The Boston Post Cane will be presented by the Warner selectmen to long-time resident Phil Lord on June 25. The event will be held at the United Church of Warner from 2 to 4 p.m. with the presentation occurring at 2:45 p.m.
Lord, the 32nd holder of Warner’s Boston Post Cane, turned 96 on Feb. 4, 2022. He grew up on Maple Rock farm in Kezar Falls, Maine with two older brothers, Jay and Howard. The farm had extensive orchards and operated a poultry hatchery for Rhode Island Reds. He attended local schools and all the brothers enlisted in the service. After returning home, Lord attended the University of Maine majoring in horticulture. He married Mary Henderson in 1952 and was employed with the Eastern States Farmers Exchange and Agway for the next 35 years. Needing to find a home in a central location to his work due to traveling throughout upper New England and New York, they settled into their current home on Kearsarge Street. Here they raised their children; Robyn, Dana, and Alan and the family participated in many community activities.
Phil and Mary sang in the United Church choir for 45 years and participated in the Newport Area Choir Holiday and Easter concerts. He, with the assistance of Perry Young, created a skating rink on school property. He was involved with the local Lions Club which assisted in managing the area ski tow. Eventually this became the Men’s Club and they raised money for many charitable activities. Lord served as a Warner Village Precinct Commissioner for nineteen years. You may not know him, but you have seen him riding his registered golf cart around town and participating in giving veterans rides during the Memorial Day parade or disguising his cart as a float during the Fall Foliage Festival parade.
The Boston Post passed out of existence years ago and many communities have lost their canes, but the tradition of the cane survives in New Hampshire and Warner, where it is still passed to the oldest resident. Warner has chosen to award the cane and a certificate to individuals during a public ceremony. The cane is then housed at the Warner Historical Society.