Comments on: The last leaf on the 1800s tree

By: Richard Saunders

Richard Saunders — Mon, 16 May 2016 02:18:51 +0000

The WSJ just had an obituary about the death of the oldest living World War II veteran (US, I suppose). He was 110 years old,which means he enlisted when he was 38 or 39. That took guts!

When I was a Cub Scout (what is that, about 8 or 9?), we marched in our town’s Memorial Day parade, and there were still Civil War veterans marching in it.

My wife’s grandfather was born sometime in the 1890’s — he wasn’t exactly sure when — and died in the 1980’s — I’m not exactly sure when. He traveled on ox-carts as a boy, and lived to travel on his son’s private jet — and to see a man land on the moon. I can’t imagine that there will ever be a 100 years with that much transformation again.

By: Jenk

Jenk — Sun, 15 May 2016 18:04:48 +0000

I read not too terribly long ago that the last British veteran of WWI died a few years back–within the last five years, I think….

By: Yancey Ward

Yancey Ward — Sun, 15 May 2016 17:15:13 +0000

Of the people I have met and have memories of, only two of my great-grand mothers were born in the 19th century.

By: djf

djf — Sun, 15 May 2016 06:55:18 +0000

Why is it that centuries are now referred to as the “1800s,” “1900s,” etc.? This is a usage that was found in elementary school textbooks in years past. I suppose adults are no longer expected to know what the term “19th century” means.

By: Assistant Village Idiot

Assistant Village Idiot — Sun, 15 May 2016 02:26:16 +0000

I recall reading in Junior Scholastic in grade school that the last Civil War soldier had just died, and being impressed with how very long ago that was. I once tried to figure out who was the earliest-born person I remembered. I had a great-grandmother who was born in 1858 who died when I was a year old, but I didn’t remember her; and had another near-miss with an old man who lived across from my grandfather who would have been about 1855. I finally worked it out to a woman at church who would have been born around 1870. It’s a fun game to play.

By: y81

y81 — Sat, 14 May 2016 23:57:07 +0000

I too have known many people who were born in the 1800s. Funny to think that all of them (well, except one whom I don’t know) are gone. My daughter is 22, but I don’t think she ever met a person born in the 1800s. She did have a great uncle whom she met born in the 19-aughts.

By: Gringo

Gringo — Sat, 14 May 2016 20:53:09 +0000

The stepbrothers of some cousins had a grandmother who lived to 107. She told one of my cousins that her dietary “secret” was to eat one big fish a week, piece by piece. The head went into soup.

The grandmother of some other cousins lived to be 97. She ate a lot of bacon and eggs. Though she had her doubts about the advantages to living so long, as she once told me, “Being 94 isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be.” It is frustrating to see your mental and physical powers deteriorate, bit by bit.

By: Ray

Ray — Sat, 14 May 2016 20:31:36 +0000

My father smoked and drank all of his life and it finally killed him at age 93. My mother doesn’t do any of those things and she turned 100 last September.

By: Steve S.

Steve S. — Sat, 14 May 2016 18:02:11 +0000

Years ago from the comic strip “The Born Loser”:

“Hey, old timer – how did you get to be so old?”

“I never died.”

By: neo-neocon

neo-neocon — Sat, 14 May 2016 17:53:13 +0000

vanderleun:

Ah, but don’t you know that if she hadn’t eaten the bacon, she would have beaten out Emma Morano.