| Reprinted Raleigh Herald May 6, 1909
Calhoun's oldest man, Uncle Andy is 96 and still chews tabacky.
Andy Mace is a resident of the West Fork, about two miles from Arnoldsburg and about one and one-half miles from Rilla.
He was born near what is now Sutton, Braxton county, in what was then Lewis, or perhaps Harrison county, on the 15th day of April, in the year 1813.
His parents, Henry and Mary Mace, moved to what is now Calhoun county when Uncle Andy was about ten years of age and settled on a farm where Mr. Mace now resides, and in fact has lived and reared his family in the large log house built by his father nearly eighty seven years ago.
His mother died when he was quite young and his father married again. He was the eighth child in a family of fourteen children, only two of whom, besides himself, survive and both of whom are several years younger than Mr. Mace.
In the year of 1834, at the age of 21, he was united in marriage to Miss Ursula Greer, and to his union was born eight children, four boys and four girls, five of whom are still living.
Uncle Andy has 27 grandchildren, 64 great grandchildren and 10 great-great-grandchildren. He has lived to see his fifth generation, an age, that is very rarely attained. His wife died nearly nine years ago at the advanced age of eighty years.
Mr. Mace received a very limited education when young by attending the subscription schools then taught, and can today read without the aid of glasses, and In fact has never worn a pair. His eyesight is remarkably good for one of his age, and he informed the News man that he had killed squirrels with a rifle since he had passed the ninetieth milestone of his life. In his young manhood days he was a great hunter, and within the memory of his son, Henderson, who is 57 years of age, has killed as high as 75 deer, in one winter, and has shot them while standing in his own yard.
When Mr. Mace's father first settled in the county there was plenty of wild game of all kinds, although the greater part of the native Indians had moved on further west. Mr. Mace remembers distinctly when the howling wolves could be heard every night.
Uncle Andy has used tobacco practically all his life, and has used spirituous liquors temperately, never having been under the influence of intoxicating liquors in all his life. He is not a member of any church or religious denomination.
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