Dr. Nicholas N Smith 1926 – 2022 BRUNSWICK – Nicholas Neville Smith, 95, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Aug. 8, 2022. He was born in Malden, Mass. on Dec. 25, 1926, second son of the Rev. Dr. H. Robert Smith and Anne (Silvester) Smith. He grew up in Newton, Mass. and the North Shore area. He enlisted in the US Army Air Force in 1944. Although trained in B-32s and B-24s, he was in the first group sent to Fürstenfeldbruck in Germany, then transferred to Erding, a German jet base. In 1950 Nick received a BA in history from the University of Maine at Orono (UMO). He had a fellowship at Brown University about early life of Indigenous people. Nick taught English and history in Maine, Ohio, and New York. In 1956 he married Edyth Louise Kummerle. Nick earned an MS in Library Service from Columbia University. While in Carmel, N.Y. their daughter was born. His library career in New York included Peekskill, Watertown, Plattsburgh, and Ogdensburg. He was the Ogdensburg Public Library director from 1969 until retiring in 1983. At age 52, he won first prize in a hand-sawing contest. No one expected a librarian to win. As committee chairman he helped update library laws regulating distribution of state funding for New York libraries. After retirement Nick continued his Indian Studies of the Wabanaki tribes. In 1998 he moved to Maine to be closer to his daughter and grandchildren. In 1963 Nick and Peter L. Paul canoed from Meductic on the St. John River, NB, Canada, to Indian Island, Maine, rediscovering the Old Meductic Trail, the first persons in memory to do so. He and Peter Paul of the Maliseet Woodstock Reserve developed a plan to save history, traditions, and culture. From 1954 to 2022, Dr. Smith published ethnohistorical research, scholarly articles, and book chapters about northeastern Indian history and culture. He has extensive collections in the UMO Fogler and University of New Brunswick Libraries and Abbe Museum. In 1995 he co-authored a paper about Birch Bark Biting. There has been renewed interest in this art. In the 1970s and 80s Nick worked with the Cree Indians and Anglican church in northern Quebec. He researched life in their villages and bush camps and later authored a book titled Three Hundred Years in Thirty: Memoir of Transition with the Cree Indians of Lake Mistassini. In 2007 Nick received an honorary doctorate in humane letters from UMO in recognition of more than 50 years of research with the Wabanaki. He compiled an extensive computerized bibliography, Wabib, to help students and scholars research Wabanaki tribes. The Fogler Library maintains it. Dr. Smith provided his notes and stories from visits with Sabattis Tomah in the 1950s for a Whiting Foundation Grant about Tomah to build community knowledge and bring his research material home to the people. During 62 years of marriage, Nick and Edyth enjoyed traveling in England, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Holland, Italy, and especially the Alps. He was family historian for the Silvester, Medary, Cooper, Smith, and Day families. His gardening skills provided the family with the best produce ever tasted. While living in Ogdensburg for 30 years, Nick served as Jr. and Sr. Warden at St. John’s Episcopal Church. In 1998, Nick became an active member of St Paul’s Episcopal Church and the Episcopal Committee on Indian Relations. Dr. Smith was predeceased by his parents; his wife, and brother, Dr. Silvester R. Smith. Nick is survived by his daughter, Wanda Louise (Jeffrey) Morris; three grandchildren, James, Paul, and Kimberly; his brother David D. (Martha) Smith; seven nieces, three nephews; and many great nieces and nephews. The family thanks Thornton Hall Staff at Mid Coast Senior Health Center and CHANS for their compassionate care of Nick and his family. A celebration of life will be held September 10 at 11 a.m. at St Paul’s Episcopal Church, Brunswick. In lieu of flowers, please consider memorial donations to: St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Brunswick, Maine. Camp O-AT-KA, CHANS, or Mid Coast Senior Health

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