The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1914-11-22

G. r.
G. r. West of this city, who is
entering upon his ninety-first year
has the distinction of being Ard
more's oldest citizen, and for one OF
his advanced years, is remarkably
alert and active He takes keen
interest in the affairs of life and is
deeply interested in the great war
that is raging on the other side of
the Atlantic.
Gipson Roy West was born near
Alexandria, in what is now DeKalb
county, Tenn, August is, 1924, one
of family of ten children, of whom
two besides himself, are living-one
brother and one sister His brother,
Robert B. West, at Smithville, and
his sister, Mrs. Samantha Potter, at
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
His father, John r. West, died at
an advanced age on the farm where
the subject of this sketch was born,
and upon land preempted by his
grandfather, who emigrated from the
state of Delaware to Tennessee, when
the country was a bowling wilder
ness, settled and proved up claim
of a league" of government do
main.
According to the custom then pre-
vailing he remained upon his fathers
farm until he had obtained his ma
ority, when he married and proceed
ed to carve out destiny of his own.
At the age of twenty-on one he was
married to a Miss Groom of AleXan-
dra. Tenn. and to this union ten
children were born, of whom one
is living, Mrs. Alice Marler of Alex
andria, Tenn These children, in
rotation. were James r., Mamie, Mol
ly. (an infant who died very young)
Jane, Sally, Joseph b, Helen, John
r., and Alice, the latter of whom
is living, as stated above.
In recounting the events of the
early years of his married life, he
states that, when he was about to
procure the license, his mother gave
him one dollar and fifty cents from
her scanty hoard, thinking that he
might be short of pocket change,
and besides, gave the newly married
couple some feather beds and other
necessities with which to begin keep
father gave them a horse each with
which to make a start in life, to-
gether with enough feed to last them
until they could make their first crop.
Thus equipped, they set out to build
a home of their own.
The first year was spent upon a
rented farm and so frugal were they,
and so anxious to get along in the
world, that their store account the
first year was exactly 80 cents. spent
for a long handled frying pan, in
which to fry their meat.
The wife spun the yarn and woye
the cloth with which to make their
clothes, and he, securing leather
for himself and wife likewise for
the neighbors. at one dollar per
pair, they furnishing the leather.
They raised everything they consum-
ed Their sugar was made from the
sap of maple tree and sorghum
from the cane, and withal they We're
extremely happy and contented, ac-
cording to his own statement
After two years of life on a rented
farm they had saved three hundred
dollars. This went as first payment
on a farm of their own. which was
purchased for seven hundred dollars,
and on this farm their first child,
James R., VIZ born.
About this period, the spirit OF
speculation seized upon him and he
concluded to add a sideline TO his
farming interests in the nature of a
stock drover. The demand for hogs
in the far south was good, especially
in Georgia, and. with two partners,
they conceived the idea of buying
herd and driving them overland 10
market, railroads then being IN
heard of in that country.
They accumulated herd and