The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1892-01-18
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AUNT ABBY JAPAN.
She Was Said To Be LOG Years Old and
Had Lived Long in Portland.


colored womanlin Portland, died Satur-
day noon, aged, it is said, 106 years. Her
colored friends4and neighbors feel quite
certain that she was at least JOG years
old, and she certainly was very aged'
They say that blue rings had long before
appeared around the black discs OF hef
eyes: and that these blue rings never
come in the eyes of a colored person I'M
til the hundredth year. Be that as IL
may, there are not wanting other evl-
dences of the age of Abigail Japan. The
little company of colored people who
were gathered last evening at the home
of MI. and Mrs. Joseph H. Vincent, l4o
Washington street.-the house owned
once bv Mrs. Vincents father, George
Potter, and equipped in days gone by
with three caves in the cellar where Pot
ter secreted passengers on the under
ground railway-werev very ready to talk
over the life and virtues of the deceased.
She was the daughter of Jacob Japan,
slave who was carried with his wife and
children from New York to Annapolis,
N. S., by Dr.. Bayne sometime during
the Revolutionary war. Abigail was
born in Annapolis. She came to Port
land when about IS years old, or about
1903 if her chronology was correct, as
a servant in the family OF General
'sBrewry' as she called him. He was
evidently man of means, as Aunt Abby
was always fond of telling of the
many dishes of silver and gold that she
used to polish when with his family. He
left Portland for England finally, leaving
Abigail Japan here.
In those days of her first coming, Port
land was mere village, and Washington
street was wilderness. She used to
describe the houses of the city as very
few and small, painted red, with small
windows and still smaller panes of glass,
and fitted with iron shutters. She re-.
membered the fort ON Fort Allen Park
when it was real fertilization with sol
| diers.
As servant she worked in several
prominent Portland families. She always
| dwelt with much pleasure upon her par
ticipation in fine wedding in a family
named Gilson-an event in which she
acted as bearer of the train of the bride.
But sterner duties usually fell to her lot.
For many years she worked in
the family of Sheriff j. c. Baker,
and on account Of her great
strength was called upon to assist
| in Handwriting the unruly prisoners. She
also worked many years in the family OF
| the distinguished John Neal. There
was story, popularity believed, that Mr..
Neal had once taken single to an I'M
ruly servant; and bundles of shingles
used often to be left in his dooryard by
mischievous boys. Abigail Japan had
heard these stories, and when she went
| to work for Mr.. Neal, she said to him:
''Now tells you, Single Neal, if you
takes any shingle to Abigail Japan, you
goes out the window Nothing of the
sort seems to have been tried, for she
lived in his family long time; and MI.
Neal always kept her in kindly remem-
brance, calling to see her only short
time before his death.
Abigail also worked long time for
Rev. Mr.. Root the Episcopal clergyman
who died of small pox a number of
years ago When Mrs.sRo went away
from Portland, she left Mr.. Roots cane
| for Aunt Abby, whoused it to the end of
her days. .A&li.3sa
Aunt Abigail was brought up an Epis-
copalian, having been christened accord
ing to the ceremony of the Church of
England. But she became Methodist
in later years, attending the Mountfort
street church.
In politics she was an ardent Republic
can. There never was a political parade
that she didn't turn out to it. The mi d.
die of the afternoon she would begin to
prepare herself. s'Why Aunt Abbie;'
her friends would say, but her reply al
ways was, sit is my party and / shall
stand by it." She would follow the pro-
cession, always as near the band as pos
sible, throughout its entire route, not
getting home until II o'clock at night
sometimes. When Cleveland was elect
ed she cried and lamented three days
steadily. 2P nt ar
All the colored women gathered at No.
40 Washington street, spoke of her as
one of the neatest washers and ironers in
Portland u.raJs4 ~
She never married, having had some
disappointment in her youth; and usu'
ally expressed contempt for the race OF
men,. a5ss 80 -Hi3 -
She was great smoker, pipe being
her favorite. But short time before
she died neighbor gave her cigar,
which she smoked with great relish, her
life going out not far from the time the
cigar was finished.
She will be buried today at 2.30 p. IN.
from the cosy home of Mrs. Vincent,
where she has lived for about twenty-five
years.
The only relative present is Mrs. M.