The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-11
A HUNDRED YEARS OLD.
Celebration Of The Centennial Birthday Of
Nathaniel Eaton, Of Sutton, N. II.
His Childish Cries Mingled with the Boom
ing Cannon Of Bunker Hill

mitted TO remain on ihis mundane sphere the
allotted time necessary to share in such cee-
bration as that enjoyed IN this town to-day by
the venerable Nathaniel Eaton. Ii was the occa-
sion OF his one-hundredth birthday, and the event
was made the occasion OF grand centennial cee-
bration by ali the town. Although not so fun OF
pomp and splendor as the affairs at Concord and
Lexington. it was nevertheless an occasion or
equal interest pleasure TO all VINO partlcipa
in the exercises. HIS friends and relatives gathered
IN large numbers 10 extend their congratulations
and respects and the nne weather ana propitious
travelling. no less than the ceremonies them
selves, contributed largely to render the occasion
interesting and enjoyable. The event was ceie
brated ct
THE OLD HOMESTEAD
where the centenarian has resided Tor many
years. Besides the hero OF a hundred summers
and winters the family consists OF his son. George
g., ana vile, who now and nave Tor several years
cared Tor the farm and administered to the wants
and comforts OF their aged parent. The rustic
mansion Is IN pleasant neighoorhood among the
hills and amid the picturesque scenery o.
old Kearsarge Mountain, the base Of whose sum
NIT. rising TO the clouds, is seen but Jew miles
away 1t is in the southeasterly part OF the town,
two and half miles from Warner Centre, which
is the post ONCE and metropolitan centre OF the
country for miles around.
THE GENEALooY OF THE EATON FAMILY,
gong back four generations from the surviving
centenarian of to-day is more than ordinarily
interesting these times OF Revolutionary and
other ancient "reminiscences Thomas Eaton was
a resident OF HavernIll Mass, early as 1850.
and married at Andover January 0, 1858, TO
MISS Eunice Singletary. A son Jonathan) was
born the 23d OF April, 1868, who married
Sarah Saunders, Marcn II, 1905. son James)
was born 10 them March 9. 1885, VINO married the
widow Rachel Ayres June 49, 172s. having by this
i n
Nathaniel Lhe lather Of the Nathaniel or today,
aud VINO married Rebecca Dodge OF Lunenburg,
Mass, May s. l766. Nine children was the result
OF this union, the dlth oil whom was the gallant
old centenarian who now survives, and VINO was
born IN Haverhill, Mass. May 4, I775 he married
Sarah Emerson, daughter OF I:haman Emerson, of
HaverhIll. A short time after marriage. Mr.. Eaton
aud MS wife moved TO hopkinton, n. H., where he
resided but.a lew years, and then removed TO
sutton \. H., in 1902, and settled on the farm where
lie has ever since remained, being period or sew
unto hlm died IN infancy two girls and two boys.
Those VINO lived 10 become OF age y ere Leonard,
in Warren and filed many places OF honor and
trust aud who died several years since; Mechel-
in Maryland Nathaniel, physician III California;
George o., living on the homestead, aud Cynthia,
wife OF william Il. Allen, OF fisherVille are the
Mrs. Eaton, the mother OF the ten child en- named,
died al the age. of sixty,seyen In 1916, while on
very room In which she was born. MI. .
Eaton has never remarked. but has renamed
II
as above stated His ply steal ana mental faculties
are now somewhat impaired. but he Il still able TO
walk about the room and out into the yard. he
recognizes old ana familiar trends, converses
with them and can see and hear as well as most
people at seventy or eighty IL Is said tnat ne
/ was raI and sickly boy and he says OF himself
that the people in haverhIl would tell him, when
"HE WAS nor FIT TO RAIsE.n
But as he grew qp he became healthy vigorous
and active man. He mas ever been All industrious,
| frugal, temperate citizen. and u member of the
Baptist Church for more than half century.
see by tue ample ouildlngs, long lines OF stone
wall, tne great plies OF stones that have been re-
cessiul armer and mas MADE two blades OF grass
grow where but one grew before"
TUE CELEBRATION.
! The programme OF exercises on the occasion or
this centennial anniversary consisted nrst In the
singing OF an original centennial hymn, entitled
seventy-lrst Psalm ana prayer by Rev. air.
Walker, oil Warner, pastor OF the church OF when
Mr.. Eaton Is a memper subsequently the COM
pany present partook Of an ample farmers din
ner, the venerable sire seated a. the head OF toe
table. Great credit ~ due Mrs. George Q. Eaton
for the manner In which she prepared this excel.
lent repast. After the collation. letters were read
rom Rev. Mr.. heald, OF Amherst, y H.. former
pastor OF Mr.. Eaton's cnurch; Rev. Horace
Eaton, Palmyra, n. Y; General John Eaton,
United states Commissioner OF Education, Wash
ington, D. C., ana rom MS little son, SIX years
old; Hon. Arlal X. Eaton, Usage, Iowa, ana one
q. A centennial poem was prepared and read BY
Dr. Jacob Eaton, OF Harvard Mass. The letters were
all very interesting appropriate and eloquent;
friend ana family ana replete with historical Iacts
made by Dr. Jacob Eaton, Rev Mr. Gage, OF Man
chester, y. H.. and Rev. Mr.. Walker.
THE RELATIVES PRESENT.
OF the relatives p eseut were tue aTully OF the
house, Mr.. William II. Allen, o. FisnerviI!e, y. H..
ana VIE, who IS daughter; MSS susan Eaton,
granu OF tue last OF Concord, y.
II. Tnen OF nephews. neIces other relsiiyes ana
Mass. mr.. Jubel Eaton and wife, Mr.. Hiram Eaton,
George Barnard, mrs. Julia Barnard Mrs. III. ID.
MRS. Coonei Cove, OF Concord; Mrs. Saran Dresser,
MISS Lucreua Eaton, Mr.. Reuben Messer, Mr..
Carlos y. Eaton and family, Moses hazen, Esq. aud
daughter, and Mr. Leonard Il. Dresser, all the last
named OF sutton; George q. Gilmore, Esq, and
ana wne, OF North Conway, y. IL. Mr.. Dualcy
Bayley Emerson and wife, chelmsford, Mass;
New Hampshire Baptist convention; NJ a. WHIT
Y tier, olNewouryport, Mass. Rev. Mr.. Walker and
wife, Messrs. Robert thompson, William \. Bart
lett, A. I. Davis and II. II. hartman, all Of War
ner. ana others. Tue average aRe oil the nephewE
4 nj nieces present was seventy-tnree years Just
\ the number hat our aged friend mas hved In
WAS ne DESCENDANT OF TIE MAYFLowBRi
y There Is q tradition that the ancestry OF this
Eaton family can be traced TO one OF three brot4-
ers VINO came over IN the haynower. But It
Is SUFFICIENT to take the wei authenticated record
starting with Thomas Eaton, IN 1850. only one
generation after the landing OF the Pilgrims. But
\ what historic memories cluster around ne single
lifetime OF this venerable slrei What wonderful
changes our own country aud the world has
on historic Ground eeing IN tne very vicinity
\ where the heroine Mrs. Dustin was captured
Il nv lie INDIANS lie was born in the nrst struggles
OF the Revolution, only fifteen DAYS after the
battles OF Lexington aud Concord; and when bu:
weeks old his father. Captain Nathaniel Eaton,
was leading MS patriot band In the deadly strife
at Bunker Hill. His cradle was rocked by the
earthquake throes OF the Revolution. MS inian-
tile nature was arst aroused BY the drumDeat VI
freedom. His childish cries mingled win the
booming cannon from Bunker HUI But MS lie
has spanued three generations, and In that period
the thirteen feeOle dependent colonies have risen
ana increased to three times that number 81 nee