The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1920-08-12
SINES, 100 YEARS OLD,
HAS NO LONGEVITY THEORY
CARROTS Father William Never Drank
But He Chews the Strongest Baccy


On July Goth last, William Snes, of
Sines Postoffice, Garrett county, re-
allied the ambition of his life by
rounding out his one hundredth year
and joining the select ranks of the
''chosen few" who are centenarians.
For a long time Mr.. Sines has been
saying that he wanted to live to be
one hundred years old, and happy
combination of favorable circumstan-
ces, good health and unfaltering deter
mination has fulfilled the desire of
his heart
He was born at GAINESVILLE, Va,
now West Virginia, in 1920. When
about 20 or II he married Miss Eliza
Johnson, of Pennsylvania, who died
in 1907 at the age of 81. He has lived
in West Virginia and Maryland all
his life, having finally returned to
Garrett county at the time of his
wife's death to make his home with
John Sines, his oldest son, who is
now rs. Besides this son, Mr.. Sines
has six other children living and
seven are dead. One is safe in saying
that his family is all grown up, since
the baby, Ulysses Grant Sines, is now
81 years of age. His other living de-
scendents number 81 grandchildren,
148 greatgrandchildren and 81 great
greatgrandchildren. Five generations
were represented at his home on his
centennial. :,
Mr.. Sines comes of fighting stock.
Martin and Lewis WetZel, renowned
Indian fighters were his greatuncles
on the maternal side His father.
Henry Sines, was engaged against the
British at New Orleans in the war of
1872, and he and his sons John and
Henry fought together through the
Civil War. He believes that this is a
unique record, for father and two
sons to have engaged in the War of
the Rebellin and to be living at the
present time, 55 years after the close
of the struggle.
Mr.. Sines, or Father William" as
he is affectionately termed, is still
in good health; his hearing is perfect
aand his eyesight is fairly good. He
was, until very recently, accustomed
to spend much of his time walking
about from one neighbours house to
another, very often coming to Oak
land unaccompanied. Recently, how
ever, he has been rather weak, and
seldom goes away from the house
AS recently as early in the spring he
walked to Oakland without showing
fatigue, transacted some business here
and was ready to return to his home
by noon of the same day. Once dur
ing the summer of 1919 he was dis
suaded from walking to Cumberland, a
distance of mroe than sixty miles.
During 1918 he had a set of artificial
teeth made, but owing to some trouble
about his gums not apparent at the
time, ne was unable to use them, say
ing that they were worse than the
toothache. Lack of teeth does not pre-
vent him from eating heartily and
chewing the strongest tobacco. He
takes no stimulants but strong coffee,
never having drunk Intoxicating Hq-
uors to any extent. He has been a
member of the Church of the Breth-
rem for 81 years, is an original mem
Der of the Republican party, having
been more than 30 years old when it
was founded. and he never missed an
election until last year. For a long
time prior to 1919 he had the dis
tinction of being the first man to vote
in District No. 6 each year.
Mr. Sines is plain man and makes
no capital of his years by posing as a
sage or philosopher. He has no the
DRY and no prescription for a long
life, being shrewd enough to know
that he has survived merely because
he has not happened to die. Although
he is picturesque and unique figure,
moving slowly about on his old cane,
and although he very evidently be-
longs to a past generation, he claims
no special distinction on this account,
but bears the honorable burden of
his years with quiet dignity. He re-
ceived the congratulations of 200 or
300 friends and relatives from all the
surrounding country on his birthday
with pleasure and was in no wise
harmed by full day of handshaking.
Father William" has lived to see
the fulfillment of the Scriptural
prophesy, with long life will l sat
isfy him." although one must doubt
whether he is in reality satisfied, for