The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1913-11-28

1881, Mr. Kelly went to Winnipeg,
and moved to ST. Paul, where he:
lived for ten years. While in Winni-
peg he was a member of the Tenth
Royal regiment and received a
silver medal for his services in the
Fenian raid in 1866. He came to
Duluth in 1890.
From fridays Daily.
Omaha, Neb., November s1.-Prob-
ably the oldest person in the United
States today is Thomas Morris of
Custer county, Nebraska. Charles
Mytton, with whom the aged man
lives declares that Morris will have
reached his 120th year the 18th of
next January. 1t appears that some
years ago records of his birth were
destroyed by fire, and it is largely
through memory that the present
| facts arc retained.
Morris was born in the year 1874,
at, Berrey, Montgomeryshire, North
| Wales, and if he lives until the 18th
of>next January he will have reached
| the wonderful age of 120 years. 1t
is not unlikely that the centenarian
can claim the distinction of being
the Oldest living man in the United
States Considering the great age
he has reached Morris life has been
rather uneyentful and no has al
ways been a hard worker up to the
time old age incapaciated him.
Shoemaker Ely Trade.
The old man is a shoemaker by
trade, but at one time he served
as a gamekeeper to a large estate
in England He came to America
in 1871 and passed through Chicago
the Sunday after the big fire. Lo
eating at Blackstone, H., he quietly
followed his trade in that town for
ten years. Later on he moved to
Harrison county, Missouri, where he
! liver for four years.
He reached Custer county in 1885
and resided there since that time
| Morris can justly be numbered
among the pioneers of the west. He
is able to walk about, although con
siderably hampered by club foot
and thoroughly enjoys basking il
tho sunlight.
Talks But Little.
He talks but little at the present
time, but generally manages to make
himself understood. Tobacco is his
constant companion, and he appear!
to derive much nourishment from
large quantities of coffee, which he
drinks at all hours of the day ant
| night
Thomas Morris is unable to reat
or write, consequently has -nevel
been able to take notes of any in
teresting experiences that may have
come his way. 1t is hardly likely
| however, that he, has had any star
thing adventures, as his life, accord
ing TO those who know him best, ha
been a remarkably quiet one; al
though it would appear that on
who has passed over such a grea
number of years and has lived il
"ye olden times that we read about
must necessarily have bumpe'
against something during his caree
that was worth chfonicling.
Is a Woman Halter.
Morris is bachelor and cor
firmed woman hater, and right her
is where grain of romance insert
itself. In his young days, it is said
many years before the came to thi
country, he was engaged to buxor
English girl. The wedding day ha
been fixed, but before it's arriva
the girl sickened and died. Morri
, so cherished the memory Of his b.
loved that he could never be brough
to look with favor upon any othe
, woman.
AS the years passed, his antipath
, toward the fair sex increased unit
at the present day, with 100 year
to his credit, he stands forth, a
openly avowed woman hater. VIII
, knows, but what this aged man, a
, he dreams in the sunlight, has vision
!, of that long-ago face and that
: gradually draws nearer and become
more distinct as he himself a.
proaches the goal?>
! From Fridays Daily.
To the Public: The Minnesot
; Association for the Prevention an
!. Relief of Tuberculosis take gre;
> pleasure in announcing to the publ
through these columns the openin
of the Red Cross Christmas Sc;
q campaign for 1913. Practically. ever
|. community which has heretofol
4 shown interest in this great work
9 again enlisted in the cause with "
t believe renewed vigor Also sever
communities which have not in IL
past been included in. this work hay
r realized the great Importance OF tn
o movement and have requested II
= state association for RED Cross Seal
o The people of Minnesota can
# last point with pride to definite +
$. suits obtained from their former
d bors. They now have the use
e one-half million dollars which W;
}. appropriated by the recent legisl
e ture to enable them to PROVE
; county institutions for the care
r those suffering from tuberculosis.
o should be of great satisfaction
n those who have labored so consi.
e entity in the former years and it
g the earnest request of this associ
ton that these workers take renew
interest in this educational campai.
~ which is now going on througho
rs the state, which will mean the poll
1t ing out of local needs in each coun
at in reference to the establishment
at hospitals for the tubercular. #
st state legislature has done its pa
Or freely and we'll and it now res
Id largely upon the energetic work !
ic those who have local influence
n. show to the county officials t
ly needs of those suffering from tub
m culosis under their jurisdiction. Gre
I'd encouragement has already be