Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-10-10
THE OLDEST NAN IN MISSOURI.
RecoIIections of n Man Who Was
Born Before the Declaration of In
dependence Was Signed.
Kansas Civ Times

hanSdS lily 1ilicS-
At point two miles north OF indie
pendence on the Wayne City road
stands a one-story weather beaten
frame house formerly owned by Col.
Glpin. the man who IS credited with
first prophesying the greatness OF
Kansas City. From here an uno6-
VIEWS obtained of lndepend-
ence on the south, Kansas City and
on the west, the Liberty
on the north. Here resides Christopher
Mann, who is undoubtedly the Oldest
person in Missouri, and one OF the
Oldest in the United States. A Times
reporter visited the aged patriarch re-
Gently, the occasion being the cele-
bratlon of his 10th birthday. Uncle
Chris, as he is familiarly called by
his neighbors and acquaintance, has
a mind well filed with the happenings
Of ''other days long gone and moth
ing gives him more pleasure than the
presence of a good listener. Having
been borne at time when the Amerl-
can colonies were struggling for free
dom from tyraunical power, his
early training lnstilled into his mind
a deep love of independence and a
strong sence of right. Unlike many
men who first saw light in ''declara-
ton days" he claims no personal &C
quaintance with the father of his
country, although born witain few
miles of the Washington homestead.
While yet boy he removed with
his father to Kentucky, and never
tires relating ane cdotes of Daniel
Boone, the great hunter and trapper.
He describes Boone as being of
medium height, muscular build, keen
gray eyes, small nose and thin lips.
He was man who dealt only with
the realities of life, and when he
smiled, which was seldom, his face
lighted UP with a very singular and
striking expression. Boone held very
little intercourse with the few white
people of that section, preferring the
solitude of the forest or society of his
wife to that of the outside world
Mr.. Mann claims with pride that he
never was whipped in a personal en-
counter, and cites an incident IN his
life in Kentucky, when he had a
severe fight with a noted bully
named Lyons. This man Lyons had
on one occasion chastised Mr.. Mann's
father in a manner that fired the
blood of the young man, and he de-
termined to whip Lyons on sight.
One day Lyons approached the house
through the orchard and young Mann
met him half way and told him of his
purpose. Both men stripped to the
waist and proceeded TO spar in man
ner that showed they were well
matched. Finally Mann struck Ly-
ons powerful blow IL the face, which
dislocated his thumb, ard he was i'm
mediately clinched by Lyons. The
bully, expecting an encounter with
the young giant. had previously had
his hair cut very short, and had
creased his head with bears oil, max
ing it so slick that Mann could not
gain any advantage in that direction,
but, getting a hold on his throat, he
soon checked the breathing of his op-
ponent to such an extent that he read
lily consented to say enough. During
the scuffie Mann received a powerful
blow III the side, which swelled to
such size that his father produced a
lance and performed surgical opera
ton on his son which caused him 10
lose considerable blood but afforded
no relief.
Later on IN life Mr.. Mann passed
through Indiana on his way to home
in the far west and stopped one night
at a tavern kept by Gen. William
Henry Harrison, afterward president
of the United States. Mr.. Mann says
the house was crowded and he was
compelled to sleep on the floor, for
which accommodation the landlord
charged him full rate. ''Never since
then" observed Mr. Mann, "have |
liked 'BilP Harrison" He remembers
distinctly when single log hut stood
on the bank of the White river, where
row is built the prosperous city of In
dianapolis. Harrison was good
fighter, though, remarked Mr. Mann.
as his mind reverted to lis favorite
topic, land he did whip old Tecumseh
powerful bad at the battle of Tippe
canoe" He distinctly remembers
"Dick" Johnson, Stonewall Jackson,
Gen. Orr, Thomas Benton, and other
men of note. Having removed to this
county in 1910, his recollections of
early times in its settlement form an
interesting chapter. He is now hale
and hearty and bids fair to live ten
years longer.
A curiosity among the correspond
ence examined is a letter from Ad-
miral Sir George Rodney to Lord
George German, marked, ''private"
and dated Aug. 2, 1880 The Admiral
was very anxious to obtain seat in
parliament; SO anxious apparently
that be was unable ID write correctly,
and his missiye has required some
little editing to make it read. He
promises to be a certain but humble
supporter of government, and is will
ing to advance the necessary sum
should there be occasion, but he hopes
his rank and long service will be con-
sidered as emitting him to an admir-
atty borough. The Admiral grows
considerably incoherent in the SEN
fences which follow, but it is to be
understood that he will accept a pen
sion that has been offered to him.
'But 1 hope" he adds, sit will not
prevent me being in parliament. If
it does 1 must beg y our Lordship to be
SO good as to speak to Lord North
Upon the subject, and beg that may
decline the pension, for, in my opinion,
to be out pf parliament is to be out of
the world, ard my heart is set upon
being in" The Admiral was in the
habit of expressing his opinions with
a good deal of vehemence. In another
letter, dated from on board the Sand
wich, at st. Lucia, and also marked
private, he tells Lord George Ger
maine that he must not expect an end
of the American war until he can find
a general of active spirit, who hates
the Americans from principle. Moth
ing, he is convinced, viii bring the
to their senses but making
them feel every calamity their perfdy
deserves. Such were the sentiments
that the writer was prepared to main
tain IN parliament, undeterred by the
factious declarations of members of the
whom he names-among
them Burk (sic) cor any of those who,
by their pernicious principles, are en-
deavoring TO ruin their country"
The close of the war is reported IN
some interesting letters from Lieut..
Col Benjamin Thompson, afterward
known as Count Rumford, to Wis