Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1901-02-07
A Virginia Centenarian.


reached the age of 100 years. He is
the grandfather Of Mr.. Heiskell Argen-
bright, who married Miss Irene Knott,
of this county. From the sketch We
take the following extracts:
George Lewis Argenbright was
born January Il, 1901"
This is the way the record reads in
his old family Bible l have read it
with my own eyes, and had the pleas
ure of spending the day at his home
with him and his family. He is the
only centenarian | ever saw. He re-
sides two miles from Greenville, in one
of Augusta county hospitable homes,
with his son, James, aged 81, aud hIs
wife his Oldest child, Mrs Estelle
Hawpe, aged 5S, and Mrs. Piper. the
mother of his sons wife, aged 90, who
is well preserved His wife died at
the age of 50, and his last youngest
brother lived to be 90 years old, nor
was there a death in the family till
the oldest child was 80 years.
There are four generations of the
family, whose representatives metat "A
centennial birthday dinner yesterday,
viz. Mr. George L. Argenbright, sgel
100; Newton Argeubrlght, hi. sou,
Staunton City Clerk aged 55 Heis-
kel, grandson, Deputy Clerk, aged 30,
and Hugh, greatgrandson, aged 3 IL
years. The little junior calls the old
est senior, my ladders ladders fad
der, and the old gentleman calls him
my son sons son
Mr.. Argenbrlght, the ceatenariau.
is remarkable man in many respects,
and though he walks without assist.
ance and often forgets his cane, the
marks of extreme old age are plainly
visible. lie seems to make some eli.
fort to disguise them When asked
his age he will say, Am in the nine
ties, and while we were talking to
him he got up as ii to illustrate hls
strength, walked out into the porch,
brought some wood in his arms, aud
threw it upon the fire. His eyesight
mas failed considerably in the last two
months, although he still dlsdalns
spectacles AS he has always done.
His hearing, too has become impaired
within the last few months. He has
steady hand, aud has the old.lash-
ioned prejudice against wbiskers, new
er having worn a beard. He still
shaves himself as he always has done,
though his eyesight is getting rather
dim for that, and be lets his beard
get longer than he used to.
His son, who wears a full beard,
said Father, you need a shave" 80
do you" he said, with a Ely twinkle
in his eye.
He has no use for hard pen" as
he calls a steel one, having all bis life
used a quill, made with his own hands.
And beautiful penman he has been,
as his writing plainly shows. He has
never used whiskey. coffee, or tea, his
abstemiousness being remarkable,
when it is remembered that he grew
up in the times when nearly every
large farm in the Valley had it's dis
tillery. In those days it was much
easier to get the crops Of corn and rye
to market in the shape Of whiskey
than it was to haul them in wagons to
Richmond or Scottsville, as was the
practice then.
Another thing that doubtless has
had much to do with his longevity is
bis habit Of retiring at sunset and ris-
ing at daybreak, which he has fol-
lowed all his life, in common with
many farmers Of his day and time.
Mr.. Argenbright has lived under
the administration Of every President
except Washington. How few men, if
any, besides him in Virginia can say
they were rocked in a Democratic era.
die. He was about 6 weeks old when
the great Democrat-Thomas Jefer-
son-was inaugurated, and it bas long
been his boast that the first answer
be learned in his political catechism
to the question, "Who is the Presi-
dent Of the United States?' was Thom-
as Jefferson" He has been lifelong
Democrat, and voted at every election
till the last.
In 1896 be voted for Bryan, and
was getting ready to drive with MS
son, James, to vote again for Bryan
last November, when bic oyercoat was
brought in, but he took exceptions to
the length Of the tail, called it "old-
fashioned and shabby" and positive
ly declined to put it on. The old gen.
tleman had doubtless seen the stylish
short oyercoats worn by some Of bis