The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1871-08-08
The Oldest Man.
[From a Pittsburgh Paper.

From Pittsburgh Paper.
In 1914, when Pittsburgh was but a
village, an old man named Jacob
Journals, then aged about seventy
years, came here from Canada, and af
ter a brief sojourn, he proceeded to
New Orleans in a keel-buat That
old man died last Saturday in Kansas
City, at the age of 1874 years. Four
nas was probably the oldest man liv-
ing. He was Canadian Frenchman
by birth, but for more than century
he was hunter and trapper in the
employ of the fur company, one Of
the French uoydgeurs, as they were
called.
He was never sick, and only few
minutes bbefore he died was walking
about the room. He said to the fami
ly in the morning that he would "nev-
er see the sun go down again" and
just before sunset the machine stopped
and the old man was dead
His age was entered on the census
roll last year as 1874 years, which is as
near as from the best evidence it could
be fixed.
His recollection Of important events
was very good, and, as he was an illit-
crate man, his excellent memory
held to isolated occurrences, not of
history, as obtained from reading
books. This, while it made his infor-
nation fragmentary and unsatisfactory
us to the history of that early period
of his life, yet afforded the best evil
dence as to his great age.
He said he was working in the woods
on Il piece Of land he had bought for
himself, near Quebec, when Wolfe was
killed on the Heights of Abraham.
This was September 18th, 1859, and
from what he told of his life previous
to that, must then have been over
twenty.one years Of age. Thinking
he might have confounded Wolfe with
Montgomery-1775-he was question
ed fully, but his recollection of names
and incidents was too distinct to leave
any doubt, and the some account had
been given to others long before.
Another event which he remember
ed well, and which he seemed always
to look upon as a good joke, was tina
during the occupation Of New Orleans
by General Jackson-1014-15-h,
had been refused enlistment "becaus
he was too old" The old man oftel
told this with great glee. He mus
then have been about eighty years old
He accompanied the expedition o
Lewis and Clark in their exploration
of the Mississippi and the discovery q
the Columbia River in 1887. Hi
experience during the trip making hiu
valuable man to the fur company h
was atterward employed, as we hav
stated, until thirty years ago.
For the past seven or eight year
the old mans recollections of face
we're often at fault, but his memory c
events and incidents seemed as strOn
us ever-like pictures in his mind
and this retention Of occurrences WA
, the great help in determining his age
The last thirty years of his life W II
passed in quiet and comfort. He pre-
terred living by himself, and alway
had his own house, where he kept hi
pipe and tobacco pouch, and sue
things as were articles of comfort t
, him, mostly such as he had from hi
, residence with the Indians-not fol
getting his rosary and few religion
pictures which hung above his bee
r He was very neat in his person, clothe
, and housekeeping, and up to the da
, Of his death attended in summer to h
! tobacco plants and his cabbages. On
f Of his greatest desires was to see raj
, road, and when the first locomotiv
came screaming into the bottom nea
Kansas City, which was in full vie
: of his house, he was nervous as a chill
S until he visited it. He then expresse
himself satisfied, saying he "could te
God he had seen railroad" and ne'
er after expressed any curiosity o
D the subject.
Truly Kansas City could boast {
f; having the champion old man."