Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 116, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 May 1912 — DIED AT COUNTY FARM; CLAIMED TO BE CENTENARIAN. [ARTICLE]

DIED AT COUNTY FARM; CLAIMED TO BE CENTENARIAN.

Life of Aged Samuel Boyd Shrouded Iu Mystery—Had Saved For Funeral Expenses. „•' “y- r.- ’ -i.-v Samuel Boyd, for the past eight years an inmate of the county farm, died at 2:30 o’clock this Tuesday mopping. The prime cause was a cancer above the left eye, from which-be* had suffered for some time, and gen? eral debility on account of old age v He claimed to have been born May 1, 1803, thereby being 109 years old, but the records at the county farm show- that he was 98 years of age. Boyd came to the county farm in 1904 R was shown that he was 90 years old at that time. He wgs formerly a resident of Milroy township and was a neighbor of Dave Waymire, where he owned 40 acres of land, but by injudiciously going security for trusted friends be lost it. He worked up to the first 'of January, since which time he has been confined mostly to his room. •“* f

Boyd was born in northern Irelandand"' came* to America when still a boy. Just when he first made Jasper county bis residence is not known, but an investigation of his personal effects showed that he bad at some time lived in Philadelphia, as hlThad written thef»>bout four years-ago in an attempt to locate a sister. He was a very peculiar man. He talked very little and would never sayanything concerning 1 himself or his past life. In apme respects he was very mysterious in his attitude and aroused the cprlosity of many who had occasiop to be thrown in contact with'him. Some persons of more or less fertile imagination were Inclined to enshroud him in mystery and to attach to his life a past, which if known, might- be of mere than local or passing interest. The most dominant of their beliefs is that Boyd was not his real name. Like most people of Irish birth or extraction, he was a born fighter and patriot. He answered President Lincoln’s first call for volunteers and enlisted in the Union army, but on account of bis age he was' rented and did not participate li the war. Although, he Was always able to do chores about the farm, be almost looked the age he claimed to be. His hair was very long and he would never submit to being shaved. He als6- requested on his death bed that his hair not be cat nor his face shaved.

It has been asserted that he was once a Methodist minister, but that assertion has not been verified. Not long before he died, Jesse Nichols, manager of the county farm, was called to his bedside and Boyd disclosed the hiding place of money he had kept ever since coming to the farm. It was tied up in flvd different sacks and concealed in various parts of his clothing. When Nichols had secured the sacks, he found that their contents totaled $33.27. Nichols was not aware that he had afiy money at all,.but Boyd explained that he had kept it bidden that he might have the privilege of paying his own funeral expenses, and thereby escape being burled as a pauper .at the county’s expense. • \ ! The funeral services will be held at the” grave Wednesday morning at 10 o’clock. Rev. Harper, of the Is. E. church, will have charge and interment will he made in Weston cemetery. ?.