Volume 40, number 6
March 2019
Grand River Times The Newsletter of the Grand Rapids Historical Society Inside this issue: Cover Story: March program Letter from our President page 2
Faith of the Fathers—The Courage, Humor, and Dedication of Catholic Civil War Chaplains PRESENTED BY: Rev. Robert J. Miller
Women’s History Month Events page 4
Thursday, March 14, 2019, 7:00 p.m. at the Grand Rapids Public Library
Meet the Trustees page 5 Happening in History page 6 Photo Sleuth page 7
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Grand Rapids Historical Society
Next program: After the March program, the Grand Rapids Historical Society’s next program will be on Thursday, April 11, 2019, at the Grand Rapids Public Library. Fred Davison will be speaking about: From Pig Farm to Thriving Neighborhood.
There was nothing boring or “usual” about the 100+ Catholic priest-chaplains of the Civil War. These priests & bishops were a unique group of “priest pioneers”: adventuresome, courageous, outspoken Catholic apologists working in “foreign land”. This article (and presentation to come) will focus the role of Catholic chaplains in the Civil War - their numbers and impact, as well as some stories of truly colorful “characters” among them! By 1865, over seventy “official” Catholic chaplains had served in both armies (15 were more or less “full-time”), with hundreds of others playing part-time or “unofficial” roles to assist soldiers in the practice of their faith. Among them were Jesuits from New York & Southern missions, Holy Cross priests from Notre Dame, Redemptorists from New Orleans, and secular priests from a score of dioceses. Some priests (like the St. Louis priest John Bannon, 1st MO CSA Infantry), never even sought formal permission from his bishop to be a chaplain - knowing he’d never receive it. Other attempted to balance parish responsibilities with “informal” chaplain duties—Oscar Sears (CSA) in Lynchburg, Virginia, and Innocent Bergrath (CSA) in Eastern Tennessee are examples. But even being an ante-bellum Catholic, and serving as chaplain in the first place, was not an easy task. First, the mid-19th century was a time of booming immigration, particularly Irish - the great majority of whom were Catholic. Understaffed even in peacetime, already stressed with divergent ethnic needs, it was difficult for the American Catholic Church to spare priests for chaplaincy. Continued on page 3
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GRAND RAPIDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY Dear GRHS Members,
I am writing this article in mid-February having survived the brutal cold weather, ice storm, electricity off for 3 ½ days, heavy snow, etc. Our February presentation given by George Bayard was well received in spite of an audio glitch in the video. George told the audience that the video will be going up on YouTube. We will let you know when that happens so that you can see and hear it in its entirety. There were some new faces in the audience and for The Grand River Times is the newsletter of the Grand Rapids that we are pleased and the follow-up discussion was informative. Historical Society, published six The program in March is a collaborative with the Grand Rapids times annually. Established in 1894, the Grand Rapids Historical Society Civil War Roundtable. The topic is Catholic Civil War Chaplains. My is dedicated to exploring the history father, Elmer Zinn, was a chaplain’s assistant during WWII. Although he of West Michigan; to discover its didn’t talk about it too often, or most likely I didn’t ask about it, there were romance and tragedy, its heroes some stories. Perhaps I will find some similarities. and scoundrels, its leaders and its As I continue working with the photograph collection at the Grand ordinary citizens. The Society collects and preserves our heritage, Rapids Public Museum, I find images that fascinate me. I know there is a passing it on to new generations greater back story. An image I through books, lectures, and found this week falls into my education projects. “want to know more” file. The image is of three men standing in Executive Committee: front of what is the Michigan Gina Bivins, president Soldiers Home on North Monroe Matthew Daley, vice-president Avenue. Two of the men have John Gelderloos, treasurer drums, the other appears to be Nan Schichtel, secretary holding a wind instrument. All three are sporting hats that have Board members: GAR insignia. Anyone know Alan Bennett anything about this picture? Any Charles Bocskey idea who they might be? Thomas Dilley Continued on page 4 Matthew Ellis Chris Kaupa Gordon Olson, emeritus Wilhelm Seeger, emeritus Jeff Sytsma Julie Tabberer Jim Winslow Kurt Yost Jessica Riley, editor Grand Rapids Historical Society c/o Grand Rapids Public Library 111 Library St. NE Grand Rapids, MI 49503 Website: www.grhistory.org Grand River Times
About the Grand Rapids Historical Society. The Grand Rapids Historical Society sponsors eight programs each year, beginning in September and running through May, including lectures, audio/video presentations, demonstrations, collections, or special tours. Membership. Membership is open to all interested persons with annual dues of $30 per family, $20 for seniors and students, or $400 for a lifetime membership. The membership year runs from May to the following May. Members of the Grand Rapids Historical Society receive eight newsletters each year and a subscription to our annual magazine, Grand River Valley History. Members also receive a 20% discount on books published by the society as well as books published by the Grand Rapids Historical Commission. Change of Address. If you will be permanently or temporarily moving to a new address, please notify GRHS before your change occurs. Let us know your new address and the date you plan to leave and plan to return. Email to grhs.local@gmail.com, or mail to Grand Rapids Historical Society, c/o Grand Rapids Public Library, 111 Library Street NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503 2
GRAND RAPIDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY Continued from front page
Thus, despite being allowed to chaplain, some priests were later recalled to their dioceses or congregations after serving for a while (e.g. John Ireland, Joseph O’Hagan SJ, Joseph Prachensky SJ). Many priest/chaplains served for only a short time. Second, the first Civil War battle Catholic chaplains had to fight was not the enemy’s bullets—but the rampant anti-Catholic prejudice of their day. The pre-eminent religions of the day were Calvinist-based, born out of rebellion from Catholicism, and still highly critical of “popery”. It was an era of nativism, of groups like the “Know-Nothings”—the 1849 secret society born out of fear of the foreigners and Catholics immigrating into America. Few white Americans of that time thought it necessary to question their underlying presumptions about the national loyalties of Catholics, or the subhuman-ness of Blacks, or the scorn they held towards Irish immigrants, freemasons or Mormons. The enormous Irish migration of the 18thth 19 centuries was a slow but powerfully transforming movement that ultimately changed the country. Yet in 1861 (as would be until the 20th century) Catholics had little influence politically or socially except in heavily-populated Catholic areas. When the Civil War began, being a religious minority in the predominantly Protestant armies of both sides, the larger Catholic struggle for recognition and acceptance was played out here as well. Thus, a third challenge were adverse attitudes in the army itself. Civil War armies were perhaps the most religious armies of all American history—but the narrow evangelistic attitudes of many Protestants posed a real problem. Some Protestant officers simply refused to accept Catholic priests as chaplains for their Catholic men. In the spring of 1862, only 22 priests served among the 472 Union chaplains on duty—when the ratio of Catholic to Protestant soldiers was actually about 1 to 9. Thus Catholic chaplains were chosen only for regiments that were nearly exclusively Catholic (e.g. the 69th NY, heart of the Union “Irish Brigade”, and the 10th TN CSA). It was a rare situation indeed when a Catholic would chaplain a predominantly Protestant regiment. Some chaplains (e.g. future bishop John Ireland 5th MN, and James Gombettelli 13th PA Cav) served only very short Grand River Times
chaplain stints because of the predominantly Protestant nature of their regiments. Protestant “sheep-stealing” efforts always remained a problem, especially among proselytizing officers like the “one-wing devil” Gen. O.O. Howard. But in the end, many Catholic priests did serve – and served with courage, humor, and immense dedication. Their impact on countless soldiers is beyond calculation. I close with a few words from a few of these Catholic chaplains themselves. Peter Paul Cooney CSC, 35th IN (December 1864 letter): “I suppose you expected me home before now. When I left I did not think that I would be so long in the army. I could not think of leaving my brave fellows in the face of the enemy without a priest—not knowing what day a battle would be fought … I came very near being killed four or five times during those battles. Nothing but the protecting hand of God could have saved me for which I can never be sufficiently thankful.” William Corby CSC, Irish Brigade (favorite Memoirs comment while saying Mass in VA): “thus we sanctified another spot in Virginia on our march, as we had done a hundred times before and which we continued to do until we reached the end on the banks of the Appomattox.” Joseph O’Hagan, 73d NY (Feb. 19, 1863): “Today … has been one of the happiest of my life—contrasting my present quiet with the experience of the army, where with some exceptions, everything corrupt, low vulgar and debasing in our corrupt nature is rampant. Would that I were out of it, but it cannot be yet. I may still do some good where I am and I will make the sacrifice of my feelings for that object.
Catholic Chaplains of the Irish Brigade, 1862 Corby is in the front row, right, image from the U.S. Library of Congress, Digital ID: cwpb.00280
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Continued from page 3 About the speaker: Robert J. Miller is a Catholic priest of 42 years, works in the Archdiocese of Chicago, and presently ministers as the Pastor of St. Dorothy Church in inner-city Chicago. He has Masters degrees in Religious Education and Divinity, has authored 5 books on spirituality and faith, and was an adjunct professor of Church history at the University of St. Mary of the Lake. He also has been a past President of the Chicago Civil War Round Table. His book on the role of Faith in the Civil War - Both Prayed to the Same God – Religion and Faith in the Civil War - is widely acclaimed, and is the first book-length comprehensive overview of the topic. He is a popular speaker around the country on topics of Faith, spirituality and the Civil War, giving numerous talks on the importance of the role of Faith and religion in the American Civil War. Father Bob was born here in Grand Rapids, on the west-side, and it is a pleasure to welcome him back home.
March is Women’s History Month Second Line of Defense: Grand Rapids Women and the Great War Thursday, March 21, 2019, 1:00 p.m. Lowell Area Historical Museum Presenter: Melissa Fox WW I had a surprising impact on women and they, in turn, had tremendous impact on the war--far greater than is generally known. Melissa Fox will tell the story of American women as citizens during the largest wartime mobilization of our country and dispel myths that women’s lives were led only in their homes. Upon U.S. entry into the war in 1917, women's groups across the nation transformed their organizational structures for war work. Led by the Woman’s Committee of the Council of National Defense, they made contributions that ranged far beyond the war and their traditional gender roles and addressed the nation’s failure to assess serious food, health, and labor problems suddenly compromising national security when a huge percentage of American men failed military physicals. Free and open to the public.
Then and Now: The 2018 Compilation of a 1918 Collection Wednesday March 27, 2019, 6:00 p.m. Donnelly Center at Aquinas College Join GGRWHC for their signature women’s history month event –the GGRWHC reception and brief annual meeting. Mingle with friends new and old during cocktail hour, get an update on the year-in-review, and stay to learn about and celebrate the work behind the now-digitized Kent County collection of WWI Council of National Defense women’s registration cards. Just over a century ago a thousand trained local registrars interviewed nearly 23,000 women. Long buried, these WWI registration cards have been miraculously saved, rediscovered, and digitized. Well over a hundred fields of data from roughly half the city’s female adult population will be of great sociological, geographical, genealogical, and historical interest.
***SAVE THE DATE*** The annual Grand Rapids Historical Society banquet will be held on Wednesday, May 8, 2019. The evening will include a meal and a presentation about Lesser Known Grand Rapids Landmarks by Michael J. Page.
Ticket information and more details to follow soon. Grand River Times
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Continued from page 2 Thank you to Tom Wilson for forwarding me a picture of the Soldiers Home that confirmed the identity of the building they are standing in front of. This photograph is from The Camera Shop collection, of which there are thousands. I know from the number on the back that it was taken in 1928. The accession number is 178045.2481. If you want to see more photographs like this go to grpmcollections.org, type Camera Shop in the search bar, or for more on the Grand Army of the Republic, type in GAR.
Meet the Trustees Every month we will spotlight a different member of our Board of Trustees for our members to get to know. March’s Trustee is Matthew Ellis who has recently joined the board. I am new to the Grand Rapids Historical Society Board but not new to the area. I grew up in the Eastown neighborhood where I still reside. My schooling started at Congress Elementary for one year, back when it was a Montessori school. I then went to Ottawa Montessori in the Ottawa Hills Neighborhood until I switched to Saint Andrew’s Catholic School for eighth grade. I attended and graduated from Catholic Central High School. Being in the Ottawa Hills Neighborhood and downtown in my childhood I gained an interest in the architecture around our City. I was saddened when both the Ottawa Montessori/Iroquois Middle School and Saint Andrews School were demolished. I grew up with a love of history, fostered by both my parents and my grandparents. I distinctly remember the Iliad and Odyssey, or at least children’s book versions, read to me as a child. My grandparents and I continue to travel to museums and historical sites and I would not have the same appreciation for local history without them. I received a B. A. in History at Aquinas College. In my last year of college Jennifer Morrison, Aquinas’ Archivist, mentioned that the Grand Rapids City Archives and Records Center was looking for an Intern. I applied in 2015 and was accepted. I was hired shortly after and have been with the City Archives since. For the City Archives I have had to opportunity to meet and help some truly passionate local historians. I’ve processed an immense collection of Grand Rapids Public School records and my appreciation of the old school buildings has grown. Part of the job entails working with architects, historic preservationists, and local historians to find building records and historic photographs of various properties. Recently the City Archives staff has been working on a digital site to showcase photograph collections online. As a side job I became an Archivist for Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital for a time, organizing their records and putting together a wall of history exhibit for their main floor hallway. I joined the History Detectives Committee and had the pleasure to help organize the 2019 History Detectives. Along with being on the Grand Rapids Historical Society Board of Trustees I am also on the Board of the Greater Grand Rapids Women’s History Council. In my spare time I am pursuing a Master’s in Public Administration from Johns Hopkins. Grand River Times
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HAPPENING IN HISTORY: MARCH 2019 Western Michigan Genealogical Society Mini-Class Saturday, March 2, 2019, 12:00 p.m. Main Library-Ryerson Auditorium 111 Library St. NE
West Michigan Postcard Club Monday, March 11, 2019, 7:00 p.m. Faith United Methodist Church 2600 7th St. NW
Topic: Organizing Your Genealogy Records
Topic: Great Lakes Panorama Presenters: Brian Bluecamp
Presenter: Linda Guth Whether you've been doing genealogy for awhile or just starting, it's important to be organized. Proper family history organization is the foundation of every successful genealogist. Whether that means having a squeaky clean office, carefully color-coded file folders or a digitized and dutifully labeled files/pictures on your computer, having all of your materials systemized and searchable will make your genealogy research more efficient and effective. Western Michigan Genealogical Society Saturday, March 2, 2019, 1:30 p.m. Main Library—Ryerson Auditorium 111 Library St. NE Topic: How the Pokagon Potawatomi Avoided Removal Presenter: Marcus Winchester In his presentation, Marcus will discuss how his community avoided the Indian Removal Act of 1830. This is a story of tactfulness, relationship building, and ingenuity on behalf of the Potawatomi leaders during this time period. Marcus Winchester is a citizen of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians. The Pokagon Potawatomi are located in southwestern Michigan and northern Indiana. Marcus works for his community in the Department of Language and Culture. In this capacity Marcus strives to promote and maintain Potawatomi history, language, and culture for the future generations of his tribe. Grand River Times
Great Lakes shipping includes many aspects: geography, types of vessels, cargoes, weather, risks, and the life cycle of a vessel. Brian Bluecamp’s presentation will cover some of these topics. Brian attended Calvin College and then Western Michigan University, where he received his masters degree. He taught middle school social studies, including Great Lakes history and geography, for twenty-six years. He also worked as a dock boss for Verplank Trucking, supervising the unloading of aggregate from vessels at the docks in Muskegon, Grand Haven, and Holland. During this time, he met many interesting people and learned about the inside workings of the shipping industry. Lunch and Learn: Women’s History Month Women in Art Tuesday, March 19, 2019, 12:00 p.m. Grand Rapids Art Museum, Cook Auditorium 101 Monroe Center Bring your lunch and join the group for a free lunch and learn event! In honor of Women‘s History Month, join GRAM Docents Beth Samp and Karen Mouws for a presentation and tour of work in GRAM’s permanent collection that were created by or portray women. Women have been and continue to an integral part of the history of art. Beth and Karen will discuss how women have been involved in making art, as creators, innovators of new forms of artistic expression, and as sources of inspiration. Learn how these artists may have faced gender biases and how we can celebrate their work as well as the work of women in our community. 6
GRAND RAPIDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY JOIN THE GRAND RAPIDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY OR GIVE A MEMBERSHIP AS A GIFT The Grand Rapids Historical Society sponsors eight lectures each year. Members of the society enjoy these benefits:
The Grand River Times is the newsletter of the Grand Rapids Historical Society. Published and mailed to members eight times a year, it includes current items of historical interest, details of upcoming lectures, historically relevant activities, and short articles.
The Grand River Valley History is the society’s annual magazine. Featured are illustrated articles by local history researchers and contributions from the Grand Rapids Public Museum, the City Archivist, the Grand Rapids Public Library, and the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum.
20% Discount on all books and other items published by the society.
Please enroll me as a member of the Grand Rapids Historical Society: ____ New ___Renewal ____Gift _____Lifetime:
$400.00 one-time fee
_____Individual/Family Membership
$30.00 per year
_____Senior Citizen or Student
$20.00 per year
Name: Address: City/State/Zip: Please make check payable to the Grand Rapids Historical Society and mail it with this form to: Grand Rapids Historical Society, c/o Grand Rapids Public Library 111 Library Street NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC LIBRARY PHOTO SLEUTH Our March Photo Sleuth selection comes from the Robinson Studio Collection's negatives. In this undated photo, three smiling Campfire Girls hold and show each other dolls. If anyone in this picture looks familiar, please email the Grand Rapids Public Library's Local History department at localhis@grpl.org.
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Non-Profit Org. U.S. postage PAID Grand Rapids, MI Permit No. 234
Grand Rapids Historical Society, Inc. c/o Grand Rapids Public Library 111 Library St. NE Grand Rapids, MI 49503
GRAND RAPIDS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Faith of the Fathers—The Courage, Humor, and Dedication of Catholic Civil War Chaplains PRESENTED BY: Rev. Robert J. Miller
Thursday, March 14, 2019, 7:00 p.m. at the Grand Rapids Public Library
INSIDE THIS ISSUE Cover Story: March program Letter from our President page 2 Women’s History Month Events page 4 Meet the Trustees page 5 Happening in History page 6 Photo Sleuth page 7
For more information on Historical Society programs, please visit www.grhistory.org Grand River Times
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