The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1876-03-09
A Man Who Listened to Speech from
Washington.

Michael Edwards, ST., of Mounds
vile, Pa, is now in his one hundred
and ninth year. When at MOundsville,
4 few days ago, says the New York
Mercury, a correspondent had short
interview with the old gentleman. 1t
was something to look upon a man
whose birth dates back to the 18th of
August, 1867, and hear him tell of see
ing General Washington in the streets
of his native town ere yet the Father of
his Country had reached the zenith of
his great fame. Mr. Edwards thinks he
remembers when the news of the Decla-
ration of Independence was brought to
York, Pa, where he then lived. He
remembers hearing Washington make
a short speech in York, after the war,
in which, among other things, he said
that there was likely to be, some time
in the future, a war, caused by office
seekers, that would be worse than the
Revolution. He cast his first vote for
Washington for President, and voted for
him both times, and after him for John
Adams. He left York in 1901 and went
out to Washington, Pennsylvania, where
he was married in 1905 to Miss Eleanor
Cady, lady nineteen years his junior.
They lived together fifty-three years,
she dying in 1858. The family con-
sisted of four boys, all still living, the
Oldest of whom is now in his SEVENTEEN
year Mr. Edwards lived at Washing
! ton until 1885, at which time he remov-
ed to Moundsville, where he has since
resided. He worked at his trade (gun-
smithing) until he was between
eighty and ninety years of age.
When he was in his ninety-third
year he walked from Wheeling to
Moundsville in about two hours and q
half, a feat that many young men could
not rival. He has seldom been severely
sick in his life, although he has never
taken extra care of his health; has both
chewed and smoked tobacco, and tax
en- an occasional glass of liquor, al
though not addicted to drink. His gen.
eral habit has been to rise and retire at
an early hour, and during the most Of
his life has seldom slept after in the
morning. He comes of long-lived an
cestry, as do most persons who attain
great age, his mother having lived to
NC u DN dIuS VI IOO ftsttS OIus-
In the fall of 1870, in his one hundred
and fourth year, Mr.. Edwards revisited
the scenes of his childhood in York, Pa,
and while there received quite an Ova-
ton from its citizens. Among other
tokens of respect, he was presented
with a gold-headed cane by the men,
bers of the Laurel Fire Company, of
which company he was the Oldest sur
viving member. The company had him
charged on their books with a fine of
eleven pence "for non-attendance on
the evening of Both March, 1799,n and
while there the Secretary, as a good
Joke, rendered him a bill, which, prin-
cipal and interest, amounted to S4.S1.
At the coming Centennial Celebra-
ton at Philadelphia there viii not be
many greater curiositieS to be seen than
old Mr. Edwards. There will be present
few venerable men of the past like
Mr.. Edwards, who were children in
l976, who may perchanee remember the
Fourth of July of that eventful year,
and they will be, as indeed they ought
to be, among the most interesting fea-
lures of the exhibition.