This is part of a series on Lafayette’s visit to Massachusetts August 23, 1824 to September 3 1824.
The Company of Washington Guards under command of Pliny Wetherbee met Lafayette at the Stow-Acton line and escorted him and SVS Wilder of Bolton to the Gardner Tavern opposite the historic Lower Common where he was served dinner.
Squire Rufus Hosmer was the marshal of the day. All the houses were illuminated a tar barrel bonfire was lighted on the Common. The Washington guards were drawn up with the flag that was recently presented to them.
Pliny Wetherbee was a famous musician and member of the Boston brass band.
The town of Stow commemorated the Sesquicentennial of Lafayette’s visit in 1974.
There is an account of the visit in the town history compiled in 1933 for the town’s 250th anniversary.
“One of the red letter days of the town was September 2, 1824, when the Marquis de Lafayette passed from Concord, through Stow, to Bolton. It was nearly sunset when he left Concord, and quite dark when he arrived at the lower village, where he was met by a military company, commanded by Capt. Pliny Wetherbee, grandfather of John H. Wetherbee, of Homestead Farm. For an hour or so there was a general reception at the “Gardner Inn,” on the south side of the highway at Stow Old Common.
Squire Russell, father of Levi Miles, the latter a soldier wounded in the Mexican War, was landlord where dinner was served. Hon. Rufus Hosmer, whose home was just across the Common, was the marshal of the day, or rather evening, as it was seven o’clock when they arrived at “Gardner Inn” and all the houses were brilliantly lighted; a tarbarrel bonfire was lighted on the Common. It is said that General Lafayette complimented the company on their appearance. Miss Abigail Soper, the daughter of Jacob Soper the blacksmith, presented him with a bouquet, and the General, in true French style, stooped and kissed her on both cheeks. It is said, that several years later, when this fact was mentioned in the presence of the Rev. Mr. Moulton, the latter quietly remarked, “As I remember Abigail Soper, she was a very ugly old woman, and it would have taken a hero of several wars to have kissed her on even one cheek.” Miss Soper was about 16, at the time of Lafayette’s visit. The flag they carried had been presented to the Washington Guards the previous year and inscribed on the flag is: “Presented by the ladies of Stow, 1823.” This would seem to be the first record of a “Woman’s Association” in Stow.”
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In this connection, the account of Lafayette’s visit in the historical address of Gen. John L. Swift at Stow’s Bi-centennial celebration, May 16, 1883, is of much interest. He said, “Another remarkable thing was the visit of Lafayette to this town in 1824. For one hour Stow had the hero entirely to itself. It was a day of much expectation and excitement for this usually undisturbed place. With us (1883) are the solid and substantial citizens whose years but add to the respect due to their character and standing, who made part of the military escort to receive the distinguished visitor on his way from Boston to Bolton.
Calvin Hale and Mark Whitcomb did duty as soldiers on that animated occasion when roar of cannon and unfurled flag and stirring music and huge bonfires and military parade greeted the almost idolized foreigner. Stow emphasized the words of Everett with regard to the guest of the nation, “Wheresoever, throughout the limits of the Continent your course shall take you, the ear that hears you shall bless you; the eye that sees you shall bear witness to you and every tongue exclaim with heartfelt joy, “Welcome, welcome, Lafayette.” Thus did Stow welcome the companion and friend of Washington. As he did not leave Concord till sunset it was late when Lafayette reached here and one of your residents remembers lighting the lamps as he approached the town.
The son of the keeper of the tavern where Lafayette received the people, a wounded soldier of the Mexican War, Levi Miles, is now living and can give as lively an account of the Lafayette handshaking as he can of his adventure in capturing a famous General.
The marshall of the day was Rufus Hosmer, classmate at Harvard with Chief Justice Shaw and Washington Allston. The free-hearted hospitality of Squire Hosmer was known the country round and we can well imagine that his elegant mansion, with its swell front and capacious dining-hall with elevated galleries for music and its painted walls adorned with landscapes and figures nearly life size, was blazing with lights and brilliant with the grace and beauty of Stow in honor of the grand festivity. Squire Hosmer’s daughter, Mrs. John Cheney, one of the notable women of Concord, was born here. When Lafayette arrived at the residence of Sampson Wilder at Bolton, it was ten o’clock at night and attended by a cavalcade carrying flambeaux, he passed under an illuminated arch which bore the words: “GREAT JEHOVAH!! WASHINGTON!! LAFAYETTE!!” The reception at Stow was cordial and enthusiastic but did not aspire to that climax of adoration that Bolton seems to have achieved.”
Mrs. Susan M. Lawrence in her paper on Lafayette, given before the Stow Woman’s Association, on “Colonial Afternoon” 1924, the one hundredth anniversary of his visit, thus speaks of his visit and reception at Stow: “At Concord the general was met by Sampson Wilder of Bolton, and at the conclusion of the exercises was driven to the StowActon line, where the Washington Guards of Stow, under command of Pliny Wetherbee (who was said to have greatly resembled Lafayette) waited his arrival. Two of the members of the company were Calvin Hale and Mark Whitcomb. They met the party and escorted them to the Gardner Inn on the south side of the highway to the Stow Lower Common. Squire Russell, or father of Levi Miles, was landlord where dinner was served. Squire Rufus Hosmer, whose home was just across the Common, was marshal of the day, or rather evening, as it was seven o’clock when they arrived at the hotel. All the houses were brilliantly lighted; a tar-barrel bonfire was lighted on the Common. It is said that General Lafayette complimented the company on their appearance. The flag they carried had been presented to the Guards the previous year and it is inscribed on the flag: “Presented by the patriotism of the ladies of Stow, 1823.”
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For information on the bicentennial of Lafayette’s tour check out lafayette200.org.