(See Wednesday, December 3, 2008 for Part 2)
Tom Doherty sent me this email a few days ago, and it got me to thinking about who the oldest person currently living in New Gretna and/or the oldest person with New Gretna roots might be. Renard Wiseman, who I believe was the oldest New Gretna resident, recently passed away at age 94.
My Mom (Marie Bishop Doherty) who grew up in my house in New Gretna (the old homestead of Irene and Sylvester Bishop), did some analysis yesterday and concluded that actually she is now the oldest person left on Earth with strong connections to that town. So, though I have left New Gretna to visit down here (Yorktown, Va.), actually, I'm still in New Gretna. No one leaves New Gretna once they arrive. New Gretna gets in the blood, and then becomes an infectious disease which has no cure, other than an eventual return to it. - Tom
I'm sorry to burst Tom's bubble regarding his mom being the oldest person with New Gretna ties, but Bennie Allen will be 91 this December 10th. Ben was born in New Gretna and lived here all his life. By my calculations that would make him 11 years older than Marie McAnney Doherty, Tom's mom.
Anyone know of a New Gretna-ite [just invented a new word] who is older than Ben? - Pete S.
(l-r) Marie McAnney [Tom's great aunt], little Marie Bishop [nee Doherty- Tom's mother], and Della McAnney [Tom's great grandmother]. Irene McAnney Bishop, Tom's grandmother, likely took the photo. (Photo courtesy of Margaret Cramer McAnney.)Ben and Elaine Allen at their 60th wedding anniversary party at the New Gretna Presbyterian Church on January 13, 2002. (Photo by Pete Stemmer.)Ben and Elaine don't have a computer, but if you wish to send Ben a 91st Birthday Greeting, attach it to the comments section below, and I'll print the comments out and deliver them to Ben. - Pete S.
