Judy Kirkland of Silver Creek, Maryland already knew the high regard Benjamin Kirkland held the people of Wiscasset in. On Friday afternoon, inside the Wiscasset Public Library, she and husband Walter Kirkland, Benjamin’s nephew, got to hear what people up this way thought of him.

“It was wonderful to hear everything sort of from the other side ... He loved them, he considered them family. And to hear all the love and the happiness mirrored back, that was very special,” she said. Minutes earlier, the Garden Club of Wiscasset and a room full of attendees dedicated a stewartia tree and a memorial stone in Benjamin Kirkland’s memory.

The club opted for an indoor ceremony due to Friday’s heat, humidity and chance of rain. Outside, a white ribbon and bow decorated the tree.

During the dedication, Walter Kirkland remarked on his uncle’s relationship with the town. “The family has no special claim to Benjamin that isn’t shared with the people of Wiscasset and the people of the Garden Club of Wiscasset that he cared so much about and appreciated so much.

“Judy and I have been here today walking about in Wiscasset, and every once in a while we stop and we say we see exactly what appealed to Benjamin about being here in this lovely, lovely place. So thank you for remembering Benjamin in this way.”

In addition to past and present local and state-level garden club leaders, participants included members of Train Riders/Northeast. Bruce Sleeper said, without Kirkland’s generosity, Amtrak wouldn’t have come to Maine. Kirkland always gave when funding was needed in pursuit of passenger service, Sleeper, who did the organization’s legal work, recalled. “Whenever we needed a little extra for something, he was the one we’d turn to.”

Wayne Davis, of the same group, noted Kirkland’s 17 years of service on the board. “Every passenger may say, ‘Thank you, Benjamin,’ because without his help, the train would not have persevered and would not now be planning expansions ... It’s been a great economic generator in Maine ... All of that is a result of his generosity.”

The Kirklands took Amtrak to Maine for the event.  It was more than just a train ride, it was significant, Garden Club of Wiscasset member Emily Adler said.

Kirkland helped the Wiscasset library to have one of the best art collections of any library in Maine, Wendy Ross, president of the library’s board of trustees, said.

The Garden Club Club Federation of Maine now gives an award in Kirkland’s name to a winning designer, federation president Suzanne Bushnell said.

“He meant so much to the people of Wiscasset and the Garden Club of Wiscasset, and as the sign says as you enter from the south, which I had plenty of time to sit there and look at, the prettiest village in Maine,” Bushnell added in one of several references attendees made to the Route 1 traffic.

Laughter filled the fiction room then and at other times, as speakers remarked on Kirkland’s kind ways — including sharing a brand of peanuts called Aunt Ruby’s. “They’re jumbo peanuts and they are delicious. He always had a can ready to go and everybody always appreciated it,” David Frost of Train Riders/Northeast said. “And his sweet potato cake was legendary up here.”

For all of Benjamin Kirkland’s generosity, “He would probably say, ‘Well I did what little bit I could do,” his nephew said.

“He was very modest,” Frost said.

“Yes, but he knew how to have a good time,” Walter Kirkland added.

Sally Howe, a past president of the Wiscasset club, recalled Benjamin Kirkland as very active in the club, sharing his knowledge and opening his house and gardens to tours. He also opened his home for the club to prepare its Christmas arrangements for veterans.

“He provided all the greens, and gave us all lunch that day ... And that was just Ben,” Howe said. “He was just great that way.”