This article appeared in the North Vernon Plain Dealer on Sept. 2, 2011 for Aug. 31, 1911 in the "100 Years Ago Today" column. I thought it might be of interest to someone.
Oldest Lady in County
Sarah Parks Vawter, the oldest lady in Jennings County, celebrated her 89th birthday anniversary Thursday at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Fountain Spencer in Vernon.
Mrs. Vawter was born in Kentucky on Aug. 31, 1822, and came to Jennings with her parents, Jesse Vawter and wife, in a covered wagon during the times when wolves and bears were plentiful in this county.
Mrs. Vawter has a vivid recollection of the times when "shinplasters" were used, when flints answered for matches, when a saucer filled with oil in which a rag was inserted sufficed as a lamp.
In spite of her extreme age, the infirmities of nearly nine decades does not keep her from work of which her greatest hobby is piecing quilts.
She expects to live to reach the 100th milestone upon life's highway.