National Republican., 1876-02-29
ONE HUNDRED And TsIaTEET.
EaLty Sanders Long Lifs-The Child Of
Past CslluIy.

EaLty Sanders Long Life-The Child OF q
Past CsnIuIy.
In these days of heart disease, apOpIexy, c0il-
oil accidents and other causes, that cut of men
before they half through life, IL Is refreshing
to meet an old fashioned relic of the last century
There is an old colored woman in the city
named Nancy Sanders, who is probably the
Oldest person In the city. From all that can be
gathered from her own Statements and those Of
her children, she is one hundred and thirteen
years OF ege. There may be other women in the
oity older than that, but none Of them will come
forward and tell their age in an honest manner.
as Nancy does. Nancy lives in forloT1 part OF
the city, in an old tenement on Thirteen -an1-a-
half street, known to those acq q1aiuted with that
part of the city as ''Number 12.n In a contracted
room, which answers for parlor, dining-roon,
kitchen and bedroom, Nancy stays. breathing
the vitisted with her grandchildren, her great
grand. children and her great-greSt graadchtl-
dTen.
A REPUBLICAN, reporter, learning of this woman
and her incredible age, yesterday visited her in
the company Of u sergeant of police, who had
discovered her In his pilgrimages through the
precirct. Entering narrow passage oa ID street,
and passing through intricate windings and
broad court reekinR with filth, and plainly iudi-
eating the poverty OF those no dwell in II, they
entered through a rickety door Number IL,
which stood up above the rest OF the houses, with
its blackened and weather-beaten exterior.
Passing through dark passe2eway to the front
of the house, the room in which this aged woman
is spending her declining days was reached.
several young cOlOTeQ women, N aQcys great
grandchildren, were sitting around a stove in one
side OF the room; another was caring for an infant,
and a ell.preserved woman Of about fifty years
of age was busy atWorK about the apartment. As
the reporter entered the room he noticed in one
corner, lying on 4 cot, still form, hugging some
scanty covering over its head and body, but as
so6n as q word was spoken the figure, which was
N2ncy's, started up III bed, sitting bolt upright,
position she maintained during the whole inter-
view.
Her round head was covered with short iron.
grey, wooly HAIR; her lace bore all the characyer-
istics Of her race, the nose beinE, hatteuSu, the
lip: l9i @ Tnf ihnF ih F aT6ch circle away rom hsS
eyes, cliLbed over her nose and woye a network
atou, her mouth. AS she sat up in bed ciaspinT
a tattered wrapper about her her little ewes
peeTet abou. the room, and from their lustreless
pup Is shone the dying Hight of past century.
natUTed cClOred wCmap; and, IN reply TO a greet
irp, the wrirkled relic rauttcred. III an glad to
see yOu," and rocked her body to aud fro. She
continued muitcrils, saying she did not feel as
veil as she used to-
She fully compTthenied alI that was said to
her, and answered very intellIgibly II never had
anything the matter with ne until i fell do1a
tie other cay." She referred 10 her falling oysr
weighted with years, in an apparently life!ess
condition to the floor ever since which occasion
SIZE has been confined to her bed, and complained
Of not feeling so we'll as she used 10. you are
pretty old. aunry?" Yes, am hundred and
thirteen or fourteen, don't know which," She
continued rocking TO and fro, clasping her knees
neryOusly, and mutteTi1g aud grooming to her.
self. In answer to questions she said, accompa-
tences ss If in revery, "Ive had ten children
but they are all dead but tao. / had ssyen
brothers, bnt they are all dead. was woman
with children when General WashIpgton died
Yes, remember him; l saw him on his horse
when he rode through the country, and psople
threw flowers on the road for m TO plss over
There was an old man that lived with General
Washington that used to come a1d see US l
wonder If he is dead?" She was told that yery
probably he was, and continued: They're ali
dead: amt got no friend now" She was as.
sured that she had, and appssred moro con.
tented. 81 csne from down in Virginia Snow
den's Island, and come here years ago, aad lived
down en- the Navy Yard"
In conversation with Nancy's granddaughter IL
was learned that the old woman never was a
slave. She has two children living, one an old
man, about seventy years OF age, and the other an
old woman, about the same age. Her extreme
age and childshress make her a. times petulant
and cross, but she is geHerallY the same passive
quiet old body as when the reporter called. Her
faculties are all well preserved, my eyes are
good" said Nancy; 81 Can sew nearly as good as
used to, and i was considered q pretty good
very tne sewing using fine needles and thread.
The aged stamstress is engaged at present in
making patched quilt, and, In the event of It's
completion, IL would be worth considerable as q
relic As the reporter left, Nancy again re-
pesied, Il am glad to see you, glad to see YOU
and sat up in bed gaZng at Of her great-great-
grandchildren, little pickannny, who was chew
ing tbs toe Of shoe. After the life's experiences
OF q century Nancy's mind is returning to its IN.
fancy, and she looks wonderinzly down upon her
shTunEen form and listens to the babbling of the
the century that separates them. Her coadttioa
is pltiable and she is fitting object of oh ari,v