The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-02-27

bat We challenge any other Stsas q
county to produces man or woman Who
bss attained The extraordinary age reached
BY Joseph Cfele, now rssidi6g in the
town Of Caledonia, Columbia county, IN
this State.
During tho French Revolution one
Jean Claude Jacob, : member OF the Ma.
tional Assembly, was called the "De%n Of
the human species, the eldest OF men"
On bis smeared worn face were p'oughed
the furrowings of one hundred and
twenty years. But our "Dean Of human
Species is nearly twenty years older than ,
Claude Jacob, who did not ccmplete his
one hundred and twenty first year.
Joseph Crele was born in Detroit, OF
French parents. The record of his bap-
tism in the Catholic Church Of that city
shows that he is now 1879 years Of age
He has been resident Of Wisco6 . for
lsbou. a century Whenever mention Is
made of the Oldest iuhabiiant," there |
need be no question as to the person.
Joseph Crele is undoubtedly the man.
He was first married in New Orleans.
100 years ago. S,me years after he set
tied at Prairie du Chen, while Wisconsin
was vet province of France. Before the
revolutionary war, he was employed to
carry letters between Prairie du Chen
and Green Bay /! 1t is but few years
ago that he was called As witness in the
| Circuit Court, 10 case involving the
title to certain real estate at Prairie du
Chen, to give testimony in relation to
events that transpired eighty years before.
lie now resides with daug liter, by bic
t third vile, who is over seventy years OF
l. age.
!. The residence of the family is only
four or five miles out Of Portage City
From citizens OF that place we learn that
the old man is still active. is able to chop
wood and to walk several miles. He
y speaks Engiish quite imperfectly. but
u convefses quite fuently in the French
10 language. He goes to elections, and like
r sensible old gentleman votes The Union
ticket. Stoops a little under the burden
OF years, but no. more than many reu oil
y seventy. In person be is rather above
in the medium height, spare 10 hesh, but
.how n, evidences of having been 10 his
prime man of sinewy strength. Con
N. corning his habits, a subj ct Of mach in
terest in connection silh sn insta pee o
DC such extraordinary longevity. wa hav,
tn been able to learn but little. except tha
be is an inveterase smoker
u A very good daguerotype picture 0
lie him, taken in 1856. may be seen at th
alto rooms Of the State Historical Society -
ers Some Photographic artist would do we
ver to secure a negative OF the coolest man i
- the world" before he passes
ITO that siiii region whittier all boundo
e Three score years and ten ofainariI
:, constitutes the full span Of Wig hu
~" man lie. This mans existence has bee
lot prolonged for almost twice that period =
nal Those who began the journey of fe wit
ans him are dead, and their very bones al
dust. Babes that be might have dandle
on his knee at an age when most men al
bowed with decrepi,udc, have grow int
up manhood, passed through the ordnar
10y vicssitudes Of life, become gray and fe.
as. BILE and sunk into old mem. graves, at
,,r this man still lives lie walks abot
among generation whose grandsire
'DA were unborn after he had passed the usu;
period of manly prime. All his cbnten
poraries are gone. No wonder, if
ru- t mes. as we understand is the case,
10. haunting sense of loneliness Overt helm
=. him. Though he has led rude bordt
~ life and probably has lutte Of sen timer
'W IN his composition, Jet in some d i'm WI
cry at east. he experiences he feeling, {
in tuchingly expressed by Wadsworth, VII
ting under the shadow of more than Sc,
enty y aTs. Of
Zone to whom Heaven assigns that mournfu part,
That utmcs. solitude Of age face
100 And with his simple and unso phis,
Gated conceptions respectings Deity, III
NJ feeling OF soli'ariness OF remaining thu
long the sole survivors OF that genera
40. of walking about IN this latter half of III
nineteenth century, and in these days
telegrapbic dispatches, and monitors
an steam presses aud rebelion--hc was
bet man capable of bearing arms 10 tide day
no of Braddock's defeat The sense, we re
peat. of this exceptional and anomalou
lot, joined with his crudelhnd untutore
notions upon religious subjects. has il
iys duced in his mind the curious fancy tbs
en- perhaps God has overlooked him. tn,
eef d sth who COMES to all beside, the o,he
ore wise Unsuitable, has in his case
Forgot the of his inevitable handr,
:. and that he nay be left to perpetual an
Tue hopeless old age, Tithonus without a
nd AarorA, still feeling more and more Il
70. intol rable weight of years, yet never
ho Ioffcarod fro,r, ~ -. voa--i~.J