Frank Knight (arborist)
Frank Knight | |
---|---|
Born | Frank Addison Knight October 17, 1908 |
Died | May 14, 2012 Scarborough, Maine, U.S. | (aged 103)
Resting place | Riverside Cemetery, Yarmouth, Maine, U.S. |
Nationality | American |
Occupation | Arborist |
Known for | "Herbie" |
Frank Addison Knight (October 17, 1908 – May 14, 2012) was an arborist from
Personal life
Knight was born in Pownal, Maine, on October 17, 1908, to Frank Addison Sr. and Kate Hodsdon Knight.[6] His father ran a sawmill on Hodsdon Road in Pownal.[7]
He graduated
Knight married Frances Mann in 1933. They were together for 61 years, until her death in 1994.[8] They had one child: Richard.[6]
He put one reason for his longevity down to having beer and spinach for lunch.[6]
Knight was a member of Yarmouth's First Parish Congregational Church for over sixty years,[8] serving as the treasurer of the church ministerial fund for three decades. He was also on the town's Planning Board and a trustee of its Merrill Memorial Library.[6]
Until the final week of his life, Knight lived on Sligo Road in Yarmouth.[6][9][10] His cottage was demolished and replaced with a new structure shortly after his death.
Death and legacy
Knight died on May 14, 2012, at the age of 103.
Knight cared for the tree for half of his life, having accepted the role in 1956. Knight's efforts were recognized by the Town of Yarmouth: the athletic fields at
In 2009, Knight joked that he was seen as a "tree lover," but that he had probably "taken down more trees than anyone in Maine."[3]
References
- ^ a b "Maine: Herbie the Tree" – The New York Times, January 19, 2010
- ^ Images of America: Yarmouth, Hall, Alan M., Arcadia (2002)
- ^ a b "Yarmouth braces for Herbie's demise" - Portland Press Herald, August 10, 2009
- ^ The National Register of Big Trees: 2000-01
- ^ "Old Man and a Tree – CBS, YouTube, February 23, 2010
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "'Herbie's' hero, former Yarmouth Tree Warden Frank Knight, dies at 103" – Portland Press Herald, May 14, 2012
- ISBN 9780738545943
- ^ a b c d e Frank "The Tree Man" A Knight – Dignity Memorial
- ^ The Maine Forester (1953), p. 95
- ^ S.A.F. Affairs, Volumes 5-7, Society of American Foresters (1939), p. 106
- ^ "Obituary: Frank Knight / Maine man who cared for famed old elm tree" – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 16, 2012
- ^ Frank Knight Forest – Yarmouth Community Services
- ^ "Champion of Trees" - American Profile Archived 2011-02-12 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Town of Yarmouth, Maine -- Latchstring Award