By Elizabeth S. Peterson

An informal paper given to the Evening Alliance, May 12, 1960

On February 5, 1873, a group of women in Duxbury organized the Unitarian Aid Society, its purpose as set forth in its By Laws being “to raise by industry of its members funds for charitable purposes.” Fee for membership was five cents, dues one cent each meeting, and there was to be five cent fine if one was absent or engaged in sewing for herself. The officers chosen were President, Mrs. Jonathan Ford; Vice President, Mrs. Stephen Gifford; Secretary, Miss Lucy Hathaway; and Treasurer, Mrs. George Nickerson. Mrs. Ford, very handsome to look upon and a good presiding officer, was the wife of the proprietor of the Fords’ Store, and her daughters were Miss Harriet and Miss Florence. Mrs. Gifford, also beautiful and gracious, was the mother of Miss Mary, whom we all remember. Her husband was for many years clerk of the Massachusetts Senate. Miss Lucy Hathaway was later on donor of the Washington Street Parish House. Mrs. Nickerson was the grandmother of Miss Ethel and Miss Bessie Green of Cedar Street.

Meetings of this society were held on Thursday evenings in rotation at the homes of members; every third week a picnic was enjoyed. The number of members the first year was twenty-three and average attendance nineteen. A list is given of the work done in 1873: One tumbler quilt, one brick-work quilt, one crib quilt, one quilt with pattern of State House steps, two nightdresses, and two aprons on order, and sewing for the festivals of May Day and at the Christmas season. The Society picked in the fall over ten barrels of cranberries for John S. Loring. Funds were also raised by coffee parties, a sheet and pillowcase party, a super put on for the Masons, and by knotting and quilting comforters (50 cents and $1.25).

In late 1874, through the kindness of N. W. Thayer who lived in what was later the Train residence, the ladies met in “The old Levi Sampson house” (now owned by Marshall Dwinnell). A dancing party was held here to usher in the New Year, 1875.

It was soon determined to save all accumulated funds for the purchase of a new public hall, much needed since the hall in Partridge Academy was not very accessible and not always available. To further this civic purpose, a committee of four gentlemen, John S. Loring Chairman, were chosen to assist with the advice and empowered to act as agents for purchase.

Mrs. Nickerson, the Treasurer, and Mrs. Kate Delano canvassed the village to see how much would be given towards a hall. In November 1874 negotiations were under way leading to the purchase of the building which later became our Washington Street Parish House.

It was at first a large shed, situated in the old shipyard near the Blue Fish River bridge, on the south and east side of the river and bridge, and was used in earlier days to house timber for vessels at the Levi Sampson yard. It had been bought by Peleg Brooks, the stagecoach driver to Boston, and moved up the hill to its present location where he used it for a stable and shed. Mr. Brooks sold the property in 1871 to Hiram Randall who in turn, on December 22, 1874, deeded it to John S. Loring and others, acting as agents of the Unitarian Aid Society. A note for $1000 was given to Mr. Randall.

Unfortunately there are no records giving details of renovation. The building had at any rate been habitable and somewhat attractive by June 30, 1876, when the Hall was formally opened by a Grand Ball. It was at first proposed that it might be called Centennial Hall, due to the influence of the exposition in Philadelphia of this year. Then the name Duxborough Hall was adopted and later the spelling was changed to the present form. The dedication ball was preceded by a reception and literary exercises from seven to nine and dancing followed from nine to twelve. The ministers of the Unitarian and Pilgrim Churches gave addresses, Stephen Gifford presiding. Miss Lulie Sargent, who visited St. George Street where Mrs. Channing Robinson now lives, sent an original poem, without which no such occasion was then considered complete. Proceeds were $43 to be used for new lamps. Several friends gave a total of $105 for a book-case, a table, and other furnishings. Through the interest of Miss Olive Sampson a piano was purchased from the McPhail Company of Boston for $275, the regular price being $700. The ladies had on hand at this date, August 2, 1876, $62. Mrs. George Fod lent $200 to be returned as convenient and the records read “$13 to be raised somehow before Monday!” On August 9 and 10 of this year $280 was made at a fair and a series of summer socialables was held. On December 19, 1876 a meeting was called for the purpose of incorporation; George A. Green acted as Clerk pro-tem and officers were named, with Mrs. Sarah J. Cushman, President. Name of the corporation, Ladies Unitarian Aid Society. Purpose: “To erect and maintain a public hall to be used for lectures and the establishment and maintenance of a public library.” There are detailed provisions for membership and voting.

Since the association had now become a legal body, on February 2, 1877 it was received from John S. Loring and others a quitclaim deed to the Duxbury Hall property and the corporation was able to borrow from Sullivan Sawin of Pembroke $2400 at 7% and to give a mortgage deed. The former owner, Mr. Randall, was paid $1000 and $9.71 interest due, and a firm in which Mr. Loring was a partner was paid $1384 for work and materials of renovation. N. Ford and Sons received $181.50. In all the property had cost $2565 besides sums spent for the piano and other equipment. We have to remember that in 1877 $3000 was not a small expenditure and the members of the corporation were more endowed with public spirit and perseverance than with worldly goods. They had a hard road ahead in paying their note for $2400.

They went briskly to work. In the summer of 1877 four dancing parties and seven entertainments were given in the hall. The Duxbury Brass Band was allowed to practice once a week in the dining hall at $1.00 a session. Singing School was held in the fall; dishes were bought and catering done for the Yacht Club Ball.

The lending library was open from 3:30 to 8:30pm week days. Members of the organization were allowed to take about books for an annual fee of 50 cents. Rental to outside patrons, I think, was one cent per day.

Beginning in 1877 and continuing for several years, the secretary was Miss Mary Goodspeed, who lived in the house near the corner of Chapel Street, now owned by the Kents. She kept lively records of the small doings of the organization. Some extracts follow: “On January 31, 1878, the ladies entertained at tea two of the men members of the corporation, Mr. Dick Gaines and Mr. Lawrence Wilde. Unhappily, the beverage, by variety, was slightly flavored with kerosene.” Mr. George Penniman, having been engaged to lecture on the topic “Newspapers and Newspaper Men,” the Duxbury Band was asked to play selections “to enliven the same.”

On March 7, since there was also a meeting of the Martha Washington Society, the “Sodomites” are recorded as absent. This term is not used with the Biblical significance, as the section of Duxbury village around the corner of Surplus and Washington Streets was for a long time known as Sodom.

Terms for letting the hall are recorded:
For an all night ball to parties in town $10
Evening entertainment $5. Use of piano $1. Scenery 50 cents
For travelling show, per evening $7

On February 7, 1879, the ladies who met for sewing served for supper at 5:30 huckleberry pie and blanc mange and “Angie had a terrible time with the dishes.” (Angie Joyce became Mrs. Wilde and the mother of Miss Zipah).

At the meeting of January 22, 1880 it was decided “to buy from Mrs. Edmund Winslow the table we had been using, for which we are to make two bedquilts, 2 1/2 yards square.” Sewing that afternoon was on cabbage nots and dish mops. In March 1880 a new air-tight stove was bought for the ladies’ room and hard wood was ordered “the first we have had to buy.” April 8, Fast Day Holiday was observed. The September 9th meeting was postponed on account of Cattle Show.

In December 1881 “we found that since the formation of our Society (October 1873) we have taken in $4,333.50.” In January 1882 “we paid our interest to Mr. Sawin and $800 the principal, giving him a new note for $1600 at six percent for five years.”

On July 6 all adjourned to see the fireworks on Mr. Loring’s hill.

At the summer fair of 1883 “Miss Mary Gifford and Miss Caroline Delano had a coffee room which was very pretty and successful. The young ladies had a harlequin quadrille in the evening. We made $140.”

In September, “Miss Olive Sampson got up a Nose party from which we received $17.”

At about this time a show-case was purchased in which members placed on sale small articles for the benefit of the Society. This enterprise brought in a surprising amount of money.

In February 1884 it is recorded that the Rural Society is very much vexed because they could not have the hall without paying.

In January 1885 for $5 a hanging lamp was purchased for the south room and $1.15 spent for a lantern in the entry. On March 19 “we worked by the GLORY of the new lamp, rightly named Sunburner.”

In the year 1884 the library bought thirty-six bound volumes. Someone gave “Seasides,” a paper for boys and girls.

In 1886, through Mrs. Lucy Nickerson Morris, then resident in Japan, a consignment of china and other articles was imported. For some time a battle raged over payment of duty of $3.12, since the ladies felt that their organization was entitled to exemption. A letter was written to the Secretary of the Treasury, Washington, D.C.

In 1887 $400 more was paid on the mortgage, now reduced to $1200 at five percent. In this year Mrs. Jerusha F. Hathaway joined the corporation, on which the members gave three cheers and a Tiger! A wardrobe to be made into a book-case was bought from Mrs. Witherell who lived next door. “We got it into the hall from her house by ending it, over and over.”

We read that Mr. Evans of Boston is putting up a new stage scenery in the Hall. “We have a parlor and a kitchen scene and a painted drop curtain, costing us $75. We hope with this new equipment to rent the hall more easily.”

In 1890 a stroke of good fortune came to the Society. Mr. Henry Hathaway, uncle of Miss Lucy and Miss Jerusha had died, leaving the ladies a sum more than sufficient to discharge the mortgage. This was done on October 22, 1890.

Before we turn to the latter days of Duxbury Hall, it may be of interest to list some of the entertainments local and by travelling troupes which were presented in its walls. We find lectures by Reverent Mr. Knapp of Plymouth and Duxbury; Rev. Warren Cudworth of East Boston; Mrs. Mary A. Livermore (former teacher in Duxbury); and several on the theme of spiritualism. There were rallies of the WCTU and an Hypnotic session. Georgia Minstrels and a troupe called the Black Diamonds, several appearances of the Texas Jubilee Singers, and four presentations in the late 80s and early 90s of Uncle Tom’s Cabin. There was a performance (local I think) of Pinafore and also one of “A Trial by Jury.” Comical Brown (a popular comedian) is listed again and again. I was not old enough to attend most of these performances. Father and Mother approved, however, of the real artistry of the Spaulding Bell Ringers, who also played on water glasses and, if I remember so far back correctly, on an instrument resembling a xylophone. Their director was Mrs. Georgie Dean Spaulding, a lovely stately lady who made friends wherever she went. One travelling troupe had scheduled Little Lord Fauntleroy, to which several of us children were allowed to go and eagerly went, only to find that the Irish play, Kathleen Mavourneen, had been substituted (due, no doubt, to difficulties of adapting the space and scenery). We were entranced by this drama of maiden innocence betrayed (so far as we could follow it) and our disapproving mothers were a little consoled when it all turned out to be a dream.

In 1883 Mr. Wood, by way of variety, had a skating rink in the Hall. Occasionally the ladies had trouble collecting payment from travelling troupes and sometimes had applications from unsuitable clients. The Kickapoo Indians who camped on a vacant lot on Sunset Road were not allowed to rent the hall for their medicine show and the sale of their sovereign remedy, Sagwa.

As to the lending library, I can remember my mother sending me with a note and pennies clutched in my fist, to exchange her books. She read the novels of Mary J Holmes and Augusta Evans, as well as romances by E P Roe. There were medical and scientific books. There were bound volumes of Harpers books of Travel and Geography, the Atlantic, and Godey, and magazines for children, including the beloved Chatterbox and St. Nicholas.

By 1895, with the building of G.A.R. and Mattakeesett Halss, there was less opportunity for rental and the dining room of the ha was let to the town for school purposes. From September 1895 to April 1903, grammar school grades, under Mr. Nathan T. Soule, were instructed there. Rental appears to have been, at least at first, $75 for the school year.

School desks were removed in July 1903 and perhaps installed in the new green school house in the Village. The public library on St. George Street had been thirteen years in operation. Plans were under away for the disposal of the property.

On January 2, 1904, by vote of the corporation, the building and land were sold to Miss Lucy Hathaway and deeded by her to the First Parish, Duxbury, the hall to be used as a Parish House.

Steps were taken for the dissolution of the corporation and the disposal of its assets. It was hoped that the funds remaining in the Treasury, $1263, plus the $2000 purchase money, might be divided among the few living members of the corporation, some of whom were in straitened circumstances. An earlier opinion by Benjamin F. Butler approved this procedure, but Herbert Parker, Attorney General of Massachusetts, in 1903, held that the charter of incorporation imposed a trust that monies must be given for a purpose outlined by the charter. This was a bitter disappointment. Since the corporation had never contributed to the First Parish and was Unitarian only in that its members were of that church, funds could not be turned over to that body. As a final decision, one of the charter purposes having been to promote a library, permission was given to establish a Duxbury Hall Fund of $3000 at the Duxbury Free Library, and in May 1905 this amount was turned over to its treasurer, Herbert E. Walker. The expense of settlement took the remaining $263. Library books and some furnishings were given to the Sewing Circle of the First Parish. The corporation was declared dissolved in June 1905.

So ended this small but significant enterprise of a band of Duxbury women. The members of the Ladies Unitarian Aid Society still living entered into the activities of the Unitarian Parish House and rejoiced in its usefulness as a social center for our church. It served us well from the Spring of 1904 to the Fall of 1958. It would be interesting to hear the comments of the secretary, Miss Goodspeed, on the luxury and commodiousness of its successor, the Elder Brewster Parish House!