The Cordwainer's Son

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.

All Saints Protestant Episcopal burying ground can be seen in the upper left of this 1854 lithograph by Sachse & Co. The vantage point is from the Square Corner (intersection of Patrick and market streets) looking southeast. S. Market St is on the right of the image.

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.

Dr. John Tyler's unmarked gravesite in Area M/lot 52

Virginia Free Press (Nov 4, 1841)

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."

Tools of the Colonial cordswainer

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.

Old St Paul's Episcopal Church and Graveyard in Philadelphia at 225 S 3rd St

1800 US Census showing Jacob Malambre in Philadelphia

Gelf's General Advertiser (June 18, 1808)

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."

This volume contains the transcription by Thomas Lloyd of the Cordwainers Trial, officially titled The Trial of the Boot and Shoemakers of Philadelphia, on an Indictment for a Combination and Conspiracy to Raise their Wages.

In many situations, dissatisfied apprentices absconded if they didn't get the pay or conditions desired. Apparently, Philadelphia was not as high paying as neighboring New York City and Baltimore. I saw multiple instances where apprentices went "AWOL" from Mr. Malambre, and he would in turn place listings in the newspaper offering rewards for their return.

Relf's Philadelphia Gazette (July 16, 1804)

Relf's Philadelphia Gazette (Aug 7, 1807)

Philadelphia Aurora General Advertiser (Sept 5, 1809)

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.

Aurora General Advertiser (Aug 3, 1810)

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.

Jacob Malambre living in Philadelphia in 1810 Census showing multiple tenants including both children and employees (living with family)

Relf's Philadelphia Gazette (Oct 19, 1815)

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. 

Political Examiner and Public Advertiser (June 10, 1818)

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.

John Thomas Schley's House

A vintage picture of Venus on the Half Shell with Milemarker #45 to left

Looking east on East Patrick St at Maxwell's Alley. One can see the original stone west wall of an earlier structure that once stood here. This could likely have been part of Malambre's early shop.

Political Examiner and Public Advertiser (October 21, 1818)

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. 

Political Examiner and Public Advertiser (Sept 25, 1819)

This drawing from the late 1800s shows the early homes that originally stood in the vicinity of the W Patrick Street bridge over Carroll Creek. This shows the north side of the street and the Malambre residence was likely the first house immediately to the right of the bridge shown.

Jacob Malambre was hard to find in the 1820 Census because the entry is misspelled and blotched at the bottom of a page. Three sons and a wife are shown living in the household with him.

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.

Republican Gazette and General Advertiser (Oct 6, 1821)

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.

Republican Gazette and General Advertiser (Oct 10, 1821)

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.

Republican Examiner and General Advertiser (Oct 26, 1822)

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.

Frederick Town Herald (June 28, 1828)

1830 US Census showing George's mother Margaret Catherine Malambre living in Frederick.

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. 

The (Hagerstown) Torch Light And Public Advertiser (April 12, 1832)

Meanwhile, I found our George Malambre's name in both Baltimore and Washington, DC newspapers. I theorize that he could have been conducting shoe sales and garnering orders/subscriptions in both cities for shoes. He seems to have been in the vicinity of Towson in Baltimore County. Here he married Rachel Mayes (b. 1808), daughter of farmer James H. Mayes (1783-1863) and wife Rebecca Eubanks (1788-1859). This took place around 1830.

George Malambre can be found living in Baltimore in the 1830 US Census

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. 

The Times and Democratic Advocate (Aug 31, 1837).

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.

1838 apprenticeship with William Ely

Orphans Court wardship over apprentice candidates Thomas A. Jones and Elizabeth A. M. Jones in 1837.

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.

Frederick Town Herald (April 8, 1841)

The new location for the Malambre family and shoemaking business was 213-215 N Market St in downtown Frederick. This is the brick building to the right of green accented Bushwaller's Restaurant. Today this is Retro Metro.

1840 US Census showing George Malambre and a plethora of household residents, mostly apprentices and journeymen.

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.

Grave of George Malambre in Mount Olivet's Area M

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.

1850 US Census showing Emeline and her two stepsons and son James living with her parents in Towson.

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.

Frederick Examiner (Oct 23, 1861)

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.

Baltimore County Journal (Feb 10, 1866)

Baltimore Sun (Jan 22, 1876)

Baltimore County Union (April 1, 1882)

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.

(Towson) Baltimore County Union (June 8, 1867)

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."