The Rural Socrates Speaker Series features authors, scholars, and thinkers whose work reflects both the mission of Vaughan Woods & Historic Homestead and the literary, cultural, scientific, and philosophical passions of Benjamin and Sarah Vaughan. Their nearly 12,000-volume library was, at the turn of the 19th century, second in size in New England only to Harvard’s, and Benjamin regularly welcomed scientists and professors to the Homestead to share ideas with friends and neighbors. Sarah maintained a lending library in Hallowell and was especially passionate about education; Benjamin’s interests ranged from medicine and science to politics and agriculture. Their books and papers are now held by institutions including Bowdoin College, the Massachusetts Historical Society, the American Philosophical Society, and Vaughan Homestead.
In 2025, the series expanded to include our annual Jamaican Emancipation Day speaker and a broader range of talks that bring overlooked histories to light. As VWHH expands its own historical interpretation to examine the Vaughans’ involvement in the Atlantic slave economy and colonial expansion in Maine, we welcome authors and historians whose work similarly brings forgotten or underrepresented stories forward. In this way, Rural Socrates continues the Vaughans’ tradition of curiosity, conversation, and intellectual exchange while inviting new perspectives on the past and present.
“The Rural Socrates”
“Modern agriculture became a consuming interest for Benjamin Vaughan,” writes biographer Craig Murray, “Believing that excellence in agriculture was the key to national prosperity, Vaughan sought ways to aid its cause.” In 1800 Benjamin printed an American edition of The Rural Socrates: An Account of a Celebrated Philosophical Farmer Lately Living In Switzerland and Known by the Name of Kliyogg for distribution throughout the young nation. According to Murray, “Benjamin greatly admired Kliyogg’s native intelligence, honesty, diligence, and philanthropic helpfullness and hoped these qualities would somehow commend themselves to multitudes of American farmers and immigrants.” It is in honor of this book and Benjamin’s deep belief in its message, that we name our speaker series.
Featured Speakers
2026
Thomas E. Ricks, author of the Ryan Tapia Mystery Series
John Bunker, author of “Apples and the Art of Detection: Tracking Down, Identifying and Preserving Rare Apples”
Carrie Gibson, author of “The Great Resistance: The 400-Year Fight to End Slavery in the Americas”
2025
Andrew Lawler, author of “A Perfect Frenzy: A Royal Governor, His Black Allies and The Crisis That Spurred The American Revolution”
Seth Goldstein, Maritime Historian, Lecture entitled: “Maine and the Economics of Enslavement”
John Leeke, Historic Preservation Professional, Lecture entitled “How To Care For Your Historic Building”
2020
Earle Shettleworth, State Historian, talks about Hallowell’s bid to be Maine’s capital City; and Ron Kley, Curator, discusses Vaughan Homestead’s connection to the Maine State Seal – both in honor of Maine’s Bicentennial. Watch the video here: https://vimeo.com/534998291
2017
Matthew Hargraves, Chief Curator of Art Collections at the Yale Center for British Art joined conservators Nina Roth-Well and Johanna Moore to welcome back the newly conserved 1754 Vaughan Family Portrait.
2016
Nina Roth-Wells and Johanna Moore, professional painting and frame conservators spoke at the Homestead in November of 2016 about their work to the 1754 Vaughan Conversation Piece family portrait.
2015
Thomas Hubka, author of “Big House, Little House, Back House, Barn: The Connected Farm Buildings of New England,” spoke at Hallowell City Hall on July 11, 2015.
2014
Andrea Wolf, author of “Founding Gardeners: The Revolutionary Generation, Nature, and the Shaping of the American Nation,” spoke at Hallowell City Hall on September 15, 2014.
2013
Christian Becksvoort, author of “With the Grain: A Craftsman’s Guide to Understanding Wood,” spoke at Vaughan Homestead on September 14, 2013.
Tom Wessels, author of “Reading the Forested Landscape,” spoke at Vaughan Homestead on October 19, 2013 and led a hike through Vaughan Woods.
2012
William Fowler, acclaimed author and distinguished Professor of History at Northeastern University spoke at Hallowell City Hall about “Maine’s Post-Revolutionary Move Toward Independence And The Role Hallowell Played” on October 20, 2012.
Linda Brockway, award-winning landscape designer and preservationist spoke on “New England Gardens: Lost, Found and Rediscovered” at Vaughan Homestead on Saturday, August 18, 2012.
2006
Robert Thorson, author of “Stone By Stone,” spoke at the Ladd Center in Wayne on March 23, 2006. The talk was co-sponsored by Vaughan Homestead and the Kennebec Land Trust.
Barry Timson, long-time Mayor of Hallowell and lifelong geologist gave a talk on “The Geology of Hallowell.” The talk was video-taped – watch it here: https://digitalmaine.com/hallowell_videos/6/. Also, see the accompanying program paperwork:
Timson Intro
TimsonGeologyhandouts