The Anaconda standard., 1899-01-30
ANACONDA NEWS.
DEATH OF A CENTENAR|Ah
Mrs. Elisa Heiu Dies at the Ad-
/, vanced Age of 1O1 Years.
WAS A NATIVE OF HOLLAND
Until Yesterday She Was Probably the
Oldest Living White Person IN
Montana-A Century OF
Activity.

She who was probably the oldest
white person in Montana died yester-
day at Thiefenthaler's boarding house,
near Gregson Springs.
Mrs Elisa Heiu, the person referred
to, was born in Holland more than 1O1
years ago and has been a healthy, ac-
tive woman ever since, up to two weeks
ago, when she began to fail, and from
that time forward her decline was rap
occurred yesterday
Mrs. Heiu was quite well known in
this section of the country, although
no especial prominence had ever been
cast upon her. Few people knew That
Mrs. Heiu was centennarian, although
every one who knew her was aware of
the fact that she was very old.
The cause of Mrs. Heiu's death was
old age. Two weeks ago she was al
most as active as any one in the house
hold, but at that time she began to
fail and her condition gradually grew
worse until yesterday, when death
came to claim the woman who had liv-
led more than a century. She had con-
tracted no especial disease that was ap-
parent to those who surrounded her,
but her vitality had simply gone from
her body by degrees. Mrs. Heiu was
possessed of the most energetic of spi-
rits during the whole of her life and
she is said to have experienced very
few, If any, periods of illness.
The exact date of Mrs. Heiu's birth
cannot be ascertained, nor does any one
know the place in Holland where she
was BORN Mrs. Mary Meier, the wife
of John Meier, is the only daughter of
Mrs. Heiu. Mrs. Meier is unable to
give the exact date and place of her
mothers birth, her marriage or the
date of her arrival in this country.
Mrs. Heiu came to America before Mrs.
Meier was born, and as Mrs. Meier is
herself somwhat advanced in age, Mrs.
Heiu must have been a pioneer in
America. So far as is known, Mrs
Meier is the only child of the deceased
Mrs. A1eier and her husband also re-
side at the Gregson Springs quarries.
Undertaken Ehret was notified of the
leath of Mrs. Heiu and he has taken
1harge of the arrangements of the fu-
leral. Mr.. Ehret has been in the un-
1ertaking business for more than 20
Years in Montana, but never in his long
Experience has he been called upon to
arrange a funeral for so old person as
Mrs. Heiu. Mr.. Ehret expressed the
opinion yesterday that Mrs Heiu was
Willie pcESOIl Ill montana De-
ore her death. William Schuldt, the
oreman of Mr. Ehret's undertaking
Parlors, has been in the business for
light years. He has had thousands of
unerals during his experience, but,
Ike Mr.. Ehret, he has never had occas-
on to attend one where the dead FER
on was as old as Mrs. Heiu. His rec
Election is that the oldest person for
whose funeral he has arranged was
paT tn, prlff
( age.
According to Mr.. Ehrets records, the
ldest person to die in this city or its
Immediate vicinity. of whom he has
knowledge, was Mrs. John Hill, VINO
led on July 13, 1898, at the advanced
ge of 90 years.
The body of Mrs. Heiu will be
rought to Anaconda to-day. and the
uneral will be held at 1880 o'clock On
tuesday, afternoon. The services will
e conducted at st. Pauls Catholic
hurch