While Maria Hastings Cary spent much of her life in New York City, Lexington remained important to her and her husband, as the couple spent summers at the Cary homestead on Shade Street. Maria gave generously to the town, and in 1867 she made a gift of $1,000 to be spent on books with the understanding that a free library would also be established. She continued to support the library until her death and her contributions to and regard for her birthplace are reflected in the naming of the Maria Hastings Elementary School and Hastings Park and bandstand in her honor.
Edgar Parker (1840-1892) was born in Framingham, Massachusetts and was a self-taught artist. A number of his portraits hang in Faneuil Hall, including those of Charles Sumner, Nathaniel Hawthorne and Rear Admiral John A. Winslow. He is also known for his copy of Robert Weir’s painting “Embarkation of the Pilgrims,” which was commissioned by the Pilgrim Society in 1875.