The Civil War, ox-wagon days and frontier-Texas are memories for an alert, keen-eyed gray-haired gentleman who reaches the century mark Friday.

William T. Mitchell plans to observe his 100th birthday relaxing in his favorite arm chair before the television set at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Agnes Jones, 2518 North Henderson. He has been living with Mrs. Jones and another daughter, Mrs. Bessie Gray, 6001 Ross, alternately since selling his 400 acres of farm land in Rockwall County and retiring in the late 1920's.

Normally, Mitchell would be up and about, taking a walk down to the neighborhood movie or working in the garden. But having undergone major surgery three months ago, he isn't rushing things. At that, he returned home three days after the operation.

"Up until his operation," declared Mrs. Jones, "he used to get up and prepare his own breakfast every day, too."

Conversation with the reminiscing centenarian makes this easy to believe. "I remember in 1869 when we came to Dallas to sell some fodder," he recalled, "and we stayed at a wagon yard where the courthouse stands (page torn) had big old trees in (page torn) River bottoms, and downtown Dallas was just a bunch of dirt roads."

Born in Mississippi, Mitchell was 9 years old when his family and another family "came to Texas in an ox-wagon. We left in the fall and arrived in the spring. The other family didn't like it so they went back to Mississippi."

Mitchell's parents apparently felt otherwise. They settled in Kaufman County "in a log cabin with a dirt floor." Mitchell's father was a shoe-maker in Mississippi when "Yankee soldiers torn up the town."

He taught his son the trade but Mitchell "farmed all my life"-except for intervals when he operated a furniture store in Wichita Falls and a pool parlor in Terrell.

An enthusiastic hunter in his youth, Mitchell "had the best luck anyone ever had shooting turkeys and deer." And his eyes sparkled as he told of the one time luck deserted him.

"I caught him (a turkey) up, got read to shoot--and my gun wasn't loaded." A prized possession is a well preserved picture of the Plattsville, (Delta County) Band which went to McKinney in 1910 or 1911 to play for a visit by Gov. O. B. Colquitt shortly after his election. Mitchell played coronet in the band.

"The Cooper band underbid us for the occasion, but they didn't have any uniforms so they tried to borrow ours," he grinned. "Of course we wouldn't let them have them, so we played instead."

Mitchell also played the violin but has given music up in late years for sewing ad quilting. One of his quilts won third place in a State Fair of Texas contest in 1940.

He never wears glasses, his daughter insisted, although he bought a pair years ago. "I took my girl to town to buy her a watch, and decided to buy me some glasses while I was at it." The glasses cost "$3 or $4" indicating how long ago it was.

Mitchell also had some false teeth, "but he threw them out because he said they didn't fit," explained Mrs. Jones. He also uses a cane "if I don't forget." His favorite pastime? "Watching the fights on TV."

His descendants: four daughters and two sons, 11 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren.

And to what does he attribute his longevity? "I don't smoke, chew, drink, or curse." replied Mitchell.

On the affirmative side, Mrs. Jones disclosed that her father recites the Lord's Prayer every night when he goes to bed.

Note by Holli Boone Kees: Most of the story is true, but William Thomas never reached 100 years of age. He died in 1956, lacking three years of reaching his 100th birthday.

If you would like to share information with Holli, please send her e-mail at Hkees@aol.com.