Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-10-25
ALIuI, win INC Past.

Old Ralph Farnham- who shall say that the hoary
head is not a crown of glory? Like a relic, dug
from battle field rather found some dewy
morning in the grass. where il had lain through for
gotten wear ; and stands forth. shape.y and sug
gestive of ancient times and scenes this aged
warrior came to light little while ago, away down
in Maine We speak with generation of the tree
in its green century = here is man, who by four
winters, has passed that age. With scarcely impair
ed Senses strong memory. vigorous step, and trust
in God as hale his physical powers he yet stands
among us, looking with his eyes back into tunes
which are historical to every other man.
The fact of his existence was brought to public
notice on his last Birthday. by his neighbors, VINO.
by some chance, awaking to their treasure, be-
thought them to celebrate that anniversary with
visitation speeches and salute of arteFy-teling,
with festiYiOus iteration, the number of the yete
rams years This being noticed in the papers, Gu
rious persons to see him. His fine appearance,
his remarkable age and vigOr, and his relation to
the Revolutionary war, but especially to Bunker
Hil-that ThermOpyl9 of American freedOm-at-
tracted still wider public attention. lie in
vted to Boston, where he still remains, the guest Of
every inhabtan of that patriotic mother of cities.
1t is some time since i: supposed that the last
survivor of Bunker Hill gathered to his fathers.
1t CERTAIN however that Mr. Farnhamwas of that
yenerated band, which was so few in numbers even
thirty years ago and which in the memory of every
of us, has been dropping its feebler remnants,
slowly and more slowly, until we supposed that not
coincidence in age is hardly to be expected as that
another should be found. Mr.. Farnham was
eighteen years of age in lI75 man now ninety
would then have been but four years old. He lives
as is now generally knOwn-at Acton, in Maine. 1t
is to be hoped that due regard will be had in the
Ionizing process to his extreme age, and that his
DAYS will not be shortened by abOrs and excements
to which he is unaccustOned. On the 18th instant
he was taken to Bunker Hill it is not probable that
vestige remains to assist his memory of the spot
where, eghty-six years ago, he saw the red-cOats
coming steadily up the slope, and with his fellow
farmers held his fire until the "whites Oftheir eyes
could be distinguished. Then the recOl under that
tremendous belch of bullets the rally the readyance
the second stagger of she stricken column and the
final recover of the blined assailants, when they
stOrmed the hasty breastwOrk where Warren fell all
this the patriarch remembered but city crowds the
spot now-happy hemes, beautiful gardens, and chill
dren playing where the deadly hail fell at breeds
called Bunker's Hill ever since.
He has little reverence, IN his composition, to say
the least who can stand in the presence of such
man, without solemnlty. We look back upon
former generation, a living history is before
eyes-a book which can speak, whose pages glow
with changefuI pictures Of the seedfelds and seed
times of the years in which we live. y vital link
connects US with the past in his person, 1t s next
to having seen Washington and Putnam to talk with
the man who was their companion, and who tells Us
that the latter was "a rough old fellow, afraid Of
nothing and nobody and of the former that there
are no men like him in these days.
Few enough, too, are like this old Ruph Farm-
ham. Truly there were giants in those days.
While our attenuated youth turn gray at thirty-fve.
and those whom we are fain to call men, are aged
at ifty here is a super-centenarian, who can out
walk outwork Outsee, and all but Guido either of
them. every way He has " a Websterian look"
they say sits in his chair " like a man of 20 -
goes to bed at and rises at 5, summer and winter
has been man of steady temperance, and tiller
of the soil in Acton nearly 50 years and that for
the same period he has been member of the church
and " great reader of the Bible" If those who
look upon him. knowing these facts, think that they
discern some chain Of cause and effect in the
sturdy items it is probable that they are not mis-
taken.