100 YEARS OLD

100 YEARS OLD

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Williams District Resident Recently

Celebrated His One Hundredth

Anniversary

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            James Ballentine,one of the oldest pioneers of Wood County and one of the best known residentsof this section on December 6 [sic] 1919, celebrated his one hundredth birthdayanniversary at his home in Williams district and a friend furnishes The Newswith the following information regarding this venerable old gentleman.

            Mr. Ballentinewas born in Blairsville, Indiana County, Pennsylvania, on December 6, 1819, andcame to Williamstown when a boy sixteen years of age.

            At that early date there were butfive houses in the town.  He lived therefor a number of years and then moved to a farm on

Pike street

where he has resided eversince.

            Mr. Ballentineis in fairly good health and constantly does light work about his farm forexercise.  He is able to read withoutglasses and never “wears a cane” to assist him in walking.  He has a bright mind and a good memory andcan tell of the early days when he came to this community and of the variousimprovements that have been made during the many years he has resided here.

            Mr. Ballentineis especially enthusiastic about the changes and improvements that have beenwrought in Williamstown and always greets his friends with a [illegible words]likes to talk of by-gone days.  He isheld in the highest esteem in the community where he resides and scores offriends join in wishing him many happy returns of this anniversary.

 

[source:Retrieved and transcribed by Nanci Headley Kotowski

from the January 7, 1920, issue of The Parkersburg News.]