The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-11-01

Never has there been gathered together
In Ohio % many old people as assembled
on -Old Folks Day. at the home OF pr.
Charles Rice In Alliance. O.. recently. M1.
Rice has = hobby at entertaining MS OLD
friends once . year, but this year the re-
ception eclipsed ali others and many
guests were present who were near
the century mark. several who have pass
ed IL and many who are between ~ ana 70
years old. Most Of the guests came from
that part OF the state near Aiiiance out
y few were from o distance Many drove
long distances In order to be In attendance
and they suffered no III effects from the
trip.
Elizabeth Ryers. who holds the palm as
the oldest Of the guests. is lo4 years old.
and on the day OF the party was driven
twenty miles. She was accompanied by
her son. who 10 himself an old man. Eliza
beth Byers, nee Stietxel. was born In
Cumberland county. Pennsylvania. May
II. l7eo. and was the third child OF Henry
and Mary Stietsel. who came from Ger
many and settled In Franklin county.
Pennsylvania She was Is years old when
the war of 1Sl1 broke out and was doing
the work of man in the harvest fields
when the men were driven OH to the de-
Tense of Baltimore. She was married
when Is years old to Jacob Byers. and they
removed to New Lisbon. o.. in 1893 They
were parents OF nine children. four OF
whom are still living.
Mrs. Byers Is perhaps as witty and as
spry as any ordinary woman of 50 years.
When celebrating her Tooth anniversary a
relation said to her: Granny. you will
not live to see another 100 years. to which
she replied. well. now. I don't know:
I am starting out great deal stronger on
my second hundred than I did on my
first" Mrs. Byers gave several exhibi-
lions OF spinning. and she worked away
as nimbly as she might have done half a
century ago.
Next In age was Mrs. Priscilla Spooner.
who 10 close second with l03 years to her
credit. She attributes her long Efe to her
nautical bringing up, as her father was In
the packet trade between Portland. Me.
and Boston. and frequently took his
daughter with him. Mrs. Spooner Is re-
markably well preserved and lives with
her daughter. Mrs. l.. Nj. Sawyer. of Kent.
o. She is the daughter of Capt. Judah
Delano, OF Duxbury. Mass, where she was
born December II. 1873. Her father moved
to Portland Me-, when she was an infant.
She distinctly remembers watching the
procession In commemoration OF the death
of Washington in 1885, She is very active
and devotes much of her time to the read
ing of current events. She has been twice
married and survives both husbands.
NEXT in age was James r. Green. who is
%. He is famous veteran of Waterloo
and last year. on the esghtieth anniver-
sary Of that great battle, he gave an adj
dress before the students of Mount Union
college. He is one of three In the United
States who live to tell the story of Napo-
icons defeat. Mr.. Green was born in
Leicestershire. England. and entered the
~ Nth e ~ "a
was in the battles OF Ligny. Quartre Bras
and Waterloo. He was sailor for many
years. making trips to India and China.
Since coming to the United States he has
been a great traveller. having crossed the
Atlantic more than twenty times Mr..
Green lives alone In Ellsworth and takes
his meals at one Of the neighbor's: his
wife and only son died some time ago.
He Is a devout member of the Methodist
church and works as he can for religion.
Robert Hutchinson. aged 81. was as spry
as any old gentleman at the party He is
very straight and takes great pride In his
personal appearance. When asked what
he does for amusement. ne replied: well.
I do chores. plow and other light work"
Mr.. Hutchinson lives at Lucerne. o., and
he drove about twenty-five miles to attend
the party.
Examples showing that marriage is no.
a failure are William and Elizabeth Ware.
of Patmos. o.. aged 81 and IS respectively.
They are said to be the oldest married
couple In tho state and arc finely pre-
served. They attend to all their own
work ana enjoy II.
Mrs Sarah Greenwalt. who IL one OF the
oldest residents of Alliance. is as years old.
and attends to numerous household duties.
She attracted q great deal OF attention on
account OF her activity
In addition to these elderly people. the
following were among the young" ladies
and gentlemen present:
Marie Messmore. aged es. and John 3.
whittlesey, aged 90. OF Bedford: the Rev.
John Schaffer. aged sl-probably the old
est preacher living In his denomination:
Fannie Butler Cumire. aged 81. of Atwa-
ter: Marion Knox. aged 81: Thomas Caller
dine. aged o.. Of Minerva: William Do
Ford, aged 90 II Bayard. Miss Mary Kohl
aged 30. OF Salem: Mrs Sarah Stroup. aged
20: Jacob Holg. aged 90. of Canton: Mrs.
Fannie Brush, aged 80. of Mount Union:
Susan Miller, aged 80: Charles n. Rice.
aged s.: Mrs. Sarah Snode. aged "a. and
Mrs. Jane johnson, aged "a. both OF
Snode's Station: William and Sarah Lock
ard aged 81 and IS respectively: Mrs. Ruth
Reeder. of Hanoverton. aged Is; Mrs.
Elizabeth Chambers. aged IS: Mrs. Anna
Hills, Of Alliance. aged a. Ruth Anna
Bently OF Green Hill. aged 20. Macijus
Stanley. OF Garfield. aged 81; stephen Bar
naby. aged S. John Nayior. aged Sc, Mrs.
John Nayior. William Schaeffer and sis
ter Mrs. Altman. of Brimfield. aged 50 and
So respectively: James Bavliss. of Massii-
lon, aged So Mrs. Esther Brosius aged s4
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Preston. aged Is;
Bishop Van F1eck OF Gns1en Hutton. O..
senior bishop of the Moravian church IN
America: jacob and Amelia Hale, of Sa-
lem; Mrs Catherine Schulz and son, OF
East Springfield: Mrs. Ellis Mowen and
her sister. Mrs. Emily Rogers. aged s.. CT
Atwater.
Many others who. being less than 70
years old. cannot be mentioned. One OF
the pleasing features of the day was a
spinning contest by the ladies' and num-