Morning journal and courier., 1886-12-02
AT THE AGE OF 1I6.

AlmshOuse, Dying at a Remarkable
 old Age-What He Says of Ills Past
 Life-A Wandering and Remarkable
 Career - AlmshOuse Clerk Clerkin
 Talks About His HistOry-HOw Me
 Outgeneraled a Colored Girl.
 On 8 cot in ward three at the New Haven alrnshouse yesterday there lay colored man who is slowly dying from old age and general debility. Yesterday, according to the almshouse record, he was one hundred and sixteen years of age, and he is believed to be undoubtedly the oldest man in the State, if not in New England. He has had a remarkable and wonderful career. A COURIER reporter, through the courtesy of the Investigator of outside poor, J. J. Clerkin, visited the aged and dying negro. He occupied a pleasant little room, well ventilated and bearing a cheerful appearance. In one cor ner of it lay the old man on a cot. He greet ed the reporter with smile on his aged and wrinkled face His voice almost failed him and he could be understood with difficulty. The facts of his life as related below were learned from the old veteran and from other sources. One would hardly think the man was over a century old from the won derfui memory with which he relates inci- dents of his past life. His eyes are almost entirely closed and on his head there are few struggling white locks. lie negro when young, as his frame testifes to. In his youth he was said to be a very strong man. The place where he first saw light is not definitely known by him. Az far as his remembrance can reach he was brought to New Haven by his mother from the South and lived with her in cottage on what is now known as Dixwen avenue, but was then open country. When he became old enough he was hired out to Dr. Mun- son. He worked for the doctor several years and at the age of eighteen he ran away from home and shipped before the mast on schooner which was off for 8 three years cruise q can never forget the horrors of that voyage" said he. "1 was near ly starved, and terribly beaten at times. But I thrived on it, and became wiry and strong. I learned from my mother that she came from the town of Natchez, Mississippi 1 left the whaler after her return North. and again went to sea on years cruise. When I again returned home went to see my mother, but found that she had died while was at sea. She left me the news that had relatives in Natchez, and also that my father was alive there. I determined to go South. This was in 1790 I think. I arrived at Natchez after numerous adventures on the way. found my father. He was slave on the Bendemna plantation. My mother had been set free for some great service she had done her master. l found my fa- ther was the husband of another woman. l was allowed to work on the plantation, which did for number of years, liking it very we'll. The slaves were treated well by their massa and I kinder hated ter leave But did ,as I was of a wandering disposition, and left the South again. I wandered from point to point, at times on sea and then again on land, sometimes in the South and at times in the North. I can't remember much about those wanderings except that ] had many exciting adventures.
 EI came to New Haven again in 1S12, the year the war with the British broke out. l can remember that there was 8 great deal of feeling against the war. I helped to build the fort on Beacon H;il (now Prospect HilD. I think it was in 1913. I distinctly remem- Der the great fire on Long wharf in 1S20 l remember the fights that used to occur be- tween the students and the town boys I was hired by Mayor Jerome in 1854 to do odd jobs about his place. I went to work for the old almshouse people in 1868; was then enjoying good health. have remained in the employ of the almshouse of the town ever since" The old man was seized with 8 violent fit of coughing at this juncture in the conversation and the reporter withdrew.
 ''The old gentleman likes to tell of how he is employed by the town," said Mir. Clerkin.
 tHe is wonderfully well preserved man for his great age and has always been known as
 
 nearly killed about five years ago by a fall and he has been affected by it ever since. It is not likely that he will live long. He is un- doubtedly the oldest living man in New Eng land. He used to take great pleasure in tell ing all the new inmates of the house tale of how he fooled 8 colored girl who wanted him to marry her. It was in substance that he met beaming young cook on canal boat which piled on the old canal. She took great shine to him and he was not backward in telling her that he liked her also. But colored coachman became acquainted with the fair cook. She took to her new lover better than to the old. But the new lover deserted her. She tried to make Ike believe that she loved him still, but he wouldn't have it, and nev- CT married. When in good health he used to take great pleasure in narrating the tale. He has often told us how the night the great row took place between the students he was in the theater then known the eHo- man's' in the Exchange building, and how the students were booted and mocked at He stood within twenty feet, he says, when the leader of the town boys was stabbed by student He says the student was first struck by the leader of the 'townies' and then choked. He saw the student stab his assailant and how the mob broke into the churches and rang the church bells and at tempted to batter down the walls of old South college Ike has been one of the best behaved inmates of the almshouse, but old age will soon do it's work"