The Washington herald., 1909-03-07

Unto the third and fourth generation
Of those that love me and keep my COM
mandments." is a Biblical phrase always
interpreted as covering the greatest pos
sible allowance Of life that could be made
in one straight line 10 the members Of
any family. But the longevity Of the
present day is not TO be limited by three
four. or even five generations, for in
stances actually exist Of where six gen
erations have been permitted in the di-
rect line and there are on record a num-
Der of cases Of FIVE From what Dr.
Osler and others who have treated the
subject OF age had permitted 10 be in
ferred from their researches, mans al
lotted span of life is shortening. but the
instances that can be multiplied with
some little search hardly bear out this
idea, says the Springfield Union.
For instance take the case Of little
George De Wees, Of Philadelphia He has
five grandmothers. which pretty nearly
establishes a worlds record. Little
George. who is now three years old, is the
son of Mrs. II. De Wees. Mrs. L. De
Wees and Mrs. &. Greger are the mothers
of Georges parents. Mrs. Sturm is the
mother Of Mrs. Greger, and Mrs. Race
and Mrs. p. 4. De Wees are respectively
the mothers OF Mr.. and Mrs. l. De Wees.
OF course, 10 be exactly literal. there are
only two actual grandmotheTs. the three
others being great-grandmOthers, but
they are all Just as fond OF their little
relative as though only two generations
stood between them and him. and there
never need be any occasion for this
youngster 10 want for candies and pres
ents while he remains as well blessed in
ancestors as he is at present
But even this noteworthy record is sur
passed by a family in Wilmington. Del,
where an actually authenticated case
exists Of six generations At the head OF
thi4 long and wonderful line is Mrs. Anna
Pass. who has just celebrated her 1O0th
birthday. On the occasion when she at
tanned this notable age was taken a
photograph. which will he historic among
those who study vital statistics for it is
one Of the few that shows the existence Of
six generations. Seated on the arm OF
the old lady's chair IS Gletas Finnan.
fifteen months old, her great
grandchild To the right of the younEster
is Mrs. Elizabeth David. daughter OF the
centenarian. To the left Of the old lady
IS Mrs. Anna Sayers, the granddaughter
Standing in the rear is Mrs Lucy Nc
Dade. a great granddaughter. and behind
the baby Is Mrs. Gletas Finnan. a great
at-granddaughter.
Mrs. Pass has retained to most re-
ma-kable degree her memory. and can
recall incidents which happened in the
first quarter OF the last century. She
rn-ra.F - 81
United States In 1894. which is not sur
Drising considering that at the time she
was A girl Of seventeen, and the great
rejoicing IN honor Of the eminent French
man who had been the friend Of the
colonies In the midst OF their struggle for
freedom, was Of a kind calculated to
make deep impression on any mind.
Mrs. Pass also recalls wildly the trial OF
the first steam railroad that ever ran In
the New World, and can tell about the
inauguration 10 the Presidency Of John
Quincy Adams. an event which she saw.
Amazing as is this case OF six genera
tions, there is at least a chance that II
will be equaled by one Of the famous
long-lived Kaufman or Kaufman fam
lies Of Pennsylvania. The first of these
ileio rs uottt tl T1lEuSplIe. and the head
Of the line, Benjamin S Kaufman. is
now only eighty years old. and Is such
a fine and hale old citizen that there is
no reason why he should not go along
for score Of years more to give one OF
his -great-grandchildren a chance
20 add one more protest against race sui
eide to the family record. and bringing
the total up 10 six in 2 straight line. Mr.
Kaufman is believed to be one Of the
youngest great-great-grandfath In the
country. Certainly il is hard to think
that any Of them are more full of life
and health and energy than he is, for he
works every day, and is a power in the
community he represents. He married
when he was twenty years old. and his
son is David L. Kaufman. a member
OF the Dauphin County bar
His only daughter. Annie Kaufman
when seventeen years old, married DaviC
Beinhour, OF York Haven. His grand
daughter. Minnie Beinhour, al the age Of
seventeen. married William Diffenderfer
Of New Market. and his great grand
daughter. Alma Dtnenderfer al the age
Of seventeen became the wife Of Robert