davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1905-06-04
Her Early Life.

She has kept an exact account Of
everything of Importance which has
happened in or about Washington ever
since those old days. and SIZE can tell
perhaps better than anyone now living
of country life IN the District of Co
Iuu1bia when Washington was in its
infancy, and it was thought that
Georgetown would always be the great
city. The old lady laughed as she told
how as a girl she carried her white
stockings and prunella slippers In
bag almost to the church door on Sun
days and then sat herself down, and.
taking off the coarser homes pun brown
stockings and heavy shoes, pulled on
her nneFy. Such was the custom of
all the country bellies in those days Of
muddy roads. She can tell of the
quilting and spelling bees and the
country parties.
She remembers well the long winter
nights when her family and friends sat
about the great open fireplace and crack
ed nuts or told stories while the wind
whistIed down the chimney and the snow
fell about the home that stood in what
was then IN almost trackless wilderness.
Or she can tell the curious inquirer of
the long summer days when the young
girls rode behind their lovers on horse
back, going to picnics or country fairs
She can tell too, of the -raduai changes
which have occurred in Washington and
The Washington times., 1905-06-04
Mrs. Alice Queen, Moth
er of Largest Family
in District.
Four People Needed to
Tabulate Her Many
Descendants.
Feels Young and Expects
to Live Many More
Years.

TN AN old-fashioned country home
near Tenleytown. surrounded by a
1 garden and a splendid growth OF
towering rose bushes, nesting be-
mind hills sown with sweet-scented
clover and timothy. and undisturbed as
yet by the rapid growth OF the city S
streets and buildings, lives Mrs. Alice
Queen, ninety-eight years old, the
mother. grandmother, great-grandmother
and great grandmother Of des-
EendaIls SO numerous and increasing
SO rapidly that it took four members
OF her family hours to properly tabulate
them. Even now the four express fear
that they have overlooked number of
Them.
OF children. grandchildren. great
grandchildren and great-grent-grand-
children, as far as she and her Off
spring are able to discover, there have
been 2o4- The living Of these. Of which
the oldest is now seventy-three, are at
least 153
"A Times reporter found this remark
able woman sitting on the wide piazza
Of her old-fashionsd house. II IS her
custom 10 spend many hours In this
shady corner these warm days quietly
enjoying as ii were the secrst of eter-
nal youth. From her place Of vantage
she watches over her numerous progeny
and descendants, noting carefully their
comings and goings, giving advice. al
ways shrewd and to the point, and
backed up with the experience OF years,
giving sympathy to those that need it,
and giving love 10 ali.
The Washington times., 1905-06-04
1 Mother to Them All.

She has been a mother 10 them all
in turn. even down TO the fifth genera
ton. and absolute mistress over their
lives. Fer She is a woman Of much
force of character and has always been
looked up to as the head OF the house.
her husband having died many years
ago. She is familiar with the daily
habits of each and every one of her
huge family, the clothes they wear, the
money they earn and spend. She does
not allow her grandsons or her great
grandsons TO drink, smoke, or stay out
late at night. Her granddaughters and
great-gFanddaughter may remain away
from her but a short time without CIV
ing an account of themselves.
When The Times reporter called upon
her he found her IN her usual comfort
able seat on the veranda. talking to her
grandson. Dorsey Queen; her grand
daughters, Mrs. Grigsby and Mrs.
Harry. and surrounded by q number OF
her great-grandchildren. It was lfrs.
Queen who welcomed him to her home
first. When she discovered his mission
she seemed greatly amused She took
the matter much more TRANQUILITY than
the rest OF her family.
"Wiil I let you take my photograph
and write me up?" she asked. Ger
tainly. IL you like There is no harm
in photograph. and II the people want
to know of me I am quite willing they
should. I beiieve I am rather old and
my family is q rather remarkable one
It was in this remark, as in other
things this wonderful old lady showed
the strength of her mind and charHc-
ter. The timidity of the others over
what seemed trying ordeal vanished
at once.
The Washington times., 1905-06-04

passed by that Of any OF her grand
children, clever though they may be.
She has no choice between the old days
and the new. but thinks that each has
its good points. But she does believe
that the people Of former generations
had stronger minds. better habits. and
did not grow worIdly-wfse too soon.
as SO many young persons do today.
In face. she explains her own youth
fuIness at such an advanced age b.
the fact that she remained a girl a len5
tine leading a simple and quiet life. she
firmly believes that the world moves too
rapidly today and that. though she her
self is able TO keep pace with It, it is
entirely too fast for the younger mem
bers Of the family,
They worry too much said Mrs.
Queen. II have worried. too, but al
ways for others, not myself.
The Washington times., 1905-06-04
Expects to Live Years Longer.


'T certainly do feel young" said Mrs.
Queen, "and If your readers wish TO
know how long will live. just tell them
1t Will be another fifty years, or at least
until I hold one OF the sixth generation
on my knee" And she laughed.
She will live until that time, too,"
said the grandson. ''and she viii treat
the sixth generation just as strictly as
she has treated US. We all depend upon
her so much that we often wonder what
will become of us when she is gone
Rightly. too" said the grandmother,
with note of gcorn In her voice, be
cause you do not know how to live. 1t
takes the old folks TO teach YOU
The snow-white head shook slightly as
she made this emphatic assertion. She
did not say that she thought young
people are much too accustomed 10
think that they know everything uneer
the sun, but she left the impression that
she had spent much time convincing two
hundred and odd boys and girls that
there were many things they did not
know Mrs, Queen looks twenty, even
thirty. years younger than she really is.
Her hair. which has been white for
many years. Is growing thin over the
temples. and there are scores OF wrinkles
in her fine old face. Her slate-blue eyes,
uncovered by glasses or spectacles, are
bright and quick. Little that goes on
about her escapes her keen glances.
Perhaps it Is her mouth that betrays her
true character more than any other fea-
ture 1t is a large, kind. humorous
mouth, showing, too, much strength of
character She is neither very tall nor
very short A slight stoop. the result
of the last few years, is the only clue to
her great age.
The Washington times., 1905-06-04
A Family Reunion

Notwithstanding her fears for the
present generation. II appears that her
line will not suffer as the years go by
The rapidfty in the increase In the fam
ily is certainly keeping pace with the
age. Many of the grandsons and grand-
daughters have large FAMILIES, and even
the great-grandsens and great-gTand-
daughters are not far behind In fact,
as Mrs. Queen humorousIy remarked,
the babies are being born into the world
more quickly than she can count them
There has never been reunion or the
Queen family, or rather that branch OK
Il of which Mrs. Queen Is the progeni-
tor. Perhaps because Of the very NUM-
Der Of her descendants such an under
taking as rounding them all into the
same house has not been attempted.
Some of them meet every year. on
Christmas or some other holiday. Usual
ly there is talk Of q big reunion but 50
far nothing has come OF It
mo house would be large enough ses
hold us au," the old lady remarked.
.and when the reunion does occur wa
win have TO hire hall big enough fos
all. We are waiting until we can afford
It. But 1t will come in the next Efsy
years. I am sure. maybe after I have
held & child of the sixth generation on
my knee.
The Washington times., 1905-06-04
..First. Of Second Dozen.n

Alice Paxton, afterward Mrs. Queen,
was born September IS. 1907, in En-
mitsburg. Frederick county. Md.
ours was a large family" said
Mrs. Queen. But those were the days
Of large families. I remember a story
which was told of an aunt OF mine that
lived IN New England, and reared a
large family. Her husband was a
lawyer. and when a judge OF that circuit
stopped at their house for a nights
lodging he found my aunt IN the gar
den with a small baby in her arms.
Seeing the pretty young woman a
flush on her face and graceful as a
girl. and wishing to compliment her.
the judge congratulated her on her
fine baby and by chance said:
your first, Madam
1.-THE first. yes my aunt laughed
The Washington times., 1905-06-04
Too Much Worry Now.

Mrs. Queen was brought up strictly
and according to the ideas of the old
Methodist church. She vas never al
lowed to dance or do many OF the
things which her own daughters and
at-granddaughters have done. But
she was broad-fninded enough TO see that
merely because she had not done certain
things those things were not necessarily
bad.
Her life is not by any means center
ed IN the past alcne. Her mind has
kept young with each succeeding gener-
alton, and she has a fund Of common
sense, wit and humor. that is not sur
The Washington times., 1905-06-04


and blushed. and added. OF the second
Dozen.
When she was only nine years old
Mrs. Queens father and mother
moved TO the District OF Columbia and
settled on a farm not far from her
present home. She remembers the
events OF those days atsnos. as well
as she does those of the past year.
Her father was drafted for the army
In the war of 1872, but he was unable
to go TO the front because his wife
and young children demanded all his
care. But Mrs. Queen remembers dis
tinctlg the march of the United States
troops past her fathers house on the
old Baltimore pike during this war,
and how she was thrilled by the sight,
and how occasionally a tired soldier
would stop to ask for q drink of wa
ter
The Washington times., 1905-06-04

of its interesting early social and pollt-
Girls outlived Boys.

C1ItS OuLiiFed Boys
While still d young girl Alice Paxton
married EIectarus Queen, a young Iafgn-
er living near her home. It was a aap-
py marriage and for years the Queens
he'd q qEiet happy life IN the country
Eight children were born of the union,
four boys and four girls. It is a strange
fact that today all of those boys are
dead while the girls, old women now, are
still alive. Mrs. Queen has ontIved her
husband by twenty years, the che regret
she has III her long life. Not that she
wishes she were dead for she is a most
optimistic soul and expects to live for
many a year longer, but she is sorry
when she thinks that her husband is not
here too.
It was Immediately after their last
sons death that Mr.. Queen died. He
had often declared that he would not
survive his SONS. The fot.r living daugh-
tiers are Mrs Emily burroughs, Mrs
Anne stau6, Mrs. Sarah Harry, and Mrs.
Roma Barnes. Mrs. Harry is now living
with her mother.
Mrs. Queen is not the only member of
the Paxton family who is long lived.
Two of her numerous brothers, both
well on toward ninety years of age, are
living in Tenleytown today, and still
take an active interest IN business.
They are Thomas and Joseph Paxton.
Strange as IT may seem, out of Mrs.
Queens two hundred descendants few,
II any. have taken to the professions or
have entered the army or navy. Nearly
all of the men of the family nave stuck
to farming In Maryland or Virginia
Mrs Queen spoke as IL she had taken
little or no interest IN the civil war.
Largely through her efforts her sons did
not enter either of the contending
armies, but stayed on the farm, Conse-
quentiy she feels no bitterness now. nor
did she lose. as so many other mothers
IN this section OF the country, q son or
a husband In the war.
The Washington times., 1905-06-04
Forced to Work His Way.


Cut off from family. placed upon his
uiettle and dependent upon himself en-
tirely. young Schurnan will work his
way In the world until he Is able to con-
centrate his energy upon study and win
recognition from his instructors IN the
university of which his father Is the
head.
The young fellows troubles COM
menced when first he entered his college
course at Cornell.
He found difficulty IN deyoting his
time to books, and was decidedly averse
tc digging" His scholarship dropped
accordingly. and he found trouble in
passing his examinations. His sopho-
more year found him more averse TO
work with his studies. Refusing co heed
the counsel and finally the orders OF his
father, he found himself hopeiessly
stranded in his work at the end of the
first term and no helping hand was ex-
tended TO guide him through the trou-
blesome examination work.
President EchIrmaH then determined
The Washington times., 1905-06-04
Active as a Girl.

Mrs. Queen is remarkable In more
ways than one. Her mind is as bright
as that of any Of her descendants; her
memory is even better than theirs;
and until recently. when, in chasing u
runaway granddaughter across the
fields. she slipped and fell, she was as
active on her feet as any OF her grand
children and never had a days sick
ness IN her life. She has never used
spectacles. and sees as clearly as the
best to thread a needle and sew. Suf-
fering from rheumat atism now as a result
The Washington times., 1905-06-04

of her recent fall, she refuses to take
what would be the first medicine fer
her. and defies her children boldly with
the statement that patience is the
best curative" Patience she must
have had all these years. to be the
splendid old lady she is. Meantime
she uses a cane.
The Washington times., 1905-06-04
IFS Hsts hNlps MuahtsrR
Maloaes Age 24Ea>s.

"Grandmother thinks she is a little
girl again." said her grandson, smiling,
And why not? She is younger and
has more sense than any of us to this
very day"
The Washington times., 1905-06-04
y y

which are brought hot from the molds.
Robert Schurman, Cornell '06, son Of
President Jacob Gould Schurman of the
university. is working with the most
common Of the workmen Of the shop to
earn a living.
President Schurman, his wife and
daughter. are travelling In Mexico, en-
3eying the ba1my South as though there
were no person in the world of the name
of Robert Schurman.
The Washington times., 1905-06-04
PRODIGAL HAS TO PLOD

to make an example OF his own. son. and
young Schurr1an was ousted from ths
university. He was further placed upon
his own resources by his hitherto Ienient
parent, He drifted about the country
for short time. then applied for a po-
slt1on at the Groton bridge works
He was inexperienced in very line Of
the WORK which lay before him, but
when offered q position at the very bot
tom Of the ladder, the need OF an honest
livelihood made It necessary to accept.
Since that time he has been subjected
to many privations and has subsfsted
upon his earnings or 70 cents q day.
Life apparently Is not one OF peaceful
dreaming for young Sehurnan now. The
ridicule of his companions over his mis-
takes and the drudgery OF his labor
makes the work more than ordinarily
disagreeablc.
Popular Among Workmen.
He is popular among the workmens
however. for his genial good-feliowship
and unselAsh disposition soon won
friends where financial support nisat
have promoted him to a position OF gen.
eral popularity. He has made many
friends among the social leaders OF the
little town. and Is bound to succeed. his
friends gay, despite his aversion TO
books.
Young Schurnan Is a member OF tbs
Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. He was ufl-
usually popular among the student pody
when IN the university. Although ne
never entered any lire of athletics. he
was prominent in class politics. His pre-
parntory school course was taken at the
ithaca High School. where he was
fraternity member and popular student.
Should he decide TO return to his home
with a determination 10 study, his for
giyeness is certain.
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-07-10

corded, and it appears salts
factory TO the Board thst said
deed has been mislaid or lost:
It is hereby resolved that the
County Clerk be and IS hereby
authorised and empowered to
issue a Quick-claim deed from
Villas County to the Fish Rior-
dan Land Co, it being the as
signee Of said Alexander Stewart
Lumber Co, reciting in the deed,
that it is made in pursuance Of
this resolution and in lieu Of the
deed formerly executed to Alex
ander Stewart Lumber Co. !.
Signed, John Radcliffe.
Dated this 23th day Of April,
1905,
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-07-10

OF section number Fifteen 10; the
northeast quarter of the northeast
quarter, the south one-half S. J. Of
the northeast quarter the west one
half w Of the northwest quarter,
the southeast quarter Of che northwest
quarter and the entire south one-half
S. j Of section number Sixteen IS;
the northwest quarter Of the south
west quarter, the northeast quarter Of
the southeast quarter Of section
lumber Twenty-four "a; the south
west quarter of the southwest quar-
ter Of section number twenty-five
20; the northwest quarter Of the
northwest quarter Of section number
Twenty-oight IS, in township mum
Der Forty 40 north, OF range NUM-
Der Six 80 East.
Dated sheriif's Office, Eagle River,
Wis, May rs, 1905.
JoHN Z. HANSON,
Sheriff Of Villas County, Wisconsin.
Sanborn, Lamoreux & Pray,
Ashland Wisconsin.
Attorneys for Plaintiff.
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-07-10
COUNTY B0ARD PROCEEDINGS.
Call For Special Meeting.

Cali For Special Meeting.
Continued from last week. !.
Upon motion of Supervisor
John Radcliffe Resolution No. 4
wes adopted.
RESOLUTION No. 4.
Resolution offered by Supervisor
sJohn Brogan.
Resolved by the County Board
of Supervisors Of Villas County,
that whereas it appears from the
records of the proceedings Of the
County Board that on June 1st,
1891, by Resolution No. 4 (page
&c of county board proceedings
the county board authorized the
sale OF, and sold to D E Riordan
all that piece or parcel Of land
lying between Lots 5 and 6 and
Eagle River, and recorded IN
volum 2 page 10, Villas county
records ard Lots No. s and 6 Of
Block No. 2 Of Frank Tamblings
second addition to the village Of
Eagle River, Villas County, Wis
consin, togeather with all the
certificates then held by thecoun-
ty; a Quick-claim deed Of the
property having been issued on
that date, and whereasit appears
tost1e satisfaction of this Board,
thatsaid deed was not recorded,
and that the same has been lost
or mislaid, and that certificate
No. 3O11, on sale 1899 is still in
t1b5;e 4tsatffs of the County treas
nrer;
Be it resolved that the County
Treasurer is hereby authorize d
to turn over said certificate 20.
b3)11 on sale 1899 to The County
Clerk and the County Clerk is
hereby authorized and empower
ed to issue a Quick-claiu deed to
the said D E Riordan and deliver
to him the said certificate onsale
1899.
This deed to be issued in lieu Of
the deed formerly issued to said
D E Riordan, under and by
virtue ot.said Resolution No. 4.
Signed. John Brogan.
Dated this 28th day of April,
1905.
On motion Of Supervisor John
Radcliffe, Resolution No. 5 was
unanimously adopted.
RESOLUTION No. 5.
Resolution offerrd by Super.
visor John Radcliffe.
RESOLVED, by the County
Board Of Supervisors Of Villas
County, that whereas it appears
by the land book and records IN
the Office of the County Clerk
that on June 8th, 1896, Villas
Comfy sold to Alexander Stew
art Lumber Company the west
tone-half of themorthwest quarter
of Section 6, Town 40 North Of
Range 10 East, and issued a deed
so said Company therefor,
And whereas it appears by TIE
Abstract ofabovedescribedl lands
that the said deed was not re-
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-07-10


Charles Chafee, being duly
sworn or oath, says that he IS
the agent OF Mable Rocker, who
is the owner Of The northeast
quarter Of the southeast quarter
Of Section Thirty-three, Town
ship Forty-ons North Range
Eight, East; and that from in
formation and belief, the said
description was assessed by the
assessor of the Town OF Arbor
Vitae for the year 1904, at eight
hundred ard Forty Dollars
{ $3.50. J and that the amount OF
tax levied thereon by the town
board OF said town of Arbor
Vitae was Thirty-one Dollars
and twenty-seven cents l$31.27),
And further from information
and betief, all Of the pine timber
and other merchantable timber
was cut and removed from said
description piror to the first day
of May 1901, And further he de-
poses and says that from infor-
nation and belief, the surround
ing lands at Forty Dollars So.
90, to-wit. Qns dollar per.
acre, and that The said Town
Board Of the Town 0 Ar5cl
Vitae levied a tax Of One dollar
and Forty-nine cents ($1.A9) on
each of said surrounding descriF-
tions in said Section Tllirty-three,
The said Deponent further asks
relief from the illegal tax on said
description and IS Wiling 20 pay
same tax as assessed and levied
on the lands surrounding said
description, as provided By Sec
ton 1910 6 Of the Revised Stat
utes Of Wisconsin.
Subscribed and sworn TO before
me, this 25th day Of February
1906. A P Rickmire,
Notary Public, Wis.
Notarial
Seal Of
A. P. r.
Continued next week.
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-07-10
"a DYER tise in The News.
First notice June 19--last July ~
NOTICE For PUBLICATION
Departn1ent OF tie TnterIQ

Land once at Wausau, wis, June IA,
named settlSe has fled notice OF his int
to make final proof in Support of his clair
thai said proof will be made before the
OF the Circuit Court at Eagle River, Wi
Aug Bird 1905, viz: John Radcliffe. Of
River, wisconsin, who. made hOmestea
try No. 1079l, for the NJ SEA & SEX
Sec. 25 Up. Al ~, z. II East.
He names the following witnesses TO
bis continuous residence upon and cult
OF said land, viz: James Langill, Fra
Murphy, Earl Richmond & Frank Walsh,
Eagle River Wisconsin.
JOHN w. Muller, RegiS
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-07-10

gEs OK WISCONSIN: IN CIRCUIT
4egIRI: Villas COUNTY:


FIalnLln,
VS.
James Tracy and Mrs. James Tracy,
his wife, Cora Y. CasseHly, Odgon Ii.
Hammond, Philip G. stration, A. G.
Stephenson and Mrs. A. G. Stephen
son, his wife, and John O'Day end
Mary O'Day, his wife.
Defendants.
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-07-10
OFFICIAL PROC o5 OF TE
TOWN BGsR1
Tune 9th 1906.

F0gtH E'-hh9
June 9Th 1905.
Town Board olsupervisors
met at the clerks Office. AL
members present. Meeting cali
ed TO order by chairman Rad
clife. Minutes Of ali previous
meetings not before approved,
read and by vote approved.
The following proposition was
submitted by Amos Radcliffe to
the board for their consideration
read and filed with the clerk.
To Town Board Town ofEagle
River.
Gentlemen
I herewith make q proposition
to build a cement side walk ia
the town Of Eagle River.
Commencing at cor. Of Wall
and r. r. Streets thence east on
north side Of street to corner of
Main and Wall streets. Walk
to be 8 feet wide also a curbing
SKIS entire length Of block.
Commencing at corner Of Main
and Wall streets thence north on
west side Of Main street to inter
section Of Maple street. Walk
to be five feet wide, said walk to
cost 13c per square foot and to
We 4 inches in thickness 311zincles
concrete and p inch dressing on
top coat curbing to be made Of
concrete and cost 19c per rals-
ming foot.
-,
s S,.. !.
= .
!
-
- ga go
: =
Where upon the following
resolution was unanimously
adopted by the board.
Resolved by the Town Boafd
Of sH9el. Tfsozs s. ths Town q
Eagle 2ig Villas Go1aty, WI
9as;a, that the proposition O
Amos Radcliffe ior birding q
cement sidewalk as specified il
Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-07-10

Get your ice OF Mart Hirzel, de-
Eered daily to private houses.