Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1920-03-03
FORMERPOTOSIMAN
ATTAINS 100 YEARS
w. E. GRIGSBY, CALIFORNIA,
TELLS EXPERIENCES OF
LENGTHY LIFETIME.

w. b. Grigsby of San jose. Calf.
passed the century mark in his life
last Feb. IS. Mr.. Grigsby was born
In Barren county, Kentucky, but
came to Wisconsin in 1888. In 1850
Mr.. Grigsby with other lead miners
migrated across the plains to Cal
itornia where they mined gold. He
came back to Grant county and lived
near Potosi until 38 years ago when
he moved to Missouri Valley, Iowa
Some excerpts from a recent inter-
view given at the home of his daugh-
ter, Mrs. Florence Grigsby Single
tary, where he has resided since last
fall, are interesting:
Yes, ! was in Wisconsin during the
civil war and had one son in the
army Our district was called upon
TO send a certain number Of soldiers
not substitutes but general soldiers.
individuals had to raise the money
for this purpose, not for equipment,
but to pay the men for going to fight.
] don't recall the amount necessary
now, but l remember that amounts
varied. 1t was like going out to buy
a horse One man would take more,
another less. This son of mine who
fought in the civil war was also a
soldier during the Spanish war-Col.
Melvin Grigsby
"Whon ] lived in Kentucky we had
to haul all the supplies we used from
Louisville, a distance of So miles For
means of conveyance we had q team
of horses and wagon, an oX-team and
cart, or we rode horseback. When the
women went anywhere they either
rode horseback or walked
you probably don't appreciate
your postal service nowadays We had
a primitive way of handling our mail
We wrote letter, gave it to the mes
senger and paid by the mile for its
delivery There were no stamps. |
remember that it cost % cents to send
a letter 200 miles. Some difference in
methods, particularly in comparison
OF the OK team and the flying ma
chine"
Would you like trip in flying
machine?"
Would Fly.
mot ecially-althoug il it came
my way would probably go. | nGv-
err was a great hand to try new things
There's one thing | want to remind
you folks of-and that is how women
used to get their garments compared
with the way they get them now. We
raised sheep for wool, grew fax and
hemp and cotton in Kentucky The
cotton was carded on hand cards and
the fax was spun on a little wheel
Women woye all the stuff needed for
their own and the family's garments.
They used to take great pride III
STRIPPING the materials they wove
4 L..
dyes | remember that walnut bark
made good brown We certainly
used to be proud Of our home grown,
homc-spun. hand-woven and hand
made garments Mrs. Singletary has
some of her grandmother's weaving
around the house yet. Women
WORKED in those days. Nowadays
they don't seem to do anything much
mot comparatively"
The voice of daughter interrupted
the conversation. She looked mis-
chievous. ASK father if he didn't
like to hunt" | did. 1t was worth
while to watch his kindly old face
light up with the joy of memories.
Hunted mt 80.
Il should say l did! Why, / never
quit going out shooting with the boys
until after l was 80 years old. For |
years l used to go from Iowa to North
Dakota for the hunting every season
ducks and geese, quail and prairie
chicken. We used to go clear to
Nebraska TO shoot. / was always very
fond of gun"
ASK if he didn't like to dance!"
The same quiet voice prompted,
Dance? Why-yes. l used to |
dance-but / wonder if these girls of /
mine don't realize that | used to do |
lots of things just to help them enjoy |
themselves" Two dear daughters
smiled and / gathered that it was AMI
other case of taking the children to
the circus. /
do you use tobacco?" That was
my very own question because l think
the answer is usually supposed to
have something to do with the matter
OF longevity.
Smokes.
II was raised in tobacco country"
said Mr. Grigsby "and have used to-
bacco moderately all my life.
smoke"
Father has always been very fond
OF company" explained one of the two
daughters present. He has always
liked to have lots of wholesome fun
and gayety around him-and he al
ways had his part in it," There's the
secret! Always genial, always kindly,
fond of clean sport. fond of clean
pleasures, not afraid of hard work,
never losing interest in things or his
keen zest for life-and today Will
liam E. Grigsby is 100 years young!