Editor Visits Becky Jane Pack, 102 Years Old, April 27, 1922

Surry Citizen 102 Years Old

The editor’s family last Sunday went to see a curiosity in the way of a woman who is 102 years old and bids fair to see another birthday.

The name of the woman is Mrs. Becky Jane Pack, and she lives with her son, six miles east of Mount Airy on the Patrick road. The home where she lives, if you care to pay her a visit, is on a high hill in the big orchard about a half mile beyond the Brower Springs. Mrs. Pack has lived her entire life in the section of Patrick county down on Dan river until about two weeks her son brought her to his home where she is now. If you could see her you would not doubt her age, for those who have visited her say that the state of her mind and her general appearance all go to show that she is of great age. Her son, who is 60 years old, claims to know her age and he says she will be 108 at her next birthday.

Mrs. Pack had six children and only the two younger ones are now living. She is too feeble to get about and quietly remains in bed the entire time. Her eyesight is poor but she hears almost to perfection. Her diet is almost entirely milk, and she is not able to rest well in the room where there is a fire. She says a fire seems to cause her to have a sensation of sickness. And talk, the old lady talks as freely and as well as a 16-year-old. She delights to tell of her experiences and told her visitors Sunday of things she remembers that happened years ago when she visited Mount Airy. She recalled the names of all the prominent citizens here 50 years ago, and told of making a visit to the home of Dr. Joe Hollingsworth and spending the night there, the visit being made to have a growth removed from her nose. She got relief from the operation and was never troubled further with the growth. She can sit up in bed and enjoys her snuff. She delights to have visitors and in a modest way will tell you she likes for visitors to make her a present, for it takes money to buy her snuff and then she likes to have new clothes now and then. Those who saw her Sunday say that they have no desire to live to be a hundred years old.

From The Mount Airy News, Thursday, April 27, 1922, J.E. Johnson & Son, Publishers