It is speculated that this is one of two photographs of a supper described in the May 7, 1887 issue of the Brookline Chronicle.

“The sewing circle connected with the First Parish closed the seasons laborers on May 3rd with a pleasant supper, and the exhibition of some views by a member recently returned from a journey to the South and West. A most important part of the entertainment was the voluntary offer of two young ladies to photograph the assembled company in a group around the table, thus giving tangible proof of the existing existence of a society which was organized in 1824.”

The room does not match ay rooms currently in Pierce Hall, which was a common site for similar gatherings, and remains unidentified. Nineteen names were listed with the photo: Mrs. Cobb, Eunice Noyes, Mary F. Wicks, Suey A. Brown, Bessie Noyes, Mrs. Clark, Miss Howard, Miss Adriana Brown, Susie Hayes, Mrs. Noyes, Mrs. Poor, Sadie Brown, Mrs. Mellen, Louise Brown, Mrs. Stearns, Annie Stearns, Mrs. Jinney, Mrs. Train, Mrs. Stodder. Eighteen women are seated and four younger girls are serving. All the participants who have been tentatively identified lived in the immediate area of the First Parish Church and Pierce Hall. There are several clusters of extended family members.

A speculative analysis of the names shows:

Noyes Family (Walnut St.)

• Mrs. Noyes (1840-1915) - Susan Prescott (Wright) Noyes, wife of George Dana Noyes
• Elizabeth (“Bessie”) C. Noyes (1873-1955), daughter. An existing tintype of Elizabeth bears a resemblance to the older girl standing at the rear left of the table
• Emma Noyes (1876-1950), daughter. The roster actually names a “Eunice Noyes” but no records are evident for a “Eunice Noyes” in Brookline at this time, we are speculating that she is Emma, the other daughter of Susan Noyes. An existing tintype of Emma bears a significant resemblance to the young girl approaching the table on the left side

Extended family of Rev. Howard Nicolson Brown, Pastor of the First Parish Church

• Sarah (“Sadie”) Brown (1878 - 1955), daughter
• Mary Louise Brown (1873-1947), daughter
• Mary F. Wicks (1828-1904), mother of Inez Wicks, wife of Howard Brown

Extended Stearns Family

• Mrs. Stearns (1824- 1904), Anna Maria (Mellen) Stearns, wife of Charles Henry Stearns
• Mrs. Mellen (1803-1899), the mother of Mrs. Stearns
• Annie Stearns (1864-1901). Listed with her maiden name although she married Alexander Stoddard Jenney in 1886. After Annie’s death he married her sister.
• Mrs. Jenney (1836-1912). Mary Hannah (Howes) Jenney, wife of Noah Stoddard Jenney; mother-in-law of Annie Stearns; lived on Walnut St.

Others

• Mrs. Cobb (1830-1911), wife of Albert A. Cobb, nee Mary Russell Candler. Lived on Walnut Terrace
• Miss Adriana Brown (1805-1893), never married. Lived on Cypress St. near Walnut St. No apparent relation to the other Browns.
• Mrs. Poor (1820-1912), Wife of Henry Varnum Poor, nee Mary Wild Pierce. Daughter of Lucy Tappan and Rev. John Pierce, former pastor of the church. Lived across Walnut St. from the church.
• Frances (“Fanny”) G. Train, widow of Samuel F. Train. Lived on nearby Chestnut Pl.
• Mrs. Stodder (1830-1921) , wife of Henry Franklin Stodder, nee Isabella Binney. Lived on Walnut St.
• Susan Frances Haynes (1841-1934), never married.

Unidentified

• Miss Howard
• Suey A. Brown
• Mrs. Clark

[Courtesy of the Digital Commonwealth (CC BY-NC-ND). From the Brookline Photograph Collection published by the Public Library of Brookline]