Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1878-11-22
THE OLDEST PRINTER.
ReCOIIectiOns of A Man Who Has Been
Fifty-seVen Years at the Case.


Fifty-seven years at the case" said
the foreman of the New York World
composing room to reporter last
week, as he pointed out an old, gray
bearded man picking type in the cor
ner of the room. The old man stood
where the sunlight fell upon him, and
he was chewing tobacco under his
green shade and clicking type in his
stick uncOncernedly. He never
stops chewing. He comes down here
at six in the morning. and works till
six in the evening. He never eats
mouthful nor takes a drop to drink
he lives on tobacco
" Uncle Bob, said the reporter, ass
he approached the old type-setter and
touched him on the shoulder, how
old are you?"
The old gentleman looked up
kindly into the reporters eyes and am
swered " | was seyenty-fve day be-
fore yesterday
His name is Robert Tappan, but
everybody calls him Uncle Bob. Il
was born in Kingston, Ulster county,
in 1903. | entered the Office of my
uncle-the Ulster Plebeian-in 1921.
| worked on the same press that Jesse
Buell. used. | came to New York in
1924, on the James Kent, and we took
Lafayette on board at West Point and
brought him to New York with u.s.
When l came to New York / went
into Major Noahs office, the Inquirer,
then on the Courier and Inquirer,
where | worked steadily for twenty
one years. Mr. Webb presented me
with a magnificent bible, and I've
kept it twentyTfOur years.
On the day following the above
"Uncle Bob" came down to the office
with the bible in basket. Here,
he said, as he opened the book and
pointed to the fy-leaf, ''read this"
Presented to Robert Tappan on
Xmas, 1854, as a very slight testimony
of respect and regard for his character
and appreciation of his valuable and
faithful services in the office of the
Courier and Examiner, from 1882 to
the present time, by his friend.
j. WATSON WEBB.
December %, 1854.
The old man then whipped out his
genealogical record written with blue
ink on narrow slip of paper. 1t wen
so far back it was perplexing to dive
for. He skipped few generations az
= he pointed out tabout an inch from
3 the top of the slip, and said
"I've got pair Of sleeve buttons be
longing to Christopher Kiersted, WHIT
was the father of my grandfather Luke
r Luke was a surgeon in the Revolution
with Washington at Newburg.'
y And then, as he travelled by pan
handle route over the blue ink, h,
I said: "a grand nephew of Governor
George Clinton married my grand
r fathers sister. ] was married on TIL,
g 18th of December, 1881, to Maria G
Lowe, of Flatbush, whose grandfather
was Colonel Bauman, of the artiller!
o regiment that placed the flagstaff OF
!. the battery on the day the British
S evacuated New York. lie was after
/ ward appointed first postmaster o.
New York.
" Uncle Bob" lives in Brooklyn
+ with one of his married sons. He i
/ fond of life and enjoyment, and OF
A HallOw-eve played blind man
bluff and button " as lively as any
of the family. He has been on tn,
World ever since he left the Courie
l. and Enquirer, which is now nearl!
t fifteen years.
Q " You have read many handwriting
h in your time, haven't you, Uncl
= Bob2' yeu
0 eyes, indeed, but old Bennett
was the worst | ever tackled" h
answered. And once more the clicl
I of his type sounded in the corner.