Iowa Old Press

Emmetsburg Democrat; Emmetsburg, Palo Alto, IA; 11 Apr 1909

IS 111 YEARS OF AGE
Emmetsburg Has One of the Oldest Men in the World

Dennis Ricard, who has been an inmate of the County House for some time, is
doubtless the oldest man in Iowa, if not in the United States. He was 111 on
March 8. He is always ready for a good meal of victuals and says he never
felt better in his life than he does at the present time. he worked
regularly every day until last fall, though it was not at all necessary for
him to do so. Of course he did not work all day long,but he seemed to enjoy
being busy and accomplishing something. Mr. Martin who has charge of the
County House, says Mr. Ricard is one of the most agreeable old gentlemen he
has ever met and that he has never any trouble with him, except occasionally
when he takes a notion to wander away from the place, and then he has to go
after him. He is quite deaf, but his mind is fresh and he converses freely
with  those who care to talk to him.

Saturday, April 3, W.W. Stone, our popular photographer, called on Mr.
Ricard and asked him to be seated until he could get a snap shot of him.
Dennis has always been opposed to having his picture appear in the
newspapers, but he seemed to take a notion to Mr. Stone and he consented.
However, he was not so particular as some of the Emmetsburg ladies, and he
refused to dress of the occasion. He sat down on a chair, kept on his hat
and told Mr. Stone to fire away. We are glad to have our readers see the
picture.

Mr. Ricard is a robuts, jolly , typical son of the Emerald Isle. He was born
at Howth's Head, in the county of Dublin, Ireland, March 8, 1798. He often
speaks of  Malahide, Swords Rush, Balbriggan, Skerries, Punchstown,
Dunshaughlin, Tara, Kingston, and numerous neighboring places familiar to
the Dublin gentleman, as the Irishmen of that part of old sod are styled.
Howth's Head is on the east coast of Ireland some distance north of the city
of Dublin. Hence Mr. Ricard, in boyhood days, naturally took to the water.
He became a sailor and spent 46 years of his long career on the ocean,
visiting nearly every country on the globe. At one time he was ship-wrecked
on the northern coast of Russia and had to remain there for three months. He
finally became tired of life on the briny deep and came to the United
States. He worked at various places. He was once employed in Illinois by
Abraham Lincoln. He was a great wood sawer and Mr. Lincoln consented to give
him a job. They got along very well until it came to pay day when they
disputed about the number of cords that had been sawed. Mr. Ricard says that
the rail splitter settled with him for all the work he did for him except
the cutting of one cord, and that he never received anything for it.
However, he always speaks well of the martyred president, though he never
voted for him, for he was a democrat who would never split his ticket. He
has not changed his political convictions.

Mr. Ricard came to this county 27 years ago. He made his home with Patrick
Nolan (in the Bush) for many years. He was a great worker and was steady,
faithful, and upright. When Mr Nolan died he went to live with his son, M.J.
Nolan. He seemed to enjoy sawing wood and when Mr Nolan tried to persuade
him not to work he would take offense and threaten to leave. He never
started a job without finishing it. He is quite a smoker, but he does not
chew tobacco. he uses a little brandy occasionally, but very sparingly. He
has, practically speaking, been a temperate man. He has never had the
services of a physician. He says he does not know what they could do for him
unless it would be to kill him. He is having a second growth of hair and he
says his eyesight is improving. He shaves himself and handles the razor with
skill and with ease. He was never married. He loves to walk and takes
exercise regularly. His memory is good. He had eight brothers and sisters,
all of whom are doubtless dead. The Democrat wishes Mr. Ricard continued
health and strength and hopes to have the pleasure of publishing his picture
ten years from today.

Submitted by: #000525