The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-09-15
PRESCRIBES WORK
TO LIVE LONG TIME
Mrs. Emeline Knowlton Learned Of St.
JOhnsbury Center Is a Living
Standardization Of Her
Claim.

llclANf
st. Johnsbury Center, sept. i5c-Mrs.
Emeline Knowlton Learned, for the past
n years resident Of this village and
with one exception the oldest person IN
town, observed to-day her ninety second
birthday. No arrangements were made
for celebrating The event, and she will
not vary the routine of the day, taking
the occasion as philosophically as though
ninety second birthday anniversaries
we're every day occurrences.
alrs. Learned was born in Dublin, N.
III, sept. 10. 1917. Her father and moth
Fl, Elisha and Hannah chamherlainl
Knowlton, belonged to families identified
with Dublin's earliest history. and lon.
gevity showed itself as Characteristic
Of many Of her ancestors, one Of them,
Mrs. Hannah Barrett, dying at the age
Of es She enjoyed the advantages Of
Dabtin's excellent school system.
At the age Of II she married John vii
sun Learned, also a descendant Of one
81 the town's pioneer families After
their marriage Mr. Learned came to this
place to engage in carpenter work and
be later sent for bic wife Il being be
fore the days Of the railroad in this
section, she made the trip from Dublin
IN q pung sleigh. bringing With her the
le.months-old daughter Two days were
consumed on the Journey and the night
was passed az an inn where Mrs. Learned
informed a questioner that her destina.
ton was 4 place about 40 miles this side
ol The Canadian line
On her arrival here she was installed
III a two-room frame house on what Is
known as Mount Pisgah, q house that
was occupied jointly BY the Learned
family and Mr. Learned's partner and
wife one room, the kitchen, also served
as workroom and bedroom for the
men, while the women occupied the 9th
En- They soon moved into more com
madious quarters "a the village, and since
that time Mrs. Learned has always lived
here
st. Johnsbury Center was 1T that time
the center Of the town, and disputed
with Lyndon Center, another relic, the
industrial supremacy Of northern Yer
mont The town hall was located here
and Their were saw mills, grist mills, 2
tannery. and various other industries.
Many Of The buildings nov standing at-
test the integrity and stability ef Mr,
Iearned's work Among them are the
Methodist church and several dwellings
on Water street which escaped the DEL
structive FIRE az s5 wears ago Hs also
built churches IN Sheffield. Burke, and
Barnet, and assisted in The work Of nov
ing The Old town hall and westinghouse,
the centennial Of the completion Of
which was celebrated Sept 2, 70 its
present site
Of ten children born to Alr. and Mrs.
Learned five are now living They are
Mass, aged nj James Learned, 90, Mrs.
Helen Hurd, IS, Sidney Learned 85 Mrs
Ida Brewer SO, all 81 this place Mr.
Learned died ten years ago d The adj
vaneed age Of o.
Mrs Learned ia remarkably we'll pre-
served for one Of her years. She hears
as web as she ever did and seldom wears
glasses She has an excellent memory
and Is an interesting eonversationalist,
although somewhat reserved. She Is
charter member of Wide Awake grange
and often attends the meetings.
Hard work Is the formula she sug.
gests AZ & means to i ripe DID age. ana
she seems TO have had her share. As a
girl she braided palm leaf hats. woye
carpets and made gloves in a Iittleton
factory, and even now she is never idle,
as countless rugs, quilts and slumbsr
robes win show Mrs Hurd is her
companion and although an IN.
tercstinR story or piece Of work coca
sionally keeps them busy until 2 or 3
o'clock in the morning, 8 o'clock Is sure
to find them up and stirring