The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-05-11
LACKS BUT A YEAR
OF A CENTURY;
STILL VIGOROUS
Mrs. Maria v. Duke of Plainfeld Called
to Mourn Loss Of Daughter on
the Week of Her Anniversary
She Recalls Old Days.

| Plalnteld, May Maria V. Duke @
| Plainfeld was to-day 90 years old Sh
is still vigorous in body and mind Sh
is now piecing blocks for ladies' al
bed quilt She crochets and has recentl
made rugs. She remembers events of z
years ago better than those OF yesterda,
and her "reminiscences are very interest
ing. When her father cleared land for hi
log cabin wood was so plentiful that i
was burned in charcoal pits to get rid o
it. She began to spin before she wa
tall enough to turn the wheel, except b,
standing on a plank. Those were tn,
days Of the brick oven, fireplace and tin
der box. There were no matches, M
stoves. In the winter the farmers went
visiting their neghbors on OK sleds anc
the talk was about memories of the
| Revolution, in which war Mrs. Dukes
grandfather served under General Greene
One of the songs she remembers common
ly sung was this:
Brave Wolfe was shot from off his
horse.
He lifted mp his head when dying
And cried How goes the battle?'
His aide-de camp said All in our favor
We'll then he said i die with pleas
ure.'
One Of Mrs. Dukes ancestors was
among the Pilgrims who landed on Plym-
outh rock.
The school which she attended when a
little girl was kept by an old school
master in long blue coat with red fan
mel lining. The room was warmed by
an open fireplace and the benches ran
along three sides of the room.
When Maria was a girl of Is she
taught school in log schoolhouse near
her home in Woodbury., on the old road
from Hardwick TO Kent's Corners. She
received one dollar a week and boarded
around Only reading, writing; spelling
and numbers were taught.
Though born on east hill in Woodbury.,
Mrs. Duke began keeping house in Mont
pelier, being married to Levi Duke by
Rev. Mr.. Kellogg Jan. 26, 1874. She
worked as a tailoress before the days of
sewing machines, stitching by the light
of tallow candles.
She tells the story OF a watch meeting
in schoolhouse, when just as midnight
came, before the minister could say a
word, the door was opened and the fs-
ther of Charles Heath. the we'll known
lawyer OF long ago, stuck his head in and
"Wish you a happy New Year
with your hearts full of honesty and
your pockets full of cashi"
From Montpelier the Dukes returned
to Woodbury. to live 10 years, moving
from there to Marshfeld Then, after
few years in Woodsville, they came to
Plainfeld. where Mrs. Duke still lives. |
making her home with her daughter. Mrs. |
Ella Kelley who Is the last of her six |
daughters. One other. Ida, who died in |
Brookfeld, Mass, was buried at Plain |
field on Tuesday of this present week. |
Mrs. Duke also has two sons, Z. V. Duke |
If Plainfeld, veteran of the Civil war.
md his younger brother. who lives in
ennoxville. Canada and whose son has
ust gone to the front in the European
var
Mrs. Duke was baptized on Maple hill.
,he joined the Methodist church in Octo-
,er 1886. and is still greatly interested
n the work. and occasionally attends its
ervices. She was brought up on the
iymns of DR.. Watts and likes to quote
"And am | born to die
And be to judgment brought.
And in that day an answer bring
For every vain and idle thought? y
The Sad Feature of Anniversary.
Ida Duke Davis died May 6 in Brook
ED, Mass, at the age of 50 years. Her
emsins We're brought to Plainfeld for ,
urial and the funeral was held at the
ONE of z. V. Duke at o'clock Tuesday.
ev. A. w. Hewitt officiated. She leaves. D.,
esides her husband George Davis of
rookfield a daughter. Mrs. Lena Gard D.,
er of Springfield, Mass, and son. Lee :
sgood of Munson. Mass; mother,
Irs Maria Duke, who is 90 years of age;
sister. Mrs. NJ. Kelley; two brothers,
V. Duke of Plainfeld and 4. H. Duke :
Lennoxville, Que. She also leaves
any other relatives, who mourn her :,
,ath.
Mrs. Davis was born in Marshfield and Z
,ssed her early life in Marshfeld and
where she was well known.
lowers were: Pillow of roses with name
Wife, pillow of roses with name =
Mother" roses with name Daughter" =
ses with name SISTER" pinks from y
iss Eula Kelley Among the out of
wn persons to attend were Levi Duke,
r. and Mrs. F. NJ. Kelley and children :,
MoptDaliar