The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-07-12
The Oldest Man in North America.


Ezekiel West, of New London township,
Chester county, is certainly the man.
There are doubtless some very old men in
the country, such as old George Labar, Or
LIE Barre, as some reporter who visited
him, Frenchifies" his name, who lives
over in Monroe county, near Stroudsburg,
who is reported to be one hundred and
fifteen years cid, and others that We have
heard of recently, whose lives has been
heightened out to over one hundred years
but Ezekiel West is older than any of
them. He is the champion I" oldest in
habitant," undoubtedly, being nearly one
hundred and eighteen gears Of age.
Curiosity to see this centenarian wonder
prompted US to pay him a visit one day
last week, which We did, in company with
George r. Clarke, Esq, Of Pottstown,
Benz. Vandevsr, Esq, and Capt. William
Peace, of Jannerville, Chester county
The trip from Pottstown was made via. the
Philadelphia and Reading and Wilmington
and Reading Railroads to Coatesville, and
thence through Fallowfield, Highland,
Penn and New London townships, "a pref
ty long drive, heightened out by break
down. to our point of destination, away
down near the southern borders of Chester
county where the shadows from the hills
of Maryland are almost reflected across the
Pennsylvania line.
Arriving at the place we had been d.
rected to, where stood rather Anticipated
and tumbled down looking house and barn,
on property belonging to Mr.. Harvey
Hutchinson, we drove in through an open
farm gate, alighted, proceeded to the
house, and made inquiry of an old white
back porch, if this was where old Ezekiel
West lived; were told that it was, and
finally ascertained that the venerable man
to whom we were talking was no other
than that aged person himself. Presently
we we're invited into the house, stated
our object, and then and there "intsr-
viewed" the oldest man in the United
States, and ascertained many facts in re-
gard to him that may be Of interest to our
readers.
Ezekiel West resides with his son. in law,
Benjamin F. Davis, about two miles south
of Penn Station on the Baltimore Central
Railroad, and some six or seven miles
from the borough of Oxford. The old man
is of Irish descent, and from the best in
formation that his daughters family have
of him, was born in Hartford county, Mary
land, in March, 1866. He looks to be
very old man, but is so we'll preserved that
few would suppose that he had nearly at
tanned the great age of 11S years. He
possesses full head Of hair, and his locks
are long and are as white as the driven
snow. lie walks smartly, but is consider
ably stopped, yet can still straighten him
self up to a height of about 5 feet 5inches.
His eye sight and hearing are remarkably
good, but his memory fails him, in fact is
almost entirely gone. We learned in our
questioning but few incidents of his early
life in the long, long past, his recollection
only retaining faint glimmering of the
revolutionary war. He just remembered,
he said, the soldiers, with their blue
uniforms trimmed with red," but could
not tell whether they were Continentals or
British. He thought he had voted for
| Washington, in fact had voted at every
| Presidential election since the government
was formed. Unlike old George Labar,
and all the other champion old men, he had
never seen Washington, or Lafayette, nor
any of our revolutionary heroes. He had
never thought and bled for his country
nor was he ever in the military service
He is evidently eontented, home loving
man. for he has never been in Philadelphia
or Baltimore-the only towns he has visit
ed are Wilmington and West Chester
Mr.. West has never ridden in railroad
car, don't expect to, and don't want to-
He is a confirmed tobacco chewer, ii over
a century can be said to confirm man in
such habit, and is greatly pleased with
those visitors who replerish his supply OF
"the weed" He has always been man
of rather temperate habits, but can rscol'
lect when he was young fellow that he
took drop too much on several occasions.
The last time he was "boozy" was some
forty or fifty years ago, when he was at
tavern in the ne;shborheod, and was per-
suaded by some friends to imbibe rather
too freely. In masticating his food Mr.
West as he laughingly says, has "to gum
it," for he has had no teeth for probably
half century. While out cutting wood
many years since, the last tooth he had
commenced aching terribly, and he took
the back woods way of extracting it, by
lying down, bending over the top of sap
} ling, fastening a string to the tree and te
: the tooth, and then letting 60. That kline
: of dentistry proved effsctual, and the mo
, lar came out with jerk that astonishet
the old chap.
The old man is a member of the Elk
: ridge NJ. E. Church, located about Il mil'
away, which he attends frequently. H'
walked there six weeks ago. Some year
ago he was an Episcopalian, but changed
his membership because the church wa
too far away for him to attend. Two o
three weeks ago, at the urgent request
his son-in- law, Mr.. Davis, he visited OK
ford, and had his likeness taken by
photograph artist. He can still write
though his chirography betrays his e1
IRENE age. Our party all procured hi
signature in pencil.
Mr.. West is regular in his habits, rise
before the sun in the morning, takes
good degree of exercise during the day
: walking frequently, in pleasant weather