Acton Memorial Library
Civil War Archives

ARRANGED BY ACTON WOMEN
Double Celebration in the Old Town on Feb. 22

SOUTH ACTON, Feb 12—At a meeting of the Ladies' antiquarian society of this town this afternoon in the old court house, arrangements were made for an elaborate double celebration on Washington's birthday.
   Besides paying tribute to the “father of his country” the society with the cooperation of many of the townspeople proposes to honor old Luke Smith, the one living man who had a father at the North bridge when the first shot of the revolution was fired.
   The old gentleman is a veteran of the civil war and is the pride of all the people of Acton. He is the son of Solomon Smith of revolutionary fame, who, when the cornerstone of the Bunker Hill monument was laid [in 1825], although 73 years old, walked 25 miles to be present at the exercises and then walked home.
    Luke, like his father, is a patriot to the heart. When the fall of Sumter was announced he was found among the members of Co. E, Massachusetts 6th, and was with that company when it was assailed by the mob in the streets of Baltimore. He fought with such spirit that the government, when he returned home, worn out with the struggle, granted him a pension.
    He will be 82 years of age on Washington's birthday, and it is arranged to make him the guest of honor at a big banquet to be held in the vestry of the Second Congregational church. It is to take place from 2 till 4, after which throughout the evening the young people of the town will give a musical entertainment of a high order.
   Reuben L. Reed, historian of the Acton historical society, will make an address relating to the history of men from Acton who participated in the battles of the revolution, and Luther V. Tarbell, Maj. W. H. Oakes of Boston and Pres. E. A. Carter, Capt. Francis Meredith, Fred E. Burnham, Capt. W. W. Stover, and other officers of the Seventeenth of June association of Charlestown will also speak.
   During the day there will be an exhibition of historical relics, and it is expected that there will be a large number of visitors to the town. It is the intention of the committee to invite several other members of the old 6th regiment who were with Mr. Smith during the war to be guests of the society on this occasion also.

PATRIOTIC ACTON.
Old Town Has a Celebration
of Unique Character.
Birthday of G. Washington and
That of Luke Smith Observed.
Veterans Presented with Badges
and a Stirring Show Given.

SOUTH ACTON, Feb 22—The people of the town of Acton ever since the Concord fight have kept the spirit of 76 on tap, and today they drew upon it to an unusual degree.
   The handsome little Congregational church in this village was filled this afternoon by those who have inherited a spirit of patriotism from their forefathers of the revolutionary period to participate in a dual celebration. The church was handsomely decorated with banners, mottoes, flags and firearms of the period of the revolution.
   The celebration was in honor of Washington's birthday, also the birthday of Luke Smith, who is the only living son of a sire who fought at Concord, if not the only person living whose father fought in the war of the revolution.

 Mr. Smith, who was present, was the recipient of many congratulations on reaching his 82 years of life. Not only has he the proud distinction and honor of having had a father who was among those who struck the first blow for liberty, but he is a veteran of the civil war, having enlisted three times. He first went into service with Co. E, 6th regiment as orderly sergeant, served his term of enlistment, reenlisted for three years, was discharged for disability before the time for which he had enlisted had expired, then he went out again with the 100-days' men.
   The celebration of today was under the auspices of the Acton antiquarian society, which had on exhibition in tasteful arrangement about the pulpit a host of revolutionary relics. A powder horn bearing the inscription; “For Peace and Liberty am I—Joseph Chaflin, May 12, 1775.” was among the exhibits; also the gun with which Chamberlain killed Chief Porgus, 1725, the sword used by Stephen Hosmer in the revolution, a silver eagle worn by Abner Hosmer and buried with him, and many other interesting articles, including the powder horn worn by Abner Hosmer when he was killed at the old North bridge, exhibited for the first time in 40 years.
   Seated back of the pulpit today were Capt. David [sic] Tuttle and these veterans of the late war who went through Baltimore with the old 6th regiment: Edwin Tarbell, Eben Wood, A. S. Fletcher, Jonathan [sic] Fletcher, Charles Brooks, Luke Robbins, Waldo Littlefield and Abel Farrar.
   Capt. Tuttle commanded Co. E, 6th regiment, at the breaking out of the war, a company [sic] whose members were scattered in parts of Middlesex and Worcester counties. In the early evening of April 15, 1861, Col. Jones of the 6th regiment got word to Capt. Tuttle that he must report with his company at the Lowell armory the next morning at 7 o'clock.

 Capt. Tuttle reached there before the hour designated, and was the 1st company commander in the old 6th regiment to respond to the order of Col. Jones, excepting, of course, the companies which had their quarters in the Lowell armory.
   These veterans were presented with badges by Miss Emily Noyes, dressed as the goddess of liberty, and Miss Dora Barker, Miss Hattie Tuttle and Miss Ida Hapgood, who were dressed in red, white and blue respectively.
   The afternoon program was as follows: Welcome by Rev. W. R. Buxton, pastor of the Congregational church; prayer by Rev. H. W. Smith, pastor of the Universalist church, remarks by Luther Conant, president of the society, who also spoke for the members of Co. E present; music by the drum corps, presentation of the badges, singing by the scholars of the public schools, exhibition of relics, with explanations, by Luther Conant and Reuben Reed, address by Luther L. Tarbell of the Massachusetts society, Sons of American Revolution. Other addresses were by Rev. George Clark of the Worcester antiquarian society; Dr. Francis H. Brown, registrar of Massachusetts society, Sons of the American Revolution; singing by Miss Mae L. Hayden. There were remarks by E. A. Carter, Fred E. Burnham, Edward S. Barrett, president Massachusetts society, Sons of the American Revolution, Charles Cody of Charlestown.
   From 6 to 7 o'clock in the evening there was a turkey supper served in the church vestry, and in the evening there was presented in the church chapel the opera, “Pinafore of the Revolution.”
   In the cast, Will Booker appeared as George Washington, Miss Etta Cutler as Martha Washington, Miss Hattie Tuttle as “the little cherry tree.” In the chorus of continentals were A. P. Bean, Charles Campbell, Herman Tapley, Eugene Kraetzer, Walter Miner, Frank Merriam, William Merriman, Cecil Brewster, Clifton Allen. In the chorus of relics, Miss Annie Kraetzer appeared as the sword, Miss Nellie E. Banks the saber, Miss Ethel Hosmer the coat, Miss Emma Bradford the cup, Miss Mamie Owens the saucer, M. Louise Hosmer the gun, Mrs. William Fletcher the hat, and Miss Dora Owen. Incidental to the opera was singing by Miss Mae L. Hayden of Boston and readings by Miss Olive G. Barker of this village.
   The evening program was as follows: Tableaux, “Family Group at Mt. Vernon,” George and Martha Washington in miniature; reading, “The Village Gossip,” Olive Generva Barker; tableaux representing authentic portraits, song by Miss Mae L. Hayden, reading, “The Maiden Martyr,” by Miss Barker; portraits of some of the ladies of Washington's day, operetta, “Pinafore of the Revolution.”