USA > Massachusetts > Bristol County > Taunton > Tercentenary of Taunton, Massachusetts, 1639 [to] 1939, June 4-10 > Part 3
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ROGER G. OSTERHELD
State Hospital
S. L. POPLACK
56 Prospect Street
WILLIAM H. SWIFT
141 High Street
DENTISTRY IN TAUNTON
American dentists have always been, and still are, famous throughout the world. However, very little is known of the early practise of dentistry in Taunton. In the earliest times, ministers practised both medicine and dentistry, and later the care of the teeth was assumed by physicians.
Remembered by very early inhabitants was the name of Dr. F. Gourand, the physician-dentist. The following advertisement appeared in the "Independent Gazette" under the date of August 26, 1836:
"Dr. F. Gourand, M. D. and surgeon dentist has the
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honor to give notice to the citizens of Taunton, and vicinity that he will be in Taunton at his old stand (Cohannet Bank) about the second of September, with great speed, and will be happy to give his attendance to those who will be in need of his skill in the art he professes for the preservation of their teeth."
This is the first indication we have of dentistry as a specialized profession.
Among the names of early dentists who practised in Taunton or neighboring towns appear the following: Dr. James Utley, Dr. A. G. Smith, Dr. Thompson, Dr. Daniel S. Dickerman and his brother, Dr. J. Q. Dickerman, Dr. Onias Paige, Dr. Elisha T. Wil- son, Dr. J. C. Codman and Dr. A. F. Angell. Dr. Smith practised in Raynham, later moving to Providence where his son founded the Smith-Holden Dental Supply Company which is still in exist- ence. Dr. Onias Paige had an office in the old City Hall. He and his brother, Nomus, a physician were known as "Jawbone and Sawbone."
The name of Dr. Daniel S. Dickerman is outstanding, for he was the founder and first president of the Boston Dental College, incorporated in 1863. Dr. Daniel Dickerman and his younger brother Dr. J. Q. Dickerman practised in Taunton from 1843 on, for forty years. Dr. William T. Dickerman and Dr. Charles Dickerman, sons of Dr. J. Q. Dickerman followed the same pro- fession as did later Dr. Frank Dickerman, son of Dr. Daniel Dicker- man, Dr. Ralph Dickerman who is the son of Dr. Charles Dicker- man is the third generation of dentists in this family who have made dental history in Taunton.
About the time of Dr. Frank Dickerman, other names of den- tists remembered by Tauntonians are those of Dr. Mathew Mit- chell, Dr. Byron Strout, a professor at Tufts Dental College for many years, Dr. Charles Hammett and Dr. Edwin Clark.
Mention cannot be made of all who have followed to the present time; and it is a far cry from the early days, about ninety years ago, when dental instruments were unbelievably crude and gold plates were hammered from twenty dollar gold pieces, to the present day of skilled workmanship and the increasing trend to- ward preventive dentistry. In 1887, legislation was passed, mak- ing it imperative that all dentists should be duly registered under law to practise in this State; and, since then, the length of time required in which to prepare for the profession has been greatly increased, and the requirements necessary have become increas- ingly rigid.
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As in the other professions, Taunton has contributed her share of leaders, and may be justly proud of her dental history.
Allan R. Tetlow
Practicing in Taunton today are the following Dentists:
HENRY A. ALVES, JR.
23 Summer St.
MARTIN H. BOYLEN
440 Bay St.
CHARLES J. CAREY
28 Broadway
EDWARD F. COYLE
26 Taunton Green
R. W. DICKERMAN
16 Fayette Place
EDWARD A. DOHERTY
5 Main St.
THOMAS E. DUNN
40 Main St.
E. F. FLYNN
20 Taylor Bldg.
FREDERICK J. LUCEY
46 Main St.
LEONARD C. MAINZ
420 Bay St.
A. E. MANN
37 Broadway
E. J. MCKEON
35 Broadway
J. F. MCKEON
124 Weir St. Governor St.
FRED L. NICKERSON
37 Broadway
CLARENCE S. O'KEEFE
MALCOLM C. ROBBINS
3 Taunton Green Crocker Bldg.
JOHN SMITH
4 Taunton Green
ALLEN R. TETLOW
8 Main St.
WILLIAM A. TRAHAN
56 Taunton Green
HARRY C. WOOD
2} Main St.
Pharmaceutical Products
The Alkalol Company, established in Taunton in 1896, produces the two medicinal preparations ALKALOL and IRRIGOL. The formulae were evolved by James P. Whitters; and under his management from 1896 until his death in 1937, the company grew to national prominence. The factory at 141 Washington Street is equipped with a laboratory and up-to-date pharmaceutical manufacturing machinery. The present officers are Florence A. M. Whitters, president; Merle T. Barker, treasurer and general manager; Florence R. Clare, clerk; James P. Whitters, Jr., chemist.
HISTORY OF THE PRESS IN TAUNTON
According to all authorities, newspapers in Taunton can look back to their real ancestor as the "Old Colony Reporter," first
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HENRY E. MESSIER
published April 4th, 1821. Another paper, "The Saturday Mis- cellany" seems to have preceded it but its life was of brief duration.
The Reporter was published on a hand press in a building on Weir St., then known as "Jockey Lane" with Jacob Chapin, a young lawyer as its editor and Allen Danforth as its printer. At first a four page sheet, nineteen by twenty-four inches, with five narrow columns to a page, it was enlarged in 1822 and its name changed to "Columbian Reporter and Old Colony Journal". Mr. Danforth retired in 1823 and went to Plymouth where he started the "Old Colony Memorial." George Danforth, a brother of Allen, took up the Taunton weekly up to 1825, when Samuel W. Morti- mer was the printer, until 1826. In the office were two young apprentices, Christopher A. Hack and Edmund Anthony.
In 1829 Mr. Hack retired and Mr. Anthony continued with Mr. Chapin. After January 1832, Mr. Anthony started publish- ing the "Independent Gazette" with Henry Williams as his editor. Mr. Hack returned to the Reporter and continued with it until October, 1832, then Mr. Chapin took it again for a few weeks, when he sold to Franklin Dunbar who started the "Old Colony Whig."
June 10th, 1848, there was a weekly "The Bristol County Demo- crat" and out of its office on that day was born the "Taunton Daily Gazette" with Edmund Anthony and Amos Kilton as its publishers. Changes in names and ownerships of the weeklies continued with Capt. John W. D. Hall acquiring the "Taunton Whig" and chang- ing its name to "The American Whig" and then to the "American Republican."
There had been several tiny weeklies of mushroom growth and life in this time, principally printed to serve some pet idea of a single person like "The Dew Drop" and "The Cabinet". July 3rd, 1858, Ezra Davol began publishing the "Bristol County Telegram", a Republican newspaper, and in 1861 bought the interest of Capt. Hall in the "American Republican"; Joseph Wilbar and Rev. Ebenezer Dawes acting with Mr. Davol. The paper was known as the "Bristol County Republican" and for twenty- three years was a leading Taunton weekly. Abijah M. Ide came into the picture in 1862 with Capt. Hall with the "Gazette and Democrat" later called the Daily and Weekly Gazette", the weekly later becoming the "Household Gazette".
Mr. Ide retired in 1867 and the paper was in sole charge of Capt. Hall, until 1872, when he sold to William Reed, of Erie Pa., and Milton Reed, his brother, "a young lawyer who has come to Taun- ton from Newburyport, Mass. to study law in the office of Bennett
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& Fuller." The firm was known as "Reed Bros." Milton Reed soon sold out his interest to his brother. In the meantime, in 1886, Davol, Wilbar and Dawes sold the "Bristol County Repub- lican" to Alexander O. Milne of Fall River who, in turn sold in 1889 to William F. Greenough who, in December of the same year, sold to William Reed.
When the Reeds first acquired the Gazette it was published on the second floor of the Templar Hall building over where the Seeley Co. store is now. Later it was transferred to the building on Weir St., now known as the Transfer Restaurant building, and in 1894 to its present location, Mr. Reed purchasing the building at the corner of Cohannet St. and Post Office Square then known as the Westminister Hotel. In 1899 the business was incorporated as the William Reed & Sons Co. William Reed died in 1913 and the business has since been carried on under the corporate name by his heirs. Shortly after coming to this location the "Household Gazette" and the "Bristol County Republican" were combined. Later the combination paper, which carried the "Bristol County Republican" name was suspended, and the "Review of the Week" now published each Friday in the "Daily Gazette " is what remains of the weekly issues.
Fire wreaked its damage on the "Old Colony Whig" in 1838, at that time issued by Samuel O. Dunbar and Hiram Martin, and also "The Daily Whig" published by Israel Amesbury and Seth Bradford. In that same year the "Weekly Gazette" was made a tri-weekly as the "Bristol County Democrat" under Edmund Anthony and supported Marcus Morton of Taunton for governor. Mr. Anthony left Taunton in 1849 for Springfield where he es- tablished the "Springfield Union" and thence to New Bedford where he founded the "New Bedford Standard". These two papers are still in existence.
Abijah M. Ide bought Mr. Anthony's Taunton newspaper property and sustained the candidacy of General Caleb Cushing for governor with a paper under the name of the "True Democrat". Other papers which had a brief existence in the early days were the "Free Press" in 1823, Charles C. Greene, publisher; the "Com- monwealth Advocate" a Masonic paper of 1827, (publishers James Thurber and George Danforth) later called the "Advocate"; and in 1834, under Maj. George Leonard, the "Sun". There was the "Star of Bethlehem", edited by Lorenzo T. Johnson in 1825 and the "Aurora" in 1829 by H. A. Lowell, Esq .; also "The Fire- fly", Thomas Prince, Editor.
Moses P. Perley, who came to Taunton as a merchant from
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Newburyport, started the "Taunton Evening News" in 1889 with Simon Swig as his advertising man. This was sold to Thomas B. Eaton, of Waltham and, later, to Enos D. Williams and Dudley A. Holman. In 1893 Dr. Michael C. Golden started the "Taun- ton Evening Herald" and in 1901 this was consolidated with the "Taunton Evening News." Some years after, the combination paper was discontinued. It was several years before another newspaper was started in Taunton. James Driscoll, formerly connected with the Fall River "Globe", started the "Taunton Daily Globe" in 1916 in the building formerly occupied by the "Herald- News", (now the Goldstein-Antine-Wells building). This paper ran for about a year. It suspended, and Mr. Driscoll tried again with the "Taunton Evening Press" in 1918 but this suspended in 1919. Since that time, the "Taunton Daily Gazette", started in 1848, has been alone in the local field.
There have been several political weeklies started in the past thirty years, none of these being published for any length of time. The principal one was "The Taunton Spy", published from time to time by Simon Swig when Mr. Swig was active in the local political field.
William H. Reed
The Taunton Daily Gazette :- Established June 10th, 1848 by two young men, Edmund Anthony and Amos Kilton, it passed through the hands of varied ownership until 1872 when it was bought from Capt. John Williams Dean Hall by William Reed, of Erie, Pa. and his brother Milton Reed. Since that time it has remained in the Reed family and is today published by the William Reed & Sons Co., Rev. George H. Reed, of Winchester, president, William H. Reed, treasurer, clerk and general manager, with Mrs. Katherine Reed Davol and Mrs. Sophia Reed Briggs.
Originally a small four page daily, it has grown to find use for a thirty-two page press and complete modern equipment. It was one of the first of the dailies in this part of New England to adopt the use of typesetting machinery, and to serve Taunton and its immediate suburbs of motor car as well as carrier delivery. It covers Taunton events by a corps of local reporters and the suburbs by correspondents in every adjoining town.
The Gazette is a member of the American Newspaper Pub- lishers Association, the New England Daily Newspaper Associa- tion, and the Associated Press. It has the complete news and picture service of the Newspaper Enterprise Association and of the Acme News Pictures, besides columnists who are competent to accurately picture the events behind the news.
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With it, local news comes first, and in presenting such news, it makes every effort to do so as a wholesome, interesting and in- structive family newspaper should, without prejudice or bias and in full conformity with the best American traditions of freedom of the Press.
BANKING IN TAUNTON
The first Bank in Taunton was incorporated in 1812, and was known as The Taunton Bank. Its site was on the "North side of the road leading from Taunton Green to the Meeting House." Main Street had no name at that time. In 1865 it was reorganized into the Taunton National Bank; and the persons connected with the bank were prominent in business affairs of the town.
The Cohannet Bank was incorporated in 1829; but it got into financial difficulties during the panic of 1837-42 and was obliged to close.
The Bristol County Bank was incorporated in 1832. In 1865 it became the Bristol County National Bank. The following men served as its presidents: William A. Crocker, Nathan Stetson, Theodore Dean, Hezekiah W. Church, and Seth L. Cushman. In 1917 this Bank was liquidated, and the Taunton National moved into its building.
The Machinists National Bank received its charter in 1847, and became a national bank in 1865.
The Bristol County Trust Company was the outgrowth of the old Taunton and Bristol County Banks. It was organized in 1917.
In addition to the Commercial Banks which have a combined deposit of more than four million dollars, Taunton has two mutual Savings Banks, the Bristol County Savings Bank, incorporated in 1846, which deposits of more than ten million, and the Taunton Savings Bank organized in 1869 with deposits of over eight million. There are three co-operative banks,-the Taunton, the Weir and the Mechanics; also, The Taunton Morris Plan Bank.
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Taunton has been fortunate for many years, in its banking facilities, and owes a debt of gratitude to the many citizens who as officers and directors of these institutions have played an im- portant part in the growth and prosperity of our city.
Reuben W. Chase
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Bristol County Savings Bank, 35 Broadway, Taunton, Mass., was originally incorporated in 1827 as the Provident Institution for Savings in the town of Taunton and its vicinity for a term of twenty years.
INCORPORATORS
John West
Thomas Wetherbee
Charles Richmond
Thomas K. Yates
James W. Otis
Theophilus Parsons
D. J. W. Cobb
John S. Russell
Samuel Crocker
James Ellis
John M. Williams
Luther Hamilton
James L. Hodges
George Leonard, 2nd
Daniel Brewer
James W. Crossman
William Reed
William M. Crossman
Nathaniel Wheeler
Jonathan P. Sears
James Sproat
Charles Babbitt
William A. F. Sproat
David C. Hodges
Jacob Chapin
Charles R. Vickery
Thomas C. Brown
Incorporated as Bristol County Savings Bank, March 2, 1846.
PRESENT OFFICERS
President, Charles W. Davol
Treasurer, Chester E. Walker
Vice President, Merle T. Barker Asst. Treas., Henry S. Hastings
TRUSTEES
Humphrey Barker
William R. Park
Merle T. Barker
Bion L. Pierce
R. Frank Brooks, Jr.
William R. Reed
Charles W. Davol
George W. Seeley
Frank B. Fox
Allan M. Walker
Willis K. Hodgman, Jr.
Chester E. Walker
J. Howard O'Keefe
Robert C. Witherell
Deposits : $10,448,000. Surplus and Undivided Earnings, $1,226,000
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The Machinists' National Bank, Founded May 31, 1847. Joseph K. Milliken, Chairman of the Board; William O. Kingman, President; Francis P. Clarke, Cashier.
PRESIDENTS
WILLIAM MASON
1847-1857
WILLIAM C. DAVENPORT 1889-1925
MARCUS MORTON
1857-1864
JOSEPH K. MILLIKEN
1925-1928
CHARLES R. VICKERY
1864-1883
WILLIAM C. KINGMAN 1928-
EDWARD B. KING
1883-1889
CASHIERS
EDWARD R. ANTHONY
1847-1849
WILLIAM C. DAVENPORT 1883-1899
CHARLES R. VICKERY
1849-1864
JOHN H. DALGLISH
1899-1917
BENJAMIN CHURCH VICKERY
1864-1876
FRANCIS P. CLARKE 1928-
EDWARD KING
1878-1883
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
H. W. CHURCH
1847-1847
SAMUEL L. CROCKER
1877-1883
JESSE HARTSHORN
1847-1848
ALBERT ALDEN
1877-1890
GEORGE B. HOOD
1847-1848
LEMUEL L. WHITE
1877-1883
C. T. JAMES
1847-1847
NATHAN WILMARTH
1877-1896
CYRUS LOTHROP, 2d
1847-1848
ZACHEUS SHERMAN
1880-1897
WILLARD LOVERING
1847-1856
WILLIAM H. BENT
1884-1921
WILLIAM MASON
1847-1857
EDWARD B. MALTBY
1884-1900
ISAAC PIERCE
1847-1848
THOMAS J. LOTHROP
1887-1897
HORATIO PRATT
1847-1856
WILLIAM C. DAVENPORT 1890-1925
SAMUEL C. WEST
1847-1847
HENRY F. BASSETT
1893-1927
ALBERT BARROWS
1847-1851
GEORGE W. COLBY
1898-1919
ANSON J. BARKER
1848-1879
HENRY J. FULLER 1902-1903
ARTEMUS BRIGGS
1850-1876
JOSEPH K. MILLIKEN 1912-
HORACE LEWIS
1850-1876
WALTER T. SOPER
1920-1931
MARCUS MORTON
1857-1863
MARCUS A. RHODES
1921-
THOMAS R. DRAKE
1857-1873
MERLE T. BARKER
1926-
NATHAN RAND
1857-1863
EVERETT B. DAVENPORT 1927-1934
EDMUND H. BENNETT
1858-1897
WILLIAM O. KINGMAN 1928-
GEORGE B. ATWOOD
1859-1874
JAMES P. WHITTERS
1928-1937
JAMES P. ELLIS 1859-1874
MALCOLM LEACH 1929-
CHARLES R. VICKERY 1864-1883
HAROLD HOEBER 1931-1935
CHARLES L. LOVERING 1864-1866
HOWARD L. WHITE
1931-
SAMUEL COLBY
1867-1876
RICHARD WASTCOAT
1938-
BENJAMIN C. VICKERY
1874-1876
ABEL W. PARKER 1889-1901
SIMEON PRESBREY
1847-1851
A. GILBERT WILLIAMS 1891-1935
HORATIO GILBERT
1847-1847
EDWARD KING 1884-1889
NATHANIEL MORTON
1847-1855
WILLIAM O. KINGMAN
1917-1928
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The Taunton Savings Bank is celebrating its Seventieth Birthday July 3rd 1939. On the opening day of the Bank, July 3, 1869, there were thirty-two deposits, totalling $5805.00. This amount constituted the total capital of the Bank at the end of the first day's business, as the Bank had no capital stock nor stockholders.
This Bank is conducted solely for the benefit of its depositors; and all earnings, after the payment of taxes and expenses, are paid to the depositors in the form of dividends, or are set aside for their protection, the main objective being to safely invest the funds entrusted to its care.
The first officers of the Institution were: President, Willard Lovering; Vice President, John E. Sanford; Secretary, Ezra Davol; Treasurer, Henry R. Wood; Finance Committee: Thompson Newbury, L. B. Church, C. L. Lovering, S. H. Rhodes, Edward Galligan, P. I. Perrin. The Trustees were William Mason, L. B. Church, Henry G. Reed, F. B. Dean, Charles Albro, W. R. Daven- port, S. W. Eddy, Charles L. Lovering, George A. Field, Edward Mott, W. E. Fuller, William F. Macomber, Edward Galligan, Thompson Newbury, N. S. Hoard, Henry C. Perry, E. T. Jackson, P. I. Perrin, Edmund W. Porter, E. H. Reed, S. N. Staples, A. K. Williams, N. H. Skinner and S. H. Rhodes.
The total deposits on Dec. 11, 1869 were $95,185.65. On Dec. 27, 1913, the Bank, which had been located on the second floor of the old Taunton Bank Building, City Square,-moved into its new building on Court Street, which had been built for its sole occupancy. At this date the total deposits of the Bank are $3,739,815.39, and the total assets, $4,122,436.55.
In 1910, the Bank began to accept deposits in the school savings bank system ; and Christmas, Vacation and Tax Clubs are conducted.
The total deposits on May 3, 1939, were $8,779,670, and the total assets amounted to $10,009,875.
The present officers are Frank L. Tinkham, President; Marcus A. Rhodes, Vice President; Gordon A. Miller, Clerk of Corporation ; Reuben W. Chase, Treasurer; Clayton L. Reynolds, Assistant Treasurer. The Trustees are, Mark Anthony, Frederick E. Austin, Walter H. Barker, Francis J. Bassett, Walter R. Baylies, Joseph E. Bostock, Harrison W. George, R. Loring Hayward, William Hughes, Robert M. Leach, Edwin R. McCormick, Walter A. Merrill, Clarence S. Parker, Arthur E. Poole, Walter G. Powers, William E. Pratt, William H. Reed, P. Byron Reid, Marcus A. Rhodes, Eugene J. Sullivan, Edwin A. Tetlow, Frank L. Tinkham, George L. White, Howard L. White.
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Bristol County Trust Company, Taunton, Massachusetts
PAST AND PRESENT OFFICERS OF THIS INSTITUTION
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
NATHAN NEWBURY 1932-1936
JOSEPH L. ANTHONY 1937-
PRESIDENTS
SAMUEL FALES
1812-1818
JONATHAN INGELL.
1819-1826
JOHN WEST
1826-1827
SAMUEL CROCKER
1828-1837
JAMES M. WILLIAMS
1837-1838
SAMUEL B. KING
1838-1840
ELLIS HALL
1840-1846
STEPHEN RHODES, JR
1846-1851
LOVETT MORSE .
1851-1869
CHARLES J. H. BASSETT
1869-1891
GEORGE A. WASHBURN.
1891-1900
HENRY M. LOVERING 1900-1916
ALBERT H. TETLOW
1916-1922
NATHAN NEWBURY
1923-1932
JOHN P. DYER
1932-1939
ROGER L. CURRANT
1939
CASHIERS OR TREASURERS
JAMES L. HODGES
1812-1828
SAMUEL B. KING
1828-1838
CHARLES J. H. BASSETT 1838-1869
GEORGE W. ANDROS
1869-1907
CHARLES L. GODFREY
1907-1921
ALLSTON E. WILLIAMS
1921-
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The Weir Co-Operative Bank, Incorporated in 1884.
Officers and Directors: President, A. Milton French; Vice- President, Howard H. Presbrey; Treasurer, Kenneth E. Leonard; Attorney, Frederick E. Austin.
Directors
John M. Fitzgerald
Walter G. Powers
A. Milton French
Howard H. Presbrey
Allan P. Hoard
J. Arthur Quigley
George A. Horton
William F. Rayment
Arthur R. Leonard
Joseph C. Silva, Jr.
Kenneth E. Leonard
Edwin A. Tetlow
Joseph H. Martin
John G. Williams
Clarence S. Parker
H. Stanley Wood
Lyman W. Phillips
Taunton Co-Operative Savings Fund and Loan Associa- tion, Chartered March 6, 1880. On March 27, 1883, by General Courts of Massachusetts the name was changed to TAUNTON CO-OPERATIVE BANK under which name we have continued to date,-fifty-nine years of service to Taunton and vicinity.
Our business is confined to providing a safe depository for the accumulation of the savings of our members, and to the encourage -. ment of home ownership by loaning money for the purchase and repair and remodelling of homes.
Total assets in 1889 at the time of the 250th Anniversary, $285,198.26 which now, in 1939, at the time of the 300th Anni- versary have grown to $1,977,516.16.
The Mechanics' Co-operative Bank, originally called The Mechanics' Co-operative Saving Fund and Loan Association, is the oldest institution of its kind in Taunton. It was incorporated September 14, 1877 and has always maintained its original loca- tion in Whittenton at the north end of the city.
On January 3, 1881 Edward S. Hersey was elected Secretary and served as such for nearly thirty-two years until ill health forced his retirement. He was succeeded in 1912 by Arthur R. Knox who served as Secretary and later as Treasurer until his death in 1937. In 1886 George F. Williams, Esq. was elected as attorney, and he has served continuously for over fifty-three years. To these three men credit must be paid for untiring efforts in behalf of this institution.
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Although growing steadily during the past sixty-two years, The Mechanics' Co-operative Bank still adheres to the original purpose of its founders, which is to accumulate the savings of its members in fixed periodical installments and to lend such funds so accumulated to its members who now number several thousands.
The Morris Plan Company, 9 Winthrop Street. Our first president, at the time of incorporation in 1917, was William C. Davenport, and our first and present treasurer, Harrison W. George. Under the guidance of Mr. Davenport, we became firmly established; and, since that time we have made more than 17,000 individual loans, totalling more than $5,000,000. In February of this year our affiliation with The Morris Plan Company of Rhode Island not only increased our capital stock from $45,000. to $100,000. but made possible a broadening of our service to a point where it may be truly called the complete "Financial Service for the Individual." MAY WE BE OF SERVICE TO YOU?
OFFICERS
George W. Seeley, President R. Frank Brooks, Jr. Vice President Howard E. Gladding, Vice President Harrison W. George, Treasurer and Clerk Arthur L. Mulligan, Ass't. Treasurer and Ass't. Clerk
DIRECTORS
R. Frank Brooks, Jr.
Henry B. Cross Harrison W. George Charles H. Merriman Horace M. Peck
George W. Seeley William P. Sheffield
ILLUMINATION
Since the dawn of creation, human ingenuity, spurred by its needs, has been occupied with the problem of man-made light. The early dwellers made slow progress with it, too; for, while the first centuries of civilization showed a tremendous advance in certain of the sciences and handicrafts, it is within the last six or eight generations, only, that artificial lighting has been improved and perfected.
Our Pilgrim forbears at first read by the flickering gleam of their hearth-fires or pitch-pine torches. Of the latter, one of their number wrote. "Out of the pines is gotten the candle-wood, --- but I cannot recommend it because it droppeth a pitchy kind of substance where it stands." Nevertheless, it is said that Eliot,
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the apostle to the Indians, translated the Bible into Indian tongues by the smoky glimmer of one of those same torches.
Every Colonial housewife, of necessity, learned the arts of candlemaking from various fats, tallow, and bayberries, and she was expert in fashioning the humbler rush-lights from the pith of cat-o'nine-tails.
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