From
the Bi-State Weekly September 24, 1943
Woman 100 Years Old Recalls Seeing President Lincoln
One of the dwindling few Americans who saw Abraham Lincoln during his political campaigns, and remembers quite well, despite her age, how the great Emancipator looked, was surrounded by representatives of five generations at an open house Wednesday, in celebration of her 100th birthday.
Mrs. Sophie Wells, the oldest resident of this section, remembers seeing Lincoln and recalls some of the stormy events of Civil War times, but the memory of such political events fail to stir any desire on her part to make use of the ballot granted her in her later years. – She has never voted.
Mrs. Wells was born near Gumboro, a daughter of the late Perry and Sophie Lewis. She has spent her entire life in Sussex County. When she was 14 years old, she married Stockley Wells of Gumboro, who died 14 years ago.
Despite her age, Mrs. Wells helps with the housework, and is proud of the fact that she can thread a needle without the aid of glasses, and still does the patching and darning for the family. She lives with her daughter, Mrs. Louise Horseman, and her two sons, Lonny and William Wells. Incredible as it seems, her hair is gray only across the front, the rest being only slightly gray with the natural dark making her seem much younger than her 100 years. She is active and is very interested in airplanes getting a thrill each time planes fly low over her home. She has been on a train just once , and that was trip to Ocean City a number of years ago.
Mrs. Wells recalls that at the time of her wedding the groom’s father grew sugar-cane and had 117 gallons of molasses. He gave his son and daughter-in-law, 17 gallons as a wedding gift.
Of the ten children born to this union, only three are living today. They are; Mrs. Louise Horseman, Lonny and William Wells. There are six grandchildren, seven great grandchildren and one great-great grand child.
Mr. Thomas Lewis of Philadelphia, a brother, celebrated his 98th birthday on September 18, 1943.
Members of St. George ‘s church of which Mrs. Wells is a member called at her home on Sunday and presented her with a purse of thirty-six dollars. A purse of thirty-six dollars was given to her at the open house held from 10 A. M. to 10 P.M. on Wednesday. The money in change of different denominations, just as it was collected, was dumped into Mrs. Wells lap by L. W. Palmer, Ralph Messick and Louis Smith, who took the contribution to her. Mrs. Wells was also presented with two birthday cakes, one of huge size, on which was placed 100 candles – a candle for each birthday.
Woman 100 Years Old Recalls Seeing President Lincoln
One of the dwindling few Americans who saw Abraham Lincoln during his political campaigns, and remembers quite well, despite her age, how the great Emancipator looked, was surrounded by representatives of five generations at an open house Wednesday, in celebration of her 100th birthday.
Mrs. Sophie Wells, the oldest resident of this section, remembers seeing Lincoln and recalls some of the stormy events of Civil War times, but the memory of such political events fail to stir any desire on her part to make use of the ballot granted her in her later years. – She has never voted.
Mrs. Wells was born near Gumboro, a daughter of the late Perry and Sophie Lewis. She has spent her entire life in Sussex County. When she was 14 years old, she married Stockley Wells of Gumboro, who died 14 years ago.
Despite her age, Mrs. Wells helps with the housework, and is proud of the fact that she can thread a needle without the aid of glasses, and still does the patching and darning for the family. She lives with her daughter, Mrs. Louise Horseman, and her two sons, Lonny and William Wells. Incredible as it seems, her hair is gray only across the front, the rest being only slightly gray with the natural dark making her seem much younger than her 100 years. She is active and is very interested in airplanes getting a thrill each time planes fly low over her home. She has been on a train just once , and that was trip to Ocean City a number of years ago.
Mrs. Wells recalls that at the time of her wedding the groom’s father grew sugar-cane and had 117 gallons of molasses. He gave his son and daughter-in-law, 17 gallons as a wedding gift.
Of the ten children born to this union, only three are living today. They are; Mrs. Louise Horseman, Lonny and William Wells. There are six grandchildren, seven great grandchildren and one great-great grand child.
Mr. Thomas Lewis of Philadelphia, a brother, celebrated his 98th birthday on September 18, 1943.
Members of St. George ‘s church of which Mrs. Wells is a member called at her home on Sunday and presented her with a purse of thirty-six dollars. A purse of thirty-six dollars was given to her at the open house held from 10 A. M. to 10 P.M. on Wednesday. The money in change of different denominations, just as it was collected, was dumped into Mrs. Wells lap by L. W. Palmer, Ralph Messick and Louis Smith, who took the contribution to her. Mrs. Wells was also presented with two birthday cakes, one of huge size, on which was placed 100 candles – a candle for each birthday.
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