NEW SHARON — The New Sharon Historical Society is gearing up and hoping for a busy summer. Since moving from the Grange Hall in the fall of 2010 to what was the old Town Library, the society has expanded its resources and is able to display their artifacts.

The society has many interesting pictures, articles, books, vital records, family genealogies, old land deeds, old town registers, all of the old Town Reports and much more to browse through.

Many old scrapbooks donated by the families of Edith Bailey and Jennie Makepeace, covering the early years of New Sharon, are available. For many years local resident Peggy Grant has clipped articles from local papers and made scrapbooks; these were all donated to the society. There are many many notebooks with miscellaneous items, many old family albums.

Over the years many people have visited, written or called the society looking for vital records, which are in a card file, quite easy to use. The old school books are often used when looking for school alumni. Many times people are looking for information on their ancestors, or where an old ancestral homestead might have been located. One request for information comes to mind.

In July 2009 Dr. Alan Cowles and his wife, Linda, from Kansas visited the society on their way to Bar Harbor. Cowles was gathering information for a book on his grandfather, Ernest Edmund Smith (1876-1956), born and raised in New Sharon. Ernest was the son of Eugene Charles Smith (1846-1891), also born in New Sharon.

Dr. Cowles great-grandfather, Eugene Charles Smith, was the gentleman who wrote the many articles printed in the little blue booklet published for New Sharon’s 200th anniversary in 1994. The booklet was “New Sharon Our Home, Past, Present and Future.” Mr. Smith was a prolific writer for the Farmington Chronicle and the Lewiston newspapers. His writings about New Sharon give us a good deal of first-hand information about life in those earlier times and were his legacy to the town he loved. Mr. Smith’s farm was on Jersey Avenue, known in later years as the Elmer Makepeace residence.

In September 2011, Dr. Cowles and his wife returned to New Sharon. Over a period of time and through many different channels, Dr. Cowles was able to find the information he needed to complete his book, “The Autobiography of Ernest Edmund Smith 1876-1956.” The society received a signed copy of the autobiography and several members who Dr. Cowles had met when he visited also received a copy.

Currently the society is involved with a couple from Needham Heights, Mass., who are researching the Berry families who once lived on Cape Cod Hill. The Berrys are descendants of Prince Baker, who is thought to be the first settler in New Sharon. Baker came from Pembroke, Mass. This couple has made several trips to the area, each time hoping to find another piece to their puzzle.

This year to start the summer off the society recently hosted a tour for members of the Gold Leaf Class as part of their “Our Town” series. This began with a visit to the New Sharon Historical Society building for a brief history lesson, then to the Jim Ditzler Memorial Library, the New Sharon Town Office (formerly the New Sharon School), the First Congregational Church, the home of Daniel and Lisa Gunn to view the painted murals of Rufus Porter and Jonathon Poor, and to the John Ayer home on Cape Cod Hill.

The Ayer home is one of the oldest houses in New Sharon, with a 180-degree panoramic view of the mountains from Vienna to the south and Sugarloaf to the north. The group enjoyed a bag lunch on the porch and then toured the home that is now owned by descendants of John Ayer. The last stop on the day’s tour was at the home of Gene Martineau, to see his lovely  lady slippers. Gene has them tagged and counted with a count of 1,340-plus. They were all in bloom.

The society welcomes anyone interested in the past, present or the future of this little town to attend their meetings. Meetings are held in March, April, May, October and November at 1 p.m. the third Thursday of the month. To become a member dues are $5 per year.

The society is open to the public on Saturdays from 1 to 3 p.m. through Labor Day.

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