The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1884-06-25
A MODERN METHUsELAH.

: Shipman for the will.
A MODERN METHUSELAH.
Special to the Commercial Gazette.
MILFORD, o., June 7.-There
lives one mile east of this place, in
colored settlement known as Hap
| py Hollow, an old negro who, be-
yond doubt, is the oldest man living
in this State, if not in the United
States, to.day. Uucle John Long
is known by everybody in this sec
ton of country. He was born in
Culpepper county, Virginia, in 1740.
Hewas the slave of Major Gabe Long.
He remained in the family as the
property of Major Long, then his
son, then his grandson, and then be-
came the property of a partnersh
composed of the members of the
family and was finally sold. In
1864, after slaveshlp of 124 years,
he was set free and Immediately
came to Ohio and settled in the
same place where he is now living.
While a slave he was most of the
time engaged as a house servant
amongthe wealthy families ofLongs.
He was in Alexandria, Va, in
1856, when General Washington
and Braddock passed through that
city on their way to the French and
Indian war. He distinctly remem-
bers administering to the wants of
John Randolph and his son, Ed
mund, afterwards the Governor of
of Virginia, while the guests of his
old master at his residence, near
Culpepper Courthouse, Va, during
the racing seasons. He also recel-
lects the frequent visits that Light
Horse Harry Lee and General La~
fayette made to the hospitable man
sion of his master, Major Gabe Long. |
His master sent him to Christian |
county, KY, in the fall of 1896, and
he relates some interesting incidents
relating to the campaign of that
year, when John Adams was runs
ming on the Federal ticket against
Thomas jefferson, anti Federal tick
ct. In 1877 his first wife died, and
in 1899 he was again married, to
Mary White, who lived with him
up to the time of her death in June,
1879, a period of eighty years. Mrs.
Long was 110 years old at the time
of her death. She was buried in
Greenlawn Cemetery, justeast Sfthis
town, and her grave is an attraction
to'all who visit this pioneer cemetery.
Uncle John was working as hired
slave at Nashville in 1914, when
General Jackson started for New
Orleans. His remarkable old age
has been proven beyond doubt by
well authenticated data, from his
masters in Virginia. He has grand
son aged seventy years, and a
granddaughter aged fifty years, liv-
ing near this town. The writer has
known him intimately for twenty
years, and to me he looks as young
as he did when | first met him in
1864 He never used tobacco in his
life, has always taken an occasional
dram of COED whisky, but was never
drunk. In stature he is of hercu%
lean mold, has round we'll bHlanc~
ed head, is of excellent disposition,
and has the courtly manners Of the
Old Dominion. He lives in com
Portable log house, and diets prin-
cipally upon corn bread and milk.
During his long life as servant Of
his cultured masters and his pres
ence with distinguished men of the
lines, he has cleaned and treasured
1 remarkable history of the times in
which he has lived, and is verit-
able encyclopedia besides being
modern Methuselah. After contin-
led efforts, he has finally consented
o appear before the public, and will
make his appearance in Cincinnati
oon.