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Past and Present of Livingston County
Volume 1. History

by Major A. J. Roof. 1913

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SOME OLD PEOPLE

Page 230

Following comprise a partial list of the octogenarians and nonogenarians in Livingston county, together with place and date of birth and date of their coming into this county:

Mrs. Catherine Jones, a resident of Blue Mound township, was born in Wales, England, April 11th, 1831, where she was reared to womanhood. Emigrated to Bevier, Missouri, in 1893; removed to Red Oak, Iowa, soon after and thence to her present abode in the year 1902. Mrs. Jones is hale and hearty.

One of the nonogenarians of Livingston county is Mrs. Cynthia J. Lauderdale, a resident of Jackson township. Mrs. Lauderdale was born in Bourbon county, Kentucky, on December 25, 1822, being the daughter of James and Jane Boyle, who were also natives of the blue grass region. The parents of the subject of this sketch were early settlers of Linn county, Missouri, where the father died. The mother then came to this county with her children and resided until her death. On June 23, 1847, she was united in marriage to the late Robert Lauderdale, who was one of the most successful farmers and stock raisers in the county. The first matrimonial venture of Miss Boyle was her union with Wm. Watson. Of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Lauderdale, only one survives, L. L. Lauderdale of Chula, Missouri. Grandma Lauderdale was ninety years of age Christmas day, 1912, and is quite healthy.

Sarah (Harpin) Davis was born in Bedford, Bedfordshire, England January 13, 1823. On August 11, 1845, she was married to Wm. Davis who was also born in Bedford, England, on April 29, 1822. In 1853 they came to America, making their home in Dunkirk, New York. Mr. Davis engaged in the mercantile business while there. In June, 1872, they moved to Wheeling, Livingston county, Missouri, where they have since resided. Mr. Davis engaged in the farming business. Mrs. Davis was the mother of three children, Cornelius, William and Elizabeth (Mrs. W. W. Edgerton). Cornelius resides in Bradford. Pennsylvania, William died at the age of eighteen years. Mrs. Edgerton resides in Chillicothe, Missouri. On October 18, 1909, Mr. Davis died at the age of eighty-seven. Mrs. Davis still resides on her farm south of Wheeling, Missouri.

James Hutchinson, better and more familiarly known as "Uncle Jimmie is the oldest man in Livingston county. "Uncle Jimmie" was born on the 23rd of May, 1815, in the blue grass region of Kentucky, emigrating to Livingston county in 1840. His first vote was cast for William Henry Harrison for president. He was born and reared to manhood under the influence of strict orthodox parents and today is an active worker in so far as his age and strength will permit, being a member of the Christian church of Chillicothe. When a boy he learned the trade of a carpenter, which he followed for many years after coming to this county, assisting the contractor on the courthouse erected in the public square in 1840. He also did most of the carpenter work on the old Poindexter residence that stood at the southwest corner of Clay and Cherry streets, but which was torn down some years ago. He also followed agricultural pursuits several years since his abode here. Although somewhat feeble "Uncle Jimmie" makes his daily trips to the business section of the city from his home corner of Clay and Walnut streets, and has a cheerful "How d'y" for everyone he meets. He has fair promise of reaching the century mark. His brother, Judge Thomas Hutchinson, passed away a few years ago at the age of one hundred and one.

The subject of this brief sketch, David Girdner, better known as "Uncle Davie," and a former resident of Jackson township, is now residing with his son, Dr. J. M. Girdner of Chillicothe. David Girdner was born May 3, 1826, in Whitney county, Kentucky, being one of thirteen children that came to bless and enliven the lives of his parents, David and Elizabeth Girdner. David Girdner, the elder, was a soldier in the War of 1812, serving as drum major of his regiment. Our "Uncle Davie" followed farming nearly all of his life, except when he was "fiddling" for dances about the country. He was often called to help make music at the dance, for he was a great fiddler in his younger days and even now, in his 88th year, he loves the instrument with as much apparent affection as a child loves a doll, and many are the prizes he carries off in old fiddlers' contests. He came with his parents to this county in 1834 and saw much of pioneer life and has witnessed a great change in the affairs of the county since that time. Then Indians were numerous in the county and wild beasts were at home here. Neither schools nor mills were here and many hardships were undergone by those brave enough to undertake for themselves a home in the wilderness. Young Girdner's educational advantages were limited but this did not deter him from being successful from a material point of view. He has owned 1,035 acres of good land and has given considerable attention to the stock business, in which he was well versed.

Catharine Easton Wright was born near Jonesboro, Washington county, Tennessee, August 26, 1824. When she had grown to womanhood she was united in marriage to David Taylor Wright, a pioneer preacher of the Christian church and founder of the Christian Pioneer, on the 26th day of January, 1842. To this union was born thirteen children, four of whom are now living. Mrs. Wright came with her husband to Missouri in 1846, settling first in Mercer county, later moved to Grundy county and from there to Chillicothe in 1864. Mrs. Wright and her husband traveled in a flat boat from Tennessee to Paducah, Kentucky, and from there by steamboat to Brunswick, Missouri, by way of St. Louis and thence overland by ox team to destination. Mrs. Wright and her husband left their Tennessee home on the 3rd of March, 1846, and reached their Missouri home June 1st, 1846. The subject of this sketch makes her home with her daughter, Mrs. Clark Wells, of Chillicothe.

David W. Pond was born in Matamora, Indiana, on the 4th day of August, 1832, and emigrated to Livingston county with his family in 1870, purchasing a farm five miles east of Chillicothe where he now resides. At the date of his wife's death, on February 14, 1911, he had been married fifty-two years. By their union eight children were born, all of whom are living. The subject of this sketch, at the age of eighty-two years, is in perfect health and is as active as a man of thirty.

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