On October 14, 1911, the “Ladies’ alliance” threw Elizabeth Adams a birthday party. Elizabeth reached 100 years old, an unusual feat in the early 20th Century. But she is a bit of an enigma. It’s even hard to figure out her correct maiden name. Adin Ballou called her Elizabeth T. Claflin Adams in his History of Milford. But the newspaper reporting on the party said her parents were “Martin Hopestill (Hayward) Bragg,” although obviously the word “and” is missing between Martin and Hopestill’s names. Her obituary said she was Elizabeth (Thayer) Adams.
Elizabeth Thayer Claflin was born on October 13, 1811 to an eminent Milford family. She was born in Braggville “in the old Col. Bragg house on the Milford and Holliston line…she being a descendant of the famous Bragg family.” According to Ballou, Elizabeth married Abner Adams on April 1, 1830, although the newspaper account has the year as 1829 and her obituary says 1831. The couple came to Hopedale very early on, possibly as early as 1842, the first full year of Ballou’s original community. Ballou praised the couple as “deservedly enjoying the general respect.”
Elizabeth joined the original “Hopedale Sewing Circle, and Tract Society” when it began in February, 1848. She was elected an assistant to “Directress” Sylvia Bancroft in 1852, and again in 1854. But truth be told, Elizabeth rarely stands out in any of the early entries. On November 9, 1853, Elizabeth “officiated and well too as the Secretary thinks” when Sarah Thwing was ill, one of the few times much is said about her. The group met at the Adams home numerous times between 1849 and 1854. Otherwise, she seemed to have preferred to stay quietly in the background.
When the new Sewing Circle regrouped and began keeping records in 1881, “Mrs. A. Adams” is one of the women to sign on as a member. She also appears on a membership list in 1897, when she was 86 years old. Just three years later, as Elizabeth’s 90th birthday approached, the Sewing Circle took notice.
“It was also voted to give a plate, cup, and saucer to Mrs. Adams for a birthday present,” Grace Dutcher wrote on October 10, 1900. The women are caring for an elderly, but not necessarily needy, member of their group, and the plate, cup, and saucer must have been special because Elizabeth certainly already owned dishware. Elizabeth remains involved in the circle, but occasionally she also needs assistance. “Voted to have the Alliance undertake the work of furnishing a conveyance for Mrs. Adams so that she may be able to attend church,” Mabel Ambler wrote on May 31, 1905. A year later, Lilla Bancroft Bracken suggested “the Alliance remember Mrs. Abner Adams with a Christmas Gift as our esteemed & oldest member.”
In 1910, as Elizabeth’s 99th birthday approached, the Alliance held a reception in Parish Hall. “It was decided to give her a gift of money this year & a bucket was left on the table for voluntary contributions. The ladies were also asked to contribute cakes.” But when Elizabeth continued to live for another year – and quite well, according to the newspaper which noted that she “had been especially active” – celebration mode ramped up. A committee was appointed to plan the centenary party, and placed a “covered basket at the reception” for “contributions of money.”
It was quite a day. Held on Saturday, October 14, when Elizabeth was technically 100 years and 1 day old, the day started before noon “when the children of the public schools surrounded her home and rendered songs appropriate to the occasion. Mrs. Adams greeted the children, thanking them for their songs and their presence.” Around 3:00, she had a carriage ride to the church which “was decorated with autumnal foliage and cut flowers.”
Susan Whitney, by now firmly established as the town’s historian, read a “brief historical sketch,” and a biography of Elizabeth and changes she had seen over the century of her life was read by Miss Marion Welch and printed in the local newspaper.
On March 9, 1912, Elizabeth died. She had outlived Abner by 25 years and “had the honor of being the oldest resident of the town,” her obituary stated. “She had not been feeling well for several days and Saturday morning she went to bed for a nap, the end coming peacefully during sleep.”
“She had a wide circle of friends among whom she will be sincerely missed.” Elizabeth and Abner’s home at the corner of Chapel and Dutcher streets was razed the following August.
Issue Date:
March, 2020
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