The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-01-05
DANCED WITH LAFAYETTE.
Montgomery's Oldest Resident Was
Born in South Carolina.


*sone "a memc:y Of the pioneer days
When the nation was young, when La
Fayette trod the minuette in Mont
,. gomery to the plaudits of long gone
generations. has vanished-the leng-
\ tiened span Of 4 beautiful life passes
from the vision of the world in the
death Of Montgomery'S oldest resi-
dent, Mrs. James Fountain.
At los o'clock Tuesday morning,
at the residence Of her son-in-law, Oh
Madison avenue. Mrs Fountain died,
after an illness of week. From the
inception of the last indisposition it
was recognized as serious, and when,
at midnight Monday, she lost coll
sciousness, all hope Of her recovery
was given up.
Mrs. James Fountain was reverent-
. ly known to practically every resi-
dent Of long standing Of Montgomery.
A reminder Of the stateliness Of an
other century she has lived among
them as far back as they can remam-
ber, and there is not one but who suf
fers a personal loss, but who realizes
that something is gone from the life
Of Montgomery.
1t was long ago, in the spring OF
1913, when child was born to James
and Susan Thompson, the first Of
their union, at Wellington, S. c. To
the aboriginal world, just awakening
from the spell Of barbarity, Luncin-
da Susan Thompson thus came, and
it was through such that she Journey
ed in 1919 with her parents to the
roughly formed oasis in the wider
ness, the New Philadelphia that is
now Montgomery.
Comes to Montgomery.
In a rude log cabin the family SET
tied, situated on a spot that now
marks the course of Madison avenue,
and it was here, and at a subsequent
residence on Dexter avenue, that Lu-
cinda Thompson lived to see Mont
gomery arise, house after house,
from the settlement in the clearing
to the city of today. It was here, and
within a short radius, that she has
lived 95 years, married to James
. Fountain, reared children, lived to
: see them grow into men and women,
lived to see her grandchildren, and
their children after them, toddle as
infants, grow into adolescence and
then to maturity.
5 During her early life in Montgom-
cry, she received an education, ac-
! cording to the advantages Of early
Alabama And it was just after her
school days, which she left behind at
the age Of II, that one of the dearest
Of her recollections found shape, her
part in the ball given to the Marquis
Lafayette upon the occasion of his
visit to Montgomery in 1926.
It was at an old tavern on what is
now the corner of Tallapoosa and
Commerce streets that the great ev-
ent occurred, and at the ball Lucinda
Thompson served as flower girl.
when the Sons Of the American Re-
volution 50 years afterwards in the
hall Of the house Of representatives
on Capitol hill unveiled a bronze tab
: let eommemorating the visit Of the
noble Frerohman and patriot, Mrs.
James Fountain, the Lucinda Thomp-
son Of 1926, was present, and was
accorded tribute that was not over
shadowed by the patriotic enthusiasm
that greeted the recollections of La
Fayette.
~ Her Marriage.
In 1887 Luncinda Thompson was
married to James Fountain, a maker
!, of carriages. The couple settled with
In a short distance of Mrs. Foun-
J tain's youthful home where thev iv-
: ed. with the exception Of short trips,
for many years. Mr.. Fountain died
in 1867.
-. During her married life Mrs.
Fountain passed through an exis-
tence that smacks of the most in
tense romance. Through the tragedy
of nearby Indian wars, in which her
husband played a prominent part,
through the period Of the secession
and the War Between the States
the course e her life conducted her.
The last war was especially fruitful
in excitement to her with the rest OF
Montgomery's residents. and many