The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-02-01
Birthday Party.

hhS PoSb ihNSh VI CI6iiSSi lOaAS
our venerable fellow citizen, JOB JET
FERsoN, has had his annual birthday
parties, TO which would come all his
children who resided near, with their
children and children's children and
Old friends and neighbors and spend
the day in social converse, SO that un-
Gle Jobs birthday party has come to
be regarded by them as one of tie
most happy days to them of the entire
year. Uncle Job Jefferson, as he is
known to all our citizens, was born in
Sussex county, Delaware, January
18th, 1888, before Gen. Washington
was ~inaugurated President, and he
has outlived all the Presidents our ma
ton ever had, except General Grant,
now in the chair. Now in his nine
tieth year, he stands erect.
age sits with decent grace upon his visage,
And worthily becomes his silver locks"
A quiet, even temperament, a gent
al coed nature has made the current
of his life run smoothly and not wear
away the vitality of his excellent con-
stitution. He was first married be-
fore the war of 1872, in which he took
a part. On the 25th of last month his
children. grandchildren, and great
grandchildren and friends, to the
number of fifty-seven, passed a joy
GUS day at his house, and uncle Job
and his wife fairly seemed to renew
their youth in the atmosphere of af-
fiction and good wishes which on that
day surrounded them. 1t seemed a
day consecrated alike to Memory and
Hope. Memory that run back a CEN
fury. There was uncle Billy Castor,
by q few years Mr. Jefferson's senior,
who has seen and talked with the
great Washington, he was one of the
central figures of that birthday party.
There was uncle Stephen 'Albaugh,
now eighty-six years of age, but al
most as active as a man in life's prime /;
Levin I. McCabe, full of life and en-
ergy. There were vacant places call
ing up sad, tender memories. Uncle
Robert Runyon, whose genial pres
ence on these festal occasion was al
ways welcome-he has passed to the
other shore. Sickness and infirmity
accounted for the deeply regretted alb
sence of Judge Curry. Mother Ed
son, mothers Lydia Campbell and
Lavina Campbell. Uncle Elijah Tay-
lor has moved TO Indiana and was not
there.
One by one these old friends pass
away. but sadly and tendcrly are their
recalled on these occasions by
those who are yet spared. Joseph L.
Campbell, or, uncle Lyburn we all
called him, used to enjoy these meet
ings, and his father, uncle Ely, used
TO live Y C his youth again in them.
Both are gone. Indeed, memory
passes by many a headstonc as name
after name is recalled.
What a volume of memories such
long lives clasp. What hopes aud
fears, what joys and sorrows must
have been crowded into lives that span
nine-tenths ola century. How around
their paths downward slope TO the
sunset of life and sunrise of immor-
tality, hopes bloom anew in the
younger generations which pay re-
spectful homage 10 age and virtues of
our pioneer fathers and mothers.
Delaware is of course not forgotten
on these festal days.
"Be 1t a weakness, it deserves some praise,
We love the play place of our early days"
May uncle Job and mother Jeffer-
son be spared to receive many more
birthday greetings, and that heaven,
which has so b~ountcously heightened
out their days, continue TO winnow
around their paths and that of their
old friends its choicest blessings.
Godey's Lady's Book for February is