Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-08-02
HEREDITARY LONGEVITY.
Families of Centenarians in Spain.
America, Great Britain, and Else
where.
Hereditary Influences on Life and
Conduct Are BEGINNING TO Attract
Much Attention.

HUGH AIlenllOu.
An interesting and apparently credi-
Ole account has just appeared of fami-
IL of "entenarIans at Tarbes. in the
Hautes-Pg renees, says the S.. James's
Gazette. Joseph Ritas, the last survivor
of this truly wonderful line, died lately
at the age of lis years, his father having
lived to the age of Ill years, and his
brother to the age OF ia. The lnother
and paternal uncle of Ritas are said to
have been equally long -lived"-a some.
what vague expression from which moth
ing definite can be gathered. This is GER
talnly very exceptional record; but it
stands out by reason of the extreme ages
attained by individuals rather than for
the fact of their concurrence in the same
family. The latter incident happens Oft
ner than is generally supposed. Some OF
the following examples have already been
mentioned IN the st. James's Gazette. but
they are now first brought together as
illustrating the influence of lineage in
longevity.
DR.. Nathan Allen, of Lowell, Mass,
vouches for the truth of the history fol
and Nehemiah Allen, went from Sudbury
to Barre when the latter place was com
parative wilderness. These two brothers,
with wives from Lexington and Concord,
settled in Barre as farmers. Jonathan
Allen and his wife died at the ages of 80
and 81. They had seven children, one
dying in infancy; but the other six died
at these ages-67, Y, II, Sc, 81, and So; an
Ir-R hH fro 90,
of over so. Nehemiah Allen and his wife
died at the ages of 81 and Sc. They had
ten children, four sons and six daughters,
dying at these ages-78, so, so, 80, 81, 80,
80, 50, SO, and SO, making an average,
with the fractions of year, of over S8
years"
In January, 1884, Mrs. Kingdom was
buried at Stroud, at the age Of 100 years.
She Was one of seven children, two of
whom were then living and nearly so
years old. The others died at the ages of
Sc, Sc, 70, aAd IS years. In June, 1885,
Miss Joanna Hastings, q resident of Nal
vern, was in excellent health at the age of
103. She was the eldest child of Rev.
James Hastings, rector of Marley, WOr-
cestershire, who died in 1886 at the age of
100 years and months. On the 5th of
April, 1886, Abraham Partridge, native
of Bristol completed his hundreth year in
a workh0use at Liverpool. His father a
Herefordshire mau, died at the age of 105;
his mother, Scotchwoman, at the age of
102. A sister of Abraham's was also then
living and in her 1920 year.
In February, 1887, Mrs. Elizabeth Innes
died at Ly bster, Caithnessshire, aged 107
years. Her mother lived to be 80; and
of four sisters, one died at 80, three were
over 80, and a brother over 80 at the
time of his death. In September, 1887,
Mrs. Cant celebrated her one hundredth
birth day at Pertenhall, near st. Neots.
She had then living brother 96 years of
age and a sister over 80. In October,
1887, three sisters were said to be living
IN the states of Virginia, Iowa and Da-
kota at the several ages of 108, 112, and
81 years. In the same month Andrew
Craig, aged IS, and Mary Martin, aged SO,
wer5 married at Deerfeld, Pa. The
brides mother died IN Connecticut in
1880, aged 101 years. The bridegroom's
father was SO when he died, having been
married twice after he was rs. Mr.. Louis
Lewis, a native of Rochester, who had
immigrated to New Zealand, attained his
104th year on the Oath of September,
1887. His father lived to the age of LOT
years.
Ia February last the Vienna cores
pendent of the Times reported the case
of Hungarian 81 years old, named Janos
Meryessi, who attempted to commit sui
eide because he could no longer support
his parents, aged 115 and 10, respective
ly. The Vienna journals have also lately
chronlcled the case announced as
"positive fact") of a peasant who died at
the age of 142, leaving son aged 115
years and grandson aged IS. Mrs.
Flora Schlamm, still living IN New York,
at the age of 102, is the descendant of
grandfather who died at the age of 12O.
Mrs. Mary Fraser lied last March at
Perth, aged 106 years. She had two
uncles who attained the several ages of
112 and 10 years. In April last Mrs.
Mary Francis, in the enjoyment of good
health, was residing al South Cornelly at
the age of 108 years. Her mother died
in her 111th year.
In his ''Norges Eaturllgie Historic"
the Danish historian Pontopidian says
that, Gin the Vale of Gulbrand, in Nor
way, and especially in the parish of
L@sso, there are persons Of such extreme
age that from q lassitude of longer life,
they get themselves removed elsewhere
to die the sooner" Numerous writers
have followed Pontoppidan in exalting
the health-giving power of particular
and it's influence on the pro-
lcngation of human life. Posen, Silesia,
aid East Prussia are said to yield the
largest number of aged people of the
Teutonio race. In proportion to its
Wales is thought 10 contain
more inhabitants of great age than any
other part Of the United Kingdom; while |
Philadelphia Is regarded as the chief
abode of the extremely aged throughout
the states. The parish of Percsteign, in
Hereford and Radnorshire, is also said to
be noted for the longevity of its inhabi
tants. But, assuming this to be fact,
is it depende upon climate or race? 1t
seems not improbable that, in some
districts, certain original strains
of patriarchaI blood still contribute to
the longevity of existing families.