The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-10
A KENTUCKY oENTENAR1AN.
Christopher Columbus Graham WIN Be One
Hundred Years Old To-Day.

christopher Columbus Graham VIII BE One
Hundred Years Old To-Day.
Richard II. Collins. Ill. D., Author Of History of
DIR. Christopher C. Graham sa native cente-
marian, born only four miles southeast of Dan
vile, in Lincoln county kentucky, on Oct 10
1884, in fort of station" built and settled in
1779 by, and named for, his maternal uncle
Capt. Edward Worthington, one of the famous
Long Hunters of 1863 and 1772. 1t was some
times called, by persons ignorant of the right
name, WaddingtOns Station. So. it would seem
and doubtless is true that DIR. Graham is the
first and only native Kentucky eentenarian. 1T
is perhaps due to both DIR. Graham and to the
writer of this article, to state that after the
publication of his History of Kentucky, in 1874
land, of course, too late to alter the date there
my, an authentic record, being the family Bible
of his uncle, Christopher Graham for whom he
was named, was found, which proved the
birthday of Dr.. Graham to be Oct 10, 1884, and
not 1887 as printed in Aliens History of Ken
lucky, in Coilinss History of Kentucky, and in
the Biographical Cyclopedia of Kentucky.
Other circumstances confirm this. 1t is correct
ly printed Oct. 10, 1884 in the large work,
louisville, Past and Present published in
1875, and the hundredth anniversary will be next
Friday, Oct 10, 1884
1t is no part of the plan of this article to give
a full biographical sketch of DR.. Graham, or
more than brief glance at the salient points in
his remarkable life. He was not an Indian
fighter in the ordinary meaning of that term.
although he was born among and grew up with
a personal knowledge Of and acquaintance with
the greatest of them He was born among the
pioneers, and himself became a pioneer. He
was Graded among brave Adventures and ex-
plorers. and in middle and subsequent life
was full of the spirit of adventure and explora-
ton across the continent and to the City of
Mexico. He was 1atboatman before the days
of steamboats,, and a steamboatman, a soldier
and officer, and surgeon of soldiers; rifleman
and marksmanz never eXcelled; a skillful
physician, very popular and successful; an
orphan and a selfmade man, and friend to the
poor and the orphan a landowner and a farmer;
a horticulturist and civil engineer and woods
man; a mineralogist and naturalist; traveller
in many lands and on both the great oceans, by
steamers and small sailers; a successful pro
pPietoF and manager of most beautiful water
ing-place; the personal acquaintance and friend
of more distinguished Kentuckians both living
and dead, than any man of this orany generation
a soldier in three wars-in the war of 1872 in
the Blackhawk war, and in the Texan war for
independence; in correspondence with the most
distinguished scientists of England recognized
and honored among and by the scientists of the
continent of Europe, and himself an author of
several books and frequent contributor to news
papers and periodicals.
This does not give half an idea of his varied
and adventurous life He has al ways associated
with remarkable men, and in his life has been more
remarkable than all of them. That his hfe has
been spared to the close of a century has been
due, under Providence to great vigor of person,
constant good care of himself and to living
much in the open air and taking plenty of bodily
exercise. He is a splendid illustration of the
old Latin maxim, Mems sana in corpore sano.