Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-04-19

on mans Gays are AT tne UlOSJ JUG nun
dred years. Modern historians agree that
for the past three thousand years the
average age of man has not materially
3 varied.
OLD CITIZENS.
Since the death Of Sir Moses Montebore
IN his one hundred and first year, and OF
Michel Eugene Chevreul in his one hum
a red and third year, / take 1t for granted
hat all are prepared to concede that man
In structure and vital endowment Is capable
under favorable hygiene surroundings OF
reaching q greater age than one hundred
years. The object of this communication
is TO show the possible range OF human
life. and that il is confined 10 very narrow
limits efterione has become centenarian.
The tabulated statement OF persons who
have lived 70 O great age, contained in the
English physiologies handed down from
one TO the other. accepted rs true and
eopied by the American writers rpon tho
Same subject, should be relocated to tho
feldof theImpossible. where 1t iegltimately
belongs Here is the table as IT has como
down 10 us, copied from one of our latest
American physiologies; ,
Margaret Patten, aged one hundred and
thirty-seven years. .
The Countess Of Desmond, ono hundred
and forty five years.
Thomas Parr, one hundred and ffty-two
years 80,
Thomas Damme, one hundred and fifty
four years.
John Royin. one hundred and seventy
Peter Torton, one hundred and eighty
ave years.
A glance at this table will be at once
convincing that the ages Of these parties
have been greatly exaggerated.
William J, Thomas, F; S. A; and deputy
librarian of tho House of Lords, has inyesti-
gated.as far az possible thestatemeDts above
set forth. and IN his admirable work upon
"LopgeyttE!' published in 1873, has given
10 tho world the conclusions he reached
upon tins subject.
COUNTESS OF DESMOND.
All of the aforementioned parties were
from the humber walks Of life, save the
Countess Of Desmond, and Of her alone
could anything definite be ascertained.
He searched in vain for information from
the registers in the parishes where they
were said 10 have been born. Neither faml-
ly Bibles nor family records could be
found. The case of the Countess OF Des-
mond was otherwise. In looking over the
papers of the Desmond family in Ireland
he soon discovered that the ages Of the
two preceding Countesses had been added
70 the one contained IN the above table.
This was clearly shown through the mar
riage-settlements and rent-rolls Of the
family. The real age of this particular
Countess was about one hundred years.
DR.. Parr. as he was called. was farm
laborer, illiterate, and no record of birth
could be found in the parish of Alberbury,
where he was said TO have been born in
l4S3.
LIPE INSURANCE FACTS.
Mr.. Thomas spent several years and de-
voted much time TO investigating the
Eases of unusual longevity as they appear
ed in the newspapers IN the United King
DOM and as q rule found them not only
inaccurate, but greatly exaggerated.
Turning from these he solicited the aid OF
the twelve leading insurance companies of
the city of London, the oldest of which
had been chartered in 1905, in the reign of
Queen Anne. The persons attaining the
most advanced age who had been insured
IN these companies were as follows: In the
Amicable one had reached the age Of
ninety-seven; Royal Exchange, one ninety
six; Albion, one ninety-fiye; Rock, one
ninety-four; Imperial, one ninety-four ;
Atlas, one ninety-two; The Law, one
ninety-two; Sun, one ninety-two; Lon
don, one ninety; The Pelican, one ninety
seven; Union, one ninety-four Equita-
BILE. one one hundred and three years one
month and nine days; Tontine one one hun
dred and one years one month and nine days.
II will thus be seen thatthese twelve in
surance companies and the Tontine could
furnish but two individuals who had
reached q greater age than one hundred
wears. Mr. Thomas obtained data suff-
cient to convince HIM of the accuracy of
the ages of these centenarians. The one
insured In the Equitable was Jacob Will
liam Luning, German by birth. When q
boy be was sent to London, educated, and
4 =. ii
In mercantile pursuits until advanced
years caused him TO retire from bust
ness. He was the son of a clergy
man in Hanover, Germany. The marriage
certificate of parents, the births of each
one Of the children and time of baptism
was procured from the church that the
father formerly had charge Of. MIR. Lu.
ming insured in the Equitable at the age of
thirty-six. He entered Mordunt College Ga
home for elderly gentlemen at the required
age, and at his death there is not shadow
of doubt that he had reached the age of
one hundred and three years Que month
and nine days.
LADY sHAFTo.
The second instance--the one in the
Tontine-wss Lady ShRfto. She was placed
in that corporation at the age OF eighteen,
and the records of the company furnish
an annual report in regard TO her up to the
time of her death, March 10, 1872. She
was born February 10, 177l; was baptized
the following day. The parish register is
a. follows Parish of st. Andrew, Auck-
land-Baptized February IL, III, Cathe-
rine, daughter of Sir John and Lady
Dorothy Eden, of Wludleston.
MIR. Thoms cites three additional cases
where parties had reached one hundred
years OF more. William Plank, of Harrow,
was born NUyember7 ,l767, baptized Novem-
Der II, 1867, died November 10, 1867; aged
one hundred years and twelve days. Mrs.
Williams. of Moor Park. Herts, and Bride
head, Dorset, was the wife of Robert Viii
Parliament for Dorchester. She died Octo-
Der 8, IS41 aged one hundred and one years,
ten months. and twenty-five days. The reg
isNer of st. Observation-Disclosures furnishes
tne following: " Baptized. 1889. November
lita. Jane. daughter Of Francis and Ann
Chattereau, born November 18TH" Mrs.
Williams is the person referred 10 in this
entry, her maiden name being Jane Chat
tereau.
Mrs. Lawrence, the mother OF Major
General Lawrence, OF Sydney Place, Bath,
was the daughter of John Grips, Esq, OF
Upton House, Tetbury, born August Q,
IT'S. Family Bible reeord) baptized August
IS, 1858, ST. Mary's Parish, Aldermary,
(psrish register) died February n, 1862,
aRcu one huuuIcu anu luIct wears, hh
mouths and eight DAYS. The above pre-.
SCENTS five authenticated cases OF persons
who have attained greGter ago than
one hundred years, two of them being in
their one hundredth sndfourth year at the
time Of their death.
AMERICAN ExAsPIEs.
Now as 20 America. Oliver Wendell
Holmes. in hisrecent work Over the Tea
cups" in speaking Of longevity, states that
DIR. Holyoke, of Salem. Mass, the son OF q
former president Of Harvard College, re-
piled to toast ut dinner given to him on
his hundredth birthday. That Father
cleveland, city missionary in Boston,
Wa born Juno ~. i772, died june 5, 1879.
lacking bat a few days OF reaching bis
nundredtb year. That Colonel Perkins. OF
Sonneeacut. died recently. after cele-
pfsting his centennial anniversary.
Inc cases referred 10 that have occurred
ureat Britain and America seem 20 me
70 settle dshsitely the question as 10 the
sc.iity o. man 70 live more than century,
nat that the possibility OF human existence
hs witnin q narrow compass after the
hvndredth year has been attained.
we nave DOW seen what definite data can
lurnisn ~ regard TO tins matter. lei us
lHAntya w has -. - - t<Pt ~