The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-02
A REMARKABLE MAN,
He Lived 123 Years, Had Five Masters,
and Six Wives.
Frone az Nelo York Stnr.

From the NeiO York Stdr.
KANSAS CITY, Dec. 29.-Florida papers
announce the recent death of old Unka
Santa Quanta, near Archer, Fla, at the
remarkable age of 123 years. The writer
had the pleasure Of an into rview with the
old man several years ago, going to his hut,
two miles from town, in company with
the village doctor. Some distance
out we overlook an old aunty
trudging along, who turned aud made
an Old-time curtsy. The doctor asked
her nome, and she turned with a quizzical
look and exclaimed Laws, honey, you's
de doctor OATS come here and hasn't heard
of OF INK Qnanta yet Use his old CONAN.
He's ole, powerful ole is the ole man, an he
will be proud to see de do tor" She begged
dime for 'bacca and off she went. Tue
old woman was old Maum Nelly, Uncle
Santa Quanta's sixth wife, who, at the age
of ~, had Joined her fortunes with an old
man of los, and, strange to say, the next
year she gave birth to child, but it only
Lived week.
The old man was found in his hut making
husk mats, and by means of little change
he was induced to unlooAen his tongue and
tell his history, which, Invested of its ''gully
lingo" was briefly as follows: At the age
of 10 he was de Dyed into boat that came
up one of the rivers on the West African
coast, and was knocked down, tied, aud
taken to the coast, where he was placed 10 a
ship with 800 other unfortunate blacks.
The ship narrowly escaped capture by a
British man-of-war, and reached Charles
ton Just before the blockade in 1850. He
was kept in pen with other slaves a week.
and then sold to Georgia planter. One of
his own tribe, called Anna, was given to
him as a wife. He did not take
kindly to the hoe, but being bright and of
oi1 ho
overseer which position he held
under different masters eighty years.
HIS first master died about the year 1900,
and soon afterward his wife also died, but
he married again. The country was soon
afterward disturbed by the Indian War,
and by order of Gen. Jackson his second
master had to emigrate, and while moving
the master Santas second wife died. He
got another wife, who lived with him until
the year the stars fell 1888, and his third
master went the way of all earth about the
same time but Santa found another master
and his fourth wife.
awe lived happily together and enjoyed
life the best kind" said Santa, "when
another war came on and my master went
He was killed while in Mexico. and my wife
grieved so on that account that she died. |
felt powerful bad about his death, but not
that bad"
Santa's fifth master lived until the second
year of the civil war, when he died, and
Santa and his fifth wife passed into the
hands of distant relative in Alabama.
They had barely reached their new home
when the near approach OF the yankees
caused the new mas.er to remove
to Florida, and when freedom came
it found poor old Santa stranded near
Archer, alone His children were all dead.
HIS wife had been lost on the road between
Alabama and Florida. He finally fell in
with "Maum Nelly" and after a brief
courtship the pair jumped the broomstick
before witnesses, and by means OF contribu-
tions from the white people managed to set
up housekeeping. Santa made mats. while
"Maum Nelly" picked cotton, dug pindars.
and did odd Jobs. Sometimes ''Drer' rabbit
got cotch" in the old mans traps, and they
thus managed to live. He has a clear re-
membrance Of his African home. and he
delighted to dwell upon the account of his
boyhood days.
The interesting story of the slaves life
was finished by the doctor, who accom-
panied the writer on that visit. He writes
that he was called to see Old Santa, bus
what for Santa could not tell, as he never
had an ache or pain in his long life. The
doctor however, saw at a glance that
Santa's life was near at an end, and wheu
the doctor told him SO his face Frightened,
and he said:
TANK de good Lord for dat. rs been
mos 'fraid he done forgot ole Santa"
He died the next day.