Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-03-03
OLDEST MAN IN NEW YORK.
william Iphralm Elmer, Of Utica, u
Veteran NJ 1872.


Mr. Wagner. the agent Of the chicago.
Milwaukee ana ~. Paul railroad. who
handed the following TO rcpr-ront..-
tive OF the News" says he b. person
ally acquainted with tho object Of the
article published hy an eastern paper,
The oldcs, man In the state uf New
YORK today, and possibly In the United
Statcs.if William Ephraim Elmer. who
lives with his son. William Elmer, at
No. - Henry street. Utica ON Thurs
day last MIR. Elmer celebrated his Nth
birthday and anniversary a Herald
representative called on the old gentle.
man the other day ana had "a pleasant
chat with him regarding the Incidents
" his early NE, The cnfccblcd old
man. IN conversation. IA very discOn-
nrctod. and his being very deaf II
was with difficulty that information
could be- drawn out OF him, hut la this
his dnurhtcrsin-lnw. Mrr. Elmer, aided
materially. he being much moru used To
her voice than 10 that OF strangers.
Mr, Elmer " IN the extreme state 90
HE second childhood. and he IL, OF
course. as matter 90 necessary for one
20 uld,n Efeat cate to those with whom
he lives. for he has 90 be- fed. dressed.
etc. ltc has used tobacco an his life.
About eight or ten years ago catar,
sets formed on both eyes. ~ that now
all he can distinguish ~ daylight from
darkness. Yet he IL NJ a joyla dis.
position. ana u enjoying fairly good
health, ana n any one tiles TO Impose
on HIN OF make run OF hlH condition. no
knows II. Then " ~ "ali on Ia such
Of him.
The family records show that Mr.
Elmer was born ln Warren, llerllimer
county. January 20, ilss. lie was
brought up on "a farm there and learn.
VI the trade u shoemaker. H.. was
tho oldest " fifteon children. his faith
~ being Daniel Elmer who moved from
hlhck River when the Revolutionary
war was raging. lie took up his abode
IN that section ~ Tryon county. now
the southern part OF horklmer county.
Tint region WIS then but little settled.
ana Mr, Elmer says that the few white
people who were therr, lived In iog
hutH. Indians, Wild cats, bears and
deer, formed the bulk 81 the populn.
ton, Nhen he was learning the shoe.
makers trade he fnid his master nbun.
ed him, and at tho age OF Is he ran
away. lie made his way through Tho
Little f.akcs, near i,ichncld Springs.
and thence by foot 20 ininbridge. uor,
he wont TO work In "a Rrlst ANA saw min
aud was employed 10 chop down trees
"one day no said. Il was chopplng
trees on oak lilll, at sweet walnut
tree. Finally the troo came down ana
when II fell four or i've Wild cats Jump.
81 out Of the top and one u them was
killed. The others ran away. scar
Cd EN- ~ they thought It was best 10
Doe mlHsing," lie skinned the ON. thar
was Killed and SOLD the skin Tor 81. Ito
described BIT BY bit his wunderlngn
through the Central New York wilder.
ness IN tho early days ~ the present
AL A.. IL
four days for several men and teams
10 go from ruca 10 Snuauoit. They had
10 build their own road as they went
along Coming down TO tho war nf
lsl2, he said he won't with his father
and brother and fought under Colonel
lielllngcrfor whom he said he had pres
viOusly helped To huild the nrHt house
In Utica. ana ne also helped 10 bnid
the first houses on Deerneld I'M. but |
be- cannot recall tho names Of tho per. |
sons for whom those houses were |
built.
"wc went TO sackets Harbor." he |
euld. speaking ~ his experience of the |
War OF 1872, "and built breastworks |
NJ stones Rud wood. The lighting last. |
"a about year and our side sunk many |
ships there, remember we would /
climb M on the breastWorks ana then
way. way on, We could see the vessels
coming. Then the Old sow Uneanlng |
'annonlwould squenl and pour ball ait. /
n ball In the ship as II came up. In
me of these fights | was wounded i'm
he knee. By Gcorgel Didn't We fight
hem, though? Why tell you, every
lime those cannons went on fairly
vent up In the air." In recalling his
Experiences the Old man became quite
xcited. ana he had To take another
0lg. fresh chew In order TO quiet him
Ell.
At this point Mr., Elmor's dnughter-in
NV said that they had made efforts 10
oCure pension for the old man. hut
ould not succeed. FOR though his nnme
ms been found on the war records at
Washington. he has lost the papers
ihlch would prove that he received his
0nornble discharge.
The surrounding circumstance show