New Britain herald., 1914-07-27
Church Member Eighty-two Years. (R. c. Penney in Watchman- Elk

CIR. C. Penney in Waterman Elk aminer.) '. ' !. The oldest living Baptist is probably Mrs. Polly Johnson, who now resides with her daughter, Miss E. A. John son, at 17 Pinkney street, East Somer- vile, Mass The writer, for more than four years a pastor of the church at Malone, New York, of which Mrs. Johnson is a member, visited her in May :1913, and found her we'll and active, interested in, all the news of the day and taking a keen interest in church and religious matters and an especial interest in her friends and fin the church of which she. has been 2 member since 1892. He was shown some specimens of fancy work recent ly made by Mrs. Johnson, which were beautiful. showing that her eld-time skill had not left her. Tn a recent letter from her daughter the. follow ing facts are gathered concerning the history of this most remarkable Christian woman.
 Mrs. Johnson; Aunt Polly as her friends love to. call her, was born in the town of Burk, Franklin county 7New York, December 16, 1s1O. The
 
 settled section, with practically no The nearest Baptist church was at Tort Covington, near the mouth of the Salmon river. Itinerant ministers and colporters furnished most of the preaching enjoyed by the people of the farms. Of such was Mr. Paddock, a colporter, who visited the section of Malone and Burk in 1S16, during which year Aunt Polly" re- members a great comet that held the people in fear of impending judg- ment. The time was opportune and Mr. Paddock made good use of 1t to the conversion of a large. number of souls among them Aunt Polly's' father, MT. Chapman. A profound effect was made upon the minds of the children, who used to hold prayer meetings under great elm tree in the woods near the road on their way tc and from school. Aunt Polly" being but six years old, was mot SUD- posed to understand such things" and so was left by the roadside while her brother. Sullivan. the Webb boys and the Merriam and Wescott children held their meetings. These meetings were kept up until the boys and girls were grown and scattered to their life work. The entertainments of those early days were, as Aunt Polly naively put it, prayer meetings, sing ing schools. and in the fall corn husk- lngs and apple parings." ..
 In the month of February, 1882, Elder" Marshall came to Malone, holding revival meetings in the diff terent school houses of the town. esx oI-S with more than ninety conversions, of which number Aunt Polly was one. She was baptized in the Salmon river at Malone. March 28. 1882, by Elder" Stafford, the pastor at Fort Covington, and united with the Baptist church a! Malone, in which church she has always held her mem mbership, al- though for many years her home has been in East Somerville, Mass In the letter: referred to her daughter says: Mother is at this time quite we'll, and very anxious for her sewing"
 In her ninety-ninth year Aunt Polly3 fell and broke her hip, which it was feared. would not readily heal at her advanced age, but at her cen tennial she stood and received her visitors and walked readily with the aid of a cane. She walks about the house now by the assistance of her daughter.
 As will be seen, Aunt Polly John sen is now (Jnly- ID 1O3 years, six months and twenty-five days old, and has been a continuous member of the Malone Baptist church for eighty-two years, three months and thirteen days. May she have many happy returns of December 16 and" March -2s!