Published in the The Paducah Sun-Democrat, Paducah, Kentucky, Tuesday, October 16, 1962, p. 2:
Woman 105 Dies; Was Ex-Slave
By MARIE KIDD
Sun-Democrat Correspondent
METROPOLIS, ILLNOIS, Oct 15 - Death claimed a former slave Sunday night at the age of 105 in Metropolis.
Mrs. Malissa Blithe, who would have been 106 on Nov. 13, died at the home of her niece, Mrs. Fifer Davis, 1011 Pearl St., where she had lived for the past eight years.
Another centenarian who lived a block away, at 1105 Pearl St., also observed Nov. 13 as his birthday until his death several years ago. He was 102-year-old Frank Shelton.
Mrs. Blithe was born Malissa Wheeler in Obion County. Tenn., in 1856. She and her brother and sister were slaves, as their mother Elizabeth was. Her father, James Wheeler was a freedman, however, with papers to prove he was not a slave.
Marriage In 1870
Mrs. Blithe was believed to be the oldest woman in Illinois.
When Malissa was a tiny girl her father stole her mother and their children away from their mistress and took them to Mayfield, Ky., and a little later brought them to Metropolis, when Malissa was eight years old.
Old Massac County Court records show the marriage of Malissa Wheeler at the age of 14 to a Civil War veteran, the Rev. Henry Willett, in 1870.
Two daughters were born of the Willett marriage, both of them now deceased. After the death of the Rev. Mr. Willett, his widow married Bob Gunn. When she was again widowed, she married Henry Blithe, a veteran of the Spanish-American War. He died 36 years ago.
Mrs. Blithe lived with her daughter, Mrs. Idella Willett Shelby in Mounds until Mrs. Shelby's death in 1954, when she returned to Metropolis to make her home with Mrs. Davis.
Mrs. Blithe worked as a janitress in some of the Mounds schools and as a very old lady learned to read and write there. She also worked for a while in Danville at the Old Soldiers Home.
Until very near the end of her long life Mrs. Blithe was able to do light housework, and enjoyed visits from her fellow members of St. Paul AME Church.
On her 105th birthday last year the Pastor's Aid Club of the church and the Savings Club each gave her a party, in her home, where she greeted her friends.
Mrs. Blithe's survivors include, besides Mrs. Davis, two other nieces. Mrs. Mary Sims of Brookport and Mrs. Juanita Worley of Pulaski: five great-nieces and 10 great-nephews.
A wake will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday at Jackson Funeral Home. Funeral services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Paul AME Church, with the Rev. R. B. Smith officiating. Burial will be in Masonic Cemetery.
Woman 105 Dies; Was Ex-Slave
By MARIE KIDD
Sun-Democrat Correspondent
METROPOLIS, ILLNOIS, Oct 15 - Death claimed a former slave Sunday night at the age of 105 in Metropolis.
Mrs. Malissa Blithe, who would have been 106 on Nov. 13, died at the home of her niece, Mrs. Fifer Davis, 1011 Pearl St., where she had lived for the past eight years.
Another centenarian who lived a block away, at 1105 Pearl St., also observed Nov. 13 as his birthday until his death several years ago. He was 102-year-old Frank Shelton.
Mrs. Blithe was born Malissa Wheeler in Obion County. Tenn., in 1856. She and her brother and sister were slaves, as their mother Elizabeth was. Her father, James Wheeler was a freedman, however, with papers to prove he was not a slave.
Marriage In 1870
Mrs. Blithe was believed to be the oldest woman in Illinois.
When Malissa was a tiny girl her father stole her mother and their children away from their mistress and took them to Mayfield, Ky., and a little later brought them to Metropolis, when Malissa was eight years old.
Old Massac County Court records show the marriage of Malissa Wheeler at the age of 14 to a Civil War veteran, the Rev. Henry Willett, in 1870.
Two daughters were born of the Willett marriage, both of them now deceased. After the death of the Rev. Mr. Willett, his widow married Bob Gunn. When she was again widowed, she married Henry Blithe, a veteran of the Spanish-American War. He died 36 years ago.
Mrs. Blithe lived with her daughter, Mrs. Idella Willett Shelby in Mounds until Mrs. Shelby's death in 1954, when she returned to Metropolis to make her home with Mrs. Davis.
Mrs. Blithe worked as a janitress in some of the Mounds schools and as a very old lady learned to read and write there. She also worked for a while in Danville at the Old Soldiers Home.
Until very near the end of her long life Mrs. Blithe was able to do light housework, and enjoyed visits from her fellow members of St. Paul AME Church.
On her 105th birthday last year the Pastor's Aid Club of the church and the Savings Club each gave her a party, in her home, where she greeted her friends.
Mrs. Blithe's survivors include, besides Mrs. Davis, two other nieces. Mrs. Mary Sims of Brookport and Mrs. Juanita Worley of Pulaski: five great-nieces and 10 great-nephews.
A wake will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday at Jackson Funeral Home. Funeral services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Paul AME Church, with the Rev. R. B. Smith officiating. Burial will be in Masonic Cemetery.
Published in the The Paducah Sun-Democrat, Paducah, Kentucky, Tuesday, October 16, 1962, p. 2:
Woman 105 Dies; Was Ex-Slave
By MARIE KIDD
Sun-Democrat Correspondent
METROPOLIS, ILLNOIS, Oct 15 - Death claimed a former slave Sunday night at the age of 105 in Metropolis.
Mrs. Malissa Blithe, who would have been 106 on Nov. 13, died at the home of her niece, Mrs. Fifer Davis, 1011 Pearl St., where she had lived for the past eight years.
Another centenarian who lived a block away, at 1105 Pearl St., also observed Nov. 13 as his birthday until his death several years ago. He was 102-year-old Frank Shelton.
Mrs. Blithe was born Malissa Wheeler in Obion County. Tenn., in 1856. She and her brother and sister were slaves, as their mother Elizabeth was. Her father, James Wheeler was a freedman, however, with papers to prove he was not a slave.
Marriage In 1870
Mrs. Blithe was believed to be the oldest woman in Illinois.
When Malissa was a tiny girl her father stole her mother and their children away from their mistress and took them to Mayfield, Ky., and a little later brought them to Metropolis, when Malissa was eight years old.
Old Massac County Court records show the marriage of Malissa Wheeler at the age of 14 to a Civil War veteran, the Rev. Henry Willett, in 1870.
Two daughters were born of the Willett marriage, both of them now deceased. After the death of the Rev. Mr. Willett, his widow married Bob Gunn. When she was again widowed, she married Henry Blithe, a veteran of the Spanish-American War. He died 36 years ago.
Mrs. Blithe lived with her daughter, Mrs. Idella Willett Shelby in Mounds until Mrs. Shelby's death in 1954, when she returned to Metropolis to make her home with Mrs. Davis.
Mrs. Blithe worked as a janitress in some of the Mounds schools and as a very old lady learned to read and write there. She also worked for a while in Danville at the Old Soldiers Home.
Until very near the end of her long life Mrs. Blithe was able to do light housework, and enjoyed visits from her fellow members of St. Paul AME Church.
On her 105th birthday last year the Pastor's Aid Club of the church and the Savings Club each gave her a party, in her home, where she greeted her friends.
Mrs. Blithe's survivors include, besides Mrs. Davis, two other nieces. Mrs. Mary Sims of Brookport and Mrs. Juanita Worley of Pulaski: five great-nieces and 10 great-nephews.
A wake will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday at Jackson Funeral Home. Funeral services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Paul AME Church, with the Rev. R. B. Smith officiating. Burial will be in Masonic Cemetery.
Woman 105 Dies; Was Ex-Slave
By MARIE KIDD
Sun-Democrat Correspondent
METROPOLIS, ILLNOIS, Oct 15 - Death claimed a former slave Sunday night at the age of 105 in Metropolis.
Mrs. Malissa Blithe, who would have been 106 on Nov. 13, died at the home of her niece, Mrs. Fifer Davis, 1011 Pearl St., where she had lived for the past eight years.
Another centenarian who lived a block away, at 1105 Pearl St., also observed Nov. 13 as his birthday until his death several years ago. He was 102-year-old Frank Shelton.
Mrs. Blithe was born Malissa Wheeler in Obion County. Tenn., in 1856. She and her brother and sister were slaves, as their mother Elizabeth was. Her father, James Wheeler was a freedman, however, with papers to prove he was not a slave.
Marriage In 1870
Mrs. Blithe was believed to be the oldest woman in Illinois.
When Malissa was a tiny girl her father stole her mother and their children away from their mistress and took them to Mayfield, Ky., and a little later brought them to Metropolis, when Malissa was eight years old.
Old Massac County Court records show the marriage of Malissa Wheeler at the age of 14 to a Civil War veteran, the Rev. Henry Willett, in 1870.
Two daughters were born of the Willett marriage, both of them now deceased. After the death of the Rev. Mr. Willett, his widow married Bob Gunn. When she was again widowed, she married Henry Blithe, a veteran of the Spanish-American War. He died 36 years ago.
Mrs. Blithe lived with her daughter, Mrs. Idella Willett Shelby in Mounds until Mrs. Shelby's death in 1954, when she returned to Metropolis to make her home with Mrs. Davis.
Mrs. Blithe worked as a janitress in some of the Mounds schools and as a very old lady learned to read and write there. She also worked for a while in Danville at the Old Soldiers Home.
Until very near the end of her long life Mrs. Blithe was able to do light housework, and enjoyed visits from her fellow members of St. Paul AME Church.
On her 105th birthday last year the Pastor's Aid Club of the church and the Savings Club each gave her a party, in her home, where she greeted her friends.
Mrs. Blithe's survivors include, besides Mrs. Davis, two other nieces. Mrs. Mary Sims of Brookport and Mrs. Juanita Worley of Pulaski: five great-nieces and 10 great-nephews.
A wake will be held from 7 to 10 p.m. Friday at Jackson Funeral Home. Funeral services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Paul AME Church, with the Rev. R. B. Smith officiating. Burial will be in Masonic Cemetery.
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