About the Claflin Hill Symphony Orchestra:
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What's in a name: Back in 1998 when Paul Surapine came up with the idea of forming an orchestra, he and his wife pondered for weeks on coming up with a name. While brainstorming, Susan recalled George Winston and his “Windham Hill” record label. They started pairing words up with “Hill.” They happen to live on Claflin Street, which is also a “hill” and there you have it – “Claflin Hill” was born. In fact, the Claflin name has strong historical ties to Milford, and the region, making it even more fitting to name the orchestra after such a prominent figure. William Claflin (March 6, 1818-January 5, 1905) was both an industrialist and a philanthropist, who served as Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from 1869-1872. In addition, he served as a member of the United States Congress from 1877-1881. William was born in Milford in 1818. At the time, his father, Lee Claflin, owned a shoe manufacturing company. It is not clear as to where the shoe manufacturing company was located – either in Milford or Brookline. William became a partner in the family’s shoe business before he began his political career in Massachusetts. He was a founder of the Free Soil Party, served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives from 1849-1853, and was elected to the Senate in 1859. By this time, he had switched to the United States Republican Party and later served on its national committee. He became Senate President in 1861. After serving as Lieutenant Governor for Alexander Hamilton Bullock, Claflin Was elected to the Governor’s office in 1868. While Governor, Claflin promoted women’s suffrage and extended women greater rights under the law. During his administration, he advocated prison reform and established the state’s first board of public health. Claflin also created the Massachusetts Indian Commission with social activist Wendell Phillips and Helen Hunt Jackson. In 1869, Claflin
chartered Boston University, a Methodist institution, which his father
co-founded. Mrs. William Claflin, daughter-in-law of
BU founder Lee Claflin, and her daughter-in-law, Mrs. Wilbur F. Claflin, were
among the wives of BU trustees and professors who gathered for the monthly
"parlor meetings" to discuss how to help "the few young women who were mature
enough and bold enough to go to college," an early member, Mary Lane Hinckley
Dearing (CAS 1890, Hon.'50), recalled in 1953.
After his service as Governor, Claflin returned to business and supported philanthropic activities. Along with his father, Claflin donated funds to purchase land for Claflin University, the historically black, Methodist university in South Carolina. Claflin University was founded in 1869 by Methodist missionaries to prepare freed slaves to take their rightful places as full American citizens. The University takes its name from two Methodist churchmen, Massachusetts Governor William Claflin and his father, Boston philanthropist Lee Claflin, who provided a large part of the funds to purchase the campus. William Claflin later served two terms as a member of Congress. In 1905, William Claflin died and was interred in Newton, Massachusetts.
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