The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-05-13
pea.A Or : l,etolullonery ,Her0.


We have resd the following, from tn
, Honesdale Democrat, published In Wayne
county, Pennsyivsnis, with the most lively
interest, and we give il to our readers en-
tire:
In February last we chronicled the dealt
: Of Mfr. Michael Grennell, Of CHS .on town
ship, at the advanced age Of one hundred
and six years. To-day we have to recort
the decease Of Mrs. Sarah Benjamin, in Mt.
Pleasant township, on the goth instant. al
the still greater longevity Of one HUNDRED
end fourteen years, five months, end three
days. .-.s -.-.
Her maiden name wcs Sarah Mathews
and she was born in Goshen, Orange county
N. Y, on the 18th Of November l743. She
was thrice married. Her first husband was
Mr.. William Reed. He served in the Rev.
olutionnry army in the early part Of the
struggle, and died Of a wound received in
Virginia. Her second husband was Mr. Aar
on Usburney OF Goshen, N. Y. He also
was in the armS Of the Revolution, but sur.
vived the war. Her last husband was Mr.
John Benjamin, with whom she settled in
Mt. Pleasant III 1919. He died four years
Afterwards. She had I've children, the
youngest Of whom is seventy years Old
She has left four generations OF descendants
From her youth until little over forty years
Of age, she was in the midst of the rough
and stirring scenes of border warfare br oi
the revolutionary struggle. Her tempefa.
ment was such that she could not be an idle
spectator of events. She entered very deep
ly into oil these vieissitudes. Up to the Ia
test period OF her life che distinctly fecollect
ed the family of Mr.. Broadhead, whose sons
in 1855, boldly resisted party of 200 Indi
une, making fort of their house. She was
in the vicinity OF DIinisink when Brant, the
Indian chief, led party of Indians and To-
ries through that settlement, scalping the
inhabitants and burning the houses. Aftel
her second marriage, she accompanied hel
husband in the army. During marches, she
made herself useful in preparing food, anC
when ia quarters, engaged in sewing for the
officers and men. She was, however, read
for any service which circumstances seemed
to require. When the army was engaged
in embarkiBg some heavy ordnance al
Kingsbridge, 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 hus.
band having been placed as sentinel, she
took his station, with overcoat and gun, tha,
he might help to load the heavy artillery
Soon Washington came round to examine
the outposts, and detecting something un.
usual in her appearance, asked, "Who
placed you he'e" She promptly replied in
her characteristic way, "Them who had a
right to, sir" He, apparently pleased with
her independent and patriotic spirit, passed
on. She accompanied the army, with her
husband, TO the South, and was present at
the seige CT Yorktown and tn surrender OF
CORVALLIS. During the battle she was
busy in carrying water to the thirsty and re-
lieving the wants of the suffering. When
passing where the bullets of the enemy were
flying, she met Washington, who said,
I"Young woman, are you not afraid of the
bullets" Sne pleasantly answered, "The
bullets will never cheat the galows," 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 10 the period of her death she ex
ercised herself in curdng and spinning
The tineness and uniformity OF her yarn was
a wonder and en- admiration. She Visited
her friends on foot, making long walks, and
when she used a carriage, disdained 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 medicines. After he had
gone, she, not liking the smell of it "threw
the dirty stuff into tbs fire, and then hal to
pay for it," The simplicity of her lie was
peculiar. For some years past she has been
regarded as sort of curiosity on account of
her grec nge and vivid recollection of events
long past Many visitors called upon her,
and were always received with cheerfuluess, :,
and want away surprised and delighted with
her flow of genial humor combined with rare
physical activity. She was indeed link
connecting the present age with ages past
and gone. For long period she was ready
and cheerfully waiting to depart, and her
end was calm and peaceful.