The Portland daily press., 1898-02-18
THE OLDEST TWINS.
They Live in North Carolina, and Are In
teresting.
New York World.

Raleigh, N. c., FEB. 15.-One OF the
Oldest twins in the world drove in his
buggy twenty weight miles the other day
% visit the World correspondent, who had
requested an interview with him. He is
Hugh Mclean of Dickinson. Harnett
County. He and his brother Hector were
born Feb. 16, 1910. In three days they
will be Lightweight years of age. The
World correspondent had intended to go
to these venerable men, but Hugh said:
81 felt so well and SO sprightly
thought I would come and see you.
didn mind the twenty eight mile drive.
I am not egotistic, but am glad some
thing will be published about US so our
kinsnlen here and in Scotland too will see
it,
Hugh and Hector are the fourth and
fifth sons of Duncan Mclean and Mary
MoA;lister The parents Of their mother
came over from Scotland in 1876, and one
of them, Colonel Alexander McAlister,
was notable figure in North Carolina
history. The paternal grandfather of the
twins, John Mclean, came over after
"the '45.'' The twins were born on Up
Ger Little River in what was then Cum
berland, but is now Harnett County.
The house in which they were born is yet
sanding.
Hugh Mclean was asked If they had
any of the family heirlooms. He replied ::
'sNone, except Colonel MeAlister's sword,
which is a claymore. This ancestor
was born in 1893. and 200 years are thus
canned by three generations.
Hector and Hugh have spent most Of
their lives together. They were when
quite young apprenticed to tailor at
Fayetteville and served five years. After
their time was out they went to school at
home, and when they were twenty-six
under General Mclean. Hugh, in speak
ing of this added ''Then we studied by
ourselves for years. In fact, I still study
and SO does brother Hector" To hear
Hugh speak one would think him, boyish
and that his brother and he were lads to-
gether. He said:
awe went to Fayetteville when we were
sixteen, and were tailors there ten years.
Then we went to Alabama and worked
seven years. We made money there. We
lost negroes and money by the war. We
had much money lent in Alabama, and
after the war the people who borrowed
could not pay. We always applied our
selves to our trade. We studied iJ. We
worked harder than most people who are
in trade, and we got more money than
most people in our line.
Hugh was asked II he or his brother
had ever married. He said:
"We were always social with the ladies.
Hector proposed marriage twice, but
didn't succeed. I never got to the point
where thought I could suit myself.
was great hand to go to parties and en-
always strictly temperate. I used to take
q glass of eggnog at Christmas time.
Liquor was often offered us, but we never
touched 1t. Brother used tobacco several
years but never ohewed or smoked"
The venerable man showed daguerreo-
tpye of himself and his brother, the in
s3parables, taken at Fayetteville when
they were forty, and handsome pair of
men they were, NOS looking a day over
twenty-five He said:
ST travel a good deal. l like it, Broth
er Is now feeble and doesn't travel much.
We will be eighty eight years old on Feb
ruary 16. We were never in the military
service We were too old to serve in the
last wsr We took the Fayetteville paper
taken a Louisville paper. We buy books
which interest us, and have library of
which we are very proud.
"Brother and l own everything in COM
mon. our house and our land. We have
had large tracts of timber land, but have
sold most of it. When we lived in A la
bama we were so much alike that two
years after / left people did not know
was gone. They saw brother Hector and
though he was-if may use the phrase
both of US.
Both Hector and Hugh are greatly in
terested in looking up their family his
tory. Hector has given much care and
money to the placing of tOmbstones over
the graves of his kinsmen. They both
want information as to their relatives in
Scotland. The McLeans were from Jure,
Hugh says. 1t Was pathetic to hear him
gay:
mot person is now living in Fayette-
vile save one who was there when we
went to the place in 1926. Then the town
had 1900 people. 1t has not grown much
since The greatest growth is in the grave
yard. All! how that has grown"
These aged twins, whose love for each
other is untouched by time, went to Fay
etteville and had their photographs
taken side by side just rs they were in
the daguerreorype of 1850. They always
dress wall and live we'll. Hugh's' Ian
guage is that Of a man who studies He
kseps RI with the times. He lives sixteen
miles from TIE railroads nearest point,
anu thIs, ne Gays, is why he made the
journey of twenty eight miles here in his
buggy. He says that they are the Oldest
twins in the United States, and so far
as they know the Oldest in the world.