The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-04-12
He Remembers Washington



Noah Raby, an inmate Of the poor
farm of Piscataway township, New
Jersey, claims that he is the oldest man
in the world. He says he will be 125
years old ON April 1, and no living man
has any knowledge that his story Is
not substanti TALLY true, as related by
him. The overseer Of the poor farm,
Henry G.. Hummer, has known Raby
for half a century, and he Is positive
that the old man is at least ITO years
old. Throughout the township, where
he is we'll known, there is scarcely
a person who doubts his great age,
and he Is a universal favorite.
Seated In an old fashioned arm chair
In front of a comfortable open fire In
the sitting room of the poor house, the
old man looks every bit a centenaTian.
He Is short In stature and much bent
with age, He is totally blind, having
lost his sight about ten years ago, and
yet his eyes sparkle as though he could
see His shoulders are somewhat con-
tracted, but the muscles of his arms
and legs are as firm as they were thir-
ty years ago. Raby has no teeth, and
sound, that has has weird effect upon
his hearer
In telling the story of his life, a cou-
pie Of days ago, the aged man said:
I was born at Eatontown, Gates
county, North Carolina, on April l,
1772. Ny mother, Sarah Raby, was
born in South Carolina, while my
father, Andrew Bass, was a North
American Indian. My mother was very
poor and when l was seven years old
/ was bound out to man named Mills
Field. 1 began to smoke when was
six years old. used to fill my moth
er's pipe and take few whiffs of it
before giving it to her. 4 have used
whisky as long as I have tobacco but
1 have only been drunk three times in
my life.
When 1 was twenty-one years old
/ decided to look for work elsewhere
I started down the road towards Wild
ow Parker's plantation. AS was pass
ing she came to the gate and said:
Noah, how far are you going?"
Until l find work. replied
well, you have found It," she said,
80 come right In. 1 have known you
since you were a baby"
/ worked for her for five years as
overseer for 5000 year. Then 1 left
to work for her aughter-in- law, also
a widow. Her name was Sarah Parker.
/ thought in time l would have no
trouble i'm marrying her, and then her
plantation and all her slaves would be
mine 1t was a good scheme, and for
time everything went all right, and
then | spoiled it. The fact of the mat
ter was l was so madly In love with
the widow that l was afraid to tell her
how much 1 thought Of her. Every
body on the plantation knew how mat
tiers stood One day Uncle Mingo, an
old co1ored man, who thought good
deal of me, said:
"Massa Noah, why don't you tell
mfssus what you think of her? You
go tell her what you think, and If she
won't listen to me, I'll charm her for
you"
It was all in vain. I was already
charmed myself and was afraid TO
speak to her I tell you sir, she was
one of the prettiest women l ever saw.
She had cheeks like wax doll and lips
as red as red apples. Ny half brother
came to see me one day, and he asked
me If / was in love. When / told l was
he said the only way to cure it was
to take a voyage in the Constitution. /
left the next night, without saying
goodbye to anybody or settling up. 1
went back to see the widow sometime
after, and when | told her about being
in love with her, she said, Faint heart
never won fair lady" 1t was too late
then, as the man who took my pla &c
as overseer had married her, and 1t was
only week after the wedding.
Raby made good ordinary seaman
but was glad to leave the navy when
his time expired. He said he did not
like the Idea of going to war. Raby
declares that he heard Gen. Washing
ton speak at Norfolk.
He is not sure what the general was
talking about, but he is positive that
he was indignant about something.
Eyes, SIR" said Raby, IT shall never
forget it. He said: Keep right on, fell
low citizens, as you have been going,
and I assure you there will be the devil
to pay In this republic, and no pitch
hot
That's what he said, and no mis-
take" reiterated the old man.
Raby claims that he worked three
years in the Brooklyn navy yard after
he left the Constitution. Then he came
to New Jersey. For a number of years
he worked on a farm near Elizabeth,
and then he came to Middlesex county.
About thirty years ago he was sent TO
the poor farm, and he has remained
there ever since waiting for the time
when he would pass from the scenes OF
this world.
The old man enjoys excellent health.
He has had no serious illness since he
was eighteen. Then he was sick with
fever. He sleeps sitting UP in
chair, as he fears a rush Of blood to the
head. On pleasant days he finds his
way to the well In the yard by means
of a wire stretched from the back door