Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 240, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 October 1919 — CROSSES U.S. AT SEVENTY [ARTICLE]

CROSSES U.S. AT SEVENTY

SPANS CONTINENT AT WHEEL OF A FORD AUTOMOBILE. Rensselaer has as its guest a most . notable, woman, Mrs. William Upton, of San Francisco, Calif., who left her home and the shores of the Pacific last May, has driven her automobile to New York City and thus far on the return trip. While in our city Mrs. Upton is enjoying the hospitality of the home of Mr. and Mrs. Ben Barnes in their apartments in the Kurrie flat over the Republican office. Mrs. Upton is an old acquaintance and very dear friend of Mr. and Mrs. Barnes. She attended the wedding of Mr. Barnes’ parents 52 years ago in Mechanicsburg, 111., and on November 3, 1892 she was present at the wedding of Mr. and Mrs. Barnes in Bakersfield, Calif._ Mrs. Upton in her almost threescore and ten‘years has had a wide and varied experience. She knew Abraham Lincoln and often saw him in his brother-in-law, C. M. Smith’s store in Springfield, 111. Mrs. Upton had the misfortune to be separated from her husband and sorrow of this bereavement caused her to take to travel.’in. an effort to withstand the burden of her great grief. She is a modest lady, desires no notoriety and is exceptionally interesting in her conversation. Few who have met her would judge'that she is more than fifty years of age. While on this trip she visited a number of places of interest and in many cities she received very flattering newspaper write-ups. In Washington city she was caught by the movies. At the Ford factory she was made the. -guest of honor and was shown through that won-

derful factory. away at the timeofhe'Fvisit or she would have undoubtedly been his personal guest. She attended the Methodist centenary meeting at Columbus, 0., and was upon the sacred ground at the battlefield of Gettysburg. Her husband was an Indiana man and she visited the scene of his boyhood at Lebanon. On her return trip, Mrs. William Upton, this 70-year-old woman, who alone has driven a Ford runabout from San Francisco to New York City, visited the Ford Motor company’s main offiter She was introduced to the officials of the company, was photographed, held in her hand a Ford check worth two figures of millions, recounted the experiences she had encountered on her trip, and before leaving made arrangements for securing a new Ford car immediately upon her return to her home in Bakersfield, Calif. Mrs. Upton has already driven her present Ford more than 22,000 miles, 7,000 of which were driven since she left San Francisco May 11th, the longest day’s drive being 160 miles. At Springfield, 111., Mrs. Upton’s birthplace, she plans to dispose of the car and after visiting her many friends there, will return home via rail. When commenting on her trip, she said that in making the drive from the Atlantic to the Pacific, it had not been her purpose to follow a direct line of travel, but to visit the most cities and places of interest. She visited the Petrified Forest, spent several days in the national capital, drove to Mount Vernon, and then after touring to some of -the Atlantic her way to New York. _ _ , She experienced practically no trouble with her car, although she pointed out thfe fact,that she understands the Ford motor and made her own adjustments. ‘ Before leaving the Ford company, Mrs. Upton expressed the hope that her next Ford, i probably another runabout, will be equipped with a Ford starter. If you need a Duroc gilt or a Spotted Poland China gilt or sows, attend Duvall & Morlan’s public sale , October 9th.