The Washington times., 1908-05-10
LONG-LIVED PEOPLE
IN ALL COUNTRIES
Longevity Is Always Found
Everywhere Among
Civilized Man.
Story Of Bengalese, Who
Lived to Be go
Years Old.

proved in the proportion in which
mans time on earth seems to have been
reduced2 From the high mark set by
Methuselum, down the centuries until
today when 100 years seems a remark
ably long existence. many curious and
remarkable cases Of longevity are re-
corded These examples establish no
rule. Thus 9. mother of thirty-seven
children attains the age Of 100, a hus-
band and wife live happily in rnatri-
mouy for rs years. and a spinster at
fains the age Of us.
Before Noah ruled the waves with the
flagship Ark the peoples Of the earth
were so scarce that they often remained
on this sphere 20 entertain one another
for 500 20 600 years. In .he next sue
ceeding centuries the age limit seems 70
have been materially reduced, although
shem tarried with his fellows some 500
years. But from this time the reduc-
ton in human attainment Of years
seems to have been continual broken
only by the hold assertion OF Portu-
guese author who alleges that in 1866 a
native OF Bengal. whom he introduces
as Numas Cugna. died at the age OF $40.
Climate influences seem to play little
part in pursuing the science Of long
ev1ty. Pliny records that in the year
17I6 in levying a tax upon the people Of
sunny Italy it appeared that there lived
in the country between the Apprentices
and the River Pc fifty-four persons
aged 100, ffty-seven aged 10. two 10.
four 135. and three I40 years each
About the same time. or in 1853, a CEN
sus Of the inhabitants Of Aggerhus in
chilly Norway. showed $50 couples ma
RED eighty years, seventy couples mar
RED ninety years, twelve pairs married
from 100 to 105 years, and one couple liv-
ing as man and wife for no years.
Advocates of Long Ago.
Some Of our venerable ancestors were
firm advocates OF the anu-race suicide
doctrine. Ir 176S Mary Prescott. "a resi-
dent Of Sussex. England. died at the
age OF 105 and was mOurned by thirty
seven children. In 1902 Francis HonEo.
Tor many years consul for the Venetians
IN Smyrna. died at the age Of 113. Il is
said he walked eight miles every DAY
and for many years subsidized on broth.
He married but FIVE times and was the
proud father Of fOrty-nine children. At
the age Of 100 he lost all his white hair,
and the new crop was Of the original
color The historian tells us that ct
the age of IL he cut two teeth.
James Gay (happily named) died IN
Bordeaux, France, In 1712, at the 81 90 of
only 1m, and still found time to marry
sixteen wives. Yet he died childleSs,
Margaret Mcdowell, a Scotch woman.
died In l16S at the az" Of l06 after sur
viving the unfortunate number OF thir-
teen husbands. In striking contrast IS
The career OF Mrs. Agnes Skinner, who
died in England In 1893 y the age of 10.
after a single widOwhOJd Of ninety-twO
years
a most remarkable case is that re-
corded in Poland of Margaret krSy-
siowna. who died in 1853 at the age Of
los. At ninety-tour she married her
third husband. SIaspa I'd RaykOlt. then
q bashful sutton Of To-. His father mad
just died at the age RI 10. During the
kept house there were born TO them
TWO boys and one girl, all three Of whom
had white hair in infancy, and none
could ever chew solid food.
John Tice. hearing of the sudden
death Of a friend. in 1774. dropped dead
from shock at the age Of 125- When SO
he broke both legs and at the age Of
100 he was horribly burned by falling
into an open fire place. but these shocks
did not seriously affect him.
Old Time Profitable Risk.
Probably the most profitable risk ever
carried by an insurance company was
upon the life Of Jacob w. Luning. who
hook out a policy in the Equitable As
surance Society Of LOnCon in 1903 when
quite young man. He died at the age
of 100. and his heirs collected 81, 900 from
the company.
Many cases are cited Of the attain
ment OF longevity ranging from 100
years to that OF Peter Tartan. Hun
garian. said to have died at 1S5. Few
can be sustained by undeniabie proof
Authorities claim that the falling mem
DRY of many aged people often lead them
10 unintended deception while the claims
of many aged negroes are said to be
founded on vanity or the uncertainties
Of birth dates caused by the shifting
about OF slaves in the days before the
civil war.
Henry Jenkins. an E,nglishman who
died AT the ripe age of 169 in 1910. WIS
produced in court as a witness at the
age of 15T. Placed under oath he was
cautioned by the judge to be accurately
truthful in all things, especially as TO
his age. Jenkins at once produced two
witnesses. each over eighty years old,
who testified that when they were boys
jenkins was an old, gray-headed man.
James Sands of StaffordShire. Eng
land is Teputed to have lived 10 years.
and his wife 100. As proof it is record
cd that he outlived five leases Of TWEEN
ty-one years each m.-Ie out 10 him
after marriage
Probably the most startling oldest
inhabitant'' story is that concerning Mr..
and Mrs. John ROvin, both of whom
died I'm the place Of their birth Temes-
war. Hungary, ir l4l; ne aged 172 and
she 164 Their married life covered las
wears and at thcir death they left an
infant orphan aged 116.
Notable for Longevity.
Thomas Parr. who died in London in
1885 at the age OF 152, is notable not only
fer his longevity, but also for that OF
his descendants. Parr lies buried in
Westminster Abbey. He worked his
farm at the age of $50 and married for
tho second time at the ge Of 122. Rob
ert Parr. a great-grandson, died in
Shropshire in 1757 at the age of 12A His
father lived to be 100 and his grand
father 113. John Newell died in 116l.
aged I27, md John MichaelsOn. aged II.
also died in 1855. Both were grandsons
Of Thorlas Parr.
Necessity for the application OF the
pension system is found IN the lives OF
the Rev. Mr.. Braithxaite, Of Carlisle.
England who served one cathedral for
I'D years and Robert Robertson. of Ed
inhurgh. who died in 1873 at the age Of
~. after being Inspector in lead
works for 100 years. Marie Mallet. a
French woman and a dressmaker. re
tired from business Al the age or 10
and died Eve years later.