The record-union., 1895-04-18
VETERAN STAGE DRIVER.
Oldest star-Roure Mail Rider in IL

United states.
4 few miles from the City of Macon,
Ga, resides "UncIe Ira" jennings, the
veteran stage driver, and the oldest star
route mail rider in the United States In
point of years OF continuous service.
He was born July 10, 1915, at Dandy,
TompkinS County, y. y, on the Ithaca
and Oswego Turnpike. He is now going
on so years, weighs 100 pounds, is ) feet
inches in hight, and, considering his ad-
vanced age, is d fine specimen of man
hood.
Though he has been storm-tossed and
weather beaten, like an ancient mariner,
he has never known what days sick
ness was. He began stage and mail driv-
ing in 1881, when he drove a four-in-
hand coach from Oswego, in Tioga Coua-
ty, \. y, to Ithaca, in Tompkins Coun-
ty, n. y, a distance OF twenty-nine
miles.
In conjunction with the United States
mails he carried passengers, but the line
was discontinued Tor wooden railway.
The body OF the coach was removed and
placed on the wheels OF the railroad.
Uncle Ira" had the pleasure of being
the first man to drive on the road.
The wheels Of the road were made of
planks and rolled on striugers. Passen-
gers and the mails were carried in the
coach which was drawn by two horses,
tandem.
He had some distinguished Dersonages
as passengers, among them being John
a. Dix, Charles Dudley Warner, William
! l.. Marcy, W lillian b. Seward and Ham
! ilton Fish. He drove James X. Polk OF
/ Tennessee and Millard Fillmore in 1915.
Two OF the most prominent passen-
| gers | ever had" said he recently, "were
/ Martin an Buren, and Andrew Jackson,
! Chance threw them together During the
| tedious journey they were very iOvial,
cracking jokes and spinning yarns.
! When their destination, Dandy, was
reached Jackson who was then Presi-
dent handed me 4 silver dollar.
~ he country was excited then, and
| there was a bitter controversy between
the two rival political organizations called
| the MasOns and anti -Masons. The Tor
mer supported Jackson, and l exerted all
! my influence in his behalf An anti
! Mason was Postmaster at Dandy, and |
recollect distinctly what Jackson SAID on
/ that occasion. The expression was
! couched IN such significant language that
| never shall forget it, This was the terse
remark: All that are not for me are
against me, and they must be huiled OUT, ,
aud he ousted the anti Mason Postmaster,
who was succeeded by my uncle. Hudson
Jennings.
Il deposited my first vote for Martin
Van Buren, in 1886 at Macon. The great
Senator, John &. Calhoun, was the most
scholarly gentleman L ever drove. Henry
! Clay and Daniel Webster were frequently
my passengers. 1t was always necessary
to avoid rough road and travel at a slow
! rate OF speed TO please these two men of
national fame"
"Uncle Ira," in 1888, accepted a posi-
J ton to drive mail coach between Rich
mond and Petersburg, Va. His en-
/ ployer became financially embarrassed
in lew months, leaving him in straight
! ened circumstances. While in Rich-
mond he became acquainted with an In
! dian trader and star-router named Salt
/ marsh, who induced him to come to
! Macon and carry the mails from the
| latter city to Knoxville. Crawford County,
! Georgia. He arrived in Macon in 1884,
and up to four years ago traversed the
! route daily. HIS eyesight becoming
somewhat impaired, he was forced to re-
! sign the position.