Words + Images

I couldn’t help myself. Despite how I ended the previous post, I had to dig just a little deeper and this is what I found.

In 1902 this was the archway over the altar in Faith United Parish, then known as the Calvinistic Congregation Church. In 1904 that archway was altered to incorporate a memorial to the parents of Daniel Simonds. Simonds was the son of Abel and Jane Todd Simonds. Abel Simonds was the founder of the Simonds Manufacturing Company, a company operating and still headquartered in Fitchburg. Son Daniel was an astute businessman who led the company’s growth internationally. With his great wealth, he invested heavily in his hometown of Fitchburg and in the good works of his church.

In the April 16, 1904 issue of The Congregationalist and Christian World, Volume 89, there is a note in the Record of the Week section stating that at the Fitchburg Calvinistic Congregation Church “Choir arch redecorated and its center supplied with windows of beautiful design, the whole a gift of Daniel Simonds, in memory of his parents. They were dedicated Easter Sunday.” Unfortunately no artist or studio is named in the article.

As for mystery #2 …

Based on information gleaned from Fitchburg Sentinel newspapers from 1930, it appears that the window, named The Resurrection, was a gift to the church by Mrs. Daniel Simonds, born Ellen Gifford.

Again, no clues as to studio or artist at this time. But who knows what might be revealed one day. 🙂