Barbie Dyer’s ‘Goodies of the past’
I want to tell you about a little something different.today. There were two citizens who had quite an effect on Camden, and lived here most of their lives. One was a lawyer, Job H. Montgomery, who was born on February 25, 1851 and died November 5, 1941. He is buried at Mountain View Cemetery in a little stone mausoleum, not far from the little brick chapel.
The other gentleman was Everett Grieves, who was janitor in many places in town. I was told that he once played the piano for silent movies.
How many people in town knew they wrote a song, by Everett writing te music, and Job writing the lyrics? I have a souvenir piece of the sheet music and something we all should know about it.
“Camden-By-The -Sea”
“Where I live the Sunbeams glimmer.
And scintillate and shimmer
On the Bay;
And the waters in commotion
From the Winds across the Oceans,
Splash and play.
The place is said to be,
Camden-by-the-Sea.
Where I live the Air is bracing,
And astir and racing
O'er the land;
And the Clouds about the Mountains,
From the Sky's perpetual Fountains
Float and stand.
The place it gaily fills,
Camden-by-the Hills.
Where I live the Streams are flowing,
And the woods are glowing
With the Light;
And fond Nature in perfusion,
Spreads her favors in confusion
With delight.
The Ocean, Lakes and Hills,
Camden-by-the-Rills.
Where I live the Moments tarry,
And occupy and carry
On the years;
And Companions of the Day,
Recreate and haste away
To other Spheres.
And there'll always be.
Camden-by-the Sea.
Although this was written especially for the Annual Convention of the Knox County Teachers' Association in 1941, It is the way many of us natives feel about Camden.
By now some of you readers may wonder how many “goodies of the past” I can haul out from their hiding places; frankly, I do also.
Barbara F. Dyer has lived in Camden all of her life, so far.
More Barbara Dyer
The Seaside Mountains of Camden
The story of the Barbie D, a little tug that has worked Camden Harbor for 60-plus years
Postcards and the way we communicated 100 years ago
The Babbs: A family integral to Camden history
When Camden paid a fine for having no minister preaching in town
The demise of a Camden-built vessel
Camden’s wooden boat builders were perfectionists
Building wooden boats in Camden, many years ago
Socializing and such, before television
The first years of the Camden Snow Bowl
The many moods of Camden Harbor
Demise of the Camden steamboat wharf
Curtis Island Lighthouse - the sentinel of Camden Harbor
