14

St. Mary's, Crescent Street

The corner stone of the present church was blessed September 23, 1900 and the basement was ready for occupancy in December of the following year.

St. Mary's, Crescent Street

In 1916-17 the upper structure of the church was erected and the church was formally dedicated Sunday September 30, 1917.

Hall Cemetery

Hall Cemetery land was donated by Mr. James Hall and the grounds were laid out by Solomon Willard.  In June, 1841 Justin Spear, Solomon Willard and others petitioned to legally organize their association.  Their petition was granted, and the Cemetery was consecrated in the fall of 1841.  This Cemetery is still governed by the same organization.  The iron fence on the line of the street was also donated by Mr. Hall. The tall column at the left of the center of the photo is the monument erected by Mr. Willard. Mr. Hall was buried in a tomb at the right of the photo a short distance from the easterly boundary of the cemetery lot.

Quincy Family Monument

Quincy Monument in Hall Cemetery, which is of a beautiful design and admirably executed.

About this same date the land for the Catholic Cemetery was purchased directly in the rear of the church edifice and adjoining Hall Cemetery.

Entrance to St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery

This cemetery has since been enlarged by purchases of land at the north of the original ground, and this photo shows the gateway to the new portion as it was originally built.  Since this photo was taken the stone entrance has been replaced by an iron fence and gateway.

West Quincy Railroad Station

Belknap Square, at the junction of Copeland and Willard Streets, so named by a vote of the town in 1843.  In 1835, Mr. Andrew Belknap of Boston purchased of Mr. Hall, 3 ½ acres of land known as the Wigwam Quarry and two years later purchased a narrow strip of land between the driftway and the new road, now Willard Street, and in 1838 purchased the land now known as Belknap Square.  Undoubtedly, this square was named out of respect to Mr. Belknap.

The West Quincy Railroad Station erected in 1873 is here shown at the left of the photo.

Methodist Episcopal Church

Hall Place M.E. [Methodist Episcopal] Church edifice was erected in 1874 and dedicated December 15^th of the same year.  This society was organized in 1872 and services were held in Dobles Hall until the church was ready for occupancy. 

Father Samuel Kelley

This society was formed through the efforts of the Reverend Samuel Kelley, a Methodist Clergyman known and beloved throughout the town and familiarly known as Father Kelley.

Father Kelley was born in Salem, NH  February 1, 1802 and studied at the Methodist Theological Seminary at Concord NH.  He entered the ministry at the age of 22 years and after various settlements over Parishes in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, he accepted a call in 1870 as Pastor of the Methodist Church at Quincy Point.  Father Kelley died September 6, 1883 aged 81 years, 7 months, 5 days.  On September 9^th funeral services were held in the Adams Temple, City Square.

A picture of Mr. Kelley was placed in front of the pulpit and beneath this picture was the following motto of his, namely:

“I expect to pass through this world but once, if therefore there be any kindness I can show or any good thing I can do to any fellow human being let me do it now.  Let me not defer nor neglect it, for I may not pass this way again.”

These words were in blue letters upon a background of white carnations surrounded by a deep border of roses, heliotrope, carnations, geraniums, and asters. The remains were placed in the receiving tomb at Mount Wollaston Cemetery where Masonic services were held.  The burial was at Portsmouth NH in the family lot.