Concord.—Waldo Chaplin the last surviving Grand Army man in Concord and well known retired business man, died Saturday night at the hospital at the Soldier's Home in Chelsea following a shock which he suffered Tuesday.
Mr. Chaplin was born in Acton on August 28, 1846 son of William and Sophia (Lawrence) Chaplin. He attended the Acton schools and was working on his father's farm up to the time he ran away to enlist¹ in the Union forces in the Civil War, serving in Co. E, 6th Massachusetts Infantry. Shortly after the close of the war he married Harriett Ward of Winchester in Ashburnham. Later Mr. and Mrs. Chaplin moved to West Concord, then Concord Junction, where for many years he conducted a livery stable business in which his son Winfield E. Chaplin was associated with him. Mr. Chaplin was a member of the Isaac Davis Post, G. A. R., of Acton; Maynard Lodge I. O. O. F. and the Knights of Pythias of Maynard. He was recently made an honorary member of Corp. Ralph P. Hosmer Camp, U. S. W. V. He was a prominent and honored figure in the Memorial Day parade in Concord and in the recent Night Before the Fourth parade in West Concord.
He leaves his son, Winfield E. Chaplin with whom he made his home at 81 Commonwealth avenue West Concord and two daughters, Mrs. John Miller of Staten Island, N. Y., and Mrs. Pearl Loomer of West Concord, four grand children and eleven great grandchildren, also a brother, Herman Chaplin of West Acton.
The funeral was held yesterday at the West Concord Union church with full military honors.
He was buried with full military honors in Mt. Hope cemetery, West Acton, yesterday afternoon. The flags of the town were at half-staff.
A military escort, Corp. Ralph P. Hosmer Camp, United Spanish War Veterans, Captain Herbert E. Berry, Commander James J. Mansfield Post, American Legion, Vice Commander Russell F. Parsons commanding a firing squad and buglers from Company [H], 182nd Infantry, M. N. G., in command of Sergeant John W. Hagerty, Jr. and West Concord Boy Scouts Scoutmaster Albert MacWilliams, accompanied the body to the West Concord and Union Church where the religious services were conducted by the minister, Rev. Alfred Wheeler Stone.
Deacon John R. MacKenzie sang “Beautiful Isle of Somewhere” and “Abide With Me,” with Miss Nina Ruble at the organ.
The Odd Fellows burial service was conducted by Maynard Lodge, I. O. O. F., Hugo Matson, Acting Noble Grand; Clifford Cheney, Acting Vice Grand; Ralph I. Jones, Acting Chaplain.
Two of the three [sic]² surviving members of the Isaac Davis Post, G. A. R., of Acton, to which Mr. Chaplin belonged, although he was a resident of West Concord, attended the funeral. They were George L. Towne, the commander, and Isaac S. Ford. Comrade [Franklin R.] Knowlton the only other living member of the post is confined to his bed.
There were many beautiful flowers. Many residents of West Concord, where Mr. Chaplin had been known for more than half a century, attended the services.
The pall bearers were Past Commanders John W. Hagerty, James N. Berry and Walter P. Blodgett of Corp. Ralph P. Hosmer Camp, U. S. W. V., Vice Commander Russell F. Parsons, Merton J. Leighton and Joseph M. Dee of James J. Mansfield Post, American Legion. |
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The body was taken to West Acton for burial in the family lot in Mount Hope cemetery. The Spanish War Camp, which took charge of the military part of the funeral, conducted the U. S. W. V. committal service, with Captain Berry, commander; Walter P. Blodgett, adjutant, and Rev. Mr. Stone, acting chaplain, officiating.
At the conclusion of the Spanish War service, the squad from Company H fired three volleys over the grave, and buglers Bernard Rushe and Walter Hanson of Company H blew taps, and the last remaining Grand Army man living in Concord has joined the ranks of that Grand Army beyond.
The military arrangements were made by Corp. Ralph P. Hosmer Camp, U. S. W. V., of which Mr. Chaplin had recently been made an honorary member with Past Commander Walter F. Blodgett in charge. |
GOLDEN WEDDING
Mr. and Mrs. Moses Thompson of Stow Greeted.
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West Acton—The many friends and relatives in this and surrounding towns were pleased to congratulate Mr. and Mrs. Moses Thompson, who celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of their marriage last Tuesday evening, at their home in Stow. They were married at East Leicester, Nova Scotia, and came to make their home in Acton forty years ago. Mr. Thompson was in charge of the Town Farm for twelve years and from there he moved to his present farm, where he has lived for the past twenty-six years.
About sixty persons were present. The home was profusely decorated with many bouquets of bright garden flowers, and the room where the happy couple received their friends was massed in yellow-gold blossoms of various flowers. Besides money, their gifts were many, being articles for the home to add to their comfort and happiness.
About three years ago, Mrs. Thompson accidentally lost her gold wedding ring and Mr. Thompson took this occasion to present her with another, and this gift coming as it did on her wedding anniversary was the “piece de resistance.” During the evening by special request, Carl Thompson (formerly tenor of the Majestic Quartette) rendered “Put On Your Old Gray Bonnet”
Refreshments of ice cream and cake were served, also punch. A very fine wedding cake, with appropriate marking and decorations of gold was the gift of Mrs. William Kinsley of Acton Center. Splendid loaf wedding cakes were made by Mrs. Thompson.
Both Mr. and Mrs. Thompson are well and active, she being sixty-eight years of age and her husband seventy-three.
The couple has had five children three of whom are now living. They are Mrs. Mabel Penny, Mrs. Ethel King and Carl Thompson of Stow. There are six grandchildren. |
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