Pelham Democrats Held a Parade "More Resplendent than the New Comet or the Full Moon" in 1892

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Pelham Democrats were excited about the presidential election of 1892.  Democrats in the new village of Pelham Manor created "The Cleveland and Stevenson Club of Pelham Manor" early that year.  In July, City Island Democrats created their own Cleveland and Stevenson Club.  The two quickly merged to form "The Cleveland and Stevenson Club of Pelham."  

Local Judge Henry DeWitt Carey, who served as a judge in the Special Sessions Court at White Plains for many years and founded a local dairy known as the Willow Brook Dairy in which he owned an interest for many decades, was an affluent and ardent supporter of the movement.  He offered the use of Carey Hall on City Island free during the campaign.  Carey Hall became the headquarters of The Cleveland and Stevenson Club of Pelham.

The presidential election of 1892 was an emotional one that involved a divided nation split nearly evenly between Democrats and Republicans.  The election, in fact, was essentially a rematch of the hotly contested presidential election of 1888 when Democrat Grover Cleveland won the popular vote over Republican Benjamin Harrison but lost in the electoral college.  In 1892, Grover Cleveland ran again against incumbent Republican President Benjamin Harrison.  This time, Grover Cleveland won both the popular vote and the electoral college vote and became the only person ever elected to a second presidential term that did not immediately follow a first term.  

As the election results became clear in the days following November 8, 1892, Pelham Democrats rejoiced and began planning a grand celebration.  On the evening of Tuesday, November 22, 1892, the celebration exploded in what was described as "a blaze of glory."  A local newspaper described the celebration as "more resplendent than the new comet or the full moon" -- a reference Comet Holmes that was discovered only days before the celebration on November 6, 1892 by British amateur astronomer Edwin Holmes.

The celebration included a parade led on horseback by Democrat Town Supervisor Sherman T. Pell who was known locally as the "Little Giant of Democracy."  (Barely one year later Pell was defeated in his own bid for reelection after which he disappeared and it was discovered that he had stolen town funds, forged Town bonds, and sold more than $100,000 of forged bonds to New York City investors who eventually were left holding the bag.  Pell was never seen again, rumored to have fled to South America.)

The Little Giant of Democracy led the parade from astride a large black charger.  The parade began on City Island but crossed the City Island Bridge to the mainland.  

City Island was, indeed, ablaze in glory.  Hundreds of homes of Democrats were festooned with incandescent lights, flags, and bunting.  Additionally, candles burned in the windows of each home.  Stretched across the main roadway of the island were several rows of multi-colored lanterns.  According to one account, it all made for "one of the grandest displays ever witnessed on this island."

At 8:00 p.m. that evening, Supervisor Pell shouted "forward march" and the parade began.  Immediately behind Pell were twenty mounted "aides" who followed the Little Giant on horseback.  Behind them were more than two hundred fellow Democrats on foot.  Each carried a lantern, flag, and transparencies.

Shouting, singing, and marching, the group proceeded to the north end of City Island and crossed the City Island Bridge to Pelham Bay Park.  There they met about two hundred additional Democrats from New Rochelle and the surrounding region accompanied by the Port Chester Band.  The march of victory continued to a spot where a "grand display of fireworks" celebrated the victory of Grover Cleveland.  

One notable symbolic feature of the parade revolved around a live depiction of "Baby Ruth," the two-year-old daughter of Grover Cleveland after whom the chocolate bar of the same name is believed to be named.  A tiny Shetland pony pulled a beautiful surrey with a young City Island girl named Jenny Bell who represented Baby Ruth.  On the back of the surrey rested a trunk with a sign that read "Via B & O, Washington, D. C." to represent the upcoming journey of two-year-old Ruth Cleveland with her father, the president-elect, to Washington, D. C. and the White House.  

Pelham and its Democrats certainly knew how to throw a celebration in those days.  A local Democratic newspaper crowed breathlessly afterward that:  "City Island never does anything by halves, and this parade showed it to be a truism; nothing was left undone to make this occasion memorable in the minds of the Democrats for years to come.  It was superb."

1892 Campaign Poster for Grover Cleveland and Adlai E. Stevenson.

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"Westchester County Notes. . . . 

The Cleveland and Stevenson Club of Pelham Manor will unite with the club now forming at City Island, and be known as the Cleveland and Stevenson Club of Pelham.  Justice Carey has presented the Club with the use of Carey Hall on City Island free during the campaign, and they will make it their headquarters. . . ."

Source:  Westchester County Notes, The Evening Post [NY, NY], Jul. 20, 1892, p. 8, col. 1.  

"CITY ISLAND IN A BLAZE OF GLORY.
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THE CLEVELAND AND STEVENSON CLUB'S GLORIFICATION PARADE.
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Two Hundred Visitors from New Rochelle and Surrounding Towns -- Many of the Noted Men of the Democratic Party Present.
-----

More resplendent than the new comet or the full moon did glow the beautiful parade of the Cleveland and Stevenson Club on Tuesday evening, Nov. 22d.  Along the route the houses were handsomely decorated with hundreds of incandescent lights, flags and bunting.  Each Democratic house was illuminated from top to bottom, some with dozens of candles in each window, adding greatly to the beauty of the scene.  Stretched across the roadway were several rows of vari-colored lanterns, making one of the grandest displays ever witnessed on this island.

Among the notable Democrats whose decorated homes were deserving of mention were Duncan Marshall, Mr. McElheney, the well known auctioneer of New York City, J. F. Jordan, whose house covered with State shields proved a credit to this staunch young Tammany Hall leader, James Bell, Pheneas Feguson, Percy Pell, Philip Flynn, Joseph Powell, Thomas Keller, John Stamp, Judge Hawkins, Counselor Early, Mr. Neuphert, Fred Wesselman, George Leviness, C. Walthers, Wm. Williams, the well known inspector of the Board of Health, whose little home was handsomely draped from top to bottom, Hon. Sherman T. Pell, Mrs. Barstow, Mrs. Grad, James Horton, Esq., Henry Piepgras, James Brown, Robert Brown, Alex. Banta, Stringham Bros., C. Von Liehn and several hundred others too numerous to mention.

Precisely at 8 o'clock the 'Little Giant' of Democracy, Supervisor Sherman T. Pell, mounted his black charger, and looking as happy as he did the night of election when he heard the returns in favor of Grover Cleveland's election, he gave the order to 'forward march,' and followed by his staff of twenty mounted aides and about 200 good, solid Democrats on foot, each carrying lanterns, flags and transparencies, the pageant moved forward triumphantly.  The hosts proceeded to the north end of the island and across the bridge to Pelham Bay Park, where they received their fellow Democrats, numbering about 200 men from New Rochelle, accompanied by the Port Chester band, and commanded by John Dillon, Esq.  After opening ranks the visitors passed through and the march of victory commenced amid great shouts and cheers and a grand display of fireworks.

City Island never does anything by halves, and this parade showed it to be a truism; nothing was left undone to make this occasion memorable in the minds of the Democrats for years to come.  It was superb.

One of the special features of the parade was a small Shetland pony, Lexington, who has won several prizes at the Westchester County Fair and at Madison Square Garden, which was loaned to the Democrats of the Second district through the kindness of Mr. McElheney, his owner, to represent Baby Ruth on her way to the White House.  The pony and surrey was prettily decorated with flags and bunting, and on the back rested Baby Ruth's trunk labeled 'Via B. & O., Washington, D. C.'  Baby Ruth was impersonated by beautiful little Jenny Bell, daughter of Captain Nathan Bell, who looked and felt as happy as a little queen; I heard the women on all sides of me say as she waved her tiny handkerchief, 'Oh my, she looks too sweet for anything,' and so she did.  The pony was driven by Mr. James J. Adair who was dressed in full livery.  The Democratic Club, through THE ARGUS, wishes to thank the New Rochelle visitors and inhabitants for their kindness in lending their aid toward making this one of the most important events in City Island's history."

Source:  CITY ISLAND IN A BLAZE OF GLORY -- THE CLEVELAND AND STEVENSON CLUB'S GLORIFICATION PARADE -- Two Hundred Visitors from New Rochelle and Surrounding Towns -- Many of the Noted Men of the Democratic Party Present, The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], Dec. 1, 1892, Vol. I, No. 204, p. 2, col. 2.

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