Hamilton Daily News
11-26-1930 Page 5

Mrs. Mary DeArmond Is 100;
Relatives Plan Celebration

[photo]

Left to right Mrs. Mary DeArmond mother; Mrs Anna DeArmond Roberts, daughter; George R. Roberts, grandson; Eugene Roberts, great grandson.

A dear, little old lady, living in a house along the highway that runs through Selkirk, not far from where the lines of Morgan, Ross and Reilly Townships converge, is looking forward to the coming of Thanksgiving Day with an uncommon interest. To her it is to be a day of unusual significance. She has a very personal and peculiar reason for giving thanks. She is to be 100 years old.

She who is to be the central figure in the family homecoming in her honor is "Aunt Mary DeArmond," widely known as one of Butler County�s oldest residents. To all who know her, whether bound by ties of family relation, of friendship, or of mere acquaintance, she is never spoken of save as "Aunt Mary." It is easy to name and to number her children, grandchildren and her great-grandchildren, but not so with these unrelated "nephews" and "nieces," who are numbered by the hundreds and even thousands.

Mrs. DeArmond comes to her centenary possessed of excellent health. Never a vigorous woman she nevertheless learned to so conserve her physical strength that she has out-lived all her generation. Exceeding the three score and ten and even the four score years of the Psalmist, she now is approaching the five score years still most remarkably preserved.

Unlike many aged persons, she retains much interest in many things.

"I remember best things that happened long ago," she commented.

"But" just a bit pridefully she said smiling, "I can wipe dishes as good as I ever did, sitting of course. I sewed, too, till my fingers became less nimble. I cannot knit any more, either"

Born in Morgan Township Mrs. Mary DeArmond, nee George, was born November 27, 1830, a daughter of Reuben and Esther (Harding)[Hardin] George. Her birthplace was in Morgan township, the old homestead now being occupied by Fred George a great grandson of Reuben George, her father.

Practically all her life, to the present, has been spent in Morgan township. Two years she lived with her husband, following the close of the Civil War, in Sardinia, Decatur county, Ind. The country was new and Mr. DeArmond suffering greatly from ague, so the family returned to Morgan township Butler County

She was married, February 22, 1848, to John Randolph DeArmond. He served in the Civil War and died in January 1870. To them were born 2 children - a son who died in infancy, and a daughter, now Mrs. Anna DeArmond Roberts, who continues to give her mother every loving care.

Family Not Scattered

The immediate family circle includes five grandchildren, George Roberts, county clerk of courts, of Hamilton; James Roberts, of Morgan township; Mrs. Ora Rothermel, of near Reily; Mrs. Imogene Connett, of Carthage; and Mrs. Grace Bias, of Morgan township.

In the fourth generation, the great-grandchildren, are John and Margery Durham, Eugene and Dorothy Roberts, Daniel and Virginia Roberts, Willard Connett and Robert O. Bias. All these will come to the Roberts home at Selkirk on Thanksgiving Day to rejoice with Mrs. DeArmond upon her 100th birthday.

Tells Of Morgan's Raid

Well does Aunt Mary recall the summer excursion of Gen. John Morgan and his Confederate cavalry through Indiana and Ohio. The family then was living below Okeana. The route of the invaders led them past her home.

"The troops made so much dust and went so fast I could not see what they looked like," she said.

This led her to recall the incident of Mrs. Sadie Vincent who, as Morgan's men went by, "hollered for Lincoln. The confederates were in too great a hurry to take note of this young patriot, except one, who with an oath, 'hollored for Jeff Davis.'"

Mrs. DeArmond recalls with satisfaction that she and her husband in early life gave a home and raised to manhood a homeless boy, Edward Morrow. "He had come from Ireland when only nine years old, sent by his mother who had heard one could find money in the streets in America."

Eventually the lad found his way to Cincinnati and thence to Georgetown and subsequently to Okeana. There the DeArmonds found him and opened their home and hearts to the homeless lad. He remained with them some 10 years or longer, leaving only to enlist in the Civil War. He was wounded and died at Chickamaugua. When news came North they had been wounded, friends went from Okeana to bring them home. But military necessity made it impossible for them to get through the lines to Chattanooga, Tenn., except as prisoners of war. As it was they came to late.

Mrs. DeArmond recalls her grandfather Harding who served in two wars and her grandmother Harding, Mary James Harding. [aka HARDIN] "She lived to be older than I am. They used to let me take things to her when she was an old lady, like I am now," said Aunt Mary.

Early In life Aunt Mary united with the M. E. church at Okeana.

Twenty years ago Aunt Mary suffered a fall and fractured one of her hips. From this injury she slowly recovered. She is now able to walk about the house with the aid of a cane or a stick. In recent years she has left her home only rarely.

Since she celebrated her 100th birthday on November 27, 1930, Mrs. DeArmond enjoyed excellent health until the coming of the long heated spell that marked the summer. During the latter part of this period, members of her immediate family began to observe a gradual failure of her strength and a suffering of interest.

End came peacefully

It was less than two weeks ago that she became so reduced in strength that apprehensions first were excited and it was realized that the end of an unusually long life was approaching. As Sunday afternoon was drawing to its close

Mrs. DeArmond passed to her rest peacefully and so quietly that moments passed before those at her bedside realized that the spirit had left the aged body it had tenanted for more than a century, "Aunt Mary" DeArmond, as she was widely known throughout Butler County, was born November 27, 1830, in Morgan township, a daughter of Reuben and Esther (Harding) George. She lived her entire life within the borders of Morgan township with the exception of two years in Sardinia, Decatur County, Indiana.

Married in 1848

She was married, February 23, 1848 to John Randolph DeArmond, who died In January, 1870. To them were born two children, of whom one, Mrs. Ann* DeArmond Roberts, only survives.

Other members of, the immediate family surviving include, five grandchildren, county clerk Geo N. Roberts, Hamilton; James Roberts, Hamilton, R. R. t; Mrs. Phoebe Rothermel, Reily, Mrs. Imogrne Connett, Carthage, and Mrs. Grace Bias, Morgantown township.

Of the fourth generation, there are eight great-grandchildren. In early' life, Mrs. DeArmond united with the M. E. Church in Oceana. For many years, the state of her health made it impossible for her to attend church services. Mrs. DeArmond for many years was the oldest member of the DeArmond family. Always at their annual reunions, she was remembered by them by gifts of flowers.

Mind Remained Clear.

In spite of her great age, Mrs. DeArmond delighted to receive the visits of friends and acquaintances. She read much, and her mind continued so clear that she was able to discuss with them current events with understanding and illuminating comment.

Since a fall suffered 20 years ago, Mrs. DeArmond had been able to walk only with the aid of a cane.

At the last Presidential election, however, she insisted that she be taken to the polls to cast her first and only vote.

The funeral is to be held at the Presbyterian church In Millville Wednesday afternoon, at 2 o'clock.

At her express wish her body is to remain three nights in her home three miles west of MillviIlle on the Scipto pike, where friends may call Tuesday afternoon and evening.

The funeral service is to be conducted by Rev. D. Emerson Tobias, of Millvillle. Interment is to be in the Shandon Cemetery.

[Provided by Sandi Kneer]
Hamilton Evening Journal page 12
August 31, 1931

INCLUDES A PHOTOGRAPH

A full century is a long, long span of life. But such a span was granted to Mrs. Mary DeArmand, one of Butler county's beloved pioneer women. In fact, a still greater span of life, almost a year past the century mark, had been enjoyed by Mrs. DeArmond.

But on Sunday the demands of nature became more insistent than human strength and life's end came to this woman. She passed away at her home in Selkirk, a neighborhood in which the greater part of her life had been spent.

Mrs. DeArmond was born November 27, 1830, and had she lived until the 27th of next November she would have attained the age of 101 years, perhaps the oldest-woman who had

A century is a long period of time and many things happen within such a span. During the years of Mrs DeArmond's life she witnessed a progress such as the world had never known. She saw the United States stretch out to the far waters of the Pacific, four wars - the Mexican, the Civil, the Spanish-American and the [1st] World War, were fought during the years of her life. The struggles of pioneer days were hers to endure and the modern development of more recent years were hers to enjoy � the motor car, the radio, and many other things that have added joy and understanding - to life. She saw the wilderness that was Butler County in the days of her girlhood become the fields teeming with pedigreed herds of cattle and 'resplendent with the ripening crops of autumn'.

From every consideration Mrs. DeArmond was a remarkable woman. She retained a bright, alert mind and her other senses keen, until about two weeks ago, when she became confined to her bed and gradually grew weaker.

When she was in her seventies Mrs. DeArmond broke her hip in a fall, and even though she recovered from the injury, since then she had not been quite so active. She read the daily newspapers, retained her interest in household affairs, and did little chores even past her centenary observance.

Seldom Ill

She was of slight stature considered a "light eater" and but was seldom ill. She had a pioneer aversion to much medicine and was a strict prohibitionist.

Mrs. DeArmond spent her entire life in Butler County, excepting for two years when she was a few miles away in Indiana. She was married to John Randolph DeArmond, a farmer and commission merchant who died 61 years ago.

Throughout her long life she held the friendship of all her neighbors. She had the true pioneer spirit of cooperation and memories of her many deeds of kindness and charity will live long after her generation.

Many Friends

An almost constant stream of visitors, friends and relatives, kept Mrs. DeArmond busy with recounts of the early days. Those visits were a treat to callers, not only because of these revelations of a pioneer's trials but just because o� her delightful personality. In turn, Mrs. DcArmond was delighted and kept in touch with current affairs, the reports about her relatives � in all she retained an interest never flagging. Typical was the visit two weeks ago of distant relatives from Oklahoma - another instance was the recent recognition of a relative that she had not seen for 30 years. A most remarkable woman"; said all who called, and they loved her.

Morgan's Raid

Many of her favorite stories centered about events of the Civil war and she told with realism the excitement and fears of herself and other women of the community at the time of Morgan's raid. She and others hid horses in the cornfields, when the alarm was spread. Mrs. DeArmond resided with a daughter, Mrs. Anna Roberts, and a grand-daughter, Mrs. Grace Bias.

Two other grand-daughters survive, Mrs. Phoebe Rothermel of near Reily and Mrs. Imogene Connett of Carthage. The two grandsons are George R. Roberts, clerk of courts, of Hamilton, and James Roberts, of near Selkirk.

The funeral service will take place at 2 o'clock Wednesday afternoon iu the Millville Presbyterian church. Rev. D. E. Tobias, pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in the Shandon Cemetery.