Here are two, probably related, house furnishing businesses with a Civil War connection. Mary Lincoln gained some of her reputation for insensitive extravagance during a visit to Philadelphia in 1861. Her husband was especially offended by a bill for expensive furnishings from the William H. Carryl firm. E. W. Carryl & Co., across the street, was, as shown in an advertisement in the collections of the Library Company, by ca. 1863 advertising army and navy goods, camp utensils, fire arms, swords, and the Ennis Army Stove.

F. Gutekunst was among the Philadelphia firms that helped to identify the body of Amos Humiston, who died at Gettysburg clutching an ambrotype portrait of his three children. At that time newspapers could not reproduce photographs, so the firms made cartes de visite of the “Children of the Battlefield,” to be sent to those who feared that they would recognize the children. Among the recipients was the wife, or widow, of Sergeant Humiston.

While compiling his city directories, McElroy was plagued by residents who declined to give their names. During the war he was suspected of “drafting,” and encountered more resistance than ever before.

The Wide Awake hat came to be associated with those who supported Lincoln and the Union and opposed slavery.

Who knows why a company changes its name? But look at the first two examples. As for James P. Wood, he was still using the Union name in 1867 (Freedley, Philadelphia and Its Manufactures), but with less prominence. In 1876 it was not to be seen in a July advertisement from The Press.

The Poet of Tower Hall urged Americans to “stand firm . . . while the nation reels” and ” . . . though anxious in the heart,/Appear in gentlemanly guise,/And now [their] country’s skill and art/At TOWER HALL to patronise.” (Only the top part of the advertisement is shown, to enhance details and because the scan of the lower section is incomplete.)

 

Miscellany

Introduction