In the news1860
Petroleum lamps replaced candles for lighting
Starting in 1860, petroleum lamps replaced candles and tallow lights in German households, significantly improving home lighting.
Newport, 1867 – Menton, 4 Mar 1934
10 facts2 sources
1867
Born in Newport
16 Nov 1907
A son is born
4 Mar 1934
Dies in Menton
He lived through 8 decades. Pick one to hear and see what it was like around Newport.
General history, not a record about the family: each item says where it comes from.
Who governed
President of the United States, 1865–1869 · United States
President of the United States, 1869–1877 · United States
In the news1860
Starting in 1860, petroleum lamps replaced candles and tallow lights in German households, significantly improving home lighting.
Music
Etiquette at dance halls
Etiquette books of the time strictly forbade spitting tobacco on the floor during dances, as it was considered nauseous to ladies and damaging to their dresses.
In North America · 1861–1865The American Civil War. North and South fought over slavery; 620,000 soldiers died, the Union won, and four million enslaved people were freed.
Daily life
Children used slates instead of paper
Because paper was expensive, schoolchildren used slates and slate pencils or chalk for their daily work instead of paper.
In the news1862
The Homestead Act allowed individuals to claim 160 acres of free land if they lived on and improved it for five years.
What people wore
Cage crinolines after 1857
Starting in 1857, cage crinolines made of sprung steel freed women from the weight of wearing multiple heavy petticoats to achieve a full skirt.
Getting around
Long-distance overland mail delivery times
In the 1850s, the Butterfield Overland Mail stagecoaches were contracted to carry mail nearly 2,800 miles from Missouri to San Francisco in 25 days. By 1859, efficiency had improved, with the average trip time decreasing to about 21 and a half days.