Mrs Asa Duren (Stearns) Billerica
San Francisco Call, Volume 70, Number 157, 4 November 1891
NINETY YEARS OLD.
Mrs. Fally Slearns Has Just Cat
Her Third Set of IVeth.
Sally (Lane) Steams of Billerien attained the ripe old age of tour score and ten years October iStti. A liostou Globe reporter was among tho.->e to call upon the venerable lady. "I was born in the year one," was her reply to the question of age, "aud I have lived long enough."
Iler physical and mental strength are doubtless an inheritance, and her own manner of living has not weakened her natural powers.
She is a descendant In the sixth generation on her maternal side from Ralph Hill, the pioneer of liil!erira, and on hor paternal Mdc, in the fame generation, from Job Lane, who came to Hillerica in Kki4, and settled in that |>nit of the ancient town thatbecme Btijford in 173. Her father was BenJ.unin Lane, and her mother, his second wife. Isabella Hill. Her father was born in 1754, and was 11 year* old when "Dorchester Canada." was inrorporated as the town of Ashbiiruham, Worcester County. Wlien tbe town was in its teens, Benjamin Lane, like other ndventurotis ones, determined to start out Into that wilderness where land was plentiful aud cheap. The young man ana his bride went to the new settlement io do pionei-r work. It was in that town that Sally, the y< nugrst of their thiiiceu children, was born, on October is, usoi. The Indians had hardly quitted the forests, aud tbe btruggles of her parents were sucb as to call into service eyt-rv faculty. The childien were early obliged to aid in "keeping the woW from the door." Mrs. Steams derives much pleasure from relioarsiiiii stories t Id her by her mother nf hor own experience with Indians. The old hiime at liillerica was often visited by scattering niiiiiliers of tlie I'awtuckpt tribi', who made visits to the springs near by. The kern students nf uatttie had detected the remedial properties of thy waters, and brought their sick to bathe in them and took away water in their skin bottles. This water, they used to tell airs. Lane, was medicine. They expressed great indignation that the white people had brukeu up Ibelr camping grounds. Mrs. Steams, who is tlie last survivor of the thirteen children of lfenjauiiu Line, married In 1828 Franklin .Steams of liillprica, and returned to her patents' native town and neighborhood, and soon to the iStenrns homestead, where she has since lived.
She has had »ix children, four of whom are living, Including Mrs. John Davis and Mrs. Asa Duren of Carlisle. These children, with their thirteen grandchildren, nephews,nieces and many friends made up the company who called with gifts and congratulations on her 90th birthday. Mrs. .Steams' face shows the furrows of her long life, but she has always enjoyed good health, and is still remarkably free from physical infirmities. She says her eyes are tired mid do not like to keep open, but the sight is perfect. About a year ago she cut several teeth of her third set, and she has never been obliged to resort to "store teeth." Her hearing is perfect, and her memory remarkable, especially of the days of her youth. In proof of her marriage, which occurred sixty-three years ago, she proudly showed the reporter a little bock, "Advice to Young .Married People," that the minister gave her. The. china with which s.he began housekeeping is still cherished try her. The farm is a part of the purchase by John Steams of the Lieutenaut-Goveruor Dudley grant of li!3H, and her son John, who now Conducts the farm, is of the seventh generation of the family and name In possession. Mid of the fourth generation who have occupied the dwelling-house. It was the birthplace of Onslow Steams, late Governor of New Hampshire; John Owen Steams, well known in the country, mid many others, besides her husband. Franklin Steams, who was born in 1802. Among the Steams family relics in the house, is a small picture, representing the family tree, with heart-shaped apples to indicate each child.
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