The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-08-11
MORE THAN A CENTURY.
The 1O1st Birthday Of Jonathan Scott
Ellis
Occurred at Farmiugtan Yesterday-A
Sketch of the Remarkable Mamie
Was Born in Nova Scotia August 10th.
Especial to the PRESS.)

| was Born in Nova Scotia August 10th,
l79S-He Has Always Been a Farmer.
| Especial to the PRESS.)
Faru..ngton, August 10.-''We have in Won
| what few towns in Maine or elsewhere have
today--a thrifty century plant; may YOU
live to blossom again. Such was Farming
toms greeting tc it's Oldest citizen one year
| ago, and the wish is coming true, for today
| he celebrates his one hundredth and first
| birthday in the possession of his faculties
| and in the enjoyment of good health
Thls remarkable man, Jonathan Scott
| Ellis, son of Ebenezer and Lydia tScott)
Ellis, was born in Yarmouth county Nova
Scotia, August 10, 1898. True English blood
ran through the veins of his ancestors, and
from his grandparents, who lived to be
ninety eight and ninety-five respectively.
he lnherits his longe witty. His grandfather,
| Jonathan Scott, for whom he was named)
| was minister and anAuncle of Gen. Win
| field Scott; he was a man of considerable
i ability and the first preacher to address
/ the Maine missionary society," When he had
| finished some one asked, Mr.. Scott where
| did you get your education? "In the yoads
| of Nova Scotia was the reply. ''WeIll then
| we had. better send our school down there"
/ came the quick reply. Moses Scott an uncle
| of Mr.. Ellis, fought with the English in the
French and Indian war; was present. at the
| famous battle on 1.-THE plains of Abraham
in 1859, and heard the memorable dying
words of Gen. Wolfe. AS a little boy of six.
with his widowed mother. Mr.. Ellis left the
| small fishing halmet where he was born and
| came TO Minot, Ne. A few years later he
was bound out but not having enough to
eat he ran away, meeting a man who
wished to take him back the intrepid youth
replied, "You won't have me nor nv
! bundle" Afterwards his mother attempted
| to force him to remain in the place, and the
sequel is given In Mr.. Ellis's own words:
'Now mother" says I, ''you can leave me
here, but the next time you me it will
| be in the West lend of the country; SO she
| took me home.'
! With this and similar recollections does
| he regale those visitors who are fortunate
| in finding him in a ta1kative mood. His
memory is excellent, and single question
will call forth flood of "reminiscences Up
| ON meeting the old gentleman one is i'm
pressed with his sturdy and vigorous per-
sonality, and is taken back to the time of
| the old Puritan patriarchs. He is of
nediuln height, somewhat attenuated, with
| hight eyes and white hair. His manner is
| hsarty and jovial; his voice resonant; at
times strong ana commandlng,.eand then
| again tremulous with emotion. Ho dislikes
! public mention, and reporter is his
| adherence. If one should attempt an inter
view his mouth would be SEALED fast. He
| retires early, but sleeps intermittently, his
wakeful hours are spent in singing hymns
| and repeating Bible verses. Although his
| hearing is impaired, his eyesight is mood,
] and lie is constant reader. He greatly
( adns res Talm 4ge, and the Advance is his
| favorite paper. The objection of Mr.. Ellis
| to stories or fictitious things,' as he calls
them, is quite amusing. ''When they make q
| a story like Joseph's coming out of prison
| and being made ruler over Egypt then"
he says, II shall like il. - ''I often wonder,'
| he confined, what became of Potiphars
wife, and when it was remarked that
women like her existed today, he replied
| with energy. 81 hope they are scarce"
| Upon the topics of the day Mr.. Ellis is
| thoroughly informed. OF the Chicago an
| archists, he says: IF they don't reform
| they will sink as Solomon did and the judg-
| ment seems to be following them now OF
| the Democratic party: 1.-The great trouble
with it, is, that it has no Christian religion"
| When asked, his politics, he replied: "Oh
| l am an Abolitionist from the first; Re.
! publican fl ON the beginning. i think the
| in the chair. 1t seems to me he is half
| Republican now.'
| Mr.. Ellis has not had a sick day since he
was eighteen, his only complaint is that his
| ''walking sticks are giving out so that he
| is obliged to use crutches.
| Many years ago It was prophesied of him
| by palmister that heswould live to be a
| hundred. When asked if life is worth living,
| from the standpoint of advanced years, he
exclaimed: Worth living yes! if you live
| we'll. think as Franklin did, ''that he who
| lives we'll, dies well.''
| In speaking of Sabbath breaking and
| immortality, he glows with righteous indig-
nation, and emphatically1says, they will =
surely reap their reward, the wicked will
| not prosper
| The old gentleman has always been
| farmer and that to him is the ideal life. He
never tires of talking about his farm and
| the improvements he has made, how the
| fields have been cleared of rocks, orchards
planted and fine luxuriant.crops raised year
after year for more than half century.
| Since 1882 he has made a point of having
green corn upon his table by the tenth of
| August-his birthday-but this year he beat
| his record and enjoyed the first taste of the
| succulent ears upon the fifth.
| Ohe uay Inls week Lo uas peeH out III Ine
| field three hours cutting weeds, for, as he
| remarks, II don't allow any weeds to grow
| where am
| He has a word for girls regarding their
| choice of husband: Don't marry a rail-
road man or any clerks in stores, but
good honestt farmer; and don't be afraid of
| little Dirt
| Mr. Ellis resides with his son, J. S. Ellis,
| Jr., and his wife, on the old farm upon the
| western bank of the Sandy river, whittier
| he removed in 1886. They are careful to see
| he lacks for nothing and minister continual
| ly to his comfort.