Canine - Elizabeth Wilson
Source: Hutchinson Leader, 1901
Hutchinson's Oldest Inhabitant, Elizabeth Ann Wilson a lady nearly a
century old, Who is a Great Great Grandmother and a Pensioner of the
war of 1812 was connected by marriage with Daniel Boone-- is yet in full
possession of her faculties and in remarkably good health.
We frequently read in the public press of the "oldest living
inhabitant," of someone who, with wonderful vitality, hass passed
the alotted "three score years and 10" and has seen 10, 20 or
even 30 additional years pass by, whose generation has passed and
who rounds out a life full of years and honor, which spans a
century. A century in the history of the world is but a short
while, but the one who has lived all through the past century,
has seen greater progress in the affairs of men than ever was
achieved in a like period since time began. He is indeed a daring
optimist who will say that the coming century will witness an
equal advancement. There are doubtless many who know a lady
living in this community who has reached the ripe old age of 91
years, but few may know of other more interesting facts in regard
to her than her age, which is remarkable. "Grandma" Canine lives
with her daughter, Mrs. Abner JARRETT in this city. She is 91
years of age, is a pensioner of the War of 1812 and is a great
great grandmother, Mrs. Abner Jarret, great grandmother; Mrs. LN
Snell (Amy Jarrett) of Miami, Florida, Grandmother; Mrs. Allan
Chandler (Maude Snell), Kissimee, Florida, mother, Mrs. Grace
Chandler, daughter. A "Leader" representative called on Mrs.
Canine recently and found the bright old lady busily engaged in
knitting. SHe is sprightly in full possession of her faculties
and her memory is as clear as a bell, a slight deafness being her
only perceptible failing. She engaged readily in conversation and
kindly related to the writer many interesting facts connected
with the history of her life. Her maiden name was Elizabeth Ann
WILSON and she first saw the light of day in a little log cabin
near the banks of the Ohio River, about four miles from the
little hamlet of Browerville, Oldham County in the "Blue Grass
State," Feb 26, 1810. Her parents came from good old English
stock, both having emigrated from the mother country. Elizabeth
Ann was the second child in a family of six. "People in Kentucky,
those days, had to work," remarked Mrs. Canine. "As soon as I
could sit on a horse I used to go to Louisville with the linen.
We used to make our linen those days and sell it. Father had an
old white horse named Mike that I used to ride and it was a
journey a girl nowadays would not be tempted to try for the
world. The Indians were very numerous and I had to cross streams
where there were no bridges and old Mike had to swim across with
me. " In the fall of 1826 the Wilsons moved to Crawfordsville,
Indiana where they again settled on a farm and here it was that
Miss Elizabeth met the man of her choice, William VanCleave,
himself of a family of no little interest, William VanCleave,
Sr's sister being the wife of the famous scout and hunter Daniel
Boone, the hero of every young American. Mrs. Canine's uncle had
also been with Boone on several of his scouting trips and was
captured with Boone at one time by Indians. Mr. and Mrs.
VanCleave, soon after their marriage in 1828, began farming on a
little tract of land near Crawfordsville, without any such modern
luxuries as a wedding trip or a honeymoon. "We didn't think of
honeymoons those times," said Mrs. Canine. "It was all one could
do to keep enough in the house to eat. Everyone took his corn to
the mill to be hulled, as hominy was the staff of life in Indiana
in those days." FOur children were born to them 3 boys and one
girl. Mr. VanCleave died in 1841, leaving hte care of the farm
and children to his wife, but she bore the task bravely and
succeeded in keeping the wolf from the door until the children
were able to run the farm. In the summer of 1867, Mrs. VanCleave
married Ralph Canine, also a native of Ky. and a veteran of the
War of 1812. He was 20 years older than than his bride, she being
57 and he 77. "He was an old man living on the farm adjoining
ours and was getting pretty feeble and I was then, it seems to me
now, quite young," remarked the old lady with a twinkle in her
eye, "and so we were married." "He was in good circumstances and
I could enjoy myself. My children were all married and lived
near, so Mr. Canine and I occupied the time dring, "round the
coutnry visiting our children when we felt so disposed. Mr.
Canine owned a buggy which was considered a great luxury then,
and it was different riding t o church that way than Mr.
VanCleave and I used to do long before two of us on horseback. We
used to have an old stump in front of the house, and, as we only
had one horse (Those who had two were considered very well off) I
would get on the stump and when he would ripe up, I would mount
behind him and we were off. Mr. Canine served a little over a
year in the war of 1812 and was engaged in sevearl battles, but
came out without any injuries except rheumatism. He would sit and
talk about the battles by the hour but I don't remember them
now." Mr. and Mrs. Canine came to Minnesota in 1878 to visit Mrs.
Canine's child, Mrs. Abner Jarrett, who then lived near Eagle
Lake southwest of this city. IN a short time after their return,
Mr Canine died and his wife cam to live with her daughter. The
writer was surprised to find Mrs. Canine so active and sound in
mind and body. Expecting to meet a feeble, childish old person, I
was greeted by as bright and entertaining a lady as one of only
50 years instead of nearly twice that age. That Mrs. Canine had
sewed over 100 pounds of carpet rags all alone during last fall
did not seem to be considered by her much of an achievement, but
many a miss in her teens would grumble at the task. Nothing
delighted the good old lady more than to talk over the varied and
interesting scened of her childhood and younger years. Your
reporter spent a very pleasant half hour in conversation with her
and graetly enjoyed her reminiscent remarks of the days of long
agi, as certainly the readers of "Leader" will as well.