In my very first column for the Sun Journal, I talked a little about Stone Farm in Andover and the beautiful summers our family enjoyed there. That was July 11. A few days later I received an e-mail from Jemma Poor. She suggested I contact her grandfather, Archer Poor, because his grandfather, Edward Lister, grew up on Stone Farm.

I wanted to talk to Archer, because I want to learn and write more about Stone Farm. But I also wanted to talk with Jemma Poor because I haven’t met many people under age 40 – she is 20 – who have an avid interest in history, not even in family history.

Jemma is interested in both, and in archaeology to boot.

Why? “My grandfather turned me on to it,” she said. Jemma and her brother Peter John have lived close to Archer Poor for most of their lives. Jemma’s family lives a little outside of downtown Andover and Archer lives right on South Main Street.

“He took us on all kinds of expeditions,” Jemma said. Thanks to their grandfather, Jemma and her brother were able to observe professional archaeologists at work up around the Richardson Lakes and along the Androscoggin River in Rumford.

Grandfather Poor also took them quarrying and into the gem mines. He told Jemma stories about the family and about his many interests and experiences.

Jemma thinks her grandfather is “just an amazing man.” I think so, too.

It was mid-August by the time I got to visit with Archer Poor. Well worth the wait. He shared the history of Stone Farm. We speculated about the date of the house’s construction and concluded that it had to have been before 1861.

That was the year Archer’s grandfather was born, and he lived on the farm “all his life.”

The house was built by Edward Lister Poor I, born in 1790.

Archer said his late wife, Frances, once remarked, “Archer, I didn’t know you were related to every other person in Andover.” Among his relations are Smalls, Foxes, Miltons and Stowells.

I will return to the history of Stone Farm and its families another day.

And I’ll visit Archer to learn more about:

• His friendship and work with the late James Petersen, the distinguished archaeologist who taught at the University of Maine at Farmington from 1983 to 1997 and who was murdered in Brazil on Aug. 13.

• The history of the fishing camps and hotels up on the Richardson Lakes. Archer, his father and grandfather were caretakers of Bellevue Camp, which was built in 1864 and has been in continuous use since.

• The Maine chapter of the national Skull and Antler Club (there really is one) to which he was introduced by his good friend Eric Wight;.

• His dates with Jean Macgregor Carey!

There’s much, much more. Archer’s life and learning would, as they say, fill a book.

But for now, back to Jemma Poor. After graduating from Telstar High School in 2003, Jemma headed for Ames College in Colorado. Like young people everywhere, after high school graduation, Jemma wanted to get away from her hometown.

“All I wanted was to get to Colorado. But I think it was the grass is always greener.’ Right now I’m just happy I’m here.”

Jemma will soon resume her college studies in Maine. Her major is elementary education and she says, “I’d like to do my student teaching at Andover Elementary.” Her minor is anthropology.

As we finished our talk, Jemma asked me if I’d seen her grandfather’s stories. I replied that I’d come away with a copy of the collection and couldn’t wait to read it. There are about 20 stories, among them “Frogging” and “Cheater and the Ewe.”

What does Jemma admire most about them? “All that he can remember. It’s absolutely amazing. Every time I’m with him I learn more.”

Linda Farr Macgregor lives in Rumford with her husband, Jim. She is a longtime community volunteer and author of “Rumford Stories.” The book is based on more than 120 oral history interviews that she conducted for the Rumford Bicentennial Oral History Project. Contact her at [email protected].