City of Boston Pays Sculptor Martin Milmore an Extra $8,100 for Soldiers & Sailors Monument on Boston Common

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On Friday, December 28, 1877, an order was passed in Boston City Council to pay sculptor Martin Milmore "an additional $8,1000 for extra work and materials for Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument" on Boston Common, which had been unveiled on September 17, 1877.

Milmore had been awarded the commission on December 30, 1870 to build the Soldiers and Sailors War Memorial on Flagstaff Hill, winning over fifteen other proposals. The cost was not to exceed $75,000.  But when Milmore moved to Rome, Italy, where he spent nearly five years working on his masterpiece, he had a change of heart about what material to use. 

According to City Councilor Sampson, "Under the contract, Mr. Milmore was to furnish a granite statue. After going abroad to complete his models it was suggested to him by observations made there that granite would be rather bad material to make the statues of on account of the softness of the lines to be made, and on account of its liability to be defaced by storms in the course of time; and he wrote back to Boston to ask permission to change the material to bronze."  Permission was granted, and Milmore switched to bronze.

In discussing the additional funds at the December 28 hearing, Councilor Sampson said, "Mr. Milmore presented a claim of $13,183 to the Committee on Claims, (which) went into the details very thoroughly and decided that the city should allow him $8100."

In response to a question from Mr. Webster of Ward 3 whether the Committee on Claims was unanimous, Mr. Sampson replied, "They were unanimously in favor of this sum; some favored allowing a larger sum. The substitute was adopted and the order was passed-yeas 66, nays 0."


Born in County Sligo, Ireland, Martin Milmore emigrated with his widowed mother Sarah and four older brothers in 1851.  He his brothers Joseph and James became exceptional artists whose work can still be found throughout New England.  Here is a list of statues that are still standing throughout New England and Pennsylvania. 

Several of these statues and monuments are along the Boston Irish Heritage Trail.

Research, Text, Table of Sculptures and Photos by Michael Quinlin



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