The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-20
TWO RARE DEFENDERS.
Marriage of a Frislxy Centenarian and
n Blooming Septuagenarian.

ST. JOSEPH, Mo-, Nov. 19.-T,he marriage
here yesterday of John ]. Overton and Mrs
Mary Henderson has caused no end OF Cos
SIP Overton is centenarian, just as jolly
as college boy whose football eleven had
kicked goal and won the star game OF
the season, and his wife is a septuagenarian
who is just as happy as when she was the
brightest bud of the sixteen set The
groom has buried two wives, is the hero of
three wars and left a part of one of his
ears on a Confederate battlefield The bride
was married once before and is the mother
of large family.
There was no pomp nor parade about the
ceremony. When the minister had tied the
knot the couple walked arm in arm from his
house, as happy and contented as lovers
who had the allotted life of human kind be-
fore them. Mr.. Overton celebrated his one
hundredth birthday few weeks ago, and
Mrs. Harry Henderson was seventy seven
years old yesterday. Mr.. Overton walked
sprightly into the courthouse yesterday and
laid on the desk of the county recorder the
necessary fee for marriage license. Mrs.
Henderson waited In one CT the rooms ad-
joining the recorders office while the license
was being secured.
The parsonage of the Fifth-street Metho-
dist Church is Just across the way from the
court house. With the necessary permit to
wed in his pocket the centenarian lover
marian sweetheart on his arm and in few
minutes Rev. G. H. Stocking, pastor of the
church had said the words that united for
veal or woe III years of human life. The
old folks cling to the customs of the times
in which they were born. They knew they
were attracting attention as they walked
to the home in which they will live They
paid no heed to the recorders amazement
when he was told to fill in the age" blanks
with one hundred and seventy-seven. They
told the clergyman to go ahead and finish
his work when he hesitated at the cere-
mony. They were not disturbed by the
curious glances cast at them by those they
met. They were happy and they hurried to
the house in which they will enjoy the
pleasures of a silver-haired honeymoon.
The man who after one hundred years of
life has for the third time taken wife is
a remarkable character. He has lived in
St Joseph since last January and will con-
tinue TO do so. he says he can split rails
follow pillow, husk corn. pitch straw, NOW
hay. subdue a fractions colt and have as
much fun at a barn raising now as he could
when he was in his twenties He was born
Oct. g. 1897. near Pittsburg. Pa He has
lived in nearly all of the States east of the
souri, only two years He claims he was
never sick enough in his life to need a
doctor He never took a dose of medicine
never drank a drop of liquor and never
sion of $40 per month. He served in the
Black Hawk Indian war in Illinois, the
Mexican war. and the war of the rebellion.
He lived for quarter OF a century in
Arkansas. and was sheriff and a justice
of the peace there. He was postmaster at
Boles. Ark. under Presidents Grant. Hayes,
Garfield and Arthur His last wife died in
South st. Joseph last January. He is the
father of ten children, seven of whom are
living.
His newly made wife was born Nov. 49,
1920. Her first husband died several years
ago. She has lived in this city for a quar-
ter of a century. is sprightly and well pre-
served for one of her age, and. like her hus-
band. appears to be much younger than She
really IS, She says she is his, and he is
hers that they are happy. and that they
are old enough to know just what they We're
doing when they decided to become man
and wife.