Iowa Old Press
Fort Dodge Messenger
Fort Dodge, Webster co. Iowa
November 22, 1895
Pg. 02
Cententarians
The state of Iowa posses 508 people who are 90 years of age or
over. Polk county has fifteen. There are twenty-one in the state
100 years or over, none of whom reside in this county. Eleven of
the centenarians are women and ten are men.
Conrad Christian, of Coffin Grove township, Delaware county, is
credited with being the oldest person in the state. He is 115.
The name of Conrad Christian is a familiar one to all people who
have worked on the state census for many years. He has been
carried along from period to period, and it was pretty generally
accepted before the work began that he would be able to prove his
claim to being the oldest Iowan. John Williams of Dunlap,
Harrison county and Benjamin Votow, of Oskaloosa, are each 114.
The latter is colored, but it is said he has been able to
satisfactorily prove his age. The names and residences of the
centenarians are as follows:
Conrad Christian, Delaware county, 115
John Williams, Dunlap, 114
Benjamin Vataw, Oskaloosa, 114
Lida Fisher, Dubuque, 107
Catherine Barrett, Blackhawk county, 106
James Robinson, Jefferson county, 106
Lucy Sykes, Wapello county, 105
A. Leeper, Henry county, 105
Mary Flannery, Independence, 104
Margaret Kelly, Carroll, 104
Polly Kizire, Decatur county, 104
John Montgomery, Council Bluffs, 104
Booker Fox, Ottumwa, 102
Elizabeth Paulson, Allamakee county, 102
Jared Furgeson, Decorah, 101
Mary Dugan, Iowa county, 100
Mary Lianane, Madison county, 100
Nancy Craughan, Monroe county, 100
John Bush, Council Bluffs, 100
Samuel Wiscarver, Grinnell, 100
Maria Kearney, Franklin county, 100
[transcribed by K.D.J., October 2009]