[Cabin and Addition Donors and Namesakes]
 

built in 1950

Frances Twitchell is front and center in the angled hat in this 1915 picture from The New-Church League Journal.

Birth

Frances Twitchell was born in or near Boston MA on September 16, 1867, the only child of Joseph Henry Twitchell (1840-1896) and Harriet Augusta (French) Twitchell (1843-????).

Residences

Although she was born in the Boston area, she lived nearly all her life in Washington DC. Very late in life, she moved to Portland ME to be near relatives, where she lived the last 4 years of her life.

Career & Other Pursuits

In her early 20s, she ran Miss Frances Twitchell's Kindergarten, at 1530 "O" Street NW in Washington DC, just a 12-minute walk from the family home.

© The Evening Star 1890

Later in life, Frances Twitchell was an active member of the Women's City Club in Washington DC.

Frances Twitchell and the Church

Frances Twitchell was a (nearly?) life-long member of the National Church in Washington DC. She was an alto in the church choir (1907, 1909).

As a young adult, she was involved with her local Washington DC New-Church League. 

She was also involved with the national League — then called the American League of New-Church Young People's Societies — serving on the Executive Committee as member-at-large in 1900-1903, as secretary starting in 1903, and on the Nominating Committee in 1915. When the national League Conference was held in Washington DC in 1904 and 1915, she was  chair of the local League Reception Committee in 1904 and hosted an "incidental party" for the visiting Leaguers at the 1915 conference.

She served as a delegate to Convention in Cleveland OH in 1898, Cincinnati in 1900, Philadelpha PA in 1917, and Urbana OH in 1922. And we know from the ad reproduced below the the June 22, 1910 issue of The New-Church Messenger that she attended the 1910 Convention in New York City as well.

© The New-Church Messenger 1910

Frances Twitchell at the FNCA

Frances Twitchell was the Assembly's first treasurer, and a signer of our first constitution in 1928 as recording secretary.

In 1926, Frances Twitchell was one of a group of women (along with Mrs. Gustafson, Mrs. Dole, Mrs. Asa Goddard, Mrs. John Daboll, and Mrs. Lois G. West) who, in a concerted effort to organize the social life of the Assembly, planned an Evening Activity every night. In his report about the First 7 Years, Rev. Harold Gustafson said this:

These women were the instigators of many... delightful parties; and they were so thoughtful and friendly that they infused their fine spirit into everyone at the School. The atmosphere was most delightful.

That same year, Frances Twitchell also served on the first committee to evalute a piece of property for purchase as a permanent location for the Assembly.

In 1927, Frances Twitchell served during the session as Matron of Frye House, an "Executive position".

The Frances Twitchell Memorial Fund was established shortly after her death in 1936 to "reduce the indebtedness of the Assembly." In 1950, all the remaining money in this fund was used to build the Twitchell Cabin in her honor.

Death

After an illness of 6 weeks, Frances Twitchell died on January 23, 1936 in Portland ME, at age 68.

© Trevor 2011

[Cabin and Addition Donors and Namesakes]