Tag: First Parish

On this day in 1921, Boston Globe in #GloucesterMA with crowd of 10,000 for a double dedication | American Legion memorial building and the base for the delayed replica of Anna Vaughn Hyatt Joan of Arc statue  

Posted on by Catherine

1921

“The first day’s ceremonies in connection with the dedication of the American Legion memorial building, in Old Town Hall Square and the dedication of the base on which will stand a replica of Anna Vaughn Hyatt’s statue of Joan of Arc, were of an impressive nature.

To dream the impossible dream.

A feature of the day was an address by Major Gen. Clarence R. Edwards in which he characterized peace by disarmament an impossible dream.

Speaking this evening from the balcony of the new Legion Building, Gen. Edwards said that the importance of the National defense in the World War was realized more deeply than ever, and that Cape Ann played a major part with other important strategic points. Alluding to pacifist propaganda, he characterized the realization of peace by disarmament as an impossible dream. Place two children 9 months old together and a toy between them, he said, and a struggle ensues. This basic principle is ingrained in every person and animal. Alluding to Americanism, immigration and melting pot problems, he said that the association of the youth of the immigrant with those of native stock will settle those questions.

“Why,” he said, “a foreign born youth who will face a nest of machine guns in the defense of this country is a good enough American for me.” He referred to the case of Sergt. Casagranda of Bay View, a suburb of this city. Twenty of his comrades petitioned for his advancement over them to rank of sergeant.

A regrettable incident of the day was an accident to Vice Commander Eugene Lord of the local Legion post. He drove an auto against a rope across a street that was barred off. The glass of the windshield was broken, cutting him across the face and destroying the sight of an eye.

Services in the Morning.

The Legion Post attended services at the Independent Christian Universalist Church this morning. A special program had been arranged by Prof. George B. Stevens, the organist of the church.

As the Legion filed down the elm shaded churchyard, the bugler played “The Marsellaise.” This theme was taken up on the organ as the Legion filed into the church.

The pastor, Rev. Dr. John Clarence Lee, preached. Dr. Lee reminded his auditors that the first pastor of the church. Rev. John Murray, was commissioned a chaplain by Gen. George Washington.

Capt. Lester S. Wass, for whom the Legion Post is named, was an attendant at the church. He pleaded for justice to disabled and needy war veterans.

Names on Tablets.

The exercises tonight at the dedication of the base of the monument were deeply impressive. Owing to causes beyond the Legion post’s control the statue could not be delivered in time for the dedication. The Cape Ann granite base, designed by Frederick G. Hall, a Boston artist, a summer resident of East Gloucester, had been placed in position with the bronze tablets bearing the names of the 57 youths who went from Gloucester to the World War never to return. The base was draped with the Stars and Stripes. At each corner of the base was a column. On each of these four columns, in black and white, were Romanesque braziers. These braziers were lighted, also four incense urns. The faces of the thousands who stood with bared heads were illuminated.

All sensed the solemnity of the moment.

Battery Fires Salute.

A battery fired 57 rounds for the boys* who did not return from war. At the same time all the church bells in the city tolled.

The speaking took place from a balcony in the Legion building. Mayor Wheeler made a short address, followed by Maj. Gen. Clarence R. Edwards of the 26th Division. He was followed by Col. A. Piatt Andrew, commander of the Legion post. Then the concourse sang “America”.

Prayer was offered by Rev. William J. Dwyer, PR. Of St. Ann’s Catholic Church, Rev. Dr. A.A. Madsen of Trinity Congregational Church and Rabbi J. Steinberg of the Jewish Synagogue.

The tablets were unveiled by Miss Abby F. Rust, a squad firing a funeral volley and “Taps” being sounded.

Council’s tribute.

The mothers and fathers and near relatives of the dead were then escorted forward, each placing a wreath of palm on the base of the monument. Mayor Wheeler and the city council then performed the same rite on behalf of the city.

The vested choir of St. Ann’s now sang the Gregorian chant, followed by the vested choir of St. John’s Episcopal Church singing ‘The Son of God Goes Forth to War”.

Representatives of the churches deposited their floral tributes. The great crowd of 10,000 persons, a great many of whom deposited floral tributes, filed reverently away. The enclosure was literally buried with flowers. In this ceremony delegations from the Mine Laying fleet, the G.A.R. Spanish War Veterans, Red Cross and all the civic and secret organizations of the city were represented.

Legion Hall Dedicated.  

Preceding the dedication of the base was the dedication of the legion hall, the old Town Hall of Colonial design, restored and enlarged, with the unveiling of an oil painting of Capt. Lester S. Wass of this city, who lost his life in the Argonne while leading a company of marines. The painting is the contribution of Eben F. Comins, a Boston artist and summer resident of Eastern Point.

The address was by Maj. James T. Duane, State commander of the American Legion. Mr. Comins presented the picture to the post and the unveiling was by Miss Elizabeth Wass Foster, a niece of Captain Wass.

The prayer and benediction was by Rev. Bertram D. Bolvin, ex-chaplain of the 15th Infantry, State Guard, and minister of the First Parish Unitarian Church of this city.

In order that Gen. and Mrs. Edwards might be present, Capt. Lackey of the U.SS San Francisco, flagship of the Mine Fleet, detailed a destroyer to go to Plymouth to bring them over.”

“Disarmament Dream, Edwards Speaks to Thousands at Gloucester Memorials to the City’s War Dead. Dedicated official of Legion Post loses eye in accident during the event. Special Dispatch to the Globe.” Boston Globe, July 3, 1921

photo credit above: interior c. ryan 2017 (installation view of Eben Comins portrait of marine Capt. Lester S. Wass. The artist gifted the painting as part of the Legion Post dedication in 1921. Legion Post Honor books to the left.) Exterior: Smithsonian collection (b&wh); c. ryan 2016

photo credit below: c. ryan, 2016 / reprint by Fred Bodin of historic photo (Town Hall before architectural additions)

1890 Boston Globe historic houses article features White Ellery #GloucesterMA

Posted on by Catherine

Then and Now

woodcut illustration for 1890 Boston Globe article | photos: c. ryan, mostly 2021

The first Massachusetts home featured in this Boston Globe historic house article was Gloucester’s “Ellery house”, as a classic First Period saltbox:

“OLD HOMES, OLD FAMILIES. Houses in New England, Each of Which Has for Three or More Generations Sheltered the Same Race. Romances Drawn from Wood and Brick

The Sunday Globe begins today to publish stories and pictures of old New England homesteads which have sheltered at least three generations of the families now living in them.

This is not so endless a task as some may suppose it to be. New England, no doubt, contains a greater number of old houses than any other division of the country, but it is rare indeed to find one among those that has been long in the possession of the same family. Such a shifting of ownerships may reflect the growing prosperity of the original occupants who perchance have built greater homes than those of their fathers, but often the disappearance of the inheritors of these ancestral houses signifies either the utter extinction or the scattering and breaking up of the family.

The sketches in this series opening today appeal, therefore, in a peculiar way to the public curiosity, and the Sunday Globe would thank any of its readers if they would call attention to any houses within their own knowledge which may be occupied by a family who have possessed the property through three or more generations continuously or otherwise.

There are various periods in the history of Gloucester house building, each marked quite as distinctly to the architectural student as the different strata of the earth’s crust indicate to the geologist the various periods of formation. In the case of the old houses of note it may be said that they all belonged to the upper crust.

The houses of the first settlers of Gloucester, with rare exceptions, have long since been replaced by others of more elaborate design, and the few remaining in the suburbs are small one-story edifices of no particular architectural pretensions.

In common with Boston, Salem, Newburyport and other colonial seaports, Gloucester once owned a large fleet of ships, brigs and barks, that sailed to foreign ports, exchanging the products of the town and of the county for Spanish gold and Surinam molasses, which was converted into New England rum.

These merchants built commodious residences and dispensed a hospitality commensurate with their position as leaders of the social and intellectual life of the town.

The most historic edifice in town is the Ellery house, which stands just below the old meeting house green on Washington street in Riverdale, a suburb of the town.

It was built by Rev. John White shortly after he came here in 1702 to minister to the spiritual wants of the First Parish, receiving a grant of land from the town on which to build his home. At that time the main settlement was in that portion of the community, but the necessities of commerce and fishing made it convenient for the inhabitants to remove nearer the seashore, deserting their first habitations on what is now known as “Dogtown Common,” where the remains of their cellars can still be traced today.

The type of architecture is well portrayed by the accompanying cut. On the projection which overhangs the lower story in front there were four balls pendant, a style of decoration of the times, which have long been removed.

Inside, the old-fashioned low studded style of room is at once apparent, and the antique furnishings and general air of the place make one realize more vividly the age of the house and fixtures, which are of a nature to bring joy to the heart of an antiquarian.

Some of the furniture in the parlor is about 200 years old. The house was bought in 1710 by Capt. William Ellery, and it still remains in the hands of his direct descendants, the occupants being John Ellery and his wife. Thus it will be seen that it has been in this family 150 years.

The purchaser of the house was a son of the original settler, William Ellery. The Ellery family were prominent in the social and intellectual life of the place from the first, being leading merchants. Hon. Benjamin Ellery, called in the family “Admiral,” was the eldest brother of William. He went from Gloucester and settled in Rhode Island and was the father of Deputy Gov. William Ellery and grandfather of William Ellery who signed the Declaration of Independence, the signer being a grandnephew of the first owner of the house.”

Boston Globe 1890*

Read the full article (PDF) to see the other Massachusetts homes selected for the article.

Download

The Declaration of Independence connection was artfully slipped in. Fast facts on the signers from the National archives here.

National Archives PDFDownload

*For current information visit Cape Ann Museum

The White Ellery House is part of the Cape Ann Museum collection. There are inaccuracies in the 1890 nutshell above. James Stevens and the tavern he operated is absent. The rum trade is acknowledged; any NE slave trade economic connections are not. [Massachusetts was the first colony to legalize slavery. Vermont was the first to abolish (VT 1777 vs. MA 1783).] The article predates the build out of Rt. 128 which rallied a preservation relocation.

Maybe CAM might commission a set of woodcuts of the historic properties as they are now by various local artists.

Beautiful improvements on the grounds of Cape Ann Museum

note: pinch and zoom or double click to enlarge photos.