The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-04-14
Welded 100 YEARS
BOTH STILL HEARTY
EMPEROR FRANCIS JOSEPH,
WHO VERIFIED DATES, PEN.
SIONS WORLDS MOST WON
DEREUI COUPLE HAVE
OVER 1900 DESCENDANTS,
ONE A GREAT-GREAT-GREAT.
T-GRANDCHluD.


BERLIN, April 14.--wedded in
1903 and bride and bridegroom still
alive!
This, the most remarkable mar
ried couple in all the world. have
just celebrated their hundredth
matrimonial anniversary in the
village Of Isombolg, Hungary.
The Emperor Francis Joseph sent
a congratulatory message and q
present of money, which was
handel out to husband and wife
by the local officials, and many
other presents have poured in from
persons interested in the couple.
The long welded couple are
named Szarthmari. The village rec
ords still contain authentic entries
relating to their births and mar
riage. The husband was born
March 2, 1888, and the wife Feb. IL,
1892. Their marriage took place at
the village church in March, 1908.
Szarthmari lived and worked as
a farmer until he retired at the age
of 80, when he handed over the
management Of the farm to one of
his great-grandsons. When he
reached his hundredth birthday, 20
years ago, several residents OF
Isombolg appealed to Emperor
Francis Joseph to grant the old
man pension for the remainder of
his life in order that he should be
rendered Independent CT his rela-
tives and descendants, such de-
penence being repulsive TO him.
The emperor sent an agent to lsOm-
bolg to examine the official regis
tiers and find out whether Szathma-
ri was really as old as was stated.
The records being verified, the en-
peror granted Szathmari an annual
pension Of $500. Four years later,
hundreth birthday, she, too, was
| granted a pension of 800 dollars
per annum.
| The first child was born in 1909,
and the first grandchild in 1880.
Two sons are still living, one be-
ing SO and the other so years OF
age. Ten other children are dead.
Altogether the aged couple have
had more than 80 grandchildren,
more than 400 great-grandchildren,
and more than 1000 great-great-
grandchildren. There are also
great-great-great-g grandchildren, one
great-great-great great grandchild
alive
Their descendants have gone
| forth from the remote village into
all parts of the world. Great-grand-
children and younger descendants
are living in various parts of Amer
lea, including Cleveland, Cincinnati,
ST. Louis, San Francisco, Los An
geles, Chicago, Milwaukee and LOU
isville. Other descendants are in
Australia, but the majority have
continued to live IN Hungary.
| Neither Szathmari nor his wife
has ever been far away from their
home at Isambolg. which has a
population of 1900 people. Neither
of them has ever set foot in city.
The extent of their travels has
been a distance of 40 or so. miles
in the surrounding agricultural
country.
The aged couple now live in a
fourroomed cottage and two OF
their Observation-Disclosures live
with them and watch over their
needs. Szathmari is deaf and al
most blind, but otherwise compare
lively hale and hearty. He wears
the old-time Hungarian national
costume, consisting of long coat
which reaches to the knees, mot
ley waistcoat Of many colors, an
embroidered belt, knee breeches
and wooden stockings.
He can walk about alone, sup
porting himself with stout stick.
He drinks three or four glasses OF
heavy Hungarian wine every day,
and smokes his pipe almost inces-
sanity from morning till night. His
wife is also deaf, but otherwise she
is in good health. Both of them en-
JOY a hearty meal, and both delight
to see their descendants around
them