Welcome to Henry's Travel Blog! |
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Although he kept detailed business papers, Missouri Botanical Garden founder Henry Shaw left little personal material for biographers to consider in analyzing his life. One of the few items which remain is a series of five journals. Following his retirement from the hardware business in 1840, Shaw traveled abroad and made notes, recollections, and even sketches in these small bound books. Join us as we chart Henry's journey to Europe and beyond. |
| Shaw's variable spellings, punctuation, and grammar, preserved throughout, are typical even for well-educated gentlemen in the 19th Century. Important note (4/14/09): The entries from March 11, 2009 through April 8, 2009, correspond to recently discovered text from Henry Shaw's journal. They will be posted online under the correct dates to preserve chronological accuracy. | |
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March 9, 1842: A Dinner |
March weather today, rain and wind, cleared off afterwards. Umbrella in hand walked out along the paved bank of the Doubs. Dined at Migons Restaurateur - pate de foie gras and vin chablis - white burgundy. The best Pâtés come from Strasbourg. The waiter tells me the livers of which they are made are from geese nailed fast by a foot, and fed till the liver become of enormous size- they are also seasoned with truffles -
I was born on July 24, 1800, in Sheffield, England. On May 3, 1819, I arrived at a small French village on the Mississippi called St. Louis. I owned a hardware store and worked there from 1819 to 1840. In 1840, I retired and traveled around the world. In 1851, after seeing the beautiful Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, outside London and the Chatsworth gardens in Devonshire, I decided to create my own garden in St. Louis.
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