The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-05-16
THE OLDEST MAN IN THE STATE.
Uncle johnnie Fielder Dies at the Age OF
100 YearH,

John Fielder was porn near Lynch
burg, Va, May IL, 1880, and died in
Laurens County, April II, 1880. BE
therefore lacked one month of being 109
years old.
He came to Spartanburg County in his
ninth year, and lived fox several years
near Otis Shoals on Tiger River. He
seems to haYe been in poor circumstances
in his youth, for he never had the advan'
tages of much education. [ always
understood that he was an orphan, but
his son told me his father died at his
(the son's) house at a very old age, blind
and decrepit. The first year he com.
menced to work for himself he hired to 8
Mr.. Means, who lived at the Col. John
Crook place, four or FIVE miles from
Woodruff. His wages were six dollars
per month. At the end Of the year he
took his pay in a horse, saddle and bride
that horse he worked thirty years. Il
was years old when he got it.
By energy and good management he
bought piece of land, and determined
to marry. he courted a Miss Miller, on
Tiger River, who accepted, and they
were soon made one. remember well
his tale about it. Among some of his
drawbacks he had no furniture for his
log cabin, and she had none. For
while they slept on pallet on the floor
He cleared up the forest around his cabir
by moonshine, and then went to work
clearing up field for corn.
He went West once to visit some O.
his children, and while gone his second
wife died. He beard the sad news a
Clinton, and as he walked from there
home, that being then the head Of the
railroad, all of his sins and shortcomipg'
passed before his minds eye, and among
other things he determined to quit liquor
drinking, which, by the grace of God, ht
was enabled to do successfully, 30 much
so, that in late life it was hard work t
get him to take it as medicine.
He was married three times, first to {
Miss Miller, as already stated, by whom
be had nine children, three of whom art
still living. They were James, Mrs
Fesbit, of Rodgers Bride; Caroline Wof
ford, of Mississippi; DR.. Newton, WHIT
died unmarried; Eliza Jackson, of An
derson County; William, who died at 1!
years of age; Mary Parks, of Missis
sippi; Thomas F., who recently diet
near here, and Mrs. R. W. West. Th'
three survivors are Mrs. Parks, Mrs
Jackson aud Mrs. West. The descen
dants are all well-to.do and are amongs
the best people of the country.
The second wife was Widow Fulton
from near Clinton. She came to thi
neighborhood to live, but in year or 81
he moved down to her plantation il
Laurens County, where he died. sh'
lived for ten years and died, when h
married Miss Anderson, from Clinton
or near there, in 1858. She survive
him. The last wife, as we'll IS the others
proved a helpmate indeed, for during th'
last several years he was great charge
When the late war broke out he hat
accumulated a considerable fortune, ant
| when he got able he did not spare th,
money in the education of his children
Of one he made doctor, and a daughter
graduated under DR.. Curtis, of Lime
stone Springs.
heard an old gentleman say at th'
burial that there were three men, in hi
boyhood, who were the mainstays of tn
then popular school Of Poplar Springs
viz: Tiger Jim Anderson and Col. San
Evins, both vigorous and stout, and
little old dried up man by The name o
John Fielder, much older than the 9th
| ers. 1t was little thought then that hi
| would outlive the others by score O.
more Of years, but time so proved it.
He served in the war of 1872, in I
company commanded by Capt. Dawkins
of Union County, whom he loved Ter!
much, and for whom he named hi
daughter, Elizabeth Dawkins Nesbit
An old negro servant of mine, a contem
porary Of MI. Fielder, related to me al
incident connected with Mrs. Nesbit'
birth. It seems she was the first child
and vas born during the war, when th
father was away from home. When b
heard the news he was very anxious for
furlough, and applied to Gen. Thoma
Moore, who was in command. Ger
Moore, by the way, was his near neigh
Dor at home, and with whom he was Of
the best of terms. He did not doubt th'
furlough being granted under such Cir
cumstances. The General heard hin
patiently and replied, "D-n you, g
back to your tent! the balance of us nav
wives and babies that we want to see a
badly as you" Mr.. Fielder could no
see it that way, and be rather soured o.
the General.
After the war be applied himself dill
| gently to business, but living withou
religion until under old Michael Dickso
be was brought into the church. Ri
children, going to Sunday school, frs
attracted him in that direction. From
that time on he made consistent mem
Der Of the church, was always prompt il
his presence at worship, and ever read
to bear his shares of the pecuniary bur
dens. He united at Nazareth, but too
his membership to Bethany when b
went to Laurens to live, but so stron
was his love for the place of his you'll
and manhood, that four or five years ag
he had his membership moved back tt
Nazareth, saying he wanted to die
member of that old church.
| TLo 1o.t five T oo n, b;r, to ,pou eooto