Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-01
THE OLDEST MAN LIVING.
A Man Who Claims to Have Served
Under Jackson.

Man Who Claims to Have Served
Under Jackson.
From the New Orleans Picayune
Eyes. sab, light Mr.. Washington's Gig
gah many er time, and I black his boots
for him on many err mornin! I'm one
hundred and thirty-one years ole. sab. as
neah as kin be figured OUT
Such is the claim, expressed In pretty
nearly the above words. Of George Brown.
native of Virginia, citizen of Louisiana.
One hundred and thirty-one years old!
That implies that he has been left be.
hind by three generations of people. The
Biblical people whose lives recorded three
score and ten are not in it with George
Brown Of Freetown.
What brings George Brown to notice is
his recently seeking to be pensioned by
the national government. He thinks he is
| entitled to government. generosity, having
been one of a crowd of slave laborers who
threw up the breastworks near Chalmette
canal, from behind which New Orleanians.
under Jackson. poured such terrific fire
into the ranks of the English under Paken-
ham. He says he saw Savarie. a mulatto.
in charge of company of critics. when
he pinked General Pakenham. and in time
he paid the last sad rites to the man Who.
he asserts. beyond the question of doubt,
shot the English general down. This and
his work in throwing up the breastwork,
he thinks, ought in themselves to be suffl-
cient ground for pension. But he remem-
bers moreover. hearing stern old Jackson
say the men who took part in that glorious
fight should never be forgotten.
After considerable inquiry a reporter of
the Picayune located George Brown at his
home yesterday. He lives in a shanty.
other little shanties. 1t lies just to the
right of the Freetown ferry landing, about
a blocks distance away. vegetable gar
den skirts the upper side of his premises.
In the yard a number of small, well-be-
haved dogs are on terms of friendliness
with noisy pigs, chickens. and other fowls.
One Of the huts is occupied by friend Of
main hut with his wife, who, to all ap-
pearances might be his mother, though
the figures show that in point Of time he's
nearly half century her senior. George
Brown has the good manners and courtesy
of an ante-bellum aristocrat, whereas the
querulousness Of age interferes considera
bly, with the breeding of his venerable
spouse, who takes George IN hand frequent
ly even in the presence of the company,
and reprimands him sharply for such slight
| offenses, for instance. as leaning back
against and so endangering the wooden lat
tice work.
There is not a tooth between them, and
| altogether they are very remarkable old
couple.
you want to see Uncle Brown? WE'LL you
mustn't treat him like odder white folks
what comes here to see him because he is
so ole. and neber give him a penny"
At this Uncle George, who was seated on
the other side of the house, was heard to
emit a sharp "shr' and he followed it up
with an apologize. Right doun hyah, sab,
If you pleases. Glad to see you, sab. Have
a seat, If you pleases.
'Ior bless you, sab, wouldn't known
anything bout my age. If it hadn't been
for dis here pencil (pension) what hears
the gov'ment is giving those who fit wild
Gen. Jackson. You see, sah I learn dat
7 ho1 70 hov 10 rNrnff md xxyhon T nNlrc
aroun' I see nobody what knows, sab. All
done dead"
1t should be noted in advance that If
Uncle Browns story Is q concocted one, he
is the best fake in Louisiana. In the course
of his narrative several attempts were
made to trip him up out of pure curiosity,
a man of 131 years being such a rare spec
tacle But for a man who can't read a
letter or even sign his name, he possesses
| a knowledge of history singularly correct
and tells a story of the infant New Orleans
which the local historian might well turn
to, for his story is evidently one of ex-
perience.