Person:Pauline Whittemore (1)

Pauline and Ruth Whittemore continued until at least 1998 to live in a farmhouse built by their grandfather Allen Washburn at the farm called Maple Grove Farm on Washburn Hill in Lyme, NH. It was off a dirt road south of the town square, with an unmarked entrance. They were proud of their heritage, and Pauline was the Lyme town historian. Ruth worked at Dartmouth College in Hanover, not far away. Chester and Eleanor Claff discovered their existence from Catharine Davis, who in the 1970s did not know if her cousins were still alive. A telephone call to information located them, and after talking with them, the Claffs visited them in Lyme in about 1978 while camping on the Connecticut River, where Chester took an oral history from them at the campground. Ruth also visited Catharine later in Brockton with her brother Albert.

The following obituary appeared on March 29, 1998:

LYME - Pauline E. Whittemore, 92, of Washburn Hill Road in Lyme, died Thursday evening at her home.

She was born on Feb. 8, 1906, in Lyme, the daughter of Luther and Carrie (Washburn) Whittemore. She lived all but three years of her life at the family farm, Maple Grove Farm, in Lyme.

Miss Whttemore attended Lyme Elementary School and was a graduate of Kimball Union Academy and the University of New Hampshire, where she majored in English. After graduation, she returned to Maple Grove Farm, where she joined her sister, Ruth, in many farm-connected enterprises, including market gardening, the production of maple products, home grown veal and pork prepared for freezing.

She loved every inch of the farm, its plants and flowers, and was always happy when "digging in the dirt.." Her remarkable nasturtiums and sweet peas were widely admired. While tending cows and pigs, making syrup and candy, writing or reciting poetry, she was always telling jokes and making people laugh.

She also loved the Lyme Congregational Church, of which she was a member for 74 years. As the financial secretary for 59 years, a Sunday school teacher, a choir member and, until very recently, treasurer of the Women's Fellowship, she was one of the most active members.

A descendant of the first settlers of Lyme, Miss Whittemore had a wealth of knowledge about the history of the town and its people. As a member of the Lyme Historians Inc., she assembled its large collection of old photographs of Lyme people and places, organizing it in albums by topics. She delighted in sharing these and her Lyme lore with all interested people.

Miss Whittemore enjoyed classical music and reading. She was a working member of the Lyme Library Trustees for 24 years, with a special interest in book selection. A great fan of all sports, she skied the slopes of Maple Grove Farm every year on skis that she purchased in 1923 for $7.50. She last skied in November 1997.

Miss Whittemore is survived by her sister, Ruth Whittemore of Lyme, a nephew, a niece, and several grandnieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her older brother, Albert Whittemore.

There will be no calling hours. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Donations in her memory may be made to the Lyme Educational Assistance Fund, Lyme Congregational Church, P.O. Box 363, Lyme, N. H. 03768,

The Hale Funeral Home of Thetford and Bradford is in charge of arrangements.

1.   "United States Social Security Death Index," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JKDM-WMZ : accessed 26 Apr 2014), null, 26 Mar 1998; citing U.S. Social Security Administration.