EAST FALMOUTH At Christmas, Trish and Charlie Wright gave their neighbor, Samuel Johnson, then 99, a book called The Century, co-authored by Peter Jennings.
About a month ago, Trish Wright said, he gave it back with notes of all the factual errors inside. Johnson lived much of that history. He met Norman Rockwell, saw Babe Ruth play baseball and watched 17 different presidents at the helm, she said.
“He is fantastic to chat with and he just knows so much stuff,” Wright said. “He’s a fantastic historian.”
The neighborhood came together Saturday to celebrate Johnson s birthday. Johnson, who turned 100 on Tuesday, Feb. 9, watched as his neighbors in Fishermans Cove drove by and congratulated him. East Falmouth Elementary School students made large cardboard cutouts of “100” that Johnson put in the front of his yard for the parade.
The Falmouth Select Board unanimously accepted the donation on February 1.
âThat really is a legacy gift that will be here for generations,â chairwoman Megan E. English Braga said.
Board member Douglas C. Brown also offered thanks for the donation.
âWe will have to put an anonymous plaque up along the trail,â Mr. Brown said.
The board proclaimed February 9, 2021, as Samuel N. Johnson Day in Falmouth. Mr. Johnson, a 38-year resident of Falmouth, will celebrate his 100th birthday on Tuesday, February 9.
Mr. Johnson, a World War II veteran, served in the Navy V5 Program from 1942 through 1945 and worked with General Electric as an engineer. He married his wife, Betty, on May 5, 1945, and had six children and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren.