Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1872-07-02
A OENTENARIAN.
Man who Voted for George Washington. =
Older than tho Declaration of Indspend.
ence-seventy.F Five years a
Master Mason.
From the Minneapolis Tribune. /

have been slight illusions to IAN ole
veteran" who recently came to this
city for the purpose Of making his
future homo among US. In many
respects this old gentleman is one o.
the most wonderful men (of his age
living, and day or two since oul
reporter called upon him, cleaning
the main incidents of his remarka BILE
history:
His name is David Stiles, and be
was born in Woodbury., Litchfe cid
county, Connecticut, on the 2lst Of
May, 1866, and has therefore arrived
at the ripe age of more than 10t
years. Hehas been married twice
first in 1898, to Martha Ransom, oil
Vergennes, VT, by whom he had
three children; and second to Eliza
beth Cummings, of Plattsburg, N. Y,
whom he married in 1909, and by
whom no had ten children. She died
at Hazel Green, in Wisconsin, in IS,
AZ.
Mr.. Stiles is genuine representa-.
tive of the sturdy American pioneer,
having spent the greater portion of
bis life among the stirring scenes of
the fresh, new life of the border when
quite young man. and directly af-
ter the close of the war of the Revo-
luton he left his home in Connect
cut for the wilds of Vermont. Near
the close of the century he started
westward, and in 1896 visited the
site of the present city of Ogdens-
burg, in New York, which then con-
sisted of one log house. A few years
later we find him in different parts
of Canada working at his trade
Chat of wheel-wright). In 1906,
staid and substantial citizen Ct 40
years, he left Canada and returned
TO the United States, because, as be
innocently expressed it, he "did not
like the tories |" there having been
a large influx of those gentlemen in
to Canada from the states, during the
years that interviewed between the
Revolution aud the war Of 1912.
AT this time he visited Ogdens-
burg grown to be village of six or
seven hundred people, and the sites
of the present cities of Rome, Utica
and other cities in Central and West
ern New York, al. of which were
frontier settlements of log houses and
slab shanties.
In 1922, in company with his son.
in-law, he emigrated to Michigan,
where he remained until 1889, in
which year he sold out his earthly
possessions and again started toward
the setting sun. His next location
was at Hazel Green, Grant County
Wisconsin, and from there he remov-
ed with his grand daughter to the
village of Prescott, at the mouth of
the st. Croix, four years ago, and
again accompanied them in their re-
moval to this city some six weeks
since.
He was made a mason at Toronto,
Canada West, on the 9th of Deem
Der, 1897, and has, therefore, been
comet ted with that order nearly SeU-
enty:fUe gears. Notwithstanding his
extreme age he is still most enthu-
siastic lover of the order, and his
memory holds, with tenacity that
is wonderful, the lectures as be learn
cd them three quarters of century
ago. His memory is also stored with
apt quotations, and poetic gems on
the beauty of charity, brotherly love,
and other masonic virtues. Consid-
ering his great age, the memory of
Mr.. Stiles is wonderful. He speaks
of the war of the Revolution as
though it had closed but yesterday;
tells, with a glisten Of pride in his
clear blue eye, how he voted for
Washington both times when he was
candidate for the President; recalls
perfectly the main scenes and Incl
dents of the war of 1S12,an yet can
speak clearly and intelligently of lit,
tie matters in his own life that hap
pened but few years ago. Natur-
ally, however, his memory dwells
chiefly on the happenings of the
days of his earlier and stronger man.
hood.
Mr. Stiles says he has always been
temperate and moderate in his hab
its of life, was never intoxicated, bnt
has always drank alcoholic stimulants
when he felt them TO be necessary
either to his health or comfort; takes
great delight in his pipe, having
learned to smoke after he was a half
o century along in years, and finally
has worked moderately hard until
since he passed his hundredth birth,
day-since then be takes the world
easy and has learned to endure large
quantities OF rest with considerable
philosophy. He has great-great>
grandchildren living, though not in
this city.
The old gentleman appears to be
OF cheerful, kindly disposition-has
none but pleasant words and loving
"reminiscences of the century covered
by the mantle of his recollection, and
seems scarcely to realize that he is
the single remnant of past genera>
ton. He is waiting calmly, peace
fully cheerfully for the summons
from 'over the river" that is TO an
nounce a happy reunion with those
friends of his youth and manhood
who crossed so many years ago
May the summons from the grim fer
ryman (Which must soon Gomez call.
ing him for a short voyage to high.
err life, be very gentle, and the re-
spouse cheerful and ready.
seSThe Detroit editors are griev-
ing over the departure of Johnny
Otis, promising youth of twelve
years, who successfully shot himself,
got choked with q fsh-bone. set q
house on fire, swallowed a top, got
run over by a ice wagon, fell into
the river, and was lost three days
They don't see how they can get
along without him.
,9rThe War Department is put
ting the southern forts in state OF