The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1916-03-10
.NINETY-ONE and HAPPY
COMBINED AGES OF FOUR SIS
TIERS 321 YEARS-OLDEST
ONE LIVES HERE.

With nothing in her appearance or
actions to denote that she will not
live to celebrate at least her Tooth
milestone, Mrs. Catherine Northrop,
who has already reached the rare age
of 81 years, this morning at her home
on West Seventh street, talked inter
estingly of the days when she was
young.
Asked If her birthday were not
next week, Mrs. Northrop admitted
that it was, and expressed surprise
that anyone outside her immediate
family had remembered the date.
Il had thought this year there
would be nothing said about my
birthday anniversary" she said, smil-
ing. you really shouldn't write
anything for the newspaper about me
until after my birthday, for friends
would think that because | am an
old woman, l am expecting some
token"
Husband Died in Battle.
Born a few miles from Albany, N.
Y, March IA, 1925, Mrs. Northrop,
then Miss Catherine Lyon, moved,
with her parents, to Wisconsin in
1871. AT the age of is, in 1843, she
was married to Angus S. Northrop,
who later joined the army and was
killed in the battle at Corinth in
1862. Mrs. Northrop continued to
reside in Wisconsin until 1881, when
she came here to join her daughter,
Miss Julia Northrop, who was then
teaching school in the frontier village
now known as Colman. Although
her daughter had preceded her by
about a year, Mrs. Northrop arrived
here on the second or third passen-
ger train that was ever run into Mad
ison. Miss Julia Northrop had come
by rail as far west as Flandreau, and
had made the trip from that town to
her school in a stage coach.
Mrs. Northrop said that her trip
was without unusual incident, and
told hat she did not believe any
"reminiscences she could give of early
Madison would be as interesting as
those given by persons who had lived
in the district longer than she had.
When it was suggested that her
appearance and alacrity belied her
age, Mrs. Northrop, almost shaking
with laughter. asked to know just
how a woman who is 81 years old
should act.
1T seems to me that l feel the
same as | have for a number of years
past, and there is very little differ
ence i'm m days routine, except that
| now sleep more hours a day than
| nee did.
No Rule for Longevity.
Asked as to what she attributed
her more than 90 years of compare
lively good health, she replied that
she knew of no special reason. She
related that her parents were Qua
kers, and that her bringing up had
been somewhat strict. She also told
hat she had much outdoor exercise
during her youth and early woman
hood. She said she did not think a
person who gets an ordinary amount
of exercise and fresh air should take
particular pains as to his diet.
Since | can remember, | have
eaten what / wanted, and all | want
ed" she said.
Mrs. Northrop has a better memory
than the average person of half her
age. She told off all the dates and
names asked her, without reference
or hesitation. When seen this morn
ing, she had just finished sweeping.
A remarkable fact is that Mrs. North
rop has living three sisters who have
passed the three score and ten span.
One is IA years old, another rs
years, and one just past 80 years old.
Two of the sisters live in the west,
and the baby of the family, IA years
old, resides in New York state. Mrs.
Northrop has two sons, two daugh-
tiers, eleven grandchildren and three
great grandchildren living.