USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Nahant > Some annals of Nahant, Massachusetts > Part 31
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The Nahant Women's Club is another instance of an organization which has lived through the counterforces of war, movie, automobile or what else. These groups seem to be an American institution, not sprung from the seeds of Eng- lish or European custom, as have so many of our ways and means. They represent a more or less spontaneous move- ment grown in forty years to a membership over the country of over three millions. Perhaps no equally large grouping
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can be cited, anywhere in the world, which is devoted to mental self-improvement. Women may take up golf, or they may continue trying to learn something, or they may more and more get swept into the maelstrom of business; but the women's clubs have for a generation been a torch of learning doing a good part in an important development.
The Nahant Women's Club was founded in 1895, and apparently the idea emanated from Mrs. Pauline T. Johnson, wife of Charles F. Johnson. Mrs. Johnson is another example of how Johnsons flocked to Nahant, for she was born a John- son, not related to the old Nahant Johnson family. Her father was Joseph Johnson, a brother of Charles T. Johnson, who will be remembered as keeping a fish market down on Nahant Road near what is now the corner of Wharf Street. A sister of these men was the wife of Captain William H. Kemp. Mrs. Pauline Johnson's mother was also a Johnson, whose two sisters married Jesse R. and S. Martin Johnson, brothers, and grandsons of Joseph Johnson of the old Nahant Johnsons. This newly men- tioned Johnson family came to Nahant from Harpswell, Maine, and were distant cousins of J. Bishop Johnson, who was himself a nephew of "Uncle" William Johnson, and therefore cousin of David Johnson. Mrs. Pauline T. Johnson taught school on Nahant, and in later years served on the school committee. She discussed this matter of the women's club with several others, and after some informal meetings of a small group, a call was issued for an organization meeting. Most of the first officers were of the preliminary group. Mrs. Sophila A. Wilson, wife of Joseph T. Wilson, was an enthusiastic worker for it, and was chosen its first president, a position she held for several years. The first vice-president was Mrs. Pauline T. Johnson. The first secretary was Mrs. Lu C. Johnson, wife of Otis A. Johnson. The first treasurer was Miss Mary Johnson, a daughter of H. Shepard Johnson. The first board of directors included those officers and Mrs. Emma O. Whitney and Miss Florence A. Johnson, the former the wife of William R. Whit- ney, and the latter mentioned elsewhere. The husbands named are nearly all mentioned elsewhere and have been men of im-
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portance in town, but are only second fiddles, recalled for identification purposes, in this Women's Club movement. None of these women, however, are of the advanced type of non-malleable independents who object to being called by the names of their husbands, with a "Mrs." prefix. The club has increased the social welfare of the town and has broadened the lives of many of its members. Its early meetings were held in the old Public Library room in the old Town Hall. The town improved this room for such purposes, and it was named "Wood Hall" in honor of William Wood, the founder of the library. Latterly the club has met mostly at the Maolis Club House.
The Nahant Golf Club dates back to the early 90's. This was laid out on the "Great Marsh," starting from Emerald Street and continuing toward Bear Pond and westerly to Mitchell's Corner. After a few years the course was extended across Spring Road and up the hill west of the Maolis Club House. This was before this latter land was developed into house lots with the roads built as they now run. Still later, perhaps around 1910, this newer part was given up and the course continued for a while as it was originally. It was always a short course, and devoid of interest compared with any first-class golf links. But it was an early effort to provide this game for Nahant enthusiasts, before days when the auto- mobile could whisk people ten or fifteen miles away to courses greater in area and more diverting in variety. The club had only a locker building on the course. Perhaps people recall Edward C. Johnson as one of the latest players, persistently pursuing this exercise with a regularity which gave suspicion that it was done for exercise only.
It was on this golf links, on June 24, 1911, that Harry Atwood, an early airman of this vicinity, first brought an air- plane to land at Nahant. He carried Edward E. Strout as a passenger. The landing was about a hundred yards inward both from Emerald and Pond Streets. It was a real event, and whistles blew in Lynn as he flew in from Atlantic, over on the South Shore. Strout carried a letter from Senator Lodge to Joseph T. Wilson, as follows:
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MY DEAR MR. WILSON :- I gladly avail myself of the first opportunity to send you a letter by way of the air, which is offered to me by my friend Mr. Strout. I trust that he and the letter will arrive at Nahant in perfect safety, and I hope it will find you well and everything going well with you. I am coming home for Com- mencement at Cambridge, and I hope that I shall be able to see you next week.
Very truly yours,
HENRY CABOT LODGE.
There were also letters from Mayor Connery of Lynn to Judge Wilson and to Charles D. Vary, chairman of the select- men. It seemed an accomplishment, this safe ride and safe landing, in 1911.
The Nahant Book Club is an old organization which is still active. It circulates worth-while books, mostly non- fiction, among the summer residents. It was started about 1880 by Mrs. Edward Motley and her neighbor, Miss Nancy Cary. Since the former's death in 1898 Mrs. Thomas Motley has interested herself in its management. At present three books are circulated weekly throughout the summer.
A later Nahant organization is the Mortimer G. Robbins Post 215 of the American Legion. It was named for the first Nahant boy killed in the World War. Robbins enlisted in the Canadian Forces and met death on the battlefield in the fall of 1917. News of the event reached Nahant about the middle of November. He was a son of Mrs. Dana A. Sanborn. Sanborn, not a native of Nahant, is one of a con- siderable group of present-day good citizens who were en- abled to take up residence here after transportation facilities were improved by the electric railroad and the automobile. He has served on the Board of Selectmen and on several committees. The first meeting of Nahant veterans for the purpose or organizing was held at the Maolis Club House on September 23, 1919. About ten days later, at another meet- ing, officers were elected, and a charter was obtained from the American Legion dated August 1, 1920. The membership increased from an original fifteen to a roster of seventy-five on August 1, 1924. On Armistice Day, November 11, 1920,
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a set of flags was presented to them: the national colors, by the Nahant Auxiliary of the American Red Cross; the Post colors, by Mrs. Dana A. Sanborn; the State colors, by the Nahant Public Safety Committee; and the Navy colors, by the Crocker Chapter, Firemen's Relief Association Auxiliary. The Post has been active and has endeavored to fill a gap in town life. In 1924 the town voted to give over the old Town Hall for its purposes, and appropriated a part of the money needed to remodel the building and put it in condition for Post uses. Here it was proposed to encourage games, and assist the Boy Scouts and the Girl Scouts and do other appropriate things. Before this building was used the Post occupied two rooms in the new Town Hall, which were large enough for its own purposes, but not suited for the greater place it was planned to fill in Nahant activities. Annual carnivals have been held, yielding each year money sufficient for the execution of these plans. The Post, however, is find- ing the financial load rather burdensome, through no fault or lack of its own, but because people now have to pay so much for the bare necessaries of life, such as automobiles, radios and silk stockings, that just naturally their support of churches, clubs and institutional work of all kinds must lag. Moreover, the wage-earning class, which has seen its income enlarge more than others, has not yet acquired the habit of giving to these things. Other people, with proportionately less in- come than fifteen years ago, are urged to give more, but are less able to give as much. As a result, whole pages of news- paper and daily mail appeals frantically plead for money institutional work should have, for these factors of life are important, and their expenses have increased as much as any. Thus all Nahant organizations, like those elsewhere, have felt a pinch of poverty, and should not. At the same time, it should be remembered that the town is small, and the total sum, by optimistic count, that may be raised here for churches, clubs and charities, may be less than expected, and far less than enthusiastic planners of all these activities would like to see.
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Then there is the Nahant Auxiliary of the Lynn Chapter of the American Red Cross. This group was organized, in 1917, to work for the World War. Mrs. Alice C. Wilson was chosen chairman at the first meeting, a position to which she has been re-elected annually to the present writing. She is Mrs. Fred A. Wilson. The first secretary-treasurer was Miss L. Ernestine Whiton, now removed from town, and the next, who now holds the office, was Miss Agnes Follen, a daughter of Edward Follen. The first meeting was of delegates chosen from other Nahant organizations. Several of the members took courses of instructions in making surgical dressings. Those certified to be monitors in Red Cross workrooms wore a blue veil, and for greater proficiency a red veil could be worn. At the first work meeting in the Town Hall eighty-one women were present, with a teacher from out of town, as at first no blue veil women were among the local membership. Mrs. Carrie E. Bruce, wife of Frank E. Bruce, had charge of sewing during the war period; and Mrs. Elizabeth H. Sherman, wife of Lawrence F. Sherman, had charge of knitting. On her removal from town Mrs. Lucy R. Sanborn, wife of Dana A. Sanborn, conducted this branch of the work. Bruce is another comparatively new Nahanter who has given good service for several years on the school committee and on special town committees.
The organization has continued in service to the present time, answering calls for help in peace-time disasters. The great local trouble where it played a part was the Bass Point fire, in 1925, where promptly doctors, ambulances, trucks and food were on hand. Fortunately the two former were not needed. Again it met the lack of money to give and the lack of habit of giving, which hampers other groups. Any one who spends a few dollars a year for gasolene should feel a real personal urge to pay a dollar a year for Red Cross mem- bership. Yet people have to be pursued, corralled and ca- joled, and, in ways strange to those who appreciate the need for institutional work, will avoid what should be an obligation. It takes a lot of coercion to secure free-will offerings.
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Another group is the Little Nahant Improvement Associa- tion, organized in 1914. The first officers were E. F. Fiedler, president, G. H. Green, treasurer, and George A. Wood, secretary, and these, with Arthur H. Wilson and Frank C. Stuart, made up the executive committee. The aim was to promote social intercourse and to meet to discuss local prob- lems of general interest and act to promote the welfare of the town and of the Little Nahant section. During the World War this group also went dormant because of so much to do in other ways. In 1925 it was brought to liveliness again, and George F. Hogan was chosen president, with Fred Kaulback, vice-president, C. C. Whittemore, treasurer, and George A. Wood, secretary. Hogan continues in his office to the present time. All of these people are what old Nahanters call newcomers. As is stated elsewhere, Little Nahant had no colony of residents until so lately that it is the newest section of the town. Yet some of them, going back over fifteen years, no doubt feel almost Simon pure, and certainly many of them are interested citizens of the town.
The Nahant Dory Club seems to be a crystallization of amateur boat racing, with temporary committees and enthusi- astic participants, reaching back over many years, even to the regattas of old Nahant Hotel days, and including all sorts and conditions of boats. The club started about 1894, with Mason W. Hammond, commodore, and Kenneth Horton, secretary. Hammond was a brother of Samuel Hammond and wrote the two newspaper articles elsewhere quoted. Soon he moved to New York and was succeeded as commo- dore by Francis S. Parker, son of E. Francis Parker. In 1896 Winthrop T. Hodges became secretary. For a few years the club flourished, and then the War with Spain in 1898 took away many leading spirits, decidedly killing its activities. The inertia continued until some more enthusiasts aroused it, about the time the first "bugboats" were built. In these later years Arthur S. Johnson looms as a prominent figure, as well as a decided fan on small boat sailing. His earlier yacht- ing experience was on the "Breeze," owned by his father,
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although he had made a trip to Australia in the ship "Big Bonanza."
The club house at the wharf was built by permission of the town in 1906. The summer Saturday afternoon races, familiar for many years, are a feature of Nahant life. To overcome the difficulties of proper handicaps, clubs every- where began many years ago to separate racing boats into classes. This did not stop inadequacies, alleged or real, and it began to be the custom, within ten or fifteen years, for a group of enthusiasts to order boats all of one model from one builder. By this means all handicaps were avoided, and it would seem that skill in handling played the whole part and determined the winners. But still questions arise. The boats of a group may be as nearly alike as skill can build them, but can hardly be exactly alike. Slight variations come in the hulls and the rigging, and the set of a suit of sails cannot be exactly the same. Summer breezes are "streaky," and often the distances between the boats on the course is the luck of the wind. All of this is the gamble of the game, and zest is added, perhaps, when a little chance is thrown in. Winners may strut, but losers can congratulate themselves on their skill with luck against them. They do not have to seek "that proud misery's peace no victor ever knows." It is the same in all games, even that bane of womankind, auction bridge. In 1927 the town recognized this sport as an asset to life here, and made appropriations to repair the wharf and landings. This summer boating is an attraction and should be maintained, with suitable encouragement from the town when needed. The sea around Nahant is ideal for pleasure sailing, and always there will be many people interested in it. For over eighty years this has been evident. To maintain the wharf and approaches in suitable condition for this sport is a desirable and important piece of the town's activities.
Another organization familiar to all Nahanters is the Nahant Club, a club devoted to summer residents and open only in the summer months. In 1888 Francis Peabody, Jr., a son-in-law of Abbott Lawrence, was the chief figure in a
Joseph 1798-1889 Md. 1823 Joanna Ellingwood Md. 1845 Mary A. Townsend
Jonathan 1800- 1888 Md. 1823 Ann Stone
Francis 1802-1891 Md. 1827 Sally Colman Rice
Mary Stone 1824 - 1842 Annie E. 1827-1910 Md. Chas. B. Johnson Caroline A. 1830-1849 Md. J. Bishop Johnson Edward J. 1832-1901 Md. Abby E. Ingalls Md. Harriet E. Junkins Sarah and Abby; twins died in infancy
Francis Green 1824-1849 Hannah Maria 1826-1910 Md. Thomas Stacy Mary Elizabeth 1828-1917 Joseph Green 1830-1909 Md. Agnes Dodd Ann Amelia 1832-1833 James Cox 1834-1842 John Henry 1836-1864 Pyam Lovett 1838- Md.
Luther Scott 1841 - 1914 Md. Mary May Bosworth Joanna Ellingwood /846-1869 Md. George H. Gove Isabella Eliza 1847- 1912 Md. George H. Gove Francis Green 1851- 1910
Eliza 180G-1894 Md. 1833 Joseph L. Ladd
Pamelia 1808 -1861 Unm.
Joseph Johnson 1835 Md. Lucy Dunham Mary Elizabeth 1836-1916 Md. John C. Smith Sarah Ella 1838-1839 Charles Hibbard 1843-1913 Md. Elizabeth Dorset Md. Elizabeth Firmin Pamelia Johnson 1845-1923
Washington Harlow 181-1992) Md. 1837 Minerva Rice
Joseph Johnson 1776 - 1854 Md. 1797 Polly Cox 1779 -1818 Md. 1819 Betsey Graves 1789 - 1872
Walter 1816 - 1897 Md. 1841 Hannah B. Pratt
Mortimer Lawrence 1842-1913 Md. Nellie E. Preston
Alfred Daniel 1820 - 1890 Md. 1842 Emily Barton.
Katherine 1835- 1909 Walter Harmon 1848- Md. Mary Jane Gile
Edward Kirk 1822-1891 Unm.
Caroline A. 1850-1909 Md. James Small Harriett F. 1852 - 1913 Md. T. Dexter Johnson Josephine L. 1854. Md. John C. Grouse Edna H. 1857 - 1895 Md. Benjamin Luscomb Fredk. Henry 1862-1927 Md. Beezie Preston Clement 1865 -18GG
Daniel Graves 1845 - 1905 Md. Olive A. Haley Fletcher Willis 1847-1910 Md. Maud Luscomb Md. M. Louise Buxton Emily Ada 1850 - 1880 Md. Ernest Wilband Legrand Atwood 1852-1901 Md. Ada Simmons Charlotte Maria 1856-1915 Annette Gertrude 1858- Md. David N.Lander
Mary Graves 1830 -1831
MaryEsther 1872-1877
Edmund Buxton 1832-1914. Md. 1867 Mary C.F. Taylor | Alice Cheney 1874. Berth Unm. Bertha Louise 1878- Unm.
Children and Grandchildren of Joseph Johnson
Clarence -1922 Md. Frances M. Patch Winslow Morton - 1888 Bessie Louise 1862 - 1908 Md. Charles A.Lane Mabel Whitney 1864-1895 Md. Carl U. Fohn
Family of Joseph Johnson
Sarah J. 1828 -1914 Md. William E. Melvin Jesse Rice 1830-1914 Md. Emeline H. Johnson Samuel Martin 1834-192G Md. Ellen H. Bulfinch Md. Ellen M. Walker Francis H. 1838 -1918 Md. Ida Tremaine Marshall - 1891 Md. Julia A.R.Johnson Sidney Coleman 1843 Md. lanthe A. Isbell Alice Elizabeth 1847- 1920 Md. John F. Witherell George Porter 1850-1926 Md. A. Marion Thorpe
Dolly Madison 1813- 1897. Md. 1833 John Flint
· Benj. Colman 1839-1896 Md. Maria Eliz. Parlin
Frederick Henry 1825-1876 Md. 1847 SerenaT. Gurney
Franklin Everett 1827- 1914 Md. 1857 Harriet Whitney Md. 1873 Almira J. Smith
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group that hired the field in front of the old Tudor home- stead, and constructed there several tennis courts and a base- ball diamond, the latter with the catcher's position backed up to what is still the corner of Ocean Street and the driveway to the club house. The homestead had been let for several years, partly as a hotel or boarding house. In 1889 Thomas Motley and others leased the entire place, buildings and land, for a club. The Nahant Club was formed in March, 1889, and was formally incorporated in 1895. The incor- porators were George P. Upham, Charles Merriam, Laurence Curtis, Frank Merriam, Philip V. R. Ely, C. P. Curtis, Jr., Francis Peabody, Jr., Herbert M. Sears, Thomas S. Bradley and Dudley B. Fay. The first president, or chairman of the executive committee, was Abbott Lawrence, who served for five years. His successors have been Edward W. Codman, George P. Upham, Frank Merriam, W. P. Lyman, Thomas S. Bradlee, John A. Blanchard, Thomas Motley, Harold Blanch- ard and Warren Motley. Of the above, the record service was of Frank Merriam, who held this office for six years. Thomas Motley and Warren Motley are sons of Thomas Motley, else- where mentioned, and grandsons of Edward Motley. Dudley B. Fay was well known for an interest in birds, and their comings and goings on Nahant.
The club bought its property in 1892 and extensively remodelled and enlarged it in 1895. Tennis courts have been increased in number, now almost filling the field on Nahant Road, and there are courts on Ocean Street in the area which old Nahanters will remember was one of Tudor's orchards, - a peach orchard enclosed by a high windbreak and boy-proof fence.
For years the club flourished and was the center of social activity among the summer colony. Outdoor band concerts were a feature well remembered, for the strains of the fine old Salem Cadet Band were not restrained by the club lot lines, and half the town could enjoy them.
In these early days of the club there were weekly baseball games between a club nine and a Nahant nine made up of
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year-round residents. For the latter, Joseph H. Gove and Harry C. Wilson were usually pitcher and catcher, respec- tively. Gove, a son of George H. Gove and nephew of Charles E. Gove, is not now a Nahanter, though a familiar figure here, for his well-known band in Lynn is often sum- moned for Nahant celebrations or other occasions. Sometimes these nines worked in "ringers." Once or more the club nine had a famous Harvard Varsity nine player, and the Nahant nine would retaliate by finding some crackerjack from another source. They were good games, as amateur games, enthusi- astically played, are always good to play and to watch. Wil- son still carries a crumpled finger as evidence of one of Gove's swift balls.
The Nahant Club at once played an important rôle in Nahant, providing another attraction for summer residents; and it is people of means who are needed, as ever, if the town is to remain a comfortable country town with city conven- iences, rather than a closely packed suburb with mounting taxes. This doctrine has been preached for a generation, and by some denied for as long. Under the State income tax law the town does not get as much from summer residents as formerly, but still it may be shown that the larger places are the best for the financial interests of the town. The Nahant Club is a needed Nahant element, an aid to keeping the town a prosperous community.
Mention is made of the use of the so-called "Hotel Tremont," at the corner of Nahant and Spring Roads, for a boys' club. This building, after its removal from Little Nahant, received practically no repairs, and at last became disreputable and dangerous, when steps were taken to condemn it as a public nuisance. In the early 90's George Abbot James sponsored its use for a boys' club, with the idea of keeping boys off the streets and out of mischief and temptation. The need existed, but the plan failed of its full usefulness, and operation was given up after a couple of years or so. A committee of Nahanters managed it, of which H. Shepard Johnson was chairman and Winthrop T. Hodges secretary. Money was spent for equip-
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ment, and Patrick H. Larkin, soon after removed from town, was chosen superintendent.
The usefulness of women as workers with men's organiza- tions is recognized by many attendant groups disporting under various names. For the American Legion there is the American Legion Auxiliary, and the Nahant organization is attached to the Nahant Post of the Legion. Membership is restricted to near relatives of participants in the World War, and to women directly engaged in the struggle. It was or- ganized in the fall of 1924, with Mrs. Lucy Robbins Sanborn as president. In 1912 the charter membership list was closed, with forty members enrolled. The purpose is to assist the Legion itself in its various efforts for community welfare, and especially in the work for disabled veterans and their families. This brings the families of veterans into direct contact and interest with the Legion aims, and leads to greater interest.
The Nahant Mutual Benefit Association was an assessment organization, with each member paying $2 on the death of a fellow member, plus a small fee to cover expenses. This gave a sum assisting a bereaved family, of a size depending upon the number of members. As the years passed, from the 90's onward, not enough attention was given to new members, until young men grew skeptical of it, visualizing many pay- ments made to a group full of oldsters. For many years, until his death in 1920 at the age of eighty-two, Charles E. Gove was treasurer and kept the association alive. A benefit payment in 1918 amounted to about $40, thus accounting for twenty or more members who were keeping up their interest.
The Nahant Firemen's Relief Association was started in 1879 by the men of the three fire companies of the time, - the "Dexter No. 1," the "Babcock Extinguisher" and the "Relief Hook and Ladder." The first president was William R. Whitney. The last meeting was in 1887, when it was voted to disband. Any member of the fire department was eligible to this association and paid an admission fee and
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annual dues. Several annual firemen's balls were held, in- tended to yield further revenue. There was a sick benefit of $2 a week, later raised to $3, and apparently not confined to incapacity resulting from duty as firemen. For a year or two this group held together and then members began to drop out. The same causes entered as have been cited for so many other groups. The strong push of either self-interest or desire to help general welfare must obtain and continue. It is as important to provide for a sustained interest, after the natural enthusiasm over a new thing disappears, as it is to start in strength. The importance of a new idea makes it shine, and its originator with it, but the importance of the plodders who keep the ball rolling is too often overlooked. Each factor is of value, but even a nightingale would take no prize in a poultry show.
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