The Boston Post Cane

Another batch of updates

David Griffin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 23:52:32 +0000

I keep trying to keep on top of the submissions, but life just keeps getting in the way. We’re so grateful for all the updates, photographs and stories we receive about the canes and the holders. We may be slow, but we’re careful with every bit of news you send our way.

Current tally: 309 towns

West Bridgewater, MA locates their long lost cane

David Griffin — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 23:48:51 +0000

[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 took place several years ago to create badly needed office space and stored in the Building Inspector’s office unbeknownst to many.

It wasn’t until today however that the Town’s temporary Inspector showed it to me that I instantly knew what it was and further knew that former Selectman Judith Kinney and former Town Clerk Marion Leonard had been on a hunt for the cane for more than 25 years!

Now that it has been found, research will be undertaken to find out who may have been the last person to have it, others who may have had it at one time, and its future with the current Board of Selectmen. Reading through what other Towns have done with theirs, is inspiring and I am hopeful my Board of Selectmen will look towards preserving it physically (it is still sheathed in the original leather casing with handle!), while honoring the intent of the tradition’s founder Edwin Grozier in a suitable way.

Good Luck with finding the remaining 390+ canes.

Elizabeth D. Faricy
Administrator
Board of Selectmen
Town of West Bridgewater

We’re past 300 towns!

David Griffin — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 20:43:51 +0000

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 the canes throughout New England. Together we’ll continue the history of this odd, but charming New England tradition.

Mary Josephine Ray passes away at age 114

David Griffin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 20:17:27 +0000

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 AP and Yahoo! news, notified courtesy of Stephen Hoffman)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_oldest_american

A whole slew of updates

David Griffin — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 03:45:59 +0000

Thanks to the many people who have sent us updates the past few months and patiently waited for the changes to be posted to the site. My apologies for the delays. I’ve made changes for all of the states and look forward to news of the cane in 2010.

We currently have information on 297 towns, so we’re looking to break the 300 mark this year.

Boston Post Cane Centennial

David Griffin — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 02:05:56 +0000

I often wonder if Mr. Grozier thought that his “publicity stunt” launched 100 years ago this month would turn into a New England tradition? But here we are and hundreds of towns continue to honor their eldest citizens with this simple, elegant award.

The centennial of the cane has raised awareness of the cane and its tradition. We’ve received dozens of updates from town clerks and historical societies. We’ve updated the state pages with these kindly provided updates (and corrections!). If I didn’t get back to you personally, Thank You for taking the time to send your town’s information.

Happy Birthday to Mary Ray of Westmoreland, NH

David Griffin — Sun, 17 May 2009 05:28:07 +0000

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 fan — and could well be the oldest Sox fan ever – she was 13 when the Red Sox team formed in 1908.

Congratulations to Mary and her friends and family.

The Watertown, MA Cane is now home

David Griffin — Fri, 01 May 2009 14:24:18 +0000

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 on display.

For more information read the Watertown TAB article.

If anyone has photos or stories from this event, please share them with us.

The approaching centennial is raising interest in the canes

David Griffin — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:11:05 +0000

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 — thank you!

Both of these articles have resulted in a number of updates submitted to us. We appreciate the research folks are doing and the time taken to let us know about what you’ve found.

April is bringing us a flurry of updates

David Griffin — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 02:35:27 +0000

We have updated the Maine and New Hampshire pages with updates for Bar Harbor, Poland and Greene, Maine and Weare, NH. My thanks to everyone who has submitted updates.

We’re also processing stories from Foxborough (MA) and Jay (ME).