Turner's Public Spirit, June 11, 1921
A look back in time to a century ago
By Bob Oliphant
“About Town. Harold W. Hildreth started farming early this year and as a result enjoyed
green peas for dinner on Sunday, June 5.
“Dorothy Lucy Jordan died at the Lowell General hospital on last Sunday as a result of an
operation for appendicitis, at the age of 20 years. The funeral services were held at the Edson
Memorial chapel on Tuesday. Dorothy graduated from the English-business courses at Westford
academy in 1917, receiving second honors and a prize in the declamation contest….
“Children’s Day. On Wednesday the board of health held an all-day meeting at Abbot’s hall,
Forge Village. In the morning about fifty children of pre-school age were weighed and measured.
Dr. Mary Putnam of the Child Welfare Bureau, Boston, was present and ready with helpful
suggestions to mothers for the care of their children.
“The [health posters] contest has been occupying the attention of all children in the town, from
the fourth to the eighth grades, for the past two weeks. To arouse interest in the subject the board
of health offered ten dollars in prizes for the best health suggestions illustrated by a drawing….
“The posters which received the prizes or honorable mention will be on exhibition at the
library for the coming week so that those who were not able to go to Forge Village will be able to
see them.
“Edward M. and John M. Abbot, who own and operate the Park Worsted mills on
Meadowbrook street, Lowell, have leased a large space on the top floor of the Courier-Citizen
mill in the Bigelow-Hartford yard on Market street. This is known as the second mill. They will
establish there a new plant for spinning….
“Blueberries are reported all killed by frost, and strawberries are all drying up.
“Amos Polley had early peas for dinner on Wednesday, June 8. This is earlier by one week
than anything before in the valley
“Obituary. Corp. Andrew J. Boise died at his home in Chelmsford, Tuesday, June 7, aged
eighty-four years….
“The deceased was a veteran of the civil war, enlisting from West Chelmsford in Company E,
33rd Mass. Regiment, August 5, 1862…. Corp. Boise was wounded in the head at Kennesaw
Mountain, Ga. He kept a diary daily of all the incidents of camp life on the march, and the
engagements in battle. This diary he has published in a book entitled ‘Record of the 33rd
Volunteer Infantry, from August 1862, to August 1865.’ …
“Graniteville. Military Funeral. The funeral of Private Aldat J. Langley, son of Mr. and
Mrs. Joseph Langley, and a member of the 95th aero squadron, who died in France and whose
body arrived here Sunday, took place from the rooms of Westford post, A.L., at the Center,
Monday morning at nine o’clock. The flag-draped casket reposed on an army caisson from
Battery B, Lowell, that was drawn by four horses in charge of World War Veterans Charles
Robey and Fred Picking. Privates Joseph Perkins and Joseph Costello were guards of honor. The
bearers representing the army were Frank Charlton, Walter Beebe, John Healy and Walter
Blanchard, and those representing the navy were Edward T. Hanley, James McNiff, Edward
Healy and Alfred Hughes. Members of Westford post, A. L., Frank C. Johnson, commander,
accompanied the body to Graniteville, where they were met by the Abbot Worsted Co. band, and
continued through the principal streets of the town to St. Catherine’s church in West Graniteville,
where a solemn high funeral mass was celebrated by the pastor, Rev. Charles P. Heaney, with
Rev. J. Emile Dupont as deacon and Rev. John J. Linehan as sub-deacon….
“After the services in the church the line of march was again formed and the long procession
proceeded to St. Catherine’s cemetery, where the committal service for the dead was held. R. J.
McCarthy, chief ranger of Court Graniteville, F. of A. [Foresters of America], headed a large
delegation and read the Foresters’ service for the dead. He was followed by Commander Frank
C. Johnson of Westford post, A.L., who paid the final tribute to their dead comrade. A firing
squad under Sergt. Harry E. Whiting of Westford post then fired a volley over the grave. Gordon
Seavey of the Abbot Worsted Co. band sounded taps, the echo being given by Basil Larkin….
“After the services in the church, the pastor, Rev. C. P. Heaney, delivered an eloquent eulogy
on Private Langley….
“Three squads of comrades marched in the rear of the caisson in command of Comrade Harold
W. Hildreth.”
The funeral of Pvt. Aldat Joseph Langley, who died in France May 5, 1918, was held “with
full military honors” at St. Catherine’s Church June 6, 1921.