The Oldest Person In Cass County

The Logansport Journal, March 12, 1907

 
The Journal’s query, “who is the oldest person in the county?” is being met with many and prompt responses. 

 Mrs. David Barnett is named as one and she numbers 76 years to her age.  Two other claimants are Booth Burnett, 73, and Elizabeth McMillan, also 73 years of age.

 Walton comes up with a patriarch in the person of David Engler, born Dec. 9, 1816 and 91 years of age. 

 Logansport comes up with one, not so old but still a pioneer in the person of Allan Richardson, who was born in Ohio 76 years ago.  At present the aged man is seriously ill.  He is a retired capitalist.

 There are two other brothers, W.S. Richardson, 69 years old next April, and Dick Richardson, 81, next May.  All are sons of Thomas Richardson, who located here in 1831.

 Clinton Township has two claimants in the person of Jonathan Shideler, born in 1824 and located here in 1832 and Mrs. Zach Cragun, who also came here in 1832.

The Logansport Journal, March 14, 1907

The names of Cass County pioneers continue to pour in.  Yesterday it was learned that Sarah Grimes settled in Cass County in 1834 and she is enjoying good health now although well past her 88^th birthday. 

 David Flory, Miami Township, is 87 years of age and Sarah Flory is 84.

 The town of Lincoln comes up with an imposing array of pioneers speaking eloquently of the town and the healthy climate there.  The combined ages of the 15 Lincoln pioneers aggregate 1107 years.  They are:

Elijah Elkins, aged 73, lived in Lincoln 24 years

Dr. D.C. Burnett, aged 68

Peter B. Frush, 80, has lived in Jackson Twp. over forty years

Henry Stafford, 71

Julia A. Stafford, 66

Sarah Stoner, 66

Samuel Stoner, 69]

Cynthia A. Howard, 80

Margaret Rickle (or Bickle), 74

Hannah Roach, 75

Barbara Graff, 73

Lydia A. Baker, 81

Ezra Dorsey, 78

Isaiah Countryman, 79

Sarah Countryman, 74

Logansport Journal, March 16, 1907

Although there are scores in Logansport and Cass County who are nearing the century mark, a centenarian is yet to be found.

 Mrs. Nancy Booth, of this city, claims the double distinction of being the oldest inhabitant and the oldest resident of the county.  She was born in Virginia on July 23, 1815 and came to Logansport in 1830.  She will thus be 92 years old in July and will have lived in the county 77 years.  She came here with her mother, Mrs. Caldwell, and was married here to Dehart Booth, in 1832, who came to Logansport in 1828 and died in 1885.  B.W. Booth, their son, claims to be the oldest living person born in the county.  He was born on North Street, near Fourth, on Nov. 11, 1833.

 Gillis McBean, the first white child born in the county, was born near what is now the town of Walton in 1828.  He is still living and his home is in Oregon.  W.E. Haney was born at Lewisburg in 1837.  Frank Harwood came to Indiana in 1840 and to Logansport in 1844.

 William Douglas and wife aggregate 166 years.  He was born in Miami County, Ohio on Aug. 4, 1815 (or 1816, hard to read) and is eight days younger than Mrs. Booth.  He will be 92 on his next birthday.  He came to Logansport April 3, 1832 and has lived in the county 75 years.  He claims to be the only man living in the state whose father knew Washington personally.  He engaged in the fur trade in the early days and was connected with a Detroit fur house for 21 years.  He was married first in Indianapolis 70 years ago today and in 1883 he married Mrs. Jacob Neff of this city.  The present Mrs. Douglas was born in 1832 and came to Logansport in 1849.  She married Jacob Neff in 1852.

 
Other aged ones are Michael Shuey, Clinton Twp., who was born in 1826 and came to Cass County in 1835; Christ Best, Clinton Twp., is 94 and came to this county in 1832.

 Mary Spencer, Clay Twp., is 93 and came to Cass County in 1850.

 Nelson B. Scott, Clay Twp., was born in 1835 in the very township where he now resides.  His father and mother moved on the John Gerard farm in 1826.

 Logansport Journal, April 9, 1907

 The old settlers of Cass County are still laying claim to the palm of being the oldest person in the county:

 William A. Hilton, born at Bellefontaine, Ohio, Aug. 8, 1832 and came to Delaware County, Indiana with his parents in 1837 and to Cass County three years later.  They settled on the Isaac Watts farm west of the city.

 Mrs. Mary Atwood, Clinton Twp., is 82 years of age and Mary Eyman is 81.  She came to this city in 1855.

Transcribed by Christine Spencer, April, 2009