DEAD AT 105

Grey River Argus, 23 April 1925, Page 4

DEAD AT 105

DOMINION’S OLDEST WOMAN Mrs Sarah Johnston DEATH OCCURS YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. FIVE GENERATIONS. The death occurred yesterday after noon in the Grey River Hospital of the oldest woman in Greymouth, and undoubtedly the oldest in New Zealand, or even the world. This is Mrs Sarah Johnston (relict of the late. Mr William Johnston), a resident of Grey mouth and district for the past fifty years. When Waterloo was Fought. The late Mrs Johnston was born in October, 1820—a few years after the Battle of Waterloo was fought. Her birth place was Belfast, in which city her parents had been li\ing for some years prior to her birth. Before going to Belfast, the family had boen farm ers in Ulster. The late Airs Johnston, together with her husband and family, and one grandchild (Mrs Benson, of William Street, Greymouth), left Ba!lamaine in the ship Camperdown in 1874 for New Zealand. Deceased and her husband had been in business in Ballamaine ar, boot and shoe importers for some years, hut decided to migrate to New Zealand. They arrived in Nelson in the latter part of Juno. 1875. and then came on to Greymouth. landing in Greymouth on July 12th of the same year. The family went immediately to Brunnerton to live, and the late Mr Johnston carried on business ;-s a bootmaker in that township practically up to the time of his death, which occurred about twelve years ago. The late Mrs Johnston to tained all her faculties to a surprising degree up to a few months ago. when her eyesight failed her. but almost to the time of her death she was cheerful. Five Generations. By the death of the late Mrs Johnston, the all-important link in a fam ily of five generations has boen snap ped. There are threo sons and two daughters. The sons are: Air Thomas Johnston (Kaiatal; Air John Johnston (Christchurch). Mr Michael Johnston (Runanga): and the daughters. Mrs J. Rooney (Greymouth): Mrs Geo. Millar (Runanga). There are twenty-five grand-children, thirty great grand-child ren, and two great great grand-child-ren. The family of deceased was one of marked longevity. Her mother died in the year 1874 at the ago of 91: her father died some years before that nt the age of 87. A brother, the late Mr Michael Heeney. died in Greymouth some years ago, having passed hi? eightieth voar, and her eldest brother. Mr Joseph Heeney, died nt the age of 97. The interment will take place tomorrow.