Dow presented with Boston Post Cane
By Stuart Hedstrom
Staff Writer
DOVER-FOXCROFT — In recognition of being the eldest resident of Dover-Foxcroft Beryl Dow — who turned 99 in April — was presented with the Boston Post Cane by town officials and the Dover-Foxcroft Historical Society during a ceremony on June 29 at her West Main Street home.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
THE MOST SENIOR CITIZEN OF DOVER-FOXCROFT — Ninety-nine-year-old Beryl Dow was presented with Dover-Foxcroft’s Boston Post Cane, signifying her as the community’s oldest resident, during a ceremony at her home on West Main Street June 29. Pictured with Dow are, from left, Board of Selectmen Vice Chair Cindy Freeman Cyr, Dover-Foxcroft Historical Society President Mary Annis and Town Clerk Lisa Niles.
Joined by her son and daughter-in-law Mac and Georganne Dow, Dow was given a framed certificate by Town Clerk Lisa Niles and a replica Boston Post Cane by Dover-Foxcroft Historical Society President Mary Annis. The original Dover-Foxcroft Boston Post Cane is on display at the historical society’s Observer Building Museum and soon a picture of Dow will join the cane.
Past Boston Post Cane honorees in Dover-Foxcroft include Eva D. Smith, who turned 100 in 2000; Edith M. Pinkerton, on the occasion of her 100th birthday in 2002; Dorothy F. Greenlaw, who turned 100 in 2005; Bernard C. Bishop, who celebrated his 100th birthday in 2007; Mary (Hughes) Stuart in 2008 soon after she turned 101; Leona LaPointe Crawford, who received the cane a few days after she celebrated her 100th birthday in 2010; Alice Shepardson, who was presented with the cane at the age of 101 in 2012; Madelyn Betts, shortly before she turned 102 in 2014; and the then 101-year-old Corinne Noyes in late 2014.
The cane was manufactured especially to be the Boston Post Cane for Dover-Foxcroft by J.F Fradley & Co. of New York out of carefully selected ebony from the African Congo. The head is made of 14 karat rolled gold engraved with the words “Presented by the Boston Post to the oldest citizen of Dover-Foxcroft.”
The tradition of presenting a cane to the oldest member of a community started in 1909 when Boston Post publisher Edwin A. Grozier forwarded 700 of the items to towns across New England. According to the Boston Post Cane website (ttp://canequest.com/boston-post.asp), the gold-headed ebony cane with the request that it be presented with the compliments of The Boston Post to the oldest male citizen of the town, to be used by him as long as he lives (or moves from the town), and at his death handed down to the next oldest citizen of the town. The cane would belong to the town and not the man who received it. In 1930 cane eligibility was extended to women.
Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom
HOLDING THE BOSTON POST CANE — Beryl Dow, 99, is the current holder of Dover-Foxcroft’s Boston Post Cane, signifying her as the community’s eldest resident. Dow is pictured at her West Main Street home with her son and daughter-in-law Mac and Georganne Dow.