Oldest Texas
Newspaper article for 1910 in Cisco Paper
Texan Declares That He Will Never Die
Cisco, Texas, August 3, 1910
Eastland county bears the honor of having for a resident one of the oldest men at present living. James Parkerson, age one hundred-seventeen and some months, is as active as a man many years younger. He was born n 1793, has lived in three centuries, and has fought in every one of our countires wars since 1819. He cast his first vote for Presdient for James Monroe. He fought in the Black Hawk War in Tennessee in 1831-33 and now receives a pension for that service. He will soon go to San Antonio to collect this pension. On being asked who would go with him, he said he would go alone. His wife, now over ninety years old, still lives and he has two sisters over one hundred years old. Five of the eight children born to Mr. and Mrs. Parkerson still live, thirty grandchildren, and he doesn't know how many great or great-great grandchildren. There are five generations living. The birthplace of this old man was near Knoxville, Tennessee. he came to Texas many years ago and settled on the Leon, near Eastland, before the war. On being asked if he had always fared pretty well, he said, "Yes, fairly well, but have lived on popcorn for a week at a time." He rads without glasses, having never worn them. He walks briskly. He joined the Missionary Baptist Church more than fifty years agoe, and has no fear of death, saying there is no death-that he expects to live always. The old man has lost very few of his teeth, and his hair is only medium gray, and he has quite a hearvy beard. He is not very noticeably stooped. He reads a great deal, and seems as interested in the issues of the day as those many years younger.
(Any help on this man or his descendatns will be greatly appreciated.)
We also have an artist who is looking for pictures of Okra School and Okra Church pictures so that she can complete her series of painting on her husband's history of Okra. Thanks for any help. E-mail wanda.skinner @sbcglobal.net or send to 2022 Highway 112, Eastland, Texas 76448