Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1858-06-10
A Heroine OF HThc Days that
Tried Mems Souis,'' and WO.
mems tOOs

A Heroine OF ssThc Days that
Tried Mems SOuis,'' and WO.
mems too:
Mrs. Sarah Benjamin, of Mount Pleas
ant Township, Wayne Co., Penn, died on
the goth ult., at the extraordinary age of
one hundred and fourteen years, five months
and three day.. The Honesdale Demo-
crat, in announcing the obituary, gives
brief but most interesting particulars of in
cidents in her history. The class of wo-
men of which she was type and 4 relic
have nearly all passed away, and it may
be pertinently asked, "when shall we look
upon their like again?"
Her maiden name was Sarah Matthews,
and she was born in Goshen, Orange Co.,
N. Y, on the 18th of November, l743.-
She was thrice married. Her first husband
was Mr.. William Reed. He served in The
Revolutionary army in the early part of
the struggle, and died of woand received
in Virginia. Her second husband was Mr..
Aaron Osburne. of Goshen, N. Y. He al
so was in the army of the Revolution, but
survived the war. Her last husband was
Mr.. John Benjamin, with whom she set
tied in Mount Pleasant in 1912. He died
four years afterward. She had five child
rem, the youngest of whom is seventy years
old. She has left four generations of de-
scendants. From her youth until past
forty years of age, she was in the midst OF
the rough and stirring scenes of border war
fare or of the Revolutionary struggle. Her
temperament was such that she could not
be an idle spectator of events. She enter
ed very deeply in all these vicissitudes.-
Up TO the latest period of her life she dis
tinctly recolleted the family of Mr.. Brod-
head, whose sons, in. 1855, boldly resisted
party of two hundred Indians, making a
fort of their houses. She was in the vicin-
ity of Minisink when Blant, the Indian
Chief, led party of Indians and Tories
through that settlement, scalping the in
habitants and burning the houses. After
the second marriage she accompanied her
husband in the army. During marching
she made herself useful in preparing food,
and, when in quarters, engaged in sewing
for the officers and men. She was howev-
er, ready for any service which circumstan-
ces seemed to require. When the army
was engaged in embarking some heavy Or
dinanee at Kings Bridge. on the Hudson,
ostensibly to attack New York, then in the
hands of the enemy, it was necessary TO do
it in the night, and to place sentries around
lest they should be observed or taken by
surprise. Her husband having been pla-
ced as a sentinel, she took his station, with
overcoat and gun, that he might help to
load the heavy artillery. Soon Washing
ton came round TO examine the outposts,
and detecting something unusual in her
appearance, asked, "Who placed you here"
She promptly replied, in her Characteristic
way, "Them who had a right to, sir" He,
pleased with her independent
and patriotic spirit, passed on. She ac-
companied the army, with her husband, to
the South, and was present at the siege of
Y orb town and the surrender of CORVALLIS.
During the battle she was busy in carry
ing water to the thirsty and relieving the
wants of the suffering. When passing
where the bullets of the enemy were flying
she met Washington, who said, "Young
woman, are yon not afraid of the bullets 2"
She pleasantly answered, "The bullets will
never cheat the gallows." She possessed
extraordinary energy, even in her extreme
age, and would relate the events of her
early days with all the vivacity of youth.
Up almost to the period of her death she
exercised herself in carding and spinning.
The fineness and uniformity of her yarn
was a wonder, and an admiration. She
visited her friends on foot, making long
walks, and when she used carriage, dis
dained to be helped to enter it. Two or
three years ago she remarked that she had
never been sick but once. She then sent
for physician, who left her some medi-
rines. After he had gone, she, not liking
The smell of it, "tlrew the dirty stuff into
The fire, and then had to pay for it." The
simplicity of her life was peculiar. For
some years past she has been regarded as a
sort of curiosity on account of her great
lge and vivid recollections of events long
past. Many visitors called upon her, and
we're always received with cheerfulness,
and went away surprised and delighted
with her flow of genial humor combined
With rare physical activity. She was, in
Iced, link connecting the present ages
past and gone. For long period she was
'eady and cheerfully waiting to depart, and
Ter end was calm and peaceful.