Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 December 1892 — GREEN OLD AGE. [ARTICLE]

GREEN OLD AGE.

Cases of People Who Live Beyond Their Time. Baltimore Sun. Several cases of extreme longevity have recently been reported. Mrs. Hannah Harman is living in Brocton, Mass., at the age of 95 years, having been born the last day of Washington’s administration. Within the last few weeks two men were nearly as old, who retained vigorous health up to their death, died in Washington county,' Md., —Eli Stake and William Jones. The former, when a young man, was engaged in poling boats on the Potomac, from Williamsport to Georgetown, in the days of the old Potomac Company. Not many years ago Mrs. Elizabeth Schnebly died in Washington county considerably over a century old, retaining her mental and physical vigor to the last. In the town of Clarence, near Buffalo, N. Y., lives Mrs. Lavina Fillmore, having—attained the remarkable age of 105 years. She was married in 1809 to the Rev. Glezen Fillmore, a cousin of President Fillmore and the first Methodist minister employed regularly west of the Geuessee River. The Buffalo Courier assures us that the date of the birth of this remarkable woman is so well established as to be beyond question. In New York Mrs. Mary Fredenburg is living in possession of good health and all her faculties in her 105th year. In Goshen, N. Y., lives Philip McCauley, who celebrated his one hundred and third birthday on the 20th of this month. It is to be observed that while there are well authenticated cases of life extending beyond a century, most reputed cases come from the humbler class of people who are not in the habit of keeping family records, and the ages of the very old become matters rather of tradition than record. A great number of colored people believe themselves to be more than a hundred years old. Moses, who lived to be one hundred and twenty years old, fixed the limit of life at three score years and ten, “and though men be so strong that they come to fourscore years, yet is their strength then but labor and sorrow, so soon passeth St away and we are gone.” Jesus, the son of Sirach, in the Book of Ecclesiasticus. declared that "the number of a man’s days at the most are an hundred years" and it is rare indeed that this limit is passed, although it cannot be doubted that more men approach it now than iu former years. “Old John of Gaunt, time honored Lancaster,” was but fifty-eight years of age when King Richard spoke to him as we would speak to an octogenarian. Hudson, iu commenting on this passage, says: “At that time,men weye often married at fifteen, and were usually reckoned old at fifty, and to reach the age of sixty was then as uncommon as it now is to reach fourscore, so much has been added to the average of human life by the ease, comfort. and art of modern tiines.” However lustily men may sing “I would not live alwav,” it has been the common aspiration of mankind from the beginning to prolong life. Jacob, when 130 years old, complained to Pharaoh that “few and evil have the days of my life been.” The secret of long life bus never been distinctly discovered. It is true that moderation in diet and the observance of certain recognized rules of health will doubtless prolong life. But although scholars have devoted -thair-lime to the discovery of an “elixir,” it has never Beeh found: - Lord Mansfield, when he became a Very old man, made it a practice to question all aged witnesses who came before him as to their manner of life, hoping in that wav to discover some rule for longevity. But there was no concurrence qf habit, except that he ascertained that nearly alt he questioned were ebrly risers. But it is likely that they were early risers because they were vig- i orous and not vigorous because they were early risers. Dr. Stare, an English physician who lived about a hundred years ago, reported the case of a centenarian who mixed quantities of sugar with all his food, and attributed his long life to that habit. Dr. Slare adopted the practice, as he declared, with good results. Another physician, who lived to an old age, took daily doses of tannin under the belief that it would preserve the tissues of the body from decay. Lord Combermere attributed his good health and long life to wearing a tight beltaround his waist. If people would generally put on such a belt as they go to their dinners it might be beneficial. Mrs. Lewson, an English lady, who lived to bo one hundred and six, attributed her vigor to the fact that she never washed herself, but was in the habit of smearing her face with lard, declaring that “peofile who washed always took cpld. ” n the early part of this century a lady lived in New York who at the age of seventy retained the clear and delicate complexion of a girl. The cause to which this was attributed was kept a close family secret. The lady never wet her face, but used corn meal instead of water. But now, it h said, meal and flour make wrinkles. It will be remembered that Sara, the wife of Abraham, was so beautiful at the age of seventy that her husband feared that, be wotild be billed on her account.