At the back of that memorial is this small granite tablet, dedicated in 1999 to the memory of Frank Knight, one of the best known and best loved individuals of Yarmouth. Frank became known as "The Tree Man", a man who dedicated the latter years of his life caring for the trees of Yarmouth, most particularly the Elms in the city. When it eventually became apparent that he couldn't save the elms, he dedicated his time to an attempt to saving one tree, the largest elm in New England, which came to be known as "Herbie". Herbie finally succumbed to Dutch Elm Disease and was cut down in January 2010. Frank passed away two years later at the age of 103, on May 14, 2012 and was buried in a coffin made of wood donated by Herbie.
The
Frank Knight Forest, at the Yarmouth Community Garden in Yarmouth, has been named in his honor.
Frank Knight's obituary appears below, followed by a news story/obituary on Frank and Herbie.
Frank A. Knight
Frank,
The Tree Man,
103
YARMOUTH -- Frank A. Knight, 103, a resident of Yarmouth, died on May 14, 2012, at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough.
He was born in Pownal on Oct. 17, 1908, the son of Frank A. Knight and Kate Hodsdon Knight.
He attended school in Pownal and graduated from North Yarmouth Academy. His education continued at the University of Maine and graduated with a B.S. degree in Forestry.
After working with the paper industry he began his own business as a pulpwood and timber dealer, land clearing contractor and blueberry grower.
In 1933 he married Frances Mann of Yarmouth. His wife of over 60 years died in 1994.
Frank was active in community affairs and served in many positions. He was a member of the First Parish Congregational Church for over 60 years and treasurer of the Ministerial Fund for 30 years, a member of first Yarmouth Planning Board and the Conservation Committee. Frank served as a trustee for North Yarmouth Academy for 26 years, the Merrill Memorial Library, Riverside Cemetery 30 plus years, and the Robert W. Boyd Award Fund for over 40 years. In 1983 Frank was publicly honored with the Latchstring Award for service to the community.
In 1956 Frank was appointed as a volunteer Tree Warden for the town of Yarmouth, a position which he held for over 52 years. He may be best remembered for his interest, work and dedication to help care for and preserve elm trees, specifically, the largest elm tree in New England, the famous 'Herbie.'
In 2010 Frank was honored to be named the Grand Marshall of the Yarmouth Clam Festival Parade.
From the Portland Press Herald
Obituary: Frank Knight / Maine
man who cared for famed old elm tree
Died May 14, 2012
May 16, 2012 12:02 AM
By David Sharp Associated Press
Frank Knight's decades-long battle to save New England's tallest elm served as an inspiring tale of devotion, so it is fitting that he will be buried in a coffin made from the tree he made famous.
Mr. Knight, who died Monday at 103 at a hospice in Scarborough, Maine, had affectionately referred to the 217-year-old elm nicknamed Herbie as "an old friend." The massive tree in Yarmouth, Maine, succumbed to Dutch elm disease and was cut down two years ago.
Wood from the tree was made into a casket, a secret that was kept from Mr. Knight.
"To have them together like that is a wonderful thing. I feel like Frank took good care of Herbie. Now Herbie will take good care of Frank," said Deb Hopkins, a close friend who succeeded Mr. Knight as Yarmouth's tree warden.
Mr. Knight was already middle-aged and running a logging business in 1956 when he became the volunteer tree warden in Yarmouth, 10 miles north of Portland, just as Dutch elm disease was killing trees by the hundreds.
He realized he couldn't save the town's elms, so he focused his efforts on one tree, a giant with a canopy that could be seen from miles away.
When Herbie became afflicted, Mr. Knight couldn't bear to cut down the tree, so he instructed workers to selectively prune away diseased limbs. Later, pesticides and fungicides were applied. For five decades, Herbie survived 14 rounds of Dutch elm disease, thanks to Mr. Knight's efforts.
Over time, Herbie became a local legend, and so did Mr. Knight. Schoolchildren learned about New England's champion elm and his caretaker. People from all corners of the world had their photos taken with the tree.
Jan Ames Santerre, urban forestry program coordinator for the Maine Forest Service, recalls how Mr. Knight's eyes sparkled when he took her to meet Herbie.
"He looked up and said, 'Isn't he beautiful?' You could see how much joy that tree brought and how much he had invested in it," she said.
But all good things had to come to an end. At age 101, Mr. Knight was sad but realistic when the 110-foot-tall tree finally met its demise. When the tree was cut down in January 2010, its trunk hit the ground with an earth-shaking thud as dozens of residents watched.
From the Pittsburgh Post Gazette