Jim Getty Carries Forth Lincoln's Legacy

[L Verge]

How I wish I could have transported most of the posters on this forum to Surrattsville this afternoon to hear James Getty portray Abraham Lincoln. I have known Jim for about twenty years and have heard him present as Mr. Lincoln at least a dozen times, and I am always amazed and enthralled -- even when I know the history.

Surratt House obtained his services today for one of our free, monthly programs designed to help spread American history. This presentation was in commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the issuing of The Emancipation Proclamation.

As a true historian, however, Jim didn't speak on just the Proclamation; he gave a summation of his life, the highlights thereof, the steps to setting forth and announcing the Proclamation, and then his regrets that he did not live to work through his plans for Reconstruction.

During the Q&A session, he never ceases to amaze me as to how well- read he is on anything Lincoln. He and one gentleman discussed the changes in our financial systems with Lincoln and Chase. Another woman was originally from Washington State, and they conversed about a lighthouse on the Pacific Coast that Lincoln had fought for. Another woman seemed to believe that she was really conversing with Mr. Lincoln and proceeded to chastise him for the treatment of Native Americans. He managed to soothe her ruffled head feathers.

There was one question that threw him, however -- and it was from a Yankee from New Jersey (and no, Joe Beckert wasn't there!). The gentleman asked which county in New Jersey kept their slaves throughout the war. Jim did not know. Y'all can check this out, but the man from New Jersey said that Cape May County, New Jersey, lies south of the Mason Dixon Line and fell under the border state distinction like Maryland and Delaware.

Nearly 70 people were in the audience, and at the end, Jim was asked to recite the Gettysburg Address. It ended with a standing ovation.

[Craig Hipkins]

Laurie, This is interesting. I learn something new every day on this forum. I was unaware that a part of New Jersey lies south of the Mason-Dixon Line. When one thinks of "Joysey" the South is the last thing that someone would think about.

Craig

[BettyO]

I have also had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Getty -- a wonderfully delightful gentleman and historian who is a perfect model for the quintessential Lincoln.

[L Verge]

Question regarding Cape May County - Didn't the Mason Dixon Line only apply to Maryland and Pennsylvania? Since Delaware is sort of wedged into Maryland's Eastern Shore, I can see where it is considered below it. But politically, would New Jersey's southern most regions be considered below the line? Homework assignment...

[J. Beckert]

I was told in training, they used to poke fun at the "609'ers", (South Jersey folks) saying that part of New Jersey is actually below the Mason-Dixon line.

According to Politifacts, this is not true.

http://www.politifact.com/new-jersey/sta...n-line-cr/

Yankee 1
Rebels 0

[Laurie Verge]

Wait a minute, Yankee Joe -- it was a Yankee from New Jersey at our Lincoln program who made the statement that Cape May County was below the Mason Dixon Line. That means you deduct one point from the Yankee score!

Seriously, I'm more interested in whether or not Cape May County had slaves in 1863 and whether or not they were allowed to keep them.

[tblunk]

(05-21-2013 10:11 AM)Laurie Verge Wrote:  Wait a minute, Yankee Joe -- it was a Yankee from New Jersey at our Lincoln program who made the statement that Cape May County was below the Mason Dixon Line. That means you deduct one point from the Yankee score!

Seriously, I'm more interested in whether or not Cape May County had slaves in 1863 and whether or not they were allowed to keep them.

It appears that New Jersey abolished slavery in 1846, but redefined some blacks as apprentices for life. This was apparently not changed until the passage of the 13th amendment.

[Bill Richter]

tblunk is 100% correct, See Arthur Zilversmit, The First Emancipation, 220-22.

[Laurie Verge]

Thank you, tblunk! And people accuse the South of having Jim Crow laws...

[Liz Rosenthal]

It is definitely a commonly held belief that Cape May County NJ is below the Mason-Dixon line. I think I first heard this when my husband and I made our initial visit to Cape May City (the Victorian capital of America) over 25 years ago and took a tour. And I've heard it a lot since then.

Cape May County makes up the peninsula at the botton of NJ that sort of mimics Florida's own peninsula, but is a lot tinier. Technically, it's part of the "Jersey Shore," although not the part that one would associate with the TV program of the same name. Noo Yawkas don't tend to travel that far South. Since our first visit to Cape May City, with a couple of exceptions, we've gone there at least once a year. I highly recommend visiting Cape May City and its environs; it's one of NJ's best-kept secrets and is a hot spot for migrating birds, especially in the fall (and in September it's impossible to avoid the migrating monarch butterflies!). Again, Cape May City has kept the Victorian identity it first developed... during the Victorian period... and is a beautiful place any time of year.

As for the cultural and political differences between northern NJ and southern NJ, those are still very much alive. Large chunks of southern NJ are very rural. Politically, except for some limited Democratic enclaves just across the Delaware from Philly, it's fairly conservative. Democrats and liberals are more concentrated in the northern half of the state, as is most of the population of NJ.

We live in southern NJ, although not deep southern NJ. People would be amazed at how far down NJ actually goes!

Getting back to Abe Lincoln, I understand that, while in Trenton NJ speaking before the assembled state legislators, he referred to Washington's crossing of the Delaware as being a fond memory of his boyhood reading. I work in Trenton, but nothing as exciting as Lincoln's stop here has probably happened since then!

[Linda Anderson]

(05-23-2013 01:23 PM)Liz Rosenthal Wrote:  It is definitely a commonly held belief that Cape May County NJ is below the Mason-Dixon line. I think I first heard this when my husband and I made our initial visit to Cape May City (the Victorian capital of America) over 25 years ago and took a tour. And I've heard it a lot since then.

That's interesting, Liz. The Seward family went to Cape May in the summer of 1865 to recuperate from their ordeal. It sounds like a lovely place.

[L Verge]

About a dozen years ago, Surratt House sponsored a three-day bus trip to Cape May. It was absolutely wonderful, beautiful, and the people were delightful and welcoming. While it is a tourist mecca, even the tourists were great to be around.

[Eva Elisabeth]

Talking about beautiful landscapes - does anyone the movie "Harold and Maude"? Do you probably know where the military cemetery is? And the lovely steep coast?

[LincolnMan]

According to Forum member Fred Priebe, James Getty passed away today. He announced it on Facebook.

[L Verge]

Oh, no! Jim was a fantastic person as well as a wonderful Lincoln interpreter. He was a good friend to Surratt House and appeared in a number of our programs over the years. I'm heartbroken.