Histories

96 YEARS OLD AND STILL IN GOOD HEALTH

Samuel Smock, Founder of the town of Smock , Declares He'll live to be a Hundred, and He Ought to.

NEVER SMOKED OR CHEWED

Declares that Harry Lawrence's hat would hold all the whisky

he ever drank - How fine old gentleman eats and sleeps.

( By: Harry G. Lawrence)

Smock, June 19. -- " I'am 96 years old today and am in better health than in any time in the past four years," said Samuel Smock, founder of this town, to a News Standard reporter.

" People say I'll live to be a hundred and I feel that way myself. The doctor says my heart is as good as anybody's. I ain't very strong, but am able to walk with two canes and have been out to the barn and back a couple of times the last week."

" I never smoked nor chewed tobacco in my life, and expect your hat would hold all the whisky i've drunk. I never had a pair of glasses and can still read if it is a clear day and the print is large. I can't write much anymore either."

" My aches and pains are very few, but the cold weather doesn't agree with me. One thing that keeps me going is the good care I take of myself. I eat just so much then stop, don't eat pie, cake, spreads or butter and never cared much for milk. Neither do I eat much meat. For the last 12 or 14 years I've only had one tooth. The only thing that bothers me is to swallow anything hard.

" For supper I drink a half a cup of coffee and eat a little bread. For breakfest I take one fried egg and some bread, break them up and stir in half a cup of coffee and that runs me all day. Of course when I worked hard I ate three meals a day."

My sleep is very restless. What sleep I get is when I first go to bed. I hear every hour during the night. But I never did sleep much. When I worked, four hours sleep was enough for me. I was working when my neighbors were in bed. For 32 years I was a blacksmith at Belle Vernon and I'd work 14 to 15 hours a day, got to bed for a little while then get up at 4 o'clock to start again. Then on Saturday night maybe I'd stop and maybe I wouldn't. I used to work six months without losing a day. I wasn't like these Blacksmiths now who can't make a living.

During my 96 years I've only made one move. A roling stone never gathers any moss. In my 31 years at Belle Vernon I saved $14,000. and 47 years ago I came here. Paid $12,000. for 197 acres of land and had $2,000. left to stock it. There are 115 acres of land left now. I gave the PV&C Railroad the right of way through my farm, also the land where the Smock Station now stands and $1,000. in money. I lost my money, but it opened my coal and made me some money after all. There wasn't a thing here when I came and I made this place.

Our rents here are over $800. a year. That's what's keeping us and paying our big tax in Franklin township. We have seven houses besides this one in which we live. I have two pieces of coal yet, one in Redstone and one in Menallen and we have been offered $1,600. and acre, but won't sell it. Four years ago I gave my four children $6,000. each. and now they all have good homes of their own. I do my banking with the Citizens' Title & Trust Compoany of Uniontown.

It's not so hard to put my time in as you might think. I get up in the morning, put on my clothes, get a little breakfest, come out on the porch and sit here all day. I have my business in good shape and don't need to worry. T. S. Lackey and Robert Hogsett are my Administrators.

All my connections were raised Methodists, but I never was a member of any Church and never attended very much. I ain't been to Church unless it was a Funeral for 14 years. Rev. Steele of Pleasant View was here during my wife's illness. He's a nice young fellow, I think. I never belonged to any Lodge, always made it a business to make my own money and never went into debit unless I saw the way out. In politics I'm a Democrat and never split my ticket. I'm glad the News Standard is a Democratic paper.

This house where I live is 92 or 93 years old and was built by old Jonathon Sharpless, a Quaker. It is two stories high and has a large attic the entire lenght of the house. When it was built it was one of the finest houses in Fayette County . I've spent money for repairs, twice as much a I paid for the Farm. My land now isn't under cultivation, it's largely pasture. We keep one cow and a lot of chickens and will have some apples.

I am the last of 11 brothers and sisters, Mother lived to the age of 96 and my second sister was 88 when she died. In 1847 I was married to Sarah Ann Fields of Perry Township and my children are all of that union. They are Mrs. Jerry Patterson, Kansas ; Mrs. Henry Shaffer, who lives with me; Noah Smock, Oklahoma ; and Alva Smock, Colorado . There are eight grandchildren and three Great-grandchildren. My first wife died in 1867 and on March 15, 1869, I married Susan Hess, who died May 3, of this year.

After the death of my Wife, Mr. and Mrs Shaffer and their daughter, Lavenia, moved here to take care of me and we're making quite a number of improvements and cleaning up the place thoroughly. There are nine large rooms with broad hallways upstairs and down. Some of the rooms are immence and my bedroom is so large, it takes 60 yards of carpet. All of the floors are solid Oak.

Source: Corrine Smock Pearson, from the original Newspaper Clipping as it read.