Two historic love stories and a Goodreads Giveaway!

 

Sadie's gravestone found at Lower Road Cemetery in Brewster.

 

In 1896 Brewster - Cape Cod, love reared its ugly head. 

Young Sadie Hassard was being courted by Frederick Alexander.

Sadie grew tired of him and wanted to move on. 

It was a Sunday. Pastor Dawes began reading the opening prayer at the Brewster Unitarian church. The sound of gunshots drew the congregation outside. They found poor Sadie dead on the sidewalk from a gunshot wound behind her right ear. 

The young girl had been living with Pastor Dawes out of fear from Alexander. Sadie's father knew about Alexander's jealous and desperate heart. He hoped Sadie would be safer with the Pastor.

Excerpt from The Barnstable Patriot, May 18, 1896, 

The article continues to tell us that Alexander committed suicide and eventually was found in Snow's Pond with a bottle of strychnine in his pocket.

Love unrequited. 

 

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Crosby Mansion - 1888 - Brewster

 

Albert Crosby was born on Cape Cod in 1823. He married Margaret Henderson in 1845 and they moved to Chicago where he made his fortune producing distilled alcohol. After Albert took over the Chicago Opera House and refurbished it, a fire in 1871 destroyed everything. He lost 1.5 million and Margaret and Albert divorced. 

Soon he married Matilda Sourbeck. She was 23 years younger than Albert and a burlesque performer. They returned to Brewster and his family home.

It was not what Matilda expected. 

To please his new bride, he began to build an addition around his small family home in 1877 incorporating many details and lavish accents they had admired honeymooning in Europe.  The Crosby Mansion, also known as "Tawasentha" was completed in 1888.  Albert loved Matilda and wanted her to be happy.

Matilda standing in the art gallery.

He even built a special extension on the house for an art gallery. Tawasentha was available for Matilda's social schedule. She loved to entertain.

The front lawn of the mansion, Matilda dressed in white sits in the foreground.

Legend says that when Albert needed to get away from all the lunches and parties, he retired to his rocking chair in the old homestead.

Albert found a second chance at love and spared no expense to keep young Matilda.

 

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 I've always been fascinated doing research for the basis of my historical novels in my Old Cape Series.

Finding the two love stories above and being able to visit the sites connected with the people inspires me to keep looking and writing.

 

Just finished a new...

BOOK TRAILER

FOR

THE OLD CAPE HOLLYWOOD SECRET 

#3 in The Old Cape Series

When researching and plotting, The Old Cape Hollywood Secret

I traveled to Hollywood, ate at restaurants, stayed in old hotels that were open in 1947, and experienced some of the feelings that my characters felt. It was a wonderful adventure.

Today I'm going to offer through Goodreads, a giveaway of The Old Cape Hollywood Secret.  100 copies of the ebook!!

All you have to do to win an ebook is enter your name on the Goodreads website.  

Goodreads is the world's largest site for readers and book recommendations. Their mission is to help people find and share books they love. It's free to join Goodreads.

Here's a link to enter

Good Luck! The Giveaway begins February 19, 2022 and ends on March 3, 2022.