USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Hingham > The celebration of the two hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the settlement of the town of Hingham, Massachusetts, September 15, 1885 > Part 7
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I20
THE TOWN OF HINGHAM.
Boston Harbor the fruits that he had just raised in this colony to plant Connecticut, and to tell Eng- land that we were a race of ship-builders here ! Think what a host of sailors and navigators and captains and privateersmen we all were then; and, as the lamented Lawrence said, "Don't give up the 'Ship.'"
And before I sit down,-I have spoken a great deal over the ten minutes, Mr. President, -I must tell you one authentic story of a neighbor of yours, to show what the spirit of old Hingham is. I think there must be some here who knew in their youth the Weymouth boy, Joshua Bates, who afterwards became the great banker in London, the American partner in the house of Baring Brothers and Com- pany. He went over to England, he spoiled the Philistines to the extent of making a great fortune, and he bestowed part of it in a most generous spirit to increase the Boston Public Library. Well, Mr. President, Joshua Bates, in order to hold real estate, became a naturalized subject of Queen Victoria; and although he retained an American heart, he was nominally a Briton, and a very loyal servant of that good lady. I said to him once, " Mr. Bates, suppos- ing a war should break out between England and the United States, what should you do, as you are now a British subject ?" " Do? " said he, " I should go back to Hingham and fit out a privateer directly." So that shows that you cannot cure one of our coast boys of his Americanism, even if he has joined
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250TII ANNIVERSARY.
another nation; and you cannot cure him of pri- vatecring, even if he has settled down and made a fortune as a banker.
Dr. Everett renewed his thanks on resuming his seat for the attention and sympathy of the audience.
The PRESIDENT. - Our last toast is, --- The Old Boys of Hingham.
You will notice that I do not say the " Old Boy." He never resided in Hingham. I refer, of course, to the old boys of fifty years ago; and I am sure you will be very glad to hear from a venerable townsman, who has lately been tarrying with his son, the Superintendent of the Soldiers' National Home at Togus, - Mr. Luther Stephenson.
ADDRESS OF MR. LUTHER STEPHENSON.
MR. PRESIDENT, - Located and associated as I have been for a time with the old boys in blue, your sentiment induces the giving of my first brief thought to them. For they are old boys in fact, having left their health, their youth, and active man- hood on the battle-field and on the march, and now linger in their beautiful homes, furnished by a grate- ful people, until, one by one, in rapid succession, they, with solemn escort, are borne to their last resting-place, where, with funeral dirge and volley
122
THE TOWN OF HINGHAM.
over their graves, they are joined to the grand army of the dead.
But it is not of the boys in blue that we would speak, nor would we direct our thoughts to them on this occasion; but to those old boys of this town who had crossed the wide sea to avoid oppression, who, with their sons, subdued the forest and, with its almost everlasting timber, built that old meeting- house where we have worshipped to-day, and where we hope the ordinance of religious worship will be everlastingly administered beneath its massive roof ; to their sons also, of every grade, from major-general to private, who fought in the Revolution for the in- dependence of our country ; to those of the War of 1812, waged for a nation's rights and the protection of every man who sailed beneath its flag from foreign seizure ; to the old boys of within seventy years of my remembrance, who worked hard and fared hard, little dreaming of the vast improvements of the coming years, when the hard labor of men's hands would be transferred to the elements and the brute, with its immense increase of product, through the medium of apparently living machinery; yes, and to the old boys of my own time, nearly all of whom have passed away, but have left a pleasant remem- brance, the best legacy that men can leave to those who survive them; to that whole range of old boys, both citizen and soldier, who helped build up and sustain our institutions we dedicate this day, and every thought of them is sandwiched with humor or
4
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250TH ANNIVERSARY.
with pathos; for as history and tradition give us knowledge of their lives and character, we sympa- thize with their trials and hardships, we smile at their eccentricities, we condemn their austerity, but we venerate them for the unselfish, conscientious and devotional spirit with which they performed their esteemed duties.
This day we dedicate to the remembrance of the first settlers of the town and to their sons, who have since lain down on the pathway of time; and we have assembled in this place, dear to many of us from associations with those that were prominent at the celebration fifty years ago, including him who was the esteemed orator on that occasion, -all of whom loved this place, - to give thought and word in remembrance of the old boys of Hingham.
It was said by an old writer, "Show me a man who has no love of place, and you have shown one whose heart has no tap-root," -a sentiment which I believe to be true ; and the place where the heart of the sound man taps deepest is that of his birth. Carry it forth with him as he may in after life and plant deep in places of adoption, still his tenderest, purest, unspoken thoughts will rebound back to his birthplace; for there was the first dawning of his intellect, there his first youthful aspirations, there dwelt his mother. Little sympathy have we with the cosmopolite whose heart fleets gossamer-like over the wide world, seemingly having neither be- ginning nor ending; but to him who plants it deep
124
THE TOWN OF HINGHAM.
in some locality, it will grow stronger, more expan- sive, more active on earth, and purer in its upward growth.
The PRESIDENT. - Ladies and gentlemen, I have a great many more toasts, and I am sure that every Hingham man and woman at this table can make a good after-dinner speech. But the play is over, and down comes the curtain. We shake hands and part, lighter hearted and better friends, I trust, for this day's festival. We now stand adjourned for fifty years, and I hope you will all be promptly on hand at the end of that time. Until then, God bless you all. Amen.
The band then played " Auld Lang Syne," and the company dispersed.
FROM three to four o'clock, while the dinner was in progress, the Hingham Brass Band gave a con- cert on the Common.
For an hour preceding sunset the bells on all the churches were rung.
In the evening, from seven to nine o'clock, Reeves's American Band gave a concert on the Agricultural Grounds.
The night was very mild and free from dampness. No summer's evening could have been selected which would have been better adapted to out-of-
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250TH ANNIVERSARY.
door amusement. It seemed as if fortune smiled upon the town. The concert was attended by a large number of persons, who, by generous applause, indicated their enjoyment of the music.
At seven o'clock the entire Agricultural Hall was thrown open to the public for social intercourse; and from eight o'clock until midnight, there was dancing in the upper hall, the music being furnished by Reeves's orchestra. Admission to the hall and grounds was free to all.
At half past seven o'clock bonfires of tar-barrels were lighted upon Baker's, Otis, Planter's, Turkey, and Prospect Hills.
DECORATIONS.
Ir would be impossible to give in detail an account of the numerous decorations throughout the town. Upon almost every building upon the line of the procession were displayed evidences of the great public interest in the celebration. Ingenious and beautiful devices were adopted by many. Nor were the decorations confined to the houses upon the line of march. Every house seemed to be open to ex- tend a cordial welcome. In the evening there were many brilliant illuminations, and Chinese lanterns seemed literally to grow upon many of the trees. Colored fires and bonfires in many enclosures lent their brilliancy, while the heavens were "studded with stars unutterably bright."
I26
THE TOWN OF HINGHAM.
" And so," said the " Hingham Journal," " ended the day that had been so successfully inaugurated at sunrise. Not a break. The procession at every point moved on time and with precision. The faces of the spectators who lined the sidewalks looked as happy and as satisfied as did those of the children who, in light dresses and with sprightly step, marched in the procession."
FINAL PROCEEDINGS.
FINAL PROCEEDINGS.
Sept. 25, 1885. The Committee of Arrange- ments held a final meeting, at which it was
Voted, That Starkes Whiton, George Lincoln, E. Waters Burr, and Francis H. Lincoln be a com- mittee to convey the thanks of the Committee of Arrangements to the Orator, the First Corps of Cadets, Edwin Humphrey Post 104, G. A. R., the Organist, the Superintendent of Schools, school- teachers, and parents for their efforts to secure a large attendance of school-children, and all those who contributed either money, services, or flowers, or in any other way aided in making the late cele- bration a success.
Voted, That the Treasurer prepare for publication, in book form, a history of the celebration.
· Voted, That the Secretary place in the Hingham Public Library a copy of the records of the Com- mittee of Arrangements.
After the necessary business had been completed, the Chairman made a closing address, and the Com- mittee was dissolved.
1
NOTE.
TH HE Address delivered before the citizens of Hingham, on the two hundredth anniversary of the settlement of the town, Sept. 28, 1835, by the late Hon. SOLOMON LINCOLN, was printed, together with valuable historical notes and an account of the celebration. One of the notes refers to the list of voters in Hingham, in 1835, and say's, " In March, 1835, the number of legal voters in Hingham was 673. It may gratify the curiosity of posterity to know what names were most prevalent at that time," and the numbers of voters of each name on the list are given. For the gratification of the same curiosity in the future, a similar list is here given.
In the printed volume of town reports, for the year 1884, may be found the "Names of the Legal Voters of the Town of Hingham, as contained on the Voting List for the Election in November, 1884." This list contains 943 names. There are of the name of
Cushing
35
Hobart
II
Hersey .
33
Barnes .
10
Sprague
29
Bates
IO
Gardner
24
Humphrey
10
Lincoln
23
Ripley
S
Fearing
16
Cobb
Corthell
8
Beal (inc. Beale)
14
Burr
14
Lane
S
Whiton
13
Litchfield .
S
Wilder .
13
Souther
8
Casey
Cain
7
10
132
THE TOWN OF HINGHAM.
Jacobs (inc. Jacob)
7
Remington
6
Loring
7
Siders .
6
Clark
6
Stoddard .
6
Daley
6
Thompson
6
Fee .
6
Tower
6
Jones
6
French .
5
Leavitt .
6
Howard
5
Lewis
6
Marsh
5
Mead (inc. Meade)
6
Thomas
5
Four each of :
Bicknell.
Dunbar.
Pratt.
Stodder.
Breene.
Kelsey.
Sherman.
Tuttle.
Crehan.
Murphy.
Smith.
Whiting.
Three cach of :
Andrews.
Hickey.
Newhall.
Spring.
Bassett.
Hudson.
Noonan.
Stephenson.
Batchelder.
Landers.
O'Keeffe.
Thayer.
Bouvé.
Mahoney.
Quinn.
Wallace.
Brewer.
McKee.
Rich.
Welch.
Burrill.
McNeil.
Richardson.
Whitcomb.
Cook.
Morse.
Robinson.
White.
Davis.
Morton.
Sears.
Wolfe.
Fotler.
Nelson.
Shute.
Young.
Two each of :
.
Allen.
Dawes.
Hollis.
O'Hara.
Anderson.
Dean.
Hough.
Perry.
Atwood.
Dyer.
Howe.
Poole.
Baker.
Fletcher.
Howes.
Powers.
Bayley.
Ford.
Hunt.
Pyne.
Barrett.
Foster.
King.
Robbins.
Barry.
Goold.
Leary.
Simpson.
Barton.
Gould.
Leigh.
Staples.
Brett.
Gunn.
Linnehan.
Taylor.
Buker.
Harden.
Lord.
Tilden.
Burdett.
Hardy.
Magner.
Thaxter.
Burns.
Hart.
Marble.
Tirrell.
Callahan.
Haskell.
Margetts.
Todd.
Chamberlain.
Hatch.
McCarty.
Totman.
Chubbuck.
Hawes.
McDermott.
Trowbridge.
Cooper.
Hawkes.
Nichols.
Wade.
Coughlan.
Hayward.
Noyes.
Wall.
Cross.
Hennessey.
Nye.
Waters.
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250TH ANNIVERSARY.
One each of :
Miles.
Abbott.
Miller.
Adams.
Corcoran.
Harding.
Mitchell.
Ames.
Cowing.
Harvey.
Moore.
Annis.
Crocker.
Higgins.
Morey.
Bacon.
Barstow.
Crosby.
Hilliard.
Mulligan.
Bartlett.
Crowe.
Hodgkins.
Murch.
Battles.
Crowell.
Horton.
Nash.
Bertsch.
Cuming.
Hutchins.
Neff.
Bibby.
Newcomb.
Binney.
Damon.
Jamcs.
Jerald.
O'Brien.
Bissell.
Dayton.
Jermyn.
Olson.
Blair.
Defries.
Jernegan.
Our.
Blake.
Dorr.
Keating.
Overton.
Blossom.
Doughty.
Keeshan.
Page.
Bodge.
Douglass.
Keliher.
Palmer.
Botting.
Downes.
Kenerson.
Parker.
Bowditch.
Dunn.
Kent.
Parkman.
Bowser.
Eaton.
Kilburn.
Peare.
Branch.
Ellis.
Kimball.
Perkins.
Brandenburg.
Emerson.
Kittredge.
Phinney.
Breemer.
Fanning.
Lathrop.
Picanco.
Bronsdon.
Farmer.
Laurie.
Pierce.
Brown.
Flamand.
Le Baron.
Price.
Buckley.
Foley.
Lemner.
Puffer.
Bullard.
Fuller.
Leonard.
Ray.
Bullen.
Gates.
Linscott.
Reed.
Burditt.
Gault.
Littleton.
Rider.
Burke.
Burt.
Gildersleeve.
Long.
Rogers.
Buttimer.
Gill.
Lovett.
Sanborn.
Buttrick.
Glasur.
Lowe.
Schmidt.
Carnes.
Goodwin.
Lowry.
Scudder.
Carver.
Gorman.
Manning.
Searles.
Caryl.
Gough.
Marrah. .
Seymour.
Chessman.
Graham.
McCuin.
Shea.
Chittenden.
Gray.
McGuire
Shedd.
Churchill.
Greeley.
McKenna.
Simmons.
Clary.
Grosvener.
Means.
Sinclair.
Clement.
Grover.
Melcher.
Skinner.
Colby.
Hall.
Mellen.
Sloan.
Collier.
Snell.
Cooney.
Halley.
Merritt.
Roach.
Lovell.
Sargent.
Caldwell.
Good.
Lunt.
.
Corbett.
Hann.
Cox.
Henderson.
Hill.
Morissey.
Daggett.
Danforth.
O'Connell.
Black.
Gibson.
Groce.
Keane.
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THE TOWN OF HINGHAM.
Southworth.
Studley.
Torrey.
Weston.
Spalding.
Sullivan.
Tully.
Whelan.
Spooner.
Swift.
Turner.
Whitney.
Steele.
Sylvester.
Vining.
Whittemore.
Stetson.
Tancred.
Wakefield.
Wilber.
Stevens.
Thing.
Ware.
Willard.
Stewart.
Thorne.
Wellens.
Wing.
Stockbridge.
Tinsley.
West.
Wright.
Stowell.
Topliffe.
University Press: John Wilson and Son, Cambridge.
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603.
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