FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP — It is common knowledge that men left home and fought the battles of the Civil War, but a program to be held at the Oakley farm, Wemrock Road, on June 5 will focus on the significant role women played at that time in American history.
“Community Cookbooks: A Civil War Legacy” will be presented by Maureen O’Connor Leach at 7 p.m. that will illustrate the contribution of women and the role they played in the war effort.
According to information provided by Leach to Freehold Township historian Cheryl Cook, “Since last spring our nation has been commemorating the Sesquicentennial of the American Civil War, but not all of the events of significance were battles, nor were the heroic efforts limited to men; 2013 marks the 150th anniversary of the first sanitary fair. Although very interesting in themselves, these fairs also provided an enduring legacy in the form of the charity cookbook.”
The 45-minute program will be illustrated with examples of community cookbooks. Information is provided about the history of the first cookbooks in America, the role of women in the sanitary fairs and the nation’s Centennial celebration, as well as the history of the charity cookbooks as an expression of regional and cultural identity, according to Leach, who is a resident of Freehold Township.
The Brooklyn, N.Y., Public Library website lists information about the origin of the sanitary fairs. It states that in July 1861, the Union government established the U.S. Sanitary Commission.
The commission was headed by men, but relied on women to underwrite and provide services for the soldiers, including setting up hospitals, hiring nurses, teaching troops how to cook food properly to avoid disease, and raising funds for supplies, according to the website. One way women worked to raise funds was by organizing “sanitary fairs” in major cities around the country.
“It was from these fairs that the concept of the charity cookbook arose,” Leach said.
Leach said the first charity cookbook was a way for women to raise money to support the Union. She said the cookbooks illustrated the various approaches the community took to raise money, preserve regional foods and help women to move forward.
“The books were also the expression of women’s caregiving and creativity,” she said.
Leach said the charity cookbooks began to pave the way for women to move out of the house and into the public arena.
Leach is an attorney who practiced law in the New York area until 1995 when her love of history went from her avocation to her vocation.
She currently serves as a commissioner with the Monmouth County Historical Commission and is a longtime member of the Freehold Township Heritage Society, according to Cook.
The June 5 program is part of a Freehold Township Heritage Society general membership meeting, but residents of all towns are welcome to attend. Individuals interested in attending Leach’s presentation are asked to RSVP by June 2 by calling 732- 577-9766 or [email protected].