GUILFORD — There aren't many people who can say they have lived in Guilford for 100 years.
In fact, it is likely that Margery Evans is in a class all by herself.
Anyone who knows her appreciates the genuine warmth and wisdom of a farm wife and mother who has lived her entire life on farms in Guilford.
Margery Clark was born at the Springs Farm, site of the famed mineral springs, on July 20, 1917. Her parents Merton and Maude Clark took care of the day-to-day operation of a farm that attracted visitors from all over the world who wanted to soak up the therapeutic waters of the springs.
In addition to Margery, there were brothers Kenneth, Rodney, and John, and sisters Elizabeth and Barbara. After a time, their father wanted to have his own farm, so he bought a place on Barney Hill where the Clark children attended the No. 2 school.
Margery is quick to recall that Jean Campbell was the school's teacher for the eight grades and Edith Quinn substituted as needed. After the students completed eight grades in Guilford, they went to Brattleboro High School. In order to get to school and back, families had to arrange for the transportation of their children.
The Clark children's father paid for transport to and from school, but there were times when Margery missed her ride. She was able to stay with her aunt Evelyn, who lived near the school, when she missed her ride home. Margery graduated from Brattleboro High School in 1936.
Over the next few years, she got to know Emery Evans, a local farm boy. According to Margery, Emery was smitten with her upon his first interaction with her. It was a Guilford winter and a bunch of local people were skating at the Evans' pond off of Guilford Center Road. The crowd enjoyed a game of “crack the whip,” where they would form a line and then try to whip their friends around the ice.
Margery took a tumble during the game and Emery quickly came to her rescue and, according to Margery, “He gave me a great big kiss because he felt sorry for me.”
After that introduction, Emery kept visiting Margery's brother - but she knew he had other intentions.
Emery and Margery married in 1942 and lived in the Evans family farm on Guilford Center Road. Emery's parents lived with them but, within a few years, the older generation built their own home and moved out.
Emery and Margery ran the farm for many years, milking cows, cutting hay, running a sawmill, and making maple syrup, among many other activities of farm life.
They had four milking machines, and Emery did the milking, while Margery washed the machines and cleaned the tank.
Emery died in 2002 and the 60-year marriage of two local farmers came to an end. They had three children: Chet, Marsha, and Charles. Marsha died a few years ago and Charles lives in the Vermont Veterans' Home in Bennington. Chet came home to live with Margery after the death of his wife.
Evans' farm is no longer a working farm, but there is still much to be learned about the farming life from the fond reminiscences of a farm lady who takes pleasure in sharing 100 years of memories.