The Old Colony Club In The Twentieth Century
As
the world moved through the Edwardian era towards the Great War,
the older generation still hearkened back to what was then the
"real war" (1861-1865). On April 15, 1911, the Club
chose to honor the first Massachusetts men who had responded to
Lincoln's call for volunteers, the "Minute Men of `61"
(3rd Reg. Mass.). The guests were the Plymouth survivors of this
regiment, including Capt. Charles C. Doten, Augustus H. Fuller,
George H. Chase, John H. Martin, Lyman Dixon, Jacob H.
Southworth, Albert E. Davis, Charles H. Holmes and Rufus H. Pope.
For half an hour the
club members greeted and entertained their guests. At eight
o'clock the committee, each escorting one of the guests, then
led the way down stairs to the grill room which was decorated
with flags and bunting. The guests were seated at the head
table, Hon. Arthur Lord presiding, and a most excellent
dinner was enjoyed. The Plymouth Male Quartet led with a
patriotic song, and Mr. Lord welcomed the old soldiers and
spoke of Plymouth history and patriotism in the Revolutionary
period and during the Civil War. On behalf of the club Mr.
Lord requested Capt. Doten to relate the story of how the
Plymouth Minute Men went to war which was very interesting
and entertaining. Before leaving the table, Capt. Doten as a
memento of the occasion presented to the club a copy of the
History and Complete Roster of the Massachusetts Regiment
Minute Men of 61 who responded to the first call of President
Lincoln Apr. 15, 1861 to defend the flag and Constitution of
United States compiled by Col. Geo W. Mason of the 5th
Regiment. It is a valuable and very interesting book
containing with histories of each regiment and company a
large number of portraits of the men who served in their
ranks. While the book was the gift of Capt. Doten, much of
value was added to it by the inscription on the fly leaf of
the names written by themselves, of the guests of the
evening, each adding his age, the average age being more than
75 years; the oldest being 89 and the youngest 69.
Clark's Orchestra
furnished music for the occasion and at a late hour the
guests and members of the club left for their homes well
satisfied with the manner of celebration. (The book is still
in the Club library.)
In 1913 physical
improvements were again called for: new wallpaper and paint,
hardwood floors, sheathing in the cellar and the installation of
"modern plumbing." This necessitated an increase in the
admission fee, and the number in each category of membership,
Active and Non-Resident, was raised to 125. A new basement
banquet hall was installed, where previously the meals were both
cooked and served on the first floor. The Old Colony Memorial
account of the 1915 meeting is an interesting snapshot of the
Forefathers' Day festivities in the new hall just before the
First World War:
BY THE OLD COLONY CLUB
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Celebration of Its 145th Anniversary a
Most Happy Event
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The anniversary of
the Old Colony Club is on the 22d of December, the
organization dating back to 1769, and then being founded to
honor the memory of our Pilgrim Forefathers and to observe
the day of Landing on Plymouth Rock. The Club did observe
Dec. 22, 1769, as "Forefathers' Day" by a dinner
and appropriate exercises held at the inn of Thomas
Southworth Howland, which stood in those times near the head
of North street on the site of the house now owned by Dr.
W.G. Brown.
The Club's
headquarters were in Old Colony Hall next to the Town House,
and in the rear of and immediately adjoining what is now the
provisions market of Everett T. Harlow, access being had from
Market street as now to the residence of Mrs. Charles Holmes,
which has taken the place of the Hall.
Discovery that an
error of a day was made in fixing the date of the Landing
from adding 11 days to Dec. 11th, old style instead of 10
days to conform properly to new style, has made no difference
to the Old Colony Club. The 22d was established as its day of
celebration 145 years ago, and it is going to stay so.
In accordance
therewith last Tuesday evening the 22d inst., the Club held
its regular annual meeting and received reports and
transacted usual business except putting over the choice of
officers until the next monthly meeting. These routine
matters being disposed of, the large company of members which
had assembled repairedto the rooms below and sat down to a
most excellent succotash supper prepared by Club steward Geo.
L. Gray, a most competent chef which the Club fortunately
possesses. Capt. E. B. Atwood, the president, made a short
address when the plates were removed, and then asked Judge
Harry B. Davis to act as toastmaster. The Judge is happily
adapted to such a position and very nicely introduced Hon.
Robert O. Harris as the guest of the Club. Judge Harris'
address, of course, related to the Pilgrim Period, but was
out of the usual course of eulogy and co-related matters of
our times with the principles of the Pilgrim foundation. He
is an easy, fluent talker and the Club was greatly pleased
with what he had to say, giving him rounds of applause at the
conclusion.
The toastmaster read
a telegram from Hon. Joseph Walsh of New Bedford, Congressman
elect from this district who was obliged to remain at another
gathering in his resident city. Hon. Arthur Lord, president
of the Pilgrim Society, spoke very entertainingly of an
incident of Pilgrim history relating how Squanto, a Plymouth
Indian, had been treacherously captured and carried to Spain,
where he was placed in slavery some years before the coming
of the Pilgrims. Escaping to England he there learned the
language and customs and fortunately returned to Plymouth in
time to be the interpreter and staunch friend to the Pilgrims
and undoubtedly through his influence with the aboriginal
race preserved the Colony from serious disaster, if not
extermination. Capt. C.C. Doten spoke briefly, and then the
company standing sang "America," and adjourned to
the parlors.
An efficient
committee headed by W.M. Douglass, had provided professional
entertainers from Boston, and with music, song and story, the
hours were most pleasantly passed. An extra of the program
was volunteered by the corps of colored waiters who sang
sentimental songs and peculiar southern melodies in excellent
style. The occasion was one of the best of the Club
celebrations of Forefathers' Day."
When the United States
finally entered the war, the Club as usual was among the first to
do its patriotic duty. The German government declared on February
1, 1917 that it would sink all ships in the western North
Atlantic, neutral or belligerent. Even before war was declared on
April 5, Massachusetts had appropriated a million dollars to
equip the State's new National Guard of 9,171 men. Guard
recruitment began in earnest (following the recruitment needs of
the Regular Army) for another 6,000 troops, and when it became
evident that the National Guard would be taken into Federal
service, a second "State Guard" of 9,000 men was formed
to take care of safety at home.
On July 25th, the
Massachusetts Guard got the call. Tents for the troops were
erected on the playing field behind Nathaniel Morton School for
Plymouth's Company D (the old Standish Guards) of the 5th
Massachusetts, who elected officers under the direction of Old
Colony Club member Major Charles H. Robbins. As news of the
impending departure of Company D as part of the 101st Infantry
became known, the Old Colony Club decided to organize a farewell
banquet for the troops and other local enlisted men. A special
meeting was held on July 30, 1917, at which a motion by William
P. Libby was passed to create a committee of five members
(William Douglas, George L. Gooding, H.E. Mabbett, Major Robbins
and President Robert Harlow) to organize "entertainment in
the honor of the departure of the Standish Guards and other
enlisted men of the Town on war service".
It was decided to assess
each member $5.00 towards the costs, and $465 was raised. The
remainder after expenses was to be contributed to the Standish
Guards fund — this being the munificent sum of one dollar
and thirty-six cents!
The banquet was held at
the Hotel Pilgrim on August 3, 1917. Special cars were hired on
the Brockton and Plymouth Street Railway to transport people to
the hotel. The large dining room was decorated with fresh flowers
and American flags. 160 guests attended, including 92 Old Colony
Club members, at a cost of $240. George Gooding provided 150
souvenirs, $20.20 was paid for 600 packages of cigarettes and 200
after-dinner "Overland Puritanos" cigars.
The most intriguing
feature, however, was the entertainment. The White Entertainment
Bureau of Boston supplied for $75 a Mr. Phillips, a Miss Hill and
"four cabaret girls". They were later put up at the
Samoset House for the night, along with several guests. Also two
of the hotel guests, Mrs. Richard Percy and Mrs. Caroline
Mihr-Hardy, assisted in the entertainment. Unfortunately, no
description survives of what occurred.
In 1917, dues were
remitted for those members who were in the Armed Services. On
"April 19th, the occasion of the Preparedness Day, the Club
turned out as a body on parade for the first time in its history.
While we were handicapped by the draft of our members for other
institutions we made a credible showing and drew forth the
applause of the spectators along the line of march.
Lieutenant-Governor Coolidge was a guest of the Club after the
exercises on the Training-Green." The Club held a Victory
Smoker on November 29, 1918 (a new cigar stand having been
installed the year before) and a second Smoker was given for the
returning soldiers on June 2, 1919.
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