Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-03-27
The Oldest Nan Il the World.


We will not assert that the Oldest Of
living men is resident Of Wisconsin,
but we challenge any other State or
country to produce man or woman
who has attained the age reached By
Joseph Crele, now residing In the town
Of Caledonia, Columbia county, in bis
State.
Daring the French Revolution one
Jean Claude Jacob member Of the
National Assembly, was called the
''Dean Of the human species, the "Eld-
est Of men On bis smeared worn tace
were ploughed the furrowings of one
hundred and twenty years. But oar
Dean Of the human species Is nearly
twenty years older than Claude Jacob,
who did not complete his one hundred
and twenty-frst year.
Joseph Crele was born in Detroit, of
French parents. The record Of his hap-
tism in.the Catholic Church Of that city
shows that he 10 now l39 years Of age.
lie has been a resident Of Wiscons for
about century. Whenever mentions is
made ofthe oldest inhabtant, there need
be no question as to the person. Joseph
go Crele ID undoubtedly tho man. He irst
married In New Orleans, 100 years ego.
Some years after he settled at Prairie
dn CHEN, while Wisconsin was yet a
province ofFrance. Before the revoiu-
war nE was btupiGYeu 10 gBrfy
lettszs between Prairie du Chen and
GrseB Bay. 1t Is but few years ago
that hs was called ~ witness in the
Circuit Court, in case involving the
til ! 10 certain real estate at Prairie du
Chen. 10 give testimony in relation 10
events that transpired eighty years be-
saas toFei He now resides With daughter
byahis third wife, who Is over seventy
~ years Of age
The residence of the family is only
80 four or five miles out Of Portage City.
From the citizens Of that place We learn
that the old man Is still active, il able
TO chop wood, ard 10 walk several mles
he speaks Eng ish quite imperfectly,
s 1T butconverses h1ently 10 the French lang
uaRe. He goes 10 elections, and, liks q
sensible old gentleman, votes the Union
ticket Stoops a little under The burden
Of years, bnt not more than many men Of
seventy. In person, he il ralLeF
above the medium height, spare in fssh,
bnt showing evidences Of having been IN
his prime man Of sinewy strength
Concerning bis habits, subject Of much
interest IN correction with an instance
Of such extraordinary longevity, we nave
been able TO laafn but little, except that
he Is an invelerate smoker
very good daguerreo.gpe picture Of
him, taken in 1856, may be seen az the
rooms 81 the State Historical Society
Some photographic artist would DO veil
% secure . negative Of the "0ldeafBana
in the world before be passes
''To thataaili region whetheE. Al Ore bound
Three score sears aud I'll ordinarily
consifEstH tbe MI span 81 \ Rigorous ha-
man 6AA IHiA mani #xisSAnce has
been pHaHhnEaE# for aln1HG 4wice thar
periou Those who began the journey Of
life With him are dead and their very
bones are dust BABES that he might
have handled On bis knee at an age when
most men are bowed with deereptiEude,
have grown into manhood, passed
through the ordinary vicissitudes Of life,
become gray and feeble aud sunk into
old men graves, andthis man still livesl
lie walks ahuat generations whose
grandsires we're unborn after be had
passed the usual period Of manly prime.
All bis CONTEMPORARIES are gone No
wonder, fiat timssy rs we understand Is
the case, haunting sense Of loneliness
oyerWhelms him. Though he has led
rude border life, and probably has iissIe
o. sentiment IN bis composition, yet, in
some dim way at least, he experiences
the feeling, so touclnnaly expressed bv
MordswoFth, writing pnder the shadow
q more than seventy years Of
4t.ne . Shenf HspvAn assigns thai taournfai
That atmqat solitude 81 ago % face"
8 And. with his simple and unsophisti-
Gated conceptions respecting q niety
this feeling Of solitarinessi of remaining
thus long the sole Survivor of genera
ton; Of walking about in this latter half
ofthe nineteenth century and 10 these
days Of teagraphic dispatches, monitors
steam presses and rebe Homie was a
man capable Of bearing arms in the day
of Braddock's dafeatl--the sense, we re-
peat Of this exceptional and anomalous
lot, joined with his crude and untutoreis
sas upon religions subjects, has induced in
his mind the curious fancy that perhaps
God has overlooked him, that Dsath who
comes to all besides, the otherwise naat-
liable, has, in his case
iTsNa ''Forgot the use Of his lnevitabIa bard,
and that be may be- left Co perpetual
j i and hopeless old age, Tithonns With
out al Aurora, still feeling more and
H more the intolerable weight of years.
yet never 70 be delivered from their
weary load e ssssIsl I