Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-03-29
KENTUCKY,s OLDEST NAN.
Re Marries His Fourth Wife at the Age
of no Years, and Lives Fifteen Years
after That.

after That.
cSHciHRati Ea9wirer
RICHMOND, KY, March 90 have just
learned from resident of Harlan county.
Nv, the history Of man whose longevity
reminds one of the great TIL mas Parr,
whose remains lie buried in England's
famous chaTnel house, Westminster Alb
hey, for no other reason than that he was
the oldest man Great Britain had ever
produced, and there was no cause to
think the ''Old WOrld' would ever look
upon his like again.
The ed Ksntuckian in question was
george Burkhart, and one of the most
remarkable tn ngs IN connection with his
history is that it has never been pub
lished. But Harlan county is in the
mountains and does not possess one of
those professional news gatherers, a
newspaper. Burkhart was born in Ger
many IN the year 1928. Soon thereafter
he proceeded to Virginia, where be mar
Fied This union produced him five chill
dren and his wife died. He married again,
and in the year 1900 removed TO Ken
lucky. He settled on Crank's fork
Cumberland river, fourteen miles south
of Harlan court house, and, with his fam
lily, took shelter in an enormous hollow
sl camOre tree. By the way, Harlan cOun-
~ is not wholly unlike the big tree
f0rty-fve feet in circumference, and ne
cessarIly fifteen feet in diameter. In this
romantic abode he and his wife and the
five children had beds, tables, ches's and
such other furniture and things as a wild
mountain home usually contains. Al
though the frosts of seventy-hVe winters
rested on his ample brow, he did not neg
lect that part of the divine injunction
which says: BE ye fruitful, multiply
and replenish the EARTH" tor when the
requisite years had flown he was found to
possess by the second wife eight chill
dren. In the meantime he had built a
cabin and acquired 400 acres of good
land, and was one Of the solid men of the
county.
His second wife died and after short
period OF mourning be went to VIRGINIA,
that generous old state that had already
furnished him two helpmeets, and he
married a third time. Her name was
Elizabeth GTahilI, and she resided in Lee
county. Mr.. Burkhart was now GEN.
tenarian. He repaired to his cabin beside
the faithful old tree, where they lived
happily for five years, and, 1t IS said, a
child or two were born. This third E'bet-
ter half of the old man died at the good
age of 20. The gref-Strlcken husband be-
walled her loss even more bitterly than
those who had gore before her. But his
days of sorrow were not many. He soon
turned out To the ''log-roiiing" and quilt
in S, which fashionable pastImes were
frequent in their occurrence, and danced
with the girls. entertained them with his
comic songs, and was regular gay old
deceiVer, as giddv as a girl 81 10.
In the year 1870, It the great age of 40
years, he married a fourth time. The
name of this last wife was Leyenia Nor
s, and her age was 30. The immense
disparity of aye, 70 years, worked harm.
Dissensions arose and a separation fol-
lowed. No children blessed this union,
and as all his others had become q own or
died the patriarch was left al me in the
cold, cold world. II days OF friVOllty be
now considered over. He was too old to
rudge about his vast mountain farm, so
b applied more closely than ever to his
tavOrite pursuit, that of sOrcerers For
miles and miles around his powers We're
recognized. Even in far away rennes-
see and Virginia, people who were
troubled Nth witches and other unseen
and direful enemies, applied to him tor
relief. His magic wand was invincible.
Bewitched stock and dogs and cats. as
well a. human beings, were made whole
through his influence. Diagnosis was q
matter OF hut "A moments glance with
him. Occasionally a case was 80 stub
horn that heroic treatment became necps-
S9ry. ms treatment Consisted In draw
Ing picture of the particular witch that
Was ruling over the patient. This picture
was pasted on a tree at ten PAGES, and
with an old-fashioned long squirrel rife
he would send bullet crashing through
it.. The shot destroy ed the witch, and
the patient was free. SOrcery was a con-
siderable source Of revenue to the old
man.
Mr. Burkhart spoke German to lis chill
dren and Bad English u others. His
education was slight. He was man
whose ord was As good as his bond, and
who never tired IN doing kind acts.
The wonderful old man died in the year
1850 at the great age of l25 years. He had
ii N who lived 10 he 80. Jude Noble
Smith, Mr.. G. B. Turner and other good
ciLizens of Harlan knew Burkhart, and
testify to the facts in this statement.
Two persons recently died in that county
aged SO and 100 ears espectively. Several
more reside there who are equally as old.
1t is thus seen that the late DIR. Graham,
OF Louisville, who celebrated the ami
versary OF his 10Oth birthday, was NOT the
only centenarian in Kentucky.