Old White Men Now Living in Albemarle County
Originally published in the Jeffersonian October 11, 1876
Submitted by: Mary Herring mherring2@hot.rr.com
From Mary: Although the ages appear to be somewhat out of order (most are in declining order), this is exactly as it was written. Also, the spellings of Creig and Scantlin are as shown in the article. There was no first name given for -----Dowell.
Editor Jeffersonian - On last court day I saw and conversed with two of the citizens of this county each 87 years of age, and a few days afterwards with Dr. Charles Brown, 94 years of age. After making enquiries of them respecting others of their old neighbors, I thought it would be well to make out a list of them, which I have done, and I herewith send you the result of my week's labor. Several other names of men 80 years of age could doubtless be added, but the list I send you will suffice to show that Albemarle county is one of the most healthy parts of the globe, and that its citizens live to a good old age. I have collected the names of the old white men only, as many or more names of white women could be obtained of equal ages with the men. There being, according to the census of 1870, about one thousand more colored people in this county than whites, there could be added a larger number of old colored persons than those of the whites, and there can be no doubt that there are largely upwards of two hundred persons of eighty ears of age, and upwards, now living in the county of Albemarle.
Albemarle county has always been famed for its healthfulness and the longevity of its citizens. In the year of 1840 a letter from the late Tucker Coles, Esq., was published in the JEFFERSONIAN, and the article was copied in other papers, giving a long list of his neighbors in the Green Mountain neighborhood of white persons who had been born, lived and died there of ages from 70 to upwards of 100. Such facts will be evidence enough that there is no part of Virginia more healthy than Albemarle. Old men and women are to be seen in every neighborhood in it. Had I undertaken to enumerate the men of 70 to 79, I could have sent you a much larger list than the following. In any gathering you can count "any quantity" of us young fellows who have reached the Bible age of three-score and ten.
Not long since a gentleman visited Mr. William Gilmer with a view of purchasing his farm. After looking over it, the gentleman said he was very well pleased, land was good and the situation good, but how about the health of the people. mr. Gilmer, in his characteristic way, said: "Oh! as to that our people have to go away to die." Mr. G. should send that gentleman a copy of the names of the old men given below who are now living in vigorous health.
| William Sampson | 95 | John Morris | 82 | |
| John Gentry | 95 | David Wyant | 82 | |
| Dr. Charles Brown | 94 | Buroughs Munday | 83 | |
| John Shiflett | 92 | Moses Maxwell | 82 | |
| James Hamner | 91 | *Rev. James Fife | 83 | |
| Richard Dorsey | 89 | Dabney Madison | 81 | |
| John Fray | 89 | John Carr | 81 | |
| John Brown | 88 | Bluford Brokman | 80 | |
| William Crenshaw | 87 | Lewis Hord | 80 | |
| Robert Gentry | 87 | William T. Brown | 80 | |
| Mazias Jones | 86 | Henry Wash | 80 | |
| Rev. S. Trevillian | 85 | John White | 80 | |
| ---------Dowell | 85 | Pleasant Sowell | 80 | |
| Capt. B. Brown | 85 | Thomas Black | 80 | |
| John F. Bailey | 85 | Lewis Thacker | 80 | |
| Jeremiah Wayland | 85 | Anderson White | 80 | |
| Martin Maupin | 85 | William Gooding | 80 | |
| Thomas Rodes | 85 | William Curry | 80 | |
| George Matherson | 85 | Robert Durrett | 80 | |
| John S. Amiss | 85 | John Tyler | 80 | |
| John Cochran | 84 | Wm. Wertenbaker | 80 | |
| Wm. Humphreys | 84 | Robert Wheeler | 80 | |
| John O. Harris | 83 | John S. Cocke | 80 | |
| Nathaniel Garland | 83 | John C. Eubank | 80 | |
| James Bowen | 83 | George Creig | 82 | |
| Edward Scantlin | 83 | James Lobban | 79 | |
| George Crank | 82 | D. Wm. F. Gooch | 79 |
* Died two days after this was made out.
Average age of the fifty-four, 83 years and six months.
Several of those put down at 80, were reported as over 80, but their exact ages I could not ascertain.
Thomas Jefferson was in his 85th year at the time of his death and his grand-son Col. Th. J. Randolph died in his 85th year.
JAMES ALEXANDER
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