At our recent Annual Show & Tell Meeting, one of our members, Mary Hampton, brought in a photo of the Malden Cadet Band established late in 1916. It was originally called the Malcon Band of Malden. The picture, taken in 1917, includes her grandfather, Henry H. Hampton. You can see him in the third row, third from the right. Mary graciously donated the original photo to the Society.

The conducter was Theron D. Perkins of Boston but he isn't in the picture. The founding directors were W.E. Brown, Chairman; Joseph Sanford, Business Manager; C. H. Goodwin, Secretary and Treasurer; Joseph Brook and George Harris. The band was active until at least the late 1920's. The Society will be attempting to identify each member and more about the history of the band. If you had a family member who was a member, some memories, documents or items related to the group that you would like to share with the Society give us a call or send us an email at info@maldenhistoricalsociety.org

The Society has completed the purchase of two paintings, one of William J. Buckminster (1813-1878), editor of The Massachsuetts Ploughman, and the other of his wife Eliza, both painted by Alfred James Wiggin, 1854, an artist based in Gloucester. The Buckminster family moved from a farm in Bradford, MA to a home on Laurel Street in the Maplewood section of Malden in 1860.

  Mr. Buckminister was born in Vassalboro, Maine, the son of William Buckminster (b. Framingham, MA 1784 -1865) and Sally (Larrabee) Buckminster (b. Malden, MA 1788-1842). In 1822, the family moved back to Framingham where the father became editor of the Boston Cultivator in 1839 and founded the Massachusetts Ploughman in October 1841.

  William J. Buckminster graduated from Harvard College in 1835. He joined his father at the Ploughman in 1841 and soon became co-editor and publisher. In or around 1845 he married a widow, Eliza E. (Eaton) Dodge (1807-1895). Eliza had four children by her first husband and two by William Buckminster. In 1860, William J. and Eliza Buckminster moved to a home on Laurel Street in Malden where they remained until Mr. Buckminster's death on March 2, 1878.