Another Memorial Day has come and gone here at Mount Olivet Cemetery. The weather last Monday, May 26th, was quite gorgeous locally as it was for the entire military holiday weekend. On the previous Saturday, the community, under the leadership of Francis Scott Key Post #11 of the American Legion, placed thousands of flags over the graves of veterans residing here. Our number is nearly 5,000.

Although the majority of this post-Memorial Day week has been rainy and dismal, the appearance of these little flaglets throughout the historic burial ground is pretty awe-inspiring. Upon a walk the other day, one particular scene stood out to me among others. Here, I found a military-issue gravestone in Area M, aka "Strangers Row."

This monument is within the former site of a sizable line of Union soldier graves that once stretched from nearby Confederate Row (to the south) and paralleled the adjacent drive on our western perimeter in a northward (and then eastward) direction giving a glimpse of Lincoln Elementary School on the other side of the fence. The old "Union Row" actually extended to the site of the intersection of this lane with our Broadway Street gate road, and contained roughly 264 men of the Union Army who had died in our Frederick hospital center during the Civil War from either sickness or fatal injuries suffered in nearby conflicts. The vast majority of these soldiers were dis-interred from here in 1867, and moved to the new national cemetery that had been laid out in Sharpsburg. 

A few Northern soldiers were left behind in Mount Olivet, likely due to the request of family to keep them here. The marked veteran I saw has the name of James K. P. Brightwell. More on him in a minute. To the left of Brightwell's grave, was a lone flag atop an unmarked grave. I did a double-take thinking, "Why is there a flag placed there?" I then had a hunch of who it was based on research I did back in 2018 on World War I soldiers. My next question: "How did someone know there was a veteran buried there?" More on that in two minutes. 

With inspiration to study these two decedents further, I decided first to look at the newspaper of a century ago to see what was happening in Frederick in conjunction with Memorial Day. Back then,  Memorial Day was observed on May 30th, regardless of the day of the week. In 1925, May 30th fell on a Saturday. Our first official Memorial Day commemoration at Mount Olivet took place 27 years earlier on May 30th, 1888. This 1888 date marked the 20th anniversary of Memorial Day on a national level. Here locally, appropriate exercises were held that morning at several cemeteries across the city and county. Within Mount Olivet, a special ceremony sponsored by the G. A. R. (Grand Army of the Republic) commenced at 3pm. The G.A.R. was the largest of all Union Army veterans' organizations.

Things would be no different at Mount Olivet in the year 1925, but the holiday with roots dating back to Decoration Day had taken on new meaning for generations at hand as Civil War veterans were becoming far fewer, and citizens were still feeling the effects and loss associated with the First World War with the majority of its casualties happening in 1918 as far as the American soldier was concerned. Thinking ahead, 1925 would be a critical birth year for boys who, in time, would be called to serve, and sacrifice their lives for the good of the country in the next major military conflict. This would come 17-20 years later with World War II.

I wanted to share a few of the news articles and advertisements of Memorial Day, 1925 as they appeared in the local Frederick Daily News. The main local, news story of this day of May 30th, 1925, still has Memorial Day implications today, but has nothing to do with the US military or warfare. The front page story heralded the opening of the new dam in northern Frederick County that would assist as a major reservoir. We know this today as Hunting Creek Lake, today a part of the William Houck Area of Cunningham Falls State Park. 

Apparently traffic has always been a problem on Memorial Day as shown by the above article. And what is more fun than reading the "Years Ago Today" segment, and enjoying an evocative cartoon?

​What most impressed me in this particular edition of the Daily News was the newspaper's editorial. This is especially poignant for so many reasons. One being that today we are bombarded with more editorial content than actual news. Editors, reporters, anchors, experts and pundits frame news and the events of the day to match specific narratives. Everything is political, or made so it seems. Now, back in the day, and really up until not that long ago, our life experience, knowledge of the world and critical thinking skills would be called into play while reading about local, state, national and global happenings. The following editorial is purely enlightening. I wish I knew the author.

Seven years ago, we at Mount Olivet launched an auxiliary website to our business site, MountOlivetCemeteryInc.com, and our history site (the one you find yourself reading this blog) MountOlivetHistory.com. I'm talking about MountOlivetVets.com, a site solely dedicated to the veterans buried here in what is considered one of the most distinguished and beautiful burial grounds in the country. As said earlier, Mount Olivet is home to thousands of patriots who bravely served their country under the same flag "so proudly hailed" in 1814 by fellow cemetery resident and Frederick native, Francis Scott Key.
 
For those in the know, the MountOlivetVets.com website is somewhat like a customized version of FindaGrave.com. Our Friends of Mount Olivet members continue to volunteer their time to research and create memorial pages for men and women connected to military service and every conflict our country has been involved in. This is certainly a work in progress as we have only completed the early wars (American Revolution and War of 1812), World War I and the Union soldiers of the American Civil War, as the Confederate soldiers are soon to be published.

​We are working on building our World War II pages at present, and have plenty more veteran pages to follow in connection to service men ans women in the Korean War, Vietnam War and more modern conflicts such as Desert Storm. And yes, we haven't forgotten about our Mexican War, Spanish-American War and all those brave citizens who served under the flag during times of peace. For now, all get a flag on Memorial Day and Veterans Day. Hopefully, if we get full sponsorship for Wreaths Across America, all will receive a memorial wreath on the second Saturday of December. Click here for the sponsorship link to our Friends of Mount Olivet Wreaths Across America page. We also have a FaceBook site I encourage you to check for news and updates.

The two flags shown at the outset of the story in Area M belong to a Civil War vet and a World War I vet as previously established. Both have memorial pages on the MountOlivet Vets website. Let's start with the man who has a monument behind his flag. This is James K. P. Brightwell. 

Our subject is from an English family with deep roots going back to the early days of the Maryland colony. James' third great-grandfather is a man I am familiar with thanks to a documentary I researched over 25 years ago, along with a class I teach on Native Americans, early explorers and fur traders of our region in the 1600s/early 1700s. This man's name was Capt. Richard Brightwell (1642-1698). He arrived in Maryland in 1663 as an indentured servant from his home in Mildenhall, Suffolk, England. He served out his indenture in Prince Georges County under Capt. Thomas Trueman and would become quite prosperous over his lifetime.

On appointment by the provincial government, Capt. Richard Brightwell was a commander of the Prince Georges County Rangers who traveled the early Indian trails of the Monocacy Valley and what is today Upper Montgomery County. In 1697, Brightwell reported to the Maryland General Assembly that "This country was "a howling wilderness, with only Indian paths, Indian camps and wild animals. No white settlers would dare these trails. It was only the traders who worked among the Indians that knew these trails."

Capt. Brightwell's grandson, John Lawson Brightwell, married into the Carmack family and relocated from Upper Marlborough in Prince Georges County to eastern Frederick County by 1790. This man was our subject James K. P. Brightwell's great grandfather.

James Brightwell was born in August, 1845 or 1846, however, this date is up for debate. He was the son of John Robert Brightwell of Libertytown and wife Elizabeth Polly Carr. You will later learn that this, too, may be up for debate. James was one of 9 children and raised in Libertytown despite his mother dying in 1850. Instead of middle initials "K." and "P.," note that the 1850 census above shows James "D." I would also see him later referred to as James "R." and James "B." In the end, literally the end as in his obituary, I would learn that his full name was James Knox Polk Brightwell. Obviously this was an homage to our 11th US president who was in office at the time of James Brightwell's birth.

The 1860 US Census shows James and other siblings living in the home of his oldest sister Rosanna who had married a blacksmith named James Myers. James' father, John, can be found living with another daughter (and sister to James) named Eva Elizabeth Adeline Steele who had married a Mexican War veteran named John Steele.

I presume that James received a basic education in Libertytown and worked as a laborer. That is, up to the American Civil War. Research from our MountOlivetVets.com site shows that James enlisted in the Union Army in Baltimore on October 1st, 1861. He would serve initially as a private in Company E of the 5th Maryland Infantry. Enlistment papers state, at the start of the war, that our subject was a barkeeper by the name of James K. P. Brightfull, and was born in 1845, so our soldier was a man of deception, mystery or confusion.

James Brightwell would be captured by the Rebel Army on June 15th, 1863 as part of the 2nd Battle of Winchester, Virginia. He was paroled weeks later at City Point, VA on July 8th, 1863. At this point he returned to duty.

Brightwell fulfilled his enlistment and was mustered out on December 31st, 1863 at Fort Delaware. However, he re-enlisted the following day and served until September 1st, 1865. He had been promoted to corporal on June 30th, 1865, and mustered out in Fredericksburg, VA.

James returned to Libertytown after the war and lived with his sister and siblings. One of these was older brother Alonzo F. Brightwell (1844-1877) who also served with the Union Army during the Civil War. Alonzo enlisted a month before James in Frederick and served with Company B of the Potomac Home Brigade of the First Maryland Infantry. He would be captured at Harpers Ferry in mid-September 1862 at the Battle of Maryland Heights, and was paroled afterwards. Alonzo spent much time guarding the local lines of the railroad and canal before being mustered out of service at Point of Rocks in February, 1864. He would re-enlist and served with Company B of the 13th Maryland until war's end. Like James, Alonzo was promoted to the rank of corporal and finally mustered out of service in Baltimore in late May, 1865.

James worked as a house painter, and Alonzo worked in the copper mines near New London. Yes, this is how Coppermine Road received its name. 

Alonzo F. Brightwell came to live in Frederick with his wife and children. He is buried in Mount Olivet like James. Alonzo died of consumption in 1887 and is buried in Mount Olivet's Area Q/Lot 196.

James Brightwell married Lucinda Heiser of Warfieldsburg, Carroll County in 1874 in Libertytown. They would first live in the vicinity of New London between Libertytown and New Market in the eastern part of Frederick County.

By 1880, the Brightwells had three of seven known children. Minnie L. (1876-?), Cora V. (1878-1983) and Zeno (1879-1933). Four more would follow in Benjamin K. (1887-?), Franklin Dallis (1887-1958), Leroy (1890-1968) and Cornelia Irene (1893-1976).

I don't know much about the Brightwells' family life, but I do sense some serious health and well-being challenges associated with James, perhaps something caused as a result of his years in the service. I was clued in to this notion by seeing  this news article carried in the Frederick newspaper in 1884.

I presume that James was only at Montevue until 1886/87 based on the births of twin sons Benjamin and Franklin in 1887. A year later, he was involved in a buggy accident in Frederick with relatives. James next appears in the 1890 special Veterans Census living in Frederick. That same year, I found a very intriguing clue into his confusing childhood. Perhaps this has a direct correlation to issues encountered as an adult?​

Was this Rosanna Myers the mother of James K. P. Brightwell, or was she simply his older sister as I had previously believed? Were John and Elizabeth Brightwell our subject's parents or grandparents?  Rosanna appeared as Rosanna Brightwell in the 1850 census and married three years later William Henry Myers. Even though James is not mentioned in Rosanna's obituary in 1900, are we to think that James was the son of Rosanna? Now the questions run deep. Either Rosanna gave birth to James out of wedlock, or perhaps adopted him as her own, or he considered her (Rosanna) his mother since Elizabeth died when he was about 4-5 yearsold. Maybe Rosanna previously married an older  Brightwell son of John and Elizabeth Brightwell and became widowed before 1850?

​An interesting sidenote is that Sheriff Andrew Clay McBride (1860-1910) is buried only about 50 yards from James Brightwell in neighboring Area L/Lot 193. More so, McBride's son, Brigadier General Allan Clay McBride (1885-1944) was a veteran of both World Wars and is buried at our World War II monument in Area E of Mount Olivet. He is one of our highest, if not the highest ranking veteran in Mount Olivet, and in the spirit of Memorial Day is oft remembered for dying in active duty as a Prisoner of War after serving on the staff of Gen. Douglas MacArthur in the Pacific in the Philippines and participating in the infamous Bataan Death March.

James Brightwell was out of the Montevue Hospital by 1898. He and his family relocated to Baltimore and can be found there later that year and two years later in the 1900 US Census. James is recorded as continuing to work as a house painter there in Baltimore City directories from 1898-1902. Lucinda is listed as a seamstress in the 1900 census. 

In 1901, James had been issued a military pension by the government for his service in the Civil War three decades earlier. Sadly, James Brightwell would be re-committed to Frederick's Montevue Hospital once again by 1903. The following article appeared in the Frederick News in September of that same year.

Thankfully, James would eventually leave Montevue and was back living with Lucinda in Frederick on East Patrick Street, and later South Bentz Street. The only mentions for the next 15 years in the newspapers of James Brightwell  are in announcing that he was either visiting relatives (children) in Baltimore, or recovering at home from illness or injury. 

I found an especially uplifting article which appeared in the local newspaper in advance of Memorial Day, 1908. It dealt with James' efforts to mark the grave of a fellow Civil War colleague buried at Mount Olivet. 

​James can be found living apart from Lucinda by 1910. He, instead, is residing with son Zeno and wife Ella Brightwell with their 2 year-old son Leroy in the 1910 Census. They were living at 16 South Bentz Street. Meanwhile, Lucinda and her youngest children can be found living at 426 West Third Street in Frederick.

James Brightwell would not be living in the next census of 1920, having died May 1st, 1919. His obituary was carried in the Frederick paper on May 2nd, 1919, however is hard to read based on the microfilm copy I found. He would be laid to rest in Mount Olivet's Area M/Lot 23.

Obituary transcript:

"James K. Polk Brightwell, a civil war veteran and a well-known citizen died at the home of his son Zeno Brightwell, 16 Bentz Street yesterday evening at 7:30 o'clock after a short illness of kidney trouble 72 years old. He had been in failing health for some time. He was a native of Libertytown and enlisted in the Union Army Company E Fifth Maryland Regiment, Captain Lowery, in 1861 and served throughout the conflict. He was a house painter by trade and was a member of the Lutheran church. His wife died one year ago. Three daughters, Mrs. John Apple, Mrs Charles Shannon and Mrs Lewis Rickerd, Baltimore, and three sons, Zeno, this city and Frank and LeRoy Brightwell, Baltimore. One sister, Mrs. James Ely, this city, a half sister Mrs Kate Scott, Baltimore, and two half brothers, Stephen Myers, Liberty and Walter Myers, Baltimore, all survive. The funeral will take place from his late house Sunday afternoon at 3 o'clock. Thomas P. Rice will be the funeral director."

As stated in the obituary, James' wife, Lucinda, had died in 1918. Interestingly, she died exactly one year before her husband on May 1st, 1918. Lucinda Brightwell is not buried in Mount Olivet. Instead she is in an unmarked grave in Dundalk's Oak Hill Cemetery in southeast Baltimore. Her youngest son, Leroy Brightwell (1890-1968), is buried here in this cemetery as well and likely made the arrangements. It is likely that she died at his home in Charm City, located at 432 South Third Street.

Once again we are reminded of the importance of a gravestone. Yes, it only shows a brief amount of information in the form of name, birth and death dates, and either military-based information as is the case of our veterans, or an occasional bible verse for others. These are monuments to lives lived, plain and simple. Think what you will of mortal remains and the soul or spirit of an individual, but the grave marker is a touchstone, both literal and figurative, representing the accomplishments, experiences and occasional mishaps of what the decedent embodied in both life and remembered in death. I'm glad I could learn more about James Brightwell, the man and life behind and beneath this flaglet. Now, what about the flag to the immediate left of his gravestone?

The decedent under this flag was also a local soldier. He was a private in Company M of the 71st Infantry Regiment and his last name was somewhat similar to his cemetery neighbor Mr. Brightwell. His name was James Lewis Lambright, Jr. He went by the name Lewis Lambright.

Born May 15th, 1889, "Lewis" was the son of James Lewis Lambright who died in 1896. Our subject's mother was the former Georgianna M. Heiser of Carroll County and daughter of Daniel and Susan Heisler. Georgianna was an older sister to Lucinda Heiser Brightwell of whom we just talked about. 

Georgianna would remarry in 1897. This was Harry Westerly. The family of five "Lambright" siblings continued living at mother Georgianna's home of 104 West Sixth Street in Frederick.  

The Lambright children attended school in Frederick and Lewis would take up the tonsorial arts becoming a barber. He began working in this profession at age 19 around 1908.

To say that Lewis had a straight and narrow upbringing would not be quite correct. He was no stranger to the local police authorities. At age 15, he was arrested for theft of some oranges from a freight train. It was proven later that he was innocent of the theft, though.
 
At age 25, he and another man, Osborne Six, were "engaged in a fracas" because Six accused Lewis of "too much familiarity with Six’s wife." Both men were arrested by Policeman Johnny Adams who we have chronicled in this blog. Each man was fined, and Lewis was "warned by the magistrate to steer clear of other people’s wives." The next year, Lewis was charged with disorderly conduct by Officer Adams. He was fined $5, but ended up staying in the jail for 15 days since he couldn’t pay the fine. 

​As World War I raged in Europe, Lewis registered for the draft in June, 1917. He was now 28. Sometime later that year or the next, he would marry a West Sixth street neighbor in Annie Wickham. Lewis enlisted in the US Army and was inducted into service on June 26th, 1918. As stated earlier, he was assigned to Company M of the 71st Infantry.

Lewis Lambright was sent to Camp Meade in June of 1918 for basic training. In August 1918, he came home on furlough, but remained at home instead of returning to camp on August 25th as expected. The next night, he attempted suicide by swallowing a bichloride of mercury tablet. His family realized what he had done and called a doctor who pulled him through the suicide attempt.

Lewis refused to go back to Camp Meade. We learn a great deal more thanks to unfortunate events occurring on December 1st, 1918. The following article in the Frederick News tells of his sad demise after staying A.W.O.L. all fall as the headline clearly states. (NOTE: I've transcribed this article below).

Transcription:
"Rather than go back to Camp Meade to face punishment for being absent without leave, Private James Lewis Lambright, West Sixth Street, on Friday afternoon swallowed a quantity of arsenic which caused death on Sunday afternoon. Although information is lacking, it is believed that Lambright swallowed the poison in his room on the second floor while officers were on the first floor urging his wife to produce him for arrest.

​On September 2, Lambright was absent from Camp Meade. At that time he attempted suicide swallowing a quantity of bichloride mercury. The soldier responded to treatment and was sent home to recover. Lambright was absent from Camp Meade since November 2. Members of the police force have known of his presence here but failed to arrest him. On Friday afternoon (Nov. 29), Officer John Adams and Painter called at the Lambright home on West Sixth Street. They were received by Mrs. Lambright who at first refused to permit the officers to talk with her husband. 'You can't take him without a warrant,' she exclaimed. Finally, Lambright appeared and he was persuaded by the officers to accompany them to the city exemption board from where they got in touch with Camp Meade. The officers were instructed to hold the soldier until the arrival of the guard from the camp.

Then shortly after 8 o'clock, Frederick Chief of Police Bruchey received the following telegram: 'Hold Private Lewis Lambright absent without leave. Will send Guard.' "Provost Guard Headquarters"
Half an hour later a telegram was received by the chief of police. 'Lambright is a deserter. Plan for calls of his arrest immediately.' "Lieut. Hammond"
​
Later a telephone message was received by Desk Sergeant John Engelbrecht from Camp Meade requesting the county officials to hold Lambright for a guard which would be sent to Frederick. 

Becomes ill at Jail
On the trip to the county jail, Lambright became violently ill. The two officers suspected that he had taken poison but Lambright denied it. 'Didn't I tell you before September 2nd that I took poison he counterquestioned'. The officers agreed that he had said that his promptness had saved his life.
At the jail Lambright became seriously ill. His wife consulted a physician and he was released by Sheriff Klipp to be taken home for treatment. On Saturday (Nov 30), his condition was critical and on Sunday (Dec 1) afternoon between 12 and 1 o'clock he died. 

He is survived by his wife, his mother Mrs. Harry Esterly, a brother Harry Lambright and one sister Mrs. Ada Cuddy, Harrisburg, PA., half sister Mrs Pearl Adams and a half brother, Charles Zimmerman.
The funeral will take place this Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock. Services will be conducted by Dr. G. P. Kidner. Burial will be made in Mt. Olivet Cemetery. Thomas P. Rice is the funeral director."

Such was the life of Lewis Lambright, buried without a grave marker in Mount Olivet's Area M. I would also learn that his father and mother are buried in different sections here at Mount Olivet: James Lewis Lambright, Sr. in Area C/Lot 57 , and Georgianna (Lambright) Esterly in Area T/Lot 144. Both are in unmarked graves as well.​

Darn! I'm two months late for "National Shoe Day" (March 15th), and way too early for "International Shoemakers Day." No worries, I will tell you this week's "Story in Stone" anyway. But, before I do, I'm reminded to share the old idiom:

"Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes."

The admonition to "walk a mile in someone else’s shoes" means before judging someone, you must understand his or her experiences, challenges, thought processes, etc. In effect, it is a reminder to practice empathy. While long credited as a Native American aphorism, replacing the word shoes with moccasins, the saying almost certainly is derived from a Mary T. Lathrap poem published in 1895. The original title of the poem was Judge Softly, later titled Walk a Mile in His Moccasins. There are many variations on the phrase such as walk a mile in his, her or my shoes. A plea for empathy is phrased put yourself in my shoes, as well as put yourself in his or her shoes.

I was reminded of this quote recently by hearing a stand-up routine by Scottish actor and comedian Billy Connolly. His variation on the theme included this joke:
 
"Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes. After that who cares?... He's a mile away and you've got his shoes!"

This week's piece was more inspired by a gravestone in Frederick, Maryland's historic Mount Olivet cemetery, than by foot apparel. I guess you could say that judgment and empathy are also at play based on the subject of who has a grave marker, and who does not. 

Two early gravestones appear in area M, not far from the grave of Gov. Thomas Johnson, Jr. They represent the location of the mortal remains of George Malambre, a cordswainer, and his first wife Rachel. The fact that the monuments pictured above still exist is quite a feat unto itself as these are relicts from the old All Saints' Protestant Episcopal burying ground. "God's Acre," as it was once called, dates back to the founding of Frederick in the 1740s and existed on a bluff overlooking Carroll Creek.

Like the namesake church itself, the burying ground is long gone, emptied of its mortal remains back in 1913. This was part of a planned mass-removal project sponsored by the congregation. They wanted to get out of the cemetery business, and maintenance of the cemetery was difficult as it had become quite unkempt over decades. New burials were primarily going to Mount Olivet upon the latter's opening in 1854. People with the means to do so would have relatives, formerly "residing" at All Saints, moved to a new family plot in Frederick's "Garden Cemetery" south of town. Several lots were purchased at Mount Olivet by the church, itself, in an effort to facilitate the relocation. Today, all that remains of "All Saints" in the vicinity of the old church and former burying ground is a name—neighboring East All Saints Street.

The Malambre stones, among others, once sat atop the hill area where the "Alive at Five" concerts are held today, more specifically the amphitheater on the southern bank of Carroll Creek—a component of our spectacular linear park. Many of the early Fredericktonians buried in the All Saints' Cemetery here came to Mount Olivet with no gravestone, or lost theirs along the way if it was deemed too shabby to adorn Frederick's "Cemetery Beautiful." Those monuments that were broken, or showing visible signs of "wear and tear" were rejected and simply buried along with their decedents.

​There are plenty of unmarked residents to be found in our Area M in company of those who retained their stones. I read recently that it was basically one surviving stone for every five decedents. Several without markers were prominent citizens as well. One such, Dr. John Tyler (1763-1841), is noted as one of the earliest oculists (eye specialists) in the country. As a matter of fact it is said that he became the first American-born man to be recognized as a specialized doctor in this field and was among the first to conduct cataract surgery.

My friend and mentor, John Ashbury, recently wrote (or is in the process of writing) a piece on the good doctor for Frederick Magazine.  As the so-called "coucher of cataracts," he performed delicate work that required a steady hand. It's no wonder why Dr. Tyler "spited" city officials back in 1814 when he quickly constructed a house on an adjacent lot next to his home (and place of business) on West Church Street. This stunt featured the intent and "optics" to thwart a plan by municipal officials to build a "through road" between West Church Street (at Record Street) to West Patrick Street as an extension of Record Street. Ironically, years later, Dr. Tyler's home, next to his "Spite House," would become the rectory for All Saints Church.

In death, Dr. Tyler wasn't fully "spited" by cemetery reinterment efforts. He lost his grave marker, or perhaps never had one, but was thankfully given his own grave space in Area M. At that time, nearly 300 of his All Saints' brethren were not as lucky. These individuals are buried together within a mass grave only yards in front of the steadfast stones of George and Rachel Malambre.

​I will tell a more complete story of both Dr. John Tyler, along with All Saints Cemetery and its removal to Mount Olivet, in future efforts with this blog. One of the key resources for me in understanding the early churchyard on Carroll Creek is a description by writer Emma Gittinger for an article published in the Frederick News on May 28th, 1913. This piece was actually based on a lecture Ms. Gittinger had given at the time to the Frederick Historical Society. It centered on a recent visit she had made in walking through the lonely,  old burial ground shortly before its dismantling. Here is a small snippet of the article with mentions of both the Malambres and Dr. Tyler:

From this article, Ms. Gittinger tells us that Mr. Malambre was a shoemaker, a line of work that also employs the terms of cobbler or cordwainer. One of the world's earliest professions, people skilled in this trade are responsible for making, repairing and restoring footwear. I received a better understanding by reading an online article on a website called Revolutionary War Journal (www.revolutionarywarjournal.com). Author Henry Schenewolf published an article entitled "Cordwainers & Cobblers, Shoemakers in Colonial America" on March 8th, 2016—just a week prior to "National Shoe Day." Mr. Schenewolf shares: 

"The word shoe is derived form the Anglo Saxon ‘scoh,’ meaning any covering for the foot, excepting hosiery.  In ancient times through the nineteenth century, in the Old and New World, the shoemaker garnished a unique class of respect.  They were so regarded for their remarkable intelligence and the large number of literates, poets, and statesmen who had risen from their ranks.
 
Cordwainer was the title given to shoemakers.  Cobblers were those who repaired shoes.  The cobbler had as much as five years less training than a cordwainer.  In most countries, including the American colonies, cobblers were prohibited by proclamation from making shoes.  The first shoemakers, tanners and other tradesmen arrived in Jamestown in 1607; among the colony’s principal founder John Smith’s many talents, was that of shoemaker –  the settlement was partially funded by a thriving English shoe trade.   However the first fully trained member of the cordwainer’s guild to arrive in America was the British shoemaker Christopher Nelme in 1619.  The first cordwainer in New England, Thomas Beard, landed at Plymouth in 1629.  Prior to his arrival and long after, New England settlements continued to purchase leather from Virginia until their own tanners were established."

George Malambre is our person of interest this week. As I noted earlier, Rachel was his first wife. The couple died less than 25 months apart in the mid 1840s and were buried side by side in All Saints' Cemetery. Seventy years later, their bodies were brought here to Mount Olivet to resume their "resting in peace" after a four-block trek to the front gate of our cemetery, combined with a similar sojourn thereafter to the midsection of Mount Olivet and Area M/Lot 42. This occurred on December 19th, 1913 according to our records.

I was disappointed that I did not find a great deal of information on George, but I did piece together plenty about his father, Jacob Malambre, who was also a shoemaker. Our story starts on September 17th, 1793 with the arrival in Philadelphia of Jacob Malambre aboard the ship "Columbia" from Amsterdam. This man was the progenitor of the family here in the United States. He hailed from Germany, likely North Rhine-Westphalia, and was born around the year 1768. I found the surname spelled "Malampre" in early records as well, and I believe this to be a bit of a French connection. Keep in mind that the border of eastern France and western Germany (Alsace-Lorraine region) would change hands often throughout history.

We believe that Jacob Malambre soon after went to work as a shoemaker in Philadelphia. He can be found in the 1800 US Census living in Philadelphia in the city's "Dock Ward" (now known as Society Hill) and his occupation is listed as that of cordwainer. Jacob Malambre had married Margaret Catherine Welsh on May 29th of that same year at Philadelphia's St. Paul's Episcopal Church located in the Chestnut Hill area.

Newspaper advertisements give brief details of Jacob's professional life in the shoemaking trade. From 1804-mid-1810 he can be found in city directories conducting business as a master shoemaker at 515 Front Street (on the waterfront of the Delaware River) and had apprentices and journeymen in his employ. I found Jacob involved in an interesting case in January 1806. This was  a grand inquest held in Philadelphia on behalf of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to explore details of a labor strike on behalf of journeymen shoemakers who had "united" together in an effort to get better pay from master shoemakers like Malambre.

Apparently the city had set prices for varying styles of shoes across the board, but the business owners and master shoemakers found that the rising rate of pay demanded by journeymen workers (needed to handle work volume) was growing, thus there would be the necessity to raise prices of goods at the behest of the customer base. 

​Author Patrick Grubbs in his entry describing the Cordwainers Trial of 1806 within the Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia writes:
 
"This trial proved to be not only a contest between journeymen laborers against master shoemakers but also a trial of Federalist versus Jeffersonian ideals. The ultimate decision upheld Federalist notions of protection of property and firmly placed the United States on a course of enhanced industrial manufacturing through the use of wage labor. As such, it also proved to be one of the most significant trials in American labor history.
 
Contention between journeymen shoemakers and their masters grew in the last decade of the eighteenth century, as in-migrating master craftsmen began promoting price competition, proposed higher pay rates, and lowered product quality. Both masters and journeymen fought the practice of underselling (marketing cheap goods), as it not only affected profits, but also wages. However, each side did so independently and with its own interests at stake, which foreshadowed the divergence that would take place between them.

After both sides presented their case, Federalist Judge Moses Levy (1757-1826) used his charge to the jury to extol the ideals of a laissez-faire market and its ability to determine both prices and wages. He denounced the existence of journeymen societies, their use of strikes, and the artificial regulation this put on the market. Lastly, he instructed the jury to understand that a combination of workers, formed into a society in order to raise their wages, was illegal under common law. The next day the jury found the eight journeymen guilty and fined them eight dollars each."

To give an example of going prices for shoes of the day, I found the following price guide of shoes in Philadelphia for 1805: Fancy Tops $4.25, Back Straps $3.75, Longboots $2.75, Cossacks $2.75, Bootees $2.50. The journeyman generally could make $6-7/week, but some could pull $11.25-12/week based on work speed and efficiency. A good workman could produce three pairs of Back-Strap boots/week.

In 1810, Jacob had moved from his second location of business at 113 S. 2nd Street in Philadelphia to 69 Union Street. He would stay here five years before moving to his final known location in the "City of Brotherly Love" of 114 Race Street. It is assumed that sundry apprentices were replaced by children of the couple of Jacob and Margaret Catherine Malambre. Four are known including our subject George who was born in Philadelphia on July 5th, 1804. Others included John (b.1802-1868), Jacob (1806-1850) and a daughter Margaret. It can be assumed that all three boys worked in the family business from a young age.

For one reason or another, Jacob Malambre leaves Philadelphia somewhere around 1816. I found references to "unpicked up" letters for him in Lancaster, and a business directory listing for Jacob Malambre in Baltimore for 1817-1818. The Baltimore location seems to be in the Towson Area. He could have been a journeyman himself in those other places. Regardless, Jacob Malambre, Sr. would come to good old Frederick, Maryland. 

The earliest advertisement I had access to within an early Frederick newspaper implies the location of Jacob Malambre's shoemaking business as being at a site directly opposite the National Pike Mile-marker #45 at the corner of East Patrick Street and today's Maxwell Alley. The marker is gone, destroyed by a wayward motorist some years ago, as it sat in front of  the former site of Frederick's first house, built by John Thomas Schley in the 1740s. This would eventually become Niedhardts Bakery and more recently the Blue Ridge News Agency and currently Venus on the Half Shell, a vintage clothing store. At this later location, my old friend Jennifer Stillrich can still set you up with shoe apparel from yester-year! That would make Malambre's shoemaking shop location 200 East Patrick on the south side of the street and along an alley that leads back to C. Burr Artz Library.

Outside of advertisements for the business, not much more can be gleaned from Jacob Malambre's operation here in town. He did move to another location in the summer of 1819. This was several blocks to the west on Patrick Street adjacent the bridge over Carroll Creek. Interestingly, this vicinity, called Bentztown was later inhabited by two lasting Frederick legends. Diarist Jacob Engelbrecht possibly lived and worked (as a tailor) here in this very dwelling. Across the street, Barbara Fritchie would make her home with husband John Fritchie, a glovemaker. Again, this would be sometime later. 

Jacob Malambre appeared in the 1820 US Census, but died a year later on October 4th, 1821. Mention of his death was carried in the local newspaper, but also can be found in the Baltimore and Philadelphia newspapers as well.

Jacob Engelbrecht chronicled the event with the following entry into his diary on the afternoon of the cordswainer's death:

"Died this day, in the 52nd year of his age Mr. Jacob Malambre (shoemaker) a resident of this town for the last five years. He will be buried on the Lutheran graveyard tomorrow."

It seems odd that Jacob made this remark as I supposed this couple to be of the Episcopal faith because they were married in the Episcopal Church, and it seems son George "kept the faith" as he was originally buried in an Episcopal burying ground. Regardless, Jacob Malambre's gravestone and gravesite cannot be found in Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery on East Church Street. The church has done an awesome job in preserving burial records, but I failed to find any entry in their extensive database. 

Meanwhile, oldest son John Malambre stepped up to take over his father's business. It can be assumed that George Malambre, now age 17, assisted his older brother. Sister Margaret Malambre had married Jacob Ortner on November 6th, 1820. John Malambre would marry a local girl two years later on May 13th, 1823. His bride was Catherine Getzendanner.

Less than a year later, John moves locations to the former home of Mrs. Alice Wright, who I found among the first advertising the sale of ice cream in Frederick in the year 1818 at this location. I believe that this was on the north side of the first block of West Patrick Street, just west of the former Frederick County National Bank building. This move would open the opportunity for Jacob Engelbrecht to purchase the Malambre's former location on the creek of which he would expand in scope.

By the summer of 1826, it appears John would take on a new occupation. Jacob Engelbrecht's records on July 26th of that year:

"John Malambre is appointed toll-gate keeper at the Monocacy Bridge Gate viz John Reitzell resigned. He enters on his duty of office tomorrow."

The thought is that John may have operated the business with brother George until summer of 1828 when Jacob Malambre takes command of the family business started by his father three decades earlier.

Margaret Catherine Malambre appears living alone in Frederick on West Patrick Street. John Malambre would eventually go to Carroll County and open up a cordswainer business there. He would die in 1868 and is buried with his wife (Mary) at Sam's Creek Cemetery in Clemsonville. Brother Jacob Malambre, Jr. had married Ellen Gawthrop in 1826. He would run the shop on West Patrick temporarily, eventually leaving for Hagerstown. Shortly thereafter Jacob, Jr. and Ellen would leave Maryland altogether and take their family to Dayton, Ohio. His son George W. Malambre would serve in local and state government and made quite a name for himself there from what I've read. Jacob Malambre, Jr.  would die here in Frederick while making a visit of friends in 1850. 

George and Rachel appear to be living together in Towson in the 1830 US Census.  After returning to Frederick in the 1830s, the couple had two sons together: George Mayes Malambre (b. 1838) and John L. Malambre (b. 1848). George Malambre conducted his shoemaking business on North Market Street between East Second and East Thirds streets. 

George had the assistance of apprentices. The following are two documents found at the Frederick County Courthouse that lay out agreements for these young apprentices. The first is from 1838 and a young indenturer named William Ely. This consists of three pages. The second agreement is from 1837 and records the promissory relationship between George Malambre and the Frederick County Orphans Court in which he took responsibility for training Henry A. Jones and Elizabeth A. M. Jones in the trade of shoemaking.

On February 2nd, 1839, the Frederick Town Herald announced George Malambre's appointment as leather inspector, a state appointment of the governor, for Frederick County. As for a home residence, it appears that George was living at what is now 213-215 North Market Street in November, 1840. He touted this new location in the following newspaper ad from 1841.

Unfortunately, George's wife Rachel Malambre would die on February 17th, 1843, just a few weeks shy of her 34th birthday. As we stated earlier, she would be buried in the All Saints' Church Graveyard between East All Saints Street and Carroll Creek. ​

George Malambre would remarry in late spring 1844, April 29th to be exact. His bride would be Emeline Mayes of Towson born around 1821. This was George's sister-in-law, a sibling of former wife Rachel. This was not necessarily uncommon at the time when wives died relatively young with children to raise. The new couple of George and Emeline would have a son together the following year and named him James Edgar Malambre.

​The union was short-lived. July 5th, 1845 would be the day George Malambre died. Not much time spent with his second wife Emeline, and not much time spent with his infant son James—mere months. Unfortunately, we have no record of George' cause of death. He was only 40. George would be laid to rest next to first wife Rachel, Emeline's sister, in the All Saints' burying ground. The gravestone below would soon appear over his grave at that vicinity.

My assistant Marilyn Veek found documents associated with George's estate that may be of interest. If anything else, it is interesting to see detailed lists of his personal property at the time of death.

Emeline went back to Baltimore County to live with her parents. The 10-acre farm was located on York Road a few miles north of Towson. All three Malambre boys went with her to be raised in the home of their common grandparents. None appear to have pursued careers in shoemaking.

George Mayes Malambre died on October 11th, 1861 in Towson. His obituary appearing in the Frederick paper in late October was extremely dramatic, but no cause of death was mentioned. Likewise, no place of burial was listed.

It was the worst of times, and it was the best of times for our subject George's second son John L. Malambre. He suffered a bad vehicular accident in 1866, but struck lead in the early 1880s.

Emeline Malambre died on May 20th, 1867. Son James Edgar would assume the property of his mother located above Townson and sold it in 1870. Two years later, he married Mollie A. Graham of Carroll County.

Two pieces of aged marble in the form of gravestones can surely tell quite a story if you do the work and research. Although we still don't know much about the cordwainer Jacob Malambre's son George, and wife Rachel, we can appreciate the importance of their respective time on Earth and relationships to a family business and family members as well: parents, siblings and offspring. I could not find gravesites of George's parents, second wife and three sons "to boot" as they say.

American spiritual teacher, Yoga guru, psychologist and teach Ram Dass (1931-2019) taught workshops on conscious aging and dying around the United States. He left us with an original quote which seems to "tie up" our story here about this family with cordwaining talent galore:

"Death is absolutely safe. It's like taking off a tight shoe."