ARCHIBALD H. AND DORA B. FERRAN PAPERS, 1946-1990
TLS, Norman F. Barrett to Dora Ferran
Vault A45, Ferran, Unit 1
EXTENT: .425 linear feet (one container).
ORGANIZATION: Organized into two series. Series I. Archibald H. Ferran papers, 1968-1975; Series II. Dora B. Ferran papers, 1946-1990. Series II organized into six subseries: Concord Business Service, 1946-1956; Concord Finance Committee, 1958-1961; Sleepy Hollow Cemetery history and finances, 1959-1990 (older historical material collected or copied by Mrs. Ferran not included in date span); Stabilization Fund Committee, 1960; Tax Base Study Group, 1960-1961; Concord’s 350th Birthday, 1985.
BIOGRAPHIES: Raised in Concord, Mass., Archibald H. Ferran (d. 1978) was a long-time resident and a devoted public servant of the town. President of Concord High School Class of 1923, he studied at the New School of Design in Boston and with W.W.H. Bicknell in Provincetown. A commercial artist, he ran his own advertising agency, illustrated several books and pamphlets, and was associated with the Art Department of the Boston Globe. He served on Concord’s Board of Registrars, Special Town Plans Committee, and Board of Selectmen. In recognition of his service to the town, he was invited to join its 1975 Honorary Committee.
Dora Buckman Ferran (1908-1995) was born in Boston, attended Boston public schools, and, following her marriage to Archibald Ferran, moved to Concord, where she raised five daughters, formed her own business, and was involved in town affairs. In the 1940s, she founded the Concord Business Service (an accounting firm), which she ran until her retirement in 1967. She was active in the local League of Women Voters and served on the Town of Concord Finance Committee and subcommittees. After retirement, she traveled extensively with her husband and worked with the National Humanities Faculty in Concord.
Archibald and Dora Ferran are buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery.
SCOPE AND CONTENT: Collection, 1946-1990, contains: materials, 1968-1975, relating to Archibald Ferran’s membership on Concord’s 1975 Honorary Committee (official appointment, memoranda, correspondence, membership list, notices, schedule, and invitations); a business ledger (receipts and disbursements), 1946-1956, from Dora Ferran’s Concord Business Service accounting firm; materials, 1958-1990, relating to Mrs. Ferran’s involvement with the Town of Concord Finance Committee, her related examination of the history of Sleepy Hollow Cemetery and its financing, and her service on Concord’s Stabilization Fund Committee and Tax Base Study Group (including forms, membership lists, minutes, budget, reports, postcard, photocopied historical material, correspondence, memoranda, and clippings); plus ephemeral materials generated by the 1985 350th anniversary celebration of the incorporation of Concord (programs, schedule of events, clippings and newspaper insert).
SOURCE OF ACQUISITION: Gift of Dena Ferran Dincauze, 2006 Apr. 19.
NOTES/COMMENTS: Accessioned 2006 Apr. 19 (AMC 141).
PROCESSED BY: Gretchen O’Connor; finding aid prepared 2006 May-June; edited by LPW, 2006 June 8.
CONTAINER LIST
SERIES I. ARCHIBALD H. FERRAN PAPERS, 1968-1975:
Folder 1:
Series I in entirety.
SERIES II. DORA B. FERRAN PAPERS, 1946-1990:
Boxed unfoldered:
Concord Business Service ledger, 1946-1956.
Folder 2:
Finance Committee, 1958-1961.
Folder 3:
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery history and finances, 1959-1990 (older historical material collected or copied by Mrs. Ferran not included in date span).
Folder 4:
Stabilization Fund Committee, 1960.
Folder 5:
Tax Base Study Group, 1960-1961.
Folder 6:
Concord’s 350th Birthday, 1985.
c2006 Concord Free Public Library, Concord, Mass.
Not to be reproduced in any form without permission of the Curator of Special Collections, Concord Free Public Library.
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Mounted 17th June 2006. rcwh.