The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-03-22
1913 YEARS OLD.
A Native of New York Who Has Lived
Through Three Generations.


From The Ne,c York Sun.
Mrs Anastasia Parsells of West Fifty
second street, Bayoane, was 10S years
old on St. Patrick's day. With her
abundant dark hair plentifulVy
streaked with gray and her fig
ure bent with the weight of century. Mrs.
Parsells' intellect remains remarkably
bright. Her memory is still good, her
habits are active and her health is
fair. She probably mas severalyears' of
life before her. She was born on Friday,
March II, 1856, in farm house on Man
haitian Island. Some assert that the house
was in Dover street, and others say it was
near the corner of Orchard and Division
streets. Her maiden name was kealine,
and h r father was an officer in the conti-
mental army during the revolution. When
she was in her teens New DIRK was visited
by the yellow fever scourge. She volun-
teered as a nurse, and was herself stricken
down.
In 1909, at the age of SO, she married, her
choice from among her numerous suitors
being Ed ward Parsells, handsome youth
who volunteered as soldier against the In
dams 1893 Three years after their mar
riage Parsels enlisted to fight against the
British in the war of 1912. He sa little,
if any, active service, and soon returned
uOAlo- III 1910 us uodUn ioIb uST q "luo" III
her 10th year, with three children, two
daughters and son. The latter was the
eide t, and he bore his fathers
name. He died in August, 1887,
aged rs years. The daughters still
survive. Her living descendants
are not very numerous They number her
two daughters, Mrs Anastasia Gordon,
aged n, of liz West Seventy ninth street,
this city, Mrs. Edwin F. Houghtpn,
Of
onne; ten grandchildren, as follows: Mrs.
William Ferguson Mrs. Benjamin F. Beck
man. Mrs. J. j. Potter Mrs. j. A. TAI lor,
Mrs. E. Berry, Miss Theodore Gordon, and
Messrs. Edwin j. Houghton, Jr., Albert
Houghton, William w. Gordon and Ed
ward Parsells. the latter be-
ing the only child of her dead
rem, and two great-great-gra dchidren.
Mrs. Parsels spent her life until 1881 in
t is city. Since then she has generally
made her home with her younger daughter,
whom she still affectionately calls her by.
Mrs. Houghton's home is a neat looking
two-storv frame cottage in the Pamrapo
part of Bayonne. Its interior is home-like
and cheerful, and tie apartments reserved
for the use of the old lady are especially
furnished for the comforts of person of
her advanced years.
The old lady declared with animation
several days ago that, outside of her siege
with yellow fever, she has seldom required
the services Of a physician. She is very
fond of strong coffee, and she drinks large
quantities Of it hot at each meal. She
also takes a cup of the beverage just before
going to bed. She retires usually at a late
hour, and generally she sleeps from seven
to eight hours without awakening. She
goes about the house without assistance,
and is at times extremely spry and clipper.
Her sght has hitherto been so good that
she has never worn spectacles. 1t is now
failing, and she frequently complains of
her inability to see as good as she could
when she celebrated her centennial birth
day anniversary.
Her memory is so clear that she relat les
incidents which occurred early in the CEN
fury. She distinctly remembers having
seen George Washington many times, and
boasts that on one occasion he kissed her
and a number of girl companions. She
tells anecdotes of Aaron Burr, Alexander
Hamilton, John Jay, Benjamin Franklin.
and Lafayette She remembers the excite
ment attending the trial of Fulton's steam
boat, and can recollect the hospital riots of
1897. She can discourse about the hanging
of Johnson the pirate, and the execution
of Rose Butler, the fire fiend. She attended
the funeral services If Washington which
were held in this city. was present when
Gen. Montgomery's body was landed here
after being brought from Quebec, and she
crowded into Trinity church when Commo-
dore Lawrence's and Lieut. Ludlow's fune-
rails were held.
She attended the funeral of Gen. Grant.
When her son was buried she rode behind
the nearse to Greenwood and back home
without complaining of fatigue. Recently
she has made several trips between the
homes of her daughters in this city and
Bayonne.
Her relatives say that ner age is authen.
tic, and offer in proof the record in the
family Bible and upon family chart