Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-08-23
A MODERN METRUSELAH.
Born September 10, ITO
Nearly One Hundred and
Seven Years Old.
Still Takes Hi Cabbage and Bacon
and Tobacco and Whisky.
Publisher and Proprietor.

Professor Mitchell, editor-in.chieI
Of the Little Rock Gazette, has
discovered one of the oldest men in
the country. Writing from Fay.
etteville, Ark, August 11th, be
gives the following interesting ac-
count of a visit to this wonderfully
preserved specimen Of the race:
Early yesterday morning, in
company with Mr.. J. H. Van
Hoose and lady and Mrs. NJ, l pro
ceeded to the residence of "Pete'
Mankins, familiarly known in this
country as "Old Pete," where
dwells his father the venerable
Peter Mankins, ST., who is now
nearly l07 years of age. Arriving
at the farm house, on the Middle
Fork of White river, about eleven
miles southeast Of Fayetteville, we
were proceeding to enter the dwell
ing, when we were halted by a
huge black mastiff, who gave us
plainly to understand that we could
not be admitted without the cere-
mony of an introduction. A men,
Der Of the family vouched for us,
and "Track " graciously conde-
scended to admit us. On the porch
Of the dwelling we found the ven
cradle gentleman comfortably en-
sconced in his armchair. In ap-
pearance he does not strike the
visitor as a man Of more thn
three-score and ten; indeed, have
seen in this country many persons
of seventy who showed greater age.
He is quite deaf, and his eye sight
has failed rapidly within the last
year or two, yet, with the aid of his
two canes, he walks about the
premises, goes to his room and to
the table without assistance. On
inquiring as to his health he stated
that it was excellent, that he had
no pains, rested well at night and
had a good appetite. His memory,
as would naturally be expected, is
very defective, except as to the
events Of his early life, which
he says are all clear and
complete. The old records show
that he was born near Annapolis,
Nd, on the 18th of September,
ITO. He spent his early life at
Alexandria, Va, where he was
bound to a baker. He related an
incident that occurred while he
was living with this baker. One
day he concluded he would have q
little fun with a duck so he threw
it up several times in order, as he
said, tto see it fly" The baker,
seeing him, hogged him most un-
mercifully. During the whipping
he bore it without the movement Of
a muscle, but when 1t was over he
burst into tears and refused to be
comforted. The baker sent a
bound girl, and afterward his wife,
to quiet him, but without avail.
He determined then, he said, to
whip that baker IL he ever grew to
be man. His brother coming to
town soon afterward, he ran away
frcm the baker. While at Alexan.
dria he remembers seeing a division
of Washington's army marching to
attack Cornwallis. With a great
many other little boys he followed
the soldiers out of town, cheering
them, while the women waved their
handkerchiefs, "some crying like
their hearts would break" He
does not recollect seeing Washing
ton, but remembers being in his
house when the workmen were
building it. About the close Of the
Revolutionary war, after his father
had come home from the army, he
bought his mother side-saddle,