Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-08-22
IAI Years Old.
From the st. Louis st-Dispatch. !


The last one of Westinghouse colored
body servants who died in this city had
his toes pointed to the ceiling of small
room near Ninth and Gratiot Streets,
one November night six years ago. He
was declared to be. positively the final
claimant to place In the large army of
black men who had the honor and pleas
ure of administering to the wants of the
Father of his Country in the zenith of
his glory. The declaration that the last
had been put far enough under ground
to justify the hope that he wouldn't be
heard from again, has since proved to
have been without foundation. The
gentlemen who edit the curiosity cor
ners of newspapers nowadays have In
the past few weeks trotted out several
blackberry-hued freaks almost old
enough to have been grandfathers when
the war for American independence was
begun. They may now add another in
the person of Thomas White, q bed-rid
den darkey residing in small cottage
back of Linden Park, who can look out
from his pillow upon five generations of
his children, the oldest being his son
John White, aged 81, snowy haired,
and helpless as his father, who, it is
asserted by his granddaughter, Mrs.
Charlotte Gaines, aged IS, was born in
February, 1742, and is consequently 141
years old.
''He wuz borned," said Mrs. Gaines,
son de plantation of man name Crews
Il don't know muffin about de spellin,
OBJ his name, chile. When he wuz ten
yeah old he wuz taken to Mr.. Dalton,
who had place along the Washing
tons and dar he remained for ober forty
yeah. He done knowed all de Washing
ton family, an often heern him talk
about Nassau George, an laugh wen
anybody reeded about what good little
boy he wuz. why, grandpa used to
say, 'Masser George many and many a
time stoled his fathers tobacky and KEN
out under de trees to have quiet smoke,
an he used to tell yarns about whippin'
Injuns an KILN bear dat war de wust
lies dat ebber pierced my ears Den dat
cherry-tree story. Grandpa made mo- fun
OBJ dat dan anythin' else, bekase he said
the Washingtons nebber had no cherries
on der land all de time he knowed dem,
and besides if dey had and Masser George
had chopt it down wild an ak he'd neb-
Der 'fessed it, kase he alters ruined into
the woods and made faces at his dad
wen de OF 9em'lan wanted to lick him. !"
The Post-Dispatch reporter was now
standing at the bedside of John White,
the man of 14l years. His skin, tightly
drawn upon his face, was greenish yell
low hue, and revealed every bone be-
meath almost as plainly as if time had
removed the entire cutaneous covering.
The closed eyes were sunk back deep in
their sockets, the nose was as pinched
and thin as if clothespin had held it
in its embrace for forty years; the tissue
paper-like lips were half parted, the ears
withered and the head bald, except for a
light white furze which seemed to be
springing into existence on its surface.
There was no apparent respiration, and to
the reporter John White looked like a
very dead darkey. No other portion of
his anatomy was exposed except his face,
which was skeleton-like and death hued.
"Is he alive ?" the reporter asked.
ooh, yes, said Mrs. Gaines; "he's
all right; he's bin jist like wat you see
him now for de last eleven years, never
lef' dat bed wonst sence, an ha1nt
spokened wurd fur more'n twenty
three vars. He looks ez eff he might dis
solve away emmy minnit, but he may be
good for several Fou'th of Julys yet.
He kud git aroun' till eleben var ago,
but now we got to move him an feed
him, an he seldom opins his eyes,"
"What do you feed him on ?" the re-
! porter asked.
"Beef tea, soup, gruels, meat Juice
an tree teaspoonfuls of brandy cherry
day. Grandpa neber drank a drop in
his life till he was $50 years old and fit
against it turrible after de doctor told
him he'd have to take it. W en- he wuz
put to bed we just open his mouf, pour
de brandy down, an he amt got de
power to lif' han to stop u.s."
There are altogether fifteen people
living in four rooms in the little house,
and the youngest is Lily Small, the
great-great-great granddaughter of
John White. Lily is years old. The
centennarian has no means and is entirely
dependent on the charity of his children,
who provide nicely for his wants.
The reporter had been referred to an
old Mullanphy Street doctor, who had
attended John White from time to time
Being asked his opinion of Whites age
| the doctor said he had no reason to
doubt the statements made by Mrs.
| Gaines White was undoubtedly the
Oldest man he had ever looked upon,
but he had been practically dead for
| eleven years, and might as well be
| buried and mourned for at once,