When the President Became a Firefighter on Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve of 1851 proved to be a devastating day for the Library of Congress, and the sitting U.S. President helped to save the Capitol building.

On the morning of Dec. 24, the captain of the Capitol Police discovered a fire in the Library of Congress, which was then housed in the Capitol building. The fire spread rapidly, destroying thousands of books and documents, and even some priceless paintings.

According to White House historians, President Millard Fillmore was enjoying the holidays with his family when he heard the calls of “Fire! Fire! The Library of Congress is on fire!” He rushed to join the eight fire wagons loaded with water barrels and hoses, pulled by draft horses, and he was joined by some cabinet members and members of Congress. The president also gave orders to a bucket brigade formed by Marines from the local navy yard. The bucket brigade worked until noon Christmas Day, with Fillmore at the head, “flames flickering near his thick head of snow white hair.”

At the time, the library contained about 55,000 volumes, including Thomas Jefferson’s complete library which Congress had purchased in 1815. An estimated 35,000 books were destroyed. Those saved were located in an adjoining room separated by a thick wall.

The library room was “a beautiful specimen of Corinthian architecture,” according to one newspaper description. Located in the Capitol on the same level as the houses of Congress, it was 92 feet by 34 feet, with an arched ceiling 36 feet high with three sky lights. On each side were alcoves supporting an upper gallery.

The cause of the fire was later found to be a faulty chimney, and when wood was burned in the furnaces below, sparks escaped through holes in the chimney.

But the Christmas Eve fire was not the first time the Library of Congress had been destroyed by fire. The library had been established in 1800 with an appropriation of $5,000 to purchase “such books as may be necessary for the use of Congress.” By 1814, the collection, housed in the Capitol, had grown to 3,000 volumes. They burned along with many government buildings when the British invaded the Capitol city during the War of 1812.

Retired President Thomas Jefferson offered to sell his extensive personal library to replace the Congressional Library. In January 1815, Congress and President Madison agreed to purchase 6,487 volumes for nearly $24,000. About two-thirds of those books were among the ones lost in the 1851 fire.

The new, fireproof Library of Congress room built in 1853

Recognizing the significance and importance of protecting the collection after the second fire, the Capitol architect designed and built a cast-iron structure in 18 months. Called by the press the “largest iron room in the world,” it was encircled by galleries and filled the west central front of the Capitol.

Congress initially provided funding only to replace the books lost. Over time, however, more funds were added to expand the library. Copyright law required two copies of every book published in the U.S. to be housed in the Library of Congress, so the collection grew. By the 1890s, the need for a separate, more spacious, building became evident, and on Nov. 1, 1897, the library opened in its new home.

The Thomas Jefferson building housing part of the
Library of Congress today

Today, some 170 million items held by the library include books, maps, manuscripts, photographs, films, audio and video recordings, prints and drawings. The Library now occupies not only the 1897 building, named after Thomas Jefferson, but two additional buildings on Capitol Hill, named after Presidents John Adams and James Madison.

Additionally, the Packard Campus in Culpeper, Virginia, houses the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center, a state-of-the-art facility where the Library of Congress acquires, preserves and provides access to the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of films, television programs, radio broadcasts, and sound recordings.

The Library’s Director of Special Collections has said, “You can find answers to anything you’re curious about here. What is your question?”

Sources:

Fire ravages Library of Congress | December 24, 1851 | HISTORY

The True Story of the Fire That Destroyed the Library of Congress

What Sparked the 1851 Fire That Devastated the Library of Congress?

The White House Library: A Twice Told Tale - Our White House | Looking In, Looking Out

Library of Congress

The Other Fire at the Library of Congress

The Burning of the Library of Congress

Multi-award-winning author Marie Wells Coutu finds beauty in surprising places, like undiscovered treasures, old houses, and gnarly trees. All three books in her Mended Vessels series, contemporary stories based on the lives of biblical women, have won awards in multiple contests. She is currently working on historical romances set in her native western Kentucky in the 1930s and ‘40s. An unpublished novel, Shifting Currents, placed second in the inspirational category of the nationally recognized Maggie Awards. Learn more at www.MarieWellsCoutu.com.

When the lights of Broadway dim, Delia leaves the city behind. But will her family welcome her home again?

The historical short story, “All That Glistens,” was included in the 2023 Saturday Evening Post Great American Fiction collection and is now available free when you sign up for Marie's newsletter here. In her newsletter, she shares about her writing, historical tidbits, recommended books, and sometimes recipes. Soon she'll be sharing a historical romantic short story set in Scotland.

Wedding Cake in a Library?

__By Tiffany Amber Stockton__



In June, a few wedding traditions received the spotlight focus. One of them was about saving the top layer of a wedding cake, and since this month is *my* anniversary, I thought I'd share a little about a piece of wedding cake from over 150 years ago!

Library of Congress, Not Only for Books

America’s Founding Fathers loved reading. What a fantastic pastime. :) I'd say our writers and readers on this blog are in good company with them. To encourage and support this love, Congress funded its own library. Philadelphia and New York City housed some of the earliest American libraries. When Congress moved to Washington, D.C., President John Adams created the Library of Congress in 1800 to help keep legislators informed. The library started with 3,000 books, mostly legal texts, but British soldiers destroyed it in 1814 when they burned parts of the city. President Thomas Jefferson helped rebuild it.

Today, the Library of Congress holds over 173 million items and adds nearly 10,000 new materials every day. Can you imagine the task of cataloguing all those materials? And not all of them are books. This might be hard to believe, but the Library of Congress also has a piece of wedding cake from the 1800s.

For many reasons, celebrity weddings have always fascinated Americans. Take Charles Stratton, aka General Tom Thumb, for example. Known for his small stature at only 3 feet 4 inches tall, Stratton had a successful career singing, dancing, and acting. He worked with the famous showman P.T. Barnum, who called him the "smallest man alive."

In February 1863, Stratton married Lavinia Warren, also diminutive in stature, in a grand New York wedding to which Barnum sold several thousand reception tickets. Given the inflation rate from then to now, the total take from the sales would be in the millions today. Those with tickets could meet the newlyweds and receive a boxed slice of brandy-soaked wedding fruitcake as they left.

After Stratton's death in 1883, Lavinia's career struggled. In 1905, she sent a then 42-year-old slice of her wedding cake to an actress and her editor husband with a letter saying, "The public thinks I'm not alive." Lavinia continued to perform into her 70s, even starring in a silent film with her second husband, "Count" Primo Magri.

Today, two pieces of their wedding cake still exist—one at the Library of Congress and another at the Barnum Museum in Connecticut.

Other celebrity weddings have also drawn massive crowds. In 1956, thousands gathered to watch the wedding of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III of Monaco. More recently, the 2011 royal wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton attracted millions of viewers worldwide, with thousands lining the streets of London.

Fun little facts:

• Charles Stratton began performing for audiences at the age of 5.
• It cost $75 to attend the Stratton-Warren wedding in 1863.
• Queen Victoria's wedding cake weighed 300 pounds.
• The most expensive wedding cake slice sold at auction for $29,900.

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:

* What do you think makes celebrity weddings so fascinating to the public?

* If you could ask Charles Stratton or Lavinia Warren one question about their lives and careers, what would it be?

* If you could submit an item to be housed in the Library of Congress, what would it be and why?

** This note is for our email readers. Please do not reply via email with any comments. View the blog online and scroll down to the comments section.

Come back on the 9th of each month for my next foray into historical tidbits to share.

For those interested in my life as an author and everyday gal, what I'm currently reading, historical tidbits, recommended reads, and industry news about other authors, subscribe to my monthly newsletter. The latest edition was just sent out last week. Receive a FREE e-book of Magic of the Swan just for subscribing.

BIO

Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood, when she was accused of having a very active imagination and cited with talking entirely too much. Today, she has honed those skills to become an award-winning, best-selling author and speaker who is also a professional copywriter/copyeditor. She loves to share life-changing products and ideas with others to help improve their lives in a variety of ways.

She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, along with their two children, one dog, and three cats in southeastern Kentucky. In the 20+ years she's been a professional writer, she has sold twenty-six (26) books so far and is represented by Tamela Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. You can find her on Facebook and GoodReads.

Real Slaves: Their Stories

By Michelle Shocklee

If you've read my blog posts and/or any of my historical novels, you know slavery is a topic that has captured my heart. Growing up in Santa Fe, New Mexico, I didn't have many African American friends. Over the years, at college and in the workplace, I've had the opportunity to meet and enjoy friendships with a number of black people. Still, the plight of the slave didn't really take hold in me until I read Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe. I was in my forties, living in Texas, raising my family, when my perspective shifted.

It was during my research of slavery in Texas that I discovered the "slave narratives." These are word-for-word interviews done in the 1930s with former slaves. Over 2000 narratives are archived in Washington DC, along with several hundred photographs, as well as a handful of actual recordings of former slaves. Their stories are real, raw, and eyeopening.

I thought today would be a good day to "introduce" you to some of the real slaves I've come to know through my research.

• Sarah Ashley was a small, white-haired woman. At 93, she recalled her years in a "slave speculator's gang." Sold to the speculator when she was a child, she was separated from her family. After many years in this gang (that was apparently leased to different plantation owners), she was put on the auction block in New Orleans and sold. She worked in the cotton fields where she was forced to pick three hundred pounds of cotton a day. When Freedom came, her former owner offered a share in the crop if she would stay, but she left despite having "no place to go and no corn and cotton." She felt blessed to have a comfortable home, fields, and chickens in her old age. Photo: Sarah Ashley, ex-slave. Texas United States, 1937. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/99615230/.

• Anderson and Minerva Edwards, ages 93 and 87, were both slaves on adjoining plantations. Anderson's master owned three families of slaves. He worked in the fields from dawn until dusk. He recalled that when the slaves prayed during slavery time, they dare not let the white folks know about it, or "they beat them to death." The slaves often prayed for freedom, and "the Lord heard our prayer." After the war ended, Anderson and Minerva married and had sixteen children. He started a church and was the pastor there for many years. Photo: Anderson and Minerva Edwards, Age 93 and 87. Texas United States, 1936. Between 1936 and 1938. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/mesnp162005/.

Betty Farrow, age 90, was born a slave to Mr. Alex Clark, a plantation owner in Virginia. She recalled her early years there with fondness. When she was three or four years old, however, her master sold his plantation and moved to Texas. Betty's family went with him on what she recalls as a harrowing journey in covered wagons. Despite being forced into slavery, Betty and her family chose to stay with her former owners after the war. She was twenty-seven when she married and finally left the "white folks' place." She and her husband had ten children and became farmers. Photo: Betty Farrow, Age 90. Texas United States, 1936. Between 1936 and 1938. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/mesnp162033/.

• Sam Jones Washington, 88 years old, was born a slave of Sam Young, a rancher in Texas. Sam lived a different life than most slaves. He was trained as a cowhand and worked for his master until 1868, receiving wages after he was freed. He recalls his mother and siblings lived on the ranch as well, but he never knew his father. He enjoyed riding horses and roping cattle. One night when he was twelve, he and another slave decided they wanted some sugarcane from a neighboring plantation. The "patterollers" or white men who patrolled the area, heard the snapping of cane stalks and chased the boys. He says he ran so fast that he "stayed 'head of my shadow." After freedom, he married three times but never had children.  Photo: Sam Jones Washington, Age 88. Texas United States, 1936. Between 1936 and 1938. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/mesnp164138/.

These are just a few of the millions and millions of people who survived slavery. Their stories are heartbreaking, encouraging, and thought-provoking all at the same time. The narratives go into much more detail than I can share here on the blog. Stories of brutality, abuse, and other hardships are spoken of plainly. I did my best to portray their lives as authentically as I could in my novels.

Your turn: Have you read Uncle Tom's Cabin? What did you think about it?

Michelle Shocklee is the award-winning author of The Planter's Daughter and The Widow of Rose Hill. Her historical novella set in the New Mexico Territory is included in The Mail-Order Brides Collection. Michelle and her husband of thirty-two years make their home in Tennessee. Connect with her at www.MichelleShocklee.com.

THE PLANTER'S DAUGHTER

Adella Rose Ellis knows her father has plans for her future, but she longs for the freedom to forge her own destiny. When the son of Luther Ellis's longtime friend arrives on the plantation to work as the new overseer, Adella can't help but fall for his charm and captivating hazel eyes. But a surprise betrothal to an older man, followed by a devastating revelation, forces Adella to choose the path that will either save her family's future or endanger the lives of the people most dear to her heart.

Seth Brantley never wanted to be an overseer. After a runaway slave shot him, ending his career as a Texas Ranger and leaving him with a painful limp, a job on the plantation owned by his father's friend is just what he needs to bide his time before heading to Oregon where a man can start over. What he hadn't bargained on was falling in love with the planter's daughter or finding that everything he once believed about Negroes wasn't true. Amid secrets unraveling and the hatching of a dangerous plan, Seth must become the very thing he'd spent the past four years chasing down: an outlaw.

https://www.amazon.com/Michelle-Shocklee/e/B01MYD4TRE/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

History of Our National Library--and a Surprise Giveaway

If you’re like me, you have fond memories of going to the library. As a child, my mother took me and my older brothers to our local branch a few times a month, and I recall racing my siblings to the shelf that contained our favorite Berenstain Bears books. Another treat was the bookmobile. Oh, the fun times I had perusing library shelves right outside my own front door. As I grew, I was so excited to start school where I could go to the library daily and walk among the stacks with all those wonderful books, each one with a different story to tell.



© J. Uhlarik

Yes, libraries hold a special place in my heart. So when my hubby, son, and I took a trip to Washington, D.C., in 2008, I had to visit the Library of Congress. It wasn’t what I would have expected. I expected to be able to get into the actual library and see the books on the shelves, but without a Library of Congress card, you can’t go into the library proper. But there was a very nice visitor’s center with access to a sampling of Thomas Jefferson’s personal collection. I was surprised to learn that, even with a LOC Library card, patrons aren’t allowed to pull or shelve their own books. Should someone want to look at a book, they put in a request, and a LOC worker pulls the book for them. The book is then sent out on a conveyor belt where the patron can pick it up. The closest I came to seeing all those beloved books housed in our national library was to peer down on the shelves and conveyor belt system from a viewing room above. Oh, to have been able to go inside and experience it for myself…

Italian Renaissance style of architecture
© J. Uhlarik

I understand why they take such precautions. Many of the volumes housed in the Library of Congress are quite old, rare, and fragile. If they allow anyone to walk around and pick through the shelves, some of those books could be lost, stolen, or damaged. So they have put safeguards in place for this national resource.

Do you know the history of the Library of Congress? The library goes back to 1800 when President John Adams established a reference library that would be for Congress’s use only, including books thought to be useful to Congress. The library was housed in the Capitol until August 1814. At this time, the United States of America was in the thick of the War of 1812, and British forces invaded Washington, D.C., and burned the city. Unfortunately, the Library of Congress went up in flames.

Thomas Jefferson's books
© J. Uhlarik

While that was a great loss, the American people benefited from the fire the destroyed the Library of Congress. How can that be? Well, a month after the fire, former President Thomas Jefferson stepped in to resurrect the ruined library. You see, Jefferson had spent 50 years collecting books in all sorts of disciplines and topics. Many of the books were rare and valuable, and he offered the bulk of those volumes to the government to replenish the Library of Congress. It was agreed that the United States government would purchase 6,487 books for a sum of $23,950. Rather than books “useful to Congress,” the new collection included books on the arts, humanities, sciences, and all manner of other topics. So the collection was greatly expanded in both number and subject matter.

Ornate ceilings at the LOC
© J. Uhlarik

The man who served as Librarian from 1864-1897, Ainsworth Rand Spofford, subscribed to Jefferson’s philosophy on diversifying the subject matter and built the Library of Congress into a national institution. In 1870, Spofford even instituted the copyright law which requires authors to submit two copies of their work to the Library of Congress, which resulted in a flood of books, pamphlets, music, and other resources to be included in the collection. The library’s holdings grew so large that a new facility to house them was needed, so in 1873, Congress gave the okay to draw up plans for a new building. It took about 1886 for Congress to agree upon the design and begin building the new structure, which is an Italian Renaissance inspired building with grand sculptures, paintings and murals. It opened to the public in 1897 as the largest, costliest, and safest library building in the world.

It’s your turn. Have you ever visited the Library of Congress? If so, what was your experience like? If not, do you have fond memories of other libraries? Leave a comment including your contact information and you’ll be entered in my drawing for this surprise Brighton item.

As always, thank you for stopping by!

Jennifer Uhlarik discovered the western genre as a pre-teen, when she swiped the only “horse” book she found on her older brother’s bookshelf. A new love was born. Across the next ten years, she devoured Louis L’Amour westerns and fell in love with the genre. In college at the University of Tampa, she began penning her own story of the Old West. Armed with a B.A. in writing, she has won the 2012 CWOW Phoenix Rattler, 2012 ACFW First Impressions, and 2013 FCWC contests, all in the historical category. She is also the winner of the 2013 Central Florida ACFW chapter's "Prompt Response" contest. In addition to writing, she has been a schoolteacher of English, literature, and history, as well as a marketing director. Jennifer is active in American Christian Fiction Writers and lifetime member of the Florida Writers Association. She lives near Tampa, Florida, with her husband, teenaged son, and four fur children.