Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1886-06-28
The Oldeat Man.

Emo mObJ remarKADl6 case OF lOnRe'
witty that has occurred in modern times
was that Of Jacob Coleman, who died
recently at the reputed age of one hun
dred and ninety four years. The age
Of Coleman seems to be well au.
thenticated by tradition given by old
men living In his neighborhood. He
lived on the comb of the shed Of land
dividing the waters OF the Delaware
and Susquehanna on or near the aiv.d
ing line of Chester and Lancaster
Counties, Pennsylvania. His memory
was strong and tenacious, and his
recitals of what he saw and remem.
bered in his early life were vivid
indeed. While he lived in Pennsylva-
mia, which seems to have been before
the American Revolution, until his
death, he remem bered much that oc-
cured during the Revolution, and was
an eyewitness to the battles, Of
Brapdywine and Germantown. He
mover was what might be called an
industrious man, nor was he an idler.
He, 1t seems, was fond of sports,
hunting and fishing, and could be seen
often on the banks of the Brandywin
With his line and rod, or trapping game
almost at any point between Whining
ton akd Its source. 1t was while on
one OF these excursions that he was able
to witness the contest between the
British and American forces. He said
that his strong sympathy led him to
follow the army and be with 1t at the
battle Of Germantown. His description
Of the battles and incidents of them
were exceedingly accurate and anus
ing. He had no education, and could
neither read nor write. He said he was
born in the West Indies, and came to
the continent, arriving near Sava g,Ab,
Ga, , about 1850, lived there and in
South Carolina short time, ard hen
migrated to Virginia, where he lived a
long time. He was in Virginia on
WashiDgton's return from his Pittsburg
campaign under Braddock, and could
give reliable and correct descl 'ption
of him az he saw him on his return
from that disastrous and illfated expe-
dition.
From Virginia he drIfted 10 Pennsyl-
vania, where he lived during the re-
mainder of his life. He was known
over nearly all Eastern Pennsylvania,
and the Oldest citizens had some Incl
dent to tell of his life and of his re.
markable age. One Boyce, neishbor
of Coleman's, died In 1855, aged so years,
huu hau Known OOlenhn u6aTIy all In6
days of HIS life, and was sure that he
must have been at that time at least 100
years OF age. He remembered him
during the seventeen hundred and
eighties, aud he appeared about ss old
then AS he did during the eighteen hun
dred and fifties. Boyce died and left a
son now living In Chester, a reputable
and respectable farmer who, with others,
speaks Of this aged man as a harmless
but determined and peaceable citizen,
neither given to gossip nor frivolity.
All, or nearly all, Of the citizens Of that
section had learned from two or three
generations before them of this man,
aud there seems to be no doubt but that
hs has lived in Pennsylvania since
l770.
Coleman claimed to have been mar
ried in the West Indies and had buried
his wife there. He was married the
second time in Virginia and by this
wife has now son, Nicholas Coleman,
living and farmer in Lancaster
County, considerably over one hundred
years of age. The wife he married in
Virginia died about 1900, and be was
again married about 1912 to Peggy
Jones, who died in 1S49.
There can be no doubt that Jacob
Coleman lived to ba the oldest man of
modern times and only exceeded by
those described by the old Book Of Holy
Writ.