Honored as Gorham’s oldest resident of Gorham, Rev. Phillip Shearman, 98, received the Boston Cane at a ceremony Aug. 15 at the Municipal Center. Born in 1927, Shearman is a former pastor of First Parish Congregational Church and chaplain for the Gorham Fire Department. He received a replica of the Boston Cane from town clerk Laurie Nordfors and Kimberly Getchell, assistant town clerk. A new plaque engraved with Shearman’s name will be displayed at the Municipal Center along with the original gold-headed, ebony cane already on exhibit there.
In 1909, Gorham was one of 700 New England towns to receive a cane from the publisher of the Boston Post newspaper with the request that it be given to the oldest citizen in the town. “To Be Transmitted” was engraved on the head with the expectation that it would continue to be passed on. Originally only men were to be awarded the Boston Cane, but in 1930 women became eligible. The last two recipients of Gorham’s cane were Margaret Tabor in 1990 and Edna Woodward in 1992. There is no plaque recording their names, but records were kept at the Municipal Center.
The cane’s inscription reads:
PRESENTED BY THE BOSTON POST TO THE OLDEST CITIZEN OF GORHAM MAINE TO BE TRANSMITTED