Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1915-03-09

Dullu9 hy lCOCut flolU tdoJ opcu
two months in Washington, D. c., an,
visited Philadelphia, Wilmington
Baltimore and other cities. I me
prominent men, some of whom wer,
deeply learned in the history Of tn
church. I took occasion to inquire il
reference to the longest membership
ever held by any one in the church
Data on that subject seems to be mea
ger. The longest record coming un
der my observation, aside from tha
of Mrs. Woods, is the one of Mrs
Nancy Tincher, Of Linton, Ind. Or
November 80 ult. she celebrated the
Tooth anniversary of her birth and
the Seth year Of her connection with
the M. E. church. She lags behind
Mrs. Wood more than a score OF
years. 1t is to be hoped that more
time will be spared to her and if she
overtakes or passes our champion we
will rejoice with the people in Indi-
ana.
Mary Ramsey was born in Knox
vile, Tenn, May 20, 1887, and died in
Hillsboro, Ore, January l, 1908, aged
12O years, z months and II days.
You will note that she lived in the
eighteenth, nineteenth and twentieth
centuries. AT the time of her birth
John Wesley and Frederick the Great
were living, Daniel Webster was a
child of five years and Napoleon Bo-
naparte of youth of IS. Only four
years previously had the war of the
revolution closed. The old confeder-
acy then existed and two years later
the constitution of the United States
was adopted and Washington made
the first president. She lived in the
administrations of all the presidents
except Taft and Wilson.
The crowning event of this remark
able woman's s life was her coronation
as mother queen of Oregon on the
26th day of June, 1907, at Hillsboro.
This action was ratified on the 4th of
July following at a monster Indepen-
dence day celebration held in the
Marquam Grand theater.
1t happened that 1 was chairman Of
the committee on the literary program
for the day and president Of the Ore
gon Pioneer association. / had long,
felt that a more concrete recognition
should be given to our pioneer moth
erhood, and to crown Grandma Wood,
pioneer of 1852 and the oldest,
probably, white native-born woman in
the United States, would be most fit
ting and in harmony with the thought.
1t would also let the world know that
our state is especially favorable to
human longevity. | laid the plan be-
fore the committee. 1t was fully con-
cured in | visited her at her home
in Hillsboro. Her only living child,
Mrs. C. B. Reynolds, then above 80
years of age, was her attendant. |
explained my mission. 1t was favor
ably received, but it was deemed i'm
prudent for her to go to Portland and
it was decided to have the ceremony
performed at her home.
Hon. George H. Williams was an
early pioneer of Oregon, had been
federal and state judge, United States
senator, member of the General
Award commission and Attorney-Gen-
eral in President Grants S cabinet and
at that time the only surviving men,
ber of it. He was easily the most dis
tinguished man on the Pacific coast
and he was selected to perform the
act of coronation. | had a fitting
robe made for her. Mrs. Lee made a
crown of Oregon roses. On the day
appointed Gen. Williams, Mr.. Kizer,
the photographer, and I went to her
home. In the presence of a few rela-
tives and friends the unique and ori-
yinal ceremony was performed. Inc
background for the picture was
luilt which she had woven three
sourths of a century before.
Two hundred of the official photo
graphs were printed and with the
story sent to that number of the fore
most papers of the United States, the
;tory to be released on July 5.
Mr.. Henry L. Pittock was the presi-
lent of the great patriotic gathering
n the Marquam Grand. After the
,ration by Judge S. A. Vowel, the
was made that the au-
Hence was called upon to perform for
he first time in our history the pleas
ng duty of electing a mother queen of /
oregon and to ratify her coronation.
The vote was put and the affirmative