Coll. 060: George Chapin Scott and Edward F. Bernier Collection (FINDING AID)

Coll. 060: George Chapin Scott and Edward F. Bernier Collection (FINDING AID)

Circa late-19th century - 2005

George Chapin Scott was born August 1916 in Heath, Massachusetts, the only child to Myria F. Chapin and John H. Scott. He first contacted The History Project in 2000 to donate a large collection of local lesbian and gay newspapers, i.e. The Guide, Tommy’s and Next. He lived on Elm Street, Davis Square, Somerville, and died April 12, 2005 at age 88. He was a member of Boston Prime Timers, a 25-year member of the Monday Night Bowling League, and founding treasurer of the Somerville Committee for a Response to AIDS (SCRA). He was the friend of Robert J. Publicover who was a longtime Somerville resident, a publisher of Somerville Journal, the 1992 recipient of Bay Windows Newspaper Award, Mr. Gay New England, and founder of SCRA. Publicover was also the executor of George’s estate. Among other friends of George’s were William Wood of Medford, Rudy Corvo of Boston, Bruce Carpenter of Granby, Jack Sheehan of Quincy, James Cyr of Quincy, Robert Hanson of Provincetown, and Larry Hannay of Somerville.

Edward F. Bernier, or Eddie, was born in Pennsylvania in 1930 and was George’s partner until he died in an auto accident in Wellfleet, Cape Cod, in early 1961. He was a hairdresser in Central Square, Cambridge, on Massachusetts Avenue. This collection contains a large number of photos of Eddie as well as photos of Eddie’s.

After George passed away in 2005, all of his stuff was thrown out, perhaps by his landlord. A woman in the neighborhood, Julie Katz, found his collection on the ground by chance, and picked up as much as she could carry. She later contacted The History Project regarding the collection. For this reason, most of the materials lost any original order, and the collection was neither well organized nor comprehensive. Photographs constitute the largest part of the collection. There are a number of photos of Eddie, as well as old family photos from the late 19th century. Included in the collection are materials such as letters, address books, business cards, pamphlets, certificates, high school journals, news clippings, and miscellaneous stuff.

The History Project; Documenting LGBTQ Boston

Bernier, Edward F.; Scott, George Chapin

Geum, Migyeong

The History Project; Documenting LGBTQ Boston

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THP-060