament to the efforts of individuals and organizations dedicated to promoting a more inclusive understanding of American history.