Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-11-18
Old Age.

HANNAH fESNlMoRE-IHE OLDEST WOMAN IN
DELAWARE.
Three-scorc years and Ten is generally considered
q good old age; four-score is looked upon as the
utmost limit OF ripe old age, aud every year in
excess of the latter period is generally considered
added by the almost special inerposition of
Divine Providence. The Revolutionary heroes
have passed away; none are now left who took
an active part in the stirring times that tried
mems souls. Their brilliant achievements are
fresh upon our memories but the forms that
welded the arms OF mortal strife upon the plains
of Lexington, the heights OF Bunker Hill, at
the surrender Of Cornwals, at Yorktown. have
pissed away Tradition only tells OF their
achievements upon the battlefield, which led the
glorious Declaration Of Independence on the 4th
Of Jaly,la Here and there lives an old veteran
who has passed an octogenariln age and claims
TO be as old as our Nations birthday: hut none
are SO old as she whose name heads this article,
and lives hearty and well, in Delaware City, in
the State Of Delaware.
Hannah Fennimore was born on the 18th day
OF December, a. Amsterdam, Germany. In the
year Of our Lord, l16l. aud will, on the l1th day
OF rext December, be 10S years old. She removed
to this country IN the Sth year Of her age and
has, consequently, been in the country Of her
adoption one hundred years, arriving here seven
years before the Declaration OF Independence,
and when the old bell was sending forth the
proclamation OF liberty throughout the land and
to oil the inhabitants thereof, she In the maiden
blush of "swcct sixteen" was living Of the
mouth Of Mantua Creek, in New Jersey, where
she was soon afterwards wooed and won by
Matthew Bigger, young Revolutionary soldier,
whom she married when she was 81 years of aye
and by whom she had eleven children, the young
est OF which is now 80 years old, and the oldest,
Il now living, would have been 50. She is now
living with her son. Charles G. Bigger, who, with
one exception, is the youngest Of her children,
aud who is 60 years Of age.
Her husband dying when her youngest child
was an infant she remained a widow q short
time, and married man by the name of Fenni-
more, with whom she lived until his death, which
occurred in 1916, since which she has lived with
her son aforementioned.
She Is remarkably active, and goes from house
10 house, calling upon her neighbors, and talking
ui old times, when she was girl. Like most
old people, she recollects events that'haye trans
PRED ~ or 30 years ago more distinctly than
events Of y more recent date. She distinctly
recollects the frequent visits Of General WASH
ingtsn to the house where she lived, and of his
often dining there; and until recently, she recol-
lccled all the principal events Of the American
Revolution. On Wednesday, Of last week. she
trlpped right lively down the main street OF Del
aware City, to daguerreotype gallery, and had
her likeness taken. From present appearances,
she bids fair to live for a number OF years yet.
This remarkable old lady is indeed connect
ing link with past age. Only 20 years younger
than General Washington II years old when
tho battle OF Lexington took place and u years
old at the CLOSE OF the Revolution. She first
| lived in the Kingdom of Holland S years from
tue time oil her birth, In 1861, to 1863 then in
| the BRUSH COLONIES, under the reign OF King
George, period OF years. until the Declaration
Of Independence, when the colonies became a
free and independent nation, under which she
has ever since resided