The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1920-09-22
A TRIBUTE TO A LONG LIFE.
BY H. c. BAKER.


ME Flowers, in this place, on Monday
evening, the 18th inst, was the Oldest
person in the county, and we presume
one Of the oldest women in the State.
She was born in this county the End
day of May, 1918, and at the time of
her death was one hundred and two
years, four months and eleven days
old. She belonged to one Of the pio-
neer families Of the State Her
grandfather, Alexander Gilmer, own
ed at an early day large boundary Of
land, which embraced in part the
farms now owned by his lineal de
scendants, Thomas and John C. Do
honey, and he built a three story brick
house now gone, on the Jno. C. Do
honey land. His son, James GiImer,
father of Mrs. Dohoney, was one Of
the organizers of Adair county, and
one of the founders Of the town of Co.
lumbia. He was a member of the
first county court of the county, re-
ceivirg his commission as a justice
from Governor James Garrard. This
court held its first session in June,
1902 Many of the records of the
court for years afterwards are attest.
ed by his signature as presiding officer
The Gilmers came to Kentucky
from the Old Dominion, Virginia,
and were representatives of that no.
bic type Of men who at that early day
sought homes in the wilderness of
Kentucky and who assisted in opening
up the cane breaks and forests into
farms, and laying the foundation of
the organized socity, the benefits of
which we are the recipients today.
Mrs. Dohoney received the advan.
tages Of such schools of the county as
we're accessible at that day. In 1886
she was in attendance at a school
taught in Columbia by Rev. John
Page, Presbyterian preacher, and il
was probably under his ministry that
she became member of the Presby.
terrain church with which she was
connected for more than eighty years.
This was the faith of her fathers, and
it was in this faith that she lived and
died. She united with the church
when she was about fifteen years old.
In the said school, in addition to its
other advantages, she was brought in
to association with many bright boys
and girls who were afterwards prom
inent in their several spheres in the
home and in the State. In this schoo
we're the Caldwell boys, George Al
fred and Isaac, afterwards prominent
lawyers Of Louisville, Preston Il. Les
lie, Governor of the State, Samuel B
Maxsy, United States Senator from
Texas, Timoleon Cravens, State Elec
tor, Gen. S. G.. Suddarth, and other.
welI-known and influential in theil
day. 1t was in this school that Judge
Zach Wheat, TimoIeon Cravens, Gen
Suddarth and others found wives L
grace their homes in after years.
December 18th, 1874, Esther CLINE
was married to VIM. Rhodes Dohoney
who during his life was a prominen
citizen and prosperous farmers of tn,
county. There were born to then
! three sons and two daughters, one o
, the daughters died in infancy. Tn
, other children are all living, and be
sides these she leaves surviving he
l9 grandchildren and ten great grand
o children All Of her sons are officer
+ in the church, two of them elders an,
e one deacon, and Of her grandsons
d one an elder and two deacons, and a.
Of them prosperous and influential il
the communities in which they live.
l. In this can be seen the impress O
.t her life and Christian character, for i
l. is in the home at last that woman
; influence is best exerted and felt
IS Reared in christian atmosphere tina
gave tone and strength to her ow
life with length of days, she saw to !
T. that the same influences were abou
n her children and her children's chi
i, dren. They became to her the crown
J. ing ioV of her old apa She rI1lo