Acton Memorial Library
Civil War Archives

 

HAS LEAD FOR 25 YEARS
Frank Stevens, Stow’s Grand Old Man, One of Four G.A.R. Veterans Now Left in Town, Has Been Active in Preparations Despite His 85 Years

    Stow, May 29- Frank Stevens, the grand old man of this village, will be in command this year of the patriotic services at Town Hall and memorial services at the cemeteries. As one of the four G.A.R. veterans of the town, he was chosen commander of the patriotic societies again this year and the youthful war veterans, Spanish War veterans. Boy and Girl Scout troops will march under his command as did the Civil War veterans years ago when as commander of Isaac Davis Post G.A.R. of Acton, he was among the first to visit the cemeteries and wreathed the graves with laurels.
     Born in Boxboro, June 11, 1830, Mr. Stevens will reach his 85th milestone in a few days. He moved to Stow while a child and has lived here ever since. He served in the Civil War with the 26th Massachusetts Infantry, has been commander of the Isaac Davis Post and is now a member of Hudson Post, G.A.R. Stow [...ns] for years have decorated in the [g... ] in their

 

 

 

 

    

 

own town and always under the command of Mr. Stevens [ ] is a town affair, this Memorial Day observance, and nearly every one participates. After the march to the cemeteries the marchers break ranks at the Town Hall where a fine home-cooked meal is served. “We want every one to join in the Memorial Day exercises,” says Mr. Stevens, “and about everyone does. And we all sit down together like a happy family at a collation after coming back from the cemetery.”
     Mr. Stevens has had a busy week preparing for Memorial Day, and one of his duties has been to work with a group of ladies in organizing his quartermaster’s department to have ready enough good things to eat for all at the Town Hall Memorial Day.
     In civil and political life Mr. Stevens has always been active and prominent. He served the town of Stow as treasurer for 20 years, was a Selectman for more than 10 years, and was moderator for more than a score of years. He still is treasurer of the Randell Fund, a trust of 160,000 left to the town. “Folks are satisfied I am safe in charge of this fund, as I am not apt to run,” says Commander Stevens. He has known personally nearly every public official, in this section of the State for nearly half a century, through his political interest as chairman of the Stow Republican Town Committee and as a member of the district committee of his party .
     Mr. Stevens is of old Puritan stock that settled in Marlboro. He and his wife live in what is known as the center village. Mrs. Stevens has passed 80 and while not so active the past year, is still interested in affairs. She reads the Globe every day. Mr. Stevens says he has one son and he is in prison and likely there for life. He refers to the purchasing agent of Charlestown State Prison, Eugene C. Stevens, who lives in Medford Hillside.