Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-12-03
No. 28o

farm at Tarrytown, N. Y, and her faith
er's name was Abram Van Wart. She
married in the present century, but her
husband died more than two generations
ago. When she celebrated the beginning
of her one hundred and sixth year, last
month, the Tribune published an account
of the affair, but space could not be
spared then to give an adequate idea OF
the great changes that have swept over the
face Of the earth while this remarkable
woman has stood quietly aside watching
them. If the great Egyptian Sphynx
knew of it she might experience a feeling
of respect for Mrs. Stillwagon, as being
made of stuff that showed some signs of
respectable durability, like herself. Mrs.
Stillwagon learned to bake bread early in
her career, and continued to do so, togeth-
er with performing many other of her
household duties, up to short time ago.
Presidents of the United States, five Popes
of Rome, six Sultans of Turkey; two en-
perors, three kings and two republics of
France: six rulers of Prussia and six Cars
of Russia have been making history, have
played their parts and made their exits.
She had grown up to be a young woman
before Ireland was united with Great Bri-
tain. The Reign of Terror, Napoleon's
advent, his wonderful campaigns, his over
luLOW, uls ENTHUSIASTICALLY, uls luclSOllc reap
pearance, his second punishment and his
death were all topics of daily news with
her once, though almost ancient history
now. She was getting her wedding trous-
seau ready when word came of the death
of Nelson at the famous battle of Trafal-
gar. ''The Young Pretender" had not
drunk himself to death before she could
lisp ''Touch not, taste not, handle not, /" at
her mothers knee.
She was a middle-aged woman when By
ron died at Missolonghi, and there was yet
no independent Greece. She was nearly
three-score when Italy achieved liberty.
In her time thepopulation of these United
States has grown from less than three
to more than sixty millions. No doubt
hundreds of millions of people have been
born, lived their lives and died since she
| first saw the light, for the population of
| the whole world has been thrice renewed
4 in her time.
The world in which her young ideas
| were trained was widely different from
| ours Kings felt their crowns very firmly
placed on their heads then. Democracy
was generally regarded with abhorrence.
Workingmen scarcely dared to dream of
combining for their own protection against
Il capital. Fast coaches even had not been
established when she was born She had
lived almost half a century before the first
steam railroad in the world for passengers
i was opened, and was an old woman before
telegraphy came into practical use. Geol-
ogy was an embryo science in her infancy.
So was meteorology. The first daguerreo-
type, the beginning of photography, was
| taken when she was fifty-four. She was
| seventy-four when the Darwinian theory
was broached- Rified ordnance had not
been heard of in the wars that were fought
when she was young, and the earliest iron
clad was then half century in the future.
She clapped her little hands on the day
that George Washington was made first
President, though she did not know why
they told her to. 1t only lacks nine years
| of q century since Washington died, and
Mrs. Stillwagon was a big school girl then
| Presidents Van Buren,, jackson, Monroe
and jefferson, and Fox, Burke, Sheridan,
Southey, Coleridge, Keats, Scott, Lamb
she might have seen and conversed with
them all if she had not stayed so quietly
at home
What length of daysl What stores of
experience she must havei For she is an
intelligent woman and has always kept
herself informed on matters of impor-
tance. What memories of long, long ago
/ she must be able to recAlli and though
there is nothing melancholy OF lachrymoss
about Mrs. Stillwagon, and while she en-
Joys the society of her relatives who sur
round her, still a favorite verse with hel
is:
II Sand the mossy marbles rest
On the lips that he has pressed
In fheir bloom;
And the names he loved to hear
Have been carved for many year
On the tomb"