Far right: Captain George M. Barnard, born 1835 in Brookline

In 1861, three young Brookline friends began forming a company of volunteers from the town to fight in the Civil War. They were Edward Wild, the young Brookline physician and ardent abolitionist; William Candler, who lived right across from Wild on Washington St.; and Charles Chandler. Daily training and drilling began and the townspeople joined in the preparations for going to war. The men also organized the “Brookline Rifles” a group of older boys, many from the high school, to prepare future recruits. The group became well-known for its proficiency in drilling and gave demonstrations throughout the state, like this one in Bridgewater. The leader of the group was sixteen-year old Moses Williams, a future town leader in Brookline and president of the State Street Trust Company.

Photographer: David T. Burrell, Bridgewater, Massachusetts

A physician who started in the practice of his physician father, Charles Wild; Brigadier-General in the Civil War who lost his left arm in the battle of South Mountain and who later commanded an African-American regiment; a swashbuckling figure in foreign escapades.

The 101st Field Signal Battalion Corps was a unit in the 26th Yankee Division of the National Guard of Massachusetts. They reported for WWI duty on July 25th, 1917. In preparation for their deployment to France, they set up camp in this open field bounded by Dummer St. and Egmont St. that was then the playground of the Noble and Greenough School (located one block to the south). In the center of the photo is the house of James and Nora Ryan at 127 Egmont St. At the extreme right of the photo, barely visible above the tent, is a building on Dummer St., corner of Pleasant St., that still stands today, albeit greatly modified. The photographer would have been standing in the area of St. Paul St. looking west. The unit left its encampment for France in early September.

The Stephen F. Rutledge V.F.W Post #864. P. H. Tonra, Commander. Lower Washington St., Brookline Village. Stores are no longer standing. Current fire house visible, right rear. Edward Moloney is standing under the "JT Driscoll Plumbing" sign, he is the one in a hat instead of a helmet.

Top of Summit Ave., looking north to the left. In the upper right is 141 Summit Ave., no longer standing.

See also: Brookline in the Flu Pandemic of 1918-19
[Source: National Archives]

Top of Summit Ave., looking northeast toward Harvard St.

See also: Brookline in the Flu Pandemic of 1918-19
[Source: National Archives]

See also: Brookline in the Flu Pandemic of 1918-19
[Source: National Archives]

Top of Summit Ave., looking north. The house at 186 Summit Ave., still standing, is in the rear.

See also: Brookline in the Flu Pandemic of 1918-19
[Source: Brookline Preservation Department]

Top of Summit Ave., looking north.

See also: Brookline in the Flu Pandemic of 1918-19
[Source: Brookline Preservation Department]