The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1871-11-23
CeAteuial Celebrs.ion-A0 Unusual
and interesting Occasion.

CeDte1i Celebrs.ion-A0 Unusual
and interesting Occasion.
Tho residence Of John q. Safely, ST.. I.
Of Sugar Grove, Linn Co., uss filled =
over flowing Saturday, tho 18th Inst,
with Friends and relatives from all parss
Of the United States, to celebrate The
one bundredth anniversary birthday Of
his mother, Isabella Safely, formerly Of
Dunbar Scotland. We are not able to
give full account Of the relation that
congregated to do her honor, but simply
give brief sketch Of the mother Of such
an extensive family.
Mrs. Safely was born Nov. 18th 1771,
at West Barnes in the vicinity Of Dun
bar, Scotland. Her maiden name was
Isabella Gilmore, she being the second
daughter Of Thomas Gilmore and
Nancy Coburn, of Dunbar. Miss Nancy
Coburn was the youngest daughter Of
James Coburn Of Estenlaw, Derrick.
shire, and Elizabeth Scott Of Yarrow,
whose aunt, Mary Scott, was the cele-
brated "Flowet of iarrow," for whom
the Prince of Wales offered to resign
his crown, to obtain her b nd in mar.
riage, which the laws of his country, ut
the time, prohibited him from doing.
+ Her SONS and daughters present, with
their respective ages, were in the order
Of their seniority, ~ follows:
Mrs. Nancy Hogg, aged 70 years
Thos. Safely, ESQ.,, aged SO years; John
G. Safely, Sr., aged SO; Andrew F.
Safely ST., of California, aged so years
Mrs. Kennedy Brown. Of New York,
aged 81 years.
Mrs. Safely was the mother Of nine
children. The combined ages of herself
and children present fbots up 49, years.
Notwithstanding her age, she is still in
possession Of oil her faculties, her sense
of hearing being only slightly affected
by her years. She is in good health and
walks erect and sprightly. She was
never known to be in 4 passion, and
this, she thinks, added to her great nat
ural vitality has 50 prolonged her life
beyond the allotted three score and ton
She has 6 children, IS grand children
and 81 great grand children now living
The number Of her great great grand
children is not precisely known but
two, one in Iowa and one in New York,
have died within year; and others are
known to be in England and Scotland
of whom no definite knowledge IL had.
The social and other exercises Of this
unusual gathering were both interest.
ing and pleasant. After the bounteous
repast had been approximately consider.
ed, in response to call, Rev. Mr.. J. s,
Fullerton, Of springville, addressed the
assembled guests as follows:
Friends Called upon UNEXPECTEDLY
as l have been to address you, my re-
marks must necessarily he brief and
few. III the circumstances under
which we are called together, we have q
practical lesson, which ut the present
day, it may be well for us to heed We
have assembled to commemorate the
Centennial birthday of one who has al
ready enstamped her intellectual and
moral character on her children, and
upon her chiIdren's children, even to
the third or fourth generation, and traces
Of this impression will doubtless be
found on generations yet to come. We
have here an illustration Of the control-
ling influence which woman exerts over
the most important interests of man
kind. She, toa great extent, governs
and gives form to the social, intellectual
and moral condition Of each succeeding
generation as 1t takes its plat and acts
its part in the great drama of human
life.
Some would. be reformers OF the
present day are anxious to sec her act
in far different sphere. They would
have her take more prominent part in
what pertains to the financial CONNER.
cial aud political interests OF mankind.
They would have her engage in our
banking institutions, in our railroad
corporations, in our halls Of legislation,
both State and National. Some are
eager to see woman placed in the chief
chairs of State, and. although they prob
ably never obeyed their mothers at home
imagine they would be truly loyal II
they could only have woman to rule
over them. fsuch change could be
effected, the result would be the degrs.
dalton, and not the elevation OF woman.
1t would be lasting curse, and not a
blessing to our lace.
What we want IL not that woman
should be transferred to q different
sphere Of action, but that she should
more generally understand the position
she now occupies, that she should feel
its responsibility, and that she should
ever exert her influence for the glory OF
God and the good will of society. will
now add to the above remarks my sin
cere desire that woman may long con-
tinue to be the mother and not the
father of all living; may she ever in
the quietnde Of her own household exert
that sacred influence which only saves
our race from ruin and may she thus
be abundantly instrumental in ushsring
in that latter day glory for which we all
sigh, and which the Book Of Books
informs US shall yet shine on our sin
ruined world.
Rev. J. X. Black Of Mt. Vernon, was
then called upon, and responded as
follows:
Ladies and Gentlemen Il Mess
you have taken me by surprise, al I was
not aware that would be called upon
to make any remarks on this occasion :,
and being a stranger among you, l am
at All entire loss to know what to say
that would in any interest you after
what has been said by the worthy
brother who has just taken his seat. /
feel somewhat like the old gentleman.
who, when called upon by his minister
to repeat his catechism, became 80 de-
cidedly mixed that he was unable to say
anything correctly. l will, however,
venture to say this: Not only IL 1t true
that woman exerts a mighty influence
in moulding the moral and intellectual
character of mankind, but it is equally
true that We all exert an influence, more
or less powerful, in the same direction.