More on a Magical Long Distance Proposal Made to a Pelham Manor Belle in 1895

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Happy Saint Valentine's Day Dear Pelham.

Saint Valentine's Day in 1895 was a particularly memorable one for two young people who met on that date in the home of a local resident. The story of their meeting, their brief long-distance courtship, and their subsequent marriage, brings warmth to the heart.  The story is that of beau George B. Gaston of Indianapolis and Ethel Mary Bishop, an English girl who lived temporarily in Pelham Manor in 1895.  The story of their engagement made the pair famous throughout the United States and has been the subject of an earlier Historic Pelham article.  See Fri., Feb. 13, 2015:  A Magical Valentine's Day in Pelham Manor in 1895.

In 1895, George B Gaston was a bashful 35-year-old confirmed bachelor who lived in Indianapolis, Indiana. In his early youth, Gaston was involved in an electrical business managed by Thomas Alva Edison and Edison's then-close friend, Ezra Torrence Gilliland of Pelham Manor. During that time, Ezra Gilliland grew fond not only of young Gaston, but also two of his sisters.  Fate, however, led George Gaston to Indianapolis where he served as the successful Secretary and Treasurer of the Indianapolis Transfer Company.

Ezra and Lillian Gilliland were particularly fond of the young bachelor whose business frequently brought him to New York City.  According to some accounts, George Gaston often stayed with or visited the Gilliland family in Pelham Manor during his business trips to New York City.  Other accounts suggest he kept putting such visits off because the Gilliland home was always filled with guests and Gaston was rather shy.

Ezra T. Gilliland was a very successful and affluent inventor in his own right and an associate of Thomas Edison who visited Gilliland's laboratory and lovely home in Pelham Manor on occasion.  Clearly the Gilliland home in Pelham Manor often was filled with guests.  See:

Tue., Aug. 04, 2015:  Ezra T. Gilliland, The Inventor of the Telephone Switchboard and Friend of Thomas Edison, Was a Pelham Manor Resident.

Tue., May 02, 2017:  More on Ezra T. Gilliland of Pelham Manor, Inventor of the Telephone Switchboard and Friend of Thomas Edison.

Thu., Aug. 13, 2015:  Lillian Johnson Gilliland's Memories of Thomas Edison and 19th Century Life in Pelham Manor.

As fate would have it, one of the guests in the Gilliland home in February, 1895 was a beautiful 22-year-old English woman named Ethel Mary Bishop, a daughter of Hon. James Draper Bishop of London.  By all accounts Miss Bishop was a beautiful young belle with dark hair and dark eyes with a lovely English accent that reportedly captivated young men throughout Pelham during her business.  

In February, 1895, Gaston's business on behalf of the Indianapolis Transfer Company called him to New York City. While he was there, Ezra T. Gilliland invited him to visit the Gilliland home in Pelham Manor. Gaston put off the invitation until the day before his scheduled return to Indianapolis. On the appointed day, February 14, 1895, he traveled to the Gililland home where he planned to visit for a few hours. Instead, he stayed there for two weeks.

In early 1895, George Gaston's two sisters visited the Gilliland home and met Ethel Mary Bishop.  The two young women seem to have been as captivated with the young English woman as many others in Pelham.  They began writing letters to their brother George extolling the virtues of the charming Miss Bishop.  According to one account:

"From those letters Gaston had learned that Miss Bishop had been born in Shanghai, while her father was serving the English government there as Consul.  As a child she had lived in Africa, her gather having been transferred to one of the South African States.  Later she had been sent to a convent in Paris whence she went to Heidelberg, and there she took a degree in music.  Then she went to London to continue her studies in music and the classics."

In early February, 1895, George Gaston had another business trip to New York City.  Upon his arrival, Ezra Gilliland extended his customary invitation to the young man to stay with his family at his Pelham Manor home.  Gaston put off the visit until Valentine's Day -- the day before he was scheduled to return to Indianapolis.

On Valentine's Day, 123 years ago today, Gaston visited the Gilliland home and met Ethel Mary Bishop.  The following day, he could not bring himself to return to Indianapolis.  Instead, he remained in the Gilliland home for two weeks before he returned to his home.  He was more than captivated with the young English girl.  He was in love.

The New York City newspaper The Sun later published an amusing account of how Gaston eventually proposed to the young girl.  Because the proposal was made over the relatively new-fangled telephone from "800 miles away," The Sun's account was picked up and reproduced in newspapers large and small throughout the United States making the young couple famous.  According to that account:

"When he returned to Indianapolis he wasn't able to do much business.  All he could think about was the English girl on the shore of Long Island Sound.  Two weeks went by and one morning while he was sitting in his office a letter came from one of his sisters.  It was largely filled with a description of a german she had danced a few nights before, and told how all the men had simply gone daft about Miss Bishop.  Gaston thought for a moment, and then rushed to the telephone, looked up the number of Gilliland's house telephone in the long-distance telephone book, and asked to be connected.  Pretty soon he heard a feminine voice at the other end of the line call, 'Hello!'

'Hello!  Who is that?' answered Gaston.  'Who?  Oh!  Miss Bishop?  Well, this is Mr. Gaston Miss Bishop.  Where am I?  In Indianapolis.  Yes, in Indianapolis.  I thought I'd call you up to -- to ask how my sisters are.  You'll call one of them and let her speak for herself?  Oh, never mind, I said 'never mind.'  N-e-v-e-r-never.  No, not mine; mind -- m-i-n-d.  Hello!  How are you?  Just going to the city?  Theatre party to-night?  Oh, not going in till the 4 o'clock train?  Wish I were going with you.  I said I wish I were going with you.  I don't know whether my sisters would like to have me or not.  I just wanted to go with you.  Don't be foolish?  Hello!  What did you say?  Hello!  Hello!  Say, Central!  Don't cut me off!  I'm not through talking yet.  Gone at the other end?  Well, ring up again.'

As Mr. Gaston said last night, he was bound to say something then or die in the attempt.  After waiting some time, he got the Gilliland house again and began talking with Miss Bishop.

'I beat about the bush for a long time,' he said, 'and then I came out with the question.  She evidently couldn't understand me, for this was the answer I got:

'Come a little nearer Mr. Gaston.  I can't hear you.'

'Then I moved about one inch nearer to her in that eight hundred miles and asked the question over again.  This time it was perfectly understood.  I was told that I might not be sure of myself, that I had better wait for a while, and some more things like that.  I said I had lived to be 35 years old, and I guessed I knew my own mind.  Finally I was told that she would give me an answer when she called me up in two weeks.'

That was on Feb. 28.  Two weeks after that Miss Bishop was in Brooklyn one day and stepped into the office of Mr. Gilliland.  She called up Mr. Gaston.

'Hello!  Is that you Mr. Gaston?  This is Miss Bishop.  Knew the voice, did you?  Your memory for sound is excellent.  I wonder if it is as good for other things.  One other thing?  What's that?  Oh, my answer?  Was I to give you an answer about anything?  Hello!  What's that?  I know very well I was?  Yes I guess I do.  Two weeks have seemed like two years?  You say that very nicely -- over the telephone.  Well, are you sure you knew what you were talking about?  Positive?  And you don't think you'll regret it some time?  Sure?  Well, then, if you want yes, here it is.  What's that?  Hello!  What did you say?  Oh!  Well, you can't have that over the telephone.  You must come for that yourself.  Good-by, George.'

It wasn't long before he came for what he couldn't get over the telephone, and the arrangements for the wedding were made."

Yes, indeed.  The couple married.  Their engagement story represents even to this day a lovely Pelham Valentine's Day story.

*          *          *          *          *

"PROPOSED BY TELEPHONE.
-----
GOT A 'YES,' TOO, OVER RIGHT HUNDRED MILES OF WIRE.
-----
One End Each of Two Conversations Between George B. Gaston in Indianapolis and Ethel Mary Bishop Right Here -- Married at Pelham Manor Last Tuesday.

A man deserved to win a wife who has the nerve to call up a girl, eight hundred miles away, over the telephone and ask her to marry him.  That is the way Miss Ethel Mary Bishop, the only daughter of the Hon. James Draper Bishop of London, became engaged to George B. Gaston of Indianapolis.  They were married last Tuesday night at the residence of Ezra T. Gilliland at Pelham Manor.

Mr. Gaston is the son of a retired physician and is the Secretary and Treasurer of the Indianapolis Transfer Company.  For several years he was associated in this city in the electrical business with Thomas A. Edison and Mr. Gilliland.  All of Mr. Gaston's friends had it settled in their own minds that he would die a bachelor.  His business frequently called hi to New York.  While in town he spent much of his time with Mr. Gilliland.  Every time he came to New York Mr. Gilliland invited Gaston to make his home at Pelham Manor.  Gaston invariably refused, saying that the Gilliland House was always filled with guests and that he hadn't time to play the agreeable to a lot of women.  Then the man from Indianapolis would picture to his old friend what large times the two might have if Gililland would only stay with Gaston in town.

'Break away, old man,' he would say, 'and we'll have some fun that deserves to be called fun!  I can't see anything in talking one's self black in the face of a houseful of women.'

One day last February Gaston arrived in New York on one of his business trips.  His two sisters had been visiting Mr. and Mrs. Gilliland for several weeks, and in their letters home they had frequently mentioned Miss Ethel Bishop, a very charming English girl, who was making her home at the Gillilands.  From those letters Gaston had learned that Miss Bishop had been born in Shanghai, while her father was serving the English government there as Consul.  As a child she had lived in Africa, her gather having been transferred to one of the South African States.  Later she had been sent to a convent in Paris whence she went to Heidelberg, and there she took a degree in music.  Then she went to London to continue her studies in music and the classics.  In fact, Gaston heard so much about Miss Bishop that, when he reached New York and Mr. Gilliland extended to him the usual invitation to visit Pelham Manor, the Indianapolis man said emphatically, 'Not much!'

Finally, on St. Valentine's Day, the day before he was to return home, Gaston consented to go out to Pelham Manor for a few hours, just to see his sisters.  He went and stayed two weeks.  He was done for, but he could not bring himself to the point of a proposal.  As he himself said last night:

'I came pretty close to it several times, but when I got just to the point I got scared.  I felt as if it would be a sort of sacrilege that I mustn't be guilty of.  I tell you, I never thought a woman could bluff me out; and so I went home.'

When he returned to Indianapolis he wasn't able to do much business.  All he could think about was the English girl on the shore of Long Island Sound.  Two weeks went by and one morning while he was sitting in his office a letter came from one of his sisters.  It was largely filled with a description of a german she had danced a few nights before, and told how all the men had simply gone daft about Miss Bishop.  Gaston thought for a moment, and then rushed to the telephone, looked up the number of Gilliland's house telephone in the long-distance telephone book, and asked to be connected.  Pretty soon he heard a feminine voice at the other end of the line call, 'Hello!'

'Hello!  Who is that?' answered Gaston.  'Who?  Oh!  Miss Bishop?  Well, this is Mr. Gaston Miss Bishop.  Where am I?  In Indianapolis.  Yes, in Indianapolis.  I thought I'd call you up to -- to ask how my sisters are.  You'll call one of them and let her speak for herself?  Oh, never mind, I said 'never mind.'  N-e-v-e-r-never.  No, not mine; mind -- m-i-n-d.  Hello!  How are you?  Just going to the city?  Theatre party to-night?  Oh, not going in till the 4 o'clock train?  Wish I were going with you.  I said I wish I were going with you.  I don't know whether my sisters would like to have me or not.  I just wanted to go with you.  Don't be foolish?  Hello!  What did you say?  Hello!  Hello!  Say, Central!  Don't cut me off!  I'm not through talking yet.  Gone at the other end?  Well, ring up again.'

As Mr. Gaston said last night, he was bound to say something then or die in the attempt.  After waiting some time, he got the Gilliland house again and began talking with Miss Bishop.

'I beat about the bush for a long time,' he said, 'and then I came out with the question.  She evidently couldn't understand me, for this was the answer I got:

'Come a little nearer Mr. Gaston.  I can't hear you.'

'Then I moved about one inch nearer to her in that eight hundred miles and asked the question over again.  This time it was perfectly understood.  I was told that I might not be sure of myself, that I had better wait for a while, and some more things like that.  I said I had lived to be 35 years old, and I guessed I knew my own mind.  Finally I was told that she would give me an answer when she called me up in two weeks.'

That was on Feb. 28.  Two weeks after that Miss Bishop was in Brooklyn one day and stepped into the office of Mr. Gilliland.  She called up Mr. Gaston.

'Hello!  Is that you Mr. Gaston?  This is Miss Bishop.  Knew the voice, did you?  Your memory for sound is excellent.  I wonder if it is as good for other things.  One other thing?  What's that?  Oh, my answer?  Was I to give you an answer about anything?  Hello!  What's that?  I know very well I was?  Yes I guess I do.  Two weeks have seemed like two years?  You say that very nicely -- over the telephone.  Well, are you sure you knew what you were talking about?  Positive?  And you don't think you'll regret it some time?  Sure?  Well, then, if you want yes, here it is.  What's that?  Hello!  What did you say?  Oh!  Well, you can't have that over the telephone.  You must come for that yourself.  Good-by, George.'

It wasn't long before he came for what he couldn't get over the telephone, and the arrangements for the wedding were made.  Mr. and Mrs. Gaston are now at the Imperial, but this evening they will leave for Indianapolis, their future home.  Mrs. Gaston is an unusually good-looking woman, perhaps 22 years old.  She has dark hair, large dark eyes, and a graceful figure.  She has a musical voice, and speaks with a decided English accent.  Speaking of her engagement, she said:

'I have travelled over a good bit of the world and heard of plenty of romances, but I never dreamed that I should come to America to get engaged by telephone.  And I shouldn't if George hadn't been such a dear fellow, with such an awful lot of cheek at long distance.'"

Source:  PROPOSED BY TELEPHONE -- GOT A 'YES,' TOO, OVER RIGHT HUNDRED MILES OF WIRE -- One End Each of Two Conversations Between George B. Gaston in Indianapolis and Etel Mary Bishop Right Here -- Married at Pelham Manor Last Tuesday, The Sun [NY, NY], Nov. 30, 1895, Vol. LXIII, No. 91, p. 1, col. 5.  See also PROPOSED BY TELEPHONE, The Shepherdstown Register [Shepherdstown, WV], Dec. 12, 1895, New Vol. 31, No. 8, p. 1, col. 4 (same text); Proposed by Telephone -- GOT A 'YES,' TOO, OVER EIGHT HUNDRED MILES OF WIRE, Shenandoah Herald [Woodstock, VA], Dec. 20, 1895, Vol. 70, No. 39, p. 1, col. 2 (same text). 

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October 14, 1772 Quaker "Marriage Contract" of Bersheba Pell of the Manor of Pelham and Moses Quinby

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During the 1920s, a resident of the Village of North Pelham named Adolph Fassler purchased a fascinating document from an unidentified "New York City Collector" at a sale of historical documents. It was a Quaker "Marriage Contract" dated October 14, 1772 between Bersheba Pell of the Manor of Pelham and Moses Quinby of Westchester.

Mr. Fassler donated the Marriage Contract to the Town of Pelham. It was displayed to residents of the Town during the 1954 Tercentennial celebration of the signing of the Pell-Siwanoy Treaty. An article about the document appeared in the January 21, 1954 issue of The Pelham Sun. The text of that article is transcribed below.

"Quinby-Pell Marriage Contract

Among the interesting historical relics to be featured in the observance of the Tercentennial Anniversary of the signing of the Thomas Pell Treaty with the Indians, is a marriage contract, made in 1772 by Bersheba Pell, a descendant of Thomas Pell [sic], first proprietor of the Manor of Pelham, and Moses Quinby, of Westchester. The certificate, which is remarkably preserved, although it is 182 years old, was recently presented to the Town of Pelham by Adolph Fassler purchased it from a New York City Collector at a sale of historical documents about thirty years ago. The handsomely engrossed scroll is the Quaker marriage contract entered into prior to the Revolutionary War, by the granddaughter of Thomas Pell, Third Lord of the Manor, and her Quaker swain, son of Aron and Elizabeth Quinby of Westchester Village. Miss Pell was the daughter of Caleb and Mary Pell, who, at the time of the wedding, 'late of the Manor of Pelham, deceased'. The marriage took place at the old Quaker meeting house in Purchase Oct. 14, 1772.

The certificate reads as follows: 'Whereas Moses Quinby of Westchester County and Province of New York, son of Aron and Elizabeth Quinby of Westchester, and Bersheba Pell, daughter of Caleb and Mary Pell, late of the Manor of Pelham, deceased, in the County and Province aforesaid, having signified their intention of Marriage with each other, before several monthly meetings of the people called Quaker, held at Purchase in the province of New York, according to the good order amongst them, and having consent of parents, their said proposals of marriage were allowed by the said meetings.

Marriage Vows

'Now these are to certify whom it may concern that for the full accomplishment of their said intensions, this Fourteenth Day of the Tenth Month called October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand and seven hundred and seventy-two, they, the said Moses Quinby and Bersheba Pell appeared in a Public Meeting of the said people at Westchester, and said Moses Quinby taking the said Bersheba Pell by the hand, did in solemn manner, openly declare that he took her, the same Bersheba Pell to be his wife, promising through the Lord's assistance to be unto her a loving and faithful husband until death do separate them, and then and there to the same assembly, the said Bersheba Pell did in right manner declare that she took him, the same Moses Quinby to be her husband, promising through the Lord's assistance to be unto him a loving and faithful wife, until death should separate them, or in words to that propose, and Moreover, the said Moses Quinby and Bersheba Pell, (she according to custom assuming the name of her husband) as further confirmation thereof did then and there to these presents set their hands, and we whose names are hereunto also subscribed, being present at the solemnization of the said marriage and subscription, have as witnesses hereunto set out [sic] hands, the day and year above written.'

Appended are the signatures of the 38 witnesses, including a Caleb Pell, and a Phila Pell. The bride signed her name 'Bersheba Quinby.'

Pelham Manor Village historian Lockwood Barr's Investigation into the family history of the early Pells, failed to show any record of the wedding. Bolton's history of Westchester, states that the daughter of Caleb and Mary Ferris Pell was christened Julia, but it might be assumed that the name 'Bersheba' could have been prompted by the name of her aunt Bathesheba Pell, daughter of Thomas Third Lord of the Manor, who married Theopholis Bartow. Their son John was the builder of the famous Bartow Mansion, situated close to the site of the original Pell home, in what is now Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx. The Bartow mansion on the Shore Road is now the home of the International Garden Club, and during the administration of the late Fiorello La Guardia, as Mayor of the City of New York, it was used as the summer city 'White House'.

Thomas Pell Third Lord of the Manor, married an Indian Princess, daughter of the reigning Indian Chief of Westchester, according to Bolton. They had ten children, Ann, John, Joshua, Philip, Caleb, Joseph, Mary, Sarah, Bathsheba and Thomas.

Caleb and Mary Ferris Pell had six children: Caleb, Elija, Julia, (believed to be the Bersheba of the marriage contract) Ann, Mary and Euphemia.

The late Stephen H. P. Pell, of Ticonderoga, N. Y. who was the historian of the modern Pell family, the breaking up of the Manor of Pelham, was done by Thomas, third Lord, who, instead of leaving the Manor intact to his eldest son, and giving the other sons a few hundred dollars, divided it among them all, with the result that none of them had enough to be of any importance. In 'Ancient Town of Pelham, N. Y.,' Lockwood Barr states 'Tradition in the Pell family relates that during the Revolution, members of the family being Loyalist, fled to New York City [f]or British protection, and that the original Manor House, erected close to the site of the present Bartow mansion, being empty was burned to the ground, as were so many mansions in the 'Neutral Ground'."

Source: Quinby-Pell Marriage Contract, Pelham Sun, Jan. 21, 1954, p. 3.

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