The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-16
ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF AGE.
NAL Birthday on Sunday.
From the NeIr York San.

SARATOGA, Jan. 12-Saratoga's oldest
citizen is David J. Williams. He was born
in Hartford Conn, Jan. y, 1870, and to
day he celebrated the completion Of his
Tooth year. Mr.. Williams is still an active
man, doing little chores about the house.
and with basket on his arm, is often seen
on the streets rs he goes TODD the marketing
for the family with which he makes his
home. He is Of gentle and patient DISPOSE
ton, saying that at my time Of life it is
not worth while TO be too easily disturbed
When the reporter called on him yester-
day, from an easy chair in the family circle,
with pretty little boy, and a still younger
girl, grandchildren of his niece, clinging af-
fectionately to him, up rose this old man, who
IN his prime was feet = inches tall, and
still stands above the common stature of
men, and shook the reporters hand with an
old-time cOurtliness and cordially.
"Now, baby, get down. said Mr.. Will
Jams gently to the youngest child, and then
in the course of an interesting conversation
he related the principal incidents of his life.
MY life has not been a very eventful
one" he said. "a faithful account of it
would bring it among the simple annals Of
the poor but for length of days it is indeed
quite remarkable. My father was Gershom
Williams, a mason by occupation. He had
eleven children, of whom | am the Oldest
and the sole survivor. When | was IL
years old my father moved to Marcellus,
Onondaga county, where for eight years |
worked hard at farming and generally as
sistlng my struggling parents with their
young brood. Then, at 20, went to Mont
gomery county and worked as a farm
labOrer for two years, and from there
enlisted in the war of 1912, serving two
years. After my discharge from the
army married Miss Esther Swart, daugh-
ter Of John B. Swart of that county, and
then removed to Newark, N. ]. My occupa-
ton there was laborer, aud was among
the first to get employment on a railroad.
Railroads then excited great deal Of won
der. we'll remember the first train from
Newark to Jersey City. 1t was then and
for many years after run by horses, and the
first locomotive we ever saw was regarded
as a marvel of power and human invention.
1t came from Philadelphia. | worked on
the railroad eleven years. and then returned
to ork state. l also did a great deal of
work on the Erie canal. For the past forty
years my home has been in Saratoga, and
until few years ago was able to earn my
own living, but now feel that | am getting
old, and / don't believe l shall ever be able
to do any more hard work.
eyes, am an old man. continued Mr..
Williams, in reply to question as to his
ancestry, but have q good many years
to live yet if / live to be as old as my
father. He was lib years and 8 days old
when he died, and my grandfather. Albert
L. Williams, lived to the age Of 129 years
and II days. These dates can be verified by
the family record, which is still in exist
ence in Onondaga county. [ saw it few
years ago. There can be no mistake about
it. NY mother died at the age Of 80 OF con-
sumption, and none of the other children
lived to more than 28. | took after my
father
In speaking of his own family, and of the
wife Of his youth, whose memory he has for
sixty years lovingly cherished, the old
mans voice faltered, and tears came to his
eyes.
"She was an excellent woman" said he
eve had six children. None of them lived
to be more than 9 years old. Yes, they are
all dead" he continued musingly, land
after fifteen years.of happy married life she
died too. But hope soon to get where she
is, and it will be happy meeting, for all
these sixty years 1 have been fond of her
and faithful to her."
Mr.. Williams is remarkably well pre-
served. All his faculties are good, and
there is seldom fair day when he does not
go out to walk. He is very tidy in his dress,
very polite, and a fine specimen of the old
style gentleman.