Milford chronicle., 1923-01-19
WILLIAM HEAVELOW
is lO2 YEARS OLD
This Former Milford Man Now A
Resident OF Philadelphia Is
Active And Healthy.
BIBLE RECORDS BIRTH 1920
He Darns Socks, Sews On Buttons,
Makes His Bed Each Morning
But Can't Read Or Write.

Imagine getting to be 1O2 years old
and not knowing it.
That is what happened to William
Heavlow, now living with Mrs. Mark
Townsend, a daughter of his third
marriage, at 134S N. Wanamaker
street, in West Philadelphia. He new
er discovered how old he was till last
year, when, while visiting his neice in
Clayton, Delaware, he ran across the
record in the old family Bible.
"Ie doesn't take any interest in his
age" declared his daughter" and up
to the time we found the record, we
calculated he was about ninety-twO." p"
Father is no trouble at ALL" she
asserted, "he mends his own socks and
cloths, sews on all his buttons and
makes his bed every day.
His sight is getting little poor,
but he is only bothered by close work" +"
she said, "and he is also little deaf,
or perhaps just inattentive and doesn't
get what we say"
Heavlow is still hale and hearty and
his activity would do credit to man
of fifty.
"He has not missed meal in this
house." said his son-in-law, Mark
Townsend, Gin the twelve years he has
been living with u.s.
HeavlOw accounts for his longevity
by his refusal to bother himself with
worry.
"I never do worry and never have"
he said. "I am very cOntented, and
that is why have lived so long"
Hard work never killed anybody,
or dad would not have lived as long
as he has, for he has worked hard all
his life" said his daughter.
'When the Civil War broke out"
she said, father walked all the way
from Milford, Delaware, to Philadel-
phia to enlist, and then walked home
again. He came out of the war with
crippled legs, a broken collar bone
and two broken arms. And yet my mo-
ther told the first job he had after he
came back was driving the mail coach
from Harrington to Denton, while he
was on crutches."
Heavlow has lived all these years
without learning to read or write.
When asked how he spent his days he
replied that he "just sat"
81 can get around town." he assert
ed, "and know what trOlleys want to
take even if I can't read the signs.
know where they are going by the
looks of them"
Heavlow has been married three
times.
Goodness knows when the first
time was" said his daughter, and
Heavlow himself could not remember
the date.
eve didn't take any stock in ages,
money or dates" he said, $50 I don't
know when it was But my third wife
and 1 were married almost fifty years"
Heavlow has one great granddaugh-
ter, Charlotte Heavlow, four grand
children, three SONS and two daugh-
ters.
Note-Dr. Joseph Conwell, of Vine
land, N. j., who is native of Sussex
county, Delaware, in letter calling
attention to the above article, which
was printed in the Evening Bulletin,
of Philadelphia, last Friday says:
early in the last century the Heav-
low family were very prominent In
Sussex county, Delaware. Heavlow's
Landing is located on the Broadktln
River, forming a part of the farm
where was born and raised and 1t is
now owned by my brother, David M.
COnwell. This man is without doubt,
the oldest living member of the family
which was well known in Delaware
100 years ago."