Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1878-08-23
4 VERMONT eENTENARlAN.
ENtraorlinar! Family LongeNity,..t
Noman'> Death nj the Age of los.
NMAns.Asl .Nl } Nrae Mo M Ilmes.

Noman'> Death nj the Age of loa.
BulNustN ,Nt Free Press ana Times.
The death of Mrs. rhehe Haley,
which occurred rccentlyat North Pow
nal, and which has been referred q IN
this paper, ended marvellous long life.
She WAS born in Pownal, June Sl1rt,
and consequently reached the l05th
wear III her eNiStcnce. All those wears
She has lived in one town, county, and
state. Her maiden namc WAS Cum
miugs. Az the age If ", IL the Year
1890, She prefeSScd religion, United with
the Methodist Episcopal church, and
has ever since remained y Stcad'ast
member of that denomination. AZ the
time She became identified with the
church, is viii hc readily imagined, the
society was IN velv crude condition III
the Green Mountain state. When Il
years old She married Benjamin Haley.
1t is also singular that both should have
endured 50 remarkably long, and
neither, III such an exceptionally long
life, married again. The husband died
only fourteen years ago, aud was up
ward Of 80 years Old, This presents the
phenomenon of an uubrokeu married
companionship extending over seventy
three years, and almost reaching three
quarters OF i century. Mr.. Haley seems
to have been II physical wonder, because
he is described rs always addicted to
drinking since youth, and was arcns-
toned to mdulging i'll all sorts Of dissi-
pationS, besides possessing a very ugly
temperament. There were fifteen chil-
drcn born to the couple, Of whom ten
are now living, named Ruth, James,
Eunice, Lucinda, Reuben, Henry, 10
siah, Sahrina, Nelson and Thomas
Nearly I'LL the boys are intemperatc, yet
some of them seem likely To attain II
grcatage, and three h':yc already passed
four-seore. Thus il will be seen that
Mrs. Halcy's domestic life must have
been replcte with Vexations and triha-
lations, while drudging along with n
diSSolutc husband and Il batch If almost
Il dozen unruly boys. Despite all that
she succeeded i'll retaining her faculties
TO M astonishing degree, 50 to the last
She could thread il fine needle without
glasses, and her hearing was not ut all
impaired. Her face was plump, without
amy signs Of wrinkles thereon. Many
Of her grandchildren looked older than
she did Mt her lo5th birthday The Iii
rect living descendants of Mrs. Haley
extend through five generations. reach
ing through the children, grandchildren
grcat-grandchlldren, great-great-grand-
children, and great great, great grand
children. Three of her own children
died from old age. None of this wonder
fully-numcrous and long lived family
ever amounted To anything noteworthy
in an intellectual sense. Their Only
success III this life seemed To consist Of
Y wonderful vitality that enabled them
to attain old age, but their brain power
appears to have been absorbed by
toughened muscles, This will account
for the death Of the mother III the
county almshousc, because when hen
old age compelled reliance ON others, oil
all the ten living children none were
capable Of offering her home. and she
was forced on the populace. Some d
the children live ut Pownal now, 9th
crs III North Adams, and others still out
west