The Gilded Gentleman

On the morning of November 7, 1878, it was discovered that the tomb of wealthy Gilded Age merchant A. T. Stewart had been opened and his body taken.   

Although this was shocking, the idea of graves being opened and bodies stolen was not new, and in fact, it became a fairly common occurrence during the 19th century and before. Bodies were snatched for a variety of reasons, including ransom, but more often to serve as specimens for the expanding medical profession to use in research and training.  

In this episode, cemetery historian and tour guide James Henry takes us on a journey through the 19th century, sharing tales of the most infamous bodysnatchers, Burke and Hare in 1820s Scotland, the attempted body snatching of President Abraham Lincoln, and the lengths 19th-century folk went to to ensure their loved ones' graves were safe from criminals.  

Additionally, we'll examine how the practice of body snatching influenced writers such as Mark Twain, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Charles Dickens.   

And James shares the mysterious ending of the curious tale of just what happened to the body of A.T. Stewart. 

This episode was produced and edited by Kieran Gannon

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Celebrities ranging from Oscar Wilde and Sarah Bernhardt to Mark Twain and Walt Whitman all made their way to the top-floor studio in Manhattan’s Union Square—with its tiny elevator—to have their images immortalized by Napoleon Sarony, America's most famous photographer during the Gilded Age. 

Sarony’s genius lay in his ability to stage a photograph using poses, costumes, and makeshift sets, all designed to allow the essence of his subject to emerge. As a result, the portraits he created of so many of the era’s leading figures have become their defining, iconic images.

But who was Napoleon Sarony himself? In this episode, Dr. Erin Pauwels, author and scholar, joins The Gilded Gentleman at the table to discuss the subject of her latest book Napoleon Sarony’s Living Pictures and to delve into Sarony’s eccentricities and genius. The show also explores questions of copyright and branding, revealing how, largely through Sarony’s work, the modern media celebrity image factory was born."

This show was produced and edited by Kieran Gannon.

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In honor of Women's History Month -- a classic episode from the Bowery Boys! Within just a few decades – between the 1880s and the 1920s – so much social change occurred within American life, upending so many cultural norms and advancing so many important social issues, that these years became known as the Progressive Era. And at the forefront of many of these changes were women.

In this show, Greg Young visits two important New York City social landmarks of this era —Henry Street Settlement, founded by Lillian Wald on the Lower East Side, and the Cabrini Shrine, where Mother Frances X. Cabrini continued her work with New York’s Italian American population.

Featuring special guests Tanya Bielski-Braham, Beckett Graham, Julie Golia, Cherie Sprosty and Katie Vogel.

This episode originally ran in 2019 in the Bowery Boys Podcast feed as 'Saving the City: Women of the Progresive Era' .

The exhibition Taking Care of Brooklyn: Stories of Sickness and Health ran from May 31, 2019 to June 05, 2020 at The Brooklyn Historical Society (now The Center for Brooklyn History).

Visit the Bowery Boys website to see images from this show..

 

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Stanford White is one of the most recognizable figures of the Gilded Age. Known for his flamboyant style and outsized personality, he loomed large over New York society. 

His private life captured headlines and fueled persistent gossip, particularly his scandalous relationships with young women—most famously the chorus girl and model Evelyn Nesbit. His sensational 1906 murder at the hands of Evelyn’s husband, Harry K. Thaw, was quickly dubbed “the crime of the century.”

This very special episode, however, turns away from the scandal to focus on White’s work, his artistic eye, and his extraordinary design talent. Stanford White’s great-grandson, architect Samuel White, joins The Gilded Gentleman for an in-depth look at how White’s genius developed and evolved, and how he managed his collaborations with partners Charles McKim and William Mead, as well as with the renowned sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens. 

With Sam’s unique perspective, this conversation offers fresh insight into some of White’s most celebrated works and illuminates the creative vision of one of America’s greatest architects.

For more information on Stanford White and his life and murder, listen to the Bowery Boys episode #188 The Murder of Stanford White

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Dr. Carla Peterson, author of “Black Gotham: A Family History of African Americans in Nineteenth Century New York,” has been a pioneer in uncovering and sharing the story of New York’s wealthy Black entrepreneurial elite through the Gilded Age. 

Exemplified by the storyline of Peggy Scott and her family in the HBO series “The Gilded Age,” this story adds dimension and richness to a society that was far more diverse than it had ever been portrayed. 

As part of our celebration of Black History Month, we offer an ENCORE of Carla’s episode on The Gilded Gentleman. 

This episode was edited and produced by Kieran Gannon.

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