One day before his 90th birthday, Sherrill Dayton received an early gift in the form of a proclamation thanking him for many years of service to East Hampton Village.
At the village board’s June 17 meeting, it was said that Mr. Dayton, who resides at the family’s homestead built by his great-grandfather in 1829, “has been intertwined with the heart of the village community throughout his life, serving as an important link to the village’s heritage and idyllic charm.” He “became a master carpenter through his work in his father’s shop, and over the years played a vital role in the preservation and restoration of numerous historic structures in East Hampton and neighboring communities.”
Prior to the reading of the proclamation, Hugh King, the village’s historian, recited a long list of historical structures on which Mr. Dayton had worked. These include the Home, Sweet Home museum and no fewer than 10 windmills. He joined the East Hampton Fire Department nearly 70 years ago, and served on the village’s design review board for 37 years. “He must have gone to over 400 meetings,” Mr. King said.
Mr. Dayton, the proclamation reads, “has exemplified the highest ideals of public service, demonstrating extraordinary dedication to the health, safety, and well-being of the residents of East Hampton through decades of volunteerism and commitment.”
Reading the proclamation, Mayor Jerry Larsen said that he, “on behalf of the board of trustees and the residents of the Village of East Hampton, do hereby proclaim our deepest appreciation and recognition for Charles Sherrill Dayton for his extraordinary lifetime of service, leadership, and unwavering dedication to the betterment of our community.”
“It’s been a pleasure to have served on the board for many years,” Mr. Dayton said. “I have thoroughly enjoyed working with the team that we have to beautify our village, and I hope it continues because East Hampton is a beautiful place to live. A lot of the shops and stores come and go, but they’re still in East Hampton and it’s a wonderful place to be, and I thank you for the opportunity.”
Mr. King adapted the opening lines of John Howard Payne’s 1823 song “Home! Sweet Home!” in stating, “Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam, be it ever so humble, Sherrill Dayton can now go home.”
