The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-31
GEORG|A'S OLDEST DRIVER
Ira Jennings Still Carrying the
Mails at 90.
BEGAN DRIVING A STAGE
In New York State In 1881. n for
Sxty-swo Years Has Travelled the
Same acknowledgements Men
Who Were His Passengers.


route mail carrier is said to be Uncle
He was born on July Is. 1915, at DAN
by. Tompkins county. New York, on
the Ithaca and Owego. turnpike. He
Is now in his sod year inc travels ev-
cry week $50 miles on his mail route.
his mother was the first white child
born in Owego. Tioga county. He be-
gan age driving in 1881, when ne
drove a four-in-hand coach from owe
go to Ithaca, a distance of 20 miles.
lie carried passengers n the United
states mails. In about a year the stage
line was discontinued for a wooden
railway. The body Of Uncle Ira's stage
was taken on and put on wheels adapt
ed to the wooden railway, and he was
the first nan to drive on this line.
During his career as stage driver he
had several distinguished ~personages
as passengers. Among them were John
A. DIX, William L.. Marcy. William
Ii. Seward. William H Harrison, Jas.
X. Polk. Hamilton Fish. Willard Fill
more. Amos Kendall and Nick Biddle,
cashier OF the United States bank.
Two Of the most prominent passen-
gers I ever drove" said he recently
to the Sun correspondent. were Mar
tin Van Buren, and Andrew Jackson.
Chance threw them together on this
occasion. During the tedious journey
they were very jovial, and whiled away
the monotony of the trip by cracking
jokes and spinning anecdotes. When
their destination was reached jackson.
who then occupied the presidential
chair and was making another cam
paign tour, kindly handed me 81 and
thanked me heartily for the safe ride.
/ remember just at that period there
was a bitter controversy between the
Masons and the anti-Masons. The for
mer supported Jackson. and 1 exerted
all the influence | could. An anti-Ma-
son was postmaster at Dandy, and i
recollect distinctly h jackson said
about him on that occasion. All that
are not for me are against me. and
they must be hulled OUT he said, and,
true to his words, he ousted the post
master, who Vas succeeded by my I'M
Gle, Hudson Jennings.
John c. Calhoun of South Carolina
was the most scholarly gentleman /
ever drove Henry Clay and Daniel
Webster were frequently my passen-
gers. Ii was always necessary to avoid
a rough road and travel at a slow
rate Of speed to please them. They
were ocular on the trip; and l usually
received handsome tips"
Al the age of - Uncle Ira worked
on the race track as a jockey. A purse
of $40, 900 was won by him for a Penn
sylvanian named Correl. who owned a
half-mile racer. The race was won
In a novel manner. Uncle Ira a
trained the horse with a fieet-footed
greyhound. The speed of the two an
imals was about the same. Learning
Of the fast racing qualities OF "A horse
In Virginia. Correl decided to make a
match. He took Uncle Ira. the horse
and, the greyhound to the Virginia
ioourse. One Of the events was a half
mile dash between the famed Virginia
horse n another fast animal. Correl
told Uncle Ira that the speed of the
Virginia horse must be taken with the
hound. When the two horses dashed
on Uncle Ira unfastened the greyhound.
The dog raced down the track with the
horses. and came out at the finish 20
feet ahead Of the Virginia steed. which
won the race over the other horse. Cor
rel was now satisfied that his horse
could beat the Virginia victor. n
challenged the owner for a race. The
offer was accepted. the stakes being
10000. Uncle Ira rode the Correl
horse. coming out a winner by several
lengths.
In 1888 he drove a mail coach be-
tween Richmond and Petersburg. Va.
About this time an attempt was made
to establish al express line from WASH
lnston 10 view orleans, the mecsenStrs
To travel on horseback at the rate OF
10 miles an hour. Uncle Ira was en-
ployed In the enterprise and went to
Petersburg. where he purchased 30
head OF horses and returned to Cheraw.
=. c. He established his horses seven
miles apart on the route, and carried
the first express into Cheraw that ever
entered the city. ON one occasion he
rode at full speed 90 the end Of his
route. a distance Of Is miles. and back
again TO CheTaw. covering a distance
Of 40 miles In N day. stopping only
TO change horses.
On leaving the express business he
returned to Petersburg. Here he met
a man named Saltmarsh. who Induced
him 20 come % Macon. Ga. sixty-two
years ago he began driving stage and
carrying the United states malls from
Macon 10 Knoxville. In Crawford
~. and he u still performing the same
serYiCe
The most thrilling Adventure he ever
had occurred In 1851 lie wa driving
from Knoxville 90 the Flint river. HI.
passengers were a merchant OF New
Orleans two gamblers and a small boy.
Rain had been falling necessarily for