Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-04-25
ElGHTY-SIX AND ON
YET JURY SERVICE
Veteran of Mexican War Now Serv.
ing Uncle Sam in the Fed
eral Building.
FORD DOES NOT SHOW HIS AGE

EiEnNy-hA ana ttFNlnk On lut Jury
No request to be excused on account Of
advanced age from william w. Ford. 2Ooi
North Twenty eighth street who IL
drawn on the petit panel in the federal
court over which Judge Robert r Lewis
If presiding.
man Of medium size. rather inclined
to stoutness, with only a few wrinkles
about the eyes to suggest 81 years. His
hands are plump and not at all the hands
Of an ola man. smooth-shsven cheeks
and a white moustache and beard. a
natty blue serge suit. shoes with bull
dog toes. and nifty brown felt hat.
are outward signs Of this remarkably
young-looking old man. OF all the people
who have gazed upon him AZ the federal
building not one has placed his age
higher than s. years. Most OF them say
he is as good as the average man al 50.
while Ianitor BIZ Jones declares that
plenty OF the boys At Is aren't az good
~ ho
Among the Jurymen IN the last panel
was a man Of "a. who was also remark
ably 'spry." He served all through the
Matters case and then after that long
grind he went through the Moore case,
which lasted a couple Of weeks.
William w. Ford is just as spry and
has put in q dozen more years upon
This planet
OF British Ancestry.
There is a bit OF a burrin Mr.. Ford's
speech that betrays his British ancestry.
Yes. sir" he remarked. Il was born
In London on Christmas morning, 1922.
I'm what they call a plum pudding in
old England
But I'm an American all the way
through. seeing that my father and
mother brought me 10 this country when
I was six months old"
William W. Ford has lived IN Omaha
forty-seven years and has followed the
occupation OF carpenter.
Il left a job OF Singing to serve on
this jury" said the almost nonogenarian.
And this man who has spent nearly half
d century in Omaha I'm quiet and peaceful
occupation, was. In the first thlrty-five
years OF his life, veteran OF two wars,
tho Mexican and the civil. the very close
personal friend Of Sam Houston. quite
well acquainted with General Taylor and
an intimate companion OF Kit Carson
He staked out many OF the forts in the
west for the government. II Is star thing
TO talk to an apparently young man and
hear from his lips about the happenings
Of times before the Mexican war.
Father Knew sam Houston.
MY father and Sam Houston were very
cioae friends In Glasgow. where they
grew up together" said william Ford OF
Omaha. That's why We went to Texas.
Mexico claimed Texas. you know. / had
] presume.
In those days, when was a boy.
o little pony--we could get a fine horse
In those days for s2.50--and was out rid
ing one day with my father and some
Mexicans appeared over to our side.
left father and went off on little scout
ing expedition OF my own. I got a sight
on the band and let so at one fellow.
Then I ran back and told father. ] found
him talking 70 q man who learned later
was General Taylor. We all went to see
what luck ia had. And there lay the
Mexican with hole in the right side Of
his temple"
Mr.. Ford declares that KIT Carson was
ten times the scout and frontiersman that
Buffalo Bill" was.
why. Buffalo Bill never did anything
mitch hut shoot buffalo," he said.
Gives Thanks for Health.
Asked what was the secret Of his youth,
Mr.. Ford said:
Il don't know AZ there's any secret. |
thank the Lord every night and morning
OF me life for His goodness In giving me
health and allowing me 10 live"
DO you smoke and drink3''
Il do not now. although for thirty~flvo
years ! smoked and chewed. and me
father smoked and ehewed t. the day of
hts death. which occurred when he was
" years and 0 months old"
Mr.. Ford expressed his willingness TO
serve his country az juryman. as he has
served Il in the capacity OF soldier and
scout. but he does want TO set back Al
an early day 70 that lob OF shingllnR