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History in hand

By LYDIA WHEELER lwheeler@poststar.com | Posted: Sunday, October 25, 2009 3:35 pm | (0) Comments

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Jeffrey Fehder - jfehder@poststar.com Ninety-four-year-old town historian Agnes Peterson discusses a book she wrote entitled "Our History" at her home in Dresden on Thursday, Oct. 22. 'It has evolved from a story about the town into a look at the people of Dresden,' says Peterson about the project. The book consists of a series of articles Peterson wrote for the monthly newsletter of the Dresden Baptist Church in Clemons, N.Y.

DRESDEN -- Agnes Peterson remembers her school days as far back as 1921, when completing two grades in a year was common, and children of all ages were taught together in a one-room schoolhouse.

She remembers her bus rides to school, and having to get off to walk across the wobbly South Bay Bridge as the empty bus followed the children over it.

Peterson also remembers Dresden the way it used to be, a farm country, and the influential people that settled there.

Decades later, Peterson, 94, is now a first-time author, sharing her memories and more in the book "Our History."

As the town's historian for the past 30 years, Peterson was asked to write monthly articles for her church's newsletter about the church and town, an effort her pastor, the Rev. Ashley Meade, thought would help draw people into Dresden Baptist Church. The articles began in 2000 and continued though 2007.

Peterson has since turned the collection of clippings into a book.

"It was my idea to make the book of it, definitely," she said, adding that publication was possible with the help of Meade's generosity and hard work.

Most of the book, Peterson said, was written from memory and research she has done for the town. Although she has two computers, she said the first half of her book was written by hand and then retyped on a typewriter, as she couldn't find a printing company that would accept a hand-written copy.

Though she has gray hair and some difficulty hearing, little gives away Peterson's age.

Her neighbor, Amelia Brown, who is helping publicize Peterson's book, vouched for her quick mind.

"She's sharp as a tack," Brown said.

Aside from a few years in Ballston Spa and some winters in Florida with her husband, George, Peterson said she and her parents lived in Dresden all their lives.

"I was born in an old house, which is now torn down, on Huletts Road in May of 1915," she said.

The daughter of a carpenter, Peterson remembered her father, Royden Barber, fondly while she spoke about her life at her home during a warm fall afternoon last week.

"He was very interested in genealogy. He lived to be 100 and worked on genealogy up until a month before he died," she said.

A love for what and who came before carried over for Peterson, who said she became town historian because there was a need someone interested in Dresden's past.

"Ralph Barber was one of the earliest settlers of Dresden. I'm a lineal descendant of Ralph Barber. I think I'm the seventh generation. Don is the eighth. I think I figured that out once," she said of her son, who is now 76.

Peterson's family has five living generations, consisting of eight grandchildren and a great-grandchild. But beyond her work and family keeping her busy, Peterson is a painter, continuously producing oil and acrylic paintings of scenic landscapes and flowers.

She said she would like to write a second book, the subject this time being her husband, George, who was a carpenter and who served as the Dresden town supervisor from 1958 to 1964 and chairman of the Washington County Board of Supervisors in 1960.

"I thought he did alright for no education. He only completed up to eighth grade. I'd love to have that published," she said.

"Our History" is on sale for $12 at the Dresden Baptist Church or the Washington County Historical Society in Fort Edward

Posted in Local on Sunday, October 25, 2009 3:35 pm | Tags: Agnes Peterson, Dresden

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