The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1909-11-10
.ALVL WOMAN REACHES
THE CENTURY MARK
Was Twenty Years Old When
the First Railway
e,Fa Was Built

Alva. Okla. Nov. 70. Celebrating
one 1e0th birthday is the unusual
event that occurred At the home 81
Mr. J A McClEfe AZ Alva. wien his
mother. Mrs. Martha Mcclure
reached the century number Sunday,
October q Il is the first time in
the history Of the state when such
an event has been recorded. Sur
rounded by her children and grand
children. and other relatives. she en-
loyed reunion that was unique.
There is probably no other person
living in TIE state who is 100 years
old
For several years this remarkable
woman has been making her home in
this city with her son and daughters
Al her extreme age she is in posses
sion Of all her faculties and is ven
preserved
Martha Steele, that was her maia-
en- name was born In Green county.
Pa. in the most southern part OF
the state Her father. John Steele.
was bern in tie valley of Virginia in
1863 and died in 1861. Her mother.
Mary Hemphill, was born In Ireland
IN 1852 and both aged about 90 wears
when they died Her husband. John
Mcclure. was born in 1872. and they
were married May "a. 1885. In Green
county Pa. On that same day
Queen Xirctoria celebrated her 18th
hir hday. Mrs McClure's husband
died March "a. 1874 Mrs. Mcclure
never remarked
First Train Ride at 81
Mrs. Mcclure was 20 years old
when the first railroad in America
was built. but she never rode on a
train until six years ago, when she
made -cr frs; trip to Alya Her
daughter relates that when crossing
a beautiful stream in Ohio. she asked
the name of the river. and being told
that 1t was the Muskingum, she was
reminded OF many stories of pioneers
who had settled in this valley at an
ea.ly day and Of theif many strug.
giles with the Indians The Indians
had been driven from Green county
before her birbl, but she remembers
many stories of massacre and piilage
That she heard from her parents and
ether early settlers.
Mrs Mcclure knows much of the
early history Cf the country. and
has kept we'll informed ON political
affairs OF the country. She thinks
MIS- Hayes the best woman who ev-
pr sraced the White House because
sbe banished wine from the banquets
she has lived through the most re
narkable century In the history of
he world When she was child the
continent Of Europe was one great
battlefield, with Napoleon Bonaparte
he central figure. Queen Victoria
u England, who ruled that empire I
onger than any other monarch, was
born, lived long and useful life and +
lied during the lifetime OF Mrs. Nc /
.lure, All the wars in which the F
United States has been engaged, with !
he exception of the Revolutionary
var, have been fought SINCE she was
born
She was married before the TALL of I
he Alamo and had passed more than /
lalf the allotted space OF human lie
before the Mexican war, and the IA. 4.
nous charge OF the Light Brigade. iu n
he Crimean war. occurred the day 4
ollowng her i5th birthday
The millions Of men who took part
y The CIVIL war, on eitaer side. we're
'rrn years after her Lincoln was
lofn IN The same year Grant Sher
nan ana Sheridan years afterward
Jefferson Davis the year before, Gen
'tal Lee nearly three years before
he WAS born
Mrs Mcclure has been close
eador OF the Bible.