David Griffin | July 20, 2011
Clinton, Maine’s Boston Post Cane was stolen from our town hall sometime during the weekend of June 3-5, 2011. It was in a display case opposite the service window and around the corner from the police station housed in the same building. The town is heartbroken, but are hoping to get it back. As of [...]
David Griffin | April 24, 2011
Lorna Colquhoun, a correspondent for the New Hampshire Union Leader, reported that the town of Bethlehem, New Hampshire has found their cane after a nearly 40 year absence. The cane was hiding away in a closet just a few miles away. Read Lorna’s wonderful story. We don’t normally do birthday greetings here, and even this [...]
David Griffin | December 15, 2010
This cane likes to hide. This is the second time it has been lost for 50 years! Sarah Longden, who resides in Maine, recently opened a box belonging to her father who was a former Selectman in the Town of Palmer, Massachusetts. Much to her surprise she found a cane that had been missing [...]
David Griffin | September 14, 2010
Elisha Lee, President of the Dover Historical Society, informed us that Dover’s cane was recently discovered in an antique shop and was recovered by members of their Historical Society. Where the cane has been will continue to be an ongoing research project. Dover’s cane is known to have been originally presented to Asa Talbot, [...]
David Griffin | July 29, 2010
[From a recent email we received] You can add one more cane to your total! Just this morning, the Town of West Bridgewater’s Boston Post Cane came to light! It had been uncovered in the former assembly hall for Town Meetings on the second floor of our historic Town Hall when renovations of that space [...]
David Griffin | April 23, 2010
This month we passed the 300 mark of towns that have reported updates on their canes. Our next milestone is 350, which would be the half-way mark to hearing about all 700 canes. Thanks to all of the Historical Societies, Town Clerks, Selectmen, Town Officials, community and family members who have sent us updates on [...]
David Griffin | March 8, 2010
The Associated Press has reported that Westmoreland, NH resident Mary Josephine Ray has died at age 114, 294 days. Born on Prince Edward Island in May 1895, she lived to be the oldest person in New Hampshire (ever), the oldest person in the United States, and the second oldest person in the world. (via the [...]
David Griffin | May 17, 2009
We’re pretty sure Mary Josephine Ray of Westmoreland, NH is the oldest holder of the Boston Post Cane. Today she celebrates her 114th birthday! According to Wikipedia, Mary is the oldest person in New Hampshire, 2nd oldest person in the United States, and the 3rd oldest person in the world. She’s a Boston Red Sox [...]
David Griffin | May 1, 2009
As noted in earlier entries in this journal, a group of residents in the town of Watertown, MA ponied up the money needed to purchase the town’s cane from an antiques dealer and return it to the Watertown Historical Society. That has happened and everyone is very happy about the town’s cane is now safely [...]
David Griffin | April 30, 2009
The Boston Globe Magazine published a great article (with a horrible title) on the history of the Boston Post Cane and a bit about how the tradition continues today. Read “Citizen Canes” at the Boston Globe web site. The New England Historic Genealogical Society also mentioned our little web site in a recent newsletter — [...]