This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: ThelmaWhiteYeager Surnames: Bell, Buckingham, Cox, Crayne, Gordon, Huss, Montgomery Classification: biography Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.pennsylvania.counties.greene/11150/mb.ashx Message Board Post: GREENE COUNTY'S OLDEST WOMAN QUIETLY PASSES HER 100TH ANNIVERSARY Mrs. Maria Crayne Cox, of Lippincott, Born in Log Cabin in 1825. Has Witnessed Progress of Entire Century and Most Important Developments in Country's History. REMARKABLY ACTIVE IN SPITE OF YEARS Mrs. Maria Crayne Cox, of Lippincott, who holds the distinction of being Greene county's oldest woman, quietly celebrated her 100th birthday anniversary Wednesday at a family gathering at the home of her son, Frank A. Cox, of Lippincott, with whom she makes her home. Mrs. Cox is remarkably active for one of her years and is in full possession of her faculties. Mrs. Cox was born April 29, 1825, a daughter of the late Samuel and Mary Huss Crayne, who were natives of New Jersey and of Irish descent. They were among the pioneer settlers in Greene county and their descendants compose one of the county's most prominent families. Mrs. Cox is the widow of John Bell Cox, who died 28 years ago at the age of 72 years. They were married in 1844 and shortly afterwards went to housekeeping in a log cabin which was located across the road from where the Greene County Country clubhouse now stands. A few years later they purchased a farm on Castile Run, Morgan township, and at the time of Mr. Cox's death he was the owner of four hundred acres of land and coal, which has since become very valuable. This land is still known as the "Cox farm." Mrs. Cox is the mother of nine children, only two of whom are still living, namely: Mrs. Laura D. Montgomery, widow of Hugh Montgomery, of Waynesburg, and Frank A. Cox, with whom Mrs. Cox makes her home.! The other children were: Jesse, who died in infancy; Mary Ann, wife of T. C. Buckingham, deceased, of Beallsville; Samuel C., who died a year ago; Emma, wife of Joseph I. Gordon, of Waynesburg, who died but a few years ago; Stephen, Calvin, and John Jr., who died several years ago. "Grandmother" Cox, as she is known all over Morgan township, boasts of having 14 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and four great-great-grandchildren. She delights in relating stories of Indian days to her grandchildren and how she operated a spinning wheel. Her grandfather Crayne lived to be 100 years old and her uncle Stephen Crayne had the distinction of having shot an Indian on Ruff Creek. Although she never cast her vote, Mrs. Cox is greatly interested in politics and is a staunch Republican. She is still interested in the fashions and wants to be in style. She thinks it is perfectly all right for the girls to wear their hair bobbed and regrets that she herself does not have enough hair to bob. Despite the fact that she has reached the century mark she still has good eyesight, but has become quite deaf in the past two years and she is able to converse intelligently on a wide variety of subjects. When the weather is pleasant she can often be seen walking in the yard of her home with the aid of a cane. Realizing that she has been permitted to greatly outlive the allotted life span, she is very thankful that she has been so wonderfully blessed. Mrs. Cox enjoys an occassional automobile ride, but is not interested in travel by airplane or airship. She has lived long enough to see methods of transportation develop from the days of the stage coach to the mod! ern twentieth century facilities which enable a person to cross the continent by train in a few days, and has herself traveled to Pittsburgh by boat and train. She is a lover of music and greatly enjoys both the piano and victrola, and often spends many happy moments singing the old Methodist hymns. Mrs. Cox has been a member of the Winnett Chapel Methodist Episcopal church for many years. Mrs. Cox has always been a firm believer in taking good care of one's health and still eats three meals a day of good wholesome food, and it is to the excellent care she has taken of her health that she attributes her longevity. Source: THE DEMOCRAT MESSENGER, Waynesburg, Pa., Friday, May 1, 1925. Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.