The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1891-12-17
Ninety.Two Years.
atlanta Constitution.

! NNdfltu COHStttuttoH.
ROME, Ga, Decemsar 5.-ln an un'
pretentious house UPON the fthf
beautiful Etowah rsver, near the eastern
limits of the city, there lives q maiden
lady whose age is ninety-two.
Rightfully cen she be called queen Of
the maids of Georgia, fof te to- her per-
haps is the honor, as we'll as the pfsssss--
ure, of being the Oldest living follower
of the faith of single female blissfulness
in the history of the times.
She is not o man-hater-not at all.
Her sentiments are as sweet az a young
poets dream of love, and she is an old
maid only from her OWE free will and
desire 30 to be. Her hair long ago
changed its faxen hue to most perfect
white, and her brow is wrinkled with
age. Yet often her face wreaths in the
sweetest of smiles and with the glee Of
a school girl she breaks forth into the
merriest peals Of laughter.
She is Miss Catherine Allcorn. She is
the only member of the family left and
twelve years ago she came from Carolina
to Georgia in order that she might be
near the place where she hopes to be
buried-hard by the little mound where
her father rests in the unpretentious
country churcbyard by the name of Sill
yer Creek.
The story of her life is worth relating
and her views of marriage given at the
discreet age of nine-two will undoubt-
edly be appreciated by some maids per-
haps not so old. At any rate, I give them
as they were given to me.
In 1899, in that beautiful scope of coun'
| try in the neighborhood of Athens, Ga,
Miss Catherine Allcorn was born. Her
fathers name was Josiah, and her moth
er was called Jane. Their family con-
sisted of four daughters and one son !;
Catherine was next to the youngest. In
those days schools we're not numerous,
but Catherine was scholar until her pa.
rents moved to South Carolina, which
was in her twelfth year. At that time
Indians in large numbers roalned that
scope Of country from Yonah and Tray
and the beautiful Nacoochee valley to
where the swift.dowing waters of the
Oconee sing and glide among the hills
of Clarke. Their friendly visits are spo.
ken of by the aged lady and massacre
in Jackson county ofsome oftheir neigh
bors is not forgotten.
Her father built handsome home
near Yorkville, S. O., and here he en-
gagged in farming. The home was very
near the lands of the Catawba Indians,
and many memories of the Catawbas che
cherishes. She was sent to school and
educated. Uneventfnl were many years
that followed. In the same house they
lived when the civil war broke out.
Their home was burned to the ground
and with it all their possessions except
six feather beds. Her three sisters and
herself we're now we'll advanced in years,
and in this fire were loat all their dress.
es of their young ladyhood days, which
had been carefully slowed away with ex.
ceeding nicely to be handed down to
their near relatives that might be.
The eldest sister and brother had both
married. So a small cottage was built
upon the old homestead, and here the
maiden sisters lived. First one and thea
another died, until 1879 only cue re-
mained and that was Miss Catherine.
Her relatives in Georgia went out for
her, and she was brought here to spend
the remainder of her days. In the
counties of Floyd and Polk her time has
been spent. About two weeks ago Mrs.
Floyd, a niece of the aged lady, extended
an invitation to spend the remainder OF
her days with her, and this was accept
ed by Miss Allcorn, and she moved to
Rome.
I called at the home this afternoon,
and there met Miss Allcorn. found
her wonder for her age. Her eye
sight is such that she reads the newspa'
pers and her Testament without glasses.
Her step is firm, and she says she can
walk a mile without rest. Her voice
is strong and clear, and her health is
splendid. She is never idle she says
she is not happy unless she works, and all
the day long she uses her knitting nee
dies knitting socks till the day dies out OF
the skies.
Her age-ninety-two and she single
ventured to ask, "Why 2"
Miss AlIcorn blushed. She seemed
greatly embarrassed.
understood you had proposal Miss
Allcorn 2"
She recovered from her embarrassment
quickly and retorted:
"sir, I have had many"
did not know what was coming next,
but she lowered her voice and said:
"I have never married because 1 have
never loved a man we'll enough"
"Don't you believe in marriage, Miss
Allcorn ?"
"Not always. 1 believe ip marriage
for love only, and those who marry 9th
erwise can find no happiness. l don't
believe in this marrying for money. Yes
sir, have had proposals., but l didn't
care to marry. Only two in our family
married-my brother and one of my sis
ters."
Miss Allcorn said that there Was once
a man she loved almost we'll enough tc