Andover - Town Seal

In 1899, the General Court of Massachusetts passed a law requiring that all cities and towns establish a town seal that should be managed by the respective Town Clerks. (For Every Seal)

• According to tradition, the land comprising both the North and South Parishes of Andover was purchased from Cutshamache, the Sagamore of Massachusetts, for six English pounds and a coat. This event is commemorated in the town seal, which was officially adoped at the annual meeting on March 5, 1900. It is generally believed that the new seal was designed by Leonard Sherman, a local artist, photographer and nature writer. However, there were no Native Americans in New England tribes that ever wore such an elaborate headdress.
• The original town seal included just text: the town name, state, and date of incorporation.
• In 1895, John E. Whiting, a local jewler, designed a porcelin pin depicting the sale of the land that was to become Andover from the Indians as a souvenir for the Town's 250th anniversary.
• A banner was also commissioned using the same picture. Andover's 250th Anniversary Banner
• For the Town's 350th anniversary, the Town requisitioned a painting of the seal for the selectman's meeting room. Kristoffel Meulen, then a high school senior, was chosen.

...Plain Town Seal from the 1898 Annual Report.... click to enlarge

...Andover's most familiar town seal.... click to enlarge

...Advertisement for JE Whiting's Souvenir Pin

...Souvenir Pin from a private collection

...Seal Painting Created for the Town's 350th Anniversary by Kristoffel Meulen

References

See

• "New Town Seal," Andover Townsman, March 9, 1900. Media:New_Town_Seal_ATM-1900-03.pdf
• Town of Andover Mass, Annual Report. 1901 Reflects vote to formally adopt new seal
• Andover a Century of Change:1896 - 1996 by Eleanor Motley Richardson, (974.45 Ric), page 188.
• Andover: Symbol of New England, by Claude Moore Fuess,(974.45 Fuess), page 373.
• The Townswoman's Andover by Bessie Goldsmith (974.45 Gol), page 2.
• Town and City Seals of Massachusetts, by Allan Forbes (929.9 For volume 2), page 6.
• Andover's Town Seal (Editorial) Andover Townsman May 22, 1975 Media:AndoversTownSearlEditorial.pdf
• Medallion to be offered Andover Townsman July 31, 1975 Media: MedallionToBeOfferedATM-1975-07-31.pdf
• Town Seal Won't Be Seen On Team Patch Andover Townsman June 30, 1983 Media:TownSealWontBeSeenOnTeamPatch.pdf
• Uncovering Some Secrets About Local History Andover Townsman May 4, 1992 Andover resident Clifford Wrigley discusses the history of the seal. Media:Uncovering_Some_Secrets_ATM-1992-05-14.pdf ‎
• "Sealed with Historical Inaccuracies," Andover Townsman, February 1, 2007.
• Andover's town seal tells many stories, Andover Townsman, January 30, 2014, p. 7.
• Every Seal a Story: Town and City Town Seals in the Commonwealth

--Stephanie (talk) 16:57, 23 February 2021 (EST)

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