Background
The following article appeared in The Daily Sun, a newspaper in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. Although the possibility that this woman was more than 100 years old may be difficult to prove, the article mentions a few facts which are worthy of
examination. It would have been interesting to see this woman's face on the day she saw a train for the first time.
THE DAILY SUN (Saint John, New Brunswick, May 4, 1901)
Interesting, if True
A lady alleged to be 117 years old and still travelling
According to the story told by Henry Cullinan, who lives on Winter street his wife's grandmother is a very remarkable old lady. According to his story the old lady, Mrs. Dora Callaghan, was born near the Lakes of Killarney, Ireland, in 1784, her
father being a staunch Orangeman and her mother a devout Catholic. In the year 1807 she, being unmarried, went to Paris, and being highly recommended by a personal friend of Napoleon's sister, obtained a position in his household as a cook. Here she
remained for some time, afterwards emigrating to America, where she was married. Her life has been an eventful one in many respects, although the latter part of it has passed peaceably enough. Mrs. Callaghan has two daughters living, Mrs. Butler
and Mrs. Jerome Arsenault, both residing at Inniskillen in Queens county. Until lately she has been staying with Mrs. Butler, and last summer she on one Sunday morning, according to Henry Cullinan, husband of her granddaughter, walked from Mrs.
Butler's house to Father Farrel's church, a distance of five miles, attended mass and walked home again before breakfast. Mrs. Butler is seventy years of age, and Mrs. Arsenault is fifty-eight. Both have children married. Mrs. Callaghan still enjoys
a good health, can see perfectly well and enjoys nothing better than recalling experiences of times long gone by. She is a witty talker and finds much pleasure in reading. Her hearing is as good as ever, if we are to believe the statements of her
friends. As a result of her French life she shows a marked fondness for bright colours, her favourites being orange and green in memory of her father and mother. Her Irish blood shows up occasionally, as it did once last summer when she danced a jig
to music from the violin furnished by Henry Cullinan.
She left for Inniskillen yesterday to visit her grandson, Michael Butler, in Bangor, and until yesterday had never seen a railway train. Star.
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