The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1911-02-10
ELEVEN YEARS OVER
THE CENTURY MARK
WALKS THE Streets
REMARKABLE AGE REACHED 81
A VISITOR TO COLUMBIA
TODAY.
LIVED IN THREE CENTURIES
Joseph Fry Was Born In Russia Poi
and Before the Battle of Auster litz
Was Fought and lie Old Enough to
Remember NapoIeon's Retreat.

A man walking the streets of Co
lumbia, hale and hearty at the age Of
Ill years is not an every day occur
renee. In fact it is so unusual thai
when it was noised about that there
was such a person in town today not
little excitement prevailed amons
the citizens and there were many anx
ious watchers, and when a Herald
man returned from an interview with
Joseph Fry, Of Roanoke, Va, there
were several who were anxious to
know the particulars, but true to
newspaper instincts the reporter held
back this vast store of information to
be uncorked only to the readers
through the natural channels the
news columns.
Joseph Fry, of Ronoake, Va, and
his son, Harry Fry, of New York, are
here as the guests of Mr. and Mrs.
A. Samuels and family Mr.. Fry has
passed his 111th birthday and looks
as hale and hearty as a man of sew
enty. He is comparatively active
and moves with perfect alacrity. This
is the first visit to Columbia by Mr..
Fry in twenty-seven years or more
and then he visited his daughters,
Mrs Leon Strevensky, whose hus-
band was then engaged in the PRO
duce business here; and another
daughter, Mrs Nose Ephrams, whose
husband was engaged in the dry
goods business He was great friend
of Moses Samuels, father of A. Sam.
uels.
Mr.. Fry's mind is quite active and
his memory fertile. He talks with in
terest and has vast store of history.
He stated today that he was born in
Russia, Poland, In 1900, and twenty
years later he went to Hungary,
where he remained for four years,
leaving when the war broke out He
went from Hungary to London and
from there to Hamburg and Later to
New York, landing in this country
at the age of twenty-eight Two
years after he was married. From
this marriage seven children were
born, two sons and five daughters.
After remaining in New York for sew.
eral years and engaging in his trade,
that of tailoring, Mr.. Fry came to
Nashville where he lost his wife in
1866 during the cholera scourge..
In 1858 naturalization papers were !
delivered to Mr.. Fry. The case was |
.ried before Judge Nathaniel Baxter. |
And few days ago while Mr.. Fry
vas in Nashville he called at the Of
Ice of the clerk of the court and had
new copy of the naturalization pa
,ers drawn, as the original was al
QO5C WOIu OUT
In 1867 he was married again to
Hiss Amelia Bromberger, of Nash
lille, and from that marriage eleven
hildren were born. His second wife
) still living. Most Of the children
orn to the second marriage are dead.
Soon after the close of the civil
yar Mr. Fry went to Hopkinsville,
~, where he engaged in the tailor
ng business for many years He is
harter member of Evergreen Lodge
I X. P.'s at Hopkinsville, Is also
member of the A. o. u. w. and the
o. B. B. He bears the distinction
# being the oldest living Knights
4 Pythias, so far as known, having
oined the order in 1870. For num-
Ter of years he was the head Of the
Jewish services at Hopkinsville, at
ending all the burial services.