Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1858-05-14
Deaths Of Centennarians.

SARAH BENJAMIN, IN mount i4tasaD'
township, Wayne Co, Pa, on the 2lst
u!t at the great age Of Ia years, months,
and 3 DAYS. Her maiden name was Sa-
raL Matthews. She was bern in Goshen,
Orange Co, y. Y, 18th Nov, l143. She
vas thrice married. Her first husband
was William Reed. lie served il the
Revolutionary army in the early part OF
the struggle, and died Of a wound received
in Virginia. Her second husband was
Aaron Osburne, Of Goshen, n. y. He
also was in the army Of the Revolution,
. bu. survived it. Her last husband was
John Benjamin, with whom she settled in
Mount Pleasant in 1872. He died four
wears Afterwards She had FIVE children,
the youngest Of whom is seventy years
old, aud has left four generations Of de-
scend4uts.
From her youth, until past forty years
Of age, she was in the midst Of the rough
aud stirring scenes Of Border Warfare or
Of the Revolutionary struggle. Her TEN
peramen. was such that she could not be
an idle spectator Of events. Up to the
latest period Of her life, she recollected
the family Of Mr Bgoaihead, whose sons,
in l755, boldly resisted party Of 200
Indians, making fort Of their house.
She was in the vicinity Of Minisink, when
Brant, the Indian chief, led party Of In
dians and Tories through that settlement:
scalPing the inhabitants and burning the
houses. She accompanied her husband in
the army. During marches she made heg-
self useful in preparing food, and, when
in quarters, engaged in sewing for the OH
GERS aud men. When the army was enga-
ged in embarking some heavy ordnance
at Kingsbridge on the Hudson, ostensibly
to attack New York, then in the hands Of
the enemy, j. was necessary to do 1t in
the night, aud to place sentries around,
lest they should be observed or taken BY
surprise Her husband having been pla-
ctd as 4 sentinel, she took his station, with
overcoat and gun, that he nj ght help load
the heavy artillery. Soon, Washington
came around to examine the oatp0sts, and
detecting something unusual in her ap-
Pearance, asked, :'Who placed you here ?"
She promptly replied in her characteristic
way, --Thzm who had right to. Sir"
He, apparently pleased with her indepen-
dent and patriotic spirit, passed on. She
accompanied her husband to the South, and
was present at 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 oftbo enemy were flying,
she met Washington, who said, " Young
woman, are you no. afraid Of the bullets"
She pleasantly answered, "Tbe 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 viva
city Of youth. Up almost TO the period
Of her death she exercised herself in card
ipg and spinning. The fneness and uni
form;;y Of her yarn was wonder and an
admiration She visited her friends on
foot, making long walks, and when she
used carriage, disiained to be helped to
enter il. Two or three years ago she re-
marked that she had never been sick but
once. She then sent for a physician, who
left her some medicines. After be had
gone, she, not liking the smell Of it, ,"thFew
the dirty stuff into the fire. and then had
to pay for it" The simplicity Of her life
was peculiar. For long period she was
ready and cheerfully waiting to depart, and
her end was calm and peacaful.-H9nes-
dale Democrat
LAST SLAVE IN LANCASTER COUNTY.
The Laacasse- Erpress Of May l, ISIS,
(Which appears On an enlarged, eight col
umn sbeet,) records the death Of ABRAM
KIRK, the last nominal 'slaye" in that
county, although long since cmanciPated
by Stephen Porter, Of Drumore TIP. His
exact age was not known, but it was as
ca.tained to be more than los years. The
Elpress says, "His memory, and indeed
all bis faculties, were unusually sound to
the last, and he seemed to pass away in
the easy natural sleep Of dissolution by
Old age. He could remember many Incl
dents Of the Revolution, some Of which be
related with an interesting minuteness OF
detail. One in particular, which seemed
to have made deep impression upon bis
mind, referred TO the services rendered By
Lafayette in the struggle for American
liberty. When young man, in l7Sl,
be assisted in rowing that Genera! and
his troops across the Susquehanua,a at Ball
Friar. The boat in which Abram was
rowing, having accidentally sun on the
rocks in the stream, Lafayette called out
to those in charge Of the boat, "Do not
drown any Of ny noble men; l expect to
bava nsad nf .heno n. Norktnvnv The