New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-03-29
4 DAUGHTER or THE REVOLTTTOV.

To the Editor OF The Tribune
Sir In these days. when 50 many are searching
old records 10 determine without question A clear
line OF descent from those who fought in the
of independence Il may BE- Of interest your read
ers TO know that in our little village lives true
daughter OF the Revolution. Yesterday I visited
her az her home and gathered many interesting
facts from her well-stored memory. II was turn
ing the pages OF history back 100 years Miss
Rebecca Maxson. familiarly knoTl as Aunt
Becky" was born on March Il. 1900 and nine
ty-ssven years old on the 2ist OF this month. SIZE
is the seventh child in i family Of nine chilt en-
and the daughter OF Elisha Maxson. SIS came
into the world when her father was Hfty-one years
old The family was long-lived and welI-preserved
Her grandmother lived to be loo; aunt was we'll
and hearty at eighty. and Aunt Becky relates
with much pride had perfect set OF sound teeth.
Her own teeth were without blemish until she was
seventy years old and then. becoming loosened by
the OF caome dropped ont. til now she has
But her eyes keen and blue. her face -
fair a nd fresh soft pink flush cheeks her
slender. arstocratic hands are soft and shapely
a childs, and her hair. though thin. is no grayer
than many a woman's at fifty. Her hearing Ia n
impaired and a wonderful memory coupled with q
pleasant easy manner, makes her a fascinating con
versationalist.
Her father fought in the RevolutI5i. and
present the battle OF Newport Htr word-plct-
ure OF him. with his neat black garments his
wide silver shoe and knee buckles. his brooch and
sleeve buttons and the linen stock with its silver
buckle engraved with his initials, recalled wildly
the old-tme portraits of Washington.
She remembers hearing an aunt tell OF Washing
tons progress through the country. and her pride
IN saying that She aim and bowed 10 him
Among Aunt Becky Treasures beautiful old
necklace OF gold beads each one ~ larg. a. pea;
some silver teaspoons. made from her fathers
shoe buckles and a pewter dish which Is said u
have been in the family 300 years ......,
with seven figures. but a man with 500 20 his
wife need not labor with her hands for a compe-
tent housekeeper could be- had for 80 cents WEEK.
TO the town OF Hopkinton r. J. and pur-
chased forty acres OF land. To this h. added from
square mile The old homestead stood on the cor
ner Of the street until three or four years ago.
in a stones throw Of the old mansion ,-...
Aunt Becky joined the First Hophinton seventh
youth. and has retained her membership through
out her life During her sirlhq1;9d she ~as = srea.
near For seventy years she has been an IN
valid. and for at least half-century She has been
without help from her bed TO a chair rear 10y. and
sat WIN us io oorss earned n o' MS onrr,
was stlll in its infancy. and LAUGHED with keen
syanks Of ancient wits As an instance Of her re-
markab BILE memory she told Of sOme verses which
Young giri composed and Incorporated IN
school composition Aunt Becky CHANGED 20 hear
the composition read, but never saw or heard !,
now W hite-haired woman OF eighty. ,alled TO see
her and Aunt Becky repeated 10 ner astonished
visitor the four without error. she also
repeated them for She also reciied the words
OF an old song written about the Revolutions
Old England. forty years
When young and slender,
tried ~trllt- a dreadful blow.
God defender.
She her fleets and armies
To ravage kill AMI plumber.
But met them % the plain
And them back with thunder.
Although living within sound % the whistle OF
he locomotive and the steamboat. she has never
seen either. Her quiet life is passed wifhin the
four walls OF her home and she seems in fair coz
dltton TO pass the century mark
HARRIET WELLS CARPENTER
Ashaway town OF Hopknton). r. l.