Daily Republican., 1880-03-11
MARY ROGERS AGED lIz.

MARY ROGERs AGED II7.
An Old Negro Woman who Ha
Lived Century, and f. Ap
proaehipg six-score Years =
Almsst Unhcard OF Longevity.
Old Mary Rogers is considered th,
most curious inmate Of the New Castle
County Aims House. Few pass through
the humble ward, in which she Il
quartsred, without making inquiry
about her. In one respect she Is truly
remarkable. Indeed possibly more %
than any living person. This Is hsi
age. She is spoken Of as being III
years Of age, and on good authority d
said to be two years older than that.
Mr.. Malachi Barlow, the superintend.
ent Of the Aims House, gave the REPUB
LrcAE hearty shake Of the hand and q
warm reception yesterday afternoon,
and willingly led the way TO the negro.
quarter, when desire to see Mary
Rogers was made known.
"You're welcome to get all out of hel
you can, but you won't find hsl
as full Of intelligence as she is Of yeari
by . good bit," ventured Mr.. Barlow
as he swung the door open and pointed
Mary out.
The old woman sat by the FIRE in q
low arm chair, she was dressed in Q
we'll worn gown of faded blue chintz,
that had passed its day Of usefulness
long ago. On the head was cap de.
vised after the pattern Of the old lady'i
cap from piece of cast of garment
The addition OF woollen socks on hel
feet, and the description Of her attire
is complete. One would suppose at first
glance that he was talking TO some one
Of close acquaintance and much after
the manner OF Father time. Her face
is wrinkled and old and bears the i'm.
press Of great age on every line. Snow
Is not whittier than the little hair that
remains on her head, and part Of which
appears from underneath her cap. Her
gums have been toothless many day,
and her voice falters whenever she
tries to speak. She has not walked q
step for six months, and sits the whole
day long in her little rickety chair.
Every night she is helped to her bed
and back to her chair again as soon as
early morning comes.
A chat with her is interesting, hut
would be more 80 we're her memory less
cloudy. Her recollection of "Old SIa-
very days" is not very distinct; she
cannot recall scenes and incidents Of
her early life with any thing but great
vagueness, and dates are unknown and
persons whose names she can remember,
very few.
"How old are you Mary" was
asked.
"Deed II kin tell yo' young massa;
dey tells me Pse q hundred o sebben-
teen, and l guess It am fac."
"Do you not know where you were
born ?"
"No sab, dat am sumfn l nebber
knowsd, dis chile only knows one thing
about dat, and dat am de place."
"Where was that Z"
"At Doctor Josh Clayton's at Mt.
Pleasant; Doctor was my massa an q
good un he was too"
"Do you remember anything about
your life at DR.. Clayton's-if you do,
tell us about it,"
The old woman puzzled for moment
or two and then shook her head. 81
can't tole yo' nuthin; don't seem to me
dat dis ole heads got any thing at all
in 1t any mo-" said she, at length.
The conversation went on at some
length, but was not prolific in facts.
However, Mary could still tell some
things. There were eight other slaves
in the employ of Doctor Clayton, and
all Of these worked on the farm but
herself. She attended to much Of the
She has been married,
but never had any children. "It's
l nebber had though" she
remarked on this point, "fur dey would
hab starved to death then as we'll as
me-" Her husband has been dead for
many year. The slaves on the place
we're always we'll treated, and she csn-
not recall the fogging Of one. She has
not much recollection of the Revolu-
tionary war, but says she can remem-
ber hearing the men talking of IL being
happily over, when peace was de-
,lared.
Her exact age cannot be definitely
ixed. She does not know the year Of
ner birth, and the only way by which
ner number of years ig known is that
he person who brought her to the in
in June, 1878, declared posi-
lively that she was one hundred and
fifteen, and then and there Mr.. Barlow
marked the age down in book, thank.
'ul that the place, like all others Of
.he class, had an antiquarian. Mary
lays that she got her freedom when she
vas twenty eight years old, which was
.wo years after the death of DR.. Clay
on. This tends to show that she is
almost, If not quite, rs old as repre-
Iented. DR.. Clayton was Governor of
Delaware twice. The last time under
he new constitution in 1889. He was
,f the second generation from John
Clayton, who came to Pennsylvania
With William Penn.
After she got her freedom the old
woman continued to remain around
Mt. Pleasant, where the Clayton tsrm
was situated. The neighborhood knew
her all her long life. She became old
Ind helpless, and few cared to have
ner around them. Finally, knocked
about from pillar to post and unable to
make living or to live on the charity
If others, she was one day bundled
nto wagon, and hauled to the poor
,ouse, where she will spend the rest of
Ter days.
She wants to get out she says. This
hing Of living in the poor house does
not anti her n hit. HIf dew Would |