The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1878-12-10
ANOTHER CENTENARIAN.
She Will Round euf the Century OH Thur ..
day.

Yesterday morning, by invitation, a reporter
for this journal called upon Mrs. Daniel Des.
hon at her residence on Newbury street, oppo.
site the Sunday Times office.
Mrs Deshon was born in this city Dec. 18th
1873. Her maiden name was Alma Cannon,
and she was the daughter of Jonathan Gam
mon who resided near what is now the corner
Of Dapforth and State streets. Her father was
river-driver and was drowned while trying to
break a jam of logs on the Presumpscot near
Saccarappa, in June 1885. Her mother died
the December previous. Mrs. Deshon re-
members distinctly that there were but three
small block houses in the location where she
was born, and the vicinity was almost entirely
covered with trees and bushes. When seven
years of age she went to live with her grand
mother at Saccarappa, and remained with her
until her twelfth year when she became a
member OF the household of Judge Gorham
who resided on the road from Gorham to what
was then called Horsebeef, but is better known
now as Little Falls. Judge Gorham kept up
considerable state and had an old negro ser-
want by the name of Nepkin, who has become
historical. Mrs. Deshon lived at Jadge Cor.
hams until she was nineteen when she mar
ried Thomas Akers,a mill hand at Saccara ppa,
and moved to his home in the village. In the
war of 1872 her husband drove a six.horse
team, carrying supplies between Portland and
Boston, and she remembers distinctly his &C.
count of how, when he vas crossing Char les
town Bridge with his team, her husband was
met by the messengers who threw up their
cd
Peace is declared"
After the war Mr.. Akers was the first to
take six-horse team with load of salt I'D
through the White Mountain Notch, the avant
courier of a trade that afterwards became of
great Importance to Portland. Mr.. Akers died
at the age of 49, By him Mrs. Deshon had
nine children, four of whom are now living,
viz: Mrs. Elizabeth Wyer-with whom Mrs.
Deshon resides-Mrs Pearson, resident of
Cuba; Benjamin Akers, Street Commissioner
OF Lowell, Mass, and Thomas Akers, who also
lives in Lowell.
A few years after Mr.. Akers decsease, Mrs.
Deshon married Harlan Bixby, also mill-man
at Saccarappa. He lived about a year and
left no children. Then she married Daniel
Deshon, also mill man, by whom she had
one child, but it died. Deshon lived only about
year. He contracted severe cold on the
river, which carried him off. For the past IS
years Mrs Deshon has chiefly resided in Port
land, though at times she has lived in Sacca-
Kappa and Bangor. For a long time she was
head cook at the Commercial House on Cross
street and never lost day
Mrs. Deshon doesn't look older than So She
is in complete possession of her faculties, her
face is not excessively wrinkled, sac is of quite
stout build, of good stature, and lively as
cricket. She was never sick until last year
when she recovered from severe attack of
typhoid pneumonia. She insists upon making
her own bed and taking all the care of her
room, and her memory is remarkable for her
advanced age. She has to pause to think of
certain events, bnt when they come to mind
her face lights up with very pleasant express
sion. She related with great JUNCTION how
they used to blaze the trees from her fathers
house in Portland to Saccarappa SO as noe to
lose their way. She used to go to mill herself,
and often rode to town. on horseback with
saddle-bags to carry goods. She remembers
coming into town on horseback to see True
hung for tie murder of man whom he struck
in Quimby's shop. This True was engaged to
q Miss Curran of Saccarappa, and when the
people went to church Sunday they expected
to see her dressed in weeds, but instead she
was dressed in white muslin.
A few friends of this old lady will celebrate
her one hundredth birthday on Thursday. She
is not at all averse to seeing visitors who are
really interested in her, and we wish the pleas
ant, genial ceDtenarian more years of life If
they will afford her happiness, as they appear