104-year-old honored as Farmington’s oldest resident

FARMINGTON – The town’s oldest resident was recognized with the Boston Post Cane at Pinewood Terrace recently.

Anne Marie Veilleux, at 104, is believed to be the oldest living resident of Farmington. Veilleux came from Canada to Jay in 1947 with her husband. Although neither of them spoke English, they owned and operated Emery’s Esso Station for many years.

She received the commemorative Boston Post Cane from Town Manager Richard Davis.

Seven hundred of the walking stick-styled canes were given to towns across New England in 1909 by the now-defunct Boston Post. Mailed to New England towns by the Post publisher as a promotion, the canes outlived The Boston Post, which shut down in 1957. Originally awarded to the oldest resident in each town, the surviving canes – or in some cases, replicas – continue to serve that purpose.