Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-21
DYING AT 10 YEARS.
Grim Death Slowly Approaching a
Colored Centenarian.
AUNT PEGGY'S DAYS NUMBERED.
She Was Whipped for Running Out to See
George Washington.
MEMORIES OF EARLY PITTSBURG DAYS

"Aunt Peggy's days are numbered" said
| Miss Austin, the matron at the Old Colored
Woman's Home, yesterday, as she pointed
| to the patriarch of the institution, Aunt
Peggy Donaldson, aged ITO years. "She
has been failing for the last six months, I"
continued the matron, 'and her body is
gradually becoming numb and cold. She
complains OF cold feet continually, and try
hard as we may we cannot get up the circu-
lation."
Aunt Peggy Is character known to every
colored person in Pittsburg and to great
many of the old residents and descendants
from the pioneers. She has lived continu-
ously in Pittsburg for 100 years, according
to her own straightly told story and the
story told of her by all who know her.
Notwithstanding the gradual approach of
death, Aunt Peggy retains a remarkable
memory. She vividly recalls the days
when the sturdy pioneers of Pittsburg were
doing their utmost to drive away the red
men.
In appearance she is very small and
SO light in weight that child might
bear her around without extra exertion.
Her dark ebon skin hangs loosely upon the
shrunken cheeks and the dim eyes have a
sub circle of dark gray about the black
pupils. The back of the hands are so
wrinkled that they look like a piece Of
knotty walnut wood. Her strength has
LETT her frail shrunken body and she only
occasionally moves about the house.
Voice Strong and Mind ctive.
IL. -
mind dwells upon the subject brought to
her attention most amazingly considering
her age. She talked yesterday while lean
ing heavily upon her cane and occasionally
laughing little as some pleasant incident
was recalled.
She came to Pittsburg about 100 years
ago as near as she can rccollect, and was
purchased by q man named Sheldon, who
was tine pioneer Of the book binders in West
ern Pennsylvania. Under the then existing
laws person could hold slaves until they
reached the age of % years. Aunt Peggy,
then known as Margaret Single, was
brought from Baltimore when she was
years of age and lived in the Sheldon FAM
lily for % years. She remembers the time
when General George Washington visited
and said with laugh that she
received her first whipping at the time of
his visit for running out with the crowd to
see the famous soldier.
'sMy mistress was afraid I would be lost"
she said, eff I went out to see General |
Washington. and whipped me because I |
went. But she was good to me for all that"
continued the ancient woman, "and had |
went to the family of Luke Loomis, the |
saddler. Everybody who lived here in |
those old days know or have heard Of Mr.. |
Loomis, as he was the first harness maker |
in town.
Pfttsbursers Afraid Of Indians.
stPittsburg in those times consisted of |
,nly few log cabins and poorly built |
houses The people lived in constant fear
,t the Indians, and have had many mo-
nents of fear on account of them. dis
.inctly remember the first hanging Pitts
burg ever had. There were two men living
,ut of town some little distance. The place
s now built up, and is somewhere In the
of Fifth avenue and Oakland.
0ne of the men was named Ternan, but
,annot remember the name of the other.
riernan was hard worker and saved
enough money to buy horse and cart. His
partner was lazy, and one night killed Tier
ian and buried the body under the house.
money Tiernan had, and was just
unning away when he was caught. He
vas tried and few days later take n out in
he country, where he was hung. The
flair caused a great deal of talk and the
people buried the murdered man with great
hurch services.
When Father Rspp First Came
"Do you remember Father Rapp, who
ounded the Economic Society,""
It took Aunt Peggy some time, but
inally the recollection dawned upon her
nd she talked of the strange old Hollander
or some time. Everybody about the port
nade fun of him." she said, and the
children used to laugh at him as they fol-
owed him about the streets. He dressed in
reat, wide pantaloons and wore a blue
ong tailed coat and an immense hat. He
7ould come into town twice a week, and
ought sugar and household goods He
-as a kind old man and he treated the
lave children much better than he did the
'hite children of the settlement. As re-
ult we learned to like him. There were
,any people who went out to see him when
e came into town and everybody nearly
,ughed at him and joked about his
lothes."
"How long did you remain in the Loomis
,mily?
"Until the first boat was finished. This
oat was built in Pittsburg and was named
ne Geneva Captain Wilkins commanded
er and went upon the first trip she made.
was chambermaid then and continued
ith the boat for several seasons. We ran
, ST. Louis and New Orleans, and was the
rst boat that ran on the Ohio"
When Cholera Ragged in Pittsburs.
Aunt Peggy then told about the dread
ear 1854, when Pittsburg was afflicted with
lie cholera epidemic. She spoke of the
uge coal fires that were built in different
arts of the city for the purpose of killing .
lie disease germs that filled the atmos-
here.
The matron, Mrs Austin, said Aunt
eggy always ate three meals day, but was
'sing strength daily, and among those who
new her there would not be any surprise
J her early death. "Her feet and lower
mbs are becoming cold and numb" con-
uded Mrs. Austin, ''and it is hardly prob
ole she will live great while longer"