Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1913-01-21
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Man Who WiIIed to Be-
come a Centenarian
BY Holland.

Recently some discussion has been
aroused by the assertion OF medical
authority that there is IN ell proba-
bility no we'll authenticated case Of
person who has lived to become a
hundred years Of age
The discussion reminded me Of he
dramatic and impressive celebration
Of the one hundredth anniversary Of
the birth of George L. Perkins. who
was all his life a citizen OF Norwich,
Conn.
At the time Of the Civil War
friend Of Mr. Perkins gave to him
a photograph Of the Rev. Daniel
Waldo. who was one OF the lat of
the sur survivors Of the Revolution
airy War. The photograph was taken
when Or. Waldo was in his hundred
and first year. and the records of the
War Department We're absolute proof
OF the accuracy Of his claim as a CEN
tenarian
Mr.. Perkins at that time was 76
years of age. He said TO. a friend.
II, too, shall live to be hundred
and there VIII .be no question about
the date of my birth, since it is a
matter of absolute record"
The centenary OF Mr. Perkins birth
occurred in August. 1888 The late
William ID Bishop. at one time pres
idcnt of the New York & New Haven
Railroad, the late John NJ Forbes Of
Boston, who was the promoter of the
original Burlington Railroad system
and other prominent railroad man
ayers Of the United States determined
to celebrate appropriately not only
tho centenary Of Mr. Perkins BIRTH
but also the fact that he had been
throughout his entire active life ar
! executive officer of ono of the first
/ railways built i'm the United States -
| the Norwich q Worcester His entire
business life was contemporaneous
with the beginning and development
of railways in this country up to
1888.
Arrangements were made for the
centennial celebration at Mr. Perkins
I homo at Norwich. I had seen him a
few years earlier, when he was past
30 years of age. He was then per-
! fectly erect. walked with a strong
and steady STEP his complexion was
! fair, his eyes were bright and his
mind seemed to be as vigorous as it
ever had been. He was absolutely
certain that he would live to be past
a hundred years. During the last five
years of his life his powers of will
/ seemed to be concentrated upon thu
purpose to remain on earth until he
was past a hundred
II was great company OF disiin-
/ gulshcd railway managcrs-Of most
of whom he could have been the
Father or grandfather, and yet all
we're either I'm middle life or past
it-that met him upon that centennial
birthday occasion. He was spry, ac-
tive and seemed to rejoice in the
fact that he had lived to celebrate his
hundredth birthday.
A month later Mr. Perkins was
dead. He simply passed away; there
was no illness nor any suffering He
closed his eyes and went beyond the
line.
One OF the railway managers who
was present at the birthday celebra.
ton and who was intimate with Mr.
Perkins family said to me shortly af-
ter Mr. Perkins death: what hap
pened to Mr. Perkins was simply this
-he had lived for twenty-five years
confident in the belief that his will
power would extend his life to his
hundredth anniversary When thar
anniversary was reached and the eel
ebration was ended Mr. Perkins sim
ply allowed his will to relax In
other words, he let go. And he went
on beyond as peacefully and as quiet
ly as a child goes to sleep in his era
I die
! Copyright 1913. by f. J. Edwards
All rights roserved)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell Of
"The Man Who Was First In Grover
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