Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1905-11-16
JOHN PERSONS IOOth ANNIVERSARY.

when II was aDl6 TO DOdSb " OtAE Ettt7
zen who had reached the century mark
and had spent the whole Of his long
and useful life within its limits and
I old and young Wed with each other in
paying their respects to the man whom
we all delighted to honor It was g
gala day for Uncle John Pierson,
who seemed in more than his usual
health and spirits The house was
thronged with callers from early morn
ing until night and he greeted all with
pleasant words, and smiles and occas~
sional flashes of wit. which made his
friends wonder If he actually vas one
hundred years old.
But Swedesboro was not alone in do-
ing honor to the Grand Old Man OF
Woolwich, 2 for from Camden, Philadel-
phia, Woodbury., Cape May, Elmer,
Thorofare. Glassboro, Bridgeport, and
other points more or less remote came
relatives and friends all eager to meet
and greet the aged man. He also re-
ceiyed number of out OF town visit
ors on Sunday Among his callers on
Monday. we noted, Congressman II. G.
Loudenslager, Ex-Surrogate Millard +
Dubois; Editor. B. Frank Patterson;
/ Internal Revenue Collector, Isaac MOI
fett; DR.. J. P. Cheesman, Abram Cocl-ss
ran Of Elmer: and Elan Woodeth OF
Thorofare The last two were appreHs
tices of Mr. Pierson when he carried
on the business of blacksmithing, n
early life, and Mr.. WoOdeth helped
him to remove his home and business
from Battentown, TO his present loca-
ton on Main street, in the year 1885,
Mr.. Woodeth is now in his eighty
/ fifth year. Mr. Pierson also received
numerous telegrams and letters from
absent friends, all bearing kind words
of love and congratulations Among
recent letters was one from Rev. y Jafnes5
Lamb. former Rector of St. Peters
church. at Clarksboro, but now OF Old
st. Daniels church, at Radnor, Pa ana
one from Rev G. ". Duane, a former
Rector of Trinity Episcopal Churcn
of Swedesboro. who is now travelling
in Europe and wrote from PARIS
France, and one from Nv. +. snow
den of Fairfax Co., Yas He also re-
ceived many birthday ITS beaNIlIni
flowers. fine baskets pf frtlits etc. s 81
also received q subst ta1Ela AT Y =.
money. one hundred and thirty @ oIIarss
in gold, and other monies aounIlng
in all to nearly TWO hundred dollars;
large portion of which was gladly
contributed by his own towns people
But the one gift which touched the
heart of Uncle John more than all
others was a fine cabinet size picture
of President Roosevelt, sent by the
President and signed by his own hand
This gift came through the influence
of Mr.. George E. Pierson of Woodbury.,
a nephew of Mr.. Pierson.
On Monday afternoon, Mr.. Pierson
| in company with Mrs Mary Shiversv
a friend and neighbor, now eighty-two
years of age enjoyed an automobile
ride. through the kindness OF Mr..
/ George B. Mitchell, going nearly to As
bury.
/ One pleasant feature of his birthday
Icelebration which Mr. Pierson greatly
enioyed was the visits of the school
children. To all he gave hand shake,
and a pleasant word, and to each little
girl a kiss telling them, with laugh
that they could now say they had been
4 kissed by a man one hundred years
old
| ( Former State Senator John Person.
Vas born on Wednesday, Nov. Is, 1885,
| in Battentown, or that is now known as
South Swedesboro He was the son OF,
John Pierson and the grand son OF
/ Zebulon Pierson, who died in the year
/ 1777. and was buried in the old Nor
4 avian cemetery, near Swedesboro. His
father and mother we're buried IN the
old Episcopal cemetery here. ko
In early life Mr.. Pierson was q
| blacksmith as we're his father and
grandfather, before him. He served as
State Senator during the years 1861 to
63. elected on the same ticket with
| Lincoln. fact to which he refers
/ with Just pride He was elected a
/ F'reeholder of Gloucester County in
1 1874. serving fve years; reelected in
! 1856, and served five years; reelected
in 1872 and served continuously for q
period of twenty-five years. 80
During his service on the County
/ Board of Freeholders. he planned and
built fifty-five bridges; the first one
| in 1g45, the last in 1896. He was IN.
| charge of the building OF the county
Jail. and member Of the COMMITTEES
which built the new Court House, IN
| Woodbury.. During all the years OF his
public service he was honest and fear
! less in the discharge of his duty. and
worked for the best interests Of the
county.
IN politics he is staunch RepuS
lican. and has voted at every election
since he attained his majority. except
the last one, when he was too feeble
to go to the polls.
He was charter member of Osceo-
i la Lodge. /. o. @. F., which was or
ganized in 1S4S, and IS supposed to be.
the oldest Odd Fellow in the State AMI
perhaps IN the United States. He ii
q member Of Trinity Episcopal church.
of which he was constant attendant
until the infrmities of age prevented
And now after a long and eventfu1
life, filed with good deeds. and loving
service he is spending its evening
4 quietly, in his own home, surrounded
by every comfort, and tenderly cared
i for BY his only grand daughter Miss