The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-07
1O7 YEARS OF AGE.
Born in Richmond in 1888, and Living
In Toronto, Hale and Hearty.
From, the Ne,. VorI Sam

From the NetU York Sun.
OTTAWA, Aug. 2.-Toronto claims the
oldest inhabitant in Canada. Mr.. John
Tinsley was born in Richmond, Va. on
July 4, 1888. The mere mention Of a date
does not convey to the busy reader the true
idea of the length Of life of this patriarchal
citizen of Toronto; only a comparison with
events can do that When he came into the
world few people were beginning to see
that the work of James Watt in perfecting
the steam engine was preparing the way for
a revolution in productive industry.
There were whispers of wonderfully dar-
ing spirits who thought of applying this
new motor to the propulsion of vessel. At
the same time there was q curly-pated
2-year-old boy, the son of a poor English
collier, who was destined to grow up and
become the inventor of the locomotive and
pioneer of the modern railway, and thus to
inscribe his name, George Stephenson, i'm
perishably upon the roll of fame The
French revolution and Napoleon had yet to
appear in history. Burns had yet to publish
his first volume of poetry. In America
the settlements stretched along the Atlantic
coast line. Only as years progressed did
one territory after another fill up and as
sumo the title of state. Canada consisted
of Quebec and Montreal, with a great ''back
country" to which some hardy pioneers had
made their way. and in which one point had
been rescued from the wilderness-Niagara
Not until eleven years later did Gov. Simcoe
start out to find on Toronto bay the site for
the new capital of the new province of
Upper Canada. These facts give some idea
of what it means to be 107 years old.
Mr.. Tinsley is man Of medium hight,
we'll and compactly built. His hair and
beard are pure white his sight is some hat
dim, and of late his hearing has not been
acute, but he ID in excellent bodily health,
and his intellect is clear. Mr.. Tinsley's
father Samuel Tinsley, was from the south
of Ireland. He bore arms in the revolu-
ton, having the honored rank Of captain in
the devoted band who claimed Washington
as their general and leader. The mother
was q mulatto. Mr.. Tinsley was brought
up to the trade of carpenter and mill
wright At the age of % be married free
colored woman, who bore him eight chill
dren. She died in 1874, and none of her
children now survive Mr.. Tinsley,
however, has seven grandchildren,
sixteen great-great-grandchild now
living, some in Australia, but most of them
in Canada and the United States. One Of
his sons, James. was a musician and
shorthand writer, and was lost on the
steamer CIty If Glasgow on the Wy from
England thirty years ago. Mr.. Tinsley re-
members having seen Zen; Warrington
when he passed through Richmond on one
occasion. He also knew Hancock and Hop
kins, two Of the signers Of the Declaration Of
Independence, and Chief Justice John Mar
shall. In early times there was much
friendly feeling between the white and the
colored people, but Gabriel's attempted re-
belllon 10 1900, followed by the revolt under
Nat Turner, caused bitter feeling among
tho whitas against the .celored google.