Historical Society Features Interesting Possessions-August 1, 1947

Norwood Historical Society Members Share Family Heirlooms and Local History at Quarterly Meeting at the Day House

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The Norwood Historical Society recently held its quarterly meeting at the historic Day House, opening with a box supper on the porch followed by a brief business meeting and an engaging indoor program where members exhibited their “most interesting possession” and shared the stories behind them. Later in the evening, the society’s Board of Governors met and voted to have the Day House grounds—which had suffered due to a wartime shortage of help—properly cleared and maintained.

During the heirloom exhibition, society president Mrs. S. Kenneth Skofield of Brookline (formerly of Norwood) displayed an antique “courting lamp”—a tiny, gas-burning lamp standing three inches in height and two inches in diameter, over a hundred years old. Supposedly lit when a young man came to call, the caller was expected to leave once the brief light burned out, though Mrs. Skofield noted that they “didn’t always.” Corresponding secretary Mrs. Nellie M. Gillooly of Walpole Street introduced her item by showing a picture of its creator, her great-aunt Martha Guild, who ran the first private school in Norwood on Washington Street (located where Mazzola’s Norwood Monument Works later stood). The youngest daughter of Revolutionary War figure Aaron Guild, Martha Guild taught until age forty-five before marrying blind minister Rev. Caleb Kimball. Mrs. Gillooly exhibited an intricately embroidered petticoat that Martha Guild made at age eleven using a convent school nun’s stitch, alongside a 90-year-old black Chantilly lace triangular shawl.

Local history and family letters also took center stage. Miss Harriet Gay of Winter Street—related to the Hoyles on her mother’s side—displayed the book Raising Hell’s Delights, a compilation of Hoyle and Everett family letters dating from the Mexican War to 1890, compiled by Alexander Edward Hoyle, a partner with Boston architectural firm Cram and Ferguson. She explained the book’s title, recounting how her great-grandfather Mark C. Hoyle (also grandfather of W.W. Everett) was walking past the tall garden hedge one evening around 9 o’clock when he heard the boisterous singing and piano playing of younger family members indoors; as two gentlemen walked by, one asked what the noise was, to which the other replied, “Only the Hoyles raising hell’s delights.” Following this, board member W.W. Everett exhibited a 150-year-old child’s whistle originally given to his sister, Cora E. Everett, accompanied by a tag noting it was given to their great-grandfather Daniel Belknap at age four by his uncle to entice him to go to school, and later passed to Cora in her 17th month by her great-grandfather Belknap in his 71st year. Mrs. Everett also showed an 1840s advertising token for wholesale brushes, perfumery, and combs from her Berkshires childhood home.

Other fascinating items included an octagonal painted coffin tray rescued from attic junk and redecorated in gold by Mrs. Muriel Brock, presented by Day House chairman pro-tem Mrs. Alfred Atwood of 6 Philbrick Street. Miss Ruth Ingraham of 417 Washington Street shared 1831 and 1891 entertainment and concert programs—noting a story titled Setting a Hen by Fred H. Day on the first, and humorous footnotes on the second about foot-warmer coals at Parson Loder‘s kitchen and churchgoers expected to “stand up and help sing the last hymne.” Miss Freida Formcan of Washington Street displayed a century-old translucent Chinese vase with rose, blue, and gold flowers, while Miss Helga Paterson of Marion Avenue showed an orange-preserved Chinese leaf used as a bookmark.

Rounding out the presentations, Mr. William Upham of Marion Avenue—president of the national Upham Family Society and a historical society board member—showed a photo of the 1703 Upham family house in Belmont, which the society is restoring as a national memorial to James B. Upham, author of the Pledge of Allegiance. Mrs. Upham exhibited a facsimile of the first printed newspaper, the Boston News Letter, while Mrs. Albin Parker of Day Street presented two century-old cups, including one of bronze lustreware. Finally, Mr. Albin Parker, custodian of the Day House, displayed an intricate family sampler dating back to his great-grandfather born in 1782, recording the births, deaths, and lineage of his ancestors.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Norwood Messenger