The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-07-12
SHE CLAIMS TO
Be N5 YEARS OLD
"GFannie" McMurray on N.
Topeka Ave. interviewed
OF WASHINGTON'S TIME
Has Knife Brought from Mt.
Vernon Dinner
OF WASHINGTON'S TIME

she is, HGr recollection is not the bes;
but every feature indicates advanced age.
If thera was ever woman more than
a century old. Mrs. McMurray is one OF
the number
She Is not strong, but healthy and rot
tiers about the house six or seven hours
per day before becoming worn out U.s.
ually Mrs. McMurray retires about three
o'clock every afternoon and does not get
up until between nine and ten clocks
She walks with a cane and is consider
ably stopped. but works hard with needle
and thread during the day and eats two
hearty meals. As Mrs. McMurray walks
she is bent until her body forms almost
q right angle but she sits in a chair as
straight as a person wearing a straight
Jacket. Her eyes are bright and she can
see long distances without her glasses,
IN fact, except in very close work she
prefers to have her glasses perched at
the top Of her forehead. She says her
glasses are getting too young" and she
cannot see very good with them.
''Grannie" McMurray is partially bald.
but wherever there is hair on her he'd
It is as white as snow. On either side Of
her head the white curly hair stands out
forming a background for a fine coal
black face. She wears a skull-cap of
faded blue Bingham, which she made her
self 1t was new once but "Grannie"
Gays she has worn it so long and washed
It so often that it is losing Its color.
This cap protects the sparsely hair-cov-
cred sections Of her head from chilling
draughts. A few white hairs are visible
over her face.
Ceramic" McMurray shows her age by
the weakened face. She was once large,
full faced, buxom negro, but the wrinkles
of her face and arms are deep. very deep.
The reporter took his lead pencil and
placed it in the grove of a wrinkle and
the wrinkles were deeper than the thick
ness of the pencil. The face is covered
with dozens of wrinkles, even extending
over the nose.
This aged colored woman was born in
Maryland on the plantation of Jim Rid
lev, not far, Mrs. McMurray says. from
Mt Vernon, but up the river. She was
q slave and her name was Ridley until
after she went to Tennessee and was mar
ried. Among her cherished possessions
is an old pewter knife broken on the
point and then sharpened for a pairing
knife. "Grannje" says that this knife
was once used when George Washington
gave a big dinner to his friends and neigh
bors for many miles about the plantation.
All OF the white people went TO the din
ner. Long tables were spread on the
lawn and a canopy and all partook
of a great feast "Grannie's" 'marster'
Iad Hinnar and
the master brought home as a souvenir
some of the pewter knives used on the
table. This one was broken and was
given to "Grannie's" mother. The point
was ground down and was used as a
pairing knife "Grannie" told the Eagle
reporter last week that she remembered
how her masters children came home
from the feast one evening and the next
day all the little blacks gathered about
them and listened to the wonderful stories
OF the good things on the great long table
on the lawn and how her mouth. accus-
toned 10 corn-pone, bacon and black coz
fee. watered a she thought Of those big
chicken "laigs" on the table and the big
cakes with icing.
While yet child the Ripleys with their
slaves. moved TO plantation near Nash
VILE. Tenn, and here she lived until
some sixteen years ago. She said that
they Travelled by wagon. over corduroy
roads through swamps until they reached
the level lands of the Tennessee. For
short distance they travelled on the then
building Murfessboro pike to Nashville
and she lived many years along this
famous road.
She did not go to Nashville for many
years after reaching her new home but
on her first visit there ii was only a
little town. more of a trading post. When
she became great big girl she was mar
ried to a negro belonging TO a neighoor
named McMurray and ten children. eight
boys and two girls being born to thers.
OF these one daughter. Mrs. Steve Wat
son. Of this city, is alive as far as known
one son wrote TO his mother until I'VE
or six years ago. but as he worked on the
wharf al Memphis it is supposed that he
was killed or drowned.
Mrs. Watson. with whom "Grannie
NicMurray lives. says that she IS the
third of the ten children and that she is
sixty-nve years old. She is gray-haired.
but not white like her mother, but gives
every. appearance of being as old as she
claims.
..Srannie" McMurrsy has been losing
her memory FOR years and at present re-
members things but few days unless
there is sor2ething especial that has been
.,auped in her memory. She remembers
. rneteoric shower when she was living al
Nashville when the heavens were aoiaze
With the thousands of heavenly bodies
sGranaie'' said that she was scared ana
,bo,,sht the world was coming TO an emu
and got down on her knees and PrafeN
I'D Draved for deiiversnce. This meteorie
,hovvsr was in 1SS2 "Grannie said thSt
she held her sixth child in her arms WINE
praying
She remembers very little OF 1He
Her master went away ana ieh' INC
.,av.s to shift for themselves once IN
: yybsle they would see body OF soldiers
marching by and the soldiers stose 'hsi1
corn and chickens and laughed al tne
negroes when they tried 20 project 'he''
property. - ola
Ceramic" lived and worked on the oio
SANITATION until about sixteen years ago
wh.n she cane 70 wichita -Four OF mex