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Posted on:9/13/2007
More Bullard History
by Martha DeWolf
In 1882 Hovey Bullard took a steamship from New York to Bremenhauen, Germany to further his medical studies. His cousin Jennie Maria was in England preparing to marry.
In the two and a half months since he had left America, Jennie Maria’s life had altered greatly. Hovey wrote, “I am also told of the change in plans & that at 25 Chestnut St. great preparations are in progress.”
Jenny Hastings was ever vigilant over the welfare of her only child, and aware, as a single mother, of a woman’s need for financial security. She had managed to steer her daughter into social circles that included an apparently fantastically wealthy Englishman named John Davies Campbell, whose wealthy British father had married into a wealthy South American family.
The change of plans apparently involved transporting Jennie Maria and her mother to England and marrying her off there. Hovey warned that “Jennie will have to be careful that she doesn’t get sick again amid all her worry & fussing about toilets and marriage preparations. I almost wish I could go to England & help marry her; another representative of the family as it were - but I certainly cannot. I was foolish enough to leave my dress coat at home and even if I had it, I could hardly afford the time or expense.”
If Hovey sounds a little peevish about his lack of a dress coat it is largely because, that evening he had been invited to the annual festival of the Gymnastic Club of which he had become a member. He wrote, “The president gave me a ticket so I could not refuse to go, even had I wanted to, but I was glad enough to see a real German festival. I borrowed a dress suit of a young Scotch Dr. whose acquaintance I have formed & which fitted me like a meal bag. I bought a pair of white kids (gloves) for 35 cents & was ready.”
Hovey was keenly aware of his social and financial position in both the family and within the circles in which he was finding himself especially after receiving the details of Jennie’s upcoming marriage. He was just five years her senior and had undoubtedly spent much time with her growing up both at the Farm in Holliston and in Cambridge while he was at Harvard. He couldn’t help reflecting on his own status.
In his letter to his aunt he described the reactions of the Germans to his “Ich bin Americans”. Most of the people he met had “a relation or intimate friend in Amerika, & they are particularly kindly disposed toward all Americans ... for they have the mistaken notion that Amerika virtually flows in milk & honey. A German lady told me that some German villages are quite depopulated by all the inhabitants going to Amerika; and in harvest time, they have been compelled to get laborers from Sweden to gather the crops.”
In the letter to Hattie describing the festival at the Gymnasium, he wished that “ they might see this letter at home, as it may interest them to hear about a truly German party & I cannot afford time to write it out twice.” He arrived at the hall at eight o’clock in his borrowed clothes and found it, “very beautiful with five frescoes on ceiling & walls & an inlaid floor polished and smooth as glass. From this led a smaller hall, containing fine paintings & small tables for beer. In the larger hall were the tables arranged in a semi-circle, with place for about 60 persons.”
“On My entrance the President immediately took my arm & introduced me to his mother & another elderly lady who acted as patronesses, & then I was introduced to all the younger ladies in succession. The introduction and chatting to one & another took up quite an hour and it was after nine bef
In 1882 Hovey Bullard took a steamship from New York to Bremenhauen, Germany to further his medical studies. His cousin Jennie Maria was in England preparing to marry.In the two and a half months since he had left America, Jennie Maria’s life had altered greatly. Hovey wrote, “I am also told of the change in plans & that at 25 Chestnut St. great preparations are in progress.”
Jenny Hastings was ever vigilant over the welfare of her only child, and aware, as a single mother, of a woman’s need for financial security. She had managed to steer her daughter into social circles that included an apparently fantastically wealthy Englishman named John Davies Campbell, whose wealthy British father had married into a wealthy South American family.
The change of plans apparently involved transporting Jennie Maria and her mother to England and marrying her off there. Hovey warned that “Jennie will have to be careful that she doesn’t get sick again amid all her worry & fussing about toilets and marriage preparations. I almost wish I could go to England & help marry her; another representative of the family as it were - but I certainly cannot. I was foolish enough to leave my dress coat at home and even if I had it, I could hardly afford the time or expense.”
If Hovey sounds a little peevish about his lack of a dress coat it is largely because, that evening he had been invited to the annual festival of the Gymnastic Club of which he had become a member. He wrote, “The president gave me a ticket so I could not refuse to go, even had I wanted to, but I was glad enough to see a real German festival. I borrowed a dress suit of a young Scotch Dr. whose acquaintance I have formed & which fitted me like a meal bag. I bought a pair of white kids (gloves) for 35 cents & was ready.”
Hovey was keenly aware of his social and financial position in both the family and within the circles in which he was finding himself especially after receiving the details of Jennie’s upcoming marriage. He was just five years her senior and had undoubtedly spent much time with her growing up both at the Farm in Holliston and in Cambridge while he was at Harvard. He couldn’t help reflecting on his own status.
In his letter to his aunt he described the reactions of the Germans to his “Ich bin Americans”. Most of the people he met had “a relation or intimate friend in Amerika, & they are particularly kindly disposed toward all Americans ... for they have the mistaken notion that Amerika virtually flows in milk & honey. A German lady told me that some German villages are quite depopulated by all the inhabitants going to Amerika; and in harvest time, they have been compelled to get laborers from Sweden to gather the crops.”
In the letter to Hattie describing the festival at the Gymnasium, he wished that “ they might see this letter at home, as it may interest them to hear about a truly German party & I cannot afford time to write it out twice.” He arrived at the hall at eight o’clock in his borrowed clothes and found it, “very beautiful with five frescoes on ceiling & walls & an inlaid floor polished and smooth as glass. From this led a smaller hall, containing fine paintings & small tables for beer. In the larger hall were the tables arranged in a semi-circle, with place for about 60 persons.”
“On My entrance the President immediately took my arm & introduced me to his mother & another elderly lady who acted as patronesses, & then I was introduced to all the younger ladies in succession. The introduction and chatting to one & another took up quite an hour and it was after nine bef
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