Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-02-15
SHENANDOAH REsIpENr iNiTtAT.
Ed INTO LODGE ON ONE HUN.
pREprH BIRTHDAY.
REMARKABLE OLD MAN HAS
INTERESTING LIFE STORY
Twin Brother Died One Year Ago
Phipps Brothers Wers Oldest Twins
In Amsrica-.Speaks Interestingly on
the South Before the War-Acquaint-
cd With James and Younger Brothers
pecial to Times-Republican.

Phipps, who today celebrated his one
hundredth birthday by being initiated
into the local lodge Of the B. P. Q. f.,
was, in many respects, one Of the
youngest acting men in the lodge party.
The local lodge carried out quite an ex-
tensive program, the occasion being the
dedication of their handsome new Elks
building and hall. But the center OF
attraction, by reason Of his great age
and remarkable physical strength and
vigor, was Mr.. Phipps. Twitted about
his search after the mysterious at such
a late day in life. Mr.. Phipps smiled
and answered. We'll, they say they are
all good fellers, and that's my kind"
Oldest Twins IN America.
Mr.. Phipps is altogether a somewhat
rem arkable character. Up to one year
ago, when his twin brother. Eli, died,
they were the oldest twins living in
America. Born in Washington county,
Virginia, during Madisons administra-
tion, Uncle John Phipps has witnessed
the wondrous development since the
war of 1912, his natal year His retro
spect is interesting, particularly IN
slavery days before de wah."
Negroes were raised for the south
ern market just like mules" said Mr..
Phipps. "a good negro that would
make an overseer in the south would
bring from $1,000 to $1,000: common
field hand. Ss10 to si,2G1; boys 1s years
old, $500 to $500 young women 20
years old, good house servants, $500 to
$500; girls Is years old, $3.50 to $500.
Slavery Curse to South.
Gan uncle of mine owned 300 negroes
which were on his tobacco plantation.
An aunt had seventy at the beginning
of the civil war. MY aunt sold her ne
groes south and was never able to col
lect anything for them. The negroes
were a curse to that country. The
white people were too lazy to do any
thing and all the work was done by
negroes. Very few white children
could even read and write. Only about
one in twenty could do So 1t was a
crime punishable by imprisonment to
teach a negro how to read.
Acquainted With James Boys.
"When I was II years old we left
Virginia and moved to Illinois. In a
short time we moved to Monroe county,
Iowa. From there moved to Jackson
county, Missouri. lived within fifteen
miles of the James brothers and was
! we'll acquainted with Frank and Jesse.
/ was also we'll acquainted with the
Youngers-Cole, James. and John, and
old .man Younger. Sentiment there
was then about equally divided in re-
gard to the Jameses and Youngers. At
the start they were not considered bad
men. Frank James studied for a
Methodist preacher but the war came
on and everything was thrown out of
joint. The Jameses and the Youngers
thought they were mistreated and they
started out to run little war of their
own, and we all know how it turned
out. I always treated the boys
Jameses and Youngers-well, and said
nothing and they never bothered me.
In those days it stood man in hand
to attend strictly to his own business
and say nothing or his friends would
find him by the roadside with a bullet
hole in him. One met very little en-
coura cement when he went to investi-
eating too closely into another's bust
ness. 1 left Missouri before the Jameses
and the Youngers got cut on the road
robbing banks. have always thought
that there were lots of crimes commit
ted and laid onto the boys that they
knew nothing about.
"When I look back to the time when
was a boy and see the improvements
that have been made in everything
and the inventions that have been per-
fected, 1 am bewildered, and when I
think of what may happen in the next
100 years, my bewilderment increases
and l am lost. If anyone, when I was
a boy, had predicted that things would
be the way they are now. everyone
would have thought him crazy or be-
Witched.
As Well of as Rockefeller.
II attribute my long life and freedom
from sickness. (never was sick except
when had cholera), to the fact that
eat very little and always have made it
a rule to get up from the table a little
hungry, eat very little meat. and drink
lots of water and exercise in the open