Representative women of New England/Adeline F. Fitz
ADELINE FRANCES FITZ.—In the list of Boston's women composers who occupy a high position is found the name of Adehne Frances Fitz, without any self-seeking on her part, her work winning its way by pure merit. Her compositions were first brought out in Boston after being produced as a pastime. Her scope is almost illimitable, comprising songs for kindergarten, hymn settings, piano solos, songs for concert use, and a vast number of patriotic songs. Mrs. Fitz has been an ardent worker for the cause of patriotism.- She has served the Daughters of the Revolution, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, three years as State Historian and two years as Vice-Regent; and on March 17 last she accepted the position of State Regent, Daughters of the Revolution. At the annual convention of the Gf'neral Society in May she was elected first Vice-President-general. Mrs. Fitz places music first in her artistic likings, but has a discriminating taste in literature, as is shown by her choice of words set to nmsic, as well as in her musical sketches which she is often called upon to deliver before clubs.
Through Mrs. Fitz's untiring energy and the hearty co-operation of her fellow-members, the Daughters of the Revolution, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, placed in the Boston Public Library a memorial tablet to the pre-eminent writers of American patriotic verse and song. This tablet was unveiled in the Lecture Hall on Tuesday evening, May 3, 1904, fully seven hundred people witnessing the ceremony, which was most impressive. The presentation speech, choicely worded, was made by Mrs. Fitz. The Rev. Dr. De Normandie responded in behalf of the Public Library Trustees. (For further account of the memorial see article on " Daughters of the Revolution, Conunonwealth of Massachusetts.")
Mrs. Fitz was born in Chelsea, and is the daughter of David and Elizabeth Wilson (Whitaker) Slade. She was married in 1884 to the Hon. Frank E. Fitz, of Chelsea. The .jpg)
ADELINE F. FITZ first part of her married life was spent in Boston. At present the family make their home during the winter season with Mrs. Fitz's father, David Slade, of Chelsea. Th(>y have an attractive summer residence at Wakefield, Mass.
Three sturdy boys furnisli inspiration for the mother's best effort.
Mr. David Slade's paternal grandfather, John Slade, the founder of this branch of the Slade family in New England, camp from Devonshire in the latter part of th(> eighteenth century. On the 4th of August, 1776, he, "John Slade of Boston," married "Hannah Torrey of Scituate." The Probate Records of Suffolk County show that on the 11th October, 1791, Hannah Slade, widow, w:is appointed "administratrix of the estate of John Slade, late of Chelsea, deceased." It is said that at some period of his residence in Massachusetts John Slade owned a number of slaves.
Through Mrs. Hannah Torrey Slade," her great-grandmother, Mrs. Fitz is descended from Lieutenant James Torrey, who was an inhabitant of Scituate before 1640; ami through her paternal grandmother, Sally Danforth, wife of Henry Slade, Mrs. Fitz is a descendant in the ninth generation of Nicholas Danforth, the immigrant progenitor of the Middlesex County colonial family of this name. Nicholas Danforth came to New England in 1634. The records of Cambridge, Mass., show that he became a landowner in 1635, was a Deputy, or Representative, to General Court in the same year, and on the 20th of November, 1637, was one of the important conunittee selected " to take orders for college at Newtown" (Cambridge). He died in April, 1638. The line of descent to Mrs. Sally Danforth Slade, who was of the seventh generation, was through his third and youngest son. Captain Jonathan Danforth, an early settler of Billerica, Mass.
Joshua Danforth, father of Sally and great-grandfather of Mrs. Fitz, was a Revolutionary soldier and in his old age a United States pensioner.
Mrs. Fitz's mother was a native of England, coming to this country when but a few months old. She was a loyal American, and taught her children to love her adopted country. It is not strange, with these records, that Mrs. Fitz stands to-day as a representative New England woman.