Representative women of New England/Dorcas H. Lyman
DORCAS HARVEY LYMAN, Past Department President of the Woman's Relief Corps of Massachusetts, has resided within the present limits of the city of Boston the past forty-six years. Born in 1845 in Liverpool, N.S., she came to Boston in childhood with her parents, and received her education in its public schools. She is a daughter of the late John W. and Susan F. (Jones) Harvey, natives of Liverpool, N.S.
Her father was born July 9, 1812. He married May 24, 1842, Susan F. Jones, who was born March 7, 1821. In 1868 they settled in Brighton, Mass. Mr. Harvey died October 16, 1886, and his wife died December 30, 1900.
Mrs. Harvey was a member of the Second Congregational Church of Brighton and of the Relief Corps auxiliary to Francis Washburn Post, No. 92, G. A. R. She was identified with the woman suffrage cause, and was the oldest woman voter for school committee in Brighton. The Woman's Journal, referring to her death, said: "The community has lost one of its most respected and beloved residents. Mrs. Harvey's illness covered a period of about nine weeks, during which time she did not lose, through her suffering, any of the deep and loving interest which she had always taken in the lives of her children, friends, or the outside work in general. She was a woman of deep and unquestioning faith, who led a broad and Christian life, of which her children and grand-children may well be proud. She shed about her an influence of unselfishness and piety which will bear fruit in the years to come. The Rev. A. A. Berle, D.D., who conducted the services at her funeral, spoke of the old-time belief and trust which characterized her life and of her deep and earnest patriotism."
Mr. and Mrs. Harvey had four children, three sons and one daughter, named above. The eldest child, James W., was a soldier of the Civil War. Enlisting August 5, 1862, in the Eleventh Massachusetts Battery, he served until May 29, 1863, when his term of enlistment expired. From 1863 to 1867 he was Adjutant of the Boston Light Infantry. He married Emma C. Cunningham, of Brooklyn, N.Y., June 18, 1866, and settled in Faneuil, Mass. In 1877, aided by the Rev. H. A. Stevens, at that time jiastor of tlie Congregational church, Brighton, he founded a Sunday-school at Fan- euil. It proved a success, and a chapel was erected in 1900. James Harvey was also inter- ested in the public schools and in the election of worthy members to the school board. He was president of the Eleventh Battery Asso- ciation, chairman of the Rei)ublican Ward Connnittee for eleven years, and member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives 1889-92. At the time of his death, which occurred August 6, 1897, he was Commander of Francis Washburn Post, No. 92, G. A. R., of Brighton. He was an eloquent speaker and a recognized leader in the church and in societies. He conducted an extensive business on Atlantic Avenue, Boston, and was an ex- pert in steel workings.
Dorcas Harvey, the only daughter of her parents, was married August 9, 1870, to Will- iam Henry Lyman, of Brighton. Mr. Lyman served throughout the Civil War in Company H, Sixteenth Mas.sachusetts Volunteers. He is a member of Francis Washburn Post, No. 92, G. A. R., of Brighton.
Mrs. Lyman is interested not only in patri- otic work, but in many other leading move- ments of the day. She is a member of the Congregational church, Brighton, and has been actively associated with its missionary enter- prises. The beautiful chapel in Faneuil, ded- icated in 1900 through the efforts of her brother antl others, received her active support, and she was a substitute teacher in its Sunday-school. She is an active member of the King's Daugh- ters, also of the W'oman's Christian Temper- ance Union, and a worker in the Brighton and AUston 'oman Suffrage League. For the past ten years she has served as chairman of the Connnittee of Independent Women Voters of Ward 25, Boston, a position requiring a knowledge of political conditions, (juick dis- cernment, and executive ability. The most prominent citizens of the Bhgiiton district recognize Mrs. Lyman's efficiency, and candi- dates favoring honest government and reform measures have often owed their election largely to her su])port.
Mrs. Lyman united with Francis Washburn Relief Corps, No. 79, Brighton, in 1887, and, after filling every other office in the corps, was elected president three successive years — 1892, 1893, 1894. She was a Department Aide in 1893, 1894, and 1899 and a National Aide in 1895, 1898, and 1902. She has served as a delegate in National Conventions every year but one since 1887. As a member of the Department Relief and other important committees, she has rendered invaluable service. In 1897 she sent twenty-five dollars to the Andersonville Prison Board of the National W. R. C, and was the first contributor to the fund for preserving that historic ground as a permanent memorial.
Mrs. Lyman was specially active in the emer- gency work for the boys of the S]>anish- Ameri- can War, and through the entire sununer of 1898 was on duty as one of the Connnittee of the Volunteer Aid Association. She solicited money and needful articles for the soldiers at the front, packed supplies for the hospital ship (the "Bay State"), and, when the regi- ments returned from Cuba, visited every week for several months the soldiers in the hos])itals in Boston. She has also secured contributions for the troops in the Phili])i)ines.
After serving as a member of the Department Executive Board several years (one year as chairman), she was elected Department Junior Vice-President at the annual State convention held in Boston in 1900. A brilliant reception was tendered her by Corps No. 79 and Post No. 92 of Brighton. Previous to her election Post No. 92, of Brighton, hail issued a hearty endorsement of her candidacy, saying: "We of this post know Mrs. Lyman's worth, her love for the veterans, her intense loyalty to the nation, her tireless and indefatigable energy and labor for the Grand Army of the Republic as well as for the Relief Corps. Early ami late, in sunshine and storm, she has labored for their interests as much, we believe, as any woman in the department has for a post to which a corps is auxiliary."Mrs. Lyman has given her best efforts for Post No. 92, assisting in fairs and in other enterprises. On one occasion she presented the post a handsome china set of seven hundred and fifty pieces and an autograph quilt containing four hunched and sixty-eight names, among them those of President Harrison, ex-President Cleveland, prominent military heroes, Boston merchants, and all members of Post No. 92.
During her year as Department Junior Vice-President, Mrs. Lyman attended numerous patriotic gatherings, participating in corps meetings, union services with posts, socials, and campfires. She also served on committees, and was vice-chairman of the Department W. R. C. table in the fair of the Ladies' Aid A.ssociation of the Soldiers' Home which was held in Faneuil Hall.
At the annual convention in 1901 Mrs. Lyman was unanimously elected Department Senior Vice-President. As reported at the annual convention in 1902, held in the Park Street Church, Boston, she visited sixty-six corps and participated in over one hundred patriotic gatherings in her official capacity during the year. She was also vice-president of the Department W. R. C. Fair Committee for the week's fair held in November, 1901, in Faneuil Hall, Boston.
At the last annual convention, February 12, 1902, which was composed of delegates representing fourteen thousand women, Mrs. Lyman was unanimously elected to the office of Department President. She conducted a very successful administration, and was popular with the posts and corps throughout the State. She represented the Department on two hundred and seventy-eight different occasions, and travelled many thousands of miles. Special efforts were made by her to increase the relief fund, and she was successful in this, as in all her work for the cause.
She was the recipient of many courtesies throughout the State and at Washington, D.C., where she attended the National Convention, and had charge of the delegation from Maaeachusetts.
She is an earnest worker in all the lines of patriotism and active in the plans for the National Convention to be held in Boston in 1904, being a member of the Executive Committee and chairman of the Committee on Luncheon. In everything she undertakes Mrs. Lyman enters upon the work in a zealous manner, and has accomplished results that have won for her the respect and commendation of her associates.