More than two dozen people gathered at the Leeds Historical Society Sept. 8, when Wilbur Smith was presented with the Boston Post Cane in recognition of his status as Leeds’ oldest citizen.

Born and raised in Monmouth, the 94-year-old has lived in Leeds for 76 years.

Smith was presented with the cane on behalf of the town by his great-nephew, Selectman Dwight Buckley. After being presented with the cane, he shared some stories of his life, providing those in attendance with a sense of life in Leeds over the past seven decades, according to a news release from Pam Bell with the society.

Wilbur was married to Delores Burnham for 67 years. They had a vegetable garden and would sell what they didn’t need to anyone who called or stopped in. When the Monmouth Fair was in full swing, people would see vegetable displays, and Smith had several entries and took home many winning ribbons.

In addition to caring for his vegetable garden, cattle and pigs, Smith was employed at Highmoor Farm in Monmouth, the Maine Department of Transportation, and at Globe Albany, which became known at Tex Tech in North Monmouth.

After retirement began, he bagged groceries at Mister Market in Winthrop and continued when it became a Hannaford store.

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