Back in the 1980s and later, I made a number of videos of older residents, many which have been transcribed.

In 2013 we obtained a grant from the Elizabeth Ann Leach Charitable Trust to transcribe more.

Included in those recently transcribed and compiled are videos made of Harold Clifford (1987), Jim Stevens (2000, filmed by Chuck Dinsmore) Hazel McCobb Poore (1987), John Moses and Carol Joy (1987), Virginia and Gleason Gamage (2003); Ruth Gardner, Ruth Potter, and Norma Brewer on comedian Doc Rockwell (1989); and the East Boothbay Methodist Church 125th anniversary including Frank Dodge, Jim Stevens, Edith Dodge Dodge, Mary Alice Vannah Fairley, and Ginny Spear Stapleford (1989). Many of those taped were born between 1893 and 1916.

Those transcriptions can be seen or listened to at the historical society. Also, there's a small exhibit featuring the residents taped; it will stay up for a few months. Below are a few excerpts from the transcriptions.

Ginny Spear Stapleford

“I'm one of the old timers in the church. I was born and grew up in East Boothbay. And the church was a very important part of the children's and young people's activities in the town. There was no TV, and the YMCA had not yet been built. Sunday school was held in the sanctuary before the morning service. We assembled in the front of the church where the superintendent opened with a prayer, and a hymn was sung.

“Then all went to their designated area in the pews and the choir loft to meet with their teachers. Classes were held for men, women, teenagers, as well as younger girls and boys. One of the dedicated teachers was our own Edith Dodge. Sunday school continued through the summer months. At the end of the summer session, a picnic was enjoyed, sometimes at the Crick, as the swimming area was called. Concerts at Easter, Children's Day, and Christmas were held in the church. The church organist, Mrs. Sam Reed, who had been a light opera singer, and lived at Meadow Cove, was very patient in coaching the children in songs and recitations. The church was always filled at this time by the families and friends. I'm sure that all who were fortunate to have known Mrs. Reed have very fond memories of her.”

Hazel Poore

“My grandfather Daniel McCobb was a sea captain. His wife Elizabeth Matthews McCobb went to sea with him from the time they were married until she had either two or three of her children. My grandmother went aboard as a cook on the boat. If a storm came along she’d go aloft and help furl the sails, although the crew didn’t want her to. They told her it was no place for a woman. She said if a man was a cook he would have to help with the sails and she was no better than a man cook. She did her part of the work.

“They were coming back from down Brazil way, I don’t know whether they had been to Jamaica or Brazil but they were down there and they ran into a bad storm. They put the children, they had two at the time, they put the children and the crew in the galley. They sealed the galley and then they tied themselves to the wheel and the steering post. When they came out of the storm, they didn’t have much left on the deck. The spars was all broke off but there was one that happened to be long enough, so my grandmother rigged up a sail. That was what they had to come in with on account of they lost their rudder. They managed to get in, but my grandmother said that the waves at times were breaking way over the boat. I believe that was a four master. They came through it, but there were times they said, they didn’t think that they would.”

Doc Rockwell anecdotes

Ruth Potter: "He had that old separate building, next to his house, that it was too bad someone hadn’t made something out of it. It had a big sign across, you know. I don’t know if you could get in it, it was just stuffed with things, you know—Southport School of Fine and Coarse Art is the sign that was on the building."

Ruth Gardner: "After World War II he gave up the stage and radio and made his home year round in the house in Southport, Slipshod Manor. Then there was his outside studio. His specialty was making signs while you "wait and wait and wait."

Ruth Potter: "We used to send messages back and forth by our dog Berta. We lived over on Southport for 23 years. We were not too far from Doc, and Berta used to make calls on them. She was sort of a panhandler. She’d bark to come in to see where they cooked the steak the night before, you know. He’d give her a little something and he would tie messages on her collar."