Daily Republican., 1886-09-28
WONDER UL LONGEVITY.

The Philadelphia Sunday Dispatch
Of the 23rd ult., prints the following
which is of local interest: The most
remarkable case of longevity that has
occurred in modern time was that OF
Jacob Coleman, who died recently at
the reputed age of 1914 years. The
age of Coleman seems to be we'll Gu
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 divid-
ing line of Chester and Lancaster
counties, Pennsylvania. His memory
was strong and tenacious, and his re-
citals of what he saw and remembered
in his early life were vivid indeed.
While he lived in Pennsylvania, which
seems to have been before the Ameri-
can Revolution, until his death. he re-
membered much that occurred during
the Revolution and was an eye-wit-
ness to the battles Of Brandywine and
Germantown. He never was what
might lie called an industrious man,
nor was he an idler. He, it seems,
was fond of sports, hunting and fish
ing, and could be seen often on the
banks of the Brandywine with his line
and rod, or trapping game almost at
any point between Wilmington and its
source.
IT was while on one of these excur- =
ons that he was able to witness the
contest between the British andAmeri
can forces. He said that his strong
sympathy led him to follow the army
and be with it at the battle of German
town. His description of the battles
and incidents of them were exceeding
ly accurate and amusing. He had no
education and could neither read nor
write. He said he was born in the
West Indies, and came to the CONT
nent, arriving near Savannah, Georgia
about 1850, lived there and in South
Carolina short time, and then migrat-
ed to Virginia, where he lived long
time. He was in Virginia on Wash
ington's return from his Pittsburg
campaign under Braddock, and could
give reliable and correct description
of him as he saw him on his return
from that disastrous and Inflated ex
petition. From Virginia he drilted Il
Pennsylvania, where he lived the re-
mainder of his life He was known
over nearly all Eastern Pennsylvania
and the oldest citizen had some Incl
dent to tell of his life and of his re
markable age.
One Boyce, neighbor of Coleman
died in 1855, aged 90 years, and hat
known Coleman nearly all the days o.
his lite, and was sure that he mus
have been at that time at least 16(
years of age.
He remembered him during tn,
seventeen hundred and eighties, ant
he appeared about as old then as he di(
during the eighteen hundred and fiflies
Boyce died and left son now Twin,
in Chester, reputable and respecta
BILE farmer, who with others speaks o
this aged man as harmless but deter
mined and peaceable citizen, neithe
given to gossip nor frivolity. All, o
nearly all, OF the citizens of that sec
ton had learned from two or tire,
| SebCidtloHo DClolC thGlil vi ILLS Llhu
and there seems to be no doubt bu
that he has lived in Pennsylvania sine,
ITO
Coleman claimed to have been mar
ried in the West Indies and had buriet
his wife there. He was married tn,
second time in Virginia, and by thi
wife has now son, Nicholas Coleman
living, and a farmer in Lancaster
County, considerably over 100 years o
age. The wife he married in Virgins
died about 1900 and he was agair
M. rried, about 1919, to Peggy Jones
who died n 1849.
There can be no doubt but that Jaool
Coleman lived to be the Oldest man o
modern times and only exceeded by
those described by the old Book o
Holy Writ.
He Got His Answer