Jamaica Plain Indian Association

The Protestant churches of Jamaica Plain were certainly busy with causes during the late 1900s. I don't think it is unfair to assume that groups such as this were less concerned about the bodies of the Indians than they were about their souls. In my mother's time at Central Congregational church, they were constantly raising money for the missions in China. In both cases, dreams of converting souls for Christ may have been a greater inspiration than secular altruism for their fellow man. Whatever the motive, the fact is that they did sympathize to some degree with the "less fortunate", and it's hard to criticize them for their efforts while others were doing their best to exterminate the Indians. Better Christian sympathy than no sympathy at all.


Well, it's a new year, and this is the 200th entry in this blog. It's a good deal more than I expected to produce when I started. There will be more entries, but they will be coming slower from now on. I've pretty well beaten the Boston Globe online archive to death, and new sources will require trips to the library. Wake up, people - it's time to get EVERYTHING online! Knowledge is power, and knowledge online saves gas and time.


Boston Daily Globe November 11, 1888


Friends of the Poor Indian.

The Jamaica Plain Indian Association will hold a public meeting in the Congregational church, Jamaica Plain, this evening at 7:30. The meeting will be addressed by Mrs A.S. Quinton, president of the Women's National Indian Association, and also by C.J. Eastman, a full-blooded Sioux, a graduate of Dartmouth, and a medical student in the Boston University.



November 23, 1888


Cottages for the Poor Indians.

The Jamaica Plain Indian Association fair in Curtis Hall was largely attended yesterday and evening. The articles offered for sale met with a ready acceptance, and the result at the close last evening will add materially to the fund for Indian cottages. Curtis Hall has never looked better than during this fair. The neat arrangements of the tables and decorations, together with the wigwams and bowers in the corners of the hall were pleasingly contrasted. An orchestra furnished catchy music during the evening.




October 20, 1897


Indian Sympathizers Meet.

Jamaica Plain Association Holds Its Annual Meeting.


Yesterday afternoon the Jamaica Plain Indian association held its annual meeting at the Jamaica Plain Methodist church. This society is composed of many of the leading people of the section. All the Protestant churches are represented in it. At present its membership is 159. Its object, as may be judged from its name, is pioneer work among the Indians of the west.

Rev Charles F. Dole, pastor of the Unitarian church, presided. After the secretary's report the treasurer stated that during the past year $560 had been received and $522.16 paid out. The largest amount paid out was the sum of $250 for the completion of the chapel for the Digger Indianns at Greenville Cali. Seventy dollars had been given for a scholarship at the Hampton Institute in Virginia. At Christmas time two barrels of various articles and one this summer, valued at $100 had been sent west.

The following officers were elected: Mrs A. Davis Weld, pres, Rev R.M. Hunt, Rev G.R. Grose, Rev C.F. Dole, S.B. Capen and E.W. Clark vice pres, Miss Clara Bell Gilman, sec, Miss Alelaide Howland assistant sec, Miss A.R. Manning treas. The executive committee is composed of the above officers and two delegates from the various Protestant churches.

The members from the churches are as follows: Mrs R.W. Wood and Mrs Charles G. Keyes from the Central Congregational, Mrs Macomber and Mrs J.H. Chalker from the St John Episcopal, Mrs E.N. Foss and Mrs Frank Gilson from the First Baptist, Miss A. Andrews and Mrs W.J. Day from the Universalist, Mrs H.L.Moulton and Mrs G.W. Flynn from the Methodist, and Miss E.C. Morac and Mrs Charles H. Cummings from the Unitarian.

The members are making arrangements for a fair to be given at the Unitarian parish house, corner of Centre and Eliot sts, Dec 9.