Hilltowns Senior News for Wednesday, November 13, 2013

A couple of weeks ago, I was honored to host a party for Pauline Williman. She is one of many that were born and raised in the Hilltowns. She grew up on a farm on Ketchum Road in the town of Knox and went to the one room schoolhouse on the same road with her other siblings. She is just an amazing woman with many stories to tell.

She told me that when her father was twelve he had a falling out with her grandfather and went to Gilboa and got a job as water boy where they were building the dam. Years later he returned, met her mother and started farming.

Williman had to help with the chores along with attending school.

Another story is told that their father bought them warm coats for winter as they had to walk to school. One day it was really cold, so they asked their father if they could stay home. He said, "No, that is why I bought the coats." So they went to school only to find that no one was there. So, they did have snow days but no apparent communication.

Later on in life Pauline Williman became a court reporter and started her own business. During this time she was singled out to do many important cases.  She was very fortunate to meet many important people. One year she was invited to be a delegate to the Republican National Convention. She has a scrapbook filled with pictures and autographs of politicians within the state and federal level.

She has also helped many young people to achieve their goals and become good citizens of this country.

Williman has helped her community with serving her church. Many times she has been asked to give the sermon when the minister was unavailable. One day, she wondered what her father would like for her to do with the farmland, so she went to Albany and offered it to the Regional Food Bank.

At the dinner honoring her, many people spoke and told various stories and thanked her for her involvment in her community. Williman replied," I still don't know why I am being honored, I just did what I was suppose to do, I am very thankful for my friends and wouldn't live in any other place.