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Ashland Boys' Association

Pennsylvania Historical Marker
Originators of the Ashland Boys' Association Frank Hoover, W. P. Snyder, Burd Billman, Curtis Hoover, Frank Seeley, Joe Oestreich, Harry Livers, Harry Billman, Charles Barnhardt, Isaiah Seibert, Horatio Seeley, Harry Shelley, H. L. Leam, Harry Snyder, W. D. DeMoyer
Location	Mothers' Memorial (Whistler's Mother Statue), North Hoffman Blvd. Ashland, Pennsylvania
Coordinates	40.78368°N 76.33721°W / 40.78368; -76.33721
PHMC dedicated	August 31, 2013

The Ashland Boys' Association (A.B.A.), founded circa 1900, was a unique organization in Ashland, Pennsylvania that was not so much about "boys" as it was about sentimental men. It was an organization dedicated to celebrating their anthracite coal region heritage by having annual homecoming reunions and parades for nearly a century. The sentimental longing of this organization steeped on nostalgia for the old hometown culminated during the Great Depression for erecting the Mothers' Memorial statue which was known throughout the United States. The memorial is a life-size bronze replica of the famous painting Whistler's Mother.

The Exodus of Anthracite Coal Miners

The exodus of coal miners throughout the Anthracite Coal Region following the Panic of 1893 caused Ashland "boys" to seek their fortunes outside the mines for foreign employment. Since anthracite mining was the main industry in Ashland, Pennsylvania, these men had no doubt to leave the area to find jobs. Between 1890 and 1900, Ashland's population dropped from 8,900 to 6,438. The Panic of 1893 caused the bankruptcy of the Philadelphia and Reading Railroad which was the main railroad line into Ashland. The abandoned coal mines and harsh working conditions created coal miners labor issues and strikes that lead many Ashland residents to move into the Philadelphia area for various employment opportunities. The coal strike of 1902 caused an additional 30,000 coal miners to leave the anthracite region. After a few years leaving behind their cultural identity, and roots of their anthracite heritage former Ashland area coal miners became nostalgic for their old hometown.

How This Unique Organization Came Into Existence

The first reunion is that some former Ashland residents that lived on Arch Street T. Horatlo Steeley and J. Frank Hoover among them, bumped into one another one day in Shamokin, Pennsylvania. Exactly what year this occurred has never been determined with certainty, but it was around the turn of the century. These men got to reminiscing about their old high school days and thought it would be great to get together again in the old hometown. Labor Day was convenient for all of them and so with a few other friends they met in Ashland. It was Labor Day in the year of 1899 that the small group of men informally met by appointment on the hillside at Wadleigh’s Grove in Ashland.

In their younger or boyhood days they had been pupils attending school at the Market Street School Building on 14th and Market Streets in Ashland. In 1900, they repeated and met again informally on the hillside. It was a very pleasant day in 1901 was spent in visiting familiar nooks and listening to their school experience. The day was so enjoyed by those present. It was decided to effect a permanent organization without a name, which they did by electing Harry S. Leam of Mount Carmel as President, and Frank Hoover of Shamokin as Secretary, and Charles Barnhard of Ashland Treasurer.

At conclusion of the meeting it was decided to extend an invitation to others who had been their school boy chums, to join them on Labor Day of the following year, in Wadleigh’s Grove. This created the nucleus of an organization unlike anything in existence. The membership was made up of Ashland boys, regardless of their color, creed, nationality, or position in life. The rules adopted at its origin, excluded from its meetings, intoxicating beverages, commercialism and political solicitations and the rules have been strictly adhered to throughout the many years the organization has been in existence. In 1901 and 1902, the meetings continued to be held at Wadleighs Grove.

On September 7, 1903, the meeting was decided to expand the organization by including in its membership all Ashland Boys in the borough, and further to admit the men of adjoining towns and villages of Locust Dale, Lavelle, Taylorsville, Byrnesville, Fountain Springs, Millersville, Gordon, Big Mine Run, the adjacent villages and farm country. Due to inclement weather, the meeting was held at 9 a.m. in Union House that was located at 7th and Centre Streets. A party of the fifteen founders and some residents of the town, and others from nearby places was the cause of the coming together of these men in answer to the world-old call of “Home.”

After friendly greetings had been exchanged they started out for a tramp ‘over the hills and far away’ where they in their barefoot days used to roam as free as the breeze that bronzed their checks. After visiting the places sacred in memory to “childhood’s happy hour,” the party returned to the Union House, where they enjoyed a dinner made sweeter by the sauce of reminiscence. When the meal was finished the gentlemen assembled in the parlor of the Union House and formed a permanent organization known as the “Ashland Boys’ Association,” and decided to meet yearly thereafter and invite all Ashland Boys they could to join with them.

The Ashland Boys’ Association was not merely made up of “boys,” but rather “sentimental men” whose shared interests were old school days, loving their mothers, and coal mining memories in their “old hometown.” Such was the birth of the organization that has grown and spread until it has become of more than national scope, for its kindly message of home is carried yearly to wherever an Ashland boy is located. In fact, all parts of the United States, with the majority of the Ashland Boys’ Association members that moved away, resided in the Philadelphia area. Former Ashland boys who have gone out of Ashland have reached high and prominent places in the fields of business, professions, and political affairs, will again assemble for their annual meeting.

The association's expansion in 1903 was a success and the homecoming branched into thousands, and little did the promoters think that the idea they advanced would grow into the name of Ashland Boys Day. Many witness the gathering together from far and near of hundreds who are proud to claim this there home.

The Ashland Boys Day celebrations were unique in several particulars: The membership was consisted exclusively to Ashland men and boys over sixteen years of age. The original idea of the organization was restricted to those who had attended the Ashland Public schools. Later the scope was broadened until it includes those who were now residents, as well as those who were born in the town, and attended the schools in Ashland and adjacent nearby villages. One fellow thought he was entitled to membership because he married an Ashland girl, but the constitution of the association makes no provision for membership by marriage. On the reason, that Ashland men would have hard time meeting foreign competition, in the domestic matrimonial market.

The Ashland Boys’ Association strongly heeded the magic call “Come on Home.” Invitations were sent out across the United States to all entitled members. The responses to the invitations were handled by the secretary of the Home Staff. The responses were from all corners of the earth they come – from Maine to California and from the Great Lakes to the Gulf States – Ashland boys who have left home to seek and make their fortunes in foreign fields of labor. They came home on Labor Day weekend to meet with the friends they used to know.

When they came home and gathered at the park. There was no set program outside of the business session, when the roll is called, a few short speeches made and the business of the day attended to. Of course there is a commissary and there is an abundance of the best the market affords. The celebration partakes largely of a great big family picnic – with the women left out – where the tables are kept constantly supplied by a corps of competent and courteous waiters. Every fellow ate when he was hungry and drinks when he was dry. Perhaps the most unique feature mentioned in the by-laws of the association. The entire affair is the absence of intoxicating drink. If any person can imagine for a moment that a large party of men – a great big stag party – cannot get together and have a rousing good time without the aid of foolish waters that individual is badly mistaken.

The absence of alcohol never held these men from coming home. The focus on friendships of youth and early manhood made ever lasting impressions upon all. They always form a man’s most precious memories of days of long ago are the thoughts which bind together. Ashland boys with this great association had a great tradition that that lasted for nearly a century. With open arms, Ashland boys, Ashland was always ready to welcome you home. Ashland over Labor Day weekend became a trysting ground of friendship where the gold of human life pours itself out of memories for sentiment for former companionships.

Ashland Boys' Association of Philadelphia

While many Ashland "boys" moved to the Philadelphia area to seek job opportunities. The most important chapter of the Ashland Boys' Association was the Philadelphia Chapter. The Ashland Boys' Association of Philadelphia informally organized in 1910, the "Ashland Philly Boys" arrived in Ashland by train on the Saturday night before Labor Day to begin the Ashland Boys' Association homecoming activities. The Ashland Boys' Association Philadelphia Chapter was the backbone of the Ashland Boys' Association.

In 1912, the Ashland Boys' Association of Philadelphia officially chartered in the city and county of Philadelphia, and agreeable by the Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. In 1926, the Ashland Boys' Association bought property eighteen miles northeast of Philadelphia in Croyden, Bristol Township, Bucks County. The Ashland Boys' Association of Philadelphia built a country club on their property along the Neshaminny Creek so the "Ashland Philly boys" living in the Philadelphia area can increase membership and sentimentally keep in touch with their old anthracite coal mining friends from the Ashland area.

The Ashland Boys’ Association of Philadelphia Chapter applied to the same rules as the Ashland Boys’ Association. The membership consisted of men and boys sixteen years of age and over, who were former residents of the section surrounding Ashland and had some connection with Ashland, whether in business or social, or any one married to girls of the surrounding towns are eligible for membership. The section mentioned were Locust Dale, Byrnesville, Big Mine Run, Gordon, Germanville, Lavelle, and surrounding farming country.

The Ashland Boys’ Association of Philadelphia always reported back to the Ashland Daily News. The association officers would write news columns on their meetings and daily events at the country club. The association members had a lot of ‘love for Ashland’ embedded in them and learned the full meaning of the slogan “Come on Home.”

The most famous member of the Ashland Boys Association of Philadelphia was Curley Lentz who always carried the traditional torch in the mummer’s parade which had become the association’s symbol.

References

Category:Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania