The Salt Lake herald-Republican. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1909-1918, 1910-05-02
MRS. RUTH ENSIGN
NINETY YEARS OLD
Pioneer of Utah Receives Host
of Friends On Her Birth
day Anniversary.
NO NEED FOR GLASSES
ASCRIBES LONGEVITY TO HARD
WORK AND RIGHT LIVING.

Seated in an armchair in the parlor
of the home of her nephew, A. H KEEL
son, at S2S East Second South street,
Mrs. Ruth Ensign, as sprightly as
shook hands with several hundred rela-
tives, friends and well-wishers, who
called to congratulate her on the nine
tieth anniversary of her birth. The
tors kindly, the majority of whom she
called by name. All day the visitors
swarmed through the front gate and
into the neat little brick cottage, and
late in the evening, after the last one
had departed, Mrs. Ensign declared she
was not tired in the least.
Mrs. Ensign makes her home with
her grandson, Henry B. Ensign, at So
South Fifth West street. but in order
to better meet her friends she con-
scented to be taken in an automobile
to the home of Mr. Kelson, where she
will remain for q few days.
The front parlor of the Kelson home
had been tastefully decorated with
mayflowers and carnations, the former
being the favorite flower OF the elderly
woman during her girlhood days in
England.
Has Excellent Memory.
Yesterday she talked with her rela
tives and friends, not only of times
gone by, but of the present day occur
rences. When diScu ssion arose, or
bit of gossip was related, like the
marriage of a friend Mrs. Ensign took
just as active an interest, and Joined in
the discussion just as animatedly and
freely as the younger folk.
Although she is ninety years of age,
Mrs. Ensign declares that she has never
in all those years had a serious Illness
and one can easily believe this by a
rugged form-Only slightly bent-and
the clearness of her large blue eyes.
Furthermore, her eyesight is better
than that of many d person half her
and she has M ola
only when reading fine print
In recounting some of the expert
ences of her long life. Mrs. Ensign dis
played a marvellous memory. She
talked of things and events of the long
ago with as much freedom and such
little apparent effort as to make one
marvel.
Born in England.
Born on May 1, 1920, in the little
Keison spent the first thirty-seven
years of her life among her people
Then she resolved to go to America.
and becoming converted to the Nor
mon faith, Joined the party that sailed
on the George Washington" After a
voyage of three weeks and three days
the party landed in Boston. and thence
where the start for Salt Lake was
made 1t was handcart company that
Mrs. Ensign Joined at Council Bluffs,
and Israel Evans was the captain. She
arrived here September IL, 1857, and
has resided in Salt Lake ever since.
She was married to Samuel Ensign,
who came to Salt Lake in 1S47, being
his second wife. Since 1885. when her
husband was killed by fall from the
Temple. then in course of construction
Mrs. Ensign has lived with different
members of her family.
Her two brothers, John H and Will
liam j. kelSon, who arrived in Salt
Lake several years subsequent to Mrs.
Ensign's arrival, are both living in Salt
Lake, and are II and 20 years of age,
respectively. Mrs. Ensign had one
daughter, who died in 1889. Mrs En-
sign attributes her longevity to hard
work, right living and abstinence from
tea or coffee. All she drinks, she says,
is little water and milk.