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Richmond, N. Y. -
William Sullivan, whose likeness is presented herewith,
is the oldest resident of the town of Richmond, and probably
the oldest in Ontario county. He was born in Newark, N. J., Dec.
2, 1785, and is doubtless the best-preserved centenarian in New York
State. He is the oldest of a family of eleven children, and is the
only surviving member. When he was about 28 years of age he, together
with all the members of the family, excepting his father and two
brothers, came to this county in a sleigh and settled in Richmond,
where he has since resided. William afterward made the journey to New
Jersey and back, twice on foot, traveling at the rate of fifty miles
per day. Soon after his settlement here he married, and he raised a
family of ten children, the youngest of whom is now fifty years of age.
He furnished five sons to the Union army in the war of the rebellion,
one of whom was killed. Mr. Sullivan has always held a high position
among his neighbors. A peaceable, orderly, sturdy citizen of regular
habits, he has been
a shining example to all who have known him. He has missed but one town
meeting and one election, has always been strictly temperate, and has
never used tobacco in any form. He is now in excellent health, full
of vitality and activity, and in possession of all his faculties. He
lives with his son at Richmond |
Mills, and is able to walk from there to
Honeoye and
return, a distance of ten miles. He was never known to have any
difficulty with any one, and has lived up to his idea that "if a man
lived an honest life, and always used everyone with civility and
decency, his days would be lengthened.
He tell the following amusing incident which happened while on one of his pedestrian trips to New Jersey. "A couple of horsemen overtook me, chatted with me a little and rode on. I kept trudging along, and by and by passed a tavern where I saw these men resting. A little while after that they again overtook me, made some remarks and went on. I kept on about my business and by and by passed another tavern where I saw these same men. A third time they overtook and passed me, but when night came I put up at the same tavern with them, having walked fifty miles, the same distance they had ridden." Mrs. Luman Gilbert, aged 94 years, is after Mr. Sullivan, the oldest person in Richmond. She was born at Sherburne, Chenango county, N. Y., Feb. 26, 1794, and her maiden name was Nancy Batchellor. She moved with her family to Pittsford in the year 1811. She was first married to Joseph Cogswell in 1812, and subsequently after living several years a widow, she was married to Mr. Luman Gilbert of Richmond. She had no children by her first husband, but had two sons by her second union. She is a sister of Perian Batchellor of Honeoye, aged 87. She is in good health, but her memory is impaired. Richmond's octogenarians are as follows: Perian Batchellor, 87; Miss Betsey Perry, 86; Asa Dennison, 84; Mrs. David Crooks, 84; Mrs. Horace Gilbert, 84; Mrs. Alonzo Adams, 88; Mrs. Leonidas Wilbur, 83; Gideon Pitts, 80; Mrs. Asa Dennison and Mrs. Cheney Abbey. The photograph from which our cut was made was taken about fifteen years ago. |
Commander - E. W. Frary Sr. vice-commander - B. H. Clark Jr. vice-commander - W. B. Bostwick Chaplain - R. S. Bostwick |
Adjutant - C. D. Castle Officer of day - D. Bostwick Office of guard - W. M. Bement |