Paragould soliphone., 1921-08-03
(By John c. Brewer)

1 A representative of The Daily Press has just completed canvass of the lcity and compiled list of fifty of l the oldest men who have reached their three score years and ten, many of them being far beyond that age The large number of old men in IParagould is often commented upon | by visitors, and 1t is doubtful if an other town of similar size any where can boast of more "old- and reared in this county, and have lspent their entire lives here. man ,of 50 is regarded as a ''youngster" lin Paragould and three score and ten as the beginning of old age.
 The larger per cent of the old gentlemen mentioned fought in the Civil war during 1S61-65, a major Eity of them being on the Confeder- ate side.
 The list is headed by Uncle Joe" Coffman, who is now 90 years old. and is the oldest man now living in
 the city. He has been retired only
 a few years from active life, and even now cultivates his garden, and keeps his lawn moved with pock- ct knife.
 The next oldest is James w. Law son, S9, who resides at 220 West Plum street, and is very active for. one of his age.
 Uncle Dave" Weaver black smith for 75 years, and Civil war
 veteran, celebrated his S9th anni- Iversary the 17th of July.
 The remainder of the list is as follows: D. J. Ligon, "A Uncle Wake" Stuart, 76, who is prod uct of Greene county A. B. Hays, formerly of Kentucky. is 79
 Rev Henry E. May. 73 years old,
 was born and reared in St. Francis county, Ark. He has been in the ministry for p years and was just recently superannuated now resides
 at 509 West Thompson street. A.. U. Bishop, S2, whose birthday comes on Christmas day; native of Ala
 bama. J. H. George. S2, was also lin the Civil war on the side of the Union under Capt. John B. Hous- ton. G. c, Reeves, S2, a native of l"Old" Kentucky, where he raised
 39 crops of tobacco in succession, and has been a resident of Paragould lsince 1903. w. M. Nelson, S1, was
 another who encountered hardships lduring the war of the rebellion. His wife, 80, is still living and enjoying
 good health. R. P. Minetree, 77, of South Sevent street, is native lof Tennessee and resident of this county and city for 29 years. w.
 H. Wilson, "A, was for IS years Par Iagould' $ leading blacksmith, but for
 two years has been engaged in the bill posting business. David Stra-
 horn. S6. another native of Tennes-
 see, came to Paragould in 1913. He
 was q shoemaker for both armies
 during the war between the states.
 Lon Stedman, native of North
 Carolina, born in 1888, and moved
 to Arkansas in 1860, locating near
 Gainesvile, where he remained till
 1899 when he and his family moved
 to Paragould. Even at S3 he is hale
 and hearty. Dr. ]. w. Johnson
 came here from Tennessee in 1894,
 where he was born and reared He, ,too, fought with the Southern sol ldiers and is now hale and spry at the age of 7s. T. ]. Heron. 72, q
 native of the Blue Grass state, is
 now q full-fledged "Arkansan," hay- ing been here 26 years. o. B. Shoe
 maker, 73, native of Ohio, moved to Greene county in 1881, and for lseveral years has been engaged in the restaurant business. Uncle George Gibson will be S1 the 23rd Iof this month. He, too, came from Tennessee in 1891. w. A, Michael. I72, is native of Charlottesville. Ind, and has been resident of this city for S5 years. Uncle Abe lG Breckenridge, who has attained Ethe age of 76, is another product of Greene county, and resides at SPA North Fourth street. T. w. Keefe. l70, moved to this city when only lone birck house had been erected. wv. J. Brewer, Fl, son of Uncle Jack" Brewer, an old-time Metho- 1 dist circuit rider, came to this