A big birthday for Longfellow

We have been reading about Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, with whom we are very familiar, on the occasion of his 200th birthday. He was born in February 1807 in Portland, and his family home on Congress Street is now a museum open to the public. A graduate of Bowdoin College, he taught languages there, before moving on to Harvard College, in Cambridge, Mass. He also studied languages in Europe. His poetry is world famous, and is still frequently read and studied.

I want to mention his wives, whom I had not read about in local articles.

He was married in 1831, but in 1835, during his second European trip, his wife died after miscarrying. He had met Fanny Appleton, the Boston heiress, who became his second wife. The American literature book where I found this information said that she was slow to return his affection, and he embarrassed her by the transparent account of their meeting in the prose romance “Hyperion” (1839), but after their marriage in 1843, their life was idyllic. Longfellow’s father-in-law bought the wedding couple, as a wedding gift, Craigie House, in Cambridge, a mansion George Washington had used as headquarters, and where Longfellow himself had been renting rooms.

Their life was elegant. The sumptuousness proved supportive and encouraging to Longfellow’s poetry and his work at Harvard, until he resigned in 1854. Popular as he was, he could not make a living from his poetry. In 1855 and 1856, for instance, the phenomenal sales of “Hiawatha” brought his total earnings from poetry to around $3,700 and $7,400, but in the 1840s and 1850s, his average annual income from poetry hardly exceeded his Harvard salary of $1,500 ($1,800 after 1845).

In 1861, Fanny Longfellow was fatally burned as she was sealing up locks of her daughter’s hair, a sad tragedy.

Longfellow did make a final visit to Europe in 1868-69, during which Queen Victoria gave him a private audience. His 75th birthday was celebrated nationally. He died in Cambridge in 1882.

I also must mention Longfellow’s connection to the town of Hiram, Maine. Our family owns land there, too, but not to the extent of Longfellow’s grandfather’s acreage!

In “Maine, A Guide Down East,” is this entry: Hiram, named for Hiram, King of Tyre, was settled in 1774 by Gen. Peleg Wadsworth, grandfather of the poet Longfellow.

At the outbreak of the Revolutionary War, several years after his graduation from Harvard, Peleg Wadsworth recruited a company at Kingston, Mass., and received a captain’s commission, which was followed in 1778 by his appointment as Adjutant General of the Massachusetts militia. In the next two years he rose rapidly from being second in command in the attack on Castine to the post of commanding officer in the defense of the coast of Maine. While making his headquarters in Thomaston, he was wounded by the British and carried captive to Castine, whence he escaped. After the Revolution, General Wadsworth purchased 15,000 acres of forest land at 13 cents an acre in what was known as the Hiram or Wadsworth Grant.

Pat Larrabee sighting

I was pleased to receive a recent note from Pat Larrabee, and to learn that she is now librarian at the Maine Charitable Mechanic Association, located at 619 Congress St., Portland, and she is happy to be there.

Pat had recently retired after 35 years at Walker Memorial Library in Westbrook, where she was children’s librarian.

I used to consult her there frequently, and I knew I would miss her. But now I can visit her at her new job, since both my husband and our son, Raymond, belong to the Mechanic Association, and that library has books to lend, too. I plan to visit her there soon.

Speaking of which …

Interesting lectures with films are held by the Mechanic Association at the hall at McAuley High School, on Stevens Avenue, Portland. Starting time is 7:30 p.m. The Monday, March 5, lecturer is Dale Johnson. The brochure of lecture dates describes them. I am really excited to attend this one, as Alaska is one of the nicest places I’ve visited. Here’s what they say:

Alaska today, compared to the time our speaker lived there years ago, will show us some of the differences found due to global warming, glaciers receding and more people living there.

Adventure still abounds in this state, which can no longer be called the “Last Frontier.” Vast forests, mountains and wild animals still exist.

A drive along the Dalton Highway from Fairbanks to Prudhoe is still an adventure. Farming is still part of the lifestyle of many, as sunshine is abundant in the summer.

What I meant was …

In the article last week about the famous pitcher, Lew Burdette, I wrote that “he was forever fidgeting, wiping his brown, fussing with his cap and jeresy” – but the work “heresy” appeared, instead of jersey. I looked up heresy in the dictionary and was surprised. It said “heresy – – an opinion or doctrine contrary to church dogma.” Heavens! I didn’t say that!

What a start to the day!

Today’s recipe is from a pamphlet we received from Wyman’s Wild Blueberries. It was titled “Wild & Healthy Blueberry Recipes.”

NON-FAT BLUEBERRY OATMEAL PANCAKES

Mix together in a medium-sized bowl:

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup oatmeal (not instant)

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon.

Beat 2 egg whites until in soft peaks. Fold in beaten egg whites.

Preheat griddle or frying pan to medium heat. Grease griddle or frying pan. Spoon batter onto griddle and sprinkle about 2 tablespoons Wyman’s Wild Blueberries (rinsed from can or drained if defrosted) over each pancake before turning. Turn when small bubbles appear on surface. Serve hot with maple syrup or blueberry sauce.

Recipe from Colby Hill Inn, Henniker, N.H.

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