Jasper County Democrat, Volume 4, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 July 1901 — OLD TIMERS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

OLD TIMERS

Mrs. Maria Allen of Elyria, Ohio, is the oldest living member of the Woman’s Relief Corps, and preparations are nl-

ready being made by the order for the celebration of her 100th birthday. Mrs. Allen's father was murdered at Lisbon. Portugal, while sailing out of New York as master of one of the old time sailing vessels, and every one of her five sons

went to sea as soon as he was big enough to tie a rope. Mrs. Allen’s mind is clear and her memory of events stretches back more than seventy-five years. She recalls distinctly the enlistment of volunteers for the war of 1812. In 1833 Mrs. Allen traveled from New Y'ork to Ohio with her husband and family in a iunves top wagon, spending more than a month on the road. She is one of the oldest surviving pioneers of Ohio. A unique double distinction belongs to “Zeeke,” nn old Indian woman who liven at Neah Bay, Wash. She is said to be

not only the oldest but also the ugliest person of her own or any other race on the Pacific coast, if not in the world. As to her great age, there are no positive proofs, but a single glance at her photograph is sufficient to establish

her rightful title to the second distinction. She was boro at Ncah Ray, where she has lived ever sin e, and Indiana who are now more than 70 years old say that when they were born “Zoeke” wa already nn elderly woman with grow n children. Hiram Cronk, the last male pensioner of the War of 1812, still lives nnd drawn his pension in the tow-n of Avn, nino miles from Boonville, Oneida County, N. Y. He was born in Frankfort, Herkimer County, N. Y., April 29, 1800, and in September, 18)4, he enlisted in what was then called the mass militia. The apartment of John Brown, Queen Victoria’s favorite servant, which was kept ’ closed by hor orders for eighteen years after his death, is being converted into a billiard room for the present tenants of Windsor.

MRS. MARIA ALLEN

“ZEEK[?]."