Were the Puritans really pure? Were marriages arranged? What happened to unwanted births? These are just some of the things you may have wondered about people in the past (but were afraid to ask) as you’ve toured colonial homes. Our speaker, Dr. Susanne Johnston, was an educator for 47 years in universities and public and private […]
“My family went to church with Margaret at the Church of the Messiah in Gwynedd PA in the 1950’s and 60’s. She always wore a lovely hat. When someone inquired why she did this, she said “I think the Lord wants us to look our best”. She was a great support and friend to all […]
On this day in Graeme Park history, 1766, Elizabeth’s only remaining sibling, Ann Graeme Stedman passed away of an unknown, painful disease: the air “pierced with her departing Crys.” Elizabeth believed she’d died of a broken heart, mourning their mother, who had died 10 months prior. “She saw good Anna go: her gentle Soul / […]
On this day in Graeme Park History, 1801, Elizabeth Graeme Fergusson passed away at the home of Seneca Lukens, the clockmaker and friend with whom she stayed at the end of her life. Her friend Betsy Stedman composed the following letter to her cousin Deborah Senior in Jamaica informing her of the sad news: Dear […]
FROM THE ARCHIVES: This photograph of the parlor was taken in 1869 by John Moran and is held by the Library Company of Philadelphia. John Moran (February, 1831 – February 19, 1902) was a prominent landscape, architectural, astronomical and expedition photographer whose career began in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area during the 1860s. Moran was the […]
Margaret Strawbridge was a member of the Countryside Gardeners for many years. When she attended our meetings she always wore a hat and gloves and would offer a prayer before our monthly meetings. One of her particular interests was the Willow Grove Air Station. Each year, under her watchful eye, the garden club members would […]
On this day in Graeme Park history, Elizabeth Graeme was born (1737). She was the youngest of the Graeme children, who numbered somewhere between 10-12. By the time Elizabeth joined the family, the Graeme’s had already buried William (1723-1733), and two sets of twins: Rebecca and Rachel (b. 1728), and Patrick and Elizabeth (b. 1731). […]
On this day in Graeme Park history, Elizabeth’s sister Mary Jane Graeme and her husband James Young passed away. Jane died in 1759 in childbirth with the couple’s fourth child. She was 32 years old. James outlived his wife by 20 years, passing away in 1779.
FROM THE ARCHIVES: This photograph of the parlor, taken by Frank Cousins, dates to sometime between 1865 and 1914 and is held by the Phillips Library at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts. It is one of a collection of 18 of his photographs held by the library featuring the interior and exterior of the […]
On June 14, 2014 we had a visitor who worked for Mr. Strawbridge in 1954 — he shared the following memories with us: Mr. Strawbridge was in his 70s and the visitor was 15 at the time of his employment. He was paid $1/hour and his job was to sweep out the fireplaces in the […]