The New York Herald Newspaper, May 3, 1876, Page 4

4 ~ A WONDERPUL CAREER. {3 —_——~—-—- A Thrilling Chat with Cook St. John, 108 Years Old. Recollections That Almost Antedate American. Independence. BURNING OF NORWALK. Benedict Arnold's British Bribes and His Connecticut Slave. Romantic Incidents of a Life from the Time of Washington to Grant. Wattox, Delaware Co., N. ¥. April 27, 1876. Nearly three-quarters of a century ago a man, then thirty years of age, came to Walton from Connecticut. The flat on which the village is now built was then a forest and there were but a few houses in tho vicinity. Into this wilderness the young man brought his wife and two smal) children, and out of it hewed a farm and forced a com- petency. This man’s name was Cook St. John, and he is ull living at tho age of 103 | years, the head of a family which has eleven branches within a stone’s throw of cach other and number probably 140 persons. Sound in body and mind, with @ memory retaining the impression of in- | teresting events that occurrea iu the ‘‘days that tried | men’s souls,” bis personal history at this time has a peculiar interest. He is oldor than American liberty, whose centennial anniversary :8 now close at hand. It wag to see and talk with this relic of days long de- parted that I journeyed to this out of the way retreat among the mountaing. His momory is a storehouse of ich reminiscences, but it needs a week’s daily inter- course with bim and his family to extract their narra- tien from him. A vein of dry humor pervades his conversation, and the most eprightly and ‘‘gushing’’ society man could not be more intensely entertaining than I found “Uncle Cook” St, John. Ascertaining at the hotel that the centenarian was im good health and living at the residence of his oldest son, Mr. T. 8. St John, 1 sought that gentleman and was cordially invited to visitand talk with his father. The son himself was a venerable gray haired man, past threescore years and ten, and it seemed strange to bear him speak of bis father; but when other gray n asked after “grandfather,” themselves ra, “still the wonder grew.” les down in the forenoon, and I will go and see if he 1s up yet,’’ said the aged but active son. He returned in a few minutes and said that his father was ready to see me THE ST. JOHN RESIDEXCR— or this particular one—is a neat and attractive frame dwelling, on the main street of the village The ex- terior and grounds conveyed an impression that the in- mates of the house were possessed of refiuement and culture; and the interior contirmed it. 1 was conducted into a cosily fturnwhed sitting room, the wulis of which wero bung with ‘chuico Locryehy | brackets and ornemental work that told of the presence in tho house of young and tasty hands. A well-filled bookcaso was ranged on d in one corner a canary bird Bang cheerily in a handsome cage. “This 1s my wife, Mrs. St Jobn,”” suid my conductor, as a fine-looking and venerable lady arose from a chair by one of the windows. “And bere is father.” THR CENTENARIAN sat near the stove, in an casy chair, with his eyes bent on the floor. Across his lap lay a hickory cane, which | he worked to and fro nervously with his hands, My | attendant conducted me to the old man’s chair, Ho | was not aware of my presence until his son placed his band upon his sboulder, and saia;— “ er, bere is the young man I was telling you about.’ The venerable head was raised quickly, but tne an- Bouncement had not been charly understuod, and I saw that he Was quite deaf. The son repeated the an- nouncement. ‘‘Ah, ye: he replied, and, extending bis hand toward me, took bold of mine. His was small and soft, lacking in warmth, but remarkably steady. His clasp was cordial and he peered up into my tace ‘with an expression of curiosity that would have been more decided but for the almost total absence of sight from his eyes. He retained my haud until I had taken seat in achair by his side, and then released it and laid bis hand, brown, but comparatively smooth and } tree from wrinkles, upon my knee. “Tam glad to see you,” he said, in a distinet voice, in which the usual lisping and huskiness of old age was Dut slightly noticeable. *‘What is it you want of met’? His manner was inviting and calculated to dispel re- serve aud uneasiness in his presence. “I would like to talk with you about your recollection of the early days of this country——" He interrupied | me witha peculiar laugh, while a shade o: humor filited across his face, and said :— “You are young and know nothing of those days How do you know I will tell you the trath 7” Assuring bim that his word would be sufficient, I told Dim that I' desired also to get a sketch of his long, and, no doubt, momentous life. 4 REMARKADLE LIFE, “Ha! ha! It would be acurious story. I don’t be- Neve the man ever lived who has passed through what 1 bave and lived so long. Since | was seven years old 1 have earned my own bread; and, sti!l—” (pausing a ‘and working with bis cane in his nervous man- using the while), “and, still, I've always been comfortable, toa’’ Here the centenarian folded bis bands, setted back in his chair and was soon in a reverie, as ifthe long years he had left behind him, with their busy scenes, their hopes and fears, trials and triumphs, re passing in review through his mind. I interrupted the reverie by asking the centenarian when and where be was bora. He replied, readidy and quickly:—“In the town of | Norwalk, Fairfield county, Conn., on the Ist day Of June, 177% The St. Johns were among the settlers of Norwalk over two centuries and a quarter ago. They were Huguenots and were driven from Frdnco by religious persecution. Peter St. John was my father’s name. He was one of three brothers, ail born in Nor- waik—Myer und Daniel beiug the’ other two. My father lived to be quite old, being eighty-five when he @ied here in Walton, in January, 1811." Mr. St. John talked rapidly, and at times was obliged to make two or three attempts at pronouncing a word. When he paused it was to rest himself, the exertion seeming to weary biw. “Had you educational advantages, Mr. St, John?” “Ob, no. My pareots were very poor and schools Were not plenty in them days 1 never went to schuol | much. I was put off from home when | was seven | ear old. 4 learnt to read and write and spell, though, ly fathor was a man of education. He was a graduate of Yale Coliege, but 1 don't know in what year." ‘The centenarian stopped and feil to musing again, By and by l asked bim if he had ever learned a trade. *Yes, carpenter and joiner, but have principally been engaged 10 far: Wheu I was seven years old my parents put me out toa farmer living bear to drive cows, ride help the women, draw cider and tend | baby.”” At the recollection of this catalogue of dutics the old man indulged in a spoil of his peculiar chuck- ling laughter. “A year aiter that they sent me to a farmer's in Dutchess county, this State—town of Fredericktown—now Paterson, Putnam county. Let me seo—I was there four years, Theu I went back hume and worked on a farm summers and went to a | schoola little winters, til Iwas fifteen, My mother | ‘Was a Weaver, and she put mo to work on the loom, but T couldn't stand it aud nad to quit.” Here the venerabie narrator's breath seemed to grow short, und he said he would have to stop -a moment, as be was getting dizzy. ‘Grandfather complains a gooa deal of dizziness and shortness of breath,” reraurked | bis matroniy daughter-in-law. ‘Otherwise his mind and heaith are as good as they ever were.” { Presently he piaced his hand upon my knee and con- tinued:—“1 was going to tell you I bad a brother-in- Jaw named Amos Piatt, who lived in Southbary, thirty miles from Norwalk. He was a carpenter and jomer, and my nts apprenticed me to @im to learp thas trade. He quit the vusiness im something over a year, | and I never finished my ‘prenticestup. | worked at odd and, with iwo other young mon, went to work at Wilton parish, town of Norwalk, making the | funping gear. ior a grist mill. And here I dove | SOMETHING THAT WILL SEEM INCKEDISLE TO You.”? “lt wili, tadeed,” interposed Mra, St. John, the bter-in-law. 1h wan’ aid Of anything them days, The timber for the running years was near a meeting Louse thoy ‘Were building im Wilbur, and the trustees gave us per- mission to work in the lower room, which was uniin- A Mad named Terre! swept out the meeting and didn’t like the idea of our working init, So ed the doors and nailed the windows down, couldn't get in. But early ove morning | rod up the steeple, got into the from there down to the room below, The fasteved by a nail driven through the into the casing. It popped into my head rrel, so I drew the nail out of one of and filed it in two. I then placed the ia their places. The window raiseu, bat the wasthere yet. When Terre! saw it he couldn't rstand it, and Analy said that the devil was in me, he wouldn't try to keep me out of the weeting, again.” The old man laughed over the recollec- of this youthful trick, and nis davghter-in law i ii i i i looked at tim Cae agp © and saif:—Oh, be was sly and tall of mischief: ways doing something of that foe ho grandiather, tell him about going to New “BUT 1 AIN'T BERS TO CANADA YrT.”” Wher the centenarian was made to understand what bad been said to him, he replied quickly, been to Cabada yet!” followed by # momen: with his cane. ‘When I was twenty years oid | s ‘Of surveyors who were going to Canada. Gate gorermaont had given a tract of land tothe tery soldiers in the Revolutionary war who had ther houses burned, if they would settie it, aud these sur | aN | Oaraae Eee I saw the red coats. This was the 4th of | you come in a | Seems to be ever presont with her revered tather-in- veyors were going to lay it out. 1 wentas. one of tho nr . We farted the first Tuesday after the first Monday in May, 1793. What makes me remember the day particular is that the Grst Mot of May was always training day, when the soldiers trained, and it was the day after that, We went in a sloep to New York, aud then up the Hudson to Albany in a sloop, Thero we hired wagons to carry our baggage to Schenectady, and we walked to that place through the woods, and took bateaus up the Mohawk River to Fort | Stanwix. That is where Rome now stands, and where the big battle took place between the Americans and French, time of the French war. From Fort Stanwix we had our bateaux carried to Wood Creek, six or cignt miles, it I remember right. We went down Wood Cresk to Oneida and thi it, by Three Biver Point, to Oswago Fort, The Britis! still had possession of that fort and Fort Niagara, and had garrisons there. At } im ceased talking ana settled back "as he cails his daughter-in- ip by an explanatory remark, ‘‘He ‘ort, but insists on pronouncing it means Oswego Oswago, and won't allow us to say Oswego to this day.”” From Oswago Fort,” continued the old gentleman, ‘we went thirty miles down Lake Ontario tw Toronto Bay und landed where Little York now stands, We surveyed two townships, each, I think, ten milos square, and then returned to Connecticut, being absent four mouths, I got $10 a month, The country was fon ei iderness along our route and we were a month on the way and didn’t see a White person, ex- cept our own company, after we left Oswago Fort till we returned. We lived on salt meat and hard bread, and now and then fish and game. Once we saw the wolves chase a deer into the lake. Some of the com- pany jumped in @ bateau and succeeded tn captur- ing it,” IN NEW YORK 1x 1795, Mr. St. John, after a few moments’ rest, proceeded | to relate bis experience in the city of New York in 1795, which will be interesting. After his return from Canada be made calculations to go to New York to work, and asked his father for a lotter of introduction, At the recollection of this documett the old man laughed heartily avd then repeated it. GREENWICH STRERT was then the most western street in the city. In Ful- | ton street, two doors above Greenwich, young St. John | found a boarding place with a family named Bloodgood. His novel recommendation, or letter of introduction, procured him work at once. } “1 was walking in Greenwich street,” he said, ‘and | saw a block of new buildings, with carpenters working | inside. [entered one of em and asked a man where the boss was. He said be was called the boss. 1 told him I wanted work, ‘Where are you trom ?? said he. I told him Connecticut, ‘Ob, I don’t like Yankees. | ‘They're too apt to ve trickish,’ he said, His name was | Pancoast, and he said he came from New Jersey. I | told him that was bad, but that he coulda't help being born there any more than I could in Connecticut, Then | he laughed and asked me if | was a workman, I told him | had nothing to say as to that, but | had a recom. mendation trom my father, and I banded my letter to | him. He reed it, and when he got through laughiug at it he said, ‘BY GOD, I'LL mee You!’ "? St. John was set to work at once setting up window sashes. The biggest glass used then was 7x9, and all the sluting and work on gasbes had to be done by band, The young carpenter made # mistake im bis first sash, and got it too large for the panes, “I knocked it apart and hid it in the shavings under the bench,”’ he says, ‘and went home to my supper, but IT couldn't eat. I went to bed, but couldn’t sleep. While I laid awake it popped into my head how to remedy the mat- ter, and 1 got up carly and fixed it, Come to the win- dow yonder and I'll show you how! didit. Take noid my hand, ana help me up.’? T gave him my hand and began to pull, when ho ex- claimed, ‘Hold on! Let me do the pulling. There— | that’s it,” and I saw him on hie feet for the first time. 1 led him to the window, and he explained the manner in which he remedied his error. His oldest son’s venerable wife assisted him back to | the chair, and as he took her arin he said, with great | tears in bis eyes, ‘ell your folks that I’ve got the best | woman to tuke care of mo that ever God sent to bea | comfort to an old man,” and he clung affectionately tq | her as sho guided him gently across the room. He took bis seat again and fell into one of his reveries. if “[ have taken care of him for twenty years,” | said Mrs, St. Jobn, ‘and to this day he hus not been | the least trouble or annoyance. After his second wife | died, in 1850, he came here and sald he wanted to come and live with us, as be was lonesome Ho lived four miles from here, on the Esopus turn- pike, between here and Hancock. We told him to | come if he wanted to, and the next day he did come, and has been here ever since. REGULAR HABITS AT ONK HUNDRED AXD THREE. “He goes to bed winter and summer at eight o'clock, As soon as the clock begins to strike eight he com- monces to get out of his chair, We remove his coat aud vest, aod ne takes off the rest of his clothes, and dresses bimself in the morning, coming out of bis room ; with his coat and vest over his arm, like a little boy. | He 1s often up the first one in the morning, and cats | breakfast with the rest of us. We have to cut his tood up on his plate, and he cats with aspoon, He lies down a speil in’ the forenoon, and then after dinner erally sleeps an hour or two,” It is semething re. arkavle that be is in better health now than he wi when young. He always was sickly, but does not havo one Bi pell now where he used to have a dozen, When he was ninety-nine he was weighed, and then | again when he was one hundred, and he bad gained ten pounds, 1 don’t remember how much he weighed.” KEEPING AU COURANT WITH EVENTS. “Does he keep posted in the events ot the day— politics, news, &e, ¥ “Well, for the past two or three years he has lost the run of things. During ali the civil warl. read every word of war news, from the beginning to the | close, to him. He took @ great interest in the war, and would no one ose read to him but me, although there were much better readers in the houso than my- | h self, After the war was over I read the paper to him every day until three years since, when his hearing became so bad ‘that it was too great a ta He is as anxious as heur the news, but appreciates the diflicuity of getting | details to him, and never asks for them. This is a pe- | cular bousenold, We have living with us two of our ‘randcbildren, who are orphans, and now young ladies, thas always seemed strange that they, in the very morning of their hves, could content themselves here with three such old peopie as tather, my husband and m self, But they seem to be happy, and share with us tue care of their great-grandiather.”? CHALLENGED TO A DUEL. Mr, St. Jobn here took up the thread of his narra- tive, “While 1 was in New “Yo'k I was challenged to fight a due! by Pancimm. A grocer, whose store was opposite where boarded, was putting up a building near Greenwich camp, which was then the outskirts of the citys He came to Pancoast to complete the work, the frames being up. Pancoast said he would take the job tf he could geta journey- man he had to take charge of it, I overheard the con- versation, and when Pancoast came to me and told me | that if | would take charge of the work I would be paid | full wages, I declined. Pancoast told me that I must do the work or quit bis employ. I stopped work at | once and went direct to the grocer and inquired if he | had any carpenter work to be done, The grocer said ne had, and asked me if I was competent to ao it [ replied that | was the journeyman Pancoast had recom. | mended, und secured the contract, and employed a young man who boarded where I did to help me. Pan- coast received knowledge of the transaction in a day or two and went up to Greenwich camp and challenged me to a duel, 1 decliued to accept, and that was the | end of that scrape,” laughingly concluded the old man. Now, father, if’ you're through with New York, tell | him about your going home and getting married,” sug- gested the daughter-in-law. FIRST DOCK 0: “But ain't through yet. NORTH RIVER. fter finishing that job i went in building a dock in the North River, near the Bavery. This was the first doc rer constructed in the North River, and when I went to New York there was no dock east of Peck élip in the East River, ‘The dock was being built by old Governor Clinton, and was to be used for storing stone on for the uso of the city, I don’t rewember ever having scen G4vernor Clinton | von the work, but bis son-in-law—I forget bis name— was there often, Linjured myself by hgavy lifting on | the dock. The yellow tever vistied the harbor and I | took it, So 1 returned home to Connecticut. That was in 1796, the year | was married the first time.’? | THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR, “Do you remember much about the Revolutionary | War, dir. St. Jon?” 1 asked, after a time. “Oh, yes—yes! I remember a great deal about the Revolutionary War.” @ clock in the room com- . and the centenarian looked quickly up twelve, Happan?” Answered in | the affirmative, he continued:—“I remember when the | a burued Norwalk, and I witnessed the burning. | ‘as Six years oid, 1 had four brothers in the war.” | Mr, St. John’s eldest son, who had left the room soon after introducing me, re-entered, and said to his | wil the Revolution, eh? ‘atber is very regular in his habits, and always | 3 down for hour or two’s rest aiter dinner, Will | I, Say at ihree o’ciock? He will be | Fetresbed then, and the interview will be much more | satistactory.” ) At three o'clock I rang the door bell of the attractive St. Jobn residence, and was admitted by one of the | great-grandcbildren of the centenarian, a handsome | and intelligent young lady, provably nineteen years old, ‘Grandfather bas been up some time, He did not sleep as loug as usual, and wag probably thinking | about your interview?” she said, } I found the old gentioman seated in his accustomed place. He shook hands with me again and spoke of | the weather i a casual way. “You were saymf Mr. St John, that you had four | brothers in the Kevulutiohary war!” “Yes, 1 bad Justin, 'Nijah, Gideon and Peter,’’ “Adonyah, he means,” explained Mrs, St John, who ‘Then addressing law. “Justin was the oldest. Only two of them wore in the Continental army—Justin and ‘Nijah. ’Nyab was a | minute man, and had to go at the shortest notice. | Gideon was in the lines—that 18, Was one of the guards along the Sound, guarding towns and property, He was taken prisoner, and was confined for a tong time | in the prison ships and in the old Sugar House, with ail | the horrors, Father succeeded in getting bim exchanged | and then be enlisted for three ra, or during the war, Justin was 1X THR BATTLE OF Bi | lean remember him coming m the house when the — war Grst broke out, and thew gomg away again, alter | bidding my motner goouny and leaving ber weeping | bitterly. T couldn't anders We at the time, Jearved afterward that he bad told mother he had and was going to join the Continentals, More Wen two years old then. KER ATLL I It must have been about the time they heard the news from Concord and Lexington. | don't remember ever hearing my brother speak of any incidents connected | with the battle of Bunker Hill or war, When | was five years okt a portion of the army with a long train of baggage waguus passed turough Norwalk oa their way from Boston Ww | | stopped, as we supposed, to get some beer, ! the wood and im the flames; and I tell you everything ever to | had | daughter of Samuel and Anna Seymour, and was ono | month: | who came here in 1808 with & negro siave, I bave New York, My mother and I strained our eyes to get sight ee iain, Wut’be was with’ anothér “divibion and we didn’t see him. Peter was my own brother, my father berg married twice. He was apprenticed to a tory shoemaker, When the British came to Norwalk and barned the town he was sixteen years old. They burned the place on Sunday, Peter's master was to meeting. So Peter took the tory’s musket and joiwed the company that went to defend the piace. He served until the close of the war. | Justin was in all the big battles and never lost an hour’s duty until peace was declared. None ot 'em was ever wounded. In the batue of Bunker Hill Justin had bullet holes through every garment, but never had any blood drawn.” **Do you remember any incident connectéd with the burning of Norwalk ?”’ THE BURNING OF NORWALK, CONN. “Incidents? As well as if they had happened to- gay. If there is anything in the. world | can remem- ber it j@ the burning of Norwalk. What » time there ‘was when the news came that the British were coming. The women and children all fled to the woods and bi behind stumps and bashes. My mother took me on her back and left the house for the woods, Gideon no home sick from his life on the prison ships ‘not be moved and father with him at ‘The mem formed into a company and went to defend the place. A few houses wasn’t burned, but they belon, to tories, I remember tne tories Betz and Hoyt; their houses were not burned, The Eptscopal charches were ail loyal, and every minis- ter got orders from the British, before the burning, to Jeave the parishes. They ail went off with the british except Rev. Mr. Avery, of Stamford. Tho &| ebureb in Norwalk did not got on fire antit the British lett, and it was thought that the Americans fired it. My father’s house was not bu: as he Nved about two miles from the landing, and the British aw get up that far. It made terrible times in Nor- wi DANRURY WAS BURNED the same time. After the British went aboard the shipping the women and childrea rewurned from the woods, My mother andI went home. We had been there but a few minutes when we saw a company of British light horse coming down the road, we be- lieved they were to continue the work of destruction. My mother hurried with me out of tho bouse again and got down behind the bushes, ‘The company I remem- ber it just as well as can be how frightened wore, The British proved to be pasonenss which our men had captured ant med, They were the only red couts I saw during the war. I was six years old when this occurred. ”? . "At this point a bright little girl, about five years old, entered the room. She spoke to Mr. St. John, and then tripped over to the old centenarian’s side and, placing her band on his Knee, looked up in his face. “Who ig this?” iuquired the old man, laying his child's head. Florence, father,”’ answered the watchful daughter-in-law, “Ah! Are you well, dear?” said the centenarian, as he stroked the little one’s hair. “Have you a kiss for met” He bent bis venerable face toward the child and she kiseed bis lips, 1t was a touching picture, this saluta- tion between one just at life’s dawn apd one around whom the shades of its evening had long since wthered. The sire dismissed the child with a tender Gloestng, and gaid, ‘‘A great-great-grandchild of mine. T have nine of these.’ “He has lived to ‘sec five generations,” added Mra. ‘St. John, *‘and that child jy oud of the.tifth.” “YOU REMEMBER WHEN PEACK WAS DEGLARED ?”” “Oh, yes. I was ten years old when'thé British left the country. I remember Roger N. . one of the signers of the Declaration,” “Was there much demonstration mado by the people when peace was declared?” “| guess you'd’ ’a thought'so if you'd been there I j don’t know that I eversaw such @ aniversal turnout, ‘There was great doings for the number of people, | tell you—nothing. like 1 since, Such bonfires! They'd | take a log as big as they could raise up on its end—jay twenty feet high when it was up, Around this they piled Wood clean to the top, and ag big around as this room. Then they put barrels of tar on top of the pile and fired it. When the tar melted it ran down over blazed. That was the fall alter | was ten years old. The British wan’t quartered at apy time at Norwalk. They had possession of Long Island, and used to come over asoiten as they was a mina te, in spite of us,” “pip YOU RVERK SERB WASHINGTON ?’” “No, he replied, laughingly; ‘*I am a centena- rian who never saw Washington—that is, so tar as I know. Shortly after he got bis commission he passed through Norwalk, but don’t remember secing him. Guess I never did, We probably didn’t know he was coming until he got here. News didn’t fly then as it does now. “I remember another incident that may be interesting. They held slaves in Connecticut when I was a boy, and every year the colored people had what they calica a ‘huckleberry frolic,’ and danced and had grand times for two days. There wasa man named Church lived on the road half way between Norwalk and Fairticld. He was a strong tury, and ARNOLD AFTRR HE TURNED TRAITOR used to frequently visit Church’s, Church hada black man sho to wait on Arnold, and his master gave him to the traitor, who took him away, Alter the war was over Arnoid gave the slave freedom and went off with the British, Shortly after tho war the black people in our vicinity had one. of their hackleborry frohcs and Arnold’s servant came back and attended it. He had plenty of money. Church at once claimed the black man, saying that he had ran away. He also pre- tended that he had lost some money: or $400—and ‘thatthe negro had stolen 1. Church took the man and Jocked hin up in his garret and fed bim on bread and water, trying to force him to | it up the money. The black man refused, and then Church took him to Fair- field jail and nad him locked The darky got ac- quainted with the jailer and finally told him te go and teil Church that if he would acknowledge his fr vould pay him the money. Church did so and re- ceived the amount. The black then told where he got the money, He said it was some of the money Arnold received from the British, and that him and Arnold come over in the night and buried it under an apple tree. There was several thousand dol lars, he said. This same black man wanted to marry a young slave Woman belonging to Church and offered to buy her, but Cburch wouldn't seil her. He finally got the consent of Church to marry her, and the slave holders subsequently learned that, by giving his consent to the marriage, he had freed his slave woman ‘at the same time. The black couple bought a farm and settled down thore.’? ‘The old man lay back in bis chair and it was evident that bis thoughts bad wandered back over the century he had lived to see. Speaking more to himself than to me, he sald, “Yes—yes—yes; I remember the huckle- berry trolics very well, Ob, what changes, what changes, there have been since then !”” MARRIAGE No. 1, “I was married the first time on the 2ist of Decem- ber, 1796, to Polly Seymour, tn Norwalk. She was the of twelve children. My first child was’ born on the 25th of November, 1797, and the second in March, 1800. In 1802 T left Connecticut with my family to come to this place. Jt was on the lst of March, We came in sleighs, and were eight days making the jour- ney. The suow was so deep that we were threo days ing the first thirty rotles. It was nearly all woods | fore then. I bought « farm up the East Brook and | cleared up 200 acres. In 1804 my first wife died, loav- ing threo children. - MARRIAGE NO. 2. | T married Anna Benedict, daughter of Deacon Ezra | Benedict, in January, 1805, and in 1807 sold my farm | and built the grist mill in East Brook. The next year | | L bought a farm four miles from here, on the ‘So vurnpike, where I lived until my second wife died in | 1850. Since then I have lived here, and had nothing | but kindness trom everybody. I lived seven years | with my first wife, over fifty with my second and twenty-five with my daughter-in-law, and have yet to say that avy of them ever gave me an unkind word. re’s something remarkable for you to put down, d every malignant disease there ever was, I be- »and.no man ever suifered from sickness more than I have. jesides,"’ and the merry expression fitted among his wrinkles, ‘i've been scared to death once and drowned once, and I'm alive yet! Iwas ‘scared todeath’ when i was six years old. My mother sent me onan errand one night, about a mile away. It was bright moonlight, but the road was | lovely. A man named Albert Clinton hid behind some rocks, ina turn of the road, and when I came by bim he jumped out and caught n bis arms and held me up, so—? (holding bi: up “rhat m Tdi ow anything for @ good while, Forty-nine years ago 1 WAS UROWNED IN THX NORTH RIVER. I was being rowea out to the steamer irom the dock takill, and the boat I was riding in was upset ia some way. | was taxen out of the water insensible, and wasn’t brought to till the boat reached Newburg, | which was four hours.” Changing his subject sud- | deny, the old man said:—“You said you would read me what you took down this morning. Ha wt ready | “I read my notes to him, and he mad tions. He is a8 greata stickier for facts as Gradgrind. “You say I am 103 years old. Now, t 102 years, ten nd fourteen days 103 years? You must fx tent unless It Isn't to be printed before the Ist of next une. A LONG POLITICAL CAREER, Were you ever in politics, Mr. st, John? in the caucuses?” he replied, with his chuckle, T used to doa good deal that w: have al- ways been :0 great favor of freedom and opposed ut terly to slavery, I used to go so far as to say that slaves had a right to kiil their masters to gain freedom. | told this once to a man named Gardnel voted By year since the fail | was of age, exce| } three, In 1812 1 was in New York during election, The | second time I missed I do not remember. The third time was last tall, I voted for John Adame first tor President and have not missed a Presidential election tinee—voting for Jefferson, Madison, Monr john Quiney Adams, Harrison, Taylor, Fremont, colo | undGrant, In 1872 my vote was the first cust im this town, followed by a son, @ grandson and a great-great- randson—all voting for Graut, I didn’t go to election fast fall, and I guess I'll never go to another one,"” me “CHAWRD.”? Noticing that Mr. St. Jotin chewed tubacco I asked him if he always bad the habit. “Oh, no! 1 was over thirty years old when I larned It was in 1805, the summer after my first wife died.” “You don't chew?’ he asked me. answered. You've heard the verse Bootiand, | HL B Dor you begin, Weil, there's more truth (han poetry in that.’ The cente: n_ now lapsed into stience and to have exbausted the \opics he chose (o converse upua, merely saymg that he id ike to meet some one who was 100 years ofd and sit down and talk with nim what two such olf people would talk about, After & general conversativg with the other members of the vy, | thanked the centenari for bis court bade bim and his extracrdimary 1awily goodby. vaya First Day of the Spring Meeting. THREE SPIRITED CONTESTS. Bathgate, Grit and Egypt the Winners. Nasuvitis, Tene., May 2, 1876, The spring meeting of the Nashville Blood horse Association began to-day under very unfavorable cir- cumstances, as the weather was cloudy, with the heaviest track imaginable from rains of the two ceding days, The racing, however, was all that be desired, Three events were on the card, they were run of to the sapislaction of spectators, YOUNG AMERICA STAKE. In the first, the Young America Stake, for two- year-olds, halta wile, fourteon faced thestarter, These were Dan Kinney, Bello Meade, Bersheba, Clara L., Spring Branch, Classmate, Barbara, Belle Isic, King Willtant, Bathgate, Alice Murphy, Annie C., Young Kitty and Belle de Mona. Bathgate was a great favor. ite, and in the pools brought $25; Dan Kinney, $11; Classmate and Spring Brauch, $10; Belle de Mona, $5, aud the ficld, $29 Larger pools were in the same proportion, The track was in the most horrible condition, being fetlock deep in mud, which rendered time calculation out of the ques tion, but the youngsters ran faster than was antici. pated. They were started from the judges’ stand on account of the narrowness of the track at the bal!-mile pole, while on the homestretch it 1s nearly 100 feet in width, The fillies and cols made a beautiful appearance when they first canoe to the post, but this scene was soon changed by the youngsters galloping up and down the stretch, They had two breaksaway and ran‘around the upper turn in the mud, sending the slush over each other until they were scarely recognizable, When the drum was tapped by Colonel Johnson for a start, they got off ina scrambling manner, Young Kitty having halt a dozen lengths the best of it; Aliee Murphy second, Belle Meade third, Dan Kinney fourth, Barbara filth, the favorite, Bathgate, sixth and the others in abunch. They ran around the upper tura very rapidly, making several changes on the way. At the quarter pole Bello Meade was leading four lengths, Alico Murphy second, Dan Kinney third, Young Kitty fourth, Bersheba fifth, Bathgate sixth, the others trailmg on as best they could. Getting into straight work Bathgate began closing up, and Dan Kinney overtook Belle Meade ‘about midway of the stretch. Soon a‘terward Bath- gate, coming on in fine style, passed Kinney and won the race bya length, in 55% seconds. Belle Meade was third, King William fourth, Bershoba fifth, Spring Branch sixth, Alice Murphy seventh, Belle ighth, Ciara L. ninth, Barbara tenth, Annie C, eleventh, Class Mute twelith, Young Kitty ‘thirteenth, Belle Lemona fourteenth. THE WINNER. Bathgate, the winner, isa large bay colt, standing sixteen hands and half an inch bigh. Ho has rather a Pluiu head, with good, stout neck, well inclined should- ers, good body, sound teet and legs. He 1s such a large oolt that it gives him a rather gawky appearance, and he looks to be somewhat high in the leg, Bathgate is avery striking likeness ot Ruffin, the winner of the Great Gold Stakes, at Lexington, Ky., in 1843, WINNERS OF THE YOUNG AMKRICA STAKES, Year. Winner. Subs, Starters, Time. 1874—Vassal 16 10 4 1875—Creedm 18 7 1876—Bathgate. 15 4 AKER. ¥or the second race, the O'Connor Stake, one mile and a quarter, eight came to the post. These were Grit, The Nipper, Tecalco, Steptoe, Emma Jackson, Dave Saxon, Jack Sheppard and Amunda Warren. They were a fine-looking fleld of three-year-olds, The betting on this race was very spirited. Grit was the favorite at long odds over the others, and the race before the start wasconsidered to lay between him and The Nipper, who was second choice, the othors selling at short figures, The Kentucky delegation laid their money rocklessly on The Nipper, while the Tennessee and other Southern sportsmen backed Grit as long as a dolfar could find a taker. The other horses in the race were hittie thought of, and soid in a bunch for small amounts in the u la, The horses broke away several Umes before t. fell for a start, but when they got off ‘he Nipper took up the runnin; and came away ahead of the otners, at the end of the Orst quartor of a mile head and head, six lengths in advance of Tecalco, Steptoe fourtn, Jack Sheppard filth, Amanda Warren sixth, tho others trailing. Grit and The Nipper ran round the upper turn yoked, but at the quarter pole Grit, on the outside, had hig head in front of The Nipper, the latter being six lengths ahead of Tecalco, Amanda Warren fourth, the others | tar behind and well spread out. Going down the back- atretch the horses in @ parallel, and in this manner they passed the half-mile pole, none of the others being considered in the race. Around the lower turn The Rigger showed his head im front until near tw three-quarter pole, when they again became parallel, and now the shouts of the sans of the horses were, loud in favor of each. Turning into the homestretch they came face on, like a team yoked together, A most desperate whip and spur contest ensued, which continued uctil the colts had passed under the wire at the finish, Grit rt the race by three-quarters of a longth. Time, The rst er was run in 25 seconda Amanda | Warren cane third, Jack Sheppard fourth, Tecalvo filth, Dave Saxon sixth, Steptoe seventh, Emina Jack- son eighth. This race will long be remembered by all who witnessed it. Grit, the winner, is a bay colt, with a star and | left hind foot white, fifteen and a half hands high, Ho is very moscular, with tre. mendous stifles and quarters, dee chest and sound feet ane legs As a two-year. he ran eight | times, winning twice, the more important of which | was tho Murphy Stakes, at Gallatin, Tenn., last Oc- tober, one mile, beating Phwbe H. and three others in 1:44. MILE EATS, | Tho third race was mile heats, which had for starters W. R. Babeock’s chestnut horse Egypt, Ira Platner’s bay filly Lotta Moore and W. ©, McGavock’s bay filly Highland Vintage. Egypt was an immense favorite | over the field, in fact, it was only considered a walk over for him by many of bis backers, The result, how- ever, scared them for a short time, a8 Loita Moore won the first heat very easily. Egypt won the second and third hoats and the race, First Heat.—Egypt took the lead, Lottie Moore sec- ond, Highland Vintage third. At the quarter pole Egypt ted half a length, Lottio Moore second, haifa jength in front of the other. At the half-mile pole Egypt was haifa length in front, but they swung inco the homestretch side by side four lengths away from Highland Vintage. A merry it up the home- stretch ended by Lottie Moore winning the heat by a = 1:51. “Highland Vintage was eight Jengths rv Second Heat.—lottie Mooro a great favorite. She — jum| off with two lengths the best of the lead, which she held to the quarter pole; Egypt second, Highland Vintage third. Egypt then went to the front, and, | staying there, won the beat by six lengths, Highiand yuiees second, one length in front of Lottie Moore, ‘ime, 1: 1 ‘Third Heut.—One hundred dollars to $40 on Egypt, | He took the lead, was never headed, and won the heat | by a length th 1:63. | SUMMARY. Nasuviner, Taxy., May 2, 1876—Finst Day or THE Spring MEETING OF TH! HVibLE BLoop Horsk Asso- | ciation—First Rack,—Yourg America Stake, for two- year-olds, entrance $25 p. p.; association to add $200; second horse to receive $50 outof the stakes. Ma) mile. Closed March 1, 1876, with 15 nominations. Value, $515. W. T. Linck’s b. ¢. Bathgate, by ba Bonnie Scot- g ~ tralia, 's b. f. Belle Meade, by imp. Bonnie Scotland, dam Woodbine, by Lexington.......... F. W. Hora & Co,’s ch. c. King William, by Foster, dam by imp. Alvion..... theee eee W. A. Brown's b. f. Ber " mp. Bonmie Scot- land, dam Lantana, by Capt. Elgee ees Williams & Owing’s ch. f. Spring Branch, by 1m, Australian, dato Spring Brook, by Lexington. ..... Wm, Mayo’s gr. {. Alice Murphy, by imp. Bonnie dam tie Martin, by timp. Erin a & Co's b. t. Belle Isle, uy imp. Bon- pie Seotlaud, dam Arnica, by Asteroth.. W, A. Browo’s ch. f. Clara L., by imp. Bonnie Scot- land, dam Belladona, by Brown Dick. .... + BB. jas & Co.'s b. £ Barbara, by imp. Bonnie Scotland, dam Tallalulah, by Planet.... ee William Mayo’s ch. Annie C., by Foster, dam Heliotrope, by Meteor. By ognnsse ee ‘Williams & Owings’ b. f. Classmate, by Planet, dam Pull Cry, by Vandal........ na see |. K b. £ Young Kelly; by Rogers, dam 8 | jam & Co.'s ch. f. Belle De Mona, by Dick, dam Kiectra, by Jack Malone.,..... 14 Time—$5 4 sec, ‘4 | Samm Day—Sxcoxp Rack.—O’Connor Stakes. for peers ids; entrance $25 p. p; Major U’Convor to $250; second horse to receive $50 out of the | stakes; dash of one mile and » quarter, closed with fifteen pominations; value, $625. W. T, Linick's ~ « Grit, by Melbourne, Jr., dam Wi by Wagner. esas G. D, Wilson & Co.'s The Nipper, by 11 dam Apnetie, by Lexington. D. MeCurty’s ch. | Amanda W. A. ' NEW YORK HERALD, WEDNESDAY, MAY 3, 1876.—TRIPLE, SHEET. NASHVILLE RACES) <Sxczks hy There will he three events deci¢ed today, pools on two of which werd suid in this city last evening as tol- lows fourth, Time, 240\—-29%-248 Walle Benes Piet was being led 10 his stable after the second heat he be- ever was brought to the sure forthe third heat, and, er im ine leg, trolled Abe ‘best te geod eye, taking at the sixth pM minotes ; tive, in harness the Get, $150 to the third and $100 to the J. H. Golasmith’s br. ¢ Oscar, & Boston Pilot. ch. Ps b. ava public auction of Ali Pacha’s racehorses @ Syrian horse named Alep for 260 guineas, Alep ia a brow: horse, standing fourteen hands two anda bat 4 and bas been very successiul on the tart. 18 now eight years old, and bas won races at every | mevting in Cairo and Alexandria since be was a three- | year-old, aud 1s stillas sound on bis legs as the he was foaled. At the last Cairo meeting he won four races right off the reel, two of them being over hurdics, in which branch of the sporthe never bad an equal in Egypt. The horse is going to England in the Serapis, under the charge of Mr. T. Batten, his late trainer and jockey, The Khedive, in his endeavors at retrenchment | having withdrawn his suosidy from the races at Cairo | and Alexandria, Egypt, itis feared there will ve no more racing for some time at either of those places. This will throw several English trainers and jockeys ip the country out of employment. POLO AND PONY RACING. TWO DAYs’ SPORT AT BRIGHTON, ENGLAND— THE CONTESTANTS AND WINNERS, Briourtox, April 19, 1876. The two days’ polo games ended to-day in a shower ofrain, The sport was lively enough tor the players this afternoon, and dressed, as they were, in close fitting shirts and drawers, they did not experience any serious inconvenience irom the drenching shower. But it ie — only just to say that the enthusiasm of the spectators decreased as the storm grew more severe, Notwith- standing the inciemency of the day many carriages, filled with handsomely dressed ladies, were on the ground. The games wore held on the spacious park of Mr. Bennett Sanford at Preston, two miles north of Brighton, reached by the beautiful drive by the famous Pavilion, | amd under the massive viaduct of the Hastings Rail- way. THE POLO MATCHES. For yesterday's games sides were chosen from among the officers oi the Royal Scots Gteys and stood as fol- lows:— Colonel Ni : . Os Montague oe, herp ts Atha rs, red), es A: Korrens, W, Hh colors, blue). The ball was tossed into the centre of the field at | dau by three o'clock, and, as the signal was gives, the contest | Hl : iF i i ; Potiock, Patrick and Franks, No 2 of Mesars. Rigby, ‘Trail, Got and Joynt, fred Gfieen shots per man at 00 Ou and 1 000 scoring & grand total for No. 1 ee is | ete an Isaac Woodruifs 8, g. C. W. Ki t PF mqreed od onapreneorsns. J: story's bm. Hele of Fiatousn ® Ler sages Sah ad oe Heoed America. ita seston to be continued, . trial - 2:29, mile heats, three 1 five, im harness; $500 to tho + 2 oome firet! $250 to the wecond, $150 to the third and $100 to | Petition We to be held on the 2th of May apd the ad ceases 1 1| dear Devt fhe men meking the sears: H i gate scores at three meetings w tu the 2 8 @ | Mateh for the Abercorn cup, to be at annual 446 FEROS SF Cao Se Sie Asotin, ave nee at Thorpe & Chacsbertai's br. clidord Boy... we oe fae ves cone aes 101 Ul ‘ebr. v seer ree ee Time, 2:83 56-2 004-2345. i thie metab wat bo tele 08 Sor Aimorieneight v0 be SPORTING EVENTS ABROAD, | ims, ig be Foc provaing opretee is is that the competition will bring te A singular story is told in connection with the vie- » Ld a ES and i may be tory of Lord Rosebery’s horse Controversy in the Leon) many who have | Lincolnshire Handveap, at Lincoln, Kngland, recoasiy, | © 70 *MMnagSS SONS SUS Aientens ridemen, } The Bishop of Lincoln directs his anathemas against | With pS pete Ww the Deltas, Fiflemen the } racing and racing men, On the Sunday before the race ne pa A ry gg CV meeting he, as usual, occupied the pulpit, and took for | ‘went dows v0 a FS / his text, “Beware of controversy,” little imagining the | Kinuegar was wet and cold, with @ use to which a portion of his congregation, struck by pate hoped each of the ron’ One, toncna Load the appropriateness of the text, would apply it, Juea tueniecagee The latest London sporting journals reier particu- ‘Tas scouR, larly to the presence of Mr. M. H. Sanford at New. | » S | Os | market on the opening day of the Craven racing mect- |. an oy a ing. ‘ P. s 2» 82 @ At the South Lincolnshire (Holbeach) Steeplechases, | 3: yo oe ee Monday, April 18, a Mr. Luke Nicholson rode the win: | J. ary 6 ra “ ners of all four races, - 2 a4 4190 bh Fordham’s state of health precludes the probability LE a Hy Ay ‘sé. hie titing tgain ll ectoum, eth ened eee Gee En Se pecoaaes is Ou the second day of the Newmarket Craven meet- | the we tatonahut at atadiph, nad is toe ing, Wednesday, April 19, there was, as it proved, an important over-night race of 5 furlongs 140 yards de- | proved. By Slt aa TS Cee ee ee cided. It was with selling allowances, and Captain D. LETTER Lane's Hesper, 8 years, by Speculum, 108 lbs., and Mr, | “FM H. Bird's Lowlander, 6 years, 138 Ibs. (including 10 | Tew tons, } Tbs extra), were the only two that came to the post, As | gqitt DAM Mim—T, have the honor to sels it was the day when Thunder and Lowlander had been beg ry 7 ‘of the expected to come together, but did not, as the laiter | the menubery of this asseriation uy the od pald fortett, there was some interest manitested in the | tained therein to our invitation to in tie een event. The issue was deemed ut the mercy of theold | contemplates tn the ¢ Ameortoan Meise Hapa Casco temoaar ante: | mace pea ee say Bly le jesper. Custance had the mount yf. ‘ et i! funder, and the Dewing was 7 tol In his favor. The old | eition” a horse came alo shad 6 lead Storeeabenegl VOLUNTRERA a of a con bat the young one gradually overhauled him, and wou by a | gormerehter hertiewen eroreestne thewecle att heck anes e ling set-to. "There ‘wen atomahdene he to co-operete and peavedy m4 prom By a citement when the number of Hesper was hoisted pro- | in shooting thomselves into the team. beatin hove the Kebecagoh Se a bio to os cae KEW GrounD, eet Geb Thence wocid cesta’ tae She Tih Aopuoticn bao, bese, Gepetved of Geb rice of £1,000 Hesper would realize, Captain r. Gomm'and Mr. Baltazz! were the chief bidders for | $hoovine range at Dolly ye tyt A knocked down to the for- | 49 shoot trom & station ou the shore across the water, ner for 2,500 guineas, and as the owner of Lowlander At targets placed near the Sutton, Borthern end of became entitled to half' the surplus money he claimed | tne yell od pL tn oreg A a Hesper got no more than — t "New ek Aprit 9, Pec NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION, e anit “ia - Jog the facing stud of the late Tho National Rite hold tte regular mon; e horses submitt jor com) iol a yesterday, General Alexander snore, who last season created no Caregen oy } pees A the’ eat General defeating’ Maric Stuart in the Manchester Cup. / Kaos, General son of Uncas, who looked wo} ily tea ad wal Woodward, Major Felton, Captaia Morey, Capteie realized the highest price lot, being sold to Mr. | Casey, Majar Behermertora, Judge Stanton, Mr. a HM. T. Brown tor 1.560 guineas, and he joins the Graham Paco stable, The Duke of ‘Hamilton bought Rattener, eel Steerer 208 Coteeee Ga- A five year old mare by Rateatchor out of Thoreday, Colonel of the dam of Holy Friar, and it 1s more than likely hei Committee, ‘iat be bad for own intends to put herto the stud, though she ts ‘Sullding a foot the tew such asmart jumper that she may take partina nue- ‘oog on dle race or iwo before leaving the post for the | Taageset Crestmesr, a6 cen e@hene; alee that” ere edited Aether Hemet wo rae Winchester Arne Company authorise the emeciation cal nisbiiling, was knockea mn toCaptai for 110 guineas’ aud, of the others, both Top Sawyer | 7" 08 them: for GLC te tuid w fence and Colonel Hutchinson revurn to. their old quarters at the cow target called the “Teneing deer,” Heanestord, having been purchased }. 1, Who | the trained for the lato owner of the horses, ‘nine ant- ‘4 | mals sold realized a total of 2,220 guineas, the Daring the visit of His Royal Highness the Prince of | value C Wales to Cairo, on his retura from india, he'purcharea «yon of prises H ee Hine il £ £ from bh of Youth