Do you know someone who might be the town’s oldest resident and is willing to take on a a 99-year-old tradition?

Bedford is looking for a new oldest resident to be the 19th holder of the prestigious Boston Post Cane, which is given to the town’s oldest resident in perpetuity.

Most recently, the cane was kept by Alice Chartier, who died Feb. 28 at the age of 103. Chartier was born Oct. 21, 1903, and, with her husband, Adelard Chartier, owned Del’s Lunch for many years.

But before the next Boston Post cane holder is named, they have to qualify for the honor.

“Because of the construction and nursing homes, more people were coming to Bedford. So they did make a ruling at one point that you had to be a resident for at least 10 years,” she said.

Dawn Boufford, the town’s executive assistant, will be accepting nominations. So far, she’s received one name, but the deadline is Monday, April 9.

History
The canes started out as a marketing scheme in 1909. To boost circulation, Edwin A. Grozier, then editor of The Boston Post, had 431 canes made from African ebony topped with 14-karat gold.

The gold on each was inscribed “Presented by The Boston Post to the oldest citizen of (name of town) To Be Transmitted.” The canes were originally presented to the oldest male in a community.

The canes were given to selectmen in Massachusetts and New Hampshire towns -- no cities -- and two Vermont towns.

In Bedford, one of the original 431 towns, a replica cane is now used. Because of the gold, the cane is worth too much to keep in someone’s home, Spurway said.

“The gold loops became quite costly because they were gold, and they had all the names from the beginning,” Spurway said.

The original is on display in a special showcase at Bedford Town Offices, and a full-size replica made by Bedford’s Bernie Ruchin, is awarded to the oldest resident, said Town Councilor Michael Scanlon.

Before Chartier, who was awarded the cane on March 24, 2004, the cane was in the hands of Bertha Denoncourt. She received the cane July 11, 2002, when she was 96.

According to the town council minutes, Denoncourt had 23 grandchildren, 49 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren at that time.

Before Denoncourt, the cane went to William Lapierre, who was 101 when he received the cane on Oct. 11, 2000.

To enter someone’s name, contact Boufford at the town offices at 472-5242.

A curse?
According to a Web site kept by the town of Maynard, Mass., Historical Society, some possible cane recipients have refused the cane in the past because they said the canes carry a curse.

Apparently, three cane recipients from different towns -- Lillian Werner, 99, Nellie Bassett, 99, and Alice M. Savage, 103 -- all died Nov. 14, 2001.