The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-05-29
THE OLDEST VOTER.
He il found i'm the Person of Geo
Fruits, an Indiana Patriarch.

Fruits, an Indiana Patriarch.
lFrom the Chicago Inter Ocean.
Several times | have noticed article,
In the Inter-Occan concerning the " old
est voter" T.. T.. c.. of Fairville. New
York. thinks it remarkable that one
Jos. +. Crandall, of that place, should
have been permitted TO exercise tho
right OF suffrage seventy -onc times, auC
TO be ninei y-thrce years Old. This is no
remarkable in Indiana. ii il i in New
York. Here no one scarcely has 10 70
out Of his immediate circle of acquain,
tanccs To find such case. Ten mile,
south OF here. near the town of Alamo
resides n man named Geo. Fruits. who.
Iaccorling 10 his own statements, which
lare cOrrObcrated by hi, relatives. wa.
born in 1853, aud is consequently Ill
years old. and la. voted over I25 times
Til, man. probably the oldest man Ia
the United States. ii not in the world
was the son of German parents, and u
native of Maryland. lie j. the oldest
OF twelve children, four boys aud cighi
girls. AMI one OF two survivors OF thi,
large family, the other being "A sister
named Barbara Noble. Most of hi,
youth was spent in Maryland. from
whence he. with his friends. moved tc
Pennsylvania. Remaining there shori
time, they moved TO Ohio, where u,
married nearly seventy years ago. Al.
ltcrward he removed 10 this State. whcr,
hc has since remained. Mr.. Fruits j. the
father OF twelve children. eight boy,
aud four girls. all OF whom are now liv-
| ing. Hi, wife il eight-iiyc. ENJOYS good
health, aud weighs two hundred and
thirty pounds. the weight of the old
gentleman. They have nearly hun
dred grand and great grand children,anc
now survive the fourth generation.
The old gentleman has many storie,
to tell about the "lnjuns.' " about ''hun.
tin "irappin." ETC.. and seems TO hav,
possessed great courage in better days.
lalthough he seems To have plenty left
having lately invited my informant, q
stout and athletic Young man. out t.
wrestlc. 10 see how much of the "olt
man" wa> len. lie claims 10 have serv
ed his country In the Revolutionary anC
war of 1912. aud desired "a do SO in Ia,
Mexican war. but WAS prevented from
doing 80. Whether he had n desire tu
take part in the late war do not know
Al Blue Licking. in Kentucky. he wa,
wounded some seventy years since. and
still carries the ball in his leg lie is :
man above medium height. being siA
feet aud two inches tall. and we'll pro
lpor, ioued: his hair j. white. but light IL
his PALMER day his ewes blue and com
lplexion fair lie seems To have no rcli
2iou> views. but saws his motto j. ">ta,
NJ home. tend to your business. aud dl
iunto Others ~ yon would have them d,
unto YOU" His life has cxempliiied hi
Integrity. he having resided iifiy-nin'
wears years in the same township with
out any Que attempting to inpeach hi,
character.
\ One of the scvcrest tasks OF the ole
mans life was 10 lay aside his gun. To
this hc was greatly attached. ID hang,
I III prominent place ia his home. an,
looking up at il he relates interesiin,
stories Of what he and il had done. will
a, intense interest as if it had happened
Yesterday. The last time he was per
IN tied To use his rifle was about a YEA
ago. when he cut Off a chickens hca,
The first shot. At present lac j. living
with some at children. by whom grca
care i taken of the old folks. His healtl
j. good, he having always enjoyed .oo'
health. An accident occurred to hin
once willie assisting in raising the franz
o. ~aw-mill by which he had scveri
ribs broken and was otherwise injured
so that he was confined TO the house fo
!, over year. a great part at which Tim
he was unable To lie down. lie is abl
to walk around the house and over IA
farm. aud may live several wears longel
!. ii his present condition is any indica
iion.