Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1898-10-08
MARYLAND's CENTENARIAN.

Mr. James Walsh who is 1913 years old,
visited relatives in Cumberland a few
days recently, says the Baltimore Sun.
He resides with his son-in-law, Patrick
Mullooly, prosperous farmer, on spur
of the Great Savage mountain, on the road
between Frostburg and Mount Savage, in
Allegany county. That Mr.. Walsh is
1903 years old can not be disputed. Rev.
Father f. A. Williams, pastor of the
Catholic church at Mount Savage, wrote
to Mr.. Walsh's birthplace in Ireland and
obtaintd the correct figures from the
church baptismal records. He was born
July %, 1895, in the County Roscommon,
Ireland, ION the beautiful river Shan
non," as he delights to tell. He says he
was born on the anniversary of the
martyrdom of st. James, whence he de-
rived his Christian name.
Mr. Walsh was mature man when the
battle of Waterloo was fought, an event
he wildly remembers. When he came
to America the Chesapeake and Ohio
canal was not vet finished to Williams
port He worked on the canal when he
landed here, and afterward became a sec
ton boss. He remembers we'll when the
Good Intent" stage line ran between
Frederick, Md, and Wheeling w. Va,
when six-horse teams, droves of horses.
hogs and cattle by the thousands were
taken through this section on the old
national pike eastward, and when all
stage conveyances were imported from
Russia. He has known the people and
the town of Frostburg over sixty-fve
years, is by trade a wagonmaker and only
two or three years ago laid aside his tools.
He is still very active and every now and
then walks several miles to Frostburg,
when the weather is good. His step is
yet agile.
Mr. Walsh is probably the oldest Union
veteran. A touching experience in his
lie is indicated in his reason for enlist
ment in the army. Although then an
old man, he took the place of son, fear
ing he might lose the boy. 'He was
such a promising young man, and
didn't want him to come to HARM" he
explained. He served three years and
three months. His most vivid war recol-
lection is of the Hunter raid, in which he
took part.
He still reads the daily papers and
takes an active interest in current events.
Only short time ago he began the use
OF glasses. He has been a reader of the
Baltimore Sun for over fifty years. He
discusses affairs most intelligently and
his "reminiscences of three-quarters of a
century ago are most interesting.
In physique Mr.. Walsh is below mid
die stature and is but slightly stopped by
his great age. He suffers occasionally
from slight attacks of dyspepsia. He is
always in cheerful mood, however, and
his tongue has lost none of its Celtic hui
NOR He is sometimes annoyed by the
spreading of exaggerated and highly col
ored reports concerning his career.
Speaking of his antecedents, he said
his "father, who died at ITO years, never
lost tooth" He has no brothers or sis
tiers living. His wife died fifteen years
ago, aged seventy-two years. He is the
father of eleven children-fve girls and
six boys. Eight children are living two
sons and one daughter in Cumberland,
one SON in New Jersey, one daughter in
Pittsburg, one daughter in Mount Savage
and two daughters in Frostburg.