The Daily bulletin., 1893-09-28
OLDEST WOMAN IN CANADA.

Eleventh Year.
The Montreal Witness OF Sept. 4
contains the following account of
the death of very old woman in
the Province of Quebec. 1t will be
observed that her death was hast
ened by an accident that befell her
II years ago:
The oldest woman in Canada is
dead. Mrs. Elizabeth McNair, aged
over hundred and ten years, who
for the past three-quarters of CEN
/. tury has lived at Clyde's Corners,
Godmanchester, about seven miles
from Huntingdon, has laid down the
burden of life.
Mrs. McNair's maiden name was
Crawford. She was born near In
verary, Loeb Fyne, Argyleshire,
Scotland. John McNair was fisher
lad in the place, and loved the blue
eyed Lizzie. This was long ago. 1t
seems remote and vague, and so
many tremendous things have oc-
Cured since then that simple love
story is like a straw caught in
whirlpool. But the old woman of
one hundred and ten years did not
forget, and last year related to a
Witness representative a touching
story of simple life and feeling,
away back in the youth of this
century.
Mrs. McNair, then the mother of
four children, came out to this coun-
try in 1922. The ship was primitive,
the voyage was long, and the sick
ness was acute. Mrs. McNair bore
her husband twelve children. Of
these three only are now alive. They
are: Mr.. John McNair, living on the
old homestead; Mrs. Stirling (nee
Christian McNair), who lives at St.
Anicet, not far from the farm; and
Mr.. Aleck McNair, formerly tan
ner, now retired from business, who
lives at Trout River Lines.
Mrs. McNair came of long-lived
family. Her parents lived to be
great age. So did her brothers and
sisters. Her husband came of
stock similarly endowed. He lived
to be 1O7 years. He died in 1879,
and that left his wife rather youth
full, she being then only ninety seven
years of age.
Mrs. McNair was strong woman.
She did not know what sickness was.
She helped her husband to clear the
land, taking the place of a man in
the woods and fields. Till she was
ninety she walked every Sunday
seven miles to St. Andrews Church
in Huntingdon. She would not
drive, believing in Sunday rest for
man and beast. Her husband walk
ed with her. 1t is worth noting that
the husband was able to saw wood
when he was one hundred and six
years old. Truly remarkable thing,
contrasted with which Mr.. Glad
stones tree telling feats dwindle
into insigniticance. When her hus-
band died Mrs. McNair prayed that
she might live as long as he had.
Her wish has been more than graft
fed. In two months, exactly, after
Saturday, she would have been Ill
years old.
Twelve years ago, Mrs. McNair
| lol1 Ill nor hltcnen, lrdCCuTluS nor
hip. Since then she has been con-
fined to bed. She was cheerful to
the last, with smile and ready word
for the visitor. Her memory failed,
indeed, and her strength ebbed away,
but she was wholesome and sweet,
and, as DR.. Clouston, of Hunting
don, says, enjoyed her 'parritch and
the Shorter Catechism.'
The old lady loved to fall back up
on the Gaelic, and it was a treat to
the visitor to be entertained to a
specimen when he called. Mrs
McNair was a good, simple soul, who
loved God and served him through
the years of n wonderfully lengthen-
ed out life. She had witnessed many
things, had borne her share of sor-
row, and had triumphed over many
difficulties, but through it all had
remained loyal to the God of hel
fathers.
She loved to repeat, Yea, though
| walk through the valley of the
shadow of death, l will fear no evil
for thy rod and thy staff they com,
fort me-
And now, having seen SO much
; the world of time and sense has re-
pa6a6 and che hoe f,Jlan 1,, eloo,,