The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-04-03
Jacob Smith of North
.Brookield is Eigh-
ty-fve.
LICENSE OR NO-LICENSE
Adherents of Both Sides
Bending Every Effort to
Win the Day.

North BrookGeld April HALE and
{ nearly is Jacob Smith Of Ayres street
today, though he is celebrating the s5th
anniversary Of his birthday, having
reached an age when most men are
ready to give up things earthly. Not
so with Jacob Smith, however. He is as
clipper as cricket and in talking with
him today, The Spy reporter found him
to be as fond Of joke as any school
boy,
He is enjoying health as nearly per-
rect as any one at that age can enjoy,
and has but one physical defect in that
he Is very deaf. His eyesight is as keen
as man 40 years younger, and he says
he has not felt any better for years.
When The Spy reporter called on him
this morning at the home of his daugh-
ter, Mrs. Jessie NJ. Amidon, the old gem
tleman had just decided that he could
NOT so to church. You see" he said,
the wind is too high. l intended to go
to church, although of course I could
not hear much, but then l could see
things all right. / was getting ready
to dress up but the wind came up too
sharp and had to give it up
MI. Smith was born IS years ago in
ava fAl-CAAs & LIet ID, ll6 says ne sup
poses he was, but that, not being able
TO remember the event, he has had to
take the word Of others. something that
makes him just a little uncertain on
this point. Anyway he remembers that
he was living In Campton. n. H, when
nearly five years old, having as people
told him previously spent his infancy
| in Mortified and the neighboring town
| OF Canterbury. In Campton he spent his
] n ~ hGN
years, he decided to come to North
Brooktield, where a brother, Benjamin,
already was.
! Here he has dwelt ever since with the
exception of one year when ne went 10
West Brookfield to live with his father
who had moved thence. On December 81.
1850. he married Miss Mary Emeline
/ woodward of North Brookfield. The
ceremony was performed by Dr. Thos.
Smell who gave the young couple some
good advice to start them off in life.
Mr., Smith worked at shoe making for
ABOUT three years and then went farm
ing, which occupation he continues as
far as his strength will allow him, 10
the present day.
His Wife did not live very many
Years after the marriage, and Jan. %,
1898, he took unto himself his second
wife. this time Miss Fannie II. Wood
ward Of Worcester, no relation to the
first wife, though they bore the same
name. He comes Of race remarka bic
for its longevity, and has q brother
David, now in his list year.
His father. Isaac Smith, died in West
Brookfleld at the age of 60. Mr.. Smith
is a remarkable walker and comes into
the village distance of nearly a mile.
two or three times every week He
says that in fine weather he en-
joys nothing so much as a tramp to
West Brookheld nearly four miles
away, and does it several times in the
spring and fall. But it is Of his ex-
ploits in his younger days that he talks
most.
Twice he has walked to Campton. n.
H, and back, several years ago, to be
sure, when fast travelling was not con-
sidered a necessity. He has several
children living, but two, however, by
his last wife. Mrs. Amidon, with whom
he lives, and Lincoln Smith, a well
known North Brookfield man.
He spent his birthday quietly at
home and surprisedly asked the re-
porter what The Worcester Spy cared
about him. He evinced great Interest
and talked volubly like a pleased child