Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-08-23

Virginia he moved to Big Sandy,
Floyd county-now johnson coun-
ty-Kentucky, where, at the ma
ture age of thirty, he married a
widow. He has been married three
times, and each time chose a widow.
On asking him why he every time
took widow he replied 81 don't
know. / reckon it Just happened
so. When ! was first married |
could have got any girl in the set
tlement. | was a great courter."
From Kentucky he removed to
Indiana, then back again, then to
Illinois, and lastly to Arkansas,
where he has lived since 1882.
While in Kentucky he belonged to
a military company,and twice stood
drafts during the war of 1912, but
luckily escaped. Upto the last few
years he has been accustomed to
hard work.
The year he was eighty he work
ed twenty-seyen acres of corn on
the place where he now lives and
made 1900 bushols-900 Of which
he sold to Tom Cook. The rest he
shucked out without assistance and
measured. This crop was made
without the assistance of anv one.
He tells me that all his life his hab-
Its have been very regular. Nearly
all his life he has used "bitters"
good whisky and "yellow root
a tonic every morning, and at the
same time administered a dram to
every member of his family. lie
has chewed tobacco for sixty years,
and chews it yet vigorously. He
says he thought several times of
breaking off the habit, "but some
how couldn't do it"
When asked about his religious
belief, he said he had been men,
Der ol Christ's church and a deacon
for over sixty-fve years. He is a
member Of the Primitive Baptist
denomination and a firm believer
in its doctrines. 81 know | must
die sometime" he said, "and after
wards go to judgment. They can
use this old body any way, but they
can't touch the soul. l shall soon
be as young as any Of you"
At dinner he went to the table
without assistance, and after his
plate was helped, ate heartily of a
plain, well-cooked, substantial din
ner, showing, however, a decided
preference for boiled cabbage and
bacon. At supper his meal consists
of glass Of sweet milk and q little
bread. He drinks one cup of cof-
fee for breakfast. His teeth, with
the exception of five which were
extracted, last year because they
were becoming loose, are perfectly
sound. He has never had a de.
cayed tooth.
He is the object of the most ten
der care and attention by his son
and family, as well as by train of
lineal descendants so extensive that
| despaired of getting the exact
number. Pete, his son, with whom
he lives, is a man of dauntless
courage and iron constitution, and
promises to live as long as his ia.
ther. During the late war at Ozark
Pete was attempting to cross the
Arkansas river in a fatboat, when
scout of Federals came suddenly
on the bank and ordered him to
halt. He had two men in the boat
with him and ordered them to
jump out into the river, which was
full OF floating ice, and help him
draw the boat to the other shore.
They declined, and Pete undertook
the job alone, and actually succeed
ed in swimming across, drawing
the boat after him. His compan.
ions were both killed in the boat.
He says while he was crossing cit
just rained lead" Pete is not sat-
isfed with Arkansas, but says that
he feels it to be his duty to remain
and take care Of his father as long
as he lives.
When the old man first came to
Arkansas, forty-fve years ago, he
became involved in controversy
with a neighbor over a land claim.
A day for trial by arbitration was
set and the friends of each party
assembled. Mankins had employed |
Hon. David Walker, now of our
Supreme Court, then a young law
yer just beginning practice at Fay
etteville, to represent him. When
everything was ready for trial Man
kins spoke out in court: Walker,
you do the talking, and if there
is any fighting to do, just leave
that to me-" There was no fight
ing to do on the occasion, and
Walker gained his case.
1t is wonderful to think of the |
long and eventful career of this old
mana boy six years old when the
old Independence bell rang out
liberty to the Colonies "a man in
the yigor of life when jefferson,
Adams, Jay and Hamilton were in
their glory-an old man with grand
Il III l..a.. IL. EaI